WO2017008936A1

WO2017008936A1 - Vacuum gripper comprising a cylinder

Info

Publication number: WO2017008936A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/060831
Authority: WO
Inventors: Winfried Hörberg
Original assignee: Gea Food Solutions Germany Gmbh
Priority date: 2015-07-16
Filing date: 2016-05-13
Publication date: 2017-01-19
Also published as: EP3322561A1; EP3322561B1; ES2751012T3

Abstract

The invention relates to a gripper for use in a cutting machine, in particular a high-performance cutting machine; said gripper can reversibly engage an end of a food product. The invention further relates to a method for cutting food products.

Description

Vacuum gripper with a cylinder

The present invention relates to a gripper for use in a cutting machine, in particular a heavy duty cutting machine, which can be reversibly engaged with one end of a food product. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for slicing food products.

Such grippers are known from the prior art, for example DE 100 24 913, EP 2 095 919 B1, EP 2 388 1 12, DE 10 2010 038 931 B4 and EP 2 535 299 B1 and are used in high-performance cutting machines in which food product, e.g. As meat, sausage and / or cheese bars are cut into food slices used. In this case, the gripper is engaged before or during the slicing of the food product with its end, for example, to guide this tail when cutting, stabilize and / or to dispose of an end piece that can not be further cut or not cut , The connection between the gripper and the food product is generated in each case by a negative pressure. However, the grippers according to the prior art have the disadvantage that they are elaborately constructed and / or generate much exhaust air

It was therefore the object of the present invention to provide a gripper which does not have the disadvantages of the prior art.

The object is achieved with a gripper for use in a cutting machine, in particular a high-performance cutting machine, before and / or during the

Slicing a food product at least intermittently and reversibly into engagement with the end of the food product, the gripper having a vacuum chamber in which a vacuum is applied holding the food product to the gripper, wherein a cylinder generates the negative pressure and the cylinder has a first and second a second connection, which are selectively, in particular alternately, connected to the vacuum chamber.

The statements made on this subject of the present invention apply equally to the other objects of the present invention and vice versa.

The present invention relates to a gripper for use in cutting machines, in particular a high-performance cutting machine, in which food products are cut into food slices. This gripper is reversibly with a food product, for example, with one end, in engagement and fixed and / or performs this particular when slicing the last food slices of Food product. Furthermore, the gripper holds the remnant and leads it, for example, via a disposal chute, where it is detached from the gripper and falls into a disposal chute.

According to the invention, the gripper has a vacuum chamber, in which a negative pressure is applied, which holds the food product on the gripper. According to the present invention, this negative pressure is generated with a cylinder, said cylinder having a first and a second gas-side port, which are selectively, in particular alternately connected to the vacuum chamber. This allows a nearly continuous readjustment of the negative pressure in the vacuum chamber.

The statements made on this subject of the present invention apply equally to the other objects of the present invention or vice versa.

The cylinder has a piston which is moved along the cylinder and thereby generates a negative pressure. Preferably, the piston is driven. Preferably, the drive of the piston is controlled by a sensor, for example a pressure sensor, which measures the negative pressure in the pressure chamber and moves the piston as soon as the negative pressure falls below a desired value. Preferably, the drive reciprocates the piston between two endpoints.

Preferably, at least one valve is provided at the connections, which opens and closes them and / or connects them to the environment or to the pressure chamber.

According to a further inventive subject matter of the present invention, each gripper has at least two cylinders which generate the negative pressure and which are selectively connected, in particular alternately, to the vacuum chamber.

Preferably, each cylinder has a first and a second gas-side connection. These ports may each be connected to the vacuum chamber and / or to the environment. As a result, these connections can be used either for generating the negative pressure in the vacuum chamber and / or for loading and / or venting a cylinder.

Each cylinder has a piston rod which moves within the cylinder along the central axis thereof. The movement generates a negative pressure at one of the gas-side connections and an overpressure at the other gas-side connection. Preferably, the cylinder separates the two ports so that different pressures can be applied to the ports within a cylinder.

In the event that the gripper has a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder preferably has its own drive. With this drive, the cylinders can be driven uniformly but also at least temporarily differently. This makes it possible, for example, in a gripper with two cylinders, a continuous readjustment of the negative pressure, i. to generate a continuous flow of air between the vacuum chamber and the cylinder.

However, according to an alternative embodiment, it is also possible that a plurality of cylinders have a common drive and consequently are driven uniformly.

