CONVEYING DEVICE HAVING PORTION TRANSFER

Abstract

The invention relates to a system having a conveying apparatus for moving portions that each comprise at least one slice cut off from a food product, in particular by means of a slicing apparatus, in particular by means of a high-speed slicer; having at least one packaging apparatus for packaging the portions; and having at least one transfer device for transferring the portions from the conveying apparatus to the packaging apparatus, wherein the conveying apparatus comprises 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 along at least one predefined path in a transport direction, 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 the transfer device is configured to form a single-line or multi-line format set from a plurality of portions of different transport movers and to transfer the format set as a whole to the packaging apparatus.

Claims

1.-23. (canceled)

24. A system comprising a conveying apparatus for moving portions that each comprise at least one slice cut off from a food product; at least one packaging apparatus for packaging the portions; and at least one transfer device for transferring the portions from the conveying apparatus to the packaging apparatus, wherein the conveying apparatus comprises 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 transport direction 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 the transfer device is configured to form a single-line or multi-line format set from a plurality of portions of different transport movers and to transfer the format set as a whole to the packaging apparatus.

25. The system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the transfer device comprises a formatter that picks up the portions directly from the transport movers.

26. The system in accordance with claim 25, wherein the format set is formable on the formatter.

27. The system in accordance with claim 25, wherein the formatter comprises one of a one-part conveyor belt, a conveyor belt divided into a plurality of individually movable tracks, and a plurality of separate individual conveyor belts.

28. The system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the transfer device comprises a support for the format set.

29. The system in accordance with claim 28, wherein the support comprises one of a one-part conveyor belt and a conveyor belt divided into a plurality of individually movable tracks.

30. The system in accordance with claim 28, wherein the transfer device comprises a dispensing apparatus by means of which the support is movable as a whole to a dispensing region in which the format set is dispensable to the packaging apparatus.

31. The system in accordance with claim 24, wherein at least one or each transport mover is movable to a predefinable position of a pick-up region at which the transport device picks up the portion.

32. The system in accordance with claim 31, wherein the position is adaptable to a location of the portion on the transport mover or is variable in dependence on the location of the portion on the transport mover.

33. The system in accordance with claim 32, wherein a detection device is provided that determines the location of the portion on the transport mover.

34. The system in accordance with claim 31, wherein the position is adaptable or variable such that the portion on the transport mover is arranged in accordance with the format set to be formed and/or in accordance with a transfer position corresponding to the transfer device.

35. The system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the transfer device comprises an alignment apparatus that arranges the portions in accordance with the format set to be formed.

36. The system in accordance with claim 35, wherein the alignment apparatus comprises an alignment belt that is associated with the transport mover.

37. The system in accordance with claim 35, wherein the alignment apparatus is movable laterally and/or in parallel with the conveying direction.

38. The system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the transfer device is configured to pick up a plurality of portions from the transports movers simultaneously.

39. The system in accordance with claim 24, wherein spacings between the positions of the transport movers are adaptable to one another or are variable such that the portions on the transport movers are spaced apart from one another in accordance with the format set to be formed.

40. The system in accordance with claim 24, wherein an individual conveyor of the formatter is associated with each transport mover.

41. The system in accordance with claim 40, wherein the individual conveyor is configured as rigid or as an alignment apparatus.

42. The system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the transfer device is configured to pick up portions consecutively from the transport movers.

43. The system in accordance with claim 42, wherein the transport movers are movable after one another into the same position.

44. The system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the transfer device as a whole, a formatter of the transfer device and/or a support of the transfer device are movable in at least one dimension to pick up portions of different transport movers.

45. The system in accordance with claim 24, wherein a line of the format set on the transfer device is formable in parallel with or at a right angle to the transport direction.

46. A method of packaging portions that each comprise at least one slice cut off from a food product; in which a conveying apparatus transports portions using a plurality of individually movable transport movers; a path system moves the transport movers along at least one predefined path in a transport direction and a control device controls the movements of the transport movers in the path system; and a transfer device transfers portions from the conveying apparatus to at least one packaging apparatus, wherein the transfer device forms a single-line or multi-line format set from a plurality of portions of different transport movers and transfers the format set as a whole to the packaging apparatus by means of which the portions are packaged.

Description

[0053] The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to the drawings. There are shown:

[0054] FIG. 1 to FIG. 11 schematic plan views of different embodiments of the system in accordance with the invention.

