EP0943405A2 - Ultraschallschneidevorrichtung - Google Patents

Ultraschallschneidevorrichtung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0943405A2
EP0943405A2 EP99200542A EP99200542A EP0943405A2 EP 0943405 A2 EP0943405 A2 EP 0943405A2 EP 99200542 A EP99200542 A EP 99200542A EP 99200542 A EP99200542 A EP 99200542A EP 0943405 A2 EP0943405 A2 EP 0943405A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cutting
ultrasonic
blades
operative
face
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP99200542A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0943405A3 (de
Inventor
Martin Harrop
David Victor Elwood
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Societe des Produits Nestle SA
Nestle SA
Original Assignee
Societe des Produits Nestle SA
Nestle SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Societe des Produits Nestle SA, Nestle SA filed Critical Societe des Produits Nestle SA
Publication of EP0943405A2 publication Critical patent/EP0943405A2/de
Publication of EP0943405A3 publication Critical patent/EP0943405A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26DCUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D7/00Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
    • B26D7/08Means for treating work or cutting member to facilitate cutting
    • B26D7/086Means for treating work or cutting member to facilitate cutting by vibrating, e.g. ultrasonically

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a cutting system and particularly to an ultrasonic cutting system .
  • the conventional method of ultrasonic cutting involves the use of a cutting blade which is mounted on an ultrasonic vibrating device with the blade lying in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of vibrations, and moving the blade through the article to be cut in said plane.
  • difficulty is experienced using such conventional methods in that the depth of the cut which is attainable is limited.
  • ultrasonic cutting has in general been limited to thin articles such as paper, cloth and thin plastic sheets.
  • Significant problems exist in cutting blocks of substantial depth, and/or in providing a number of parallel cuts simultaneously.
  • the market trend these days is towards lighter, softer and stickier products and not only are such products difficult to cut but, in addition, they produce a lot of waste.
  • sticky materials such as caramel or composite materials which are composed of different materials having different viscosities or hardness, e.g. confectionery products comprising a mixture of two or more of chocolate, nougat, caramel and nuts, tend to drag causing the product to lift before passing through the cutting blade, or bend the cutting blade giving a product of uneven width and which is overheated.
  • Difficulty is also experienced in cutting materials which are brittle or friable, e.g. honeycomb or crystalline materials which may shatter if dropped. Often the cutting blades are not sufficiently reliable for long term production use.
  • the present invention provides an ultrasonic cutting system comprising an ultrasonic vibrating device having an operative face, a block horn having a responsive face connected to the operative face of the ultrasonic vibrating device and an operative face, and a plurality of cutting blades mounted on the operative face of the block horn so as to be vibrated thereby/therewith, the blades lying in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of vibrations characterised in that the block horn is provided with at least one tuning slot traversing the block horn between the operative and responsive faces.
  • the ultrasonic vibrating device may be, for instance, a piezo-electric sandwich type transducer producing sinusoidal motion secured to the responsive face of the block horn either directly or indirectly through a booster device.
  • the block horn is preferably made of aluminium or titanium.
  • the length of the block horn between the operative and responsive faces may be from 60 to 70mm, the breadth of the operative and responsive faces may be from 60 to 70mm, and the thickness through which the tuning slots traverse may be from 15 to 25mm.
  • the block horn may advantageously be provided with a shoulder on its responsive face, e.g. a shoulder on each side which may, if desired, be stepped.
  • the distortion can be reduced to about 5% or less in order to stabilise the cutting system.
  • the number of cutting blades mounted on the operative face of the block horn may be from 2 to 6 and preferably from 3 to 5.
  • an odd number of cutting blades may be used, e.g. 3 or 5 cutting blades.
  • a system composed of an odd number of elements, i.e., transducer, block horn and blade has an advantageous effect.
  • the cutting blades are preferably made of steel.
  • the cutting blade frequency is preferably from 10 to 60kHz and the amplitude of the cutting blade is preferably from 20-250microns, preferably from 40 to 200microns.
  • the cutting blade is preferably detuned to a value sufficiently different to that of the operative face of the block horn to stabilise the system and reduce the gain and slightly widen the frequency of operation of the system, e.g.by from 80 to 120Hz and preferably from 90 to 110Hz on either side of the frequency of operation.
  • the blade is then machined to set the orientation of the individual blade so that the blades are parallel with each other and correctly aligned with the operative face of the block horn.
  • the length of the blades may be from 50 to 100mm and preferably from 70 to 80mm.
  • the breadth of the blades may be from 5 to 20mm and preferably from 10 to 15mm
  • the thickness of the blades may be from 1.4 to 2.4mm and preferably from 1.5 to 1.8mm.
  • the distance apart of the blades may be from 15 to 35mm and preferably from 20 to 26mm.
  • the cutting blade may be provided with a shoulder which is preferably clamped against the operating face of the block horn.
