EP4364911A1 - Slicing machine with product parameter analysis device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a slicing machine, in particular a slicer, for slicing a product caliber into slices and creating shingled or stacked portions from the slices, with a cutting unit, a feed unit for feeding at least one caliber to the cutting unit along a feed direction of a discharge unit with at least one portioning unit for discharging the slices or portions in the direction of travel of the machine, and a gripper which can be moved along the feed direction. According to the invention, the gripper comprises a product parameter detection device which is designed and intended to detect at least one product parameter of the product caliber held by the gripper, and the product parameter detection device is in signal communication with a product parameter analysis device arranged on or remote from the slicing machine, which is set up to store product parameters detected by the product parameter detection device and/or to process them into a processing result.

Description

I. Area of application

The invention relates to slicing machines, in particular so-called slicers, with which strands of a slightly compressible product such as sausage or cheese are cut into slices in the food industry. The invention also relates to a method for operating such a slicing machine.

II. Technical background

Since these strands can be produced with a cross-section that retains its shape and dimension over their length, i.e. is essentially constant, they are called product calibers.

Usually, several product calibers arranged parallel to one another on individual tracks are cut open at the same time by the same knife, which moves transversely to the longitudinal direction of the product calibers, cutting off one slice at a time in one pass.

The product calibers are pushed forward by a feed conveyor of a feed unit in the direction of the knife of the cutting unit, usually on a feed conveyor directed diagonally downwards, and are each guided through the product openings of a plate-shaped, so-called cutting frame, at the front end of which the part of the product caliber that protrudes beyond this is separated as a disc by the knife immediately in front of the cutting frame.

The slices usually fall onto a first conveyor, the so-called portioning belt, as part of a conveyor unit, by means of which the individual separated slices are also collected into shingled or stacked portions on the portioning belt and transported away for further processing.

In order to consistently guarantee the quality of the sliced pieces and thus of the portions, a number of product parameters, such as temperature and the product caliber, must be taken into account and monitored accordingly. In addition to temperature, however, there are a number of other product parameters, such as product consistency, which can significantly influence the quality and texture of the slices or portions.

The monitoring of the product parameters can generally be carried out randomly or manually by an operator of the slicing machine, but this often cannot ensure consistently high quality to a sufficient extent, especially not 100%.

Although it is certainly conceivable to automatically monitor the product parameters using a large number of sensors on the slicing machine, the susceptibility of the slicing machine to possible malfunctions that can be triggered by sensor malfunctions or the like, as well as the ease of maintenance of the slicing machine, should not be unreasonably affected by this.

It is also desirable that the slicing machine is not only able to record and/or monitor the product parameters, but also, ideally, is suitable for adapting the control of individual functional groups of the slicing machine on the basis of the recorded product parameters.

III. Description of the invention a) Technical task

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a slicing machine, in particular a slicer, which can remedy this situation, in particular by ensuring comprehensive quality assurance. Furthermore, it is the object of the invention to provide a corresponding method for operating a slicing machine.

b) Solution to the task

This object is achieved by the features of claims 1 and 14. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the subclaims.

• eine Schneideinheit mit einem vorzugsweise rotierenden Messer, meist einem Sichelmesser, dessen Schneidkante am Außenumfang entgegen der Drehrichtung in ihrem Abstand vom Drehpunkt zunimmt,
• eine Zufuhreinheit zum Zuführen wenigstens eines Kalibers zur Schneideinheit entlang einer Zufuhrrichtung,
• eine Abfördereinheit mit wenigstens einer Portionier-Einheit, vorzugsweise einem Portionier-Band, zum Abfördern der Scheiben oder der Portionen in Durchlaufrichtung der Maschine,
• einen Greifer, welcher längs der Zufuhrrichtung verfahrbar ist und
  • zwischen einer Eingriffsstellung, in welcher er das Produkt-Kaliber hält, und
  • einer Freigabestellung in welcher er das Produkt-Kaliber nicht hält, verstellbar ist, und
• eine Steuerung zum Steuern beweglicher Teile der Aufschneide-Maschine. Erfindungsgemäß umfasst
• der Greifer ferner eine Produktparameter-Erfassungseinrichtung, welche dazu ausgelegt und bestimmt ist, wenigstens einen Produktparameter des von dem Greifer gehaltenen Produkt-Kalibers zu erfassen, und
• die Produktparameter-Erfassungseinrichtung steht mit einer an oder entfernt von der Aufschneidemaschine angeordneten Produktparameter-Analyseeinrichtung in Signalverbindung, welche dazu eingerichtet ist, von der Produktparameter-Erfassungseinrichtung erfasste Produktparameter zu speichern und/oder zu einem Verarbeitungsergebnis zu verarbeiten.

