EP2168730A1

EP2168730A1 - Tool for rotary knives

Info

Publication number: EP2168730A1
Application number: EP09171586A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Graziano Roncaglia
Original assignee: LGR Equipment di Graziano Roncaglia
Current assignee: LGR Equipment di Graziano Roncaglia
Priority date: 2008-09-30
Filing date: 2009-09-29
Publication date: 2010-03-31
Also published as: ITMO20080257A1; IT1391133B1

Abstract

A tool (1) for rotary knives, of the type comprising a supporting element (P) for at least one tool and means for the rotary actuation of the tool with respect to the supporting element (P), comprising a rotating body (2), which has a rotation axis (3) and can be associated rotatably with the supporting element (P) about the rotation axis (3). The tool (1) comprises at least one pair of mutually distinct cutting elements (4), which are jointly associated with the rotating body (2) and form respective cutting profiles (40) which are mutually spaced along the direction identified by the rotation axis (3), so as to form, during the rotation of the rotating body (2), a cutting region that is comprised between the cutting profiles (40).

Description

The present invention relates to a tool for rotary knives, particularly for cutting food.
This type of tool is generally used to remove mold, infiltrations and the like from food such as hams or cheeses, although different applications, for example for cutting plastic products or products that otherwise derive from industrial processes, are not excluded.
Since the molds that form on food often do not remain only on their outer surface but also penetrate inside them, in order to remove them it is necessary to perform a deep cut that allows to reach the entire extension of the mold.
A tool for rotary knives of a known type is disclosed by EP1418028 .
EP1418028 disloses a tool that has a rotating body which can be associated with a tool supporting assembly, on the outer lateral surface of which there is a circular blade obtained monolithically with the rotating body.
The rotating body is made to rotate with respect to the tool supporting assembly by way of rotary actuation means, so that the circular blade that is formed thereon can apply a cutting action to the product to be processed, for example a piece of meat.
These known tools for rotary knives are not free from drawbacks, which include the fact that in order to remove a certain quantity of a product to be processed it is necessary to perform various cuts, since the blade of known tools performs only a cutting operation and does not allow direct removal of material.
This drawback entails that in the processing of food, a considerable quantity of healthy product is also removed together with the mold to be removed and consequently entails a considerable waste of raw material.
Another drawback of known tools is that their blades penetrate with difficulty in the product to be processed, such as for example in highly seasoned meat, and therefore the operations for removing mold and the unhealthy parts require a long time.
The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the background art, by devising a tool for rotary knives that allows to remove easily a certain quantity of a product to be processed, such as the unhealthy parts that are present on a piece of meat.
Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a tool that penetrates easily in the product to be processed, such as highly seasoned meats which therefore are characterized by high compactness, thus facilitating the operations for removing the unhealthy parts.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool that is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and has a relatively low cost.
This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present tool for rotary knives, of the type comprising a supporting element for at least one tool and means for the rotary actuation of the tool with respect to said supporting element, comprising:

a rotating body, which has a rotation axis and can be associated rotatably with said supporting element about said rotation axis and is characterized in that it comprises:
at least one pair of mutually distinct cutting elements, which are jointly associated with said rotating body and form respective cutting profiles which are mutually spaced along the direction identified by said rotation axis, so as to form, during the rotation of said rotating body, a cutting region that is comprised between said cutting profiles.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a tool for rotary knives, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tool according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tool of Figure 1, associated with an element for supporting the tool;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tool of Figure 1, associated with a supporting element provided with a handle.

