BE1024088B1 - BREAD CUTTING MACHINE WITH SLIDING DOOR - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine for automatically cutting a sliced bread (5) comprising a frame (1) with a front face (2) provided with an access opening (3) which can be closed by a door (13), said access opening (3) providing access to a loading and unloading compartment (4). Said door (13) comprises a panel (14) having a pivot (16) slidably guided relative to the frame (1), so that this pivot (16) is movable parallel to the plane of the opening (3) for moving the panel (14) between an open position, in which the panel (14) extends at least partially on the inside of the end face (2) and outside the loading and unloading compartment (4), and a closed position, in which the panel (14) extends substantially in the plane of the opening (3). BE2015 / 5490

Description

The invention relates to a machine for cutting a bread or a similar product automatically in slices, in particular a bread slicer, this machine comprises a frame having a front face provided with an opening of a slice. access that can be closed by a door. The access opening provides access to a loading and unloading compartment, provided on the inner side of the front face, to place a bread to be cut in this compartment and to remove the bread after slicing it. The compartment includes a bread support surface that extends vertically or inclined at an angle of less than 45 ° to the vertical direction. The machine also has a cutting member for cutting slices of bread in a substantially horizontal direction.

In such a machine, a bread cut is introduced into the loading and unloading compartment and then moved in a substantially vertical direction to transport it to a cutting station where successive slices are cut bread. For this purpose, the cutting station has a knife, for example consisting of a rotating circular blade, which moves in a substantially horizontal cutting plane in a movement back and forth through the bread.

One of the advantages of using such a machine is that the thickness of bread slices can be varied and that the area occupied by its base is relatively small in comparison with conventional automatic slicers, in which can vary the thickness of the bread slices.

DE 4431808 and DE 9310092 describe such bread-cutting machines in which the bread is transported vertically and the slices are cut in a horizontal plane during the downward or upward movement of the bread.

Since such bread slicers are mainly intended for shops and bakeries where they are used by customers, it is very important that any risk of injury to customers is avoided. Thus, it is required that the access opening is closed by a door when a bread is cut into slices. Moreover, it is necessary to prevent this door opens towards the outside of the slicer to avoid that a person collides against this one and to reduce to the minimum the surface area which is necessary to use the slicer. In addition, the door can not turn to the loading and unloading compartment inside the slicer, as this would prevent the introduction of bread into this compartment. The invention relates, in particular, to a machine whose base occupies a relatively small area in comparison with conventional automatic slicers and in which a bread is introduced into the same compartment from which it is recovered after its cutting. purpose of presenting a bread slicer, in particular a bread slicer with a door that can close the access opening when a bread is sliced and which is wholly or at least for the most part held inside the machine when it is closed or when it is moved between its open position and its closed position. In addition, the invention makes it possible to reduce the width of the front face of the machine. For this purpose, according to the invention, said door comprises a panel having a pivot guided to slide relative to the frame, so that the pivot is movable parallel to the plane of the access opening to move the panel between a position open, in which the panel extends at least partially on the inner side of the end face, outside the loading and unloading compartment, and a closed position, in which the panel extends substantially in the plane of the opening .

Advantageously, at least one slideway for guiding said pivot extends along the opening in a substantially horizontal direction.

Preferably, the machine comprises two rails for guiding said pivot extending along the opening in a substantially horizontal direction on either side of this opening.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the axis of the aforementioned pivot extends substantially vertically near a side edge of the panel.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, said door comprises a carrier element which is fixed by an axis of rotation to the frame and which is fixed, at a certain distance from this axis of rotation, to said panel by a hinge whose axis is substantially parallel to said axis of rotation.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a movable support is provided which can be moved in a direction substantially parallel to the support surface aforesaid for supporting the bread when it is placed in the loading and unloading compartment and to transport it to a cutting station. Other details and features of the invention will become apparent from the description given below, by way of non-limiting example, of some particular embodiments of the machine, according to the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a bread slicer with an access opening and a loading and unloading compartment, the contour of the frame of the machine is shown in broken lines.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the front face of the machine shown in Figure 1 with an access opening and a door for this opening in its open position.

