DE102021116617A1 - Multi-lane interleaver slicer and method for its operation - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to avoid requiring a separate controlled interleaver drive for each interleaver band (100) in a multi-track slicer (1) with several interleaver bands (100) fed next to each other, usually per track, for inserting interleavers (101), the invention proposed to provide only one continuous interleaver drive for all interleaver tapes (100) running next to one another, regardless of whether this is an ejection drive (32) and/or a spool motor (37) for the supply spool ( 39) included. The individual control takes place in that a clamping unit (40) is provided shortly before the ejection point, for example the slot (35) in the cutting glasses (5), with which the individual respective interleaver bands (100) are stopped individually and whose ejection can be prevented even though the interleaver drive that runs across all interleaver bands (100) is activated. If an ejection drive (32) is present, the clamping unit (40) is functionally located immediately upstream of the ejection Drive (32), but downstream of a buffer line (45).

Description

I. Field of application

The invention relates to so-called slicers, with which in the food industry strands or sticks of an only slightly compressible product such as sausage or cheese are cut into slices very quickly, typically with a time interval of less than 0.3 seconds between the severing processes.

II. Technical background

Since these strands can be produced with a cross-section that retains its shape and dimensions well, i.e. is essentially constant, over its length, they are called product calibers.

In most cases, several adjacent product calibers are cut open at the same time, in that one slice is cut off from each product caliber in a severing process by the same knife, which moves in the transverse direction to the longitudinal direction of the product caliber.

The product calibers are pushed forward by a feed conveyor in the direction of the knife, for which the feed conveyor is usually directed diagonally downwards, and each is guided through the product openings of what are known as cutting glasses, at the front end of which the part of the product caliber protruding beyond this is cut is cut off as a disc by the knife immediately in front of the cutting glasses.

As a rule, the slices fall onto a discharge conveyor, in particular a mostly bowl-shaped tray or a plate-shaped cardboard made of plastic or cardboard material lying ready on this discharge conveyor, by means of which they are transported away for further processing.

Frequently, it is not individual slices that are to be transported away on the discharge conveyor, but several slices that at least partially overlap one another as a portion, e.g Generally designed as a conveyor belt, the first discharge conveyor is then often called the positioning belt.

Since, depending on the type of product, slices lying on top of each other sometimes stick so tightly together, e.g. with cheese, that they cannot be separated later by the consumer without being damaged, an intermediate layer, the interleaver, is automatically switched off when the product is placed between two slices automatically inserted between them with a sheet of paper or film.

For this purpose, an interleaver tape is fed from below, usually by unwinding it from a supply roll, with the free front end through a narrow slit in front of the lower edge of the passage opening of the cutting glasses for the caliber or the lower end of the cutting glasses, until the free front End of the interleaver band is at or above the top edge of the through hole. Then, the leading portion of the interleaver band is separated as an interleaver sheet.

This can be done together with the cutting of the next slice and by the same knife, or separately by a special interleaver knife, in particular before or while the product caliber is pushed forward through the cutting glasses for the cutting of the next slice.

The interleaver sheet then falls, together with the next separated slice, onto the previous slice already lying on the portioning belt.

The interleaver tape is usually transported by arranging one or more transport units one behind the other in its transport direction between the supply reel and the ejection point, which is at or below the cutting frame.

With a multi-track slicer, it should often be possible to cut and place slices on the individual tracks independently and differently with regard to certain parameters, for example with regard to the feed distance of the portioning belt from one slice of a portion to the next or with regard to the number of slices per serving.

In such cases, it must also be possible to control the interleaver feed on the individual tracks individually.

For this it is, for example, from the EP 3444212 A1 known to drive the ejection of each of the interleaver tapes, and each of their supply reels, by a separate, controlled tape drive, which represents a high structural complexity.

It should be made clear here that only limited differences in consumption lengths of interleaver tapes on the individual tracks can be coped with, since otherwise the buffer Loop between supply reel and ejection drive would reach its limits.

III. Presentation of the invention

a) Technical task

It is therefore the object of the invention to create a slicer and in particular an interleaver unit for this and a method that can be used therewith, with which the structural complexity for separately controllable interleaver bands is minimized or completely eliminated.

b) Solution of the task

This object is solved by the features of claims 1 and 12. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the dependent claims.

A generic slicer initially includes the usual components such as a cutting unit with a knife and a product feed for feeding the product to be sliced to this cutting unit and for interleaver operation an interleaver unit with an interleaver drive for feeding a quasi-endless interleaver band, usually unwound from a large supply spool, specifically to each of the multiple lanes of the multi-lane slicer. In addition, of course, there is a controller for controlling at least the moving parts of the slicer.