[0055] It must first be noted that the embodiments shown are of a purely exemplary nature. The number of transport movers and tracks shown can in particular vary. Different transfer mechanisms can also be provided for picking up the portions on the formatter. A rake-like gripper such as is shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 11 can thus in particular be replaced with other suitable apparatus, e.g. conveyor belts. The features of an embodiment can also be combined as desired with features of another embodiment.

[0056] A conveying apparatus 12 for moving portions 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The conveying apparatus 12 comprises a plurality of transport movers 14 for the transport of the portions 10 that can move in a path 16 in the transport direction T.

[0057] The portions 10 can be transferred by means of a transfer device 18 whose working range is shown by way of example as a chain-dotted oval to a packaging apparatus 20.

[0058] The transfer device 18 comprises a robot, not shown, having a picker as well as a conveyor belt 22 on which a format set is formed. The picker can remove portions 10 from the transport movers 14 and can place them onto the conveyor belt 22 in a predefined format set. The fully formed format set can now be transferred as a whole to the packaging apparatus 20 with the aid of the conveyor belt 22. In this respect, the conveyor belt 22 can, for example, be configured as a blade-edge belt or as a fast-retracting transport belt. Due to inertia, the portions 10 remain at the corresponding position, while the conveyor belt 22 moves back fast thereunder. The portions 10 are placed into the packaging apparatus 20 in this manner. The fully packaged portions 10 can be transported off in the removal direction A. Portions 10 that are cut off from a slicing apparatus, in particular by a circular blade or a scythe-like blade revolving in planetary motion and/or in a rotational manner, are moved on the path 16 by the transport movers 14 and are stopped at a predefined position. One or more robots simultaneously pick portions 10 from the transport movers 14 there. The portions 10 are subsequently placed onto the conveyor belt 22 in a format set and are transferred from there as a whole to the packaging apparatus 20.

[0059] In the further embodiments, no respective robot having a picker is provided. In accordance with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the transfer device 18 comprises a formatter 24.

[0060] In accordance with FIG. 2, the formatter 24 has three parallel individual conveyor belts 26. The individual conveyor belts 26 can be configured ether as rigid or as movable alignment apparatus 28 and can be adjusted at a right angle or obliquely to a conveying direction F in the adjustment direction V. Incorrect locations of the portions 10 on the transport movers 14 can thus be corrected on the way to the packaging apparatus 20. A format set can thus be formed on the formatter 24 from portions 10, said format set being transferred as a whole to the packaging apparatus 20.

[0061] In accordance with FIG. 3, the formatter 24 is configured as a conveyor belt divided into a plurality of tracks 30 movable individually. Each track 30 is in particular formed by an individual conveyor belt 26. The formatter 24 can in this respect be adjusted as a whole in the adjustment direction V to compensate any possible incorrect location of a line of portions 10.

[0062] The transport movers 14 are, however, preferably already stopped at exactly predefinable positions on the path 16, in particular at specific spacings between the portions 10 of the different transport movers 14. The positioning in this respect takes place with reference to the location of the portions 10 on the transport movers 14. The location of the portions 10 can be determined by means of a detection device.

[0063] The portions 10 are ideally already at the correct position of the later format set. An alignment apparatus 28 is therefore not absolutely necessary on an exact positioning of the transport movers 14 with reference to the portion locations, but can e.g. nevertheless be provided to be able to carry out an alignment as required.

[0064] In accordance with the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the formatter 24 is configured as a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt 24 can either move only in the conveying direction F. Alternatively, however, a movement in the adjustment direction V is additionally conceivable. The portions 10 are in this respect picked up by a common conveyor belt 24 and can in particular already be at the correct spacing from one another due to the exact positioning of the transport movers 14.

[0065] An adjustability in the adjustment direction V of an individual conveyor belt 26 or of a common conveyor belt 24 is in particular also advantageous in a variant in which all the transfer movers 14 are traveled consecutively to the same position or are at any desired positions in the path. In this respect, the formatter 24 can be moved in one dimension in the adjustment direction V to collect the portions 10 at the correct position for the later format set. The adjustment direction V can in this respect be at a right angle to the conveying direction F.

[0066] As is shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the transfer device 18 can also comprise a support 32 in addition to the formatter 24. In the previous embodiments, the formatter 24 in contrast corresponds to the support 32 or the support 32 is formed by the formatter 24 so that the statements made here with respect to the support 32 can also apply to these variants.

