EP2322330B1 - Method and device for cutting a piece of meat containing bone into slices - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves moving a braking element (15) of a braking device in the feed direction behind a cutting plane of a cutting element (7) into a transport cross section before the complete separation of a disk (3) from the remaining commodity strand (2). A cropped disk is broken after its complete separation from the remaining commodity strand in the movement by the braking element. The movement is adjusted by the cutting plane path. An independent claim is also included for a device for cutting a bone-containing commodity strand in disk.

Description

• Der Gutstrang wird mittels einer Vorschubeinrichtung in Vorschubrichtung auf eine Schneideinrichtung zu vorgeschoben.
• Mittels eines rotierenden Schneidorgans der Schneideinrichtung werden sukzessive Scheiben von einem Ende des Gutstrangs abgeschnitten.
• Die abgeschnittenen Scheiben werden sukzessive auf einer Fördereinrichtung in geschindelter oder gestapelter Anordnung abgelegt und von der Schneideinrichtung weggefördert.

The invention relates to a method for cutting a bone-containing Gutstrangs into slices with the following process steps:

• The Gutstrang is advanced by means of a feed device in the feed direction to a cutter.
• By means of a rotating cutting member of the cutter successive slices are cut from one end of the Gutstrangs.
• The cut slices are successively deposited on a conveyor in a shingled or stacked arrangement and conveyed away from the cutter.

Moreover, the invention relates to a device for cutting a bone-containing Gutstrangs in slices, wherein the device has the features of the preamble of claim 6.

State of the art

The aforementioned method as well as the aforementioned device are well known, see eg DE 102006062336 , In particular, find such methods or devices application when cutting chops, pork chops, T-bone steaks or similar bone-containing material to be cut. The cutting member of the cutting device can be designed as a sickle knife or knife with a spiral-shaped cutting edge. Due to the contained in the material to be cut, sometimes quite "massive" bone such devices in the cutting device, ie in particular with regard to the cutting blade and viewed in the feed direction both before and behind the knife cutting frame must be made very stable to the particular to be able to absorb very large cutting forces and the resulting counterforce when cutting through the bones.

In the prior art devices are often high-performance cutting machines that are operated in large meat processing plants with high cutting frequency and high mass flow rate. In this case, it is usually the case that the slices conveyed away from the cutting device on the conveyor are then immediately supplied to a packaging device, in particular in cup-shaped packages, with a cover in the form of a transparent film. Such packaging units with a plurality of slices are often distributed in self-service counters of larger grocery stores. For optical reasons, i. In order to give the customer a particularly attractive appearance of sliced items to be cut, the storage of the discs on the conveyor and also in the shell of the SB packaging is usually done in so-called geschindelter, i. Fanned arrangement in which the slices partially overlap. In this case, the conveying away takes place by means of a horizontally moving conveyor belt.

Alternatively, a stacked storage of the discs is possible, wherein the tray takes place here, for example, on a kind of storage table which is movable perpendicular to the feed direction down to keep the storage conditions for each disc constant. The production of a geometrically exact tray with shingled or stacked disc arrangement has proven to be problematic in practice with bone-containing Gutsträngen. This results in particular from the fact that the bone-surrounding meat (muscle tissue or fat) behaves physically completely differently during the cutting process than the bone. Due to its hardness and brittleness, when cutting through the bone there is less of a classical cutting action, but more of a kind of "chopping" of the bone occurs. In order to better derive the cutting forces when cutting the bone in the cutting frame and thus the machine position and to avoid undesirable changes in shape of the Gutstrangs during the cutting process, the Gutstrang so on the feed device, which is usually designed as a conveyor, filed that the Bone as close as possible to the surface of the feed device comes to rest optimally even directly on it. In this case, it first comes to a severing of the softer meat or fat portions of the Gutstrangs and then to complete separation of the disc by the bone is severed. In this final severing operation of each disc, due to the brittleness of the bone and the wedge-shaped geometry of the portion of the cutting blade adjacent the cutting edge, it is extremely unwanted effects to the effect that the just separated disc performs uncontrolled movements in the feed direction. The energy required for separating and introduced by the high-speed rotating cutting member is in fact so great that the separated disc experiences an undesirably large pulse, which accelerates it away from the blade. It is particularly disadvantageous that both the direction and the initial speed of the downright "wegschießenden" disc vary greatly and therefore are not predictable. This leads to an irregular and not geometrically accurate storage of shingled or stacked discs arranged on the conveyor. In extreme cases, the fluctuations in the "take-off speed" and in the "landing location" of the separated and then overturning by 90 ° discs can be so large that when shingled tray a disc passes the previously cut disc. Due to the irregularity of the disc tray in geometrical terms, it is in any case essential in the known methods that the discs are readjusted or inserted manually following the deposit on the conveyor or during insertion into cup-shaped containers of packaging units. This results in a high manpower, which in turn increases the cost of processing bone-containing food strands.

