The invention relates to a cutting apparatus for cutting a food object and more particularly a cutting apparatus comprising a circular blade being rotatable around a first axis through a centre of the circular blade and wherein the circular blade is also rotatable around a second axis, wherein the second axis is parallel and non-coaxial with respect to the first axis. The invention also relates to a corresponding use and method.
In food processing plants cutting cuts of livestock, such primal cuts of cattle or pigs, into sub-cuts is a process, which is advantageously to be carried out at high capacity, yet at the same time must be carried out with high quality, such as leaving behind sub-cuts of well-determined sizes (such as dimensions and/or mass) and with cleanly cut interfaces. The parameters of high capacity and high quality, however, involve a trade-off.
Hence, an improved system, use and method for cutting a food object would be advantageous, and in particular a system, use and method, which mitigates or overcomes the trade-off, such as enabling simultaneously high capacity and quality.
It may be seen as an object of the present invention to provide a system, use and method, which overcomes the problems mentioned above. Thus, the above-described object and several other objects are intended to be obtained in a first aspect of the invention by providing a cutting apparatus for cutting, such as slicing, a food object, said apparatus comprising:
The system is mainly described with one circular blade, but may be equipped with two, three, four or more blades, which are cutting in the same cutting plane and which are all located around the second axis in a similar way as described in respect of the first circular blade.
The invention may be seen as particularly, but not exclusively, advantageous for obtaining a cutting apparatus enabling high capacity, yet at the same time enabling high quality, such as enabling leaving behind sub-cuts of well-determined sizes (such as dimensions and/or mass) and with cleanly cut interfaces. More particularly, by having a measurement apparatus for determining a position of at least a part of the surface of the object to be cut and a processor arranged for controlling an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis based on the position of at least a part of the surface of the food object to be cut, it is possible to adjust the angular speed to be appropriate at any given angle. For example, a relatively high angular speed (relative to the relatively low angular speed mentioned below) can be applied at angles, such as an angular interval, where the circular blade is not in contact with any food object. This may ensure a high capacity because the circular blade is spending a minimum of time in traversing an angular distance between finishing cutting one food object to initiating cutting of a subsequent food object (such as the same food object at another position of the food object). Furthermore, a relatively low angular speed (relative to the relatively high angular speed mentioned below) can be applied when cutting of a food object is initiated (such as when cutting is initiated and throughout the cutting of the food object), where the angular position for applying said relatively low angular speed is obtained by the measurement device. This may ensure a high quality, in particular by enabling leaving behind a cleanly cut interface. Furthermore, knowledge about the position of the surface may be applied for estimating a mass and/or size of the sub-cut, which may in turn enable obtaining more well-determined sizes.
The cutting apparatus may be arranged for carrying out 60 or more, such as 100 or more, such as 120 or more, such as 180 or more, such as 200 or more, cuts per minute.
The ‘height profile’ of a food object is understood to be determined at least at a position/line/plane where the food object is to be cut. The ‘height profile’ is understood to be a profile as observed when looking along an axis being orthogonal to a cutting plane defined by the first circular blade The ‘height profile’ is understood to be quantitative, such as not merely the shape is determined but also the absolute values (such as corresponding values of heights and positions). Height is understood to be distance to a line or plane, such as a horizontal line or plane e.g. to the surface of a conveyor belt whereupon a food object to be cut is located. In embodiments a surface of the food object, such as the entire food object, is determined (e.g., by determining a plurality of separated height profiles), which may be utilized for determining where to cut, e.g., based on predictions of the sizes of the resulting sub-cuts.
The ‘food object’ may be fish or meat, such as meat, such as meat from cattle or pig, such as a primal cut from cattle or pig. The ‘food object’ may be a fresh food object, such as non-frozen and/or non-undercooled. The food object may also be frozen and/or undercooled. The food object may have a mass of at least 100 gram, such as at least 1000 gram and/or a mass of less than 10 kg, such as less than 5 kg. The food object may have a mass within 0.1-10 kg, such as within 1-5 kg.
