FR2750014A1

FR2750014A1 - Automatic arrangement of slices of fruit in flan case

Info

Publication number: FR2750014A1
Application number: FR9608037A
Authority: FR
Inventors: Luc Pellerej; Michael Regent; Eric Cassin
Original assignee: Inst Creativite Ind I C I
Current assignee: Inst Creativite Ind I C I
Priority date: 1996-06-25
Filing date: 1996-06-25
Publication date: 1997-12-26
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-25
Also published as: FR2750014B1

Abstract

Slices of apple or other fruits are arranged automatically in a circular pattern to prepare a tart. Slices of fruit (5) are placed, vertically, core side down, transversely on a conveyor (40) which carries them towards a carousel (1) positioned above a plate (20). The carousel has many radial fins (11) with compartments between them at least as wide as a piece of fruit. A second set of radial fins (30) is positioned to fit into the compartments in the carousel. Both sets can move up and down a central axis and the carousel rotates. One piece of fruit is placed in each compartment of the carousel, then the second set of fins is lowered to push them out onto the plate. The carousel rotates arranging the fruit in a circle.

Description

La présente invention a pour objet un dispositif de mise en forme du rang circulaire périphérique de fruits découpés en lamelles, notamment des pommes, pour la confection d'une tarte. The present invention relates to a device for shaping the peripheral circular row of fruit cut into strips, in particular apples, for making a pie.

En pâtisserie, une tarte aux fruits, notamment des pommes, comprend une abaisse sur laquelle des lamelles de fruits sont disposées couchées en rangs circulaires concentriques. In pastry, a fruit pie, especially apples, includes a pastry shell on which fruit slices are arranged lying in concentric circular rows.

Dans le domaine de la pâtisserie industrielle la principale difficulté de confection d'une tarte aux fruits consiste en la répartition uniforme des lamelles de fruits, et plus particulièrement en ce qui concerne le rang circulaire extérieur. In the industrial pastry sector, the main difficulty in making a fruit tart consists of the uniform distribution of the fruit strips, and more particularly with regard to the outer circular rank.

La présente invention a pour but de remédier à cet inconvénient en proposant un dispositif, de conception simple, permettant de réaliser automatiquement et rapidement une répartition uniforme des lamelles de fruits en un rang circulaire. The object of the present invention is to remedy this drawback by proposing a device, of simple design, making it possible to automatically and quickly produce a uniform distribution of the fruit strips in a circular row.

Le dispositif objet de la présente invention se caractérise essentiellement en ce qu'il comprend d'une part, au-dessus d'un plateau mobile en translation verticale et sur lequel est posé un support, un carrousel monté en rotation autour d'un axe vertical, qui comporte des compartiments radiaux audit axe, destinés à recevoir chacun une lamelle de fruit positionnée verticalement bord extérieur sur le dessus et reposant sur ledit support; d'autre part, au-dessus dudit carrousel, monté sur l'axe de ce dernier, un corps muni d'un nombre d'ailettes verticales et radiales égal au nombre de compartiments, lesdites ailettes étant susceptibles, dans un mouvement de translation verticale dudit corps, d'être introduites dans lesdits compartiments; et d'autre part encore, un moyen d'alimentation en lamelles dudit carrousel; et en ce que l'introduction des ailettes dudit corps dans les compartiments pleins dudit carrousel, qui tourne, est synchronisée à la descente dudit plateau. The device which is the subject of the present invention is essentially characterized in that it comprises on the one hand, above a plate movable in vertical translation and on which a support is placed, a carousel mounted in rotation about an axis vertical, which has radial compartments at said axis, each intended to receive a fruit strip positioned vertically on the outer edge on the top and resting on said support; on the other hand, above said carousel, mounted on the axis of the latter, a body provided with a number of vertical and radial fins equal to the number of compartments, said fins being susceptible, in a movement of vertical translation of said body, to be introduced into said compartments; and on the other hand, a means of feeding said carousel with strips; and in that the introduction of the fins of said body into the full compartments of said rotating carousel is synchronized with the descent of said tray.

