Patent Application
20250144834
This application relates generally to food product slicers of the type commonly used to slice bulk food products and, more specifically, to a belt tensioner in such a food product slicer.
Typical reciprocating food slicers have a rotatable, circular or disc-like slicing blade, an adjustable gauge plate for determining the thickness of the slice and a carriage for supporting the food as it is moved back and forth past the cutting edge of the knife during slicing. A drive motor is typically linked via a belt to drive the carriage back and forth during an automatic slicing operation carried out by a controller of the slicer. Existing slicers may have some type of belt tensioner, such as an adjustable pulley and shaft assembly that enables adjustment of a spacing between the pulleys around which the belt extends. However, this system is difficult to adjust to achieve proper belt tension. Improper tensioning can lead to belt slippage (under tensioned) or poor belt/bearing/system life (over tensioned). Additional tools and complexity are usually required to achieve proper bolt torque or to ensure proper belt tension.
In other environments, outside of slicers, it is known to utilize a special torsion spring that engages onto and moves with the belt. However, the high forces and acceleration that occur during movement of a food slicer carriage are not conducive to use of such a torsion spring tensioner.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a slicer with an improved belt tensioner.
In one aspect, a food product slicer includes a base, a knife mounted for rotation relative to the base, and a carriage assembly mounted to the base for reciprocal movement back and forth past a cutting edge of the knife. A drive is linked to move the carriage assembly, wherein the drive comprises a belt and a belt tensioner that is configured to provide a non-linear path through which a portion of the belt passes to tension the belt.
In implementations, the belt tensioner comprises a clamp assembly.
In another aspect, a food product slicer includes a base, a knife mounted for rotation relative to the base, the knife having a cutting edge, a carriage mounted to the base for reciprocal movement back and forth past the cutting edge of the knife and a drive assembly for moving the carriage. The drive assembly includes a movable belt and a component fixed to the belt for movement therewith, wherein the component is linked to the carriage such that movement of the component with the belt causes movement of the carriage. The component is configured to operate as a belt tensioner that includes a non-linear path through which a portion of the belt passes to tension the belt.
In a further aspect, food product slicer includes a base, a knife mounted for rotation relative to the base, the knife having a cutting edge, a carriage mounted to the base for reciprocal movement back and forth past the cutting edge of the knife and a drive assembly for moving the carriage. The drive assembly includes a movable belt and a component clamped to the belt for movement therewith. The component is linked to the carriage such that movement of the component with the belt causes movement of the carriage. A configuration of a clamping engagement of the component onto the belt is such that the belt is tensioned by the clamping engagement, and such that a release of the clamping engagement of the component onto the belt reduces tension of the belt.
In still another aspect, a method is provided for tensioning a belt in a food product slicer that includes a carriage mounted for reciprocal movement back and forth past a cutting edge of a knife. The method involves linking the carriage for movement with the belt by clamping a component onto the belt in a manner that forces part of the belt to follow a non-linear path thereby simultaneously tensioning the belt as the part of the belt takes on the non-linear path.
Referring to
The food carriage 20 includes a tray mounted on a tray arm 26 that orients the food carriage tray at the appropriate angle (typically perpendicular) to the knife cutting-edge plane. The food carriage arm reciprocates in a slot 28 at a lower portion of the housing 12. The carriage 20 can be automatically driven. Here, an internal motor 30 drives a belt 32, which follows a looped path and may include teeth 35 (only some of which are shown here), where the belt is linked internally to a tubular transport part 34 that is connected the arm 26, and the tubular transport part rides along a slide rod 36. In particular, the motor 30 moves an output belt 38 to rotate a gear 42, that in turn includes a drive pulley 44 that is engaged with the belt 32, and the belt 32 also extends about a spaced apart idler pulley 46. In implementations, a spacing between the axes of the pulleys may be between about 400 mm and 500 mm, such as between about 430 mm and 470 mm.
The transport part 34 is coupled to the belt 32 for movement with the belt by a belt connection 50. In this case, the belt connection also operates as a belt tensioner. To this end, the belt connection 50 is formed as a clamping assembly 52 that defines a non-linear path 54 for the portion of the belt to which the clamping assembly is engaged. The clamping assembly includes a bracket segment 52a that is integral with or fixed on the transport part 34, and a clamp plate 52b that connects to the bracket segment 52a such that the portion of the belt 32 is squeezed between the clamp plate 52b and the bracket segment 52a and the belt takes on the shape of the non-linear path. Fasteners 56 are used to connect the clamp plate 52b to the bracket segment 52a, while the belt 32 is already looped around the pulleys in a taught manner (e.g., no material slack in the belt). As the clamp plate moves closer to the bracket segment 52a, per arrow 60, the belt 32 is pushed/moved, per arrow 62, by a protruding part 52b1 of the clamp plate 52b into a recessed part 52a1 of the bracket segment 52a, causing the belt to begin to take on the shape of the non-linear path 54, which increases the overall length traversed by the belt 32 and automatically tensions the belt 32, with tensioning completed when the final position of the clamp plate 52b on the bracket segment 52a is achieved.
In the illustrated embodiment, the shape of the non-linear path 54 is a V-shape or U-shape in side profile. Steeper or shallower V-shapes or U-shapes are possible. Other shapes are also possible. For example, the non-linear path could be an arcuate or other curved path, or the non-linear shape could be any undulating path that includes one or more undulations.
In the illustrated embodiment, the non-linear path 54 is defined between the protruding part 52b1 of the clamp plate 52b and the recessed part 52a1 of the bracket segment 52a. However, the protruding part could be on the bracket segment 52a and the recessed part could be on the clamping plate 52b, or both the bracket segment 52a and the clamping plate 52b could include both protruding and recessed parts that align and correspond to each other to, in combination, define the non-linear path 54.
In the illustrated embodiment, the protruding part 52b1 includes a series of teeth 6464 that engage with the surface of the belt to assist in the clamping operation. However, in other embodiments, the teeth could be eliminated.
In the illustrated embodiment, the non-linear path that results in belt tensioning is formed as a clamping assembly to engage the belt. However, in other embodiments, the non-linear path could be a fixed path into which the belt is manually engaged (e.g., by manual routing), without any clamping operation taking place.
In implementations, the belt tensioner is configured such that a tension of about 10-15 pounds is placed on the belt, such as a tension of about 12-14 pounds.
In implementations, an overall length L54 of the non-linear path 54 is at least 4% larger than a linear path L that the portion of the belt would normally follow in the absence of being routed along the non-linear path.
In implementations, a segment 32a of the belt is movable along a substantially linear path 33 during movement of the carriage and the portion 32b of the belt that is clamped is located along the segment 32a. The non-linear path is configured such that at least part of the portion 32b of the belt is offset from the linear path by a distance D1 that is at least 4 mm (e.g., at least 5 mm or at least 6 mm or at least 7 mm or at least 8 mm, such as between 8-12 mm). For the purpose determining such distance D1, the measurement may be taken form a mid-point of a thickness of the belt part that is clamped to a mid-point of a thickness of the belt part that is not clamped.
It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended by way of illustration and example only and is not intended to be taken by way of limitation. Variations are possible. For example,
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63596018 | Nov 2023 | US |