Preferably, the drive of each piston of each cylinder is controlled by a sensor, for example a pressure sensor, which measures the negative pressure in the pressure chamber and moves the piston as soon as the negative pressure falls below a desired value. Preferably, the drive reciprocates the piston between two endpoints.

Preferably, at least one valve is provided at the ports of each cylinder, which opens and closes them and / or communicates with the environment or with the pressure chamber.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, always a port of a cylinder is fixedly connected to the vacuum chamber and a port fixed to the environment.

A further subject of the present invention is a method for slicing a food product, in which the end of the food product is brought into contact with a gripper before and / or during slicing, wherein a negative pressure is formed in a vacuum chamber between the end and the gripper, and the negative pressure is generated by a cylinder having two ports which are selectively, in particular, alternately brought into communication with the vacuum chamber.

The statements made for the method according to the invention apply equally to the other objects of the present invention and vice versa.

In the method according to the invention, a food product is sliced. In this case, a knife, in particular a rotating knife, separates food slices from one end, for example the front end of the food product from. The opposite, rear end of the food product is brought into contact with the gripper before and / or during the slicing and connected to it in a positive and / or non-positive manner. According to the present invention, the frictional connection between the gripper and the food product takes place through a vacuum chamber, in which a negative pressure is applied, which holds the food product to the gripper.

In the method according to the invention, the negative pressure is now generated by a cylinder having two ports, which are selectively, in particular, alternately brought into connection with the vacuum chamber. For this purpose, a slicing apparatus has, for example, a controller and a plurality of valves which are controllable such that either the one or the other connection is connected to the negative pressure chamber on the gas side and thus the negative pressure in the negative pressure chamber can be maintained at a certain level. The switching between the two terminals can be controlled, for example, by a sensor which detects the position of a piston within the cylinder. Alternatively or additionally, the negative pressure in the vacuum chamber can be measured, and should it not be possible to keep this negative pressure to a certain level, the changeover can take place from one connection to the other.

Another object of the present invention is a gripper with at least two cylinders, wherein one cylinder drives the other cylinder.

The statements made on this subject of the present invention apply equally to the other objects and vice versa.

Preferably, the two piston rods of the cylinder are connected together.

Yet another object of the present invention is a method for slicing a food product in which the end of the food product is brought into contact with a gripper before and / or during slicing, wherein a negative pressure is formed in a vacuum chamber between the end and the gripper. in which the negative pressure of at least two cylinders is generated, which are selectively brought into connection with the vacuum chamber.

In this method according to the invention, two cylinders are available, which are selectively connected, for example alternately, to the vacuum chamber become. This makes it possible to continuously suck an air flow from the vacuum chamber and thereby maintain a certain negative pressure in the vacuum chamber upright. Preferably, the cylinders are alternately brought into communication with the vacuum chamber.

Each cylinder has a piston which is moved along the central axis of the cylinder and thereby generates a negative pressure. Preferably, the piston is driven. Preferably, the drive of the piston is controlled by a sensor, for example a pressure sensor, which measures the negative pressure in the pressure chamber and moves the piston as soon as the negative pressure falls below a desired value. Preferably, the drive reciprocates the piston between two endpoints.

Further preferably, a negative pressure is generated alternately with the cylinders. According to an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention, a negative pressure is generated at least temporarily at the same time with the cylinders.

Each cylinder has a piston which has a drive which moves the piston along the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. Preferably, the pistons of the two cylinders are driven uniformly and / or differently.

The invention will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. These explanations are merely exemplary and do not limit the general inventive concept. The embodiments apply equally to all articles of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows the slicing device according to the invention.

Figures 2-4 show the generation of the negative pressure

Figures 5 and 6 show a further embodiment of the gripper

FIG. 7 shows yet another embodiment of the gripper 1 shows a slicing device 5. The slicing device 5 has a

Cutting knife 1 1, which cuts a food product 2 in food slices 12. For this purpose, each food product 2 is transported with a conveying means 4, here two conveyor belts 4, continuously or intermittently in the direction of the cutting plane 6 of the knife 11. The lower conveyor belt 4 is at the same time a product support. The

Cutting knife 1 1 is attached to a rotating blade holder 3 and cooperates with a cutting edge 9 cutting, which is provided for example at the front end of a product support 4 and together define the cutting plane 6.