Selon une caractéristique additionnelle du dispositif selon l'invention, le moyen d'alimentation comprend un tapis de transfert horizontal sur lequel sont posés les fruits préalablement découpés en lamelles, ledit tapis étant bordé, latéralement de deux parois dont l'une est fixe et l'autre flexible, et en extrémité avale d'une paroi transversale entre laquelle et l'extrémité de ladite paroi latérale fixe subsiste un espace dans lequel passent les taquets d'une roue montée en rotation dans un plan vertical et radial à l'axe du carrousel, lesdits taquets poussant chacun successivement une lamelle de fruit dans un compartiment du carrousel, dont la rotation est synchronisée à celle de ladite roue. According to an additional characteristic of the device according to the invention, the feeding means comprises a horizontal transfer mat on which are placed the fruits previously cut into strips, said mat being bordered, laterally by two walls, one of which is fixed and the another hose, and at the downstream end of a transverse wall between which and the end of said fixed side wall, there remains a space in which pass the lugs of a wheel mounted in rotation in a vertical plane and radial to the axis of the carousel, said tabs each pushing successively a strip of fruit in a compartment of the carousel, the rotation of which is synchronized with that of said wheel.

En fonctionnement, les fruits sont préalablement découpés en lamelles qui sont placées verticalement les unes contre les autres sur le tapis de transfert, et la roue alimente le carrousel en plaçant une lamelle de fruit dans chacun des compartiments. Lorsque tous les compartiments sont pleins, l'alimentation est stoppée, puis le corps et le plateau mobile descendent simultanément alors que le carrousel continu de tourner, en sorte que les ailes du corps chassent les lamelles de fruit des compartiments, ces dernières étant déposées et couchées, sous l'effet de la rotation du carrousel, sur le support posé sur le plateau, chacune desdites lamelles couvrant la lamelle suivante. In operation, the fruits are previously cut into strips which are placed vertically against each other on the transfer belt, and the wheel feeds the carousel by placing a strip of fruit in each of the compartments. When all the compartments are full, the feeding is stopped, then the body and the movable plate descend simultaneously while the carousel continues to rotate, so that the wings of the body drive out the fruit strips from the compartments, the latter being deposited and lying, under the effect of the rotation of the carousel, on the support placed on the tray, each of said strips covering the following strip.

Le support peut être une abaisse ou, de préférence, une feuille de carton ou analogue permettant de congeler les fruits mis en forme qui pourront être ultérieurement déposés aisément sur une abaisse. The support can be a depressor or, preferably, a sheet of cardboard or the like making it possible to freeze the shaped fruits which can later be easily deposited on a depressor.

Les avantages et les caractéristiques de la présente invention ressortiront plus clairement de la description qui suit et qui se rapporte au dessin annexé, lequel en représente un mode de réalisation non limitatif. The advantages and characteristics of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows and which refers to the appended drawing, which represents a non-limiting embodiment thereof.

Dans le dessin annexé
- la figure 1 représente une vue schématique partielle en élévation du dispositif selon l'invention. In the attached drawing
- Figure 1 shows a partial schematic elevational view of the device according to the invention.

- la figure 2 représente une vue schématique partielle en plan du même dispositif. - Figure 2 shows a partial schematic plan view of the same device.

Si on se réfère à ces figures, on peut voir qu'un dispositif selon l'invention comporte un carrousel 1 monté en rotation sur un axe vertical 10 et placé au-dessus d'un plateau 2 mobile en translation verticale et sur lequel est posé un support 20. If we refer to these figures, we can see that a device according to the invention comprises a carousel 1 rotatably mounted on a vertical axis 10 and placed above a plate 2 movable in vertical translation and on which is placed a support 20.

Le carrousel 1 est surmonté d'un corps 3 lié en rotation à l'axe 10 sur lequel il peut se déplacer en translation verticale. The carousel 1 is surmounted by a body 3 linked in rotation to the axis 10 on which it can move in vertical translation.

Le carrousel 1 comporte des parois verticales et radiales 11 créant des compartiments 12, tandis que le corps 3 comporte des ailes verticales et radiales 30 susceptibles d'être introduites dans les compartiments 12, une par compartiment, lors d'une translation vers le bas du corps 3. The carousel 1 has vertical and radial walls 11 creating compartments 12, while the body 3 comprises vertical and radial wings 30 capable of being introduced into the compartments 12, one per compartment, during a downward translation of the body 3.

On peut voir également un moyen d'alimentation 4 disposé à côté du carrousel 1 et qui comporte un tapis de transfert horizontal 40 bordé, d'une part latéralement d'une paroi longitudinale fixe 41 placée du côté du carrousel 1 et d'une paroi verticale flexible 42 de l'autre côté rappelée élastiquement en direction de la paroi fixe 41, et d'autre part transversalement, en aval du tapis 40, d'une paroi verticale fixe 43. We can also see a feed means 4 arranged next to the carousel 1 and which comprises a horizontal transfer mat 40 bordered, on the one hand laterally with a fixed longitudinal wall 41 placed on the side of the carousel 1 and a wall flexible vertical 42 on the other side resiliently biased towards the fixed wall 41, and on the other hand transversely, downstream of the belt 40, of a fixed vertical wall 43.

