Device and method for tempering food, in particular eggs

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) and a method for tempering food along a conveying section. The device (1) is characterized in that a buffer unit (8) is provided in the region between the equipment station (4) and the emptying station (5) of the device (1), the buffer unit (8) having at least two turning rollers (82), a first turning roller (82) being engaged in a first section (26) of the conveying device (2) into an endless conveying chain (24), an endless conveyor belt or the like that moves in the driving state from the equipment station (4) towards the emptying station (5), and a second turning roller (83) being engaged in a second section (27) of the conveying device (2) into an endless conveying chain (24), an endless conveyor belt or the like that moves in the driving state from the emptying station (5) towards the equipment station (4), a first drive unit (6) being coupled to the endless conveying chain (24), the endless conveyor belt or the like in the region of the equipment station (4) and a second drive unit (7) being coupled to the endless conveying chain (24), the endless conveyor belt or the like in the region of the emptying station (5).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a device for tempering food, in particular eggs, along a conveying section, and to a method for tempering food, in particular eggs, using such a device. Background Art

[0002] There is a need for such tempering devices, in particular cooling devices, in order to cool food, in particular eggs, for example after a pre - carried out cooking or pasteurization, or to preheat them to a predetermined temperature in other application cases.

[0003] The food is conveyed along a meandering conveying section through a conveyor. The conveyor is surrounded by a housing on which one or more temperature - regulating units for tempering the conveying space are provided. The meandering conveying section is used here firstly to limit the length dimension of the conveying section and the housing required for its enclosure to an appropriate extent.

[0004] In known devices, it is disadvantageous that in the event of a disturbance, the entire conveying device usually has to be stopped in order to eliminate the disturbance, and only then can the conveying device be put into operation again.

[0005] In particular here, it is disadvantageous that the feeding of the food to the conveying device and also the emptying of the food and the subsequent further processing steps carried out after the emptying also come to a standstill. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of the invention is to further improve a device for tempering food, in particular eggs, along a conveying section in such a way that in particular the filling of the conveying device with food does not have to be interrupted in the event of a malfunction.

[0007] Another object of the invention is to provide a method for tempering food, in particular eggs, which can also continue to operate in the event of a disturbance.

[0008] The device according to the invention for tempering food, in particular eggs, along a conveying section has a conveying device which has at least one endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like driven by a first drive unit, and the endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like defines a meandering conveying section guided along a plurality of turning rollers rotatably fixed on a support.

[0009] The device also has a plurality of holding devices provided on the endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like for holding the food.

[0010] An equipment station and an emptying station are connected to the conveying device. On the equipment station, the holding device can be equipped with food. On the emptying station, food can be taken out from the holding device. The equipment further has at least one temperature control unit, which is fixed on a housing that at least partially surrounds the conveying space. The temperature control unit is used to control the temperature of the conveying space, and food is conveyed through the conveying space along the conveying section during operation.

[0011] A buffer unit is arranged in the area between the equipment station and the emptying station. The buffer unit has at least two turning rollers.

[0012] Here, the first turning roller is engaged in an endless conveyor chain, an endless conveyor belt or the like that moves in the direction from the equipment station towards the emptying station in the driving state in the first section of the conveying device, and the second turning roller is engaged in an endless conveyor chain, an endless conveyor belt or the like that moves in the direction from the emptying station towards the equipment station in the driving state in the second section of the conveying device.

[0013] Here, the first drive unit is coupled to the endless conveyor chain, the endless conveyor belt or the like in the area of the equipment station, and the second drive unit is coupled to the endless conveyor chain, the endless conveyor belt or the like in the area of the emptying station.

[0014] With such a constructed equipment, it can also be achieved in case of interference that the holding device is further equipped with food when the second section of the conveying device stops running simultaneously with the stationary endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like.

[0015] In addition, with such a constructed equipment, it can be achieved that the residence time of food in the equipment is influenced purposefully and thus the temperature control time of food in the equipment is controlled.

[0016] Thus, for example, the energy-consuming temperature increase or decrease related to the size or volume of the food to be temperature-controlled to reach the desired temperature of the food can be replaced by extending or shortening the residence time of the food in the equipment.

[0017] According to an advantageous implementation variant of the present invention, the buffer unit is constructed as a slider, which is arranged to be movable along a guiding tab fixed on a bracket, and the at least two turning rollers are rotatably fixed on the mounting plate of the slider.

[0018] The slider together with the two turning rollers arranged thereon can guide the endless conveyor chain, the endless conveyor belt or the like in each operating state.