[0067] A fully formed format set in particular lies on the support 32 before it is transferred as a whole to the packaging apparatus 20. The support 32 can also be configured analog to the formatter 24 as a single-part conveyor belt or as a support 32 divided or segmented into individually movable tracks 30. Each track 30 can in turn be formed by an individual conveyor belt 26. The movability in the adjustment direction V can also be given. If a formatter 24 is connected upstream of the support 32, either the formatter 24 or the support 32 can be adjusted in the adjustment direction V. It is alternatively also possible that both the formatter 24 and the support 32 can be adjusted in the adjustment direction V. It is furthermore possible that the support 32 is pivoted in the pivoting direction S to dispense the portions 10 to the packaging apparatus 20, for example offset by 90°. This will be looked at more exactly in connection with FIG. 11.

[0068] Two different possibilities for picking up the portions 10 are shown on a formatter 24 in FIG. 9.

[0069] The portion 10 is combed over bands 33 in a first variant in the left part of FIG. 9. The transfer in this respect first takes place to the support 32. The portion 10 is finally transferred from the support 32 to the packaging apparatus 20.

[0070] An alternative is shown on the right side of FIG. 9 according to which the portions 10 are placed combed and with the aid of bands 33 that represent the formatter 24 directly into the packaging apparatus 20. The formatter 24 is identical with the support 32 in this respect.

[0071] The above-explained variants are only shown simultaneously here in FIG. 9 to avoid a separate figure. Within a respective specific embodiment, all the formatters 24 of a total transfer device preferably work in accordance with the same principle, that is either as shown at the left in FIG. 9 or as shown at the right in FIG. 9, with generally different mechanisms or principles, however, also generally being conceivable for the formatters 24 within a transfer device 18.

[0072] To be able to pick up the portions 10, the transport mover 14 has a grid-shaped carrier 34. The term “grid-shaped” is to have a broad interpretation. A rake, a plurality of parallel bars and/or a surface having apertures are thus also covered, for example. Due to the grid-shaped embodiment of the carrier 34, portions 10 located thereon can be removed with the aid of a gripper likewise comprising a grid or with the aid of bands 33. The portion location can also be corrected on the engaging beneath of the carrier 34 in that the gripper e.g. only engages up to a specific portion. The portions 10 can in particular be combed obliquely upwardly by a belt or band 33. The transport mover 14 preferably has a holder for the carrier 34 that is configured as areal and continuous beneath the grid such that contamination falling from the grid onto the holder is collected and does not fall onto the path 16.

[0073] The bands 33 can consequently engage in the grid-like carrier 34 and transport the portions 10 to the packaging apparatus 20.

[0074] The transport movers 14 can be stopped at exact positions of the track 16 for the transfer. The transport movers 14 can in particular be stopped at a specific spacing B of the portions 10 with respect to one another. The formatting of the portions 10 in this respect already takes place partly with the aid of the path system. After the formatting, the portions 10 can be transferred together to the formatter 24 or to the support 32 such that at least one single-line format set is transferred in common to the packaging apparatus 20.

[0075] The portions 10 can be dispensed at a right angle to the transport direction T. It is alternatively also possible to dispense the portions 10 as shown in FIG. 10 in parallel with the transport direction T.

[0076] An embodiment is shown in FIG. 11 in which the support 32 can be pivoted in the pivot direction S. The transport movers 14 are first positioned at exact positions with respect to the location of the portions 10. The portions 10 are subsequently removed from the carriers 34 of the transport movers 14 with the aid of the bands 33. A single-line format set is now located on the support 32. The support 32 is pivoted by 90° in the pivot direction S toward the packaging apparatus 20. The format set is subsequently simultaneously transferred to the packaging apparatus 20.

[0077] A dispensing apparatus 36 that can comprise a robot arm is provided for pivoting the support 32. The spacing B of the portions 10 from one another in the packaging apparatus 20 corresponds to the spacing B that the portions 10 already had on the path 16 before the pick-up by the transfer device 18.

[0078] In accordance with the invention, a plurality of portions 10 can be transferred to the packaging apparatus 20 simultaneously. This is also possible without the use of high-cost robots, in particular without so-called “pickers”.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0079] 10 portion

[0080] 12 conveying apparatus

[0081] 14 transport mover

[0082] 16 path

[0083] 18 transfer device

[0084] 20 packaging apparatus

[0085] 22 conveyor belt

[0086] 24 formatter, conveyor belt

[0087] 26 individual conveyor belt

[0088] 28 alignment apparatus

[0089] 30 track

[0090] 32 support

[0091] 33 band

[0092] 34 carrier

[0093] 36 dispensing apparatus, robot arm

[0094] T transport direction

[0095] A removal direction

[0096] F conveying direction

[0097] V adjustment direction

[0098] S pivot direction

[0099] B spacing