Patent Application
20140352505
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to the field of the industrial slicers. More specifically, the present disclosure concerns a slicer for the food industry for cutting products such as meat, poultry, fish or other food products with similar characteristics, including both fresh and cooked products without bones or cartilage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known industrial slicers comprise a lower belt that conveys the product to be cut, an upper belt that has the function of pressing the product as it is being cut so as to keep it in a fixed position with respect to the lower belt, and one or more blades mounted in proximity to the upper belt so as to cut the product into slices, strips or cubes of various dimensions.
The upper belt can be fixed or floating; in this latter case, it is controlled by a pneumatic pressure or by the mechanical pressure of a spring.
The Applicant has observed that one disadvantage of the slicers having a fixed upper belt is to require that the food product to be cut is calibrated (that is, that the weight and dimensions thereof are substantially constant), otherwise the cut pieces will not be uniform and they are not of good quality. Slicers having the floating upper belt, instead, allow to obtain uniformly cut pieces, but they have the drawback that an excessive amount of food product is discarded.
The present disclosure relates to an industrial slicer as defined in the e closed claim 1 and by its preferred embodiments disclosed in the dependent claims from 2 to 7.
The Applicant has perceived that the industrial slicer according to the present disclosure allows to obtain from the food product a number of uniform pieces (for example, having a thickness which is substantially equal each other) and of good quality, reducing at the same time the amount of food product that is discarded. Moreover, it has the advantage to allow to obtain high production volumes.
It is also an object of the present disclosure a method for cutting a food product into slices as defined in the enclosed claim 8 and in the preferred embodiments disclosed in the dependent claims 9 to 13.
It is also an object of the present disclosure a computer readable medium as defined in the enclosed claim 14.
Further characteristics and advantages of the disclosure will result from the following description of a preferred embodiment and variants thereof provided by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring to
The industrial slicer 1 performs the cut of a food product into pieces that can be slices, strips or cubes. The food product can be a piece of meat, poultry, fish or other food products with similar characteristics, including both fresh and cooked products, as long as they are without bones or cartilage.
The industrial slicer 1 comprises:
The frame has the function of supporting the structural and movable elements of the industrial slicer 1.
The guiding and conveying means 7 have the function of conveying the food product to be cut towards the cutting means 4, along a conveying direction X for the food product.
The pressing means 8 have the function of pressing the food product to be cut against the guiding and conveying means 7, in order to keep the food product into a fixed position with respect to the guiding and conveying means 7 as it is being cut arid to allow a precise cut of the food product. Moreover, the minimum distance H1z (see
The cutting means 4 have the function of cutting the food product into a plurality of pieces, according to a configured cutting pitch S, that is set by the user of the industrial slicer 1 before the beginning of the process of cutting the food product; furthermore, the cutting means 4 are configured to cut the food product into a number of pieces that is calculated by the control unit, as it will be explained in further detail below.
In one embodiment, with reference to
It is observed that
Advantageously, the cutting movement of the plurality of blades 4-1, 4-2, 4-3 is an alternative movement in the opposite direction, so as to improve the stability of the food product during the cutting process. The pitch S between the blades 4-1, 4-2, 4-3 is set by the user of the industrial slicer 1 before the cutting process, as a function of the desired thickness of the pieces. It is observed that for the sake of simplicity, eight blades 4-1, 4-2 . . . 4-8 are shown in
The pre-pressing means 3 are configured to exert a pressure value P1 on e food product, by means of a force in a direction Z that is substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction X. In this way the working condition of the food product during the cutting process is simulated, wherein the food product is pressed so as to be kept in a fixed position with respect to the guiding and conveying means 7 and thus it can be cut precisely: this allows the control unit to calculate a dimension of the food product under conditions similar to the actual working conditions, as it will be explained in further detail herein below. Moreover, the pressure P1 exerted by the pre-pressing means 3 allows to reduce the maximum height of the food product.