An alternative, well-known cutting method is that the cut slices are not deposited on the conveyor in a shingled or stacked arrangement, but are conveyed away in a stowed arrangement. In this case, located above the conveyor a moving in the feed direction support means for the first disc of a package. The support device prevents the first disc from tipping over and ensures a stationary removal of the same on the conveyor belt, wherein the subsequently cut slices successively in this way gradually form a disc package. In this case, the speed of the conveyor corresponds to the feed speed. Alternatively, it is also possible to work without a support device in that the first disks tip over and then provide a support for the subsequently cut-off disks, which are thus conveyed away standing.

The standing arrangement of slices cut off successively in length does not prevent a new cut disc from performing an uncontrolled movement away from the knife, but is also previously known Procedures mandatory manual rework required if a shingled or fanned arrangement of the same is to be realized instead of the optically rather unattractive stacked disk arrangement.

task

The invention has for its object to provide a method and an apparatus for cutting a bone-containing Gutstrangs in slices, with which or a geometrically very shingled or stacked arrangement of the cut slices can be realized on a conveyor, without requiring manual intervention on the part an operator are required.

solution

• Vor dem vollständigen Abtrennen einer Scheibe von dem übrigen Gutstrang wird ein Bremselement einer Bremseinrichtung in Vorschubrichtung betrachtet hinter einer Schneidebene des Schneidorgans in einen Förderquerschnitt bewegt.
• Eine sodann abgeschnittene Scheibe wird nach ihrem vollständigen Abtrennen von dem übrigen Gutstrang in ihrer von der Schneidebene weg gerichteten Bewegung mittels des Bremselements abgebremst.
• Nach dem Abbremsen wird das Bremselement aus dem Förderquerschnitt heraus bewegt und die abgebremste Scheibe kippt auf die Fördereinrichtung.

Based on a method of the type described above, this object is achieved by the following method steps:

• Before the complete separation of a disc from the remaining Gutstrang a braking element of a braking device is considered in the feed direction behind a cutting plane of the cutting member moves into a conveyor cross section.
• A then cut off slice is braked after its complete separation from the rest of the Gut strand in their direction away from the cutting plane movement by means of the braking element.
• After braking, the braking element is moved out of the conveyor cross section and the braked disc tilts onto the conveyor.

The invention is based on the recognition that the energy introduced into a disk during the last phase of the separation process, which manifests itself in a large momentum transmitted to the disk, must be dissipated by means of a braking device comprising a braking element before the disk further movement in the direction of the conveyor is allowed. The brake element of the braking device thus acts as a temporary barrier for the cut disks, whereby their kinetic energy is largely reduced.

According to the invention, however, the braking element does not remain permanently in the conveying cross-section of the Gutstrangs but performs a reciprocating motion, in particular an up and down movement, in which it is moved after braking out of the conveyor section to the already begun or the then onset of tilting movement of the disc can not be prevented.

