EP2420364B1 - Portion completion with multi-track cutting - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for simultaneous cutting of several food products in each of several product slices comprising portions.

The portioned slicing of food products, in particular using so-called high-performance slicer, is basically known. The formation of portions is particularly necessary if the slicer is followed by a packaging machine in which not individual product slices, but in each case a plurality of product slices combined in one or more portions are automatically packed. In this context, so-called transfer units are known, which are immediately downstream of the slicer and serve both to take the separated product slices and portions and remove the portions formed in order to supply them downstream devices such as a packaging machine, in particular via other conveyors. It is also an object of such transfer units to adapt the operating speed of the slicer to the so-called system speed of the downstream devices, since the portions formed must be removed from the portioning region at a speed which is substantially higher than the system speed, in particular in the case of very fast slicers.

Known transfer units are designed, for example, as combinations of conveyor belts. Portioning takes place on a portioning belt arranged immediately downstream of the slicer, on which the separated product slices are deposited to form the portions. Subordinate to the Portionierband is at least one so-called Control tape to which the portions are transferred from the portioning tape.

Such transfer units are also used for a so-called portion completions, which is required especially for high-priced products, in the slicing product losses should be kept as low as possible. Portion completion is required if the desired portions are to have a certain number of slices and / or a certain portion weight and the last portion present after slicing a product does not yet meet the respective requirements, i. one or more additional product slices is required if it is not to be disposed of as waste.

With this portion completion, the still required product slices are separated from the following product. Since usually at the beginning of the slicing process on the new product so-called trim cuts must be performed because the product, for example, does not yet have the required product cross-section, and the resulting in this "trimming", unusable product pieces on the Portionierband and thus on their As part of the portion completion, the transfer unit is operated in such a way that the partial portions are transported by the portioning belt in the conveying direction onto the control belt, where they await the execution of the trimming cuts. As soon as useful slices can be separated from the new product, the partial portion is again transported back from the control belt to the portioning belt, i. the transfer unit transports the partial portions in this phase contrary to the "normal" conveying direction.

Such a Portionskomplettierung is basically known, for example DE 199 14 707 A1 ,

Also known is the simultaneous slicing of several food products on a slicing device, in particular by means of a single cutting blade. For this example, on EP 0 713 753 B1 directed. The simultaneous slicing of food products is also referred to as multi-slicing.

In a slicing apparatus capable of slicing several products at a time, the products can be fed to the cutting blade at the same time. If the products have a different length and / or for certain reasons, the product supply in the individual tracks with different or different varying individual speeds, ie individually, then this leads to problems in Portionskomplettierung, since the slicing of products in the individual tracks is not finished at the same time and so in the individual tracks to be completed Teilportionen temporally succession arise. One possible reason why the slicing operations in the individual tracks are not terminated at the same time even with exactly the same product lengths is an individual control of the conveyor speeds in the individual tracks which is required if the products have different weight profiles (in the conveying direction). at over the entire product constant product density so different cross-sectional profiles), since then the thickness of the separated product slices and thus the product feed must be adjusted individually to achieve the desired portion weight for each portion. Such an approach is for example off DE 196 04 254 B4 as well as out EP 1 178 878 B1 known.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and reliable way for a Portionskomplettierung when multi-lane slicing of food products.

The solution of this object is achieved by the features of the independent method claim and by the features of the independent device claim.

In the method according to the invention, it is provided that the completion of partial portions takes place in separate tracks.

In the case of the device according to the invention, it is provided that the transfer unit has, for each assigned track, a separate conveyor line which comprises at least two successive conveyor units.

The separation according to the invention makes it possible to carry out measures for portion completion in one lane, without disturbing a respectively desired operation in the other lanes. In particular, depending on how the supply of the products takes place in the respective slicing device, the Portionskomplettierungen in the individual tracks, for example, according to an alternative not belonging to the invention can be carried out completely independently. According to the invention, a coordinated operation explained in more detail below takes place simultaneously, in which the completion of partial portions present in the individual tracks is started simultaneously, even if these partial portions have been generated one after the other. Such an approach may, in particular, take into account situations in which the supply of the subsequent products in all lanes is started simultaneously, i. - Figuratively speaking - all tracks are always loaded simultaneously with new products.

The invention ensures that both product losses and the need for manual corrections can be minimized. The former is particularly advantageous for high-priced products, while the latter substantially improves production hygiene.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are also indicated in the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

According to the invention, it is provided that each time a partial portion is formed in one track, it is continued with the slicing in the remaining other tracks. Full portions can therefore continue to be formed and be removed, even if the slicing of the product has already been completed in one or more tracks.

