CONTAMINATION PROTECTION DURING TRANSPORT OF FOOD PORTIONS

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for moving portions each comprising at least one slice separated from a food product, in particular by a slicing device, in particular by a high-speed slicer, having a plurality of individually movable transport movers for transporting portions, having a track system for the transport movers, in which the transport movers can be moved along at least one specified track in a transport direction and having a control device for controlling the movements of the transport movers in the track system, wherein the transport movers each comprise at least one runner cooperating with the track system and at least one portion carrier mounted on the runner, wherein for at least one sub-section of the track, in particular a section at risk of contamination, a discharge device is provided which is designed to at least intermittently discharge next to the section, contamination and/or incorrect portions originating from the foods, in particular occurring when cutting the food products and/or during handling of the portions.

Claims

1.-17. (canceled)

18. An apparatus for moving portions that each comprise at least one slice cut off from a food product, the apparatus comprising a plurality of individually movable transport movers for the transport of portions; a path system for the transport movers in which the transport movers are movable in a direction of transport along at least one predefined path; and a control device for controlling the movements of the transport movers in the path system, wherein the transport movers each comprise at least one rotor cooperating with the path system and at least one carrier for portions attached to the rotor; and wherein a disposal device is provided for at least one part region of the path and the disposal device is configured to dispose of at least one of contaminants and incorrect portions, originating from the food products on the slicing of the food products and/or on the handling of the arising portions, next to the part region at least at times.

19. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the disposal device is provided for at least one part region at risk of contamination.

20. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the disposal device is provided in a transfer region in which portions move onto the transport movers.

21. The apparatus in accordance with claim 20, wherein the portions are transferred to the transport movers from one of an insertion apparatus and a slicing apparatus in the transfer region.

22. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the disposal device comprises a disposal apparatus that is provided in addition to the path and that is arranged above the part region of the path at least at times.

23. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the transport movers each comprise a holder for their carrier, the holder engaging around the disposal device so that the carrier is arranged above the disposal device.

24. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the disposal apparatus is configured for an active disposal of at least one of the contaminants and the incorrect portions.

25. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the disposal apparatus is configured to dispose of at least one of the contaminants and the incorrect portions laterally next to the part region of the path with respect to the transport direction.

26. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the disposal apparatus comprises a conveying apparatus.

27. The apparatus in accordance with claim 26, wherein the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus extends at a right angle or obliquely to the transport direction.

28. The apparatus in accordance with claim 26, wherein the conveying apparatus comprises a conveyor belt that extends at a right angle or obliquely to the transport direction and through a gap that is present between the path and the rotor in transport operation

29. The apparatus in accordance with claim 28, wherein the gap is present between a lower side of the rotor and the upper side of a motor housing of the path system.

30. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the disposal apparatus comprises a movable cover.

31. The apparatus in accordance with claim 30, wherein the cover is areal and/or of disk shape.

32. The apparatus in accordance with claim 30, wherein the cover comprises an at least substantially planar cover surface.

33. The apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein the disposal apparatus comprises a stationary cover having a disposal slope leading next to the part region of the path.

34. The apparatus in accordance with claim 23, wherein the disposal apparatus comprises a stationary cover having a disposal slope leading next to the part region of the path.

35. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the disposal device is configured to move an insertion apparatus serving for the transfer of portions to the transport movers from a transfer position into a disposal position.

36. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the disposal device is configured such that the part region of the path extends next to a disposal region for at least one of the contaminants and the incorrect portions at least at times.

37. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the transport movers each comprise a carrier protruding laterally at least at times and projecting into the transfer region.

38. A method for moving portions that each comprise at least one slice cut off from a food product, in which the portions are moved by means of a plurality of individually movable transport movers which are moved along at least one predefined path in a path system by means of a control device; and in which at least one part region of the path is protected against at least one of contaminants and incorrect portions originating from the food products, in that at least one of the contaminants and the incorrect portions are disposed of next to the part region by means of a disposal device at least at times.