The circular blade rotates around its own axis (first axis) and rotates around another axis (second axis), such as in addition to rotation around its own axis (such as at at least 50 revolutions per minute (rpm), such as at least 100 rpm, such as at least 250 rpm, such as at least 500 rpm) it rotates (such as makes a planetary rotation) around another axis. The first axis and the second axis are substantially parallel, such as an angle between them being within 0°-10°, such as within 0°-2°, such as within 0°-1°, such as 0°, such as parallel. The cutting apparatus may comprise one or more actuators or motors, such as one or more electric motors, for rotating the circular blade around first axis and the second axis, such as an electric motor for rotating the circular blade around the first axis and an electric motor for rotating the blade around the second axis. The first axis and the second axis are non-coaxial, such as at least at a plane orthogonal to the first axis and comprising the circular blade, a distance between the first axis and the second axis is at least 1 cm, such as at least 2 cm, such as at least 5 cm, such as at least 10 cm, such as at least 20 cm, such as at least 35 cm, such as at least 50 cm. Alternatively, said distance is at least a distance equal to a radius of the circular blade. A distance between the first axis and the second axis is at most 100 cm, such as at most 50 cm, such as at most 35 cm, such as at most 20 cm, such as at most 10 cm. A distance between the first axis and the second axis is within 1-100 cm, such as within 10-50 cm.
In embodiments, there may be multiple circular blades, such as a first circular blade and a second circular blade, such as N circular blades, where N may be 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 16, such as wherein an angle between the multiple blades next to each other is 360°/N. An advantage of multiple blades may be that a capacity is increased since each blade needs to travel less angular distance between a point in time where a preceding cutting (by another blade) ended and until cutting is initiated. In case of multiple circular blades, the multiple circular blades may be controlled together, e.g., mounted on a common member for rotation around the second axis, or individually, e.g., be operated with possibly different values of angular speed around the second axis.
An advantage of a circular blade may be that a circular blade enables better cutting (such as leaving behind cleaner cutting interfaces) than, e.g., a sword blade. In embodiments, rotation speeds about the first axis and second axis can be controlled individually. A possible advantage of such individual control of rotation speeds is that the cutting action can be fine-tuned for specific applications. The circular blade may be running around the first axis at a constant speed, and the angular speed when turning the circular blade around the second axis may differ according to the location of a food object to cut. In an embodiment the direction of the circular blade running around the first axis is opposite of the direction where the circular blade is moving around the second axis.
‘Measurement device’ may be understood to be any device capable of determining a position of at least a part of the surface of the food object to be cut. For example, the measurement device could be a device for touching, such as being displaced by, the food object, which can thus determine a position of one point of the surface. Alternatively, the measurement device is a device for obtaining a height profile, such as an optical device, such as a laser scanner where the presence of a food object distorts a light line emitted by a laser, which distorted line is seen by a camera, whereupon image processing can yield a height profile of the food object. The position of at least a part of the surface of the food object to be cut may enable determining one or more or all of a first angular position at which the circular blade makes contact with the food object, a second angular position at which the circular blade finishes cutting the food object and a third angular position at which the circular blade loses contact with the food object (upon rotation of the circular blade around the second axis). In other words, the first angular position, the second angular position, the third angular position and/or the fourth angular position (as described elsewhere) may each be dependent on the position of at least a part of the surface of the food object at the position where the food object is to be cut. In particular, the first angular position may be dependent on the position of at least a part of the surface of the food object at the position where the food object is to be cut. Since the food object is not necessarily cylindrical, i.e., the position of the surface at the position to be cut may vary from cut to cut, each of the first, second, third and/or fourth angular position (such as the quantitative angular value) may vary from cut to cut. An advantage of a height profiler (such as a device for obtaining multiple corresponding values of height and lateral position) may be that it may enable determining the first, second and/or third angular position even for irregularly shaped food items. Another advantage of such a height profiler may be that it enables more precisely estimating a size of a sub-cut, such as enables providing information on where to cut a food object in order to achieve a certain size of the sub-cut. The ‘measurement device’ may be arranged for sending or outputting the position of at least a part of the surface of the food object to be cut in, such as in analogue or digital form. The processor may be arranged for receiving the position of at least a part of the surface of the food object to be cut. The processor may furthermore be arranged for determining, such as calculating, the first, second and/or third angular position based on the position of at least a part of the surface of the food object to be cut. The processor is arranged for controlling an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis, e.g., via a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) coupled to an electric motor rotating the circular blade around the second axis.