L'extrémité 44 de la paroi fixe 41 et la paroi transversale 43, sont séparées par un espace 45 dans lequel passent, le long de la paroi transversale 43, les taquets 46 d'une roue 47 montée en rotation dans un plan radial à l'axe 10, autour d'un axe horizontal 48. The end 44 of the fixed wall 41 and the transverse wall 43 are separated by a space 45 through which pass, along the transverse wall 43, the lugs 46 of a wheel 47 rotatably mounted in a plane radial to the axis 10, around a horizontal axis 48.

Comme on peut le voir, les fruits découpés en lamelles 5 sont disposés sur le tapis 40, bord extérieur convexe 50 au-dessus, et sous l'action de la poussée de la paroi flexible 42 et de l'avance du tapis 40, dans le sens de la flèche A, les lamelles 5 sont poussées contre respectivement la paroi latérale 41 et la paroi transversale 43. As can be seen, the fruits cut into strips 5 are arranged on the belt 40, convex outer edge 50 above, and under the action of the thrust of the flexible wall 42 and the advance of the belt 40, in in the direction of arrow A, the strips 5 are pushed against the side wall 41 and the transverse wall 43, respectively.

Lorsque la lamelle 5 extrême vient au contact de la paroi transversale 43, elle est poussée par un taquet 46 hors du tapis 40 dans un compartiment 12 sur le support 20, la lamelle 5 suivante étant poussée dans le compartiment 12 suivant, la rotation de la roue 47 et celle du carrousel 1 étant synchronisées. When the extreme strip 5 comes into contact with the transverse wall 43, it is pushed by a cleat 46 out of the mat 40 into a compartment 12 on the support 20, the next strip 5 being pushed into the next compartment 12, the rotation of the wheel 47 and that of carousel 1 being synchronized.

Lorsque chacun des compartiments 12 du carrousel renferme une lamelle de fruit 5, l'alimentation est stoppée, puis le plateau 2 descend, tandis que les ailettes 30 du corps 3 pénètrent dans les compartiments afin de pousser les lamelles 5, car celles-ci peuvent éventuellement restées collées aux parois 11, enfin les lamelles 5 sortent du carrousel 1 et, du fait de la rotation de celui-ci, sont couchées sur le support 20. When each of the compartments 12 of the carousel contains a strip of fruit 5, the feeding is stopped, then the plate 2 descends, while the fins 30 of the body 3 penetrate into the compartments in order to push the strips 5, because these can optionally remained stuck to the walls 11, finally the strips 5 come out of the carousel 1 and, due to the rotation of the latter, are lying on the support 20.

Il va de soi que la présente invention ne saurait être limitée à la description qui précède d'un de ses modes de réalisation, susceptible de subir un certain nombre de modifications sans pour autant sortir du cadre de l'invention. It goes without saying that the present invention cannot be limited to the preceding description of one of its embodiments, capable of undergoing a certain number of modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1) Device for shaping the peripheral circular row of fruit cut into strips, in particular apples, for making a pie, characterized in that it comprises on the one hand, above a tray (2 ) movable in vertical translation and on which is placed a support (20), a carousel (1) rotatably mounted about a vertical axis (10), and comprising compartments (12) radial to said axis (10), intended for each receiving a strip (5) of fruit positioned vertically on the outer edge on the top and resting on said support (20); on the other hand, above said carousel (1), mounted on the axis (10) of the latter, a body (3) provided with a number of vertical and radial fins (30) equal to the number of compartments (12), said fins (30) being capable, in a vertical translational movement of said body (3), of being introduced into said compartments (12); and on the other hand, a supply means (4) for said carousel (1) in strips (5); and in that the introduction of the fins (30) of said body (3) into the compartments (12) full of said carousel (1), which rotates, is synchronized with the descent of said tray (2).

2) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the supply means (4) comprises a horizontal transfer mat (40) on which are placed the fruits previously cut into strips (5), said mat (40) being bordered, laterally of two walls (41, 42) one of which (41) is fixed and the other (42) flexible, and at the downstream end of a transverse wall (43) between which and the end (44) of said fixed side wall (41) remains a space (45) in which pass the lugs (46) of a wheel (47) rotatably mounted in a vertical plane and radial to the axis (10) of the carousel (1), said cleats (46) each successively pushing a strip (5) of fruit into a compartment (12) of the carousel (1), the rotation of which is synchronized with that of said wheel (47).

3) Device according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that the support (20) is a drop.

4) Device according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that the support (20) is a cardboard sheet or the like for freezing the shaped fruit which can be subsequently deposited on a roll.