[0019] According to an advantageous refinement, the buffer unit has four swivel rollers rotatably fixed to the mounting plate of the slider. The upper two swivel rollers are engaged in the endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like in the first section of the conveyor device, and the lower two swivel rollers are engaged in the endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like in the second section of the conveyor device.

[0020] This implementation variant enables an expansion of the buffer area and thus allows a longer downtime of the second section of the conveyor device, thereby leaving more time for eliminating fault situations without having to completely stop the conveyor device.

[0021] According to another implementation variant, each of the holding devices has a rod pivotably fixed to the endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like, and a plurality of support elements are provided on the rod and oriented parallel and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod.

[0022] This enables: a plurality of eggs (or other foods) to be positioned side by side on the holding device on such a rod.

[0023] According to another advantageous refinement, the conveyor device has two endless conveyor chains, endless conveyor belts or the like arranged parallel to each other at a distance and coupled to the first drive unit and the second drive unit.

[0024] The arrangement of such endless conveyor chains arranged parallel to each other at a distance enables an improved holding of the holding device, and the holding device can be mounted on the corresponding endless conveyor chain at its respective end in the case of two endless conveyor chains arranged parallel to each other at a distance.

[0025] It is also conceivable, depending on the quality of the food to be transported and the width of the transport direction, that more than two such endless conveyor chains are arranged parallel to each other at a distance.

[0026] According to another advantageous implementation variant, the equipment station has at least two swivel rollers arranged one above the other on vertically oriented and vertically oscillating stroke rods, and the endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like is guided by the swivel rollers. The oscillating movement of the stroke rods and the speed of the endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like are coordinated with each other during operation such that the holding device is stationary at a predetermined loading time interval for loading.

[0027] Using such an equipment station enables a simply implementable equipment of the conveyor device with food, especially eggs.

[0028] According to an advantageous refinement, the stroke rod is coupled to the first drive unit and can thus, for example, be precisely coordinated with the speed of the endless conveyor chain with respect to its oscillating movement by means of a suitable transmission ratio.

[0029] In a method according to the invention for tempering, in particular cooling, foodstuffs, especially eggs, using a device as described above, in a first operating state, the two drive units operate in such a way that the at least one endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like is driven at the same first operating speed.

[0030] In a second operating state, the first drive unit drives a first section of the endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like at the first operating speed, while the second drive unit and thus also a second section of the endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like are stationary, and in this operating state, the buffer unit moves from its initial position in the direction of the maximum buffer position.

[0031] In a third operating state, the first drive unit drives a first section of the endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like at the first operating speed, while the second drive unit drives a second section of the endless conveyor chain, endless conveyor belt or the like at a higher second operating speed, and in this operating state, the buffer unit moves back from its position moving in the direction of the maximum buffer position in the direction of the starting position.

[0032] With such a method, it is also possible to achieve the equipment of the conveying device in the event of interference.

[0033] If the interference situation is eliminated, the foodstuffs stored in the buffer area of the conveying device during the interval can be gradually transferred back to the normally operating conveying section by correspondingly controlling the second drive unit, so that a complete shutdown of the conveying device can be avoided. Description of the Drawings

[0034] The embodiments will be explained in detail below with the aid of the drawings. In the drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment variant of the device according to the invention;

[0036] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the conveying device without showing the housing and the support;

[0037] Figure 3 shows the conveying device in Figure 2 the region characterized by III in a perspective detail view;

[0038] Figure 4 shows in Figure 2Schematic side view of the conveying device shown, showing the buffer unit in the starting position and the maximum buffer position;

[0039] Figure 5 Shows the corresponding illustration of the conveying device Figure 4 in which the mounting plate of the buffer unit is omitted and the drive unit is omitted;

[0040] Figure 6 Shows in Figure 5 the detail view of the part characterized by VI; and

[0041] Figure 7 Shows the detail view of the buffer unit. Detailed implementation

[0042] In the following description of the drawings, concepts such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc. only relate to the exemplary showing and position selected in the corresponding drawings of the conveying device, the endless conveying chain, the support, the turning roller, the holding device, the equipment station, the emptying station and the like. These concepts should not be understood restrictively, that is, through different working positions or mirror-symmetrical designs or the like, these relationships can be changed.

[0043] In Figure 1 a variant embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention for tempering food, in particular eggs 15, along a conveying section is generally designated by the reference numeral 1.

[0044] The device 1 has a conveying device 2 shown in Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 along which food, in particular eggs 15, is conveyed from the equipment station 4 to the emptying station 5. Along this conveying section, the eggs 15 are preferably conveyed for cooling along the here-winding conveying section. Here, the winding of the conveying section enables a predetermined residence duration of the eggs 15 in the conveying device 2.

