EP2450166B1 - Method for cutting a length of food into slices - Google Patents

Description

introduction

1. a) Der Lebensmittelstrang wird mit einer Vorschubgeschwindigkeit auf eine ein rotierendes Messer aufweisende Schneideinrichtung zu vorgeschoben.
2. b) Während des Vorschubs werden mittels der Schneideinrichtung von dem Lebensmittelstrang an einem in Vorschubrichtung vorderen Ende sukzessive Scheiben abgeschnitten.
3. c) Abgeschnittene Scheiben werden zur Bildung einer Portion nach dem Abtrennen von dem Lebensmittelstrang auf eine quer zu der Vorschubrichtung sowie in Vorschubrichtung beweglichen Zwischenablage abgelegt, wobei eine gestapelte oder geschindelte Scheibenanordnung mit insgesamt n Scheiben erzeugt wird und n eine natürliche Zahl größer oder gleich 3 ist.
4. d) Die Zwischenablage wird mit der Vorschubgeschwindigkeit von der Schneideinrichtung weg bewegt.
5. e) Eine unvollendete Portion bestehend aus m Scheiben, wobei m eine natürliche Zahl und m < n ist, wird insgesamt von der Zwischenablage auf eine Fördereinrichtung übergeben, mit der die Scheiben ausgetragen werden, wobei die übergebene Portion, nachdem sie von der Fördereinrichtung übernommen wurde, durch Abschneiden und Hinzufügen mindestens einer weiteren Scheibe vollendet und anschließend ausgetragen wird.

The invention relates to a method for cutting a food strand into slices with the following method steps:

1. a) The food strand is advanced at a feed rate to a cutter having a rotating cutter.
2. b) During the feed, successive slices are cut off from the food strand at a front end in the feed direction by means of the cutting device.
3. c) Cut slices are deposited to form a portion after separation from the food strand in a transversely movable to the feed direction and in the feed direction clipboard, wherein a stacked or shingled disc arrangement is generated with a total of n discs and n is a natural number greater than or equal to 3 ,
4. d) The clipboard is moved away from the cutter at the feed rate.
5. e) An unfinished portion consisting of m slices, where m is a natural number and m <n, is transferred in total from the clipboard to a conveyor with which the slices are discharged, the transferred portion being taken over by the conveyor , is completed by cutting and adding at least one other disc and then discharged.

State of the art

The DE 197 13 813 C1 discloses a method of the aforementioned type, in which a transfer of a partial portion of the clipboard, which is formed in the form of a fork, already takes place on a conveyor, which is designed in the form of a conveyor belt. The conveyor is relative to the cutter, in particular to the latter Knife, movable in vertical direction. The transfer of a partial portion of the clipboard to the conveyor takes place in such a way that the clipboard moves away continuously with the feed rate of the cutter and dips with their teeth in the spaces between adjacent straps of the conveyor. In this case, the storage conditions, ie the distance measured in vertical direction between the cutting plane and the top of the last cut off and already deposited disc, always kept constant. After the transfer of the partial portion to the conveyor, it is necessary to keep the storage conditions constant, that the conveyor with the feed speed during the cutting of missing to complete a portion missing slices with the feed speed of the cutter. The conveyor stops this lowering process only when the last slice of a portion is cut off and stored, whereupon the running in the horizontal direction removal of the completed portion is initiated and the interim transferred to their waiting clipboard can be injected into the cross section of the food strand to to begin with the slices of the next partial portion.

A disadvantage of the known method is the requirement that both the clipboard and the conveyor must be synchronized in its vertical movement with the feed movement of the food strand in the vertical direction. This makes high demands on the type of drives and the controller. In particular, the transfer time at which the partial portion changes in its circulation from the clipboard to the conveyor is to be determined precisely.

A method of the aforementioned type is further for example from US-A-3842698 known. The device as used in the FIGS. 10 to 14 discloses the aforementioned document has two clipboards, which can be transferred from opposite directions of a respective waiting position next to the food strand cross section in their receiving position below the food strand. The clipboards, which are displaceably mounted in the feed direction in addition to a direction perpendicular to the feed direction, are used in the known method to take in each case a complete portion of the cut slices in vertically stacked form, in order to then feed them with the interposition of a transfer element on a conveyor, comprising a plurality of circumferential straps to pass. The transfer element enters from the side facing away from the food strand underside of the conveyor into spaces between adjacent straps and also penetrates spaces in the fork-shaped clipboard to get in this way to the underside of the formed portion approach and take over supporting.

The two clipboards are used to continuously feed the food strand, ie without interruptions in the removal of finished portions. While a portion is still on the one clipboard or is just taken over by the transfer element, the other clipboard is already in a waiting position or a shifted below the cross section of the food strand receiving position, so that the cutting process can be continued without interruption.

This not only brings advantages in terms of cutting performance, which is due to the continuity of the cutting process is correspondingly high, but also avoids a fundamentally critical interruption of the feed. Fluctuations in the feed rate, in particular a short-term stopping of the food strand lead namely in softer and deformable food (eg meat sausage, meatloaf, beer ham, cheese, or the like) due to the vibration behavior in the feed to problems. Due to caliber nozzles just above the blade, the feed of the food strand is very frictional. In addition, the so-called "slip-stick effect", ie when a feed force is exceeded, it comes to a sudden "break", ie jerky feeding, the food strand. Due to the high dynamics of all movements, longitudinal oscillations at the knife-side end of the Gutsstrangs thus lead to despite a deliberate stop the food strand projecting a small amount below the knife level, resulting in the cutting of small food pieces ("Schnippeleffekt"). In particular, in self-service packaging in packaging material from plastic wrap such disc fragments are not accepted as a significant optical defect. Ensuring a continuous, uninterrupted feed is therefore an essential prerequisite for achieving high cutting performance and, above all, first-class cutting quality with regard to the always identical geometry of the cut-off wheels.

