EP3088146B1 - Cutting machine with weighing device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a cutting machine with a weighing device according to the features of the preamble of claim 1.

From the EP 0 216 754 B1 such a cutting machine with a weighing device is known. This cutting machine has a support in the storage area, on which a load cell is slidably mounted. The load cell carries a tray, with the slices cut by the cutting machine being placed on this tray. The load cell can be moved via a drive motor to shingle the material to be cut. The electrical signal of the load cell is fed into the machine housing via a flexible cable. The disadvantage of this design is that the flexible cable can be damaged or unintentionally squeezed, and the measurement result of the load cell may be negatively affected.

The invention has for its object to provide a cutting machine for food with a weighing device, which is robust and preferably has a low profile.

This object is achieved with a cutting machine according to the features of claim 1.

According to the invention, it is provided that the weighing device is slidably connected to the machine housing via a carrier device, which comprises at least one carrier, and an electrical cable connection of the weighing device is guided in a receiving space of the at least one carrier. The carrier device may comprise a carrier that holds the weighing device. The carrier device can also comprise a plurality of individual carriers, for example two carriers or three carriers, in order to hold the weighing device.

It is provided that at least one carrier of the carrier device has a receiving space and the cable connection or one or more cables of the cable connection are guided in the receiving space. The wall of the carrier preferably surrounds the cable connection completely or at least to a large part of the cross section, preferably C-shaped or U-shaped.

The carrier's receiving space protects the cable connection. This prevents the cable connection between the load cell and the machine housing from being subject to damaging mechanical influences, in particular that the cable connection can be kinked or squeezed. The cable connection between the weighing device or the load cell and the machine housing has certain electrical properties. This include, for example, a defined electrical impedance or a certain resistance. If the cable is kinked or crushed, this may affect the cable's impedance and / or resistance. This means that when the cable is squeezed or kinked, the signal transmission behavior of the cable connection changes and the measurement result of the weighing device is adversely affected. In the invention, the cable connection is protected by the carrier against mechanical influences, in particular kinking or crushing, these disadvantages are prevented.

The cutting machine is intended for cutting slices from strand-like foods. It has a machine housing which holds a drive motor and a rotating cutting knife driven by the drive motor. In the area of the cutting knife, i.e. H. Spatially assigned to the cutting knife, a storage area is provided with a weighing device arranged in the storage area. The weighing device comprises a load cell and a load plate connected to the load cell for depositing separated disks. The weighing device is adjustable and / or slidably mounted relative to the machine housing. The weighing device can preferably be moved in a motor-driven manner relative to the machine housing in order to place two-dimensional or three-dimensional storage images with the slices of the material to be cut.

The carriers of the carrier device can preferably be linearly pushed out of the machine housing in a motor-driven manner or drawn into the machine housing. Together with a chain frame arranged in the storage area, which holds the separated disks transported in the transverse direction of the material to be cut, it is possible to place two-dimensional or three-dimensional storage images. The weight of the cut slices can be determined via the weighing device and thus a desired target weight of a portion of the cut material to be cut can be exactly determined.

In order to achieve good mechanical protection of the cable connection, it can preferably be provided that the receiving space is designed as a recess or groove arranged in a carrier, which runs in the direction of the axial extent of the carrier and receives an electrical cable of the cable connection.

In one embodiment it can be provided that a carrier is designed as a hollow profile and the receiving space runs in a cavity in the interior of the carrier and receives an electrical cable of the cable connection, the electrical cable being enclosed by a wall of the carrier, preferably at least in sections completely the support wall is enclosed. The carrier can be produced, for example, from a prefabricated profile by cutting to length. The use of prefabricated profiles or semi-finished products results in a reduction in the manufacturing effort and thus a reduction in costs.

In one embodiment it can also be provided that a carrier is designed as a tubular carrier and the electrical cable runs inside the tubular carrier. A carrier which has a round, in particular circular or elliptical cross section, can be used as the tubular carrier. A cavity is arranged within this cross section, which can serve as a receiving space for the cable.

Likewise, a carrier with an angular, for example a rectangular or square cross-section can be used, which has a cavity in its interior for receiving the cable connection.

In order to increase the operational safety of the weighing device, it can be provided that the cable has one or more electrical conductors which consist of a stranded wire. A strand has several thin individual wires, the diameter of which is small in relation to the diameter of the electrical conductor. Such a cable can be bent, in particular in comparison to a cable with solid individual conductors, without fear of a cable break.