Basically, locking at least part of the conveyor section by means of the braking element presents a conflict of objectives in that the slowing down of the cut-off wheel slows down the movement after the separation of the respective wheel, which is in the interest of achieving the highest possible cutting performance, e.g. high cutting frequency of the cutting member runs contrary. With sufficiently strong accelerated movement of the braking element and precise timing of the same but the cut disc is slowed down only so far and for so long that a controlled tilting movement of the separated disc is ensured on the conveyor. The disc does not have to come to a complete stop, but it is sufficient if the disc is braked in its lower region, in which typically the bones run. If a disc is braked only in the lower area, while the rest remains unbraked, there is a rotation of the disc, which favors the tilting of the same after a short brake or stop pulse. Depending on the behavior of the separated disc, it may also abut against the brake element in its lower region and thus be stopped, the brake element then serving as a kind of stop element.

It has been demonstrated that with the method according to the invention a very high geometrical inaccuracy is possible in the storage of the cut-off slices in a shingled or stacked arrangement and that the cutting performance is not reduced in comparison with the previously known methods. In any case, the process according to the invention can completely dispense with manual readjustment of the cut-off disks in order to achieve a visually appealing, regular disk arrangement.

According to one embodiment of the invention it is provided that the braking element is transferred from a rest position in which it is completely outside the conveyor cross section, in a braking or stop position in which it obstructs a part of the conveyor section facing a support surface of the Gutstrang, and then is returned to the resting position. In this case, the braking element is in its movement of the resting moved to the braking position in a plane which is aligned parallel to the cutting plane. In this way, a particularly rapid introduction of the braking element in the conveyor cross-section and also a rapid re-freeing of the conveyor cross-section can be achieved after the deceleration. In this case, the stroke, which covers the brake element, be about 10 mm to 20 mm.

When the braking element in the braking position - viewed in the feed direction - at a distance from the brake element facing front of an emerging, still connected to the Gutstrang disc, on the one hand there is the certainty that the movement of the brake element is not caused by a friction Contact with the front of the newly formed disc is obstructed. In addition, by a sufficiently large distance between the brake element and the next following disc also allows a certain range of variation in the thickness of the disc, which is required for accurate cutting of slices due to variations in the size of the cross-sectional area of the Gutstrangs. Consequently, the distance between the cutting member and the braking element is always slightly larger than the largest possible disc thickness. For example, the distance between the front of the Gutstrangs and brake element between 3 mm and 5 mm.

In terms of time, the removal of the brake element from the conveyor cross section after braking is the most critical moment in the entire process flow. It is particularly important that the brake element is removed after braking the current disc very fast from the conveyor cross section to the tipping process of the disc not to hinder, and thus possibly worsen the cutting performance. By contrast, after tipping off a cut-off wheel, there is usually sufficient time to return the braking element to the braking position, since this movement can take place parallel to the cutting of the muscle or fat tissue of the Gutstrang located above the bone and during this phase a braking effect not yet necessary.

Therefore, it is particularly advantageous if a rotational output of the braking device - viewed over a cycle of movement of the braking element - is moved at different angular velocity, wherein the braking element is moved at a greater speed from the braking position to the rest position than in the reverse direction. The same is also useful in the case of a linear drive (linear motor) for the braking device, in which case different speeds should be realized in the back-and-forth movement.

• eine Bremseinrichtung mit einem Bremselement, das von einer Ruheposition, in der es sich außerhalb eines Förderquerschnitts befindet, in eine Bremsposition überführbar ist, in der eine von dem Gutstrang abgetrennte Scheibe in ihrer von der Schneidebene weg gerichteten Bewegung abbremsbar ist, wobei das in der Ruheposition befindliche Bremselement ein Abkippen einer abgetrennten und abgebremsten Scheibe auf die Fördereinrichtung ermöglicht.

In terms of device technology, the underlying object is achieved on the basis of a device according to the preamble of claim 6 by the following features:

• a braking device with a braking element, which can be converted from a rest position in which it is outside a conveyor cross section, in a braking position in which a separated from the strand of material disc in its directed away from the cutting plane movement is braked, wherein in the rest position located brake element allows tipping a separated and braked disc on the conveyor.