Thus, while the latter problem in the method according to the US-A-842698 is solved, the design effort in the cited prior art is high and the control algorithms for controlling the movement of the many device components complicated.

task

The invention has for its object to provide a method for cutting a food in slices, in which can be realized with the least possible design effort, a high cutting performance and a high degree of geometrical accuracy of the cut slices.

solution

In procedural terms, the above object, starting from a method of the type described above, achieved in that after the transfer of the unfinished portion on the conveyor a distance between an upper side of each last cut and disc stored and a bottom of the knife with each other produced slice is gradually reduced. The invention is based on the recognition that the storage conditions for producing portions with high geometrical inaccuracy are not only optimal or acceptable at a very specific distance, but that the function of the storage quality over the distance between the bottom of the knife and the top of the last disc is very flat in the range of the optimal distance. This means that the distance between the underside of the knife and the upper side of the already formed partial portion can easily be varied within certain limits, without this noticeably impairing the filing quality. The invention makes use of this finding that in the final phase of the production of a portion, ie after the transfer of a partial portion of the clipboard on the conveyor, the distance between the top of the partial portion and the bottom of the knife no longer by active vertical movement Conveyor is kept constant, but that after transfer of the partial portion on the conveyor an increase in the height of the partial portion is allowed to reach the final stack height. According to the inventive method, a vertical tracking of the sub-stack is thus only during the phase in which the sub-stack is still on the clipboard. Only the clipboard needs therefore be able to change its position in the vertical direction depending on the feed rate. On the other hand, such a vertical position change does not take place after transfer to the conveyor, so that with further increase in the portion height of the distance between the top of the portion and the bottom of the knife with each other generated slice is successively reduced. As already stated above, such a reduction of the distance does not lead to a noticeable deterioration of the filing quality, if the level was previously slightly larger than the "optimal" distance and with generation of the last disc only slightly smaller than the "optimal" distance. Another prerequisite for achieving a sufficient cutting quality with the method according to the invention is the fact that the number of slices which are still cut off after transfer of the partial portion to the conveyor does not exceed a certain number. However, this is not required by the method according to the invention, because only so many slices after the transfer of the partial portion on the conveyor still have to be cut off, as needed for returning the clipboard to the waiting position. While thus during the partial portion formation on the clipboard synchronous movement of food strand and clipboard can be done while maintaining constant storage conditions, reduces the distance after the transfer of the partial portion to the stationary in the vertical direction conveyor successively with each additional disk.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention is the clipboard after depositing m discs on the clipboard at a speed which is greater than the feed rate of the food strand, moved away from the cutter, whereby the unfinished portion is transferred to the conveyor, wherein a The distance between the knife of the cutter and the top of the m-th disk in the transfer of the unfinished portion of the clipboard to the conveyor is greater than during the cutting of the first m discs.

In this way, the storage conditions during the cutting of the first m slices can be kept constant, whereas the transfer of the unfinished portion on the conveyor to as dynamic as possible "dipping" the clipboard takes place in the conveyor. From the time of transfer, the distance is between the top of the mth disc and the bottom of the knife then increases and reduces successively with each further cut disc to the nth disc. It is important that the distance at the time of transfer of unfinished portion is sufficiently large to accommodate all slices still to be cut of the portion just produced without a collision between the knife and the top of the nth disc occurs.

A development of the method according to the invention is that the clipboard is moved so that the respective distance between the top of each of the first to the m-th disc is greater than the respective distance in the (m + 1) th to the nth disc. In this case, the distance between the top of the portion and the bottom of the knife is only at the time of cutting the nth, i. the last, disc minimal, whereas it is larger during the cutting of all previous discs. In this case, the clipboard may be cut during the cutting of the first m discs, i. by the time the unfinished portion is transferred to the conveyor, it is moved downwards at the feed rate of the material strand, whereby there are constant storage conditions during this phase of the cutting operation. A successive reduction of the distance between the portion upper side and the underside of the knife occurs only after the time of transfer of the portion on the conveyor. The advantage of this procedure is that dynamic movement processes of the loaded clipboard are not necessary.

In addition, it is also possible to increase the distance between the top of the partial portion and the bottom of the blade during the cutting of the first m discs. This enlargement can take place immediately with the generation of the first slice, but also only after a certain number of slices have already been cut off and deposited. The increase in distance is achieved by moving the clipboard away from the knife at a speed greater than the feed rate of the Gutsstrangs. In this way it is possible to deposit the first disc or the first discs with a particularly small distance between the top of the last disc deposited and the underside of the blade. By then taking place continuous increase in distance at the time of transfer of the partial portion of the necessary increased distance is created to sufficient reserve for the storage of the last n - m discs on the vertical direction to create a stationary conveyor. On highly dynamic movement sequences of the clipboard can be dispensed with this procedure again.

In the method according to the invention thus the storage conditions are deliberately changed after the transfer of an unfinished portion of the conveyor and in the sense that the distance between the cutting plane and the surface of the last cut slice with each further slice is successively reduced. This has the advantage that a synchronization of a vertical movement of the conveyor with the feed of the food strand is not required. The requirements for the control and the precision of the movement of the conveyor are thus lower in the method according to the invention, which has a favorable effect on the cost.

According to a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the conveying device is stationary at least in the vertical direction at the moment in which the unfinished portion is transferred from the clipboard to it. In this way, the control effort and the device-technical effort in terms of the nature of the drive of the conveyor can be reduced in the vertical direction. When conveyor is stationary in the vertical direction, it is important that at the time of transfer of the unfinished portion to the conveyor there is such a distance in the vertical direction to the cutting plane that - with the conveyor stationary in the vertical direction during the entire cutting operation - a sufficient vertical space is available Storage of all to the completion of the portion still cut off slices (number nm) was created.

In this case, therefore, the distance between the top of the m-th disc and the blade of the cutter maximum and in the course of cutting the other discs, this distance decreases (with vertically stationary conveyor) again, preferably the storage conditions at the cutting of the last ie The Nth slice, as is a portion again, as they were during the first m slices of portion too.

The method according to the invention thus leads to a change in the storage conditions during a transitional period in order to thereby obtain sufficient time for the recycling of the intermediate deposit. This is due to the accelerated lowering and the - measured at the vertical distance - "premature" transfer of the unfinished portion the conveyor at a time, which can be used for the return of the clipboard in the waiting position to at the beginning of the generation of the next portion, the clipboard in time again einschießen in the food cross section or its projection in the cutting plane can.