In an embodiment not belonging to the invention, in each case the completion of the partial portions in one lane is independent of the completions of the partial portions in the other lanes, wherein in each lane a resulting partial portion is completed independently of the formation of partial portions in the other lanes. It can therefore start with the slicing of a subsequent product and thus with the completion of the present in the track partial portion, while in the other tracks, the slicing of the products is still ongoing. However, such a temporal divergence of completion start is not mandatory. According to the invention, the portion completions in the individual lanes are coordinated in the case of successive partial portions so that each time a partial portion is formed in one lane it continues to be cut in the remaining remaining lanes and the partial portions are only completed after the last partial portion has formed is started. Such an approach is for example beneficial if the tracks are loaded with new products at the same time. This can be dependent on the respective application and / or on the design or mode of operation of the respective product feed.

Furthermore, provision is made in particular for the completion of a partial portion for each track after intermediate positioning of the partial portion in a waiting area and return of the partial portion to a portioning area.

As regards the product feed, it may be provided in one embodiment that the products in the tracks are fed to the cutting blade completely independently of each other.

It is also possible that the products in the tracks are fed to the cutting blade in such a way that a plurality of parallel juxtaposed Conveyors driven together and the individual speeds of the conveyors are changed individually.

As already mentioned, such track-specific product feeds may be necessary or desired if an at least substantially constant portion weight is desired and the products differ from each other in terms of their weight or cross-sectional profile.

Furthermore, it is preferred if the completion of the partial portions and the delivery of the products are timed to each other, whereby this can be done only track-related or taking into account all tracks.

In the slicing device according to the invention, the transfer unit can be designed and operated such that the completion of a partial portion formed on the first conveyor unit can be carried out by intermediate positioning of the partial portion on the second conveyor unit and return of the partial portion to the first conveyor unit.

The conveyor units may each comprise a belt conveyor, in particular an endless belt conveyor, which is operable in both the one conveying direction and in the opposite direction.

According to the invention, the conveyor sections can be operated in such a way that the transfer of complete portions to the remaining other conveyor lines can be continued in each case when a partial portion is formed on a conveyor line.

According to an alternative not belonging to the invention, the conveyor sections can be operated independently of each other, wherein in particular on each conveyor section a resulting partial portion regardless of the Formation of partial portions on the other conveyor lines is complete.

According to the invention, the conveyor sections can be operated coordinated in such a manner that, when a partial portion is formed successively on a conveyor line, partial portions are transferred to the remaining other conveyor lines and the completion of partial portions can be suspended until the last partial portion is formed.

Fig. 1

schematisch eine Draufsicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Aufschneidevorrichtung,

Fig. 2

schematisch eine perspektivische Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Übergabeeinheit, und

Fig. 3

schematisch den Ablauf einer mit der Erfindung möglichen Portionskomplettierung.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

1 is a schematic plan view of a slicing device according to the invention;

Fig. 2

schematically a perspective view of a transfer unit according to the invention, and

Fig. 3

schematically the course of a possible with the invention Portionskomplettierung.

According to Fig. 1 comprises the slicing device according to the invention, which is a high-speed slicer, a product feeder 21 with a product support 31 for the products not shown here and with a common drive 33 for two individual conveyors 19, which are mounted on a common carrier 37 , which is movable by means of the common drive 33 along a parallel to the conveying direction F guide 35 in the conveying direction F and counter to the conveying direction F, as indicated by the double arrow.

The products can each be gripped at their rear end by the respective conveying device 19 designed here as a product gripper. When the common carrier 37 is moved by means of the common drive 33 in the direction of a cutting plane 15, thereby all product gripper 19 and thus all products are forcibly taken. For cutting the next products, the product grippers 19 are moved back to the starting position. Thus, during slicing, the common drive 33 provides a common feed rate for the products, but can be individually corrected for each product by moving the product grippers 19 independently of one another relative to the carrier 37 during slicing, as indicated by the double arrows on the Product grippers 19 is indicated.

For each product, a fine-tuning or correction of the joint feed rate determined by the common drive 33 can thereby be effected in order to compensate, for example, individual fluctuations in the product cross-section or product density over the product length such that the product slices separated from the products or those formed therefrom Portions each having a desired weight.

Alternatively, the product feeder 21 may be configured such that there is a separate feeder for each product, whereby the product feeder can be operated completely independently of each other.

In the illustrated embodiment, two products are simultaneously sliced, i. the slicing device is here formed in two lanes. The number of multiple tracks is basically arbitrary.