The pressure value P1 is configured by the user of the industrial slicer 1 before the beginning of the process of cutting the food product and it is kept constant at the value P1 during the cutting process. The value of pressure P1 depends on the type of food product (for example, beef or poultry) and on the type of preservation employed for the food product (for example, whether the product has just left the refrigerator or it is at ambient temperature).
The control unit has the function to contrail the movement of the guiding and conveying means 7, the movement of the pressing means 8 and the movement of the cutting means 4, by means of suitable electric motors.
The control unit also has the function of calculating the dimension of the pressed food product, that is under the conditions wherein the food product to be cut is subjected to the pressure value P1 exerted by the pre-pressing means 3, For example, the dimension of the food product is the height of the food product with respect to the plane defined by the guiding and conveying means 7 (that is, with respect to the plane XY); in the case wherein the height of the food product is variable, the calculated dimension of the food product is the maximum height of the food product.
The control unit also has the function of calculating, as a function of the calculated dimension of the food product and of a configured cutting pitch S, a number of cutting pieces, as it will be explained in further detail herein below.
The control unit also has the function of calculating, as a function of the calculated number of cutting pieces and of the configured cutting pitch S, a cutting dimension of the food product, as it will be explained in further detail herein below; in particular, the cutting dimension is calculated by further taking into account one or more correction parameters set by the user, which depend on the type of food product and on the operating conditions.
The control unit also has the function of setting the value for the minimum distance H1z between the pressing means 8 and the guiding and conveying means 7 equal to the value of the calculated cutting dimension of the food product.
The control unit also has the function of controlling the movement of the guiding and conveying means 7 in order to convey the food product through the minimum distance H1z that is substantially equal to the value of the calculated cutting dimension, as it will be explained in further detail herein below.
The control unit can be mounted on the industrial slicer 1 or it can be external thereto.
The control unit is for example of a programmable logic circuit or a microcontroller which is configured to execute the above indicated functionalities. Alternatively, the control unit can be a micro-processor which is configured to execute software code portions that implement the above indicated functionalities.
In one embodiment, the guiding and conveying means 7 are composed of a conveyor belt 70 arranged in a closed loop on a pair of rollers 7A, 7B, wherein one is the driving roller and the other is the driven roller and wherein the conveyor belt 70 is structured to define the conveying direction X. In this case, the plane XY corresponds to the upper surface defined by the conveyor belt 70. In a similar manner, the pressing means 8 are constituted by a pressing belt 80 arranged in a closed loop on a pair of rollers 8A, 8B, wherein one is the driving roller and the other is the driven roller, and wherein the direction defined by the lower surface of the pressing belt 80 is inclined with respect to the direction defined by the upper surface of the conveyor belt 70.
Moreover, there is a rigid plane surface 9 (for example, made of steel) below the conveyor belt 70, said plane surface 9 being substantially parallel to the plane defined by the conveyor belt 70 and extending in length at least along the roller 8A of the pressing belt 80; in this manner, the food product to be cut is placed on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 70, is conveyed towards the roller 8A, comes into contact with the roller 8A and at that point it is pressed against the conveyor belt 70.
Advantageously, referring to
The oscillation lifting the rotating roller 3-1 undergoes the action of at least one opposing spring (in particular, one spring per arm) that operated in such a manner as to keep the rotating roller 3-1 pressed against the conveyor belt 70.
In one embodiment, the spring is applied to the arm 3-2 in an adjustable manner, in particular it has a plurality of positions for attachment to the arm 3-2 in such a manner as to implement a plurality of values for the pressure P1 exerted on the food product that is conveyed on the conveyor belt 7C and comes into contact with the roller 3-1. The same considerations apply to the spring applied to the arm 3-3.
Moreover, there is a rigid plane surface 10 (for example, made of steel) below the conveyor belt 70, said plane surface 10 being substantially parallel to the plane defined by the upper surface of the conveyor belt 70 and extending in length at least along the roller 3-1; in this way the food product to be cut is placed on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 70, is conveyed towards the roller 3-1, comes into contact with the roller 3-1 which is lifted upwards with respect to the upper surface of the conveyor belt 70 and at that point the food product is pressed against the conveyor belt 70.