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a tool for rotary knives of the type that comprises an element P for supporting at least one tool 1 and means, not shown in the figures, for rotary actuation of the tool with respect to the supporting element P.
The tool 1 comprises a rotating body 2, which has a rotation axis 3 and can be associated rotatably with the supporting element P about the rotation axis 3; the supporting element P can be gripped by an operator as shown in Figure 3.
According to the invention, the tool 1 comprises at least one pair of cutting elements 4, which are mutually distinct, are jointly associated with the rotating body 2 and form respective cutting profiles 40, which are mutually spaced along the direction identified by the rotation axis 3, so as to form, during the rotation of the rotating body 2, a cutting region that is comprised between the cutting profiles.
More particularly, the rotating body 2 comprises an element 5 for supporting the cutting elements 4 which is substantially circular and sheet-like and is arranged transversely to the rotation axis 3. The supporting element 5 therefore has two mutually opposite faces which are substantially parallel and an outer lateral surface that is substantially circular.
In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the supporting element 5 is annular and therefore also has a substantially circular inner lateral surface.
Preferably, in the embodiment shown in the figures, the cutting elements 4 are arranged at the opposite faces of the supporting element 5. In this preferred embodiment, the cutting profiles 40 of the cutting elements 4 are arranged so as to be mutually substantially mirror-symmetrical with respect to a central plane of the supporting element 5 that is substantially parallel to its faces and perpendicular to the rotation axis 3.
In an alternative embodiment, not shown in the figures, the cutting elements 4 of each pair are arranged at the same face of the supporting element 5. In this embodiment, the cutting profiles 40 of the cutting elements 4 are arranged with respect to each other substantially mirror-symmetrically relative to a plane of symmetry that is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis 3 and is arranged proximate to the face of the supporting element 5 at which the cutting elements 4 are arranged.
Conveniently, the cutting profiles 40 protrude at least partially in a radial direction from the profile formed by the outer lateral surface of the supporting element 5.
Preferably, the cutting elements 4 of each pair are arranged in mutual succession along the outer perimetric extension of the supporting element 5, i.e., are not mutually aligned along the direction identified by the rotation axis 3, so as to face each other.
Advantageously, each cutting profile 40 has a cut adjustment portion 40a and a removal portion 40b, which are arranged so as to be mutually contiguous; the removal portion 40b is arranged upstream of the corresponding adjustment portion 40a in the direction of rotation 6 of the rotating body 2 that is imparted by the rotary actuation means and is identified in the figures by the arrow 7. The direction of rotation 7 imposed by the rotary actuation means is oriented so that the adjustment portion 40a of each cutting element 4 makes contact with the product to be worked before the corresponding removal portion 40b, so as to define the depth of the cut.
More particularly, each cutting profile 40 forms, at the corresponding adjustment portion 40a, a substantially curvilinear region that is adapted to rest against the product to be worked and forms, at the corresponding removal portion 40b, a region that lies substantially parallel to the rotation axis 3 and protrudes toward the other cutting element 4, so as to remove a given quantity of the product to be processed.
The penetration of the removal portion 40b of each cutting element 4 within the product to be cut therefore depends on the dimensions and curvature of the corresponding adjustment portion 40a.
One possible configuration of the cutting profile 40 that has the characteristics cited above is visible in the preferred embodiment, shown in Figures 1 to 3.
In this embodiment, the tool 1 comprises a plurality of cutting elements 4, which are associated jointly with the rotating body 2, where each pair of cutting elements 4 has the characteristics described above.
More particularly, in this embodiment, the cutting elements 4 are arranged in mutual succession along the outer perimetric extension of the supporting element 5 and are arranged alternately at either face of the supporting element.
Each cutting element 4 associated with the supporting element 5 at one of its faces is therefore preceded and followed by another cutting element 4 arranged at the other face of the supporting element.
In the alternative embodiment in which the cutting elements 4 are arranged at the same face of the supporting element 5, each cutting profile 40 is arranged substantially mirror-symmetrically, with respect to a plane of symmetry that is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis 3 and is arranged proximate to the face of the supporting element 5 at which the cutting elements 4 are associated, to the cutting profile 40 of the directly preceding and following cutting element 4.
In the embodiment shown in the figures, the tool 1 further comprises a safety element 8, which is arranged at the outer lateral surface of the supporting element 5 and is shown in broken lines in Figure 3.
The safety element 8 is arranged so as to cover partially the part of the rotating body 2 that is arranged on the opposite side of the supporting element P, so as to prevent the operator from accidentally coming into contact, during use, with the cutting elements 4, leaving exposed only the portion that is designed to cut into the product to be processed.
In a preferred embodiment, the safety element 8 is associated with suction means, not shown in detail in the figures, which comprise for example a suction duct that is associated with one end of the safety element 8 and is adapted to collect the residues of the product to be processed that have been removed by the action of the cutting elements 4. The suction means can be associated with the safety element 8 at the operator's discretion, since they are not provided in the basic embodiment of the tool according to the invention.
Conveniently, the rotating body 2 comprises means for mating with the rotary actuation means associated with the supporting element 5.
Advantageously, the mating means are formed monolithically with respect to the supporting element 5 and are preferably constituted, in the embodiment shown in the Figures, by a set of teeth 10, which is formed so as to protrude from one of the faces of the supporting element 5.
More particularly, in the embodiment shown in the figures, the set of teeth 10 is formed at the outer base of a substantially tubular raised portion 11, which protrudes from one of the faces of the supporting element 5, at its inner lateral surface, and lies substantially coaxially with respect to the supporting element.
In this embodiment, the teeth of the set of teeth 10 lie substantially parallel to the rotation axis 3 and are designed to mesh with a gear, not visible in the figures, which is inserted within the supporting element P and has a rotation axis that is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis 3. The present invention does not exclude different embodiments of the mating means, which are known to the person skilled in the art.
The operation of the tool according to the present invention is as follows.
The tool 1 is associated with the supporting element P so that the set of teeth 10 meshes with the rotary actuation means, which are not visible in the figures.
Having thus positioned the tool 1, such tool is then fixed to the supporting element P by way of the locking means B, which are adapted to prevent its movement during use.
At this point, the operator who grips the supporting element P moves the tool 1 toward the product to be processed, for example a piece of meat, and activates the rotary actuation means.
The rotating body 2 thus begins to rotate in the direction of rotation 7, which is preset according to the orientation of the cutting profiles 40.
The cutting elements 4 arranged at the opposite faces of the supporting element 5 thus make contact with the part to be processed, which is to be cut at two mutually distinct regions.
The particular shape of the cutting profiles 40 facilitates the penetration of the cutting elements 4 within the product to be processed.
Indeed, the cut adjustment portion 40a allows the corresponding cutting element 4 to rest against the surface of the product to be processed, so that the rotation of the rotating body 2 makes the corresponding removal portion 40b to penetrate within the product to be processed by an extent that is a function of the curvature and size of the adjustment portion 40a.
The action of the cutting elements 4 during the rotation of the rotating body 2 therefore allows to remove the portion of the product to be processed that lies at the cutting region interposed between the cutting profiles 40 of each pair of cutting elements 4 and, more precisely, between the regions of contact of the cutting profiles 40 with the product to be processed.
In the embodiment that uses the suction means, during operation, the residues of the product to be worked that are removed by means of the action of the cutting elements 4 are pushed by the rotation of the rotating body 2 against the safety element 8 and consequently aspirated by the suction duct that is associated with the safety element.
In practice it has been found that the described invention achieves the intended aim and objects, and in particular the fact is stressed that it allows to perform a precise and delimited cut on a product to be processed, so as to remove easily and precisely the unhealthy parts that are present on food, and in particular also parts that extend deeply into such food.
The tool according to the invention, by delimiting the cutting region in an extremely precise manner, allows to avoid the removal of the healthy parts of food that are located proximate to the portions to be removed.
Although the tool according to the invention has been developed for processing foodstuffs, different applications, for example in the industrial field, are not excluded.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.
All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, although the embodiments described above are preferred, may be any according to requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims.
The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MO2008A000257 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