Figure 3 is a schematic horizontal section of the machine when the door is in its open position.

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, when the door is in an intermediate position between its open position and its closed position.

Figure 5 is a section similar to that of Figure 3 when the door is in said intermediate position.

Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, when the door is in its closed position.

Figure 7 is a section similar to that of Figure 3 with the door in its closed position.

In the different figures, the same reference numerals relate to similar or identical elements.

The bread-cutting machine according to the invention comprises a frame 1 which generally has the shape of a straight prism with a rectangular base. In Figure 1, the volume of the frame 1 is, for the sake of clarity in this figure, shown in broken lines.

This machine has a front face 2 in which an access opening 3 is provided. The front face 2 may be constituted by a metal sheet or other material and ensures that the interior of the machine is separated from the outside. The access opening 3 gives access to a loading and unloading compartment 4 which is provided on the inside of the front face 2, thus inside the volume of the frame 1. The access opening 3 is, for example, rectangular and allows to place a bread 5 to be cut in the loading and unloading compartment 4. After the bread 5 has been sliced by the action of the machine, the cut bread can be recovered from this compartment 4 through the access opening 3.

The compartment 4 comprises a support surface 6 for the bread 5 which extends vertically or inclined at an angle less than 45 ° with respect to the vertical direction. Preferably, the support surface 6 extends in a plane which is slightly inclined with respect to the vertical.

A receiving compartment 7 extends below the loading and unloading compartment 4 and in the extension thereof. Thus, these two compartments 4 and 7 constitute a channel in which the bread is transported when sliced.

The machine according to the invention has a mobile support 8 for supporting the bread 5, which can be moved in the compartments 4 and 7 in a direction which is substantially parallel to the support surface 6.

When the bread 5 to be cut is placed in the loading and unloading compartment 4, the mobile support 8 is positioned at the lower part of this compartment 4. The bread to be cut 5 is placed against the support surface 6, which is generally smooth, so that the bread 5 can slide against this surface 6 to land on the movable support 8.

Between the loading and unloading compartment 4 and the receiving compartment 7, a cutting member is provided which makes it possible to cut slices of the bread 5, when it comes down from the loading and unloading compartment 4 towards the receiving compartment 7. This cutting member comprises a blade 9 which is moved along a cutting plane in a space 10 provided, for this purpose, between the compartments 4 and 7. The cutting plane preferably extends substantially horizontally or transversely relative to the plane of the support surface 6.

The bread 5 moves from the loading and unloading compartment 4 to the receiving compartment, for example, under the action of gravity. During this movement, the bread 5 slides on the support surface 6 and is thus supported by this surface 6. In this way, the support surface 6 defines the direction of movement of the bread which is parallel to the support surface 6.

Thus, the bread 5 is moved in its direction of travel over successive distances corresponding to the thickness of a slice to be cut. Whenever the bread 5 is advanced by such a distance, the blade 9 is moved through the space 10 provided between the compartments 4 and 7 to cut a slice of the bread 5. After this slice has been cut, the blade 9 is removed from the space 10 to allow the bread 5 to advance to cut a next slice.

Said blade 9 has, as shown schematically in Figure 1, a circular shape and is driven around its central axis, as indicated by the arrow 11, during its movement along the arrow 12 through the space 10.

During the advancement of the bread, the slices already cut, and in particular the cut portion of the bread, are supported by the mobile support 8. The latter is moved at a speed corresponding to the speed of movement of the bread. movable support 5 moves, therefore, down the receiving compartment 7 at least until the complete slicing of the bread.

At the moment when the bread 5 has been cut completely into slices, it is transported to the loading and unloading compartment 4 by mounting the mobile support 8. This mobile support 8 is preferably moved up to the level of cutting plane to be able to recover the cut bread 5 of this compartment 4.

