Cutting apparatus and method

Abstract

The invention relates to a cutting device for cutting food products, preferably for cutting carcasses of beef or pork, comprising:-a flat cutting body (2) having at least one cutting edge (3),-drive means for driving a rotation of the cutting body about an axis of rotation, the drive means comprising a direct drive motor (51), the invention relates to a cutting device (1) comprising a cutting body (2), a direct drive motor (3) having a stator (52) and a rotor (53), the rotor being rotatable relative to the stator, the rotor being rigidly connected to the cutting body, a housing (11) in which the direct drive motor is arranged, in which the cutting body is provided on the inside thereof with an opening (5) in which the stator and the rotor extend.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to cutting equipment. Specifically, this invention relates to equipment, bodies, and methods for cutting food, and more specifically, to equipment, bodies, and methods for cutting meat products during slaughter, such as for opening the abdominal cavity of an animal or for dividing a carcass, such as a beef or pork carcass. Background Technology

[0002] It is known in the art to use a saw blade driven by an electric motor via a transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism may include toothed belts, chains, and gears such as bevel gears. Such components are subject to wear and require maintenance and may require oil for lubrication, which poses a risk of contamination to the food product being cut. An example of a device for opening the abdominal cavity of a slaughtered animal is described in International Patent Application WO93 / 01725A1.

[0003] The object of this invention is to provide improved cutting equipment. A more specific object is to provide cutting equipment that requires less maintenance and does not require lubrication (in the transmission system) or at least not in the vicinity of the product being cut, where lubricant could contaminate the product. Another object is to provide cutting equipment that is simpler in design, relatively easy to assemble (disassemble), has relatively low weight, and is smaller in size. Yet another object is to provide cutting equipment suitable for cutting food, more specifically meat products. Such food can typically be made of flexible materials. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One or more of the above-mentioned objectives are achieved by the cutting device, cutting body and / or cutting method according to the present invention.

[0005] According to one aspect, the present invention relates to a cutting device for cutting food, preferably for cutting beef or pork carcasses, comprising: - A flat cutting body having at least one cutting edge. - A drive unit for driving the cutting body to rotate about a rotation axis, the drive unit including a direct drive motor having a stator and a rotor, the rotor being rotatable relative to the stator, the rotor being rigidly connected to the cutting body. - Housing, in which the direct drive motor is housed. The cutting body has an opening on its inner side, and the stator and rotor extend within the opening.

[0006] On the other hand, the present invention relates to a cutting body having a cutting edge, the cutting body being arranged for use in a cutting device according to the invention, the cutting body having an opening on its inner side such that the stator and rotor of the direct drive motor of the cutting device according to the invention can extend within the opening.

[0007] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for cutting food, preferably for cutting beef or pork carcasses, the method comprising the step of using a cutting device according to the invention.

[0008] The advantages of the cutting device, cutting body, and / or cutting method according to the invention are: by using a direct drive motor, the drive shaft of which is aligned with the axis of rotation, there is no need for a transmission device between the drive motor and the cutting body to drive the cutting body. This makes the design and construction of the cutting device relatively simple and allows for relatively easy maintenance, such as for replacing the cutting body. The invention also eliminates the need for lubricating oil, such as transmission lubricant, which is advantageous when the invention is used for cutting food, as it reduces the risk of food product contamination. The cutting body is characterized by having an opening within which the stator and rotor extend, making the cutting device, more specifically the combination of the cutting body and the housing including the direct drive motor, relatively thin.

[0009] Implementation Example Description The invention will now be explained in detail. Unless otherwise specified, all terms shall be given the technical meaning consistent with their ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0010] In one embodiment, the cutting body is disc-shaped and has at least one cutting edge on its radially outer side. The cutting edge may be a single circular edge. Alternatively, the cutting body may, for example, have cutting teeth on its radially outer side, the cutting teeth being arranged in a circular pattern, each cutting tooth having a cutting edge at least on the portion of its length facing the direction of rotation when the cutting body is used.