Between the knife 1 1 and the cutting edge 9, a so-called cutting gap is present, which should be as small as possible, but must be so large that the knife does not touch the cutting edge. This gap must be adjusted regularly. This can be done by a movement of the knife and / or the cutting edge. In addition, the cutting edge must be aligned parallel to the knife. After cutting the food slices usually fall on a storage table 1, which is provided with means of transport, such as a conveyor belt or conveyor belt, on which they are each configured to a portion 14, here a stack. The finished portions 14 are then removed from the cutting blade area and then packaged. The slice thickness results from the feed distance of the food product between two cuts. At constant blade speed, the control of the

Slice thickness over the feed rate of the food product. The

Slicing device has per feed path 7 on a gripper 8, which engages the rear end 13 of the food product 2 before and / or during cutting and this during slicing, especially towards the end of slicing, stabilized and the tail, which can not be cut, disposed of , Each gripper is preferably on a gripper carriage (not shown) is provided, the gripper, in particular parallel to the feed direction of the food product, before and

moved back. Each gripper is preferably at least temporarily individually driven.

Preferably, the slicing device is provided in multiple tracks, i. H. that a plurality of food products 2 are cut open by a knife, in particular at least temporarily at the same time or at least temporarily sequentially. For this purpose, the device has for each food product its own track 7, along which it is transported in the direction of the knife 11.

Figures 2 to 4 show an embodiment of the gripper 8 according to the invention, with which a food product 2 is taken. For this, the gripper has a Vacuum chamber 20, which is connected to the rear end of the food product in

Connection stands. Due to the negative pressure in the vacuum chamber is the

Food product reversibly held on the gripper. The gripper 8 according to the invention has in the present case, two cylinders 17, 18, in each of which a piston rod 23, 24 is provided axially movable. Each cylinder has a first and second connection 25, 26, which are separated from each other by the respective piston 23, 24 on the gas side, so that different pressures can rest on the connections 25, 26. In the present example, the vacuum chamber 20 is fixedly connected to the port 26 of the cylinder 17 (see Fig. 2) and the port 25 of the cylinder 18 is also connected to the vacuum chamber 20, it being understood by those skilled in the art

Connecting line is provided a valve with which this line can be shut off. The gripper according to the invention operates as follows:

In a first step, both pistons 23, 24, as shown by the arrows 21, 22, moved in a first direction. This results in the connection 26, a negative pressure, through which a gas flow occurs, which generates a negative pressure in the vacuum chamber 20. At the same time, the air, which is located on the opposite side of the cylinder 23, displaced and discharged, for example, to the environment. The ports 25, 26 of the cylinder 18 are both connected to the environment in the present case. In the present example, the two cylinders are driven uniformly.

Figure 3 shows the so-called switching position in which the two cylinders are in their one end position. Starting from this end position, the movement of the cylinder is reversed in the opposite direction, which in turn is shown by the arrows 21, 22 in Figure 4. In this movement, the connection 25 of the cylinder 18 is now connected to the vacuum chamber 20, so that the negative pressure in this vacuum chamber can be readjusted. The air beyond the piston 24 is discharged through the port 26, as symbolized by the arrow 15, into the environment. In this movement, the two ports 25, 26 of the cylinder 17 are connected to the environment, so that through the port 25 air flows into the cylinder 17 and through the port 26 air flows out of the cylinder.

The person skilled in the art recognizes that the two cylinders can also be driven independently of one another and can also perform different movements. For example, it is possible that the piston 23 of the cylinder 17 performs the movement shown in Figure 2, while the other piston 24 is in the position shown in Figure 3. As soon as the piston 23 approaches the position shown in Figure 3, the piston 24 is already moved out of its position shown in Figure 3 and performs the movement shown in Figure 4. By a corresponding switching of the valves thereby a continuous flow from the vacuum chamber is possible out.

Furthermore, the person skilled in the art recognizes that, with reference to FIG. 2, the connection 26 of the cylinder 18 can also be connected to the vacuum chamber or, with reference to FIG. 4, the connection 25 of the cylinder 17 can also be connected to the vacuum chamber. Assuming a corresponding valve circuit, the volume of both cylinders can thereby be used simultaneously to generate a higher volume flow out of the vacuum chamber and thereby achieve the desired negative pressure more quickly.

Preferably, the slicing device or the gripper on a corresponding control or a corresponding sensor, which optionally

Connection of all connections 25, 26 allowed to the vacuum chamber and / or with the environment.