It is important that persons using the bread-cutting machine not be able to put their hands or other objects inside the frame while a bread is cut or moved between the two compartments 4 and 7. For this purpose, the access opening 3 can be closed by a door 13, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 6.

This door 13 cooperates with a detector so as to ensure that the blade 9 or the mobile support 8 can not be driven when it is detected that the door 13 is open or that the compartment 4 is accessible through the opening of the door. 3. Such a detection system is known to those skilled in the art.

The door 13 comprises a panel 14 on which is fixed a handle 15. This panel 14 is preferably rigid, and can cover the access opening 3 when the door 13 is in its closed position, as shown in Figures 6 and 7 This panel 14 releasing the access opening 3 and making the loading and unloading compartment 4 accessible when the door 13 is in its open position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The panel 14 has a pivot 16 slidably guided relative to the frame, in particular, with respect to the access opening 3. To guide the pivot 16, two rails 17 and 18 extend along the opening d access 3 on either side of the latter in a substantially horizontal direction.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the figures, the pivot 16 has an axis of rotation 19 which extends substantially vertically close to a lateral edge of the panel 14.

The pivot 16 has, for example, at each of its ends a roller or a rod which is guided by the corresponding slide 17 or 18.

Thus, the pivot 16 is movable parallel to the plane of the opening 3 to move the panel 14 between an open position and a closed position. In its open position, the panel 14 extends at least partially on the inside of the front face 2 and outside the loading and unloading compartment 4, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the closed position, the panel 14 extends substantially along the plane of the opening 3.

When moving the panel 14, from its closed position to its open position, it is, on the one hand, subjected to a translation along the slides 17 and 18 and, on the other hand, to a rotation around the axis 19 of the pivot 16 towards the inside of the frame 1.

In order to maintain the panel 14 during its movement, the door 13 comprises a carrier element 20 which is fixed by an axis of rotation 21 to the frame 1. This carrier element 20 is fixed to the panel 14 by a hinge 22, of which Tax is substantially This hinge 22 is provided at a distance from this axis of rotation 21 which generally corresponds to the width of the carrier element 20.

In the embodiment of the invention, shown in the figures, the carrier member 20 comprises a frame with two rigid parallel bars 23 and 24 which extend between the axis of rotation 21 and the hinge 22. The axis 21, the axis of the hinge 22 and the axis 19 of the pivot 16 are preferably parallel to each other. The bars 23 and 24 above extend perpendicularly to the axis of rotation 21 and to the axis of the hinge 22.

To move the door 13 from its closed position, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, to its open position, represented in FIGS. 2 and 3, a user takes the handle 15 and moves it on one side of the access opening 3 towards the opposite side of it. By this action, the carrier member 20 is rotated around the axis of rotation 21 which is fixed relative to the frame 1. At the same time, the panel 14 and the carrier member 20 pivot relative to each other. to the other because of the presence of the hinge 22 and the pivot 16 of the panel 14 is guided by the slides 17 and 18. Thus, the panel 14 is moved from its closed position to its open position in which it is accommodated to inside the frame and laterally in relation to the loading and unloading compartment 4.

The loading and unloading compartment 4 is provided with two opposite lateral faces 25 and 26, which extend from the support surface 6 towards the front face 2. Thus, a horizontal section of the walls of the compartment 4 has essentially the shape of A U. Between the front face 2 of the frame 1 and the side face 25, located closest to the axis of rotation 21, a slot 27, extending over a height corresponding at least to the height of the panel 14 or to that of the access opening 3, is provided to allow the displacement of the panel 14.