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is arranged for determining based on the position of at least a part of the surface of the food object to be cut, such as the height profile, a first angular position at which the circular blade makes contact with the food object upon rotation of the circular blade around the second axis. A possible advantage is that determination of the first angular value enables controlling the angular speed around the second axis so that it is not too high (such as not exceeding a threshold value, such as a first threshold value) when the circular blade starts cutting the food object. A too high angular speed at this point risks or entails that the sub-cuts do not end up with cleanly cut interfaces and/or that the sub-cuts are not aligned (such as the matter of the sub-cuts having substantially similar, such as similar or identical, relative spatial arrangement as before cutting). Another possible advantage is that determination of the first angular value enables controlling the angular speed around the second axis so that it is not too low when the circular blade is before and/or after the angular position where the circular blade starts cutting the food object. A too low angular speed at before and/or after this angular position risks or entails that the capacity of the cutting apparatus is less than optimal. The ‘first angular position’ is used interchangeably with ‘an angular position at which the circular blade makes contact with the food object upon rotation of the circular blade around the second axis’.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is arranged for determining based on the position of at least a part of the surface of the food object to be cut, such as the height profile, a second angular position at which the circular blade finishes cutting the food object upon rotation of the circular blade around the second axis. One or more possible advantages are similar to those mentioned above for the first angular value (except that ‘first angular value’ is replaced by ‘second angular value’). The ‘second angular position’ is used interchangeably with ‘an angular position at which the circular blade finishes cutting the food object upon rotation of the circular blade around the second axis’.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is arranged for determining based on the position of at least a part of the surface of the food object to be cut, such as the height profile, a third angular position at which the circular blade looses contact, such as wherein there is no longer any overlap between the circular blade and the cross-section of the food object in a cutting plane defined by the circular blade as observed along an axis normal to the cutting plane, with the food object upon rotation of the circular blade around the second axis. A possible advantage is that it enables determining an angular position and a corresponding point in time, at which the remaining part of the food object can be moved, such as conveyed on a conveyor, towards and through a cutting plane defined by the circular blade can be started, such as the point in time at which the circular blade is no longer in the way for conveying of the remaining part of the food object. In other words, this enables starting moving, such as conveying, the remaining food object at the earliest time possible, which may in turn increase capacity of the cutting apparatus. The ‘third angular position’ is used interchangeably with ‘an angular position at which the circular blade looses contact with the food object upon rotation of the circular blade around the second axis’.
Each of the first, second and third angular positions refers to an angular position of the rotational movement of the circular blade around the second axis.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is further arranged for ensuring that an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis does not exceed a first threshold value at the first angular position. This may enable avoiding that the angular speed is too high when the circular blade starts cutting the food object, which may be advantageous because too high angular speed at the first angular position risks that the cut interface is not clean and/or that one or more cut off sub-cuts are less aligned.
It may be understood that the processor may control the angular speed (e.g., rad/second) of the circular blade around the second axis, and that this angular speed corresponds to a (Cartesian) speed (e.g., meter/second) of the circular blade at the point where it contacts the food object. Thus, ‘angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis’ may be used interchangeably with e.g. the ‘speed of the circular blade at the point where it contacts the food object’ where the latter is a speed at a specific angular position, here the first angular position.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is further arranged for ensuring that an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis exceeds and/or increases above the first threshold value after having passed the first angular position, such as between the first angular position and the second angular position or the third angular position. This may be advantageous for ensuring that less time is spent with travelling an angular distance between starting of cutting a food object and starting a subsequent cutting of the same or another food object (such as ca. 360 degrees), which may in turn be advantageous for increasing a capacity of the cutting apparatus.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is further arranged for ensuring that an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis increases, such as increases to a value between the first threshold value and a second threshold value, between the first angular position and the second angular position (such as after hitting the food object and during cutting).
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is further arranged for ensuring that an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis subsequent to exceeding the first threshold value after having passed the first angular position is reduced before reaching the second angular position. This may be advantageous for both ensuring that less time is spent with travelling an angular distance between starting of cutting a food object and starting a subsequent cutting of the same or another food object, such as between starting of cutting a food object and finishing cutting of the same food object, and for enabling avoiding that the angular speed is too high when the circular blade finishes cutting the food object (at the second angular position), which may be advantageous because too high an angular speed at the second angular position risks that one or more cut off sub-cuts are less aligned.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is further arranged for ensuring that an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis increases between the second angular position and the third angular position (such as after finishing cutting, but while the circular blade is still in contact with—and in the way of—the food object).
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is further arranged for ensuring that an angular speed of the circular blade and the second circular blade around the second axis increases and/or is reduced after having passed the third angular position (such as after the circular blade looses contact with—and is no longer in the way of—the food object and until a subsequent cut of the same or another food object is initiated).
