The present invention relates to a slicing device which comprises a cutting blade which separates slices from the front end of a food product, wherein a means conveys the rood product in the direction of the cutting blade and/or presses it against a support and a gripper grips the rear end of the product. A further object of the present invention is a method for slicing a food product which rests on a support, is conveyed in the direction of a cutting blade and the rear end of which is moved into contact with a gripper.
These types of slicing devices or methods are adequately known from the prior art. In the case of said slicing devices, a food product rests on a support and is conveyed in the direction of a moving, preferably rotating, cutting blade which cuts food slices from the front end of the food product. In this case, the food product is conveyed by a means which is situated above the food product, for example a belt, in the direction of the cutting blade and/or is pressed against the support. In addition, the rear end of the food product is moved into engagement with a gripper prior to or during the cutting process, in particular to stabilize the food product if it has already been sliced comparably near the end and/or to dispose of the remaining piece. The disadvantage of the slicing devices according to the prior art, however, is that the position of the gripper cannot be adapted to the changing caliber of the food product and/or that the drive of the gripper is comparatively costly.
Consequently, the object of the present invention has been to provide a slicing device which does not comprise the disadvantages of the prior art.
The object is achieved with a slicing device which comprises a cutting blade which separates slices from the front end of a food product, wherein a means conveys the product in the direction of the cutting blade and/or presses it against a support and a gripper grips the rear end of the product and the spacing between the gripper and the support is modifiable.
The statements made concerning said object of the present invention are equally applicable to the other objects of the present invention and vice versa.
The present invention relates to a slicing device which comprises a cutting blade which separates food slices from the front end of a food slab. In this case, the food product rests on a support and is conveyed intermittently or continuously in the direction of the cutting blade which preferably rotates. The thickness of the respective food slice is determined by the forward feed of the food slab between two cuts. According to the invention, the rear end of the food product is gripped by a gripper prior to or during slicing in order to stabilize the food product, in particular when the slicing thereof has already progressed comparatively close to the end and/or in order to dispose of the remaining end piece.
It is now possible according to the invention to modify the spacing between the gripper and the support. As a result, for example the position of the gripper is able to be adapted to the food product, in particular to the diameter thereof. The gripper is preferably moved relative to the support, which is preferably stationary and the position of which is modified if need be for loading the slicing device. The gripper is preferably moved perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the food slab, the movement of the gripper in a particularly preferred manner comprising a vertical component. The gripper is preferably driven by motor, in particular by a servomotor.
A further object of the present invention is a slicing device which comprises a cutting blade which separates slices from the front end of a food product, wherein a means conveys the food product in the direction of the cutting blade and/or presses it against a support and a gripper grips the rear end of the product and the gripper is arranged on the means so as to be modifiable in its position.
The statements made concerning said object of the present invention are equally applicable to the other objects of the present invention and vice versa.
The slicing device according to said object of the present invention comprises a means which conveys the food product in the direction of the cutting blade and/or presses it against the support on which the food product rests and conveys it in the direction of the cutting blade. The food product, in this case, is situated between the means the support. For example, the means is a roller, preferably a traction roller. However, the means is preferably a conveyor belt, in particular an endless belt. Said endless belt abuts against the food product at least sometimes prior to and/or during slicing and presses it against the support and/or conveys it in the direction of the cutting blade. The endless belt is preferably realized as a so-called traction belt, in particular as an endless traction belt, i.e. its surface facing the food product interacts in a frictional, form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner with the endless belt. According to the invention, the gripper is arranged on the means, for example the endless belt, in particular the endless traction belt. The means, in particular the endless belt, conveys the gripper in the direction of the cutting blade and away from said cutting blade. The gripper, in this case, preferably completes, at least substantially, preferably totally, the same path as the means. In addition according to the invention, the gripper is arranged so as to be modifiable in its position relative to the means. The gripper can preferably be moved perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the means, with a movement component in the direction of the support and away from said support, i.e. preferably 90° with respect to the conveying direction of the means. The gripper is preferably fixed in its position relative to the means until its position is once again adapted to the next food product.
The advantage of the slicing device according to the invention is that the position of the means which conveys the food product in the direction of the cutting blade and/or presses it against a support, is able to be modified without the spacing between the gripper and the support being changed. In addition, the position of the gripper can be better adapted to changing heights of the respective product.
The endless belt preferably comprises a first portion which is arranged relatively close to the cutting blade, and a second portion which is provided farther away from the cutting blade, the second portion being provided at an angle to the first portion. As a result of said angle, the spacing between the support and the top endless belt becomes greater as the distance from the cutting blade increases. When loading the slicing device with a new food product, the gripper is situated as a rule in the second portion and as a result is not in the way of a load or it is also possible to slice food products which project beyond the position of the gripper. Not until the food product has been sliced so much that its end is situated in front of the gripper, is it moved in the direction of the rear end of the food product, catches up with the food product and is moved into contact with it.