Figures 5 and 6 show a further embodiment of the invention

Gripper, which in the present case has two cylinders 17, 18 whose piston rod are connected together. The cylinder 17 serves to generate the negative pressure in the vacuum chamber 20. The cylinder 18 drives the cylinder 17 at. For this, the cylinder has a compressed air source 16, which drives the piston rod of the cylinder 18 and thus of the cylinder 17. Thereby, the negative pressure in the negative pressure chamber 20 is generated and maintained. Once the piston rods have reached their top dead center, the vacuum port is exchanged as shown and the piston rods of the cylinders are moved in the opposite direction, as indicated by an arrow. As a result, in turn, the negative pressure in the vacuum chamber 20 is generated.

FIG. 7 shows yet another embodiment of the gripper according to the invention. In the present case, the cylinders 17, 18 are not provided adjacent to each other but in series. Again, in the cylinder 17 negative pressure in the vacuum chamber 20 is generated and the piston rod of the cylinder 18 drives the piston rod of the cylinder 17 at. The optional additional, here right, double cylinder can be used as soon as the piston rod of the cylinder 17 has reached its top dead center. Then, the cylinder 17, here on the right side, connected to the vacuum chamber 20 and there Negative pressure generated. The person skilled in the art recognizes that, however, a double cylinder connected in series is sufficient. Otherwise, the double cylinder on the right works like the double cylinder on the left.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 storage table

2 food product

3 knife holder

4 supporting surface, means of transport of a track 7

5 slicing device

6 cutting plane

7 lane

8 grippers

9 cutting edge, cutting edge

10 product guidance

1 1 knife, cutting knife, circular knife, sickle knife

12 food slices

13 Back of the food product

14 serving, food portion

15 exhaust air

16 supply air, compressed air

17 First cylinder

18 second cylinder

19 airflow

20 vacuum chamber

21 movement of the first cylinder

22 movement of the second cylinder

23 pistons of the first cylinder

24 pistons of the second cylinder

25 First connection

26 Second connection

Claims

claims:

1 . Gripper (8) for use in a cutting machine, in particular one

High-performance cutting machine, which is at least temporarily and reversibly engaged with the end (13) of the food product (2) before and / or during the slicing of a food product (2), the gripper engaging a

Vacuum chamber (20), in which a negative pressure is applied, comprising the

Food product to the gripper holds, characterized in that a cylinder (17, 18) generates the negative pressure and the cylinder (17, 18) has a first and a second port (25, 26), which optionally, in particular alternately, with the vacuum chamber get connected.

2. gripper (8) according to the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that at least two cylinders (17, 18) are present, wherein a cylinder (18) drives the other cylinder (17).

3. gripper (8) according to the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that at least two cylinders (17, 18) are provided which generate the negative pressure, which are selectively, in particular alternately connected to the vacuum chamber.

4. Gripper according to claim 3, characterized in that each cylinder (17, 18) has a first and a second connection (25, 26).

5. Gripper according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that the piston rod (23, 24) of the cylinder (17, 18), the terminals (25, 26) of the cylinder (17, 18) separates.

6. Gripper according to one of claims 3 - 5, characterized in that each

Cylinder (17, 18) has its own drive.

7. Gripper according to one of claims 3 - 5, characterized in that the cylinders (17, 18) have a common drive.

8. Gripper according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that always a connection (25, 26) with the vacuum chamber (20) and a connection (25, 26) is always connected to the environment.

A method of slicing a food product, wherein the end (13) of the food product before and / or during the slicing with a gripper (8) is brought into contact, wherein between the end (13) and the gripper (8), a negative pressure in a vacuum chamber (20) is formed, characterized

characterized in that the negative pressure is generated by a cylinder (17, 18) having two ports (25, 26) which are selectively, in particular alternately brought into connection with the vacuum chamber.

10. The method according to the preamble of claim 9, characterized in that characterized in that the negative pressure of at least two cylinders (17, 18) is generated, which are selectively brought into connection with the vacuum chamber.

1 1. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the cylinders (17, 18) are alternately brought into communication with the vacuum chamber (20).

12. The method according to any one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that alternately a negative pressure is generated with the cylinders.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that with the cylinders (17, 18) at least at times at the same time a negative pressure is generated.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 -13, characterized in that the

Piston (23, 24) of the cylinder (17, 18) are driven uniformly and / or differently.