A generic slicing machine, such as a slicer, for slicing, preferably several calibers lying parallel to one another in different tracks, into slices and for shingling or stacking the slices into portions typically comprises

• a cutting unit with a preferably rotating knife, usually a sickle knife, the cutting edge of which increases in its distance from the pivot point on the outer circumference against the direction of rotation,
• a feed unit for feeding at least one caliber to the cutting unit along a feed direction,
• a discharge unit with at least one portioning unit, preferably a portioning belt, for discharging the slices or portions in the direction of flow of the machine,
• a gripper which can be moved along the feed direction and
  • between an engagement position in which it holds the product caliber and
  • a release position in which it does not hold the product caliber, is adjustable, and
• a controller for controlling moving parts of the slicing machine. According to the invention
• the gripper further comprises a product parameter detection device which is designed and intended to detect at least one product parameter of the product caliber held by the gripper, and
• the product parameter recording device is in signal connection with a product parameter analysis device arranged on or remote from the slicing machine, which is designed to store product parameters recorded by the product parameter recording device and/or to process them into a processing result.

It is to the inventor's credit that he recognized that it is particularly advantageous to arrange the product parameter recording device on the gripper itself, since the gripper is regularly engaged with the respective product caliber to be held anyway. This means that no separate measuring point needs to be set up away from the gripper, where suitable accessibility or reachability of the product caliber would first have to be ensured.

Since the product parameter detection device according to the invention is also in signal connection with the product parameter analysis device, it is also possible not only to monitor the at least one detected product parameter, but also to store it and/or to process it into a processing result.

The product parameter analysis device can create the processing result, in particular a protocol, for quality assurance on the basis of the product parameters recorded by the product parameter recording device. Simply storing the at least one recorded product parameter, in particular in the form of a plurality of measured values over a predetermined period of time, makes it possible to check whether the respective product parameter is always is or has been within a predetermined, for example permissible or desired, range.

The processing result itself can also be such that it immediately indicates in the form of a status message via a user interface of the slicing machine whether the at least one product parameter is in the predetermined range and/or has been in the predetermined range during a predetermined period of time or not. Furthermore, the processing result can indicate whether the condition of the slicing machine itself is to be classified as OK or not OK, if maintenance or other corrective measures need to be carried out on the slicing machine.

The product parameter analysis device can, for example, be integrated into the control of the slicing machine or be arranged remotely therefrom. In the latter case, the product parameter analysis device can therefore be connected to the control and/or the product parameter acquisition device in a wired or wireless manner.

According to a preferred embodiment, the product parameter detection device can be set up to detect a temperature of the product caliber. As a result, the temperature of the product caliber can be monitored during the slicing process and/or stored in the form of a temperature log as the processing result by the product parameter analysis device. From such a log, it can therefore be determined whether or not a cold chain was maintained during the entire slicing process.

Additionally or alternatively, the product parameter detection device can be configured to detect a consistency of the product caliber and/or vibrations and/or shocks acting on the product caliber.

As a result, it is possible to monitor these product parameters in an analogous manner and/or store them in the form of a protocol or the like. Monitoring the product consistency allows conclusions to be drawn, for example, as to whether the product caliber has a required composition.

The required composition can deviate in particular if a recipe for producing the product caliber has not been followed as required. The deviation can therefore be detected before the actual slicing of the slices begins.

The vibrations and/or shocks that affect the product caliber in turn indicate whether the cutting process meets predetermined requirements, since a so-called "gentle cutting process" is usually required to ensure the desired product quality. The vibrations and/or shocks can also be used to determine whether the slicing machine, in particular the blade of the cutting unit, requires maintenance or not, for example due to insufficient sharpness.

According to a further embodiment, the product parameter detection device can comprise a probe element which is arranged on the gripper in such a way that, when the product caliber is held, it is in direct or indirect contact with the product caliber, in particular at its end facing the gripper. Indirect contact can take place as indirect contact via an intermediate element which is in direct contact with the product caliber. This is fulfilled, for example, if the probe element is integrated into an intermediate element touching the product caliber. Direct contact, on the other hand, should be understood to mean that the probe element is in direct contact with the product caliber without an intermediate element being present. The direct contact can therefore be, for example, but does not necessarily have to be, a touch between the probe element and the product caliber.