In one embodiment, it is preferably provided that the weighing device is mounted on the carrier device such that it can be displaced relative to the machine housing.

In order to obtain a compact design, it can be provided that the weighing cell of the weighing device is arranged on the side next to the machine housing. For example, the load cell can be arranged on an end face or an end face of the machine housing. This results in a lower overall height, since this arrangement of the load cell means that no additional overall height is required.

In order to achieve a mechanically stable mounting of the weighing device in a constructive embodiment, it is provided that the at least one carrier extends through a wall of the machine housing, the wall having a slide bearing and / or a seal for the at least one carrier. The at least one carrier can be insertable and / or extractable into the machine housing.

In order to make the cutting machine resistant to mechanical influences and contamination, it can be provided that the slide bearing arranged in a wall of the machine housing has a seal, in particular a slide seal. The plain bearing can have a seal integrated in the plain bearing. For example, the slide bearing can be designed as a plastic bushing which has a low tolerance and comprises the carrier without play and thus produces a seal between the carrier and the slide bearing.

In order to achieve a structurally advantageous cable routing, it can be provided that the at least one carrier in the area of the load cell has a rounding and / or is rounded in order to accommodate a cable loop. The carrier can, for example, be curved or have a round section. Alternatively, an armored hose can also be provided, which is connected to the carrier and inside which the cable connection is made. The armored hose is then laid, for example, with a curve, so that the cable loop of the cable connection is received in its interior.

In one configuration, it can preferably be provided that the load cell is designed as an analog load cell and the cable of the cable connection transmits an analog measurement signal. The load cell can be designed, for example, as a load cell with a strain gauge or strain gauge. The strain gauge sensors are preferably connected as a Wheatstone bridge. The measurement signal of the strain gauges can then via a resistance network and be connected to the cable connection. The resistance network is used to balance the Wheatstone bridge. It can have one or more temperature-dependent resistors that compensate for a temperature dependency of the measurement signal. It can further be provided that the measuring cell has a temperature sensor, the signal of which is transmitted via the cable connection, preferably via a separate conductor of the cable connection, and is used in an evaluation device for temperature compensation of the measurement signal.

In order to enable simple manufacture of the load cell in the case of a refinement or in the event of a repair, it can be provided that the load cell has a detachable plug connection for connecting a cable of the cable connection. The plug connection can for example be designed as a watertight plug or have a watertight PG screw connection.

In order to maintain a mechanically stable hold of the weighing device, it can be provided that the machine housing has a first carrier and a second carrier for holding the weighing device, at least one of the two carriers having a receiving space for receiving the electrical cable connection of the weighing device. The two carriers are in particular spaced apart and thus enable the load cell to be supported which is insensitive to lateral forces or disturbing moments.

In one embodiment it can be provided that the machine housing has a first carrier for holding the weighing device and a second carrier for holding the cable, the second carrier having one Has receiving space for receiving the electrical cable connection of the weighing device. It is preferably provided that the second carrier does not absorb any moments of the load cell in order to avoid jamming. It is only freely displaceable in the machine housing via a spherical bearing. A spherical plain bearing is a sliding bearing which can be rotated so that no counterforce is generated when force or torque is applied at an angle. This prevents the carriers from jamming against one another when the carrier device is being retracted or extended.

In order to achieve good torque support for the weighing device, it can be provided in one embodiment that the carrier device has a torque support that is supported on the machine housing via a roller. The torque support can be designed as a strut extending transversely to a carrier, the end of which struts over a roller on a running surface of the machine housing. The roller can either be stored on the machine housing, i.e. H. be fixed to the housing or be mounted on the strut.

In one embodiment, it is preferably provided that the machine housing has an installation space for receiving a drive device, and the drive device pulls a carrier and / or all carriers into the machine housing or pushes it out of the machine housing. The drive device can have a stepper motor or a server motor, which enables a precise adjustment of the carriers. This enables, for example, a particularly precise placement of the food slices separated from the cutting machine.

It can be provided that the drive device drives the first carrier and / or the second carrier. Because the drive device drives both carriers, it is also possible, for example, to handle heavy items to be cut or large quantities of items to be cut without any problems. If the drive device drives only one carrier and, for example, the second carrier is carried in parallel, this enables cost-effective production, which is suitable for smaller cutting machines.

To enable easy cleaning of the cutting machine, it can be provided that the load plate is designed to be removable from the load cell without tools. The load plate is in particular made of a metal, for example aluminum or a steel sheet. In practical cutting operations, the load plate is contaminated by the material to be cut and must therefore be cleaned more often. For this purpose, the load plate can be removed from the weighing device and cleaned without tools. After the cleaning process, the cleaning plate can then be connected to the weighing device again without tools and is ready for the next cutting process.

