WO2004004990A1

WO2004004990A1 - Machine for cutting a food product in the form of a chain, cutting method and product thus obtained

Info

Publication number: WO2004004990A1
Application number: PCT/ES2002/000339
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antonio Serrano Pastor
Original assignee: Csc Chain, S.L.
Priority date: 2002-07-08
Filing date: 2002-07-08
Publication date: 2004-01-15
Also published as: AU2002319307A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine for cutting a food product in the form of a chain, the cutting method and the product thus obtained. According to the invention, a thin, rectangular portion of food product (2b) is conveyed into a machine (10) until it is disposed between an upper head (8) and a lower head (11) comprising respective opposing transverse zig-zag blades (9, 12) and between two horizontal lateral straight-edged blades (13, 14) which are parallel to the longitudinal edges of the product (2b). The blade (9 and 12) falls and rises respectively, thereby cutting the product (2b). The lateral blades (13, 14) move towards the product, making two partial mid-height cuts in the longitudinal edges thereof. The product obtained (2b) is stretched at the two diagonally opposing ends thereof and, in this way, adopts the form of a chain (2c) with successively connected, closed links (50).

Description

MACHINE TO CUT A FOOD PRODUCT, CUTTING PROCEDURE AND PRODUCT OBTAINED IN A CHAIN

WITH THE SAME.

The object of the present invention relates to a machine for cutting a food product in the form of a chain, and in particular, a pre-cut portion of a food product such as a tuber, such that the resulting product or chain, a Once cooked, it is more attractive and more salable than other homologous products currently known. The invention also relates to a cutting process and the product obtained with said machine and process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various food product cutting machines are already known that cut the aforementioned products, usually tubers and more specifically potatoes, helically, spirally, arched and sliced. There is a patent in the State of the Art

FR2782940 of 1998, which refers to a method of cutting potatoes or other foods, such as fruits and vegetables, in polygonal forms. The corresponding machine is provided with stationary blades where food passes; The machine deals with handling and cutting them. The cut made by the blades is total in relation to the product, achieving a predetermined shape.

On the other hand, EP0478042 of 1991 is also known which describes a method and a potato cutting machine carried out for the formation of a hexagonal profile of the piece in successive sections. This is achieved through some cutting blades folded and assembled with each other so that they form hexagonal channels through which the potato passes to be cut and formed in that way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUESTED PATENT

The present invention is an innovation in the field of machinery for the food industry, the process for the manufacture of food products and because it has also created a new product not known to date.

It should be noted that today it is a sector that reaps its successes thanks to the image and visual appeal, so that a food that is original is guaranteed success. At the same time, it is not always possible to transfer the original products to the industrial sector, since their cost of production is highly expensive, which means that in some of the cases they must be done manually, at a family level or in some way chef.

The inventors have set out to achieve the aforementioned, to provide a new product, not seen to date, with industrial means for its development, so that this product can now easily be manufactured and sold.

As indicated in the background of the invention, in the State of the Art there are different patents that protect machines and cutting processes, to give a concrete exterior shape to the products, by means of cuts until the end, made by blades that make up a predetermined mold.

These patents allow to acquire figures or variants that are already known to date and that many of them have already been reproduced through pastry molds and the like.

The object of the patent is not only to give a specific exterior shape, but as a result of cuts made by the machine inside the food, it is possible to provide it with a completely new configuration and structure.

In the present invention, as regards the machine, the cuts are not total in predetermined areas, that is, the cuts do not separate the food into two or more pieces.

With regard to the product, it turns out to be new, it is a food in the form of a chain, without any link with a cut and subsequent union, but the whole chain has been made in one piece.

Unlike, therefore, of the cutting machines of known food products, the machine of the invention consists of a machine for cutting pre-cut portions of a food product such as a tuber, for example a potato, in which once it has been made a series of cuts, said portion of food product conveniently stretched will take the form of a chain, with each of its links closed and linked successively. This undoubtedly brings a new attraction to the product obtained, which makes it more marketable and that does not have other products cut and obtained with the machines currently known that only provide loose parts of the food product in question.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the description that follows, seven sheets of drawings are attached in which: __ Figure 1 illustrates an overview, in plan, of a food product cutting facility using the machine of the invention. _ Figure 2 represents another plan view showing the central part of the cutting machine through which the product to be cut passes. _ Figure 3 shows a sectioned elevation section of the same cutting machine. _ Figure 4 is a perspective view of the central part of the cutting machine.