In a further development of this embodiment, the probe element can be designed and intended to penetrate into the product caliber at least and/or at most to a predetermined depth when the product caliber is held.

If, for example, at least partially frozen product calibers are cut open, it is conceivable that the product caliber is only frozen in the outer area, for example only a few cm or mm, in particular a maximum of 2 cm, deep. It is then desirable for the sensing element to only penetrate this outer area if, for example, the temperature of the outer area is to be recorded as the product parameter. If, on the other hand, a core temperature of the product parameter is to be recorded, it is accordingly advantageous if the predetermined depth is selected to be correspondingly larger.

Furthermore, the probe element can be designed as a force sensor which is configured to output a force signal which indicates a force acting on the force sensor.

If the sensing element is designed and intended, for example, as described above, to penetrate at least and/or at most the predetermined depth into the product caliber, it is possible as a result to obtain a force-displacement curve from the force signal, which indicates the force acting on the force sensor as a function of a distance, for example the penetration depth into the product caliber. This makes it possible, for example, to determine a frost thickness of the product caliber via the force-displacement curve.

Here, a predetermined first force may indicate the thickness of the region of the product caliber that is frozen, while a predetermined second force, which is less than the first force, may indicate the thickness of the region of the product caliber that is not frozen.

According to one embodiment, the sensing element can be designed as a needle or can comprise a needle. The needle can therefore serve as a temperature sensor and/or to detect vibrations and/or shocks and/or the product consistency. For this purpose, the needle can be brought into contact with the product caliber depending on the product parameter to be detected.

The probe element in the form of a needle is particularly advantageous if the probe element, as mentioned above, is to penetrate into the product caliber, since this enables reliable detection of the product parameter without causing unreasonable damage to the product caliber.

Additionally or alternatively, the sensing element can be arranged on or in a gripper claw of the gripper. This is advantageous because the gripper claws of the gripper engage with the product caliber in the gripping position of the gripper in order to hold it. This type of arrangement of the sensing element is therefore particularly compact because no separate measuring point for the sensing element needs to be set up on the gripper away from the gripper prongs.

In a further development of this embodiment, it is particularly advantageous if the gripper claw is at least partially hollow and the probe element is inserted into the at least partially hollow gripper claw. In this case, it is particularly conceivable that the probe element is only in indirect contact with the product caliber, i.e. the probe element does not directly touch the product caliber, but only the gripper claw. Consequently, conclusions can be drawn about the corresponding product parameter of the product caliber, for example via a temperature of the gripper claw or via vibrations or shocks acting on the gripper claw. The probe element can be, for example, a probe wire, by means of which the temperature can be detected. The gripper can then also preferably be designed as a cast part. In such a case, a separate work step for forming a corresponding hollow bore can be omitted.

According to a further embodiment, the product parameter analysis device is also in signal connection with the control or is integrated into it, wherein the control can preferably also be set up to adapt at least one control parameter of the slicing machine based on the processing result of the product parameter analysis device. Consequently, it is conceivable to forward the product parameters recorded during the slicing process or the processing result derived therefrom directly to other functional groups of the slicing machine in order to adapt them to the current product parameters.

The at least one control parameter can preferably comprise a control parameter for the feed unit and/or the cutting unit and/or the discharge unit and/or the gripper of the slicing machine. As a result, for example, a belt speed of a portioning belt of the discharge unit and/or a contact pressure of an upper and/or lower product guide of the feed unit and/or a number of cuts per minute by the cutting unit can be adapted to the recorded product parameters.

It should also be added that, in particular in the case of a multi-track slicing machine, a plurality of grippers can be present, which can preferably be moved in the feed direction by means of a common drive unit, wherein each of the plurality of grippers can comprise a respective product parameter detection device.

The grippers, in particular all of them, can be arranged on a common gripper unit, in particular a gripper carriage, which can be moved by means of a drive unit of the gripper unit.

• Erfassen wenigstens eines Produktparameters des von einem Greifer der Aufschneide-Maschine gehaltenen Produkt-Kalibers, wobei das Erfassen vorzugsweise an dem Greifer selbst erfolgt, und
• Speichern und/oder Verarbeiten des wenigstens einen Produktparameters zu einem Verarbeitungsergebnis.