  • the shoulder may have a length of from 25 to 45mm and preferably from 30 to 35mm.
  • the width of the shoulder may be from 10 to 15mm.
  • the shoulder of the cutting blade is advantageously provided with spanner slots in its front and rear faces which provide the means for tightening the blade to the operative face of the block horn.
  • the blades may be positioned on a vertical axis but are preferably positioned offset relative to the vertical axis, for instance, at an angle of from 5° to 20° and preferably from 10° to 15°.
  • the number of tuning slots is preferably one less than the number of cutting blades.
  • the tuning slots are preferably offset relative to a pair of blades in a longitudinal plane.
  • the size of the tuning slots may be chosen to reduce or eliminate transverse vibrations and reduce distortion of the block.
  • the tuning slots may have a length of from 20 to 60mm, preferably from 30 to 50mm and more preferably from 35 to 45mm, and a width of from 4 to 6mm, preferably from 4.5 to 5.5mm.
  • a plurality of ultrasonic cutting systems according to this invention may be connected in series to increase the number of cutting blades, e.g. from 5 to 10 cutting systems in series to provide a total number of blades of from 20 to 40.
  • the present invention also provides an apparatus for cutting a material comprising an ultrasonic vibrating device having an operative face, a block horn having a responsive face connected to the operative face of the ultrasonic vibrating device and an operative face, and a plurality of cutting blades mounted on the operative face of the block horn so as to be vibrated thereby/therewith, the blades lying in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of vibrations characterised in that the block horn is provided with at least one tuning slot traversing the block between the operative and responsive faces, means for conveying the material to be cut, and means for causing the cutting blades to be ultrasonically vibrated while moving said cutting blades in said plane through said material.
  • the means for conveying the material to be cut may be a conveyor belt which supports the material.
  • the means for conveying the material to be cut advantageously comprises an upper guide belt and a lower conveyor belt which effectively sandwich the material as it is conveyed.
  • the present invention further provides a method of cutting a material which comprises conveying the material beneath an ultrasonic cutting system comprising an ultrasonic vibrating device having an operative face, a block horn having a responsive face connected to the operative face of the ultrasonic vibrating device and an operative face, and a plurality of cutting blades mounted on the operative face of the block horn so as to be vibrated thereby/therewith, the blades lying in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of vibrations characterised in that the block horn is provided with at least one tuning slot traversing the block between the operative and responsive faces, and causing the cutting blades to be ultrasonically vibrated while moving said cutting blades in said plane through said material.
  • the material is conveniently transported beneath the ultrasonic cutting system on a conveyor belt.
  • the speed of the material may be up to 10 metres/min, for instance, from 1 to 8 metres/min and preferably from 2 to 6 metres/min.
  • the material to be cut is transported beneath the ultrasonic cutting system between an upper guide belt and a lower conveyor belt which effectively sandwich the material as it is conveyed.
  • the use of upper and lower conveyor belts which effectively sandwich the material substantially prevents the tendency of the material to lift up as it passes through the cutting blades due to the drag of the blades. This tendency is more pronounced when more cutting blades are used in the system.
  • the material may be a sticky material, a brittle or friable material or a composite material composed of different materials having different viscosities or hardness.
  • suitable materials which may be cut by the ultrasonic cutting system of this invention are, e.g. confectionery products comprising one or a mixture of two or more of chocolate, nougat, caramel, nuts, bakery products, snack products, meals, filled dough products, ice cream, and combinations thereof.
  • Figure 1 shows a transducer/booster assembly 10 to which is attached a block horn 11 provided with tuning slots 12. Cutting blades 13 are attached to the block horn by means of bolts.
  • FIGS 2 and 3 show the block horn 11 provided with tuning slots 12 and the blades comprising a shoulder 14, a spanner slot 15 and a cutting edge 16.
  • Figures 4 and 5 show the nougat material 17 being transported on a conveyor belt 18 in the direction of the arrow and then sandwiched between a lower drive belt 19 and an upper guide belt 20 where it passes beneath the ultrasonic cutting system comprising the block horn 11 and cutting blades 16, the cutting blades being ultrasonically vibrated while passing vertically downwards through the nougat material to cut it, the cut nougat material being finally transported away on conveyor belt 21.
  • the ultrasonic cutting system comprising the block horn 11 and cutting blades 16
  • the cutting blades being ultrasonically vibrated while passing vertically downwards through the nougat material to cut it, the cut nougat material being finally transported away on conveyor belt 21.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Forests & Forestry (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Nonmetal Cutting Devices (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
  • Finish Polishing, Edge Sharpening, And Grinding By Specific Grinding Devices (AREA)
EP99200542A 1998-03-16 1999-02-25 Ultraschallschneidevorrichtung Withdrawn EP0943405A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9805569 1998-03-16
GBGB9805569.2A GB9805569D0 (en) 1998-03-16 1998-03-16 Cutting system

