Patent Grant
11667047
This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 102019134530.8 filed on Dec. 16, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
The invention relates to the cutting of a material to be cut into slices—in particular slices of precise weight—which should be separated as proper as possible.
The production of such slices or portions from an elastic strand material is relatively problem-free if this strand material has the same cross-section over its length and consists of a homogeneous material that can be cut in the same way everywhere, such as an industrially produced sausage strand or cheese strand.
So-called slicers are known for that, which
However, an irregularly shaped piece of meat such as a grown piece of meat does not have these properties, because each of these irregular pieces of meat has a different shape and, in addition, a cross-section that changes over its length and can also consist of materials of different consistency, hardness and elasticity, for example the fat content, the pure muscle meat and/or the surrounding silver skin.
For the purposes of the present invention, the material to be cut is referred to as a piece of meat, without limiting the invention to meat as cut material, so that it can also be irregularly and undefinably shaped pieces of another material.
In this context, it is already known to first deform such a piece of meat so that it has a defined, known cross-section, in particular at least at the end where the next slice is cut off, if slicing is carried out afterwards, at least at the time of cutting the slice—preferably over the entire length.
Then a relation between the adjustable thickness of the slice and the weight of the slice can be set using its usually known or estimable specific weight.
Irrespective of this, the quality of the cut—for example, a fray-free cutting edge of the slice, a constant slice thickness over its entire surface, etc.—is the better, the less pressure in the direction of penetration the blade dips into the material to be cut, the less resistance the material opposes the blade and, in this context, also the more the cut is a tensioning cut, i.e. the greater the tension factor.
The tension factor is understood to be the relation between penetration speed perpendicular to the cutting edge at the penetration point and the circumferential speed of the blade along the blade edge, especially when the cutting edge makes initial contact with the material to be cut.
In addition to the quality of the cut, it is also very important to place the cut-off sheet in the correct position and without wrinkles.
It is therefore the object according to the invention to provide a blade as well as a slicing machine equipped with said blade and an operating method for the slicing machine, with which an optimal slicing result as well as a correct placement of the cut-off slice is achieved, as independent as possible of the consistency of the material to be sliced and especially of the differences in consistency within the material to be sliced.
A generic, rotatable or rotating blade is generally plate-shaped or slightly bowl-shaped and has a curved peripheral edge on its circumferential edge—usually viewed in the axial direction, i.e. towards the main plane of the blade—which is at least partially manufactured as a cutting edge, i.e. viewed in radial cross-section, tapers outwards at an acute-angled cutting angle, which is usually greater than 20°.
To create this cutting edge, the blade is generally sharpened from only one side, which is defined here as the back side. From the plane of the blade, which is defined by the cutting edge, this ground surface, which is part of the rear side, rises radially inwards at an acute cutting angle.
In a state-of-the-art rotary blade, this grinded surface is usually followed radially inwards by a connecting surface which is also at an acute angle to the blade plane, but less than the cutting angle.
According to the invention, on the other hand, a regrinding area of the blade is connected radially inwards to this grinded surface on the back of the blade as a connecting surface, over the entire radial extension of which the blade has the same thickness. This connecting surface therefore runs parallel to the blade plane.
The regrinding area extends in the circumferential direction, preferably along the entire length of the cutting edge.
As a result, when regrinding the grinded surface—provided this is done at the same cutting angle that the ground surface has assumed from the start with respect to the blade plane—the thickness of the blade in the area of the ground surface and the regrinding area does not change and therefore the radial extension of the ground surface does not change, so that the blade always has the same parameters and relations with regard to cutting angle, radial extension of the grinded surface, thickness of the blade, especially at the transition between the grinded surface and the radially inwardly adjoining connecting surface, over the entire regrinding area and thus independently of the state of wear.
Thus, the regrinding area is arranged radially between the grinded surface and another connecting surface, and in particular is directly adjacent to at least one of them, in particular both of them.