With regard to the method for operating a slicing machine, in particular a slicer, in particular according to the type described above, the object is achieved by

• Detecting at least one product parameter of the product caliber held by a gripper of the slicing machine, wherein the detection preferably takes place on the gripper itself, and
• Storing and/or processing the at least one product parameter to produce a processing result.

It should already be pointed out at this point that all effects and advantages described with regard to the slicing machine according to the invention also apply to the method according to the invention and vice versa.

Preferably, the detection of at least one product parameter can be carried out by penetrating at least or at most a predetermined depth into the product caliber, in particular by means of a probe element arranged on the gripper, preferably a needle, or a probe element integrated into a gripper claw of the gripper.

The sensing element can preferably be designed as a force sensor which is configured to output a force signal which indicates a force acting on the force sensor.

Additionally or alternatively, at least one control parameter of the slicing machine can be adjusted on the basis of the processing result, wherein preferably the at least one control parameter can comprise a control parameter for a feed unit and/or a cutting unit and/or a discharge unit and/or the gripper of the slicing machine.

c) Examples of implementation

Figuren 1a, b:

eine bekannte Aufschneide-Maschine in Form eines Slicers gemäß dem Stand der Technik in unterschiedlichen perspektivischen Ansichten, mit in die Aufschneide-Stellung hochgeklapptem Zufuhrband,

Figur 2a:

eine vereinfachte Seitenansicht der Aufschneide-Maschine, beladen mit einem Produkt-Kaliber, die sich in einer ersten Funktionsstellung befindet,

Figur 2b:

eine Seitenansicht gemäß Figur 2a , aber mit in die Beladestellung herabgeklapptem Zufuhrband und bis auf einen KaliberRest aufgeschnittenen Produkt-Kaliber,

Figur 3:

eine Detailansicht von Figur 2b , jedoch während des Abwurfs des nicht mehr aufschneidbaren Kaliber-Rests vom Greifer,

Figur 4:

eine erfindungsgemäße Detailansicht eines Greifers einer Aufschneide-Maschine mit einer daran angeordneten Produktparameter-Erfassungseinrichtung, und

Figur 4a:

eine vergrößerte Detailansicht des Greifers gemäß Figur 4 .

Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. They show:

Figures 1a, b:

a known slicing machine in the form of a slicer according to the state of the art in different perspective views, with the feed belt folded up into the slicing position,

Figure 2a:

a simplified side view of the slicing machine, loaded with a product caliber, in a first functional position,

Figure 2b:

a side view according to Figure 2a , but with the feed belt folded down into the loading position and the product caliber cut down to a caliber remainder,

Figure 3:

a detailed view of Figure 2b , but during the discharge of the no longer cuttable caliber residue from the gripper,

Figure 4:

a detailed view according to the invention of a gripper of a slicing machine with a product parameter detection device arranged thereon, and

Figure 4a:

an enlarged detailed view of the gripper according to Figure 4 .

The Figures 1a , 1b show different perspective views of a multi-lane slicer 1 for the simultaneous slicing of several product calibers K - which are not shown for reasons of clarity - on one lane SP1 to SP4 next to each other and depositing them in shingled portions P each consisting of several slices S with a general flow direction 10* through the slicer 1 from right to left.

Figure 2a and Figure 2b show - with the caliber K inserted - a side view of this slicer 1, omitting covers and other parts that are not relevant to the invention, which, like all other units, are attached to the base frame 2, so that the functional parts, especially the conveyor belts, can be seen better. The longitudinal direction 10 is the feed direction of the calibers K to the cutting unit 7 and thus also the longitudinal direction of the calibers K located in the slicer 1.

It can be seen that the basic structure of a slicer 1 according to the prior art consists in that a cutting unit 7 with a knife 3 rotating about a knife axis 3', for example a sickle knife 3, is fed several, in this case four, product calibers K lying next to each other on a feed conveyor 4 transversely to the feed direction 10 with spacers 15 of the feed conveyor 4 in between by this feed unit 20, from the front ends of which the rotating knife 3 with its cutting edge 3a cuts off a slice S in one operation, i.e. almost simultaneously.