Description

[0050] The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to the drawings. There are shown:

[0051] FIG. 1 a perspective view of an embodiment of a movement apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0052] FIG. 2 a plan view of a part region of the movement apparatus in accordance with FIG. 1;

[0053] FIGS. 3 and 4 sectional views of the movement apparatus in accordance with FIG. 2;

[0054] FIGS. 5 and 6 perspective views of further embodiments of movement apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0055] FIGS. 7 and 8 plan views of further embodiments of a movement apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0056] FIG. 9 a perspective view of a further embodiment of a movement apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0057] FIG. 10 a schematic side view of a movement apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0058] FIGS. 11 to 16 plan views of further embodiments of a movement apparatus in accordance with the invention; and

[0059] FIG. 17 a further embodiment of the invention.

[0060] It must first be noted that the embodiments shown are of a purely exemplary nature. A plurality of paths can also in particular be arranged next to one another to thus enable a multi-track operation. The features of an embodiment can also be combined as desired with features of another embodiment. Provision can in particular also be made instead of an insertion apparatus that cutting takes place onto the transport movers directly from a slicing apparatus or that portions are placed directly onto the transport movers by a robot device or by hand.

[0061] An apparatus for moving portions 10 is shown in FIG. 1. A portion 10 here comprises four slices that are cut-off from a product with the aid of a slicing apparatus, not shown. The slicing apparatus can in particular be a circular blade or a scythe-like blade revolving in planetary motion and/or in a rotational manner. Products can in particular also be sliced in so-called multi-track operation such that portions 10 arise on parallel tracks. The portions 10 are conveyed via conveyor belts 12 to an insertion apparatus 14. The insertion apparatus 14 can in particular be a blade edge belt. A scanner 16 enables a data acquisition for the purpose of cycling the portions 10 in or also for the purpose of expelling them.

[0062] The actual movement apparatus adjoins the insertion apparatus 14. It comprises a plurality of transport movers 18 that are moved on a predefined path 20 on a path system. The mover 18 shown here has a carrier 22. This carrier can be formed in the manner of a rake such that portions 10 located thereon can be easily removed by means of a robot gripper likewise configured as a rake.

[0063] The transfer region at which the portions 10 are transferred from the insertion apparatus 14 to the transport movers 18 is at particular risk of contamination. There is thus a risk that product residues that arise on the slicing or on the first cutting of product bars move onto the path 20. This is unwanted from hygienic aspects. The freedom of movement of the movers 18 on the path 20 can also be restricted by product residues piling up. A disposal device 24 is provided for this reason that prevents inter alia cutting residues from falling onto the path 20.

[0064] A plan view of the movement apparatus is shown in FIG. 2. The disposal device 24 is in this respect configured as a conveyor belt 25 that disposes of product residues laterally next to the path 20 in the conveying direction F. The conveying direction F is in this respect oriented at a right angle to the transport direction T of the movers 18. Contaminants can in this manner be disposed of laterally without them moving onto the path 20 or onto guides 26 of the path 20. The guides 26 can in particular be configured as guide rails for the movers 18.

[0065] As can be seen in the sectional views in accordance with FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a holder 28 of the carrier 22 that is connected to the remaining mover 18 engages around the disposal device 24. Portions 10 can thus be picked up on the carrier 22 of the mover 18 without impediment when the mover 18 is located beneath the insertion apparatus 14. The movers 18 can also be moved freely in the path 20 so that they are not impeded by the disposal device 24.

[0066] In the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 3, the carrier 22 and the holder 28 form a “U”. This is in particular advantageous when the carrier 22 is of grid shape. The holder 28 is areal in the region beneath the carrier 22 so that product residues falling through the grid are collected by the holder 28.

[0067] If the carrier 22 is, in contrast, not configured as a grid, the holder 28 can, as shown in FIG. 4, also only have a substantially vertical component. An areal section that is substantially horizontal beneath the carrier 22 is not necessary in this respect. The carrier 22 and the holder 28 in this respect substantially form an “L”.

[0068] A perspective view of a movement apparatus is shown in FIG. 5. The disposal device 24 is oriented in this respect such that contaminants and/or incorrect portions are disposed of approximately at a right angle to the transport direction T of the transport movers 18 and are supplied, for example, to a waste container 30.

[0069] An embodiment in which the disposal device 24 is arranged in parallel with the path 20 so that the conveying direction F extends in parallel with the transport direction T is shown in FIG. 6. The path 20 in this respect describes a curve such that contaminants and/or incorrect portions are disposed of into the waste container 30 next to the path 20.