In the cutting plane 15 moves at least one cutting knife, not shown, which is for example a rotating about a knife axis sickle blade or a circular blade which rotates about a knife axis and additionally rotates planetary about a central axis.

Subordinate to the cutting plane 15 in the conveying direction F is a transfer unit 23, which for each track comprises a first conveyor unit 25 designed as a portioning belt and a second conveyor unit 27 designed as a control belt. In addition, a two control bands 27 downstream, two tracks jointly assigned further control band 28 is provided.

As indicated by the double arrows, the portioning belts 25 and the control belts 27 are drivable both in the conveying direction F and in the opposite direction, i. Slices, portions or partial portions lying on these bands can be transported in the conveying direction F as well as counter to the conveying direction F as a function of control signals or commands of a control device not shown here.

According to the invention, the transfer unit 23 is thus designed so separated with respect to the two tracks that the two Portionierbänder 25 and the two control bands 27 can each be operated independently.

As the representation of Fig. 2 can be removed, the transfer unit 23 may have other functions, which are each indicated by the double arrows. The portion belts 25 can be raised and lowered, either independently of the control belts 27 or together with the control belts 27. Such lowering and raising the Portionierbänder 25 can serve in particular for adjusting the fall path or the drop height of the separated product slices during a portion formation. Furthermore, the Portionierbänder 25 may be pivotable, in particular those of the cutting plane 15 (see. Fig. 1 ) facing free ends of the Portionierbänder 25 in each case to bring into a position in the unusable product pieces that are incurred in particular when performing trimming cuts at the beginning of a slicing process, can be disposed of.

Both the lowering and lifting as well as the pivoting of each Portierierbandes 25 can be carried out independently of the other Portierierband 25, i. Also in this regard, a separation of the two tracks can be given.

By way of illustration is in Fig. 2 on each Portionierband 25 a portion 13 shown, which consists of a so-called shingled arrangement of several separated product slices. During normal slicing operation, these portions 13, once complete, are quickly transferred from the respective portioning belt 27 to the control belt 27. From the control band 27, the portion 13 is then transferred to the common control band 28. Further transport from the common control belt 28 to downstream devices, such as another conveyor belt 29 (see. Fig. 1 ), for example, then take place as soon as two complete portions 13 are present next to each other on the common control band 28.

For the portion completion already explained in the introductory part, an incomplete portion can be temporarily "parked" by transferring the incomplete portion from the portioning belt 25 to the first control belt 27. The thereby free Portionierband 25 is then available for receiving unusable product pieces resulting from the trim cuts on the subsequent product. These can be disposed of, for example, by folding down and operating the Portionierbands 25 against the conveying direction F. The now again free Portionierband 25 can then again record the parked on the first control belt 27 incomplete portion by this is returned by operating the two bands 25, 27 against the conveying direction F on the Portionierband 25.

As already mentioned, according to an alternative not belonging to the invention, such portion completions in the individual tracks can take place completely independently of one another. According to the invention On the other hand, an approach was chosen, as described below on the basis of Fig. 3 is explained in more detail.

In the Fig. 3a to 3f each stroke symbolizes a severed product slice, with a full portion being indicated by five such strokes.

Fig. 3a shows the "normal" slicing operation. Portionsierbändern 25 resulting portions 13 are, as soon as they are complete, passed to the respective downstream control band 27 and then transported away via the further control band 28.

In Fig. 3a a situation is shown in which on the Portionierbändern 25 straight portions are formed, which are currently not yet complete, but only three discs each.

Since one product 11 has a shorter residual length than the other product 11, the slicing operation in one track is finished, while in the other track the slicing of the product 11 is still continuing. This is in Fig. 3b shown.

On the portioning belt 25 of the track with the product of shorter residual length, consequently, an incomplete partial portion 17 has been created which comprises only three product slices. The partial portion 17 is not initially transported to the downstream control belt 27 in this example, but remains on the Portionierband 25, which consequently remains temporarily stopped. The complete portion previously located on the first control belt 27 has already been transported to the further control belt 28.

Fig. 3c shows the situation in which now the product in the other track is completely cut open. The last portion of this product may also be incomplete, ie a partial portion 17 has also formed in this track, which in this example comprises only a single product slice.

In the exemplary embodiment explained here, it is provided that the completion of these two partial portions 17 starts at the same time. For this purpose, according to Fig. 3d the two subportions 17 are transferred from the respective portioning belt 25 to the respective control belt 27, where they are intermediately positioned. Subsequently, both tracks are each loaded with a new product 11 ( Fig. 3e ), and in each case the so-called trim cuts are carried out at the front ends of the product, the resulting unusable product pieces 39 being received on the portion belts 25. These product pieces 39 can be disposed of in the manner mentioned above by means of the portioning belts 25, for example.