A further development of the method according to the invention is that the distance between the knife of the cutting device and a surface of the conveyor before starting the cutting process in dependence on the number n of slices of the portion to be produced and a thickness d of a single disc is adjusted. In particular, the aforesaid vertical distance is determined from the product of the number n of slices and their thickness d plus a distance A ₀ , which ensures safe clearance of the knife and is typically located in the range of a few millimeters.

In experiments, it has been found that it is particularly favorable if the number n of slices of a completed portion by 2 to 4, preferably by 3, is greater than the number m of slices of unfinished portion, if this from the clipboard to the Conveyor is handed over. This allows a sufficient amount of time to return the clipboard after transferring the unfinished portion to the conveyor in their waiting position or then shoot again in the food cross-section. In addition, it has been found that by increasing the storage distance to such an extent as is required for the subsequent generation and storage of two to four or preferably three vertically stacked discs, the filing quality is not appreciably deteriorated. In principle, with further "premature" transfer of the unfinished portion of the conveyor, the available time for the return of the clipboard can be increased, but with increasing temporal preference of the transfer - at least in the vertical direction stationary conveyor - the storage conditions by stronger vertical lowering the unfinished portion will increasingly deteriorate. The aforementioned number n-m = 3 of slices, which still have to be generated after the transfer to complete the respective portion, has proved to be an ideal compromise.

The method according to the invention also dispenses with that from the prior art in the form of US-A-3846698 known transfer element and therefore reduces the effort in the production not insignificant. It thus finds an immediate transfer the partial portion of the conveyor without the interposition of other components instead. But not only the design effort is minimized, but the invention also simplifies the control in the device implementation of the new method, since the complicated coordination between the clipboard and transfer element on the one hand and transfer element and conveyor on the other hand is reduced to a vote between clipboard and conveyor element.

The production of a finished portion is carried out according to the method of the invention in two phases, namely a phase in which (initially) the clipboard serves as a support member for the emerging portion serving. After a certain time, that is to say the generation of a certain number of slices of the portion which is currently being formed, it is transferred to the conveyor during the cutting process, that is to say, in particular also with the feed continued and the rotation of the knife unchanged, which is therefore uncritical because the deposit, that is to say the addition of further slices, takes place on the upper side of the portion, whereas the change in support from the clipboard to the conveyor takes place on the underside and therefore can be made such that it does not interfere with the top of the resulting portion causes.

A particularly simple transfer of cut slices from the clipboard to the conveyor is then enabled when support elements of the clipboard enter into spaces between adjacent straps of the conveyor during transfer, with a disc supporting surface of the support elements after transfer below a disc carrying surface of the Riemchen the conveyor is arranged. By the aforementioned immersion takes place a change of the support of the discs from the clipboard to the conveyor.

• ausgehend von einer Wartestellung, in der sie sich außerhalb einer Projektion des Querschnitts des Lebensmittelstrangs in eine zu einer Längsachse des Lebensmittelstrangs senkrechten und die Oberfläche der Tragelemente enthaltenen Ebene befindet,
• im Wesentlichen parallel zu der vorgenannten Ebene in eine erste Aufnahmestellung bewegt wird, in der eine erste Scheibe einer neuen Portion aufgenommen wird,
• anschließend sukzessiv in nachfolgende Aufnahmestellungen bewegt wird, in denen sie zu Erzeugung des jeweils gewünschten Ablagebildes der Scheiben und zur Aufnahme der jeweils folgenden Scheibe gegenüber der vorangegangenen Aufnahmestellung in Vorschubrichtung des Lebensmittelstrangs und/oder senkrecht zu der Vorschubrichtung des Lebensmittelstrangs verschoben ist,
• nach Aufnahme einer vorbestimmten Zahl von Scheiben eine Entleerungsstellung einnimmt, in der die Zwischenablage und die Fördereinrichtung sich, in Vorschubrichtung betrachtet, relativ zueinander soweit bewegt haben, dass die Scheiben den Kontakt zu der Oberfläche der Tragelemente verloren haben und stattdessen in Kontakt mit der Oberfläche der Riemchen der Fördereinrichtung getreten sind,
• und schließlich wieder in die Wartestellung überführt wird, ohne dabei mit den Tragelementen die Ebene der Oberfläche der Riemchen der Fördereinrichtung im Bereich der Riemchen zu berühren.

The invention further ausgestaltend it is proposed that the clipboard executes a composed of translational motion portions movement along a self-contained trajectory, wherein they

• starting from a waiting position in which it is located outside a projection of the cross section of the food strand into a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the food strand and containing the surface of the supporting elements,
• is moved substantially parallel to the aforementioned level in a first receiving position in which a first slice of a new portion is taken,
• Subsequently, it is successively moved into subsequent receiving positions, in which it is displaced to produce the respectively desired deposit image of the panes and to receive the respective following pane opposite the preceding picking position in the feed direction of the food strand and / or perpendicular to the feed direction of the food strand.
• after receiving a predetermined number of slices occupies a discharge position in which the clipboard and the conveyor, viewed in the feed direction, relative to each other have moved so far that the discs have lost contact with the surface of the support elements and instead in contact with the surface of the Straps of the conveyor are stepped,
• and finally transferred back to the waiting position, without touching with the support elements, the level of the surface of the belt of the conveyor in the region of the straps.

The transfer of cut slices from the clipboard onto the conveyor belt can advantageously be achieved by means of a relative movement between the clipboard and the conveyor running in the feed direction. In this case, the clipboard is lowered correspondingly far in preferably stationary conveyor.

During the cutting operation, in the production of simple vertical (ungeschindelter) disk stack, the clipboard is lowered with each new disc successively or with a corresponding average speed continuously per section by the thickness of the disc to maintain a constant distance between the cutting plane of the blade during the entire cutting process and to ensure the shelf for the newly created pane (in the form of the surface of the clipboard or the surface of the last slice already cut).

In order to enable a rapid "shooting in" of the clipboard at the moment of activating the clipboard for receiving the first slice of a new portion, it makes sense that it is in its waiting position with the surface of its support elements in the same plane as that of the food strand facing surface of the last completely cut disc on the conveyor.