In order to achieve an aesthetically appealing storage image, it can be provided that the cutting machine has a control device for controlling the drive device, wherein the control device controls the drive device for storing two-dimensional or three-dimensional storage figures. The storage device can be used, for example, to set whether the separated food slices are placed as a circle or as a stack or as an ellipse. Depending on the setting or programming of the control device, the individual discs of the storage figures can be also partially overlap so that shingled or partially stacked storage figures are possible.

The cutting machine according to the invention can be used in particular in fresh food sales or in the industrial processing of foods. For example, the cutting machine can be used in the processing or sale of sausage products or cheese products.

Further embodiments and examples of the invention are shown in the figures and described below.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Schneidemaschine;

Fig. 2:

eine schematische Ansicht der Schneidemaschine aus der Sicht eines Bedieners;

Fig. 3:

eine schematische Darstellung der Wiegevorrichtung aus Fig. 2;

Fig. 4:

eine vergrößerte Seitenansicht der Wiegevorrichtung;

Fig. 5:

eine Schnittdarstellung durch das Maschinengehäuse der Schneidemaschine.

Show:

Fig. 1

a schematic side view of a cutting machine according to the invention;

Fig. 2:

a schematic view of the cutting machine from the perspective of an operator;

Fig. 3:

a schematic representation of the weighing device Fig. 2 ;

Fig. 4:

an enlarged side view of the weighing device;

Fig. 5:

a sectional view through the machine housing of the cutting machine.

The in the Figures 1 to 5 The cutting machine 1 shown has a machine housing 11 which comprises an essentially square base and a drive tower 12 which projects upwards. A drive motor (not shown) is accommodated in the drive tower 12. The drive motor drives a circularly rotating cutting blade 16, which in a cutting plane A, which in Fig. 2 is shown rotates. A display 4 is arranged on the side of the top of the drive tower 12. The display 4 serves to display the weight signals measured by a weighing device 2. The machine housing is stable and made of an aluminum alloy in a casting process.

The cutting edge of the cutting knife 16 is covered by a knife protection ring 17. The knife protection ring 17 engages around the cutting edge of the cutting knife in a C-shape. A stop plate 18 is arranged in the front area of the cutting edge of the cutting knife 16 Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is shown. Out Fig. 2 it can be seen that the stop plate 18 runs parallel to the cutting plane A. The stop plate 18 can be adjusted laterally in order to adjust the thickness of the separated food slices. The food to be cut is placed on a carriage 19 which can be moved parallel to the cutting plane. The carriage 19 can be moved manually or driven by a motorized carriage drive.

The machine housing 11 further comprises a chain frame 14 arranged in a storage area 13 and a striker 15 which is driven by a striker motor 151. The disks separated from a material to be cut via the cutting knife 16 are transferred to the chain frame 14 and transported there in the transverse direction. The striker 15 then separates the discs from the chain frame and spends them in the Storage area 13 on the upper side of the storage tray 22 or the load plate 22, as for example in FIG Fig. 1 is shown.

The storage tray 22 is connected to a load cell 21 via a coupling device 23. The load cell 21, like the storage tray 22, is part of a weighing device 2 which, as in FIG Fig. 1 can be seen, is arranged on the front end of the machine housing 11. The weighing device 2 is connected to the machine housing 11 via an upper support 241 and a lower support 242. These two carriers hold a housing 25 which encloses the load cell 21 and protects it against mechanical influences.

The Fig. 3 shows an enlarged view of the weighing device 2. The coupling device 23 is arranged in the load introduction area 21a of the weighing cell 21. At the top of the coupling device 23, the load plate 22 is held by this. The coupling device 23 represents the only support of the load plate 22, so that the entire weight of cutting goods placed on the load plate 22 is introduced directly into the load introduction area 21a of the load cell 21. The weighing cell 21 has a weakening area arranged in the center. Strain gauge strips are arranged in the weakened area, for example applied to the bending rod of the load cell or glued to it. These measure a weight-based deformation of the load cell 21 and deliver an electrical measurement signal. The measurement signal of the load cell 21 is fed into the machine housing 11 of the cutting machine 1 via an electrical cable connection 26.

The cable connection 26 is guided in a cable channel 262, which is connected to the lower carrier 242. The carrier 242 has a receiving space 243, which forms a cable channel for the cable connection 26. In the area of the weighing cell 21, the carrier 242 or the cable duct 262 is rounded. The radius of this curve is designed in such a way that it is ensured that the cable of the cable connection 26 is not damaged by the radius.