Thereupon the return of the temporarily parked partial portions 17 takes place according to Fig. 3f the control belts 27 and the portioning belts 25 are moved counter to the conveying direction F, and the partial portions 17 return to their initial position on the portioning belts 25, which have become free in the meantime. From the prepared by the mentioned trimming cuts new products 11 separated product slices can thus complete the partial portions of the previous products. While one partial portion still requires two product slices for its completion, the other partial portion 17 is to be completed by four further product slices.

Thus, it is not necessary according to the invention to complete partial portions by hand. In addition, product losses are minimized because partial portions do not need to be disposed of.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

11

product

13

portion

15

cutting plane

17

subportion

19

Conveyor

21

product feed

23

Transfer unit

25

first conveyor unit, portioning belt

27

second conveyor unit, tax band

28

Feed unit, further tax band

29

Downstream facility

31

product support

33

common drive

35

guide

37

carrier

39

product pieces

F

conveying direction

Claims (8)

1. A method for the simultaneous slicing of a plurality of food products (11) into portions (13) respectively comprising a plurality of product slices,
   in which

   - the products (11) are sliced using a common slicing apparatus, in particular a high-performance slicer, which has at least one cutting blade which rotates in a cutting plane (15) about a blade axis and/or revolves in planetary motion about a center axis and to which the products (11) are supplied on multiple tracks; and

   - incomplete part portions (17) respectively present after slicing a product (11) are completed by slices of a subsequent product (11),

   wherein the completion of part portions (17) takes place in separate tracks which each comprise at least two conveyor units (25, 27) following one another, with first conveyor units (25) of the tracks and second conveyor units (27) of the tracks each being operable independently of one another;
   wherein, with part portions (17) created consecutively in time, the portion completions are coordinated in the individual tracks such that in each case, on the creation of a part portion (17) in one track, work is continued with the slicing in the remaining other tracks and the completion of the part portions (17) is only started after creation of the last part portion (17); and
   wherein the completion of the part portions (17) present in the individual tracks is started simultaneously.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1,
   characterized in that
   the completion of a part portion (17) takes place for each track after an intermediate positioning in a waiting zone and a return into a portioning region.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that
   the products (11) are supplied to the cutting blade completely independently of one another in the tracks.
4. A method in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that
   the products (11) are supplied in the tracks to the cutting blade such that a plurality of conveying devices (19) which are arranged in parallel next to one another are driven together and the individual speeds of the conveying devices (19) are individually varied.
5. A method in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
   the completion of the part portions (17) and the supply of the products (11) are coordinated with one another in time.
6. An apparatus, in particular a high-performance slicer, for a simultaneous slicing of a plurality of food products (11) into portions (13) respectively comprising a plurality of product slices, having

   - a product supply (21) which comprises a plurality of conveying devices (19) arranged in parallel next to one another with which the products (11) can be supplied in multiple tracks to a cutting plane (15) in which at least one cutting blade moves, in particular in a rotating and/or revolving manner; and

   - a transfer unit (23) which is arranged downstream of the cutting blade, which is associated with at least some of the tracks and with which complete portions (13) can be transferred to devices (25) connected downstream of the transfer unit (23) and respective existing incomplete part portions (17) can be completed after slicing a product (11) by slices of a subsequent product (11),

   wherein the transfer unit (23) has a separate conveying path for each associated track and comprises at least two conveyor units (25, 27) which follow one another;
   wherein first conveyor units (25) of the tracks and second conveyor units (27) of the tracks are each operable independently of one another; and
   wherein the conveying paths (25, 27) are operable in a coordinated manner such that, with part portions (17) created consecutively in time, on a creation of a part portion (17) on a conveying path (25, 27), the transfer of complete portions (13) on the remaining other conveying paths (25, 27) can in each case be continued and the completion of part portions (17) can be suspended until after the creation of the last part portion (17), and wherein the completion of the part portions (17) present in the individual tracks can be started simultaneously.
7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6,
   characterized in that
   the completion of a part portion (17) created on the first conveyor unit (25) can be carried out on each conveying path by a buffer positioning of the part portion (17) on the second conveyor unit (27) and by a return of the part portion (17) onto the first conveyor unit (25).
8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7,
   characterized in that
   the conveyor units (25, 27) each comprise a belt conveyor, in particular a continuous belt conveyor, which is operable both in the one conveying direction (F) and in the opposite direction.

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