[0045] The conveying device 2 has two endless conveying chains 24 driven by a first drive unit 6, which are guided along a plurality of turning rollers 22 rotatably fixed to the support 21 and thus define a winding conveying section.

[0046] It is also conceivable to use a conveyor belt, a rope or the like instead of the endless conveying chain 24. In the further description, for the sake of simplicity, the shown variant embodiment is always described with the endless conveying chain 24.

[0047] On this endless conveying chain 24, a plurality of holding devices 3 are provided, which are used to hold food in the form of eggs 15 here. As in Figure 3As can be seen well in [reference], the holding device 3 has a rod 31 which is pivotably fixed to the endless conveyor chain 24, and on which a plurality of support elements 32 are provided which are oriented parallel and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod.

[0048] The support elements 32 are here configured in the form of slightly bent wire nails, which are fixed to the rod 31 at such intervals from one another that two such support elements 32 each support an egg 15.

[0049] The embodiment as a linear support element 32 has the advantage that the egg 15 is on the one hand reliably held on the support element 32 and on the other hand is placed on the support element 32 with a very small bearing surface in order to ensure sufficient cooling of the egg 15.

[0050] The rod 31 is hooked into the endless conveyor chain 24 via a coupling 33 fixed to its end, so that when a section of the endless conveyor chain 24 passes over one of the deflection rollers 22, the rod 31 mounted on the coupling 33 is always oriented in such a way that the egg 15 is reliably held on the support element 32.

[0051] Furthermore, the conveying device 2 is enclosed by a housing 10 as shown in [reference], Figure 1 which has side walls 11, a covering wall 12 and a front part in the rear wall 13.

[0052] One or more temperature-regulating units 9, here in the form of cooling fans, are installed in the region of the covering wall 12, which are used to maintain a predetermined temperature inside the conveying space 25.

[0053] As also shown in [reference], Figure 1 the loading station 4 is placed in front of the conveying device 2, at which the holding device 3 can be loaded with food.

[0054] Correspondingly, an emptying station 5 is provided at the end of the conveying section, in the region behind the conveying device 2, at which the food can be removed from the holding device 3.

[0055] As shown in [reference], Figure 2 , 4 , 5 and 7, a buffer unit 8 is provided on the conveying device 2 in the region between the loading station 4 and the emptying station 5.

[0056] This buffer unit 8 has at least two deflection rollers 82, 83, four such deflection rollers 82, 83 in the illustrated exemplary embodiment.

[0057] Here, the first deflection roller 82, or in the illustrated embodiment variant two such first deflection rollers 82, are engaged in the endless conveyor chain 24 in the first section 26 of the conveyor device 2, which endless conveyor chain moves in the driven state from the equipment station 4 in the direction of the emptying station 5.

[0058] The second deflection roller 83, in the illustrated embodiment two such second deflection rollers 83, are engaged in the endless conveyor chain 24 in the second section 27 of the conveyor device 2, which endless conveyor chain moves in the driven state from the emptying station 5 in the direction of the equipment station 4.

[0059] Here, as shown in Figure 4 the first drive unit 6 is coupled to the endless conveyor chain 24 in the region of the equipment station 4 and the second drive unit 7 is coupled to the endless conveyor chain 24 in the region of the emptying station 5.

[0060] Thus, the above-mentioned first section 26 of the conveyor device 2 is driven by the first drive unit 6, while the second section 27 of the conveyor device 2 is driven by the second drive unit 7.

[0061] Here, the buffer unit 8 is preferably configured as a slide, which is movably arranged along a guide tab 84 fixed to the support 21. Here, at least two deflection rollers 82, 83, in the illustrated embodiment four deflection rollers 82, 83, are rotatably fixed to the mounting plate 81 of the slide. The mode of operation of this buffer unit 8 is described in more detail below.

[0062] As shown in Figure 3 and Figure 6 the equipment station 4 has at least two deflection rollers 43 arranged one above the other on vertically oriented and vertically oscillatable stroke rods 42. The endless conveyor chain 24 is guided via these deflection rollers 43.

[0063] The oscillating movement of the stroke rods 42 and the speed of the endless conveyor chain 24 are coordinated with each other during operation such that the holding device 3 remains stationary for a predetermined loading time interval for loading.

[0064] For this purpose, in the embodiment under investigation here, the eggs can be transferred to the inlet frame 41 via a conveyor belt 46, which conveyor belt is connected to the inlet frame 41 of the equipment station 4 at a suitable height on the receiving table 45.