[0011] In one embodiment, the radially inner portion of the cutting body is also disposed within the housing. This embodiment allows for stable and efficient positioning of the cutting body.

[0012] In one embodiment, specifically in an embodiment where both the stator and rotor extend on opposite sides of the cutting body, the combination of the housing and the cutting body can be symmetrical or substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane aligned with the plane of the flat cutting body. Therefore, the size of the housing on each side of the cutting body can be limited, thereby reducing the risk that any cutting action on the product may be hindered because the cutting equipment, particularly the housing of the cutting equipment, is blocked by the product being cut.

[0013] In an embodiment of the cutting body, a direct drive motor is disposed therein, and the diameter of the opening of the cutting body is in the range of 10cm to 35cm, preferably in the range of 15cm to 30cm.

[0014] In embodiments of the cutting body, the ratio of the diameter of the opening to the diameter of the circle followed by the radially outer side of the cutting body during rotation is in the range of 1:3 to 2:3.

[0015] In one embodiment, the housing, or at least a portion thereof, is rigidly connected to the cutting body. This can improve the stability of the cutting body during its rotation when using the cutting equipment. Furthermore, this can reduce the need for seals in the design of the cutting equipment used to prevent parts of the product being cut—such as fluids—from entering the housing. Or at least such seals can be less critical and less susceptible to wear.

[0016] In one embodiment, the cutting body is clamped between two clamping bodies. Each or at least one of such clamping bodies may be part of a housing.

[0017] In one embodiment, the housing includes two covers that extend on opposite sides of the cutting body and are rigidly connected to each other, and preferably also rigidly connected to the cutting body. This embodiment allows for easy assembly (disassembly) of the housing and / or easy replacement of the cutting body.

[0018] In one embodiment, the stator extends radially inward of the rotor. This means the rotor extends radially outward of the rotor. In this configuration, for the same build volume, the motor can generate more torque compared to a configuration where the stator extends radially outward of the rotor. Another advantage is that, relative to embodiments where the stator extends radially outward of the rotor, the rigid connection between the rotor and the cutting body can be positioned more radially outward. This positioning of the rigid connection simplifies the connection between the rotor and the cutting body and / or reduces the mechanical load on the connection during use of the cutting equipment.

[0019] In one embodiment, the cutting device includes an arm that extends partially or entirely outside the housing and is rigidly connected to the stator. This arm can extend through an opening in the housing. Any portion of the arm outside the housing can be connected to any type of manipulator, such as a robot, for moving the cutting device relative to any product to be cut.

[0020] In one embodiment, the width of the housing is at most 20 cm, preferably at most 15 cm, or at most 10 cm, or at most 8 cm, or at most 5 cm. The width extends parallel to the axis of rotation.

[0021] In one embodiment, the ratio of the width of the housing to the diameter of the circle followed by the radially outer side of the cutting body is in the range of 1:8 to 3:5, preferably in the range of 1:6 to 1:3. The diameter of the circle followed by the radially outer side of the cutting body can be in the range of 20 cm to 120 cm, preferably in the range of 30 cm to 90 cm. Overall, the invention allows for a slim design of the housing with a direct-drive motor relative to the aforementioned diameter of the cutting body, thereby allowing the housing to move through the product or at least through a portion of the product at the location where the product is cut.

[0022] To further improve the ability of the cutting device—more specifically, the housing of the cutting device—to move through the product at the location previously cut by the cutting body of the cutting device, in one embodiment, the housing is tapered on the outside when viewed in cross-section. Due to this tapered shape, the housing can act as a wedge and move the cut sides of the material of the (partially) cut product apart from each other, especially when the material of the product is flexible, such as for food products during the cutting motion of the cutting device.

[0023] In one embodiment, the diameter of the larger of the stator and rotor is in the range of 15 cm to 35 cm, preferably in the range of 20 cm to 30 cm, and / or the maximum torque of the direct drive motor is 350 Nm, preferably 250 Nm, and more preferably 200 Nm. Such a cutting device would generally be suitable for effectively cutting food products.