The roller 3-1 is lifted upwards with respect to the surface of the conveyor belt 70 (more precisely, following a arc-shaped trajectory of a circle centred on the oscillation axis “A” of the arms 3-2, 3-3) following the height of the food product as it is conveyed along the conveyor belt 7C and passes through the opening 13-2, wherein the food product is in contact with the roller 3-1 that rolls over the food product.
Referring to
In one embodiment, a guiding plate 11 (see
It will be described hereinafter the method for cutting the food product into a plurality of pieces, referring also to
It is supposed that the food product is a piece of meat (e.g. poultry) and that the cut pieces are slices of meat 12-1, 12-2, 12-3.
It is supposed to use the conveyor belt 70, the pressing belt 8C and the rotating roller 3-1.
It is further supposed that the cutting means are composed of twenty blades 4-1, 4-2 . . . 4-20 with the cutting plane Pt parallel to the conveying direction)(and an alternative cutting movement in the direction Y perpendicular to the conveying direction X, wherein the value of the pitch S between the blades 4-1, 4-2 . . . 4-20 has been set at 4 millimetres by the user.
It is also supposed to measure the height of the piece of meat with respect to the plane defined by the upper surface of the conveyor belt 70.
It is also supposed that the user of the industrial slicer 1 has configured the pressure value P1 between the rotating roller 3-1 and the conveyor belt 70, as a function of the type of food product (i.e., the piece of meat is poultry meat).
At time to the piece of meat to be cut is placed on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 7C, to the right of the rotating roller 3-1 in the normal orientation shown in
In the interval comprised between t1 (subsequent to t0) and t2 (subsequent to t1),the piece of meat is guided on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 7C in the conveying direction X (that is, towards the plurality of blades 4-1, 4-2 . . . 4-20).
At time t3 (subsequent to t2), the piece of meat starts to pass through the opening 13-2 defined between the conveyor belt 70 and the surface of the roller 3-1; the piece of meat comes into contact with the roller 3-1 and thus it begins to be pressed at a pressure having a value equal to the pressure value P1, by means of the pressure exerted by the roller 3-1 against the conveyor belt 7C. The control unit calculates a transition of the height of the piece of meat from a value equal to zero to a value greater than zero (for example, equal to 5.3 centimetres) and thus it detects the presence of the piece of meat.
In the interval comprised between t4 (subsequent to t3) and t6 (subsequent to t4) the piece of meat passes through the entire opening 13-2 defined between the surface of the roller 3-1 and the upper surface of the conveyor belt 70; the roller 3-1 rolls over the upper surface of the piece of meat, continues to exert the pressure P1 on the piece of meat and the roller 3-1 is also lifted upwards with respect to the surface of the conveyor belt 70, following the variable height of the piece of meat. The control unit calculates the several values of the heights of the piece of meat pressed at the pressure value P1. Upon completion of this pre-pressing step the maximum height of the piece of meat is lower.
At time t6 (subsequent to t5) the control unit detects that the height of the piece of meat is equal to zero: this indicates that the piece of meat has passed through the entire opening 13-2 defined between the surface of the roller 3-1 and the upper surface of the conveyor belt 70. The control unit then calculates the maximum height Hmax among the values of the calculated heights (for example, Hmax=6.2 cm). It is noted that the values of the heights of the piece of meat are calculated when the piece of meat is pressed, in particular when it is pressed at a pressure value equal to the configured pressure value P1; in this way the working condition of the piece of meat during the cutting process is simulated, wherein the piece of meat is pressed so as to be maintained in a fixed position with respect to the conveyor belt 70 and be cut precisely. Moreover, at time t6 the control unit calculates the number N of slices of meat, as a function of the maximum height Hmax of the piece of meat and of the configured cutting pitch S. For example, let's consider Hmax=6.2 cm and S=4 mm; the control unit performs the division of the value of Hmax by the value of S, obtaining the value N_d=15.5. The value N_d is typically a decimal number, which can be rounded down or up to an integer number, that is to 15 or 16 respectively. Let's assume that the value N_d=15.5 is rounded down to the integer number 15, thus obtaining the number of slices of meat N=15; this means that it is possible to obtain fifteen slices of meat of good quality from the piece of meat, all having a thickness substantially equal to 4 mm, thereby minimising or even eliminating waste (that is, the amount of slices that are not considered to be of good quality, for example because they do not conform to the required thickness).