For cutting the product caliber K, the feed conveyor 4 is located in the Figures 1a - 2a shown in the side view, oblique slicing position with a low-lying cutting-side front end and a high-lying rear end, from which it can be folded down about a pivot axis 20` running in its width direction, the first transverse direction 11, which is located near the cutting unit 7, into an approximately horizontal loading position, as shown in Figure 2b is shown.

The rear end of each caliber K in the feed unit 20 is in accordance with Figure 2a each held in a form-fitting manner by a gripper 14a - d with the aid of gripper claws 16. These grippers 14a - 14d, which can be activated and deactivated with regard to the position of the gripper claws 16, are attached to a common gripper carriage 13, which can be guided along a gripper guide 18 in the feed direction 10.

In this case, both the feed of the gripper carriage 13 and the feed conveyor 4 can be driven in a controlled manner, whereby the actual feed speed of the calibers K is brought about by a likewise controlled driven, so-called upper and lower, driven product guide 8, 9 in the form of circulating belts which engage the top and bottom of the calibers K to be sliced in their front end areas near the cutting unit 7:
The front ends of the calibers K are each guided through a so-called product opening 6a - d of a plate-shaped cutting frame 5, with the cutting plane 3" running directly in front of the front, diagonally downward-facing face of the cutting frame 5, in which the knife 3 rotates with its cutting edge 3a and thus separates the excess of the calibers K from the cutting frame 5 as a disk S. The cutting plane 3" runs perpendicular to the upper run of the feed conveyor 4 and/or is spanned by the two transverse directions 11, 12 to the feed direction 10.

The inner circumference of the product openings 6a - d of the cutting edge 3a of the knife 3 serves as a counter cutting edge.

Since both product guides 8, 9 can be driven in a controlled manner, in particular independently of each other and/or possibly separately for each track SP1 to SP4, they determine the - continuous or clocked - feed speed of the calibers K through the cutting frame 5.

The upper product guide 8 is displaceable in the second transverse direction 12 - which runs perpendicular to the surface of the upper run of the feed conveyor 4 - to adapt to the height H of the caliber K in this direction. Furthermore, at least one of the product guides 8, 9 can be designed to pivot about one of its deflection rollers in order to be able to change the direction of the run of its guide belt lying against the caliber K to a limited extent.

Below the feed unit 20 there is usually an approximately horizontal residue conveyor 21, which is located with its front end below the Cutting frame 5 and immediately below or behind the discharge unit 17 and with its upper run transports falling residues backwards thereon - by means of the drive of one of the discharge conveyors 17 against the direction of flow 10.

The slices S, which are positioned at an angle in space during separation, fall onto a discharge unit 17 which begins below the cutting glasses 5 and runs in the direction of flow 10* and which in this case consists of several discharge conveyors 17a, b, c arranged one behind the other in the direction of flow 10* with their upper strands approximately flush, of which the first discharge conveyor 17a in the direction of flow 10 can be designed as a portioning belt 17a and/or one can also be designed as a weighing unit.

The slices S can impinge on the discharge unit 17 individually and at a distance from one another in the general direction of flow 10* of the products through the machine or, by appropriate control of the portioning belt 17a of the discharge unit 17 - the movement of which, like almost all moving parts, is controlled by the control 1* - they can form shingled or stacked portions P by stepwise forward movement of the portioning belt 17a.

Fig.3 shows a detailed view of Fig. 2b , in which the upper product guide 8, the lower product guide 9, the feed conveyor 4 and the gripper 14 can be seen better. The gripper 14 with the remaining caliber KR indicated thereon is shown in a position retracted from the cutting frame 5, in which the remaining caliber KR is thrown off the gripper 14 by releasing the gripper claws 16.

The gripper claws 16 are movable, ie they are attached to a gripper base body 29 of the gripper 14 so as to be movable between an engagement position and a release position.

Fig.4 and Fig. 4a show the gripper 14 of a slicing machine 1 according to the invention with a product parameter detection device 30 arranged thereon. The product parameter detection device 30 is designed and intended to detect at least one product parameter of the product caliber K held by the gripper 14 by means of the gripper claws 16.

In the Figures 4 and 4a the engagement position of the gripper 14, in which it holds the product caliber K, is shown with dashed lines of the gripper claws 16. By opening, ie by moving back, the gripper claws 16, the gripper 14 can be transferred to the release position (solid lines of the gripper claws 16), in which it does not hold the product caliber K, so that the product caliber K can move away from the gripper 14 or be removed from it. To grip a product caliber K again, the gripper claws 16 can again be moved from the release position to the engagement position.