[0024] In one embodiment, the cutting device includes a cooling system, preferably a water cooling system, for cooling the direct drive motor. The cooling system has cooling channels within the housing. This cooling allows for the efficient use of the direct drive motor.

[0025] In one embodiment, the combined weight of the cutting body, stator, rotor, and housing is at most 40 kg, preferably at most 30 kg, more preferably at most 25 kg, and / or the combined weight of the cutting body, stator, rotor, and housing is at least 10 kg, preferably at least 15 kg, more preferably at least 20 kg. To limit the inertial forces of mass and to impose an overall upper limit on any forces acting on the operating device, which is typically combined with the cutting equipment according to the invention, limiting the aforementioned combined weight is advantageous.

[0026] In one embodiment, the cutting device includes a cooling system, preferably a water cooling system, for cooling a direct-drive motor via a cooling fluid. The cooling system has a cooling fluid inlet, a cooling fluid outlet, and a cooling channel extending within the housing between the cooling fluid inlet and outlet. In use, particularly in slaughter lines, the cutting device may be heavily loaded, resulting in the generation of significant heat. A cooling system as defined above can be used to effectively cool the cutting device. Such a cooling system is generally beneficial for cooling the cutting device. In this context, the invention also relates to a cutting device for cutting food, preferably for cutting beef or pork carcasses, including… - A flat cutting body having at least one cutting edge. - A drive unit for driving the cutting body to rotate about a rotation axis, the drive unit including a direct drive motor having a stator and a rotor, the rotor being rotatable relative to the stator, the rotor being rigidly connected to the cutting body. - Housing, the direct drive motor is housed within this housing, and A cooling system, preferably a water cooling system, is used to cool the direct drive motor by means of a cooling fluid. The cooling system has a cooling fluid inlet, a cooling fluid outlet, and a cooling channel extending within the housing between the cooling fluid inlet and the cooling fluid outlet. The cooling system of this cutting equipment can also be implemented as specified below.

[0027] If the cooling channels extend in 360 degrees, very effective cooling can be achieved.

[0028] In a practical embodiment, the cooling fluid inlet is connected to the cooling channel via an inlet channel, the inlet channel being connected to the cooling channel at an inlet location, and wherein the cooling fluid outlet is connected to at least one outlet channel via an outlet channel, the outlet channel being connected to the cooling channel at an outlet location.

[0029] The inlet and outlet positions can be positioned opposite to each other. This allows the cooling fluid to flow from the inlet position in opposite directions and to the outlet position in opposite directions, thus contributing to effective cooling.

[0030] The cooling effect can be further enhanced by the cooling channels including chambers at the inlet and outlet locations.

[0031] In another embodiment, the cooling channel has a wavy shape, such as a zigzag shape, at least along its majority length. Due to the wavy shape, the total length of the cooling channel can exceed the length of the circumference along which it extends, providing increased cooling capacity. Furthermore, the wavy shape can promote turbulence of the cooling fluid within the cooling channel, thus also contributing to cooling capacity.

[0032] In one embodiment, the cutting body has at least one, preferably more than one, additional opening, which is arranged radially outward of the opening, preferably in a regular pattern.

[0033] In embodiments of the method, the rotor speed is in the range of 750 rpm to 2000 rpm, preferably in the range of 1000 rpm to 1500 rpm, and / or the cutting edge speed is in the range of 5 m / s to 100 m / s, preferably in the range of 15 m / s to 60 m / s, more preferably in the range of 20 m / s to 50 m / s. Such process parameters are generally suitable for effectively cutting food products. Attached Figure Description

[0034] The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown to scale.

[0035] Figure 1 The cutting device according to the present invention is shown in a three-dimensional view; Figure 2 The side view shows the results according to Figure 1 Cutting equipment; Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 Cross section III-III; Figure 4 and Figure 5 The diagram is shown in two corresponding three-dimensional exploded views. Figure 1 Cutting equipment; Figure 6 Alternative embodiments of components of the cutting device according to the present invention are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Cutting equipment 1, such as in the corresponding Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the configuration is for cutting food, more specifically, cutting meat products such as beef or pork carcasses. The material of this food, apart from the bones, is known to be inherently flexible.