In a multi-track slicer, the interleaver tape is usually driven separately for each track in order to be able to control the time at which the interleaver is fed, or whether an interleaver is fed at all, and also the size of the interleaver for each track can be controlled individually.

In rare cases, however, several interleaver bands for several tracks can be driven together, for example in a four-track slicer, a first interleaver drive the interleaver bands for the first and second track and a second interleaver drive the interleaver bands for the third and fourth track, which is why the individual tracks of the slicer are not referred to below, but rather the individual interleaver drives.

According to the invention, the interleaver drive always drives several of the adjacent interleaver bands, preferably all existing interleaver bands, and the interleaver unit has a controllable clamping unit for clamping the interleaver Band, especially as close as possible to the ejection point, usually a slot in the cutting glasses below the glasses opening for the caliber of this track.

Using such a clamping unit, it is possible to control the individual interleaver bands individually, in particular to stop or not stop them and let them run according to the current drive, despite only having a single interleaver drive across all interleaver bands.

It should be made clear that only limited differences in interleaver band consumption can be managed in this way, depending on the size of the existing buffer sections in the individual interleaver bands.

The structural effort for a clamping unit for clamping the interleaver band is relatively low, for example consisting of a pneumatically operated small working cylinder or a pressure pad that can be inflated by means of compressed air, which presses the interleaver band against an abutment and thus clamps it, at least less than a Interleaver drive, which usually includes at least one controllable electric motor.

An interleaver drive usually comprises at least one ejection drive which is arranged near the ejection point and which carries out the actual feed of the interleaver band in a precisely controlled manner and very quickly in each case. In the case of several interleaver belts, the individual ejection drives have hitherto each been driven separately, and it is precisely this high level of structural complexity that is to be avoided.

In addition, there is usually a spool drive that drives the relatively large and heavy supply spool of the interleaver tape in the unwinding direction, but due to its weight it cannot be accelerated and stopped as quickly as needed at the ejection point, so that usually During the slicing operation, the supply spool is driven almost continuously to rotate in the unwinding direction, while the ejection drive cyclically pushes an interleaver length past the ejection point, usually the slot in the eyeglass opening, in quick succession.

That is why, in the past, the multiple supply reels of the individual interlaver tapes were usually driven by a common reel drive.

To compensate, there is usually a buffer in between, usually a buffer loop that sags downwards, of the interleaver belt, which changes its size in the rhythm of the ejection drive and in which, for example, a dancer roll lies gene can or can be applied from top to bottom by means of an air flow.

In the case of such a design, i.e. with an ejection drive and a spool drive, the clamping unit is arranged between the respective ejection drive and the supply spool, so that an existing spool drive continues to rotate the spool relatively continuously as before can.

If, in addition, the buffer line described, in particular designed as a buffer loop, is also present, then the clamping unit is arranged between the respective ejection drive and this buffer line.

This means that purely functionally - the actual distance is immaterial - the clamping unit is present immediately upstream of the ejection drive, if there is one.

In this way, by activating the clamping unit, a forward movement of the free end of the ejection belt beyond the ejection point can be stopped and is only permitted again by deactivating the clamping unit if the ejection drive is active .

For example, if a multi-track slicer produces weight-precise portions on the tracks, which usually consist of ten slices, i.e. nine interleavers in between, and the target weight of one portion is already reached after nine slices due to a slightly too thick slice or for other reasons the tenth slice is cut off on the other lanes and placed on top of the portion, but not on the one that has already reached the target weight after nine slices.

Accordingly, in this portion the caliber is no longer pushed forward via the cutting glasses and no interleaver should be advanced beyond the ejection point, while on the other tracks the tenth slice including the corresponding interleaver is cut off and placed on the portions.

After completing these portions, slices are cut off synchronously on all tracks and interleavers are inserted.

Since the case of a portion that is already finished after nine slices instead of ten will occur about the same number of times in the various tracks of the slicer, only at different times, this roughly balances the total consumption of interleaver tapes, so that the buffer distance is not too large must fail in terms of their capacity, but a capacity of, for example, two or three lengths of an interleaver is sufficient.

The clamping unit can preferably be actuated pneumatically, which means that in the event of a leak in this drive means, no contamination will be left on the product.

In a very simple design, the clamping unit can be an inflatable cushion or an inflatable tube as a clamping element, which is arranged on one side of the interleaver band and when not inflated has no contact with the interleaver band, when inflated On the other hand, this state presses against an abutment on the other side of the interleaver band and thus clamps it.

The static friction between the interleaver tape and the clamping element or the abutment, and thus the clamping force applied by the clamping element, must of course be large enough to ensure that the interleaver tape is transported further despite the ejection drive running.