In order to have sufficient time to "shoot in" the clipboard into the strand cross-section, the clipboard can not leave the wait position until the knife has already begun to cut a next slice and is already within the cross-section of the food strand. For particularly critical temporal conditions, d. H. at a high cutting frequency and a correspondingly high cutting performance, the clipboard can move in a projection of the cross section of the food strand in a direction perpendicular to the feed direction even at an already by gravity depending drooping or even resting on the previously cut disc part of the currently in the Arise emerging disc with the surface of their support elements raise again. In this way, an already imposing storage of the new disc on the discs of the previous portion by the transfer of the clipboard in the receiving position is reversed again to assign the currently emerging disc of the new portion, ie the clipboard.

According to a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the clipboard penetrates from one side of the food strand and the knife of the cutting device from the opposite side of the food strand into its cross section. As a result, collisions between the einzuzuschenden clipboard and a completed portion on the conveyor during their removal are avoided. Also, the shooting can be delayed in time so far that hanging parts of a newly emerging disc are still raised and picked up by the einschießenden clipboard, with even in such a extreme temporal design still exact storage conditions can be guaranteed.

In device engineering terms, the clipboard preferably has support members arranged to be positionable in clearances between adjacent slips of the conveyor, with a plane defined by the surface of the support members parallel to a plane defined by the surface of the slips of the conveyor. Due to the parallelism of the aforementioned levels, the transfer of the disks from the clipboard to the aprons is made particularly gentle, whereby a very high quality of the filing geometry is achieved. Preferably, the clipboard is fork-shaped and the support members are tine-shaped and arranged on a support beam, preferably welded thereto.

In order to allow a high dynamic in the movement of the clipboard, the mass of the strong to be accelerated clipboard should be kept as low as possible. For this reason, the measured in the feed direction height of the support elements should be smaller than twice, preferably less than 1.5 times, the thickness of the slices to be cut, in particular less than 10 mm, preferably 8 mm, more preferably between 4 mm and 6 mm lie. The mass of the clipboard should be less than 0.5 kg, preferably less than 0.3 kg. As a material for the clipboard, in particular the support elements comes next to stainless steel or light metal alloys and fiber-reinforced plastic, in particular using carbon fibers, in question.

In constructive terms, it is advantageous if the clipboard is mounted displaceably in a catch frame perpendicular to the feed direction and the catch frame is slidably mounted on a machine frame in the feed direction, wherein the catch frame has two laterally arranged next to the conveyor linear guides for the clipboard. Under catch frame in the sense of the present application is not necessarily a self-contained execution of struts to understand. Rather, in particular, a three-sided, ie U-shaped arrangement of struts meant, which makes sense to realize storage facilities for the clipboard on both sides next to the conveyor can. In the linear guides in particular, a drive with the help of a timing belt in question, which is characterized by a slip-free running even at maximum dynamics of movement. Typically, the conveyor is followed by a likewise formed in the form of a belt having a plurality of mutually parallel straps discharge device. In order to ensure a steady transition between conveyor and discharge device during a displacement of the conveyor, in particular also the Austrageeinrichtung side, the conveyor may be stored together with the discharge on a discharge frame, which in turn adjustable on a machine frame, in particular slidably and / or is pivotally mounted.

In order to realize on the clipboard also a shingled storage of the discs before their transfer to the conveyor, the support elements of the clipboard should have a measured perpendicular to the feed length, the at least twice, preferably at least three times, measured perpendicular to the feed width of the cut Slices corresponds.

In order to avoid temporal problems in the often time-critical phase of "putting in" of the clipboard, the clipboard should - starting from its waiting position - in the same direction in a projection of the cross section of the food strand in a plane formed by the support elements of the clipboard, be introduced, as the cut slices are discharged from the conveyor.

The same purpose of a relaxation of the cutting operation is the measure, according to which the clipboard enters from one side into a projection of the cross section of the food strand in a plane formed by the surface of the support elements of the clipboard, which is opposite to a side on the Due to gravity, an emerging disc will detach from the food strand due to gravity.

embodiment

The inventive method will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment of an apparatus shown in the drawing, as well as with reference to two diagrams.

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Teils einer Vorrichtung zum Schneiden eines strangförmigen Lebensmittels mit einer vollendeten Portion aus geschindelten Scheiben auf einer Fördereinrichtung und mit einer Zwischenablage in einer Wartestellung,

Figur 2

wie Figur 1 mit der vollendeten Portion bei der Übergabe von der Fördereinrichtung auf eine Austrageeinrichtung und mit der Zwischenablage, mit einer abgeschnittenen Scheibe in einer Auffangstellung,

Figur 3

wie Figur 2, jedoch mit der vollendeten Portion auf der Austrageeinrichtung und mit zwei Scheiben auf der Zwischenablage,

Figur 4

wie Figur 3, jedoch mit drei Scheiben auf der Zwischenablage,

Figur 5

wie Figur 4, jedoch nach Übergabe einer neuen vollendeten Portion auf die Fördereinrichtung und mit der Zwischenablage in einer Zwischenstellung zwischen der Entleerungsstellung und der Wartestellung,

Figur 6

eine Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung gemäß den Figuren 1 bis 5, einschließlich der oberhalb der Fördereinrichtung befindlichen Vorschubeinrichtung nebst eines darin angeordneten Lebensmittelstrangs, sowie der Schneideinrichtung, wobei sich eine vollendete Portion aus gestapelten Scheiben auf der Fördereinrichtung befindet und die Zwischenablage in der Wartestellung,

Figur 7

wie Figur 6, jedoch mit der vollendeten Portion in einer auf der Fördereinrichtung seitlich verschobenen Position und der Zwischenablage in einer ersten Auffangstellung,

Figur 8

wie Figur 7, jedoch mit der vollendeten Position bei der Übergabe von der Fördereinrichtung auf die Austrageeinrichtung und der Zwischenablage in einer zweiten Auffangstellung.

Figur 9

wie Figur 8, jedoch mit der vollendeten Portion auf der Austrageeinrichtung und der Zwischenablage in einer dritten Auffangstellung,

Figur 10

wie Figur 9, jedoch mit der vollendeten Portion in einer verschobenen Position auf der Austrageeinrichtung und der Zwischenablage in einer vierten Auffangstellung,

Figur 11

wie Figur 10, jedoch mit einer zu übergebenden Teilportion noch auf der stärker abgesenkten Zwischenablage,

Figur 12

wie Figur 11, jedoch mit der übergebenen Teilportion auf der Fördereinrichtung und der Zwischenablage in der Wartestellung,

Figur 13

ein Diagramm mit einer Darstellung des Weges der Zwischenablage über der Zahl der abgeschnittenen Scheiben und

Figur 14

ein Diagramm mit einer Darstellung der Geschwindigkeit der Zwischenablage über der Zahl der abgeschnittenen Scheiben.