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0943405A2 true EP0943405A2 (de) 1999-09-22
EP0943405A3 EP0943405A3 (de) 2001-05-16

Family

ID=10828634

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99200542A Withdrawn EP0943405A3 (de) 1998-03-16 1999-02-25 Ultraschallschneidevorrichtung

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0943405A3 (de)
AU (1) AU2035799A (de)
BR (1) BR9901008A (de)
GB (1) GB9805569D0 (de)
ZA (1) ZA992071B (de)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1101577A1 (de) * 1999-11-15 2001-05-23 Societe Des Produits Nestle S.A. Hochfrequenzschneider
DE10103740A1 (de) * 2001-01-26 2002-08-01 Doeinghaus Metall Maschb Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung für das Schneiden wenigstens eines Stranges eines Lebensmittels
WO2004040530A1 (en) * 2002-10-28 2004-05-13 Misonix Incorporated Ultrasonic horn
US7931611B2 (en) 2005-03-23 2011-04-26 Misonix, Incorporated Ultrasonic wound debrider probe and method of use
CN108994881A (zh) * 2018-07-19 2018-12-14 上海骄成机电设备有限公司 一种超声波复合切刀

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10271565B2 (en) 2015-06-18 2019-04-30 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A Ice cream machine and a method for producing an ice cream product using an ice cream machine

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH02131922A (ja) * 1988-11-14 1990-05-21 Chiyouonpa Kogyo Kk 超音波工具ホーン

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH02131922A (ja) * 1988-11-14 1990-05-21 Chiyouonpa Kogyo Kk 超音波工具ホーン

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 014, no. 367 (M-1008), 9 August 1990 (1990-08-09) & JP 02 131922 A (CHIYOUONPA KOGYO KK), 21 May 1990 (1990-05-21) *

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1101577A1 (de) * 1999-11-15 2001-05-23 Societe Des Produits Nestle S.A. Hochfrequenzschneider
JP2001191299A (ja) * 1999-11-15 2001-07-17 Soc Prod Nestle Sa 超音波切断システム
US6530768B1 (en) 1999-11-15 2003-03-11 Nestec S.A. Ultrasonic cutting system
DE10103740A1 (de) * 2001-01-26 2002-08-01 Doeinghaus Metall Maschb Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung für das Schneiden wenigstens eines Stranges eines Lebensmittels
WO2004040530A1 (en) * 2002-10-28 2004-05-13 Misonix Incorporated Ultrasonic horn
US7004282B2 (en) * 2002-10-28 2006-02-28 Misonix, Incorporated Ultrasonic horn
US7931611B2 (en) 2005-03-23 2011-04-26 Misonix, Incorporated Ultrasonic wound debrider probe and method of use
CN108994881A (zh) * 2018-07-19 2018-12-14 上海骄成机电设备有限公司 一种超声波复合切刀
CN108994881B (zh) * 2018-07-19 2020-02-28 上海骄成机电设备有限公司 一种超声波复合切刀

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0943405A3 (de) 2001-05-16
ZA992071B (en) 2000-10-11
BR9901008A (pt) 2000-02-22
GB9805569D0 (en) 1998-05-13
AU2035799A (en) 1999-09-30

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