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is further arranged for ensuring that the angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis at or before the first angular position is substantially zero, such as within 0-3°/second, such as within 1-3°/second or such as zero (0°/second). This may be advantageous for making sure the circular blade is ready for cutting a food object. For example, if it takes time to convey a food object to a position of cutting, the circular blade can be kept in a position where there is little or no angular distance to the first angular position, so that when the food object is in place, cutting can be initiated in little or no time.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is further arranged for ensuring that the angular speed at the first angular position of the circular blade around the second axis is non-zero. This may be advantageous for minimizing time spent in moving the circular blade to a position where cutting of the food object is initiated and/or for reducing wear and energy consumption (by stopping/starting) of the cutting apparatus.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the cutting apparatus is arranged so that a cut-off part of the food object fulfils a pre-defined criteria, such as thickness (such as wherein slices have a thickness within a range of less than or equal to 10 mm, such as less than or equal to 5 mm, such as less than or equal to 4 mm, such as less than or equal to 3 mm) or mass (such as wherein slices have a mass value within a range of less than or equal to 1000 gram, such as less than or equal to 500 gram, such as less than or equal to 200 gram, such as less than or equal to 100 gram, such as equal to or less than 50 gram, such as equal to or less than 10 gram). Any pre-defined criteria may be a value, such as a thickness value, such as 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, 20 mm, or a mass value, such as 10 gram, 20 gram, 50 gram, 60 gram, 100 gram, 200 gram, 500 gram, 1 kg, optionally with a tolerance, such as an allowed deviation from said value in a negative and/or positive direction of within 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 20% or 50%.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein an angular speed at the first angular position, such as an angular speed profile between the first angular position and the second angular position, such as between the first angular position and the third angular position, is pre-defined depending on the nature, condition and/or type of food product. A possible advantage is that knowledge of the nature, condition and/or type of food product can lead directly to an appropriate or optimal angular speed. ‘Nature’ can be understood as, e.g., fat and/or water content and/or presence of bones. ‘Condition’ can be understood as, e.g., temperature and temperature distribution within the food object. ‘Type’ can be understood as animal, such as poultry, cattle or pig, and/or cut, such as neck, loin, ham, chuck, etc.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the measurement device comprises an imaging system for acquiring image data of the food object. This may be advantageous for enabling determining in a contact-free manner the position of at least a part of the surface of the food object to be cut, such as a height profile of the food object. The image data may be turned into said position or height profile by a separate processing unit or the processor.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the circular blade is a first circular blade, which defines a cutting plane, and wherein the cutting apparatus is further comprising a second circular blade being rotatable around a third axis through a centre of the second circular blade, wherein the third axis is parallel and non-coaxial with respect to each of the first axis and the second axis, and
wherein the second circular blade is substantially within, such as within, the cutting plane,
wherein the second circular blade is rotatable around the second axis. The second circular blade may in general be arranged for operating in a manner similar to the first circular blade.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the circular blade defines a cutting plane, and wherein the cutting apparatus is further comprising:
By ‘conveying’ may be understood conveying along a path, which intersects a cutting plane as defined by the circular blade, such as a cutting area swept by the circular blade, such as wherein the path of the conveyor is substantially orthogonal to the cutting plane at the position of the cutting plane.
According to an embodiment, there is presented a cutting apparatus wherein the processor is further arranged for controlling a conveying speed of the conveyor based on the third angular value, such as the third angular value and the first angular value. A possible advantage is that it enables controlling an improved or optimal controlling of the conveyor, e.g., that the conveyor is not conveying—or conveying only at very low speed—before the third angular value is reached (where the food object is in the way), and wherein a conveyor speed is increased after the third angular value is reached (and the food object is no longer in the way).
The circular blades used in the system may be any circular blades used for cutting food objects, such as circular blades or knives with or without teeth or indentations. Type of teeth if any may be selected in respect of the food objects to be cut. Preferred types of circular blades for slicing meat may be finely serrated blades or toothless circular knives.
According to a second aspect, there is presented use of the apparatus according to the first aspect for cutting, such as slicing (such as wherein slices have a thickness of less than or equal to 10 mm, such as less than or equal to 5 mm, such as less than or equal to 4 mm, such as less than or equal to 3 mm), a food object, such as a fish object or a meat object.
According to a third aspect, there is presented a method for cutting a food object, said method comprising:
It is understood, that cutting of the food object takes place by rotating the cutting blade, such as said rotating of the cutting blade around the second axis is understood to be moving of the cutting blade through the food object and hence cutting the food object while at the same time the circular blade in contact with the food object is rotating around the axis of the circular blade itself, such as the first axis.
According to an embodiment there is presented a method wherein the food object is fresh, such as non-frozen and/or non-undercooled and/or non-crust-frozen, and/or a temperature of the food object is above 0° Celsius. A possible advantage of this is that it allows keeping the food object fresh, which may avoid a reduction in shelf life of the food object. Furthermore, it may enable dispensing with equipment and processes necessary for cooling of the food object.