In order to enable the detection of a product parameter, the product parameter detection device 30 can comprise a probe element 32a, which is designed as a needle 32a, which, when the product caliber K is held, penetrates into the product caliber K by at least and/or at most a predetermined depth t.

Additionally or alternatively, the product parameter detection device 30 can comprise at least one further sensing element 32b, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a contact sensor 32b, which is in direct contact with the end facing the gripper 14 when the product caliber K is held.

If the product parameter detection device 30 comprises, for example, the needle 32a described above, the needle can be moved out of the base body 29 of the gripper 14 along a feed direction V and into the gripper 14 against the feed direction V by means of a suitable drive device 34.

The scanning element in the form of the needle 32a can be intended to act as a force sensor which is set up to output a force signal which indicates a force acting on the force sensor, i.e. the needle 32a. If the needle 32a penetrates into the product caliber K along the feed direction V, it is possible to obtain a force-displacement curve from the force signal which indicates the force acting on the needle 32a as a function of a distance, for example the penetration depth t into the product caliber K.

This makes it possible, for example, to determine the frost thickness of the product caliber K using the force-displacement curve. If the caliber is frozen in its outer area, a first, higher force will be required to pass through the frozen area and will be measured during penetration, while further penetration into the non-frozen inner area only requires a second, lower force, which is lower than the first force.

In order to be able to analyze the product parameters recorded by the product parameter recording device 30, ie to store them and/or process them to produce a processing result, the product parameter recording device 30, in particular the needle 32a and/or the contact sensor 32b, is in signal connection with a product parameter analysis device 40, which is only shown schematically in Figures 4 and 4a . The product parameter analysis device 40 can also be in signal connection with the controller 1* or can also be integrated into it.

The product parameter analysis device 40 can generate the processing result on the basis of the product parameters recorded by the product parameter recording device 30, in particular create a protocol for quality assurance. Simply storing the at least one recorded product parameter, in particular in the form of a plurality of measured values over a predetermined period of time, makes it possible to check whether the respective product parameter, for example the temperature of the product caliber K, is always within a predetermined, for example permissible or desired, range

Furthermore, the controller 1 * can be set up to adapt at least one control parameter of the slicing machine 1 based on the processing result of the product parameter analysis device 40. It is therefore possible to react to the measured product parameters of the product caliber K based on the processing result of the product parameter analysis device 40 and, for example, to adapt a control parameter for the feed unit 20 and/or the cutting unit 7 and/or the discharge unit 17 and/or the gripper 14.

If the slicing machine 1, as in Fig. 1a , b, comprises a plurality of grippers 14a - d, each of the grippers 14a - d can comprise a product parameter detection device 30 according to the invention, which is in signal connection with the product parameter analysis device 40. In this way, the product parameters of the calibers K of all tracks SP1 to SP4 can preferably be monitored and analyzed accordingly.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

1

Slicing machine, slicer

1*

steering

2

Base frame

3

Knife

3

Rotation axis

3"

Knife plane, cutting plane

3a

Cutting edge

4

Feed conveyor, feed belt

5

Cutting goggles

6a - d

Glasses opening

7

Cutting unit

8th

upper product guide, upper guide belt

8.1

Contact-Trum, Lower-Trum

8a

Glasses-side pulley

8b

Pulley facing away from glasses

9

lower product guide, lower guide belt

8.1

Contact-Trum, Upper-Trum

9a

Glasses-side pulley

9b

Pulley facing away from glasses

10

Transport direction, longitudinal direction, axial direction

10*

Direction of flow through machine

11

1. Cross direction (width slicer)

12

2. Transverse direction (height direction caliber)

13

Gripper unit, gripper carriage

14,14a-d

Gripper

15

Spacers

16

Gripper claw

17

Discharge unit

17a, b, c

Conveyor

17a

Portioning belt

18

Gripper guide

19

Altitude sensor

20

Feed unit

21

Remnant conveyor

22

Remnant remover

29

Gripper body

30

Product parameter recording device

32a, 32b

Probe element, needle, contact sensor

40

Product parameter analysis device

K

Product, product caliber

KR

Remaining piece

S

disc

T

Release agent

P

portion

V

Feed direction

t

Penetration depth

Claims (16)