The clamping element can also be a pneumatic working cylinder, the clamping block being fastened to the piston rod of which protrudes out of the cylinder.

• Bei dem zuvor beschriebenen direkten Angriff besteht das Problem, dass die Transportelemente des Ausstoß-Antriebes weiterhin am Interleaver-Band anliegen und relativ zu diesem bewegt werden und damit Beschädigungen, auch nur optischer Art, wie etwa Faltenwurf, am Interleaver-Band bewirken können.

The clamping element can act directly or indirectly on the interleaver band:

• In the case of the direct attack described above, there is the problem that the transport elements of the ejection drive continue to bear against the interleaver belt and are moved relative thereto and can therefore cause damage, even just of an optical nature, such as folds, to the interleaver belt.

• So kann beispielsweise eines der z.B. zwei hinsichtlich des Ausstoßens des Interleaver-Bandes zusammenwirkenden Transport-Elemente, meist Transport-Walzen, des Ausstoß-Antriebes mit der Klemm-Einheit mechanisch gekoppelt sein, beispielsweise indem auf der einen Seite einer in Transportrichtung des Interleaver-Bandes sich erstreckenden Wippe angeordnet sein und das Klemm-Element auf die bzgl. der Kipp-Achse gegenüberliegenden Seite der Wippe einwirken, auf der auch der Klemm-Block zum Anlegen gegen das Interleaver-Band angeordnet ist.

The clamping element therefore preferably acts only indirectly on the interleaver belt and is preferably partially functionally combined with the ejection drive:

• For example, one of the two cooperating transport elements, mostly transport rollers, with regard to the ejection of the interleaver band, of the ejection drive can be mechanically coupled to the clamping unit, for example by having one on one side in the transport direction of the interleaver band be arranged extending rocker and the clamping element with respect to.

In this way, by activating the clamping element, not only is the interleaver belt clamped between the clamping block and the abutment, but at the same time one of the transport elements, in particular transport rollers, is lifted off the interleaver belt so that there is hardly any more Shear forces are transmitted through the ongoing ejection drive.

In the case of an upper and a lower transport element between which the interleaver belt runs, the lower transport element is preferably fastened to the rocker and this is located below the interleaver belt.

When this transport element moves downwards, the interleaver belt sags slightly and has only little or no contact pressure in relation to the upper transport element, such as the upper transport roller, which is usually driven.

This solution is particularly simple if the lower drive element, which can be moved by means of the rocker, is not driven but only rolls on the interleaver belt with sufficient contact force.

In this context, it is also useful that the transport elements preferably rest against the interleaver band with a relatively large contact surface, in order to avoid folds or damage to the interleaver band.

However, even without a mechanical connection between the ejection drive and the clamping unit, these two can be controlled in the correct time relation to one another, for which purpose there is only one of the transport elements, preferably the transport element arranged below the interlaver belt, such as a pneumatic cylinder or an electromagnet , which presses this transport element either upwards into close contact with the interlaver belt and an additional transport element above it, or lifts it downwards from the interlaver belt.

In contrast to two transport rollers, of which at least one is driven and which clamp and transport the interleaver tape between them and where there is theoretically only a linear contact surface along the respective surface line of the transport roller, which of course is due to the material elasticity of the surface of the transport roller as well as the compliance of the interleaver band, albeit very thin, is in fact strip-shaped, but still represents a very small contact area.

A large contact surface is therefore understood to mean that it is at least 1 cm long, better at least 2 cm, better at least 3 cm long in the feed direction of the interleaver band. The contact surface preferably extends over the entire width of the interleaver band, but at least over at least 30% of its width, better at least 50% of its width, better at least 80% of its width.

The contact area preferably has a size of at least 15%, better at least 30%, better at least 50%, better at least 70% of the area of an interleaver sheet to be separated from the interleaver band.

Due to this large contact surface, the contact pressure forces between the contact surface and the interleaver band can be kept relatively low so that the interleaver band can be carried along by the contact surface in a non-positive manner Deformation such as a wrinkling of the interleaver band occurs, much less than with the much smaller transport surfaces that have been customary up to now.

The large contact surfaces are preferably realized with the aid of two endless, circulating transport belts, each arranged on one side of the interleaver belt as transport elements, which are driven synchronously in the strand lying against the transport belt and with the interleaver belt to be transported between them keep it clamped and transport it synchronously with this respective strand, i.e. by means of a force-fit system.

Each of the two endless conveyor belts is guided over at least two belt rollers, one of which is arranged in the feed direction near the free end of the interleaver belt, in particular near the slot through which the interleaver belt emerges with its free end, while the other belt roll is further spaced therefrom. The two belt rollers farther from the slot or end are preferably the driven rollers and are in particular driven by the same motor, since the space conditions there are less cramped than at the front belt rollers. There is thus sufficient space for a mechanical coupling of the belt rollers, and these driven belt rollers can also have a relatively large diameter.