_ Figure 5 corresponds to a partial detail of the blades comprised in the area indicated by

"V" in the previous fig. 4. _ Figure 6 is another sectioned elevation whose left half shows the blades in an inactive position, while the right part of the same figure shows the blades in sharp action. _ Figures 7 and 8 show, respectively, an elevation view and a plan view of the product once cut by the machine, and _ Figure 9 is another plan view illustrating the same product of figs. 7 and 8 once stretched and one forming chain.

CONCRETE REALIZATION OF THE INVENTION

A first positioner is illustrated in Figure 1

1, products 2a to be cut, a pusher member 3, the machine 10, object of the present invention, with its input E and output S, a collecting station 4 and a second positioner 5.

Figure 2 represents the aforementioned machine 10, a base 6, a passageway 7, the inlet E and outlet S, the product 2a, the side blades 13 and 14, carrying members 19 and 20 of the aforementioned side blades, fluid dynamic cylinders 21 22 columns 16.

The base 6, the columns 16, the referred carrier members 19 and 20 of said side blades, with their fluid dynamic cylinders 21 and 22, the product 2a, a frame 15, supports 23 and 24, a lower head 11, some cylinders Dynamic fluids 17 and 18 and an upper head 8 appear in Figure 3. In Figure 4 the side blades 13 and 14 can be seen with their respective carrier members 19 and 20, the passageway 7, the upper head 8, the head bottom 11, grooves 25 and 26, a first longitudinal edge 27, a second longitudinal edge 28, distances DI and D2, an initial section TI, long sections T2 and T3 and a cross section Tn, a layer A, a first layer Al and one last layer An.

Figure 5 shows a lower knives 12 and the lower head 11, having said ^'lower blades 12 about half height in the area corresponding to the air layers A, A's and An and in areas of blades that are included in the Di distance and included in the distance D2, with respect to the rest of the lower blades.

Figure 6 shows the initial product 2a, the final product 2b, the upper head 8, the upper blades 9, the lower head 11, the lower blades 12, the side blades 13 and 14, the carrier members 19 and 20 of the side blades, and a flat P.

In Figure 7 we can see the final product 2b, some cuts at the middle level, some transversal cuts of the upper half 40 and some transversal cuts of the lower half 41. The final product 2b is shown in Figure 8. And the chain 2c with links 50 are drawn in Figure 9.

To facilitate understanding and explanation, the dynamic fluid cylinders 17, 18, 21 and 22 will be called first dynamic fluid cylinder 17, second dynamic fluid cylinder 21, third dynamic fluid cylinder and fourth dynamic fluid cylinder 22.

According to such figures (fig. 1), a first conventional positioner 1 feeding the products 2a to be cut can be seen, which products, for example potato portions previously cut as slices of rectangular shape and of low thickness, access the machine of the present invention pushed by a pusher 3.

The aforementioned products 2a pass to said machine 10 by a side or inlet E of the same and leave, already cut, by the opposite end or exit S of the machine 10, being collected at a collecting station 4 to be then sent to the destinations convenient using respective second positioners 5.

The machine 10 itself (figs. 2 and 3) is arranged on a base or table 6 and essentially has a passageway 7 of the products 2a to be cut in a chain form, which passageway has said entrance E and the said exit S. Flanking the middle of said passageway 7 there is: an upper head 8 carrying a few blades 9, a lower head 11 carrying other blades 12, and two side blades 13,14 located on opposite sides of said pathway step 7.

Said upper head 8 is supported by a frame 15 mounted on columns 16 that rise from the table 6, such head 8 being able to descend and ascend to the initial position by means of a first fluid dynamic cylinder 17

(pneumatic or hydraulic) mounted on the same frame fifteen.

The lower head 11 is supported by said table 6 and is capable of ascending and descending to the initial position by means of a second dynamic fluid cylinder 18 mounted below the same table 6.

The side blades 13 and 14 are mounted on respective carrier members 19 and 20 which, in turn, are coupled to corresponding third and fourth fluid dynamic cylinders 21 and 22 mounted on individual supports 23 and 24 secured in said table 6.

The upper blades 9 and lower 12 (figs. 4,5 and 6) have a general zig-zag shape and, in an inactive position, are retracted in corresponding slots 25 and 26 within the respective head.