Slicing machine (1), in particular slicer, for slicing a product caliber (K) into slices (S) and creating shingled or stacked portions (P) from the slices (S), with - a cutting unit (7), - a feed unit (20) for feeding at least one caliber (K) to the cutting unit (7) along a feed direction (10) - a discharge unit (17) with at least one portioning unit (17a) for discharging the slices (S) or the portions (P) in the direction of flow (10*) of the machine (1), - a gripper (14) which is movable along the feed direction (10) and - between an engagement position in which it holds the product caliber (K) and - a release position in which it does not hold the product caliber (K), - a control system (1*) for controlling moving parts of the slicing machine (1),
characterized in that - the gripper (14) comprises a product parameter detection device (30) which is designed and intended to detect at least one product parameter of the product caliber (K) held by the gripper (14), and - the product parameter detection device (30) is in signal connection with a product parameter analysis device (40) arranged on or remote from the slicing machine (1), which is designed to store product parameters detected by the product parameter detection device (30) and/or to process them into a processing result. Slicing machine (1) according to claim 1,
characterized in that - the product parameter detection device (30) is designed to detect a temperature of the product caliber (K). Slicing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims , characterized in that
the product parameter detection device (30) is adapted to - a consistency of product caliber (K)
and or - to detect vibrations and/or shocks acting on the product caliber (K). Slicing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the product parameter detection device (30) comprises a sensing element (32a, 32b) which is arranged on the gripper (14) such that, when the product caliber (K) is held, it is in direct or indirect contact with the product caliber (K), in particular at its end facing the gripper (14). Slicing machine (1) according to claim 4,
characterized in that - the probe element (32a) is designed and intended to penetrate into the product caliber (K) to at least and/or at most a predetermined depth (t) while the product caliber (K) is held. Slicing machine (1) according to claim 4 or 5,
characterized in that - the probe element (32a) is designed as a force sensor (32) which is adapted to output a force signal which indicates a force acting on the force sensor (32). Slicing machine (1) according to one of claims 4 to 6,
characterized in that - the probe element (32a) is designed as a needle (32a) or comprises a needle (32a). Slicing machine (1) according to one of claims 4 to 7,
characterized in that - the sensing element (32a, 32b) is arranged on or in a gripper claw (16) of the gripper (14). Slicing machine (1) according to claim 8,
characterized in that - the gripper claw (16) is at least partially hollow and the probe element (32) is inserted into the at least partially hollow gripper claw. Slicing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that - product parameter analysis device (40) is further in signal connection with the control (1*) or is integrated into it, - wherein preferably the controller (1*) is further configured to adapt at least one control parameter of the slicing machine (1) on the basis of the processing result of the product parameter analysis device (40). Slicing machine (1) according to claim 10,
characterized in that - the at least one control parameter comprises a control parameter for the feed unit (20) and/or the cutting unit (7) and/or the discharge unit (17) and/or the gripper (14). Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that - a plurality of grippers (14a - d) are present, which can preferably be moved in the feed direction (10) by means of a common drive unit, - wherein each of the plurality of grippers (14a - d) comprises a product parameter detection device (30). Slicing machine according to claim 12,
characterized in that - all grippers (14a - d) are arranged on a common gripper unit (13), in particular a gripper carriage (13) which can be moved by means of a drive unit of the gripper unit (13). Method for operating a slicing machine (1), in particular a slicer (1), in particular according to one of the preceding claims, for slicing a product caliber (K) into slices (S) and creating shingled or stacked portions (P) from the slices (S), comprising - detecting at least one product parameter of the product caliber (K) held by a gripper (14) of the slicing machine (1), wherein the detection preferably takes place at the gripper (14), and - Storing and/or processing the at least one product parameter to produce a processing result. Method according to claim 14,
characterized in that - the detection of at least one product parameter is carried out by penetrating at least and/or at most a predetermined depth (t) into the product caliber (K), - in particular by means of a probe element (32a) arranged on the gripper (14), preferably a needle (32a), or a probe element (32a) integrated into a gripper claw (16) of the gripper (14), - wherein the probe element (32a) is preferably designed as a force sensor (32) which is configured to output a force signal which indicates a force acting on the force sensor (32a). Method according to claim 14 or 15,
characterized in that - at least one control parameter of the slicing machine (1) is adjusted on the basis of the processing result, - wherein preferably the at least one control parameter comprises a control parameter for a feed unit (20) and/or a cutting unit (7) and/or a discharge unit (17) and/or the gripper (14) of the slicing machine (1).

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