For the same reason, the front, near-end or near-slot belt rolls can have a smaller effective diameter with which they lie against the conveyor belt than the other two belt rollers.

The interleaver drive is preferably designed in such a way that the conveyor belts can be pulled off the belt rollers quickly and easily, preferably without tools and in less than 30 seconds, for example by the known pivoting of the front and/or rear belt rollers to a smaller one mutual distance, so that the conveyor belt can then be easily pulled off in the axial direction of the belt rollers. This makes cleaning and replacing the transport belts easier.

With regard to the method for operating such a slicer, this object is achieved in that the supplied interleaver bands are only driven together, in particular near the ejection point by means of a common ejection drive, but each interleaver band can be stopped individually by in particular Jamming, despite the continued common ejection drive of the interleaver tapes, in particular all of them.

As a result, a separate controlled motor for the interleaver drive, in particular the ejection drive, is not required for each interleaver band.

Preferably, not only the supply spool for the interleaver tape is driven in the unwinding direction, but also the already unwound interleaver tape further downstream, ie closer to the ejection point for the free end of the interleaver tape. Stopping, in particular clamping, of the interleaver tape can be provided there between the drive close to the ejection and the reel drive.

In particular, the stopping, in particular clamping, is performed downstream of a buffer line present between this ejection-near drive and the supply reel, so that the buffer line can absorb the difference length of interleaver tape.

In order to prevent the free end of the interlaver tape from running back into the buffer, in particular the buffer loop, precise relative control is preferred between a possible deactivation of the ejection drive by lifting it off the interlaver tape and clamping behind it in the clamping unit necessary, be it through precise timing or mechanical operative connection.

c) exemplary embodiments

• 1a, b: eine Aufschneide-Maschine in Form eines Slicers gemäß dem Stand der Technik in unterschiedlichen perspektivischen Ansichten,
• 1c: die Aufschneide-Maschine der 1a, b in der Seitenansicht, wobei einige seitliche Verkleidungen entfernt sind, sodass man die verschiedenen Förderbänder besser erkennen kann,
• 1d: eine vergrößerte Ansicht aus 1c, welche den Vorgang des Herabfallens einer abgetrennten Scheibe und zusätzlich des bekannten Einbringens eines Interleavers durch einen Schlitz der Schneidbrille zeigt,
• 2a: eine Darstellung analog 1d mit einer ersten Variante des erfindungsgemäßen Einbringens eines Interleavers,
• 2b: eine Darstellung analog 1d mit einer zweiten Variante des erfindungsgemäßen Einbringens eines Interleavers,
• 3: einen Horizontalschnitt entlang der Linie III - III der 2b.

Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. Show it:

• 1a, b : a slicing machine in the form of a slicer according to the prior art in different perspective views,
• 1c : the slicing machine 1a, b in side view, with some side panels removed so that you can see the different conveyor belts better,
• 1d : an enlarged view 1c , which shows the process of a severed pane falling down and, in addition, the well-known introduction of an interleaver through a slot in the cutting glasses,
• 2a : a representation by analogy 1d with a first variant of the inventive introduction of an interleaver,
• 2 B : a representation by analogy 1d with a second variant of the inventive introduction of an interleaver,
• 3 : a horizontal section along line III - III of 2 B .

the 1a , 1b show different perspective views of a slicer 1 for simultaneously slicing several product calibers K side by side on tracks SP1 to SP4 and depositing them in shingled portions P each consisting of several slices S on these tracks with a general direction of passage 10* through the slicer 1 from right to left .

1c shows a vertical section - simplified by omitting details that are less important for the invention - through such a slicer 1 in the longitudinal direction 10, the feed direction of the calibers K to the cutting unit 7 and thus the longitudinal direction of the calibers K lying in the slicer 1.

It can be seen that the basic structure of a slicer 1 according to the prior art is that a cutting unit 7 with a rotating sickle blade 3 is fed by a feed unit 20 with several, in this case four, product calibers K lying next to one another transversely to the feed direction 10 , from the front ends of which the rotating sickle blade 3 separates a slice S at the same time.

For this purpose, the feed unit 20 comprises a feed conveyor 4 in the form of an endless, circulating feed belt 4, the upper run can be driven at least in the feed direction 10 and counter to this.

From the outside of the conveyor belt of the feeder 4, spaced elevations 15 protrude upwards in the feed direction 10, which are aligned with one another in the feed direction 10, as lateral guides and spacers for the calibers K.

