Patent Application
20100089254
This application relates generally to food slicers and, more particularly, to a food pusher for a food slicer.
The basic design of both manual and automatic food slicers has proven to be quite effective and durable throughout the years. Food slicers are utilized to slice a number of food products such as meats, cheeses and the like in a variety of environments such as delicatessens, supermarkets, and restaurants to name a few. Food slicers generally handle a variety of products of different shapes, sizes, and textures and provide slices of different thicknesses.
Gravity food slicers with reciprocating food product tables typically have a feature called a “pusher” that engages the food product on its top surface or end opposite the slicing blade to assist in holding the food product and increase its stability during slicing and movement of the food product table, as well as to urge the food product toward the slicer knife.
It would be desirable to provide a slicer with a pusher that includes features that facilitate product pushing and/or pusher cleanability.
In one aspect, a food slicer includes a support member having a base portion and an upstanding portion. A rotatable cutting blade is secured to the upstanding portion for slicing food product. A food product table is mounted for movement past the cutting blade for holding product while being sliced by the cutting blade. The food product table includes a slide rod. An adjustable gage plate is provided for varying thickness of slices cut by said cutting blade. A pusher assembly is mounted for movement along the slide rod for pushing food product on the food product table toward the gage plate under force of gravity. The pusher assembly includes a weight member and a pusher arm, with the weight member disposed about the slide rod and the pusher arm extending from the weight member. A mass of the weight member is at least 50% of a total mass of the pusher assembly to provide an effective gravity induced movement of the pusher assembly along the slide rod.
In certain implementations the pusher arm may be removably attached to the weight member and/of rotational movement of the pusher assembly about the slide rod axis may be restricted to ten degrees or less and/or a pusher arm support bracket may be located at the outer side of the food product table.
In another aspect, a food slicer includes a support member having a base portion and an upstanding portion. A rotatable cutting blade is secured to the upstanding portion for slicing food product. A food product table is mounted for movement past the cutting blade for holding product while being sliced by the cutting blade, the food product table including a slide rod. An adjustable gage plate is provided for varying thickness of slices cut by said cutting blade. A pusher assembly is mounted for movement along the slide rod for pushing food product on the food product table toward the gage plate under force of gravity. The pusher assembly has a slide rod axis to pusher arm end dimension of at least eight inches, and the pusher assembly configured such that at least 60% of a total mass of the pusher assembly is located within two inches of the slide rod axis.
A food slicer is generally illustrated by numeral 10 of
The food handling portion 12 includes a product table 16, a push assembly 18 and a product table support arm 20. The support portion 14 includes a base portion or member 22, an upstanding portion or member 23, a rotating circular slicing knife or cutting blade 24, a ring guard 25, a knife cover 26, an adjustable gage plate 28 for determining slicing thickness and a control member or operator interface 30 having a gage plate support and adjustment mechanism 32 for the gage plate 28 and control buttons 34 as illustrated in
The support portion 14 also includes at least one motor (not illustrated) positioned within the inside of the upstanding portion 23. If desired, a second motor (not illustrated) may be positioned within the inside of the support portion 14 along with associated structure for automatically moving the product table 16.
The product table includes a front side 80, a rear side 82, an inner or gage plate side 84 positioned proximate the gage plate 28 and an outer side 86 spaced away from the gage plate. The product table includes an upper food support surface 88 with an upwardly extending support wall 90 toward the front thereof.
Briefly, for manual slicing, a food product (not illustrated) is placed on the product table 16, typically in a food product location 92 adjacent the wall 90, with the food product end to be cut or sliced resting upon the gage plate 28 with the product table 16 in its forward position. The operator adjusts the gage plate adjustment mechanism 32 which moves the gage plate 28 with respect to the blade 24 to provide a slice thickness gap therebetween that corresponds to the desired thickness for slicing of the product. The control buttons 34 are then accessed to turn the motor on which in turn rotates the blade 24. The pusher assembly 18 is typically placed at the exposed end of the food product to urge the food product toward the gage plate and cutting blade.
The operator then pushes the product table 16 preferably via a handle 36 or other contact point toward the blade whereby the blade 24 slices the product to the desired thickness. The operator then pulls the product table 16 away from the blade for continued slicing of the product as described above. Automated reciprocal movement of the food product table may also be provided.
Referring to
When installed on the food slicer the gage plate side 84 of the table is located lower than the outer side 86 of the table, placing the food support surface 88 and the slide rod 100 in a downwardly inclined orientation that tends to cause the pusher assembly to move toward the gage plate under the force of gravity. To increase the effectiveness of the gravity feed of the pusher assembly, a significant portion of the overall mass of the pusher assembly is incorporated into the weight member 102, which is in close proximity to the axis 112 of the slide rod 100. In one embodiment, the mass of the weight member is at least 50% of the total mass of the pusher assembly 18. Increased effectiveness of the gravity feed can be obtained by increasing the percent mass of the weight member.
For example, the mass of the weight member may be at least 60% of the total mass of the pusher assembly 18, at least 70% of the total mass of the pusher assembly or at least 80% of the total mass of the pusher assembly. Beneficially, because the illustrated weight member is disposed about the slide rod 100 the mass of the weight member provides an effective coaxial bearing loading. Variations of the weight member configuration are possible. Such variations may desirably be configured such that at least 60%, or in some cases at least 70%, of a total mass of the pusher assembly is located within two inches, or in some cases within one inch, of the slide rod axis. In cases where a slide rod axis to pusher arm end dimension D is at least eight inches, such implementation will again places much of the pusher assembly mass in close proximity to the slide rod axis.
In one example, the weight member is formed of a relatively heavy material, such as steel, and the pusher arm is formed of a lighter, but still rigid material, such as plastic. However, variations in material are possible.
The end portion of the pusher arm 104 may typically include projections 114 for engaging the end face of the food product on the table. Such projections may be formed unitary with the arm or separate from the arm and then attached to the arm.
In the illustrated embodiment, the pusher arm 104 is removably mounted to the weight member 102. Specifically, the weight member includes a cylindrical outer surface portion 120. An attachment end of the pusher arm 104 includes at least one cylindrical surface portion 122 matingly seated against the cylindrical outer surface portion 120 of the weight member. As shown in
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Referring to
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In order to enable the pusher arm to be seated on the bracket 140, a greater degree of rotation may be provided in a direction 160, which is opposite direction 150 of
It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended by way of illustration and example only, is not intended to be taken by way of limitation, and that various changes and modifications are possible.