In this context, equal or constant thickness means a thickness with deviations that are unavoidable in the manufacturing process of the blade, in particular that the thickness in the regrinding area differs by less than 0.5 mm, better by less than 0.3 mm, better by less than 0.2 mm, better by less than 0.1 mm between the greatest and smallest thickness of the blade in this regrinding area.
These permissible deviations are so small in particular because in the regrinding area the thickness of the blade should in any case be a maximum of only 2 mm, better only a maximum of 1.5 mm better, only a maximum of 1.1 mm.
The radial extension of the regrinding area is max. 20 mm, better only max. 15 mm, better only max. 11 mm.
With the specified thickness of the blade in the regrinding area, this is sufficient for sufficient stability of the blade in the regrinding area for almost all slicing materials in the food sector.
If the blade is a dish-shaped, concave blade, the indentation on the concave front side of the blade preferably begins only radially within the regrinding area, so that the front side of the blade in the regrinding area and up to the cutting edge is a flat surface if necessary.
Particularly with the specified dimensions in the regrinding area, the adhesive forces between the material to be cut and the blade or the slice and the blade are still so low that a proper cut through, i.e. especially without fringes on the cut edges of the slice, and a proper deposit can be achieved.
Since the correct placement of the slice depends on whether the slice is always ejected from the blade in the same way, there is a connecting surface offset radially inwards from the regrinding area, which preferably runs at an angle to the blade plane in the radial direction and thus increasingly moves away from the blade plane in the axial direction and serves as a deflector shoulder which guides the outer circumference of the cut-off slice arriving there away from the blade plane in the axial direction and is intended to produce a defined ejection.
Accordingly, this deflector shoulder also extends in circumferential direction over the entire length of the cutting edge.
The deflector shoulder can bridge the distance in axial direction between the creep area and a further connecting surface located further inwards and axially further away from the blade plane, or it can even project beyond the radially outer edge of this next connecting surface in axial direction and form a deflector bead to ensure sufficient axial extension of the deflector shoulder.
The next connecting surface can run parallel to the blade plane or be inclined to it, i.e. run radially inwards with increasing distance to the blade plane, or have any other, arbitrary design.
Preferably, the deflector shoulder cut in radial direction has a larger deflector angle to the blade plane than the grinded surface, i.e. than the cutting angle, which is usually already larger than 20°, since the slice is primarily deflected in axial direction by this deflector shoulder and less by the grinded surface.
Of the several connecting surfaces spaced apart in the radial direction at different distances from the blade plane—regardless of whether the connecting surfaces are parallel or at an angle to the blade plane—one each can be designed as a deflector shoulder as described above.
The above-described design of the blade can be present both in a sickle-shaped blade, in which the outer peripheral contour of the blade designed as a cutting edge increases in the peripheral direction counter to the direction of rotation of the blade during operation of the latter, and in a blade with a cutting edge which rotates in the form of a circular ring, is closed in the form of a ring or extends only over one segment, i.e. in particular a circular disk-shaped blade.
A circular disc-shaped blade in particular can be plate-shaped, i.e. in particular with a flat front side, or bowl-shaped, with a concave indentation in the center in the front of the blade.
A slicing machine known per se, in which the blade according to the invention can also be used, comprises a cutting unit which has such a prescribed blade, whereby, depending on the basic shape of the blade—sickle-shaped or circular disk-shaped cutting edge—the axis of rotation of the blade, i.e. the blade axis, is stationary during operation or must be moved for penetrating into the material to be sliced.
In addition, a product support is provided on which the product to be cut, i.e. the product, is placed and fed to the cutting unit and pushed forward along the product support during slicing, whereby the support surface for the product to be cut is preferably inclined obliquely downwards towards the cutting unit with respect to the horizontal.
With regard to the method of operating such a slicing machine and/or shaping the cutting edge of the blade, the aim is to achieve the highest possible pulling factor of the drawing cut, at least when the material to be sliced is contacted by the blade at the point of contact.