When opening the panel 14 of the door 13, it moves through the slot 27 until it is next to the compartment 4 inside the frame 1. The hinge 22 moves along an arc 28 with respect to the axis of rotation 21. The invention is of course not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the accompanying figures, but many other variants could be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

Thus, it is not essential that the pivot 16 is provided near the side edge of the panel 14 opposite the edge which has the hinge 22. It is also possible that this pivot 16 extends at a distance from this side edge. In such a case, in the open position of the door 13 or the panel 14, the latter may extend a small distance outside the frame 1. In particular, the portion of the panel 14 situated between said lateral edge and the pivot 16 then extends outside the frame 1 in the open position.

It is also possible that the pivot 16 has only one roller or rod which is guided by a single slide 17 or 18. Thus, the panel 14 is, for example, suspended by the pivot 16 to a slide 17 provided above 3. As an alternative, only one slide 18 located at the bottom of this opening 3 is present, so that the panel 14 is supported by this slideway 18 by means of the pivot 16.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the carrier member 20 is omitted and replaced by the slides 17 and 18 which extend beyond the opening 3 inwardly of the frame 1 and laterally to the side 4. The hinge 22 then forms a second pivot guided by the slides 17 and 18.

As described above, the invention relates to a machine for automatically cutting a bread, in particular a bread slicer, having a support surface 6 for the bread 5, which is preferably slightly inclined relative to the vertical. This support surface 6 is, in particular, inclined at an angle less than 45 ° relative to a vertical direction and preferably less than 30 ° or 15 ° relative to the vertical direction. Nevertheless, it is also possible that this support surface 6 extends substantially vertically.

Claims (10)

claims 1. Machine for automatically cutting a bread (5) or the like in slices comprising a frame (1) with a front face (2) provided with an access opening (3) closable by a door (13) , said access opening (3) giving access to a loading and unloading compartment (4) provided on the inside of the end face (2), for placing a bread (5) to be cut in this compartment (4) and for removing the bread (5) after slicing it, said compartment (4) comprising a support surface (6) for the bread (5), said surface (6) extending vertically or inclined at an angle less than 45 ° with respect to a vertical direction, a cutting member being provided for cutting slices of the bread (5) in a substantially horizontal direction, said machine being characterized in that said door (13) comprises a panel (14). ) having a pivot (16) slidably guided relative to the b ti (1), such that the pivot (16) is movable parallel to the plane of the opening (3) to move the panel (14) between an open position, wherein the panel (14) extends at least partially on the inner side of the front face (2) and outside the loading and unloading compartment (4), and a closed position, in which the panel (14) extends substantially in the plane of the opening (3) ). 2. Machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one slide (17,18) for guiding said pivot (16) extends along the opening (3) in a substantially horizontal direction. 3. Machine according to claim 2, wherein slides (17,18) for guiding said pivot (16) extend along the opening (3), on either side of this opening (3), following a substantially horizontal direction. 4. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the axis (19) of the pivot (16) aforesaid extends substantially vertically near a side edge of the panel (14). 5. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said door (13) comprises a carrier member (20) which is fixed by an axis of rotation (21) to the frame (1) and which is fixed to a certain distance from this axis of rotation (21), said panel (14) by a hinge (22), whose axis is substantially parallel to said axis of rotation (21). 6. Machine according to claim 5, wherein the carrier member (20) is provided with the axis of rotation (21) at one end and has the hinge (22) at the opposite end. 7. Machine according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the distance between the axis of rotation (21) and hinge (22) aforesaid essentially corresponds to the width of the panel (14) in a horizontal direction or is less than this width . 8. Machine according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the distance between the axis of rotation (21) and the hinge (22) aforesaid essentially corresponds to the distance between the hinge (22) and the axis (19) of the pivot (16) or is less than this distance. 9. Machine according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the distance between the axis of rotation (21) and the front face (2) is greater than the distance between this face (2) and the support surface. (6). Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a movable support (8) is provided which can be moved in a direction substantially parallel to the support surface (6) aforesaid for supporting the bread (5) when it is placed in the loading and unloading compartment (4) and for conveying the bread (5) to the cutter.