A height sensor 19 can be present, which measures the height, i.e. thickness, of the individual product caliber K in the second transverse direction 12, i.e. perpendicular to the contact surface of the feed belt 4, which is used for automated control of the slicing and storage process is relevant.

For cutting the product caliber K, the feed conveyor 4 is in the 1a - i.e illustrated inclined position with a low-lying, cutting-side, front end and high-lying, rear end, from which it can be folded down into an approximately horizontal position about a pivot axis 20' running in its width direction, the first transverse direction 11, which is located in the vicinity of the cutting unit 7 Loading position, as in 1c implied.

The rear end of a K-calibre lying in the feed unit 20 - see in 1c the first caliber K1 of the four calibers lying one behind the other in this viewing direction - is each held by a gripper 14a - d in a form-fitting manner with the aid of gripper claws 16 . These grippers 14a-14d, which can be activated and deactivated with regard to the position of the gripper claws 16, are attached to a common gripper unit 13, which can be tracked along a rod-shaped gripper guide 18 in the feed direction 10.

• Denn für das Aufschneiden werden die vorderen Enden der Kaliber K jeweils durch eine für jedes Kaliber vorhandene sogenannte Brillenöffnung 6a - d geführt, die in einer plattenförmigen Schneidbrille 5 ausgebildet sind, die Bestandteil der Schneideinheit 7 ist, indem unmittelbar vor der vorderen, schräg nach unten weisenden Stirnfläche der Schneidbrille 5 die Schneidebene 3" verläuft, in der das Sichelmesser 3 mit seiner Schneidkante 3a rotiert und damit den Überstand der Kaliber K aus der Schneidbrille 5 als Scheibe S abtrennt. Die Schneidebene 3" verläuft lotrecht zum Obertrum des Zuförderers 4 und/oder wird von den beiden Querrichtungen 11, 12 aufgespannt.

Both the feed of the gripper unit 13 and the feed conveyor 4 can be driven in a controlled manner, although the specific feed speed of the calibers K is effected by a so-called upper and lower product guide 8, 9, which is located on the top and bottom of the calibers to be sliced K attack on the front end areas near the cutting unit 7:

• Because for the cutting, the front ends of the calibers K are each guided through a so-called spectacle opening 6a - d for each caliber, which is formed in a plate-shaped cutting spectacle 5, which is part of the cutting unit 7, by directly in front of the front, diagonally downwards Pointing end face of the cutting glasses 5, the cutting plane 3 "runs, in which the sickle blade 3 rotates with its cutting edge 3a and thus separates the protruding caliber K from the cutting glasses 5 as a disc S. The cutting plane 3" runs perpendicular to the upper strand of the feed conveyor 4 and / or is spanned by the two transverse directions 11, 12.

The inner circumference of the spectacle openings 6a-d of the cutting edge 3a of the knife 3 serves as a shearbar.

The spectacle openings 6a - d of the interchangeable cutting spectacles 5 are approximately adapted to the cross-sectional shape and size of the caliber K to be cut open, but since their cross-sectional size is subject to production-related fluctuations, the cross-section of the spectacle openings 6a - d is generally slightly larger than the cross section of the one to be cut open Caliber K

In order to still achieve a good cutting result and to be able to control parameters such as the contact force of the caliber K on the inner peripheral surface of the spectacle opening 6a - d and other parameters, the lower and upper product guide 8, 9, each designed as a conveyor belt, is present , of which the lower product guide 9 rests with its upper run and the upper product guide 8 with the lower run of the corresponding conveyor belt on the bottom or top of the caliber K in a non-positive manner.

Since both product guides 8, 9 can be driven in a controlled manner, in particular independently of one another, they determine the—continuous or clocked—advance speed of the calibers K through the cutting glasses 5. The two product guides 8, 9 are preferably present separately for each caliber K in the first transverse direction 11 and controllable.

In addition, at least the upper product guide 8 is displaceable in the second transverse direction 12—which runs perpendicular to the surface of the upper run of the feed conveyor 4 folded up into the slicing position—to adapt to the height H of the caliber K in this direction. Furthermore, at least one of the product guides 8, 9 can be designed to be pivotable about one of its deflection rollers 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b in order to be able to change the direction of the strand of its conveyor belt resting on the caliber K to a limited extent.

The slices S, which are positioned at an angle in space during separation in accordance with the inclined position of the feed unit 20 and cutting unit 7, fall onto a discharge unit 17 beginning below the cutting frame 5 and running in the throughput direction 10*, which in this case consists of several in the throughput direction 10* with their upper strands approximately aligned one behind the other discharge conveyors 17a, b, c, one of which can also be designed as a weighing unit.