It can be regarded as particularly advantageous if the brake element is a made of sheet material slide which is linearly oscillating within a plane parallel to the cutting plane sliding movable and preferably has a U-shape, wherein two U-legs on both sides of the conveyor cross-section, the is defined by a passage opening in a cutting frame of the cutting device, are displaceable between the cutting frame and in each case a bearing element.

The U-shape allows storage of the slide in areas laterally adjacent to the passage opening and therefore makes it possible to dispense with a storage below the passage opening, whereby the space required for the slide bearing is reduced. The slider can therefore - be considered short - viewed in the direction of the U-legs and be connected directly to coupling or transmission members.

The oscillating movement of the braking element can be particularly easily generated by a crank mechanism of the braking device, wherein the braking element is connected to a rocker and this with a rotatably drivable ball.

For reasons of minimizing the installation space of the braking device and the shortest possible paths between the rest position and the braking position, it is proposed that the braking element is arranged in the rest position below a plane defined by a bearing surface of the feed device or the conveyor.

Finally, according to the invention, it is also provided that a lower surface of a cutting frame arranged between the braking element in the rest position and the cutting plane is beveled, a surface normal of the bevelled surface being directed away from the cutting plane. As a result, the tilting of the separated slices is also promoted after braking and after retraction of the braking element from the conveyor cross-section, which in turn allows rapid removal of the cut slices away.

embodiment

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment of a machine according to the invention for cutting food, which is shown in the drawings.

Figuren 1 bis 7:

jeweils eine dreidimensionale Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung mit einem Gutstrang in verschiedenen Positionen und

Figuren 8 bis 13

jeweils eine dreidimensionale Ansicht der Vorrichtung ohne Dar- stellung des Gutstrangs sowie der Vorschub- und Fördereinrich- tung.

It shows:

FIGS. 1 to 7:

in each case a three-dimensional view of a device according to the invention with a Gutstrang in different positions and

FIGS. 8 to 13

in each case a three-dimensional view of the device without depiction of the material strand as well as the feed and conveying device.

In the FIGS. 1 to 7 a device 1 according to the invention for cutting a bone-containing Gutstrangs 2 is shown in slices 3, wherein the Gutstrang 2 is advanced by means of a feed device 4 in the form of an endless belt in the horizontal direction on a cutting device 5. In the figures, the Gutstrang 2 is simplified and shown without bones. Typically, the bones in the product strand 2 run along its lower side, that is to say the side of the material strand 2 facing a bearing surface 6 of the feed device 4.

The cutting device 5 comprises a rotating cutting member 7, which is shown in the different figures each in a different, the Schneidforschritt corresponding position. In the feed direction 8 behind the cutter 5 is formed as an endless belt conveyor 9, on which the cut discs 3 are stored and with the the discs 3 are conveyed away. The cutting device 5 has two cutting frames 10, 10 ', which run parallel to each other and have a width of about 15 mm to 20 mm, wherein between the cutting frame 10, 10', the cutting member 7 is arranged. The cutting frame 10, 10 'and the cutting member are surrounded by a cutting box 11. The cutting frames 10, 10 'each comprise a passage opening 12, which defines a conveying cross section 13 and through which the product strand 2 is conveyed through.

Furthermore, the device 1 has again in the feed direction 8 behind the cutting device 5 a braking device 14 with a braking element 15, which by means of a crank mechanism 16 from a rest position 17 (see FIG. 1 ) in a braking position 18 (see FIG. 2 ) can be transferred. The braking element 15 is designed as a slide 19 which is linearly oscillating within a parallel to a cutting plane formed by the cutting member 7 sliding plane movable. The slide 19 has a U-shape with two U-legs 20 which extend on both sides of the conveyor cross section 13 and between the cutting frame 10 and a respective bearing element 21 are displaceable. The brake element 15 is positioned so that a distance of about 3 to 5 mm remains between the brake element 15 and the cutting member 7 depending on the slice thickness to be cut. In this way it is ensured that the movement of the braking element 15 is not hindered by the Gutstrang 2 or by a friction between the Gutstrang 2 and the brake element 15. Only when a disc 3 jumps immediately after cutting them due to the brittleness of the severed bone, the disc comes directly to the brake member 15 and is prevented by this from further movement, so stopped.