[0037] The cutting device 1 includes an annular, flat cutting plate or cutting body 2, which is made of stainless steel. The cutting body 2 has a circular circumferential outer edge 3, which is provided with cutting teeth 4, each of which has a cutting edge for cutting material passing through the product to be cut. The outer diameter D of the cutting body 2 is... Figure 2 The diameter of the cut body 2 is 45cm. The cut body 2 has a central circular opening 5, the diameter of which is d ( Figure 4 The value is 28cm. From the above dimensions, the radial dimension r of the annular portion of the cut body 2 is... Figure 4The diameter is 8.5 cm. The ratio of d to D is 28 cm to 45 cm, so it is approximately 0.62. The cutting body 2 is provided with six positioning holes 6, which are equidistant from each other and located directly outside the circular opening 5.

[0038] As an example of an alternative embodiment of the cutting body 2, reference is made to the following cutting bodies: a cutting body that has a smooth, rounded single cutting edge instead of teeth; and a cutting body that has an outer edge that is helical rather than circular and is either provided with a smooth, helical single cutting edge or provided with cutting teeth. Such a cutting body is also referred to as an involute cutting blade. Another example of an alternative embodiment of the cutting body 2 is a propeller-shaped cutting body having a hub for mounting to a rotatable shaft and one or more blades extending radially from said hub. Such a cutting body may be referred to as a chopper knives.

[0039] The cutting device 1 also includes a housing 11. The housing 11 includes two dome-shaped covers 12, 13 and an annular member 14, which are interconnected as will be described below. The housing 11 has a width w ( Figure 3 Approximately 8.4 cm, meaning the ratio of w to D is 8 cm to 45 cm, which is 0.19. The shell 11 extends on opposite sides of the cut body. (As shown) Figure 3 As shown, the cross-section of the housing 11, while not precisely symmetrical, is still substantially symmetrical with respect to an imaginary mirror aligned with the main plane of the cut body 2. At the radially outer side, the housing 11 has a tapered shape with a tapered angle α. Figure 3 The temperature is approximately 24 degrees, and is generally preferred to be in the range of 20 to 30 degrees.

[0040] like Figure 4 As shown, the cover 12, on its axial inner side, i.e., on the side facing the cover 13, includes an outer annular surface 21 and an inner annular surface 22. Six positioning holes 23 are provided in the outer annular surface 21, which are aligned with the positioning holes 6 of the cutting body 2. Six sets of holes are provided in the inner annular surface 22, each set consisting of three holes 24, 25, and 26. The outermost hole of these three holes is a screw hole 24, and the middle hole of the three holes is also a screw hole 25. The cover has a central opening 26.

[0041] The cover 13 has a circular flange 31 on its radially outer side, and a mounting hole 32 is provided in the circular flange 31. The outer diameter of the flange 31 is such that the flange 31 fits with a limited clearance within the central opening 5 of the cutting body 2. The mounting hole 32 of the cover 13 is aligned with the screw hole 24 of the cover 12. On the axially inner side of the cover 13 and at a position radially inward relative to the flange 31, the cover 13 is provided with an annular surface 33, in which eight positioning holes 34 are provided equidistantly. The cover 12 and the cover 13 are detachably connected to each other by bolts (not shown), which are inserted from... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The right side of the screw is screwed into the screw hole 24 via mounting holes 32. When tightened together, the covers 12 and 13 enclose the receiving space, in which the direct drive motor 51 is housed for driving the rotation of the cutting body 2, as will be discussed later.