Below the feed unit 20 there is also an approximately horizontal residue conveyor 21, also in the form of an endlessly circulating conveyor belt, which begins with its front end below the cutting frame 5 and immediately below or behind the discharge unit 17 and with its upper run residues falling on it transported away from there to the rear, counter to the throughput direction 10*.

For this purpose, at least the first removal conveyor 17a in the throughput direction 10* can be driven with its upper run counter to the throughput direction 10*, so that a remnant falling on it, for example, can be transported to the rear and fall onto the remnant conveyor 21 located below.

After being cut off, the slices S either fall directly onto this removal unit 17, as in 1c shown, or on a packaging element V resting on it, such as a carrier box or a flat plastic tray, as in the enlarged view of FIG 1d evident.

1d shows, on the one hand, that the lower end of the disk S during the separation falls vertically downwards after the separation from the caliber K essentially without movement in the throughput direction 10*, and the upper end of the disk S - which is separated earlier in time - turns an arc in the process completes the lower end, so the disc S tilts down and should be in an approximately horizontal, level position if possible when it hits the discharge unit 17 .

If slices S do not fall onto the discharge unit 17 individually and at a distance from one another in the throughput direction 10*, but instead, as shown, form portions P there by appropriate control of the discharge unit 17, in which the slices S touch, for example stacked ones or those in 1d and the 2a, b illustrated shingled portions P, it is known to automatically place an interleaver 101 between the individual slices S of the portions P in the case of materials of the product caliber K that stick strongly to one another, for which purpose there is an interleaver unit 30 on the slicer 1, as for example in 1d shown.

The interleaver unit comprises 30 per track - as in the top view of the interleaver bands 100 in 3 to recognize - first of all a supply reel 39, from which the respective interleaver tape 100 is drawn off, from which individual intermediate sheets, ie interleavers, 101 are separated for interleaving.

For this purpose, according to 1d the interleaver band 100 is guided through a slot 35 in the cutting glasses 5, which is located just below the corresponding glasses opening 6a to d, or fed under the lower end of the cutting glasses 5 and which extends at least over the entire in the width of the eyeglass opening 6a to 6d measured in the 1st transverse direction 11, and—just like the interleaver band 100—is preferably wider in this direction than the product caliber K.

The slit 35 can either be a straight slit 35 or a curved slit, regardless of whether the spectacle opening 6a - d is curved in the lower part or a rectangular spectacle opening with a straight lower edge, because the curvature of the slit 35 and thus the through This interleaver tape 100 to be fed through is intended to stabilize the tape 100 transversely to its direction of travel due to the curvature.

The slot 35 preferably does not run in the feed direction 10 of the caliber K, but at an angle thereto, ie with a side view of the 1d visible inclination between the feed direction 10 and the 2nd transverse direction 12, so that the front end of the interleaver belt 100 exits the slot 35 horizontally or diagonally upwards and pushes itself in front of the diagonally downwards front side of the next slice S to be separated.

It is approached or even applied to this by the air flow from a compressed air nozzle 42, which is located in front of the cutting glasses 5 and usually slightly below the slot 35, and whose air flow is directed against the underside of the front end area of the respective interleaver band 100 , so that the interleaver band 100 is preferably already in contact with the downwardly directed front side of the disc S during the process of cutting it off.

After the knife 3 has completely severed the disk S from the caliber K, it moves a little further down to beyond the interleaver band 100 and the slot 35, and thereby separates the front end region from the interleaver band 100 as a sheet-shaped interleaver 101, which is pressed down onto the portion P by the slice S falling onto the removal unit 17 and comes to rest there between two consecutive slices S.

Since the interleaver band 100 should not be pushed forward when separating an interleaver 101, at least the front free end of the interleaver band 100 must be between the individual Separation processes are always very quickly accelerated and decelerated again, which is done by the interleaver drive 31, the known solutions according to 1d consists of an ejection drive 32 with a pair of transport rollers 32.1, 32.2, one or two of which are driven in a controlled manner and hold the interleaver belt 100 clamped between them and in the supply direction 31' to the slot 35 or the following shortly thereafter Promote the underside of the cutting glasses 5, ie the ejection point, and usually an additional coil motor 37 for driving the supply coil 39, preferably in the unwinding direction.

the 2a, b show two designs of a solution according to the invention in the same direction of view and enlargement in the side view as 1d , by each one of several running side by side in width - see 3 - Interleaver bands 100 are assigned a clamping unit 40, with which - in particular immediately upstream of the ejection drive 32 - the corresponding interleaver band 100 can be clamped, here by clamping between one - here from below - on the interleaver band 100 attacking clamping block 36, movable transversely to the interleaver belt 100, and an abutment 34 arranged on the opposite side, here above it, even if the ejection drive 32 running downstream continues to run, in that the clamping force of the clamping unit 40 is higher than the friction and driving force of the ejection driver 32, whereby friction between driving force of the ejection driver 32 and the interleaver belt 100 therefor can be reduced.