[0065] By the oscillating movement of the stroke rods 42, the entire inlet frame 41 oscillates permanently up and down in such a way that, at the moment of egg transfer, due to this up and down movement of the inlet frame 41, a relative stoppage of the support element 32 relative to the inlet frame 41 is produced.

[0066] Here, the stroke rods 42 are preferably coupled to the first drive unit 6 via a connecting rod 44.

[0067] The drive unit 6 has a motor 61 and a pinion driven by this motor, which in the embodiment variant shown here (for example in Figure 3 ) is meshed with a first transmission gear 62, which in turn is meshed with another transmission gear 62, so that the pinion is transmitted via the transmission gear 62, for example, in a ratio of 1:5.

[0068] The method according to the invention for tempering, in particular cooling, food, in particular eggs 15 , using the device 1 shown in the drawing is described below.

[0069] In a first operating state, which describes the normal operation of the device, the two drive units 6, 7 are operated such that they are driven at the same first operating speed v 1 The endless conveyor chain 24 is driven.

[0070] If the first drive unit 6 is designed here, as described above, with a transmission ratio opposite to the second drive unit 7 , the motor 71 of the second drive unit 7 rotates at a significantly lower speed corresponding to the transmission ratio.

[0071] By means of this uniform drive, the endless conveyor chain 24 together with the holding device rotatably held thereon moves without interruption.

[0072] The buffer unit 8 is held in the starting position due to the identical speed of the two sections of the endless conveyor chain 24, as it is shown in the example Figure 2 Shown in.

[0073] In this first operating state, the eggs 15 are transported along a meandering conveying path from the filling station 4 to the emptying station 5 and there transferred in the emptying station 5 to a further conveying belt 52 which is arranged on a receiving table 51 of the emptying station 5 .

[0074] If a fault situation occurs (for example in the area of ​​the emptying station 5 ), the second drive unit 7 is switched into the second operating state.

[0075] In this second operating state, the first drive unit 6 operates unchanged at the first operating speed v 1 A first section of the endless conveyor chain 24 is driven.

[0076] The second drive unit 7 and therefore also the second section of the endless conveyor chain 24 are stopped. Thus, in this second operating state, the buffer unit 8 is stopped from, for example, Figure 2 The initial position shown in Figure 4 Move in the direction of the maximum cushioning position shown.

[0077] Here, the maximum buffer position of the buffer unit 8 constitutes the positioning and approximation of the buffer unit 8 in the region vertically below Figure 4 of the first drive unit 6.

[0078] This enables the eggs 15 to always be transferred to the conveyor device 2 via the equipment station 4. However, by stopping the operation of the rear region of the conveyor device 2, no eggs can be emptied from the conveyor device 2 in the region of the emptying station 5. By moving the buffer unit 8 (downward in Figure 4 ), multiple eggs 15 can be received into this buffer region.

[0079] If the interference is eliminated, the second drive unit 7 is switched to the third operating state. In this third operating state, the first drive unit 6 always drives the first section of the endless conveyor chain 24 at the first operating speed v 1 , while the second drive unit 7 drives the second section of the endless conveyor chain 24 at a higher second operating speed v 2 , which causes the buffer unit 8 to move back from the position moving towards the maximum buffer position towards the starting position in this operating state.

[0080] If the buffer unit 8 then reaches its starting position again, the second drive unit 7 is switched back to the first operating state.

[0081] As long as such an interference situation lasts longer than the time required for the buffer unit 8 to reach the maximum buffer position, the first drive device is also switched off.

[0082] If the interference is eliminated, the drive units 6 and 7 are first switched to the third operating state described above, so that the slide block of the buffer unit 8 is moved back to its initial position and after reaching the initial position, the drive unit 7 is switched back to the first operating state.

[0083] List of reference numerals

[0084] 1 Equipment

[0085] 2 Conveyor device

[0086] 21 Support

[0087] 22 Deflection roller

[0088] 23 Axle of the wheel

[0089] 24 Endless conveyor chain

[0090] 25 Conveyor space

[0091] 26 First section

[0092] 27 Second section

[0093] 3 Holding device

[0094] 31 Rod

[0095] 32 Bracket element

[0096] 33 Coupling piece

[0097] 4 Filling station

[0098] 41 Inlet frame

[0099] 42 Stroke rod

[0100] 43 Steering roller

[0101] 44 Connecting rod

[0102] 45 Receiving table

[0103] 46 Conveyor belt

[0104] 5 Emptying station

[0105] 51 Receiving table

[0106] 52 Belt

[0107] 6 First drive unit

[0108] 61 Motor

[0109] 62 Transmission gear

[0110] 63 Drive rod

[0111] 7 Second drive unit

[0112] 71 Motor

[0113] 72 Drive rod

[0114] 8 Buffer unit

[0115] 81 Mounting plate

[0116] 82 First steering roller

[0117] 83 Second steering roller

[0118] 84 Guide tab

[0119] 9 Temperature control unit

[0120] 10 Housing

[0121] 11 Side wall

[0122] 12 Cover wall

[0123] 13 Front wall or rear wall

[0124] 14 Support pillar

[0125] 15 Egg

[0126] X conveying direction

[0127] v 1 First running speed

[0128] v 2 Second running speed.