The first, second, and third aspect of the present invention may each be combined with any of the other aspects. These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.
The cutting apparatus, use and method for cutting a food object according to the invention will now be described in more detail with regard to the accompanying figures. The figures show one way of implementing the present invention and is not to be construed as being limiting to other possible embodiments falling within the scope of the attached claim set.
In more detail, the figure shows an upper graph (a) with angular value (0) on the first axis 742 and angular speed (co) on the second axis 744. The graph furthermore shows an angular speed curve 740 depicted as a function of angular value. The curve shows that an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis 107 does not exceed a first threshold value 746 at the first angular position 230a (where the angular speed is exactly the first threshold value 746). The first threshold value could be at least 100°/second, such as at least 200°/second and/or at most 400°/second, such as at most 300°/second, such as within 100-400°/second, such as within 200-300°/second, such as 250°/second. The curve furthermore shows that an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis 107 increases to a value above the first threshold value 746 after having passed the first angular position 230a. The curve is monotonically increasing until the second angular value 230b, but in an alternative embodiment an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis subsequent to exceeding the first threshold value after having passed the first angular position is reduced before reaching the second angular position. The curve furthermore shows that an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis 107 increases to a value above a second threshold value 748 after having passed the second angular position 230b. The second threshold value could be at least 500°/second, such as at least 650°/second and/or at most 1000°/second, such as at most 850°/second, such as within 500-1000°/second, such as within 650-850°/second, such as 750°/second. The curve furthermore shows that an angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis 107 decreases (in the present embodiment starts decreasing between the second angular position 230b and the third angular position 230c) so the angular speed of the circular blade around the second axis 107 also does not exceed the first threshold value 746 next time a first angular position is reached, such as when a subsequent cut is initiated (note that the next ‘first angular position’ may have a different angular value, because a height profile of the food object may change from cut to cut). In an alternative embodiment where the food object has not reached the cut position, e.g. because of a low conveyor speed or large portion, the angular speed would, after third angular position 230c, be reduced to substantially zero, such as zero, and reach the park position (fourth angular position 230d), a position whose quantitative angular value is given by the height profile of the next cut and arranged so that the first threshold value 746 can be reached in the (next) first angular position 230a. It is noted that the fourth angular position in
In more detail, the figure shows a lower graph (b) with angular value (0) on the first axis 743 and speed (v) of the conveyor 126 on the second axis 745. The graph furthermore shows a speed curve 750 depicted as a function of angular value. The curve shows that a speed of the conveyor does not exceed a first conveyor speed value 752 when the circular blade is at the first angular position 230a (where the conveyor speed is exactly the first conveyor speed value 752). The curve furthermore shows that a speed of the conveyor increases to a value above the first conveyor speed value 752, in fact increases to a second conveyor speed value 754 after the circular blade has passed the third angular position 230c. The curve furthermore shows that a conveyor speed decreases (in the present embodiment starts decreasing at the fourth angular position 230d) so the speed of the conveyor reaches the first conveyor speed value when the circular blade is at the first angular value. In an embodiment the first conveyor speed value 752 is determined by the allowable movement (in distance) of the conveyor when the knife is between the first angular position 230a and the third angular position 230c. Thus, the conveyor speed is determined by the size of the product and rotational speed of the circular blade around the second axis.
Although the present invention has been described in connection with the specified embodiments, it should not be construed as being in any way limited to the presented examples. The scope of the present invention is set out by the accompanying claim set. In the context of the claims, the terms “comprising” or “comprises” do not exclude other possible elements or steps. Also, the mentioning of references such as “a” or “an” etc. should not be construed as excluding a plurality. The use of reference signs in the claims with respect to elements indicated in the figures shall also not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Furthermore, individual features mentioned in different claims, may possibly be advantageously combined, and the mentioning of these features in different claims does not exclude that a combination of features is not possible and advantageous. Use of ordinal numbers, such as ‘first’, ‘second’, ‘third’, ‘primary’, ‘secondary’ and ‘tertiary’, is merely to be seen as an indicator, tag or mark for enabling or simplifying distinguishing, e.g., features or events from each other and does not necessarily imply a ranking. Furthermore, ordinal numbers do not imply the presence of other features, e.g., a ‘second feature’ does not imply the presence of a ‘first feature’ and vice versa and ‘first feature X’ or ‘second feature Y’ can each be replaced, respectively, with ‘feature X’ and ‘feature Y’.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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19156710.6 | Feb 2019 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2020/053570 | 2/12/2020 | WO | 00 |