With a sickle-shaped blade, this can be achieved by shaping the cutting edge in relation to the point of contact between the sickle-shaped blade and the material to be cut, which depends on the shape of the product and the support position.
In the case of a blade with a circular ring-shaped, endless cutting edge, i.e. a circular disk-shaped blade, the blade axis is displaced during operation, usually oscillating, whereby the return stroke serves to bring the blade completely out of the path of movement of the material to be cut when viewed in the feed direction.
However, the movement of the blade should be controlled in such a way that for the blade to dip into the product to be cut, the contact of the cutting edge with the product to be cut is made as soon as possible after the blade has reached the position furthest away from the product support.
Since from this reversal point of the oscillating blade movement, the blade axis must be accelerated from standstill for the forward stroke, the speed in the plunging direction, i.e. perpendicular to the cutting edge, is the lower the shorter the time available for acceleration in this plunging direction and thus also the shorter the distance from the reversal point of the blade axis until the cutting material is contacted by the cutting edge.
The lower the immersion speed, the higher the tension factor, which should be at least 1 to 15.
In order to have enough time to push the cutting material forward for cutting the next slice, the blade axis can be stopped in its oscillating movement at the reversal point, or the movement of the blade axis can be slowed down in the area of the reversal point.
Preferably, at the reversal point of the blade axis, the cutting edge should not be more than 50 mm, better not more than 30 mm, better not more than 20 mm away from the circumference of the material to be cut in order to achieve the desired low penetration speed.
Types of exemplary embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below as examples, with reference to the following drawings which show:
The slicing machines according to
In this case, the product support 12′ is not a simple support surface, but a circumferentially closed form tube 12, which is open on both ends and in which the product P is not only pushed forwards for cutting by a longitudinal press stamp 14, but can also be pressed in the longitudinal direction by this longitudinal press stamp 14 beforehand, so that the product P has a uniform cross-section over the length by resting against the inner circumference of the form tube cavity 15.
The stop plate 16 can be used as a stop in the longitudinal pressing direction 10 for the pressing process. This stop plate 16 can be adjusted to a certain thickness setting d in the form of a distance in the longitudinal pressing direction 10 from the front end, the cutting end 12a of the form tube 12, for cutting off the slices S. However, the stop plate 16 can also be used as a longitudinal stop when pressing the product P by direct contact to the front end face of the form tube 12, since the stop plate 16 has a size that can completely cover the cross-section of the form tube cavity 15 at the cutting end 12a.
The stop plate 16 can either be attached to the base frame 13 and be adjustable in its axial position as shown in
This depends on whether the blade 3 is a sickle blade 3 according to
In the sickle-shaped blade 3, the outer circumferential edge, designed as cutting edge 3a, has an increasing distance from the rotary object 3′ in the direction of travel. At the end of the cutting edge 3a, this largest distance between the cutting edge 3a and the rotation axis 3′ is much larger than the smallest distance between the rotation axis 3′ and the part of the circumference that is not manufactured as cutting edge 3a, as the radial extension of the form tube cavity 15 or the product P.
In contrast to
The latter is particularly important if, instead of a circular disk-shaped blade, it is a segmented circular blade in which the cutting edge 3a, which is concentric with the blade axis 3′, extends over only part of the circumference.
Accordingly, in
In contrast, in the case of
The stop plate 16 is also attached to the blade carrier 2a, since it should move together with the blade 3 oscillating in the first cross direction 11.1, the penetration direction 9, which in this case is perpendicular to the cutting edge tangent 8. The inventive design of the blade 3 is better seen in
However, the simplest version according to the invention is visible in the sectional view of
The plate-shaped blade 3 has a cutting edge 3a in the form of a sharply ground outer circumferential edge, whereby grinding is only performed from one side:
Therefore, the cutting edge 3a is formed by the blade front side 3.1, which is flat in the radially outermost area and thus also lies in the blade plane 3″, on the one hand, and a first surface or grinded surface 4, which is inclined thereto, on the other hand, which runs along the circumference and preferably everywhere along the circumference has the same cutting angle α in relation to the blade plane 3″ and, when viewed from above, i.e. in the direction of the blade axis 3′, also has the same width, as can best be seen in
The radially inner end of the grinded surface 4, which is higher than the blade plane 3″, is followed by a second surface or connecting surface 5 which extends radially further inwards over a so-called regrinding area 4*.