The crank mechanism 16 comprises a coupling 22 which is connected to the brake element 15 and which is connected to a rotationally drivable crank 23.

In the FIG. 1 the brake element 15 is shown in its rest position 17, in which it is located outside of the conveyor section 13. In this position, the coupling 22, which is eccentrically attached to the crank 23, at its bottom dead center uT.

The cutting member 7 protrudes in the FIG. 1 Although already slightly into the conveyor section 13 in, but not yet comes with the Gutstrang 2 into engagement. Only a better one By way of illustration, the disc 3 to be separated in the course of the cutting process is already in the FIG. 1 located.

In the Figures 2 and 3 is the braking element 15 in its braking position 18 and projects into the conveyor cross section 13, wherein the coupling 22 has arrived at its top dead center oT. The U-legs 20 project beyond the bearing elements 21 in this position. The maximum amount that the brake element 15 can protrude into the conveyor cross section 13 corresponds to the stroke of the coupling 22, ie the distance a between the top dead center oT and the bottom dead center uT, which is advantageously between 10 mm and 20 mm.

In the FIG. 2 comes the cutting member 7 with the Gutstrang 2 in engagement and in the FIG. 3 the cutting member 7 has already passed a majority of the Gutstrangs2 and almost a disc 3 separated. Since the brake element 15 is arranged in front of the lower region of the disc 3, it can not noticeably jump, especially when cutting through the bone not shown in the figure.

The FIG. 4 shows the situation in which the brake element 15 begins to lower again, the disc 3 is now completely separated from the end of the Gutstrangs 2 and begins to tilt on the conveyor 9. The coupling 22 of the crank mechanism 16 is in this case between its top dead center oT and bottom dead center uT.

The brake element 15 is lowered further until it returns to its rest position 17 ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ) and the disc 3 is finally completely tilted onto the conveyor 9 ( FIG. 7 ). The cutting member 7 is in the FIGS. 5 to 7 not recognizable, since it is completely within the cutting frame 10.

While the transfer of the brake member 15 can be done slowly from its rest position 17 to its braking position 18, the transfer of the brake member 15 must be done quickly from its braking position 18 in its rest position 17 so as not to hinder the tilting of the disc 3. In order to favor the tilting of the disc 3 beyond, a lower, a support portion for the Gutstrang 2 forming surface of the cutting frame 10 may be formed tapered so that it points away from the Gutstrang 2 and to the conveyor 9 point.

In the FIGS. 8 to 13 the device 1 is again shown in the various stages of a cutting process, wherein the representation of the feed device 4 and the conveyor 9 has been omitted, so that the braking device 14 can be seen more clearly. As already explained above, the braking element 15 is constructed as a U-shaped slide 19 and has, in addition to the two U-legs 20 a base leg 24 which has approximately the shape of a triangle, wherein the apex of the triangle on the side facing away from the conveyor cross section 13 lies.

In the FIGS. 8 to 13 It can be seen that the base leg 24 of the brake element 15 is connected by means of a coupling rod 25 with the coupling 22.