It shows:

FIG. 1

a perspective view of a portion of an apparatus for cutting a strand-shaped food with a consummate portion of shingled slices on a conveyor and with a clipboard in a waiting position,

FIG. 2

as FIG. 1 with the completed portion at the transfer from the conveyor to a discharge device and with the clipboard, with a cut-off disc in a collecting position,

FIG. 3

as FIG. 2 but with the finished portion on the discharger and with two slices on the clipboard,

FIG. 4

as FIG. 3 but with three discs on the clipboard,

FIG. 5

as FIG. 4 but after transfer of a new completed portion to the conveyor and with the clipboard in an intermediate position between the emptying position and the waiting position,

FIG. 6

a side view of the device according to the FIGS. 1 to 5 including the feed device located above the conveyor together with a food strand arranged therein, and the cutting device, wherein a finished portion of stacked slices is on the conveyor and the clipboard is in the waiting position,

FIG. 7

as FIG. 6 but with the completed portion in a laterally displaced position on the conveyor and the clipboard in a first catchment position,

FIG. 8

as FIG. 7 , but with the completed position in the transfer of the conveyor to the discharge device and the clipboard in a second Auffangstellung.

FIG. 9

as FIG. 8 but with the completed portion on the discharge device and the clipboard in a third collecting position,

FIG. 10

as FIG. 9 but with the completed portion in a displaced position on the discharger and the clipboard in a fourth pickup position,

FIG. 11

as FIG. 10 , but with a partial portion to be transferred still on the more heavily lowered clipboard,

FIG. 12

as FIG. 11 but with the transferred partial portion on the conveyor and the clipboard in the waiting position,

FIG. 13

a diagram with a representation of the path of the clipboard over the number of cut off slices and

FIG. 14

a diagram showing the speed of the clipboard over the number of cut slices.

One in the FIGS. 1 to 5 partially in a perspective view and in the FIGS. 6 to 10 in a side view shown device 1 for cutting a food strand 2 (for example, sausage, cheese, etc.) has one only in the FIGS. 6 to 11 illustrated cutting device 3, which has a rotating about a rotation axis 4 blade 5, for example in the form of a sickle blade, but alternatively also in the form of a planetary-like rotating on a swing arm circular blade. A cutting edge 6 defines by the rotation of a cutting plane 7, which is aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 8 of the food strand 2. The longitudinal axis 8 runs parallel to the feed direction illustrated by an arrow 9, into which the food strand 2 is advanced onto the knife 5 of the cutting device 3 with the aid of a feed device 10 shown only schematically. The feed device 10 has at its upper end in the feed direction (arrow 9) vorschiebbare gripper device 11, the gripper hooks 12 are buried in the knife 5 facing away from the rear end of the food strand 2 and thus form a positive connection. Both the gripper device 11 and two feed belts, not shown, which support the food strand 2 laterally and are equipped with interlocking means (spikes) to prevent slippage, have a configuration according to the prior art and require no further explanation at this point. As a result, in any case, the food strand 2 by means of the feed device 10 with a large Precision in the feed direction (arrow 9) are advanced, which is important for achieving a high accuracy in the geometry of the slices to be cut.

On a side facing away from the food strand 2 and the feed device 10 side of the cutting plane 7 are juxtaposed and partially overlapping a discharge 13, a conveyor 14 and a clipboard 15. The clipboard 15 has the shape of a fork and has a plurality of parallel and equidistant from each other tine-shaped support members 16 and a perpendicular to the support members extending and connected to the support beam 17. The clipboard 15 is mounted in a collecting frame 18 in such a way that it is perpendicular to the feed direction, that is parallel to the cutting plane 7 slidably. For this purpose, the support beam 17 is mounted at both longitudinal ends in each case a linear guide 19, which is located in each case in the interior of a longitudinal strut 20 of the collecting frame 18. The drive of the clipboard 15 in the direction of the linear guides 19 takes place by means of a respective timing belt 21, which is connected on both sides of the clipboard 15 by means of a coupling element with the support beam 17.

The collecting frame 18 is as such in a direction (double arrow 22) parallel to the feed direction (arrow 9) displaceable within a in FIG. 1 schematically, in FIG. 6 but not shown machine frame 23 slidably. The adjustability is carried out, for example, by means of a hydraulically or pneumatically actuated cylinder 24 to the respective piston rod 25, a lower part 26 of the collecting frame 18 is connected. As it turned out FIG. 1 , in which only the actually cranked piston rods 25 (which in the FIGS. 6 to 11 For the sake of simplicity, are shown only in a straight line) are visible, the storage and adjustment of the collecting frame 18 by means of two cylinders 24 in the FIGS. 6 to 11 (not visible) and two associated piston rods 25 which engage on opposite sides of the collecting frame 18. In the figures, not shown in detail, is arranged behind a cover 27 of the collecting frame 18 servo drive for moving the clipboard 15 by means of the timing belt 21st

The conveyor 14 includes a plurality of equidistant from each other and arranged on its upper side a common conveying plane 28 forming apron 29, which are guided around two annular grooves for the straps 29 deflecting rollers 30, 31, one of which is driven by means of a servo drive. The clear distance between adjacent ones Riemchen 29 is slightly larger than the measured perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the fork-shaped support members 16 width of the support members 16. Since the pitch of the straps 29 of the conveyor 14 corresponds to the pitch of the support members 16 of the clipboard 15, the latter can therefore immerse themselves in the spaces between adjacent straps, which is crucial for the transfer of cut slices from the clipboard 15 to the conveyor 14 as described below. The discharge device 13 as well as the conveyor 14 comprises a plurality of straps 32, whose width, however, is considerably greater than that of the straps 29 of the conveyor 14. A guide roller 33 of the discharge device 13 is arranged so close to the guide roller 30 of the conveyor 14 that the Riemchen 29, 32 do not collide with each other, with a trouble-free and the disc assembly does not interfere transfer from the conveyor 14 is secured to the discharge device 13.