The upper carrier 241 has a torque support 27. This torque support 27 comprises a strut running transversely to the carrier 241, whose end facing away from the carrier is supported on the machine housing 11 via a roller 271.

In the side view of the weighing device 2, which in Fig. 4 it can be seen that the weighing device 2 is connected to the machine housing 11 via the upper carrier 241. The carriers pass through the wall of the machine housing 11, a slide bearing 111 being arranged at the point of penetration through the wall, which on the one hand forms a slide bearing for the carrier and on the other hand has a sliding seal in order to seal the opening through the machine housing 11.

In the representation in Fig. 4 the coupling device 23 is shown in the upper region. The coupling device 23 has a pivot bearing 231 which pivotally supports the load plate 22. In order to remove the load plate without tools, the pivot bearing 231 is open on one side. The opening has a clear width that is smaller than the diameter of the pivot bearing 231. The load plate 22 has a pivot axis 232, which has a round cross section, which has two side constrictions. These side constrictions are dimensioned such that the thickness of the swivel axis in the constriction area is the clear width of the opening of the swivel bearing corresponds. Therefore, the pivot axis connected to the load plate 22 can be inserted or removed in a specific pivot position through the opening of the pivot bearing 231. The contour of the pivot bearing 231 is designed in the form of a keyhole in order to enable the load plate 22 to be inserted and / or removed without tools and to hold the load plate in a mechanically stable manner.

In order to remove the load plate 22 from the weighing device, the load plate 22 is pivoted upwards, i.e. placed in a vertical position. In this vertical position, the load plate can then be threaded out of the pivot bearing 231 and removed. To attach the load plate, this is in turn threaded into the pivot bearing 231 in a vertical position, for which purpose this has a funnel-shaped run-in bevel in order to facilitate threading. After the pivot axis 232 is received in the pivot bearing 231, the load plate 22 is pivoted into a horizontal position and thereby fixed in the pivot bearing 231 without play.

The Fig. 5 shows a section through the machine housing 11 of the cutting machine 1. The interior of the machine housing 11 has an installation space 11a in which a drive device 245 connected to a control device 3 is accommodated in order to adjust the weighing device 2 in a motor-driven manner. In its end region, the carrier 241 has a tooth section 244 which meshes with the output 245a of the drive motor 245. As in Fig. 5 is indicated by the double arrow, the weighing device 2 is adjustable via the drive device 245. That is, the weighing device 2 can be extended by the distance S parallel to the machine housing or drawn into the machine housing. The control device 3 controls the drive motor 245, which acts as a servo motor or Stepper motor is designed to obtain a precise adjustment of the weighing device 2. The load plate 22 is also moved together with the weighing device 2, so that a two-dimensional or three-dimensional storage image of the food slices separated from the cutting machine can be achieved by moving the weighing device 2.

It is also provided that the control device 3 additionally controls the chain frame 14 in order to determine the degree of transverse displacement of the separated food slices. In addition, the control device 3 controls the stripper 15 in order to enable the separated food slices to be deposited as precisely as possible.

In order to set a desired storage figure, the control device 3 is connected to an input device via which the desired storage image can be set and / or programmed.

In order to prevent damage to the cable connection 26 or a cable break due to the movement of the weighing device 2, it is provided that inside 11a of the machine housing 11, as in FIG Fig. 5 shown, the cable connection has a cable drag 261. A relative movement between the weighing device and the machine housing is compensated for in the installation space 11a of the machine housing via this cable train 261. The wall of the machine housing 11 encloses the installation space 11a, ie it is mechanically protected.

Outside the machine housing 11, the cable connection 26 is completely protected against mechanical influences and / or damage by the cable duct 262 or the carrier 242. How out Fig. 5 can be seen are the two carriers 241 and 242 are arranged at a distance from one another in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction. This distance between the two carriers 241 and 242 enables good torque support for the weighing device 2, so that it is securely mounted on the machine housing 11 even under corner loads or uneven loads and an accurate measurement result is made possible.