The means is preferably arranged above the food product at least in portions so as to be displaceable in the direction of the support. The advantage of said preferred embodiment of the present invention is that the top means is not moved into contact with the food slab until this is necessary or the position of the top means is able to be adapted to the height of the food product. For example, the means cannot be moved into contact with the food slab until the gripper has already been moved into engagement with the rear end of the food product or shortly thereafter. Said embodiment has advantages in particular when the gripper is arranged on the top endless belt and is approached to the rear end of the food product from behind.
A floating bearing, in particular an axial bearing, is preferably arranged between the gripper and the means. Said floating bearing allows the spacing between the endless belt and the gripper to be modifiable. Once the gripper is situated in the desired position relative to the endless belt, it is preferably fixed temporarily in said position.
A further object of the present invention is a slicing device where the means comprises a low-friction surface.
The statements made concerning said object of the present invention are equally applicable to the other objects of the present invention and vice versa.
The means is preferably a roller or an endless belt which is situated above the food product. As a result of the low-friction surface, the means is able to abut against the food product and nevertheless be moved relative to said food product without damaging it.
Yet another object of the present invention is a method for slicing a food product which rests on a support, is conveyed in the direction of a cutting blade and the rear end of which is moved into contact with a gripper where the spacing between the gripper and the support is modified prior to or during slicing.
The statements made concerning said object of the present invention are equally applicable to the other objects of the present invention and vice versa.
Yet another object of the present invention is a method for slicing a food product which rests on a support, is conveyed in the direction of a cutting blade and the rear end of which is moved into contact with a gripper, where the gripper is arranged on a top endless belt and its position is modified relative to the endless belt during the slicing of the food product.
The statements made concerning said object of the present invention are equally applicable to the other objects of the present invention and vice versa.
In the case of said object of the present invention, the top means can be moved relative to the gripper and/or the gripper can be moved relative to the top means. Thus, for example, the gripper can be moved first of all into the desired position and connected to the rear end of the food slab. The endless belt can then be pressed onto the periphery of the food slab without the position of the gripper relative to the food product changing. Once the product has been sliced, the endless belt can then be distanced from the end piece of the food product and the gripper is able to pull it over a waste chute.
The inventions are explained below by way of
The second portion 6.2 is provided at an angle α relative to the first portion. At least the first portion 6.1 of the means 6 is preferably provided so as to be movable in the direction of the support and away from said support. As a result, the spacing between the means 6 and the support can be modified, as a result of which, for example, the pressing force of the means 6 against the food product can be increased and/or the position of the means 6 can be adapted to the height of the product. According to the invention, a gripper 9, by way of which the rear end of the food product is gripped, is fixedly connected to the upper means 6, here the endless belt. The connection is effected in the present case by means of a floating bearing 10.1, here a cylinder 10.1, which is fixedly connected to the endless belt and also makes the movements thereof. The gripper 9 comprises a recess into which the cylinder 10.1 is inserted. The gripper 9 can be displaced in the axial direction of the cylinder 10.1 as well as relative to the same, as a result of which the spacing between the gripper 9 and the endless belt 6 is modified. The expert understands that other means for the linear displacement of the gripper are also possible. The support 7, in the present case, consists of two portions, the rear portion 7.2 preferably being realized so as to be rotatable. For loading the device according to the invention with a new product, the rear portion is preferably transferred into a lowered position and then, as soon as it has taken over the new food product, is raised again. Both portions preferably comprise in each case a conveying means, for example an endless belt, by way of which the food product is conveyed in the direction of the cutting blade. A gap, into which a slide, which functions as a stop, protrudes, is provided between the cutting edge 4 and the support 7.
As soon as the food product 8 has been loaded onto the support 7, it is conveyed by the conveying means of the support 7 in the direction or the cutting blade 3 until its font end abuts against the stop 5. Then or at the same time, the gripper 9, as shown by the arrow, is conveyed in the direction of the rear end of the food product 8, by the means 6, here an endless belt, being turned clockwise (cf.
1 Slicing device
2 Rotor
3 Cutting blade
4 Cutting edge
5 Slide, stop
6 Means, conveying means, traction means, traction belt, top traction belt
6.1 Front portion
6.2 Rear portion
7 Support, bottom traction belt
8 Product, rood product
8.1 Rear end of the product
9 Gripper
10 Fastening
10.1 Floating bearing, cylinder
11 Waste chute
12 Double arrow
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2012 008 428 | Apr 2012 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2013/056639 | 3/28/2013 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2013/164143 | 11/7/2013 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20150122095 A1 | May 2015 | US |