Such blades 9 and 12 (as well as their respective grooves) describe an initial section Ti, transverse to track 7, which begins adjacent to a first longitudinal edge 27 of said pathway, is directed towards a second opposite edge 28 without reaching it and leaving a certain distance DI, it is layered in a short longitudinal section Al to continue with another long section T2 and return to the first mentioned edge 27, leaving a distance D2 similar to the distance "DI" and effect a "n" number of trips and coming as described (seven according to the example of the drawings) ending with a long cross section Tn that reaches the second edge 28 of the passageway. A scion of each, except the first and last to the layering An, part a corresponding ^'long stretch T3 that reaches the distal edge. Note the particularity that the zigzag paths of both blades 9 and 12 and their corresponding grooves 25 and 26 are analogous, but opposed.

On the other hand, the side blades 13 and 14 are horizontal, they have a straight edge parallel to said edges 27 and 28 of the passageway 7 and, in an inactive position, their edge is separated from said edges. Likewise, the height of said lateral blades 13 and 14 may be adjustable, so that they can be adapted to the thickness of the products 2a.

Said blades 13 and 14 are located at a height, with respect to the plane P through which the lower face of the product to be cut passes, equal to half the thickness of said product 2a.

In operation, the procedure is as follows: a portion of the product to be cut 2a advances along the passageway 7 and is positioned tightly between the upper heads 8 and lower 11 and in front of the side blades 13 and 14 (figs. 2 and 3) .

The upper 9 and lower 12 blades protrude from the slots of their corresponding heads 8 and 11

(figs. 4, 5 and 6) which are activated activated by their respective cylinder 17 and 18 and each make cuts in the product 2a with the described shape of its own zig-zag.

In the area of the blades corresponding to the layers A and in those areas of blades that are comprised in the distance DI and comprised in the distance D2, they deepen only to the upper half and to the lower half of said product 2a respectively .

On the contrary in the rest of the area of the blades, the cut produced by the blades 9 and 12, is a total cut of the product, that is, it completely crosses the product 2a.

The lateral blades 13 and 14 move towards the longitudinal and opposite edges of said product 2a also activated by their respective cylinder 21 and 22 and cut, at the height of the average thickness. entering said edges with a depth substantially equal to the aforementioned distance "Di" and "D2" respectively, and with a length equal to the distance "L" between the first cross section TI and the last cross section Tn of the zigzag blades .

Then, all the heads 8, 11, 19 and 20 and the blades mentioned 9, 12, 13 and 14 return to their inactive position actuated by the respective cylinders 17, 18, 21 and 22, according to a previously programmed order.

The product 2b already cut into a chain

(retracted) is pushed towards the exit S by an incoming product (not shown) that will undergo the same operations.

It should be noted that the performance of the blades described 9, 12, 13 and 14 may follow a certain order of action or they may act all at once. Obviously this last option would mean faster production. In any case, the operation of the cylinders 17, 18, 21 and 22 and, consequently of all the corresponding blades will be governed by an electric or electronic circuit with corresponding hydraulic or pneumatic valves that are not represented so as not to overload the drawings .

The product obtained 2b will have the appearance shown in figs. 7 and 8 where the cut 30 can be seen at the level of the average of its thickness and with said length "L", as well as the cross-sections 40 of its upper half and 41 of its lower half.

By pulling the cut product 2b (fig. 8) by two diagonally opposite ends, as indicated by the arrows, the desired chain 2c (fig. 9) is obtained where all its links 50 are closed and duly linked successively. The attractiveness of the aforementioned product cut in the form of a continuous chain is evident.

It is obvious that the mentioned chain 2c may have a variable number of links 50, for which only the number of layers A and sections T of the upper blades 9 and lower 12 and the length of the lateral blades 13 and 14 will have to be varied.

Obviously, the length of the food product portions 2a entering the machine 10 will also have to be varied.