In the present case, of the two cooperating transport rollers 32.1, 32.2, between which the interleaver belt 100 is held and driven, only the upper transport roller 32.1 is driven by a transport motor 33, but the solution according to the invention would also work if both transport elements, here transport rollers 32.1, 32.2 would be driven.

In both cases, a pneumatically operated working cylinder 44 is present as a clamping element 40a that can be activated and deactivated, the piston rod of which protrudes—in this case upwards—from the cylinder and causes clamping, while compressed air is applied to the working space in the cylinder on the side of the piston facing away from the piston rod or can be vented.

2a shows a solution in which the clamping element 40a in the form of the working cylinder 44 acts directly on the interleaver belt 100, in that the clamping block 36 is attached to the free end of its piston rod, which when the piston rod is extended, i.e. activating the working cylinder 44, Interleaver band presses against the abutment 34 and thus clamps.

On other tracks where the clamp unit 40 is not active, the interleaver tape 100 is pushed forward by the running eject drives 32 or the single continuous eject drive 32 and another interleaver 101 is created.

2 B shows a solution in which the clamping element 40a in the form of the working cylinder 44 does not act directly on the interleaver belt 100, but on a rocker 43, which runs approximately in the transport direction 31' of the interleaver belt 100 and is stationary under the interleaver belt 100 is mounted.

At one, here preferably the downstream, end of the rocker 43 is a, here the lower, transport element, e.g. transport roller 32.2 rotatably mounted, which is preferably not driven, but only the upper transport roller 32.1.

At the other end, preferably the upstream end of the rocker 43 , the clamping block 36 is arranged on the side thereof pointing toward the interleaver belt 100 .

On this side of the rocker axis 43', the piston rod of the working cylinder 44 acts on the rocker 43 from below and is preferably connected to the rocker 43 in an articulated manner.

If the working cylinder 44 is activated, i.e. the side of the cylinder facing away from the piston rod is pressurized with compressed air, the piston rod pushes this side of the rocker 43 upwards so that it clamps the interleaver belt 100 opposite the fixed abutment 34 by means of the clamping block 36 , as in the solution according to 2a .

At the same time, however, the transport roller 32.2 mounted on the other side of the rocker 43 is lifted off the interleaver belt 100 and no pressing force is exerted on it from below, which means that the friction compared to the upper, driven and still rotating transport roller 32.2 is reduced, if not due to sagging of the interleaver belt 100 lifts it completely off the upper transport roller 32.2.

If the working cylinder 44 is deactivated, i.e. vented, the compression spring arranged on the piston rod side between the piston and the end of the cylinder presses the piston downwards and retracts the piston rod, which thereby pulls the side of the rocker 43 connected to it downwards, whereby the open the other side of the rocker 43 mounted transport roller 32.2 with a sufficient contact pressure is pressed upwards against the upper transport roller 32.1, so that the interleaver belt 100 guided in between is ejected.

In order to be able to catch such an excess, which is briefly present when the clamping unit 40 is activated, on each interleaver band 100 between the clamping unit 40 and the supply coil 39, there is a between the clamping unit 40 and the supply coil 39 Buffer loop formed on interleaver tape 100.

For this purpose, a dancer roller 41, for example, is provided from above between two deflection rollers located below the interleaver belt 100 and spaced apart in the conveying direction, which - preferably only with its own weight - presses the interleaver belt 100 downwards between the two deflection rollers and a buffer -Loop 45 forms, the size of each of the running side by side - see 3 - Interleaver tapes 100 self-regulating is dependent on the ejection quantity through the slot 35 and the amount of interleaver tape 100 unwound from the supply spool 39.

Reference List

1

slicer

1*

steering

2

base frame

3

knife

3a

cutting edge

3'

axis of rotation

3"

knife level, cutting level

4

Feeder Tape

4'

feed direction

5

cutting glasses

6a - d

eyeglass opening

7

cutting unit

8th

upper product guide, upper guide belt

8a

Glasses-side pulley

8b

Glasses-averted pulley

9

lower product guide, lower guide belt

9a

Glasses-side pulley

9b

Glasses-averted pulley

10

Feed direction, longitudinal direction, axial direction

10*

flow direction

11

first transverse direction

12

second transverse direction (roughly: knife plunge direction)