The discharge device 13 is mounted in a discharge frame 34 which is mounted pivotably about the axis of rotation of a guide roller 35 in the machine frame 23. The deflection roller 33 of the discharge device 13 associated with the end of the discharge device 13 is provided with a in FIG. 1 covered by a machine housing in FIG. 6 However, visible further cylinder 36 (hydraulically or pneumatically operated) or its piston rod 37 is connected. An extension of the piston rod 37 from the cylinder 36 causes both an upward pivoting of the discharge frame 34 and a parallel displacement of the conveyor 14, which is also coupled to the piston rod 37. Due to the parallelism of a longitudinal axis 38 of the cylinder 36 with the feed direction (arrow 9) and a corresponding connection of the conveyor 14 to the piston rod 37, a receiving plane 39 of the conveyor 14 formed by the surface of the aprons 29 always remains in its parallel alignment with the cutting plane 7 , that is perpendicular to the feed direction (arrow 9). Due to the articulated connection between conveyor 14 and discharge device 13, the angle enclosed between the receiving plane 39 and a discharge plane 40 formed by the surface of the straps 32 changes depending on the position of the conveyor 14, that is the position of the piston rod 37 of the cylinder 36 Another synchronizing belt 40 represents a coupling between the deflecting roller 30 of the conveying device 14 and the deflecting roller 35 of the discharging device 13.

The method according to the invention will be explained in more detail below by illustrating the individual method steps with reference to the drawings:

In the FIGS. 1 to 5 First, the formation of portions is explained by a method not according to the invention, wherein the portions of five shingled, ie offset, successive individual discs are made. Due to the omission of the cutting device 3 and the feed device 10 including the food strand 2, the interaction between the conveyor 14, the clipboard 15 and the discharge device 13 is particularly clearly visible.

FIG. 1 shows a situation in which a portion just completed and formed from five slices rests on the conveyor 14. For each blade revolution, a slice is separated from the food strand 2, wherein between two consecutive cuts the aprons 29 of the conveyor 14 are advanced by the "shingling dimension" in the direction of the discharge device 13 in order to produce only a partially overlapping so-called shingled or shingled tray ,

FIG. 1 shows a situation in which the knife 5 has just completed the section of the last, uppermost disc and the clipboard 15 is still in its waiting position in which it - by appropriate control of the timing belt 21 - has a maximum distance from the discharge device 13. The on the control of the non-visible cylinder 24 and consequently the movement of the associated piston rods 25 to be adjusted height of the collecting frame 18 and thus the top of the support members 16 of the clipboard 15 is set at this moment that the clipboard 15 by activating the drive of Synchronous belt 21 can be moved in the direction of the discharge device 13, without touching the uppermost slice of lying on the conveyor 14 completed portion.

In FIG. 2 the clipboard 15 is shown in its catchment position in which it is located vertically below the face of the food strand and therefore can receive a straight cut slice on the surface of its carrying elements 16. Since the rotation of the knife 5 as well as the feed movement of the food strand 2 during the entire cutting process (ie until the food strand 2, apart from a remnant in which the hooks are 12 are completely cut), with constant speed, ie without change in the Angular velocity, moving, the clipboard must be brought from its waiting position to the catching position within the shortest possible time, ie between the generation of two discs. This requires a very large dynamic in the movement of the clipboard, which is made possible by a high-performance servo drive for the timing belt 21. In principle, it is possible that the newly formed disc of a new portion already with its severed part by gravity depends down, possibly even touched the last slice of the previous consummate portion, because the entering into the gap between the knife and the previous consummate portion clipboard can pick up or raise the drooping or already deposited part of a newly emerging disc before its complete separation from the food strand 2, so that the new disc comes to rest completely and properly on the clipboard 15. In FIG. 2 In addition, it can still be seen that the finished portion has already reached the discharge device 13 due to continued movement of the conveyor 14 with its front two discs and is in a transfer phase.

In FIG. 3 It can be seen that a second slice of the portion currently being formed has already been cut off and placed on the clipboard 15. In order to produce a shingled storage also on the clipboard, the clipboard has moved perpendicular to the feed direction by the Schindelmaß so that the second disc overlaps the first slice of the new portion only partially. In a direction perpendicular to the feed direction, the conveyor does not move. Due to the further continued movement of the conveyor 14 and the discharge device 13, the preceding finished portion is now substantially completely on the discharge device 13th

According to FIG. 4 the clipboard 15 is now transferred to a discharge position in which the support elements 16 - are immersed in the spaces between adjacent straps 29 - by downward movement of the clipboard 15, so that the previously in contact with the support elements 16 of the clipboard 15 in contact with the surface the straps 29 were handed over. Simultaneously with the transfer of the discs on the conveyor 14 or shortly before or after the third slice of the newly formed portion was cut off, which by appropriate movement of the clipboard 15 perpendicular to the feed direction or movement of the conveyor 14 was moved further to allow a continuation of the shingled tray. The preceding completed portion has meanwhile moved further on the discharge belt 13 in the direction of the deflection roller 35, in order to be subsequently forwarded to a packaging device in which the disks are welded into a self-adhesive foil packaging.

FIG. 5 Finally, it shows how a fourth slice has been added to the currently formed portion. The still unfinished portion rests solely on the conveyor 14 and, in order to retain the shingling, has been advanced a bit onto the discharge device 13 in comparison with the preceding slice section. Meanwhile, the clipboard 15 has been retracted from the emptying position to an intermediate position while keeping its distance from the cutting plane, avoiding any contact with the cut-off wheels. Starting from the intermediate position of the clipboard 15 shown, it can be raised again into its waiting position in a next step, which is done by raising the entire catch frame 18. After cutting off another, fifth slice completing the current portion is again the starting situation according to FIG. 1 reached.

In contrast to the production of shingled portions according to the FIGS. 1 to 5 will be in the FIGS. 6 to 11 now explains the inventive method in the production of a portion consisting of exactly vertically stacked discs. Also, such portions are welded after the device according to the invention in a packaging device in plastic film packaging and offered as self-service packaging units in supermarkets.