Moreover, at time t6 the control unit calculates the value of a cutting height for the piece of meat, as a function of the calculated number of slices N and of the cutting pitch S. In the considered example , the control unit performs a multiplication of the calculated number of slices N=15 by the cutting pitch S=4 mm, thereby obtaining the cutting height equal to 6 cm.
As a result, at time t6 the control unit 1 sets the value for the distance H1z between the upper surface of the conveyor belt 7C and the pressing belt 8C (at the point where it is wound around the roller 8A) equal to the calculated value of the cutting height. In the considered example, the control unit 1 sets the distance H1z equal to 6 cm; in this way fifteen blades 4-1, 4-2 . . . 4-15 are uncovered and these blades will allow to obtain N=15 slices of meat (see the subsequent intervals comprised between t8 and t10).
In the interval comprised between t7 (subsequent to t6) and t8 (subsequent to t7) the control unit drives the movement of the conveyor belt 70 and conveys the piece of meat 12 towards the roller 8A of the pressing belt 8C.
At time t8 (subsequent to t7) the piece of meat 12 begins to pass through the opening 13-1 defined in proximity to the blades 4-1, 4-2 . . . 4-20, between the conveyor belt 70 and the pressing belt 80 at the point where it is wound around the roller 8A, wherein the distance H z between the conveyor belt 70 and the pressing belt 8C is equal to the previously calculated value of the cutting height (in the considered example, H1z=6 cm): the food product thus begins to be pressed.
In the interval comprised between t9 (subsequent to t8) and t10 (subsequent to t9) the piece of meat 12 passes through the opening 13-1 defined between the conveyor belt 7C and the pressing belt 80 at the point where it is wound around the roller 8A; the piece of meat 12 continues to be pressed (in the considered example, at a pressure P2 slightly higher than the first pressure value P1) and is then maintained in a fixed position with respect to the conveyor belt 7C. At this point, the blades 4-1, 4-2, . . . 4-15 begin to cut the piece of meat 12 into the previously calculated number of slices N (in the considered example, N=15). The conveyor belt 70 continues to convey the partially cut piece of meat in the conveying direction X; in this manner, the piece of meat continues to be cut by the blades 4-1, 4-2, . . . 4-15, until it is cut completely and thus the number N of slices of meat 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, . . . is obtained (in the considered example, N=15).
It is alo an object of the present disclosure a method 500 for cutting a food product into a plurality of pieces, as shown in
In particular, in step 501 the food product is conveyed over the means 7 for guiding and conveying the product along the conveying direction X.
In step 502 a first pressure value P1 is exerted on the food product and a dimension of the food product is calculated.
In step 503 a number of cutting pieces is calculated, as a function of the dimension of the product and of a configured cutting pitch.
In step 504 a cutting dimension for the food product is calculated, as a function of the calculated number of cutting pieces and of the configured cutting pitch.
In step 505 the food product is conveyed over the guiding and conveying means 7, pressing the food product through the opening 13-1 having the dimension H1z equal to the cutting dimension.
In step 506 the pressed food product is cut into a number of pieces N equal to the calculated number of cutting pieces.
Calculation of the dimension of the food product in step 502 and in steps 503, 504 is carried out by means of software code portions, which executed on the control unit mounted on the industrial slicer 1 or externally thereto.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| MI2013A000882 | May 2013 | IT | national |