A tool (1) for rotary knives, of the type comprising a supporting element (P) for at least one tool and means for the rotary actuation of the tool with respect to said supporting element (P), comprising:
a rotating body (2), which has a rotation axis (3) and can be associated rotatably with said supporting element (P) about said rotation axis (3), and
characterized in that it comprises:
at least one pair of mutually distinct cutting elements (4), which are jointly associated with said rotating body (2) and form respective cutting profiles (40) which are mutually spaced along the direction identified by said rotation axis (3), so as to form, during the rotation of said rotating body (2), a cutting region that is comprised between said cutting profiles (40).
The tool (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said rotating body (2) comprises an element (5) for supporting said cutting elements (4) which is substantially circular and plate-like and is arranged transversely to said rotation axis (3), said cutting elements (4) being arranged at the opposite faces of said supporting element (5).
The tool (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said cutting profiles (40) protrude at least partially in a radial direction from the profile formed by the outer lateral surface of said supporting element (5).
The tool (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cutting elements (4) are arranged in mutual succession along the outer perimetric extension of said supporting element (5).
The tool (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each one of said cutting profiles (40) comprises a cut adjustment portion (40a) and a removal portion (40b), the latter being arranged substantially contiguously and upstream with respect to said adjustment portion (40a) in the direction of rotation of said rotating body (2).
The tool (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the cutting profile (40) of each one of said cutting elements (4) forms, at said adjustment portion (40a), a substantially curvilinear region, and forms, at said removal portion (40b), a region that runs substantially parallel to said rotation axis (3) and protrudes toward the other one of said cutting elements (4).
The tool (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of pairs of said cutting elements (4), which are arranged in mutual succession along the outer perimetric extension of said supporting element (5) and are arranged alternately at either face of said supporting element.
The tool (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said rotating body (2) comprises means for mating with said rotary actuation means, said mating means being associated with said supporting element (5).
The tool (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that said mating means are formed monolithically with said supporting element (5).
The tool (1) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that said mating means comprise a set of teeth (10) that is formed so as to protrude from one of the faces of said supporting element (5).