Comparable with the situation according to FIG. 1 also shows FIG. 6 a completed portion located on the conveyor 14, which in the present case consists of a number of n = 12 discs. The knife 5 is still within the cross section of the food strand 2, but will leave this at the next moment to then reenter again in the meantime a piece of advanced food strand 2 and begin with the separation of the next disc. Just in the prescribed time, the clipboard 15 from the in FIG. 6 shown in the waiting position FIG. 7 transferred shown Auffangstellung, ie in particular with great momentum "shot". Therefore, after the beginning of the generation of the next slice, it comes to a shelf of the same on the clipboard 15, which in their shot Position (Auffangstellung) only just above the surface 41 of the completed portion is located. Also when cutting slices, which - as in FIG. 7 shown - are first stored on the clipboard 15, it comes to the application of the principle that the free, gravity-descending end of an emerging disc already on the surface of the clipboard 15 and the surface of previously deposited there discs comes to rest before the slice is completely separated from the food strand 2. This known method has the advantage that the storage quality is very good, since the disc is never in free fall, ie without contact either to the food strand 2 or to the tray. An uncontrolled spin around cut-off wheels, as would be inevitable in a larger fall distance of the same, is safely prevented by such a procedure. Out FIG. 7 It can further be seen that the completed portion has already been moved towards the discharge device 13 by the horizontal movement of the conveyor 14.

FIG. 8 shows a situation how the second slice of the newly formed portion is about to completely separate from the food strand 2. In contrast to the shingled filing according to the FIGS. 1 to 5 requires the vertically stacked tray according to the FIGS. 6 to 11 merely that the clipboard 15 must be moved during its use for storage purposes in the feed direction in order to keep the distance between the cutting plane (defined by a cutting edge of the blade 5) and the storage level for the next resulting disc constant and thus the storage conditions too change. The previously completed portion, located in the FIG. 8 shown situation in a transfer area between the conveyor 14 and the discharge device 13th

In FIG. 9 It is shown how the third slice of the newly formed portion is being separated. The preceding completed portion is transferred to the discharge device 13 and is further moved there.

FIG. 10 shows a state in which nine of the twelve slices of a serving have been cut from the food strand. The filing conditions are still in this moment as they were from the beginning of the generation of the nascent portion. (Distance A between the bottom 43 of the blade 5 and the top 42 of the last cut disc).

On the other hand shows FIG. 11 a state as generated by accelerated lowering of the clipboard 15, with the forks of the clipboard 15 immersed between the belts of the conveyor 14, so that the unfinished portion now rests on the conveyor 14 and no longer on the clipboard 15. The present distance A 'between the bottom 43 of the knife 5 and the top 42 of the last cut disc is greater than the previously existing distance A.

Now, in a next step, the clipboard 15 can be pulled out perpendicular to the feed direction from the projection of the cross section of the food strand 2 (intermediate position, cf. FIG. 5 ) to return to the in FIG. 12 shown waiting position to be transferred. There, the clipboard 15 can remain until the last slice of the emerging portion is cut off and deposited on the stack. How out FIG. 12 it can be seen, the distance A between the bottom 43 of the knife 5 and the top 42 of the last cut disc is now again as he before the accelerated lowering of the clipboard (see. FIGS. 6 to 10 ) was.

Essential for the transfer in the illustrated variant of the method according to the invention is the fact that the storage conditions are changed, i. temporarily a greater distance between the top 42 of the unfinished portion and the cutting plane is realized by the clipboard 15 dips quickly into the stationary in the vertical direction conveyor 14. When separating the following three slices 10, 11 and 12 of the portion to be completed, the depositing conditions are successively changed again as the vertical distance is reduced, so that when the nth, that is to say, nth, layer is deposited. Twelfth, disc again exactly the same storage conditions prevail, as they have also prevailed when depositing the first nine slices of the portion due to the synchronous movement of food strand 2 and clipboard 15.

FIG. 13 Also shows in a diagram the course of the Absenkweges the clipboard 15 on the number of cut slices, which is proportional to the time due to the continuously rotating at the same speed rotating blade 5. It can be seen from the course of the solid lines that the clipboard 15 from the beginning of the generation of a new portion to the cutting of the ninth disc continuously is lowered with the feed rate of the Gutsstrangs. After the ninth disc has been deposited, there is a sharp increase in the lowering such that the intermediate tray 15 dips into the conveyor 14 so that a transfer of the partial portion to the conveyor 14 takes place. The clipboard 15 is from this point no longer in supporting function and therefore - which in the diagram in FIG. 13 is not visible due to the sole consideration of the vertical movement component - pulled out in the horizontal direction from the cross section of the food strand 2, then - as in FIG. 13 recognizable - quickly returned to the starting position (waiting position) to be ready for the next shooting.

FIG. 14 shows a diagram in which the course of the speed of the clipboard 15 on the cut slices, ie again over time, is recognizable. During the cutting of the first nine slices of a portion, the speed (see solid line) is comparatively low and corresponds to the feed rate of the food strand 2. After cutting off the ninth slice, the velocity increases sharply, which causes the clipboard 15 to sink rapidly below the level of the Conveyor 14 corresponds. The clipboard 15 then remains for a short time in its lowest position, during which time - which is not visible in the diagram - in the horizontal direction from the cross section of the food strand 2 is pulled out. Then follows a rapid vertical upward movement, which manifests itself in a high speed with a negative sign. The cycle ends with a short phase at a speed of 0 (in the vertical direction), but at this stage horizontal slotting of the clipboard 15 occurs. This is followed by a downward movement of the clipboard 15 according to the feed rate of the food strand 2, which, however, already begins a new cycle.

In the Figures 13 and 14 In addition, two variants of the method according to the invention are shown in dotted and dash-dotted representation:

In dotted representation is entered that the path of the clipboard (15) from the beginning of the cutting process to the thickness of three slices is greater than in the previously explained procedure. This has the consequence that the path of the clipboard (15) after the cutting of the ninth disc is already so large that a sufficient "supply" of space between the top (42) of the ninth disc and the bottom (43) of the knife (5) has been created so that the last three slices can be deposited on the conveyor 14 stationary in the vertical direction. The accelerated downward movement of the clipboard 15 after the ninth disc has been dropped - as seen in the form of solid lines in FIG FIG. 13 is shown - thus omitted, ie the movements are less dynamic.