13

Gripper unit, gripper carriage

14:14a-d

gripper

15

elevation, spacer

16

Grab Claw

17

discharge unit

17a,b,c

Portioning belt, discharge conveyor

18

gripper guide

19

height sensor

20

feeding unit

21

residue conveyor

30

interleaver unit

31

interleaver drive

31'

feed direction

32

ejection drive

32.1, 32.2

Transport element, transport roller, transport belt

33

transport engine

34

abutment

35

slot

36

press block

37

coil motor

38

connecting rod

39

Supply Spool

40

clamping unit

40a

clamp element

41

Dancer Roller

42

compressed air nozzle

43

seesaw

43'

rocker axis

44

working cylinder

45

Buffer section, buffer loop

100

interleaver band

101

interleavers

H

product height

K

product, product caliber

S

disc

SP1, SP2

track

P

portion

V

packing element

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• EP 3444212 A1 [0014]

Claims (13)

Multi-lane slicer (1) for slicing a product (K), in particular product caliber (K), into slices (S) and depositing the at least one slice (S) in the form of a particularly stacked or shingled portion (P) of a plurality of slices ( S) and automatic insertion of a sheet-like interleaver (101) between the slices (S) of a portion (P), with - a cutting unit (7) with a knife (3) for separating the slices (S), - a product guide (20) for feeding the product (K) to the cutting unit (7), - an interleaver unit (30) with an interleaver drive (31) for feeding several interleaver tapes (100), in particular one for each track (SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4), - a controller (1*) for controlling at least the movable parts of the slicer (1), characterized in that - the interleaver unit (30) has a controllable clamping unit (40 ) for clamping the interleaver tape (100). slicer after claim 1 , - wherein the interleaver drive (31) has at least one ejection drive (32) close to ejection, - all ejection drives (32) can only be driven together and synchronously, in particular via a common ejection motor, characterized in that that the clamping unit (40) is arranged between the respective ejection drive (32) and the quasi-endless interleaver supply, in particular a supply reel (39). slicer after claim 2 , - a buffer section (45), in particular a buffer loop (45), for interleaver tape (100 ) is present, characterized in that - the clamping unit (40) is arranged between the respective ejection drive (32) and the buffer section (45), in particular a buffer loop (45). (clamp unit:) Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping unit (40) can be actuated pneumatically, in particular the clamping element (40a) - is an inflatable cushion or a hose, - or is a pneumatic working cylinder (44). Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the clamping unit (40) is at least partially functionally combined with the ejection drive (32), - in particular one of the at least two transport elements of the ejection drive (32), in particular the lower one of the two, is arranged on one side of a rocker (43) and the clamping unit (40) on the opposite side of the rocker (43) with respect to the rocker axis (43'), which acts as a clamping element (40a) against the interleaver -Band (100) can be applied, acts. Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, in which the ejection drive (32) has at least two cooperating transport elements (32.1, 32.2) which rest with their contact surface on the interleaver belt (100), characterized in that the contact surface has a size of at least 15 %, better at least 30%, better at least 50%, better at least 70% of the size of an interleaver (101). Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the contact surface in the supply direction (31') of the interleaver belt (100) is at least 1 cm long, better at least 2 cm, better at least 3 cm long, and/or - the contact area extends over at least 30% of the width of the interleaver band (100), better at least 50% of the width, better at least 80% of the width and preferably over the entire width of the interleaver band (100). (transport tapes:) Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ejection drive (32) comprises two circulating, endless transport belts as transport elements (32.1, 32.2), between which the interleaver belt (100) is clamped and held by counter-synchronous Drive of the transport belts can be transported. Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each conveyor belt is guided over at least two belt rollers, of which - one is arranged in the supply direction (31') close to the slot (35), - another is spaced apart from the slot (35) is arranged and is driven by a motor, - in particular both belt rollers remote from the slit are driven by the same motor. Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the belt roller near the slot has a smaller effective diameter than the belt roller remote from the slot, and/or - the transport belts at least on the inter leavers (101) side facing are coated with a material with low static friction, in particular with silicone. Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the ejection drive (32) is designed in such a way that the transport belts can be pulled off the belt rollers quickly and easily, - in particular one of the belt rollers per transport belt can be shifted into one the transport belt is fastened in the relaxing direction. Method for individually inserting interleavers (101) on multiple lanes (SP1 to SP4) next to each other between the severed slices (S) of a portion (P) when slicing a product, in particular a product caliber (K), using a multi-lane slicer, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the supplied interleaver bands (100) are only driven together, - each interleaver band (100) can be stopped individually by clamping in particular against a stationary abutment, despite the common drive continuing to run. procedure after claim 12 , characterized in that when driving not only the supply reel (39) for the interleaver tape (100) in the unwinding direction, but also the already unwound interleaver tape (100) further downstream, i.e. closer to the ejection point for the free end of the interleaver band (100), the stopping, in particular clamping, of the interleaver band (100) is provided between the drive close to the ejection and the reel drive, in particular downstream of a buffer path present between these two elements (45).

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