[0070] In accordance with the embodiments that are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the disposal device 24 can also be configured as a rotatable disk 32. The disk 32 forms a cover, has closable cut-outs 34 and can be rotated in the direction of rotation D. The cut-outs 34 can in particular be closed and opened by means of a slider.

[0071] If portions are transported off by the transport mover 18, the transport mover 18 impacts the cut-out 34 of the disk 32 and opens it. The transport mover 18 is thus not restricted in its movement. If no portions are conveyed, contaminants in contrast impact regions of the disk 32 that do not have any cut-out 34 or impact closed cut-outs 34. The contaminants are disposed of in the direction of rotation D. The rotational movement of the disk 32 is matched to the movements of the transport movers 18. A control device that is e.g. aware of the positions or speeds of the transport movers 18 and of the angular positions of the cut-outs 34 ensures this.

[0072] A variant is shown in FIG. 8 in which only a single, permanently open cut-out 34 is provided. With a carrier 22 that, together with a holder 28, engages around the disposal device 24, the disk 32 can also be completely closed and not have any cut-out 34. Due to the L-shaped or U-shaped design, the transport mover 18 can also pass the disposal device 24 without impediment in this case.

[0073] To remove contaminants and/or incorrect portions from the disk 32, a wiping apparatus 36, for example a deflection meal sheet, can be provided. The wiping apparatus 36 can in particular be passive so that contaminants and/or incorrect portions are removed from the disk 32 due to the rotation thereof.

[0074] In accordance with the embodiment that is shown in FIG. 9, the disposal device 24 is configured as a stationary cover 38, e.g. as a passive metal sheet. The metal sheet 38 has a slope 40 so that contaminants or incorrect portions that move onto the metal sheet 38 are disposed of next to the path 20 due to gravity. A drip edge 42 is provided at the upper end of the slope 40.

[0075] The metal sheet 38 can be plugged to the path 20 or to a base for the path 20 by means of a plug-in connection 44.

[0076] The sequence of the individual planes is shown in FIG. 10. This sequence is generally observed independently of whether the disposal device 24 is active or passive. The plane of the insertion device 14 is at the topmost point, followed by the plane of the carriers 22 in which the portions 10 are transferred or handled. The disposal device 24 is located thereunder. This disposal plane extends above a path plane in which the path 20 having the part regions to be protected is located.

[0077] In accordance with the embodiment variant in FIG. 11 to FIG. 13, the path 20 extends next to the insertion apparatus 14. Contaminants and/or incorrect portions thus move into a disposal region 46 while the path 20 bypasses the disposal region 46. To nevertheless be able to pick up portions 10, the carrier 22 can protrude laterally, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The carrier 22 can thus reach into the disposal region 46 to pick up portions 10 coming from the insertion apparatus 14. The path 20 can in this respect extend in parallel with or at a right angle to the insertion apparatus 14.

[0078] In accordance with the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, a collection apparatus 48 is provided that can collect carriers 22 from the transport movers 18 and can transport them into the disposal region 46. Once a portion 10 has been picked up, the collection apparatus 48 can return the carrier 22 loaded with a portion 10 back to the transport mover 18 that is thereupon conveyed onward into the path 20. The collection apparatus 48 can thus in particular travel the carriers 22 transversely to the transport direction T.

[0079] As can be seen in the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 14, a part region of the path 20 can itself also be adjusted at least at times transversely to the transport direction T with the aid of a transverse adjustment device 50 if portions 10 are to be transferred to the transport movers 18. The transverse adjustment device 50 can in particular adjust the path 20 with the aid of a motor, of a spindle and/or of a pneumatic cylinder. If no portions are transferred, the path section 20 is at its normal position such that contaminants and/or incorrect portions move into the disposal region 46 and are thus laterally disposed of next to the path 20.

[0080] In accordance with the embodiment shown in FIG. 15, a fan 52 is provided that blows contaminants and/or incorrect portions off the insertion apparatus 14 so that they do not reach the path 20. A compressed air pulse is preferably utilized in this respect.