The present invention patent describes a new machine for cutting in the form of a food product, cutting process and product obtained therewith. The examples mentioned herein are not limiting of the present invention, therefore it may have different applications and / or adaptations, all of them within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1.- Machine for cutting a food product in chain form, in particular a product pre-cut into portions with predetermined shapes and with a predetermined thickness, which machine (10) has an inlet (E) to which said products access ( 2a) supplied by a feeder (1) and an outlet (S) through which the same products come out once cut to a collection station (4) characterized in that being arranged on a base or table (6) essentially presents a passageway (7) of the products (2a) to be cut in the form of a chain, which passageway (7) has said entrance (E) and said exit (S), being surrounded by the medianía of said passageway by: at least one upper head (8) carrying blades (9) describing a zig-zag transverse to said passageway (7), with a part of said upper blades which are of a lower height, with respect to the rest of the upper blades, in the area corresponding to the ac odos and in those areas of blades that are included in the distance "DI" and included in the distance "D2", at least one lower head (11) carrying blades (12) that describe another similar but opposed zigzag that of the blades (9), with a part of said lower blades, which are of a lower height, with respect to the rest of the lower blades (12), in the area corresponding to the layers (A, Al and An) and in those areas of blades that are included in the distance "DI" and included in the distance "D2", and at least two side blades (13,14) located near opposite edges (27,28) of said passageway, horizontal and straight edge and parallel to said edges,

said upper (8) and lower (11) heads with their blades (9,12) being able to descend and ascend, respectively, to produce respective cuts to the product (2a) and return to their initial positions, and being said side blades (13,14) to move horizontally towards the product (2a) to produce respective cuts and return to their initial positions, the movement of said heads and blades being activated by means of actuation. 2. Machine according to claim 1 characterized in that the height of the upper and lower blades, located in the area corresponding to the layers and in those areas of blades that are included in the distance "DI" and comprised in the distance "D2", is approximately half with respect to the rest of blades, upper and lower.

3. Machine according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the actuation means of the aforementioned heads (8,11) and blades (9,12,13,14) consist of fluid dynamic cylinders (17,18,21,22) activated by a control circuit with corresponding valves.

4. Machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the zig-zag described by said blades (9,12) of the upper (8) and lower head

(11) consists of an initial section (Ti) transverse to the track (7) that begins adjacent to one of said edges

(27), goes to the opposite edge (28) without reaching it and leaving a certain distance "DI", it is layered in a short longitudinal section (Al) to draw another transversal section (T2) and return to the first mentioned edge (27) leaving a distance "D2" similar to the distance "Di", said zig-zag making a number "n" of comings and coming as mentioned and ending with a transverse section (Tn) that reaches the second edge (28) of the passageway (7), at the same time as each layer (A), except the first (Al) and the Last layer (An), part a corresponding cross section (T3) that reaches the opposite edge.

5. - Machine according to claim 4 characterized in that the height of said knife elongation (60) is equivalent to the height of the blades (9 and 12). 6. Machine according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said blades (9,12) when in an inactive position, are retramoteadas in respective grooves (25,26) of their corresponding upper (8) and lower (11) heads. one . - Machine according to claim 4 or 5 or 6 characterized in that said side blades (13 and 14) are height adjustable with respect to the machine in question.

8. Process for cutting a food product in a chain form, comprising: providing a pre-cut food product (2a) as a portion or slice by default and of predetermined thickness. make it advance successively by a passageway (7) of a cutting machine (10); place the product (2a) tightly between upper (8) and lower (11) cutting heads provided with opposing zigzag blades (9,12) and in front of side blades (13,14); lower and ascend respectively said blades (9,12) against the upper and lower faces respectively of the product (2a) to cut it • deepening only half of its thickness in the area corresponding to the layers and in those areas of the blades that they are included in the distance "Di" and included in the distance "D2", and

"deepening completely for the rest of the blade areas (9,12); _ advancing the lateral blades (13,14) towards respective longitudinal edges of said product (2a) and making two cuts, at the height of their mediation, entering with a depth substantially equal to a distance "DI" and "D2" of the longitudinal edges (27,28) of the passageway (7) respectively and with a length equal to the distance "L" between the first and last cross section (Tl, Tn) of the same product; return all heads and blades to their inactive initial position and; eject the cut product (2b) to a conventional type collecting station (4).

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that said cutting movements of the product (2a) are carried out in a pre-established order.

10. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that said cutting movements of the product (2a) are carried out simultaneously.

11.- A food product according to The aforementioned procedure that configures a portion as a rectangular slice and of low thickness, characterized in that said product (2b) has such a series of cuts that by pulling through two diagonally opposite points thereof it unfolds becoming a chain (2c) of links (50) closed and linked successively.