An intermediate path is the in the Figures 13 and 14 In this case, the distance A is initially as in the first case explained, wherein the lowering speed of the clipboard during the first nine discs is greater than the feed rate of the Gutsstrangs, so that during the partial stacking after transfer needed "stock" at distance for the last three slices is built up continuously. Also in this case, the in FIG. 14 in the form of the variant with solid lines recognizable speed peak in the transfer of the partial portion on the conveyor 14. The last-mentioned variant offers the advantage that at the beginning of the cutting process, ie when placing the first disc, the distance from the variant shown in dotted lines is reduced.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

contraption

2

Food strand

3

cutter

4

axis of rotation

5

knife

6

cutting edge

7

cutting plane

8th

longitudinal axis

9

arrow

10

feeder

11

Gripper device

12

looper

13

discharging device

14

Conveyor

15

clipboard

16

supporting member

17

stringers

18

collecting frame

19

linear guide

20

longitudinal strut

21

timing belts

22

double arrow

23

machine frame

24

cylinder

25

piston rod

26

lower part

27

cover

28

conveying plane

29

Strappy

30

deflecting

31

deflecting

32

Strappy

33

deflecting

34

Austragerahmen

35

deflecting

36

cylinder

37

ram extruder

38

longitudinal axis

39

receiving element

40

timing belts

41

surface

42

top

43

bottom

A

Distance m number

n

number

d

thickness

Claims (11)

1. A method for cutting a length of food (2) into slices comprising the follow method steps:

   a) The length of food (2) is fed forward at a feeding speed towards a cutting device (3) encompassing a rotating blade (5).

   b) During the feeding, successive slices are cut off from the length of food (2) by means of the cutting device (3) at a front end in feeding direction.

   c) For forming a portion, slices, which have been cut, are placed onto an intermediate storage (15), which can be moved at right angles to the feeding direction as well as in feeding direction, after they have been severed from the length of food (2), wherein a stacked or shingled arrangement of slices comprising a total of n slices is created, and n is a natural number larger than or equal to 3.

   d) The intermediate storage is moved away from the cutting device (3) at the feeding speed.

   e) An unfinished portion consisting of m slices, wherein m is a natural number and m < n, is transferred together from the intermediate storage (15) to a conveying device (14), by means of which the slices are distributed, wherein the transferred portion, after is has been taken over by the conveying device (14), is completed by cutting and adding at least one further slice and is distributed subsequently,

   characterized by the following feature:

   f) After transferring the unfinished portion to the conveying device (14), a distance between an upper side (42) of the respective slice, which was cut and placed down last, and a bottom side (43) of the blade (5) is reduced successively with each further slice.
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate storage (15) is moved away from the cutting device (3) after placing m slices on the intermediate storage (15), wherein m is a natural number and m < n, with a speed, which is greater than the feeding speed of the length of food (2), whereby the unfinished portion is transferred to the conveying device (14), wherein a distance between the blade (5) of the cutting device (3) and a surface of the mth slice in response to the transfer of the unfinished portion from the intermediate storage (15) to the conveying device (14) is greater than during the cutting of the first m slices.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the intermediate storage (15) is moved such that the respective distance between the upper side of the respective first to the mth slice is greater than the respective distance in the case of the (m+1)th to the nth slice.
4. The method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the distance between the upper side of the intermediate storage (15) and the bottom side of the blade (5) is increased during the cutting of the first m slice.
5. The method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the distance between the blade (5) of the cutting device (3) and a surface of the conveying device (14) prior to the onset of the cutting process is adjusted as a function of the number (n) of the slices of the portion, which is to be created, and a thickness (d) of an individual slice.
6. The method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the number (n) of the slices of a finished portion is 2 to 4, preferably 3 times greater than the number (m) of the slices of an unfinished portion, when it is transferred from the intermediate storage (15) to the conveying device (14).
7. The method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that support elements of the intermediate storage (15) enter into spaces between adjacent aprons (29) of the conveying device (14) in response to the transfer of the slices, which have been cut, from the intermediate storage (15) to the conveying device (14), wherein, after the transfer, a surface of the support elements (16), which supports the slices, is arranged below a surface of the aprons (29) of the conveying device (14), which supports the slices.
8. The method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the intermediate storage (15) carries out a movement, which is comprised of translatory movement sections, along a closed path, whereby it,

   - based on a standby position, in which it is located outside of a projection of the cross section of the length of food (2) into a plane, which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (8) of the length of food (2) and which includes the surface of the support elements (16),

   - is moved substantially parallel to the aforementioned plane into a first accommodating position, in which a first slice of a new portion is accommodated,

   - is subsequently moved successively into consecutive accommodating positions, in which it is displaced in feeding direction of the length of food (2) and/or perpendicular to the feeding direction of the length of food (2) relative to the preceding accommodating position for creating the respective desired placement image of the slices and for accommodating the respective following slice,

   - after accommodating a predetermined number of slices, it assumes an emptying position, in which the intermediate storage (15) and the conveying device (14), viewed in feeding direction, have moved relative to one another to the extent that the slices have lost the contact to the surface of the support elements (16) and have instead come into contact with the surface of the aprons (29) of the conveying device (14)

   - and is finally transferred back into the standby position, without thereby touching the plane of the surface of the aprons (29) of the conveying device (14) in the area of the aprons (29) by means of the support elements (16).
9. The method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, in a standby position of the intermediate storage (15), the surfaces of the support elements (16) thereof are located in the same plane as the surface, which faces the length of food (2), of the last completely cut slice on the conveying device (14).
10. The method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the intermediate storage (15) only leaves the standby position when the blade (5) has already begun to cut a next slice and is already located within the cross section of the length of food (2), preferably when the intermediate storage (15) lifts a part of the slice, which is currently about to be created with the surface of its support elements (16) and, which, due to gravity, already hangs down or rests on the previously cut slice, in response to its movement into a projection of the cross section of the length of food (2) into a plane, which is perpendicular to the feeding direction.
11. The method according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the intermediate storage (15) enters from one side (S) of the length of food (2) and a blade (5) of the cutting device (3) enters from an opposite side (S) of the length of food (2) into the cross section thereof.

Images