[0081] As can be seen in FIG. 16, the path 20 can also itself be stationary while the insertion apparatus 14 is movable, in particular pivotable. Contaminants 54 are in this respect disposed of laterally from the path 20. If, in contrast, portions 10 are to be transferred to the transport movers 18, the insertion apparatus 14 is pivoted in the pivoting direction S. The portions 10 can thereupon be transferred to the transport movers 18.

[0082] In applications in which mostly no portions 10 are transmitted, the insertion apparatus 14 is pivoted outward in the direction of the disposal device 46 most of the time.

[0083] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 17, a conveyor belt 25 is provided as the disposal device that is configured as a continuous belt and runs around deflection rollers 58, three deflection rollers here. One of the deflection rollers 58 is configured as a drive roller by which the conveyor belt 25 is moved running counter clockwise in the view of FIG. 17.

[0084] In the region of the path 20, the conveyor belt 25 extends in parallel with the transport direction.

[0085] The conveyor belt 25 is so thin that it can run through the gap 56 that is present between the transport movers 18 and the path 20 when the transport movers 18 are moved along the path 20.

[0086] This gap 56 is in particular present between the lower side of a rotor of the transport mover 18 guided by means of guides 26 of the path system and the upper side of a motor housing of the path 20.

[0087] The width of the conveyor belt 25 consequently extends over a part region of the path in which there is in particular an increased risk of contamination. For example, the conveyor belt 25 can be arranged in a portioning region subsequent to a food slicing apparatus and/or in insertion and/or transfer regions for portions 10.

[0088] The guides 26 for the transport movers 18 are correspondingly omitted in the region of the conveyor belt 25. For example, sufficient space can be present between vertical holders for these guides 26 at the path 20 or at the mentioned motor housing in order also to be able to lead comparatively wide conveyor belts 25 through.

[0089] The conveyor belt 25 preferably lies relatively loosely, but at least substantially areally on the upper side of the path 20 or of the motor housing. If the belt 25 is sufficiently thin, the transport movers 18 can simply be moved beyond the belt 25.

[0090] If only two deflection rollers are provided for the conveyor belt 25, provision is preferably made that the upper sides of these deflection rollers are located approximately at the height level of the upper side of the path 20 or of the motor housing. The region to be protected against contaminants is preferably laterally bounded by the deflection rollers. The axes of rotation of the deflection rollers are preferably arranged in parallel with the transport direction. It is alternatively possible that the axes of rotation of the deflection rollers are aligned obliquely to the transport direction. This can be the case, for example, when the contaminants that arise can be grasped better.

[0091] If only two deflection rollers are present for the conveyor belt 25, they have a comparatively large diameter to be able to lead the lower run of the conveyor belt beneath the path 20 or beneath the motor housing.

[0092] If in contrast—as in the embodiment of FIG. 17—more than two deflection rollers 58 are present, they can have a smaller diameter since it is possible to guide the conveyor belt 25 in any desired manner with more than two deflection rollers 58 and in so doing to bypass construction restrictions.

[0093] With respect to the removal of the contaminants transported off from the conveyor belt 25, provision is preferably made to provide corresponding wiping or combing apparatus in the lower region of the conveyor belt, i.e. in the region of the lower run.

[0094] It can be prevented in accordance with the invention that contaminants 54 and/or incorrect portions move onto part regions of the path 20. Contaminants 54 and/or incorrect potions can be removed with the aid of the respective disposal apparatus 24 without the transport movers 18 being restricted in their freedom of movement along the path 20.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0095] 10 portion [0096] 12 conveyor belt [0097] 14 insertion apparatus [0098] 16 scanner [0099] 18 transport mover [0100] 20 path [0101] 22 carrier [0102] 24 disposal device [0103] 25 conveyor belt [0104] 26 guide [0105] 28 holder [0106] 30 waste container [0107] 32 disk [0108] 34 cut-out [0109] 36 wiping apparatus [0110] 38 metal sheet [0111] 40 slope [0112] 42 drip edge [0113] 44 plug-in connection [0114] 46 disposal region [0115] 48 collection apparatus [0116] 50 transverse adjustment device [0117] 57 fan [0118] 54 contamination [0119] 56 gap [0120] 58 deflection roller [0121] F conveying direction [0122] T transport direction [0123] D direction of rotation [0124] S pivot direction