Reference list

1

cutting machine

11

Machine housing

11a

Installation space

111

bearings

12th

Engine tower

13

Storage area

14

Chain frame

15

Racket

151

Beater motor

16

Cutting knife

17th

Knife protection ring

18th

Stop plate

19th

Sledge

2nd

Weighing device

21

Load cell

21a

Load transfer

22

Load plate

23

coupling

231

Swivel bearing

232

Swivel axis

24th

Carrier device

241

carrier

242

carrier

243

Recording room

244

Tooth section

245

engine

245a

Downforce

25th

casing

26

electric wire

261

Cable drag

262

Cabel Canal

27

Torque support

271

Roller

28

Spherical bearings

3rd

Control device

4th

Display

A

Cutting plane

S

route

Claims (14)

1. Cutting machine for cutting off slices of elongate food products, comprising a machine housing (11) which holds a drive motor and a rotating cutting blade (16) which is driven by the drive motor, wherein a set-down region (13) with a weighing device (2) which is arranged in the set-down region is provided in the region of the cutting blade, and the weighing apparatus (2) comprises a weighing cell (21) and a load plate (22), which is connected to the weighing cell (21), for setting down cut-off slices, and the weighing apparatus (2) is mounted in a manner adjustable and/or displaceable relative to the machine housing (11), wherein
   the weighing apparatus (2) is connected in a displaceable manner to the machine housing (11) by means of a carrier apparatus (24) which comprises at least one carrier (241, 242),
   characterized
   in that an electrical cable connection (26) of the weighing apparatus is guided in a receiving space (243) of the at least one carrier (241, 242), wherein the at least one carrier (241, 242) passes through a wall of the machine housing (11), and the wall has a sliding bearing and/or a seal (111) for the at least one carrier (241, 242) .
2. Cutting machine according to Claim 1,
   characterized
   in that the receiving space (243) is designed as a recess or groove which is arranged in a carrier (241, 242), runs in the direction of the axial extent of the carrier, and receives an electrical cable of the cable connection (26) .
3. Cutting machine according to Claim 1 or 2,
   characterized
   in that the at least one carrier (241, 242) is designed as a hollow profile, and the receiving space (243) runs in a hollow space in the interior of the carrier and receives an electrical cable of the cable connection (26), wherein the electrical cable is enclosed, preferably completely enclosed, by a wall of the carrier (243) .
4. Cutting machine according to one of Claims 1 to 3,
   characterized
   in that a carrier (241, 242) is designed as a tubular carrier, and the electrical cable (26) runs in the interior of the tubular carrier.
5. Cutting machine according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the weighing apparatus (2) is mounted on the carrier apparatus (24) in a manner displaceable relative to the machine housing (11), and it is preferably provided that the at least one carrier (241, 242) can be pushed into the machine housing (11) and/or can be pulled out.
6. Cutting machine according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the at least one carrier (241, 242) has a rounded portion and/or is of rounded design in the region of the weighing cell (21) in order to receive a cable loop.
7. Cutting machine according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the weighing cell (21) is designed as an analog weighing cell, and the cable of the cable connection (26) transmits an analog measurement signal.
8. Cutting machine according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the weighing cell (21) has a releasable plug-in connection for connection of a cable of the cable connection (62).
9. Cutting machine according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the machine housing (21) has a first carrier (241) and a second carrier (242) for holding the weighing apparatus (2), wherein at least one of the two carriers (241, 242) has a receiving space (243) for receiving the electrical cable connection (26) of the weighing apparatus.
10. Cutting machine according to one of Claims 1 to 8,
    characterized
    in that the machine housing (21) has a first carrier (241) for holding the weighing apparatus (2) and a second carrier (242) for holding the cable, wherein the second carrier (242) has a receiving space (243) for receiving the electrical cable connection (26) of the weighing apparatus.
11. Cutting machine according to Claim 10,
    characterized
    in that the carrier apparatus (24) has a torque support (27) which is supported on the machine housing by means of a roller (271), and the second carrier (242) is mounted such that it can be inserted into the machine housing (11) and/or can be pulled out freely, preferably is mounted by means of a pivot bearing (28).
12. Cutting machine according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized
    in that the machine housing (11) has an installation space (11a) for receiving a drive apparatus (245), and the drive apparatus (245) is drive-connected to a carrier and/or is drive-connected to all carriers (241, 242) and pulls the carrier or the carriers into the machine housing (11) or pushes the carrier or the carriers out of the machine housing in a driven manner.
13. Cutting machine according to Claim 12,
    characterized
    in that the cutting machine has a control apparatus (3) for controlling the drive apparatus (245), wherein the control apparatus (3) actuates the drive apparatus (245) for setting-down two-dimensional or three-dimensional set-down figures.
14. Cutting machine according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized
    in that the load plate (22) is designed such that it can be removed from the weighing cell (21) without tools.

Images