However, the most important thing is that this first connecting surface is parallel to the front side 3.1 of the blade, i.e. blade 3 in radial direction along the regrinding area 4* has the same thickness D everywhere, both in radial direction and circumferential direction within this regrinding area 4*.
This has the advantage that when regrinding the blade 3—whereby the abrasive is always applied to the grinded surface 4 over its entire radial extension, and by material removal this grinded surface 4 is moved further radially inwards towards the blade axis 3′ with a constant cutting angle α—the blade 3 retains the regrinding area 4* in its outermost area the same thickness D over the entire duration of its use, because the maximum regrinding is carried out to the radially inner end of the regrinding area 4*.
Due to the small thickness D in the regrinding area described above, it is obvious that the radial extension of the regrinding area 4* must not be too large in relation to this in order not to impair the stability of the blade in its radially outer area.
A further connection surface 5.1 is arranged radially from the connecting surface 5—which is an annular or partially annular surface—which in this case again runs parallel to the blade plane 3″, i.e. usually also the front side 3.1 of the blade, but is axially spaced from it at a greater distance than the connecting surface 5, which is located in the regrinding area 4*.
The axial height difference between them is overcome by a 6″ deflector shoulder, which is positioned at a deflection angle β to the blade plane 3″, progressively in radial direction.
This deflector shoulder 6″ serves to ensure that the slice S cut off from the cutting edge 3a is not only deflected from the blade plane 3″ by the grinded surface 4 alone and deflected slightly in the axial direction 10—as can be seen more clearly in
This is because the more defined the guidance of the partially separated disk S away from the separation point, the more correctly, i.e. in the correct position and without any creases, the disk S is dropped onto the intended impact point, which is usually located on a conveyor or in a collecting tray.
For this purpose, the deflector shoulder 6″ can also be designed axially longer than the axial difference between the two adjoining connecting surfaces 5 and 5.1 would allow with an unchanged deflection angle β, in that the deflector surface 6″ extends in the axial direction even beyond the radially outer edge of the radially inner adjoining next connecting surface 5.1 and forms a deflector bead 6, which generally runs parallel and concentrically to the cutting edge 3a along its entire extension.
As shown in
The other connecting surfaces from 5.1 can run parallel to the blade plane 3″ or be inclined to it, i.e. radially inwards towards the blade axis 3′ with increasing distance to the blade plane 3″.
Furthermore, the deflector shoulder 6″ between the individual connecting surfaces does not have to be designed as a deflector bead.
As especially
Furthermore,
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102019134530.8 | Dec 2019 | DE | national |
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| 2472876 | Ahrndt | Jun 1949 | A |
| 10710259 | Volkl et al. | Jul 2020 | B2 |
| 20150158194 | Krauss | Jun 2015 | A1 |
| 20180345519 | Völkl | Dec 2018 | A1 |
| 20190160697 | Henry | May 2019 | A1 |
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| 2811903 | Oct 2013 | CA |
| 10 2004 016 615 | Oct 2005 | DE |
| 10 2011 103 462 | Dec 2012 | DE |
| 10 2016 005 443 | Nov 2017 | DE |
| 10 2017 112 177 | Dec 2018 | DE |
| 2799193 | Nov 2014 | EP |
| 2015059016 | Apr 2015 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| German Search Report Dated Oct. 19, 2020 (with English Machine Translation), Application No. 10 2019 134 530.8, Applicant TVI Entwicklung und Produktion GmbH, 15 Pages. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210178620 A1 | Jun 2021 | US |