In the FIGS. 9 to 12 each of the U-legs 20 protrude beyond the bearing elements 21 by different amounts.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

contraption

2

string of material

3

disc

4

feeder

5

cutter

6

bearing surface

7

cutting member

8th

feed direction

9

Conveyor

10

cutting frame

10 '

cutting frame

11

cutting box

12

Through opening

13

Conveyor section

14

braking means

15

braking element

16

crankshaft

17

rest position

18

braking position

19

pusher

20

U-leg

21

bearing element

22

paddock

23

crank

24

base leg

25

coupling rod

bDC

bottom dead center

oT

Top Dead Center

a

distance

Claims (10)

1. A method of cutting a piece of meat containing bone (2) into slices (3) with the following processing stages:

   - the piece of meat (2) is advanced by means of a feed device (4) in the feed direction (8) to a cutting device (5)

   - by means of a rotating cutting element (7) of the cutting device (5) successive slices (3) are cut from the end of the piece of meat (2),

   - the cut slices (3) are successively placed on a conveyor device (9) in a overlapping or stacked manner and moved away from the cutting device (5)

   characterised by the following processing stages:

   - before completely separating a slice (3) from the remainder of the piece of meat (2) a braking element (15) of a braking device (14) behind a cutting plane of the cutting element (7) seen in the direction of advance (8) is moved into a conveyor cross section (13),

   - after complete separation from the remainder of the piece of meat (2) a cut slice (3) is braked by the braking element (15) in its movement away from the cutting plane,

   - after braking the braking element (15) is moved out of the conveyor cross-section (13) and the braked slice (3) topples onto the conveyor device (9).
2. The method in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the braking element (15) is moved from a rest position (17), in which is it arranged completely outside the conveyor cross-section (13), into a braking position (18), in which it blocks a partial area of the conveyor cross-section (13) facing a supporting surface (6) of the piece of meat (2) and is then moved back into the rest position (17).
3. The method in accordance with claim 2 characterised in that the braking element (15) moves between the rest position (17) and the braking position (18) in a plane parallel to the cutting plane.
4. The method in accordance with claim 2 or 3 characterised in that the braking element (15) in the braking position (18) - seen in the direction of advancing (8) - is at a distance from a front side of a slice (3) which is in the process of production and still connected to the piece of meat (2) and facing the braking element (15).
5. The method in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that a rotary drive of the braking device (14) - considered over one cycle of the movement of the braking element (15) - is moved at different angular velocities, preferably so that the braking element (15) is moved at a higher velocity from the braking position (18) to the rest position (17) than in the opposite direction.
6. A device (1) for cutting a piece of meat containing bone (2) into slices (3) with

   - a cutting device (5) with a rotating cutting element (7) which defines a cutting plane,

   - a feed device (4) with which the piece of meat (2) can be advanced to the cutting device (5) so that successive slices (3) can be cut from the end of the piece of meat (2),

   - a conveyor device (9) onto which the cut slices (3) can be placed successively in an overlapping or stacked manner and with which the slices (3) can be moved away from the cutting device (5)

   characterised by

   - a braking device (14) with a braking element (15) which can be moved from a rest position (17) in which it is outside the conveyor cross-section (13), into a braking position (18) in which a slice (3) cut from the piece of meat (2) can be braked in its direction of movement away from the cutting plane, whereby the brake element (15) in the rest position (17) allows a separated and braked slice (3) to topple onto the conveyor device (9).
7. The device in accordance with claim 6 characterised in that the braking element (15) is a pusher (19) which can be moved in a linearly oscillating manner in a pusher plane running parallel to the cutting plane and is preferably U-shaped whereby two U arms (20) can be moved on both sides of the conveyor cross-section (13), which is defined by an opening (12) in a cutting frame (10) of the cutting device (5), between the cutting frame (10) and a bearing element (21).
8. The device in accordance with claim 6 or 7 characterised by a crank drive (16) of the braking device (14), whereby the braking element (15) is connected with a connecting handle (22) and this is connected to a turnable crank (23).
9. The device in accordance with any one of claims 6 to 8 characterised in that in the rest position (17) the braking element (15) is arranged below a plane defined by a supporting surface (6) of the feed device (4) or the conveyor device (9).
10. The device in accordance with any one of claims 6 to 9 characterised in that a lower surface of a cutting frame (10) arranged between the braking element (15) in the rest position (17) and the cutting plane is oblique, whereby the surface normal of the oblique surface faces away from the surface of the cutting plane.

Images