Claims

1. Device (1) for tempering food along a conveying section, said device having: a conveying device (2) having at least one endless conveying chain (24) or endless conveyor belt driven by a first drive unit (6), said endless conveying chain or endless conveyor belt defining a meandering conveying section guided along a plurality of deflection rollers (22) rotatably fixed to a support (21), a plurality of holding devices (3) provided on said endless conveying chain (24) or endless conveyor belt for holding food, a filling station (4) at which said holding devices (3) can be equipped with food, an emptying station (5) at which food can be removed from said holding devices (3), at least one tempering unit (9) fixed to a housing (10) at least partially surrounding a conveying space (25), said tempering unit for tempering said conveying space (25) through which food is conveyed along said conveying section during operation, characterized in that a buffer unit (8) is provided in the region between said equipment station (4) and said emptying station (5), said buffer unit (8) having at least two deflection rollers (82, 83), a first deflection roller (82) is engaged in an endless conveying chain (24) or endless conveyor belt moving in the driving state from said equipment station (4) towards said emptying station (5) in a first section (26) of said conveying device (2), and a second deflection roller (83) is engaged in an endless conveying chain (24) or endless conveyor belt moving in the driving state from said emptying station (5) towards said equipment station (4) in a second section (27) of said conveying device (2), said buffer unit (8) is configured as a slide block movably arranged along a guide tab (84) fixed to said support (21), and said at least two deflection rollers (82, 83) are rotatably fixed to an assembly plate (81) of said slide block, a first drive unit (6) is coupled to said endless conveying chain (24) or endless conveyor belt in the region of said equipment station (4) and a second drive unit (7) is coupled to said endless conveying chain (24) or endless conveyor belt in the region of said emptying station (5), said equipment station (4) has at least two deflection rollers (43) arranged one above the other on vertically oriented and vertically oscillating stroke rods (42), through which said endless conveying chain (24) or endless conveyor belt is guided, and the oscillating movement of the stroke rods (42) and the speed of said endless conveying chain (24) or endless conveyor belt are coordinated with each other during operation such that said holding devices (3) are stationary for a predetermined loading time interval for loading.

2. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said food is an egg (15).

3. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The buffer unit (8) has four turning rollers (82, 83) rotatably fixed to the mounting plate (81) of the slider. The upper two turning rollers (82) are engaged with the endless conveyor chain (24) or the endless conveyor belt in the first section (26) of the conveyor device (2), and the lower two turning rollers (83) are engaged with the endless conveyor chain (24) or the endless conveyor belt in the second section (27) of the conveyor device (2).

4. The device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each of the holding devices (3) has a rod (31) pivotably fixed to the endless conveyor chain (24) or the endless conveyor belt, and a plurality of support elements (32) are arranged on the rod and are oriented parallel and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod.

5. The device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the conveyor device (2) has two endless conveyor chains (24) or endless conveyor belts arranged parallel to each other at a distance and coupled to the first drive unit (6) and the second drive unit (7).

6. The device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the stroke rod (42) is coupled to the first drive unit (6).

7. A method for tempering food using the device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, In a first operating state, the two drive units (6, 7) operate such that the at least one endless conveyor chain (24) or endless conveyor belt is driven at the same first operating speed (v 1 ) and in a second operating state, the first drive unit (6) drives a first section of the endless conveyor chain (24) or endless conveyor belt at the first operating speed (v 1 ), while the second drive unit (7) and thus also a second section of the endless conveyor chain (24) or endless conveyor belt are stationary, and in this operating state, the buffer unit (8) moves from the initial position in the direction of the maximum buffer position, and in a third operating state, the first drive unit (6) drives a first section of the endless conveyor chain (24) or endless conveyor belt at the first operating speed (v 1 ), while the second drive unit (7) drives a second section of the endless conveyor chain (24) or endless conveyor belt at a higher second operating speed (v 2 ), and in this operating state, the buffer unit (8) moves back from the position in the direction of the maximum buffer position in the direction of the starting position.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the tempering is cooling.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the food is an egg (15).

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