INTEGRALLY BONDED GRIPPER

Abstract

The invention relates to a gripper for use in a slicing machine, in particular a high-performance slicing machine, said gripper being joined to the food product using an integral bonding process.

Claims

1. A high-performance cutting machine comprising: a cutting blade that separates food slides from an end of a food product; and a gripper that is reversibly engaged with an opposing end of the food product, the gripper is configured to fix and/or guide the food product during slicing of a last food slice from the food product, wherein the gripper is connected in an integrally bonded manner to the opposing end of the food product.

2. The cutting machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bond is realized by a phase change of a bonding substance.

3. The cutting machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gripper and/or the food product is/are provided so as to be coolable.

4. The cutting machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cooling is realized by a liquid gas.

5. The cutting machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gripper and/or the food product is/are provided so as to be warmable.

6. The cutting machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the gripper and/or the food product is/are warmed with a heating facility that is an electric heater.

7. The cutting machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cutting machine comprises a positive locking and/or non-positive locking means.

8. A method for slicing a food product with a high performance cutting machine that comprises a cutting blade and a gripper, the method comprising steps of: separating food slides from an end of the food product with the cutting blade, and reversibly engaging an opposing end of the food product with the gripper, the gripper fixes and/or guides the food product during slicing of a last slice of the food product, and forming a material bond between the end of the food product and the gripper.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the forming step comprises freezing the end of the food product to the gripper.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, following conclusion of the slicing, the method comprises a step of breaking a joint.

11. The cutting machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bonding substance is water that is located between the gripper and the food product.

12. The cutting machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bonding substance is water that is sprayed, brushed, coated, immersed, and/or condensation located between the end of the food product and the gripper.

13. The cutting machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the liquid gas is nitrogen.

14. The cutting machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the positive locking and/or non-positive locking means comprises a claw and/or a spike.

15. The cutting machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bond between the gripper and the opposing end of the food product is completed after a cut from the end of the food product has already taken place.

16. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the joint is broken by a step of unfreezing.

17. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the method comprises a step of completing the material bond between the end of the food product and the gripper after a food slice has been separated from the end of the food product.

18. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein before the forming step, the method comprises a step of: spraying, condensation/separation, brushing and/or atomization of a bonding substance between the end of the food product and the gripper, wherein the freezing step comprising freezing the bonding substance to form the material bond between the end of the food product and the gripper.

19. A cutting machine comprising: a cutting blade that separates food slides from an end of a food product; and a gripper that is bonded to an opposing end of the food product before and during slicing of the food product, wherein the bond is achieved by solidifying or freezing a liquid present between the gripper and the opposing end of the food product, wherein the liquid is sprayed, brushed, coated, immersed, and/or condensation located between the end of the food product and the gripper, wherein the freezing of the liquid is realized with liquid nitrogen, wherein after the food slices are separated from the end of the food product, the bond is broken by warming the gripper, the food product, or both, and wherein the piper comprises a claw, a hook, and/or a cutter that engage the opposing end of the food product in addition to the bond.

20. The cutting machine as claimed is claim 19, wherein the bond between the gripper and the opposing end of the food product is completed after a cut from the end of the food product has already taken place.

Description

[0026] Below, the invention is explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. These elucidations are merely illustrative and do not restrict the general inventive concept. The statements apply equally to all subjects of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows the slicing device according to the invention,

[0028] FIG. 2 shows the slicing device according to the invention and the method according to the invention.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a slicing device 5. The slicing device 5 has a cutting blade 11, which cuts a food product 2 into food slices 12. To this end, each food product 2 is transported with a conveying means 4, in this case two conveyor belts 4, continuously or intermittently in the direction of the cutting plane 6 of the blade 11. The lower conveyor belt 4 is at the same time a product support. The cutting blade 11 is fastened to a rotating blade holder 3 and cooperates for cutting purposes with a cutting edge 9 provided, for instance, on the front end of a product support 4, which jointly define the cutting plane 6. Present between the blade 11 and the cutting edge 9 is a so-called blade clearance, which should be as small as possible, yet must be sufficiently large that the blade does not touch the cutting edge. This clearance must be regularly adjusted. This can be realized by a movement of the blade and/or of the cutting edge. Moreover, the cutting edge must be oriented parallel to the blade. Following the separation, the food slices fall generally onto a delivery table 1, which is provided with transporting means, for instance a conveyor or conveyor belt, on which they are configured to respectively form a portion 14, in this case a stack. The finished portions 14 are next transported out of the cutting blade region and subsequently packed. The slice thickness derives from the feed distance of the food product between two cuts. Given constant blade rotation speed, the slice thickness is regulated via the feed rate of the food product. The slicing device has for each feed line 7 a gripper 8, which grips the rear end 13 of the food product 2 before and/or during the slicing and stabilizes this during the slicing, in particular toward the end of the slicing, and disposes of the end piece which cannot be sliced. Each gripper is preferably provided on a gripper carriage (not represented), which moves the grippers back and forth, in particular parallel to the direction of feed of the food product. Each gripper is preferably, at least periodically, individually drivable.

[0030] Preferably, the slicing device is provided in multitrack form, i.e. a plurality of food products 2 are sliced by a blade, in particular at least periodically simultaneously or at least periodically sequentially. For this, the device has for each food product a dedicated track 7, along which it is transported in the direction of the blade 11.

[0031] According to the invention, the gripper is connected in an integrally bonded manner to the food product. This material bond is preferably realized by solidification/freezing of water or moisture, present between the gripper and the food product, before and/or after the gripper has been led up to the food product and/or brought into contact with this same. Preferably, the slicing device according to the invention and/or the gripper according to the invention has/have a cooling device and/or a heating device, which cause the water or moisture to solidify and thaw or unfreeze again.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the gripper according to the invention. In the present case, this has claws, hooks and/or cutters 16, which, in addition to the material bond, can also produce a form closure and/or force closure. However, the means 16 can also serve merely to enlarge the contact area between the gripper and the food product 2 in order to improve the material bond.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

[0033] 1 delivery table

[0034] 2 food product

[0035] 3 blade holder

[0036] 4 support surface, transport means of a track 7

[0037] 5 slicing device

[0038] 6 cutting plane

[0039] 7 track

[0040] 8 gripper

[0041] 9 cutter bar, cutting edge

[0042] 10 product guide

[0043] 11 blade, cutting blade, circular blade, sickle-shaped blade

[0044] 12 food slices

[0045] 13 rear side of the food product

[0046] 14 portion, food portion

[0047] 15 integrally bonded joint between gripper and product

[0048] 16 integrally bonded, positive locking and/or non-positive locking joint between the gripper and the product