[0042] The annular member 14 has an outer annular surface 61 and an inner annular surface 62 on its axially inner side, i.e., on its side facing the cutting body 2. Six positioning holes 63 are provided in the outer annular surface 61, which are aligned with the positioning holes 6 of the cutting body 2, and thus also with the positioning holes 23 of the cover 12. Six mounting holes 64 are provided in the inner annular surface 62, which are aligned with the mounting holes 32 of the cover 13 occupied by screws not screwed into the screw holes 24 of the cover 12, and also with the six positioning holes 25 of the cover 12. Screws 36 extend through the mounting holes 32 of the cover 13 and are screwed into the screw holes 24 of the cover 12. For each of the twelve screw holes 24, the inner annular surface 62 has a recess 65, which provides space for the head of the bolt screwed into the screw hole 24.

[0043] The cutting body 2 is clamped between the outer surface 61 of the annular member 14 and the outer surface 21 of the cover 12, for which a screw (not shown but similar to screw 36) is inserted from... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The right-hand side of the ring 14 is screwed into the screw hole 25 of the cover 12 via the mounting hole 64. To replace the cutting body 2, the screw in the mounting hole 64 needs to be unscrewed so that the ring 14 can be removed and the cutting body 2 can be replaced. During this replacement, the covers 12 and 13 remain fixed together. To properly position the cutting body 2 relative to the housing 11, six locating pins 37 are also used. One end of each locating pin 37 extends within the locating hole 63 of the ring 14, and the other end extends within the locating hole 23 of the cover 12. The locating pin 37 extends between the ring 14 and the cover 12 through the hole 6 of the cutting body 2.

[0044] The aforementioned direct drive motor 51 is an external rotor type, wherein the rotor 52 of the drive motor 51 is radially outside the stator 53 of the drive motor 51, and the rotor 52 of the drive motor 51 has a relatively high maximum continuous torque of 100 Nm and a peak torque of approximately 150 Nm. The combined weight of the drive motor 51 and housing 11 is at most 38 kg, preferably at most 28 kg, more preferably at most 23 kg, and / or the combined weight of the cutting body, stator, rotor, and housing is at least 8 kg, preferably at least 13 kg, more preferably at least 18 kg. On the side facing the cover 13, the rotor 52 is provided with eight positioning holes 54, which are aligned with the positioning holes 34 of the cover 13. The ends of positioning pins (not shown) extend in both the positioning holes 34 and the positioning holes 54, thereby causing the cover 13, and thus the housing 11 and the cutting body 2, to rotate together with the rotor 52 during use.

[0045] The drive motor 51 also includes a motor cover 71 having a shaft portion 72, around which a bearing 73 is disposed, extending within a recess on the inner side of the cover 12. The drive motor 51 also includes a shaft body 81, which also has a shaft portion 82 facing in the opposite direction to the shaft portion 72. The shaft portion 82 extends through a central opening 26 of the cover 12, and a bearing 83 is disposed around the shaft portion 82, extending within a recess on the inner side of the cover 12. Two sealing rings 84 and 85 are disposed around the shaft portion 82 at the axially outer side of the bearing 83. The motor cover 71 and the shaft body 81 are interconnected by screws (not shown), which are driven from... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The rotor 53 is screwed from right to left through the internal hole 74 in the cover 71 into the screw hole 86 in the shaft body 81. The motor cover 71 and the rotor 53 are interconnected by a screw 87, which is screwed from... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The drive motor 51 is screwed into the screw hole 75 of the motor cover 71 from left to right through the hole 55 in the stator 53. The drive motor 51 is also provided with a cooling channel 56 through which a cooling fluid, such as water, flows to cool the drive motor when the cutting equipment 1 is used.

[0046] The cylindrical connecting element 91 is tightened to the shaft body 81 using a screw 92. The screw 91 extends through a hole in the connecting plate 93 and through a hole in the wall of the connecting element 91, and extends into a screw hole 88 in the shaft body 81. Fluid connections 96 and 97 are also provided on the connecting plate 93, which are used to connect to fluid hoses to allow cooling fluid to flow through the respective connections 96 and 97 to and from the cooling channels 56 via the respective connections 96 and 97. The connecting plate 93 has a central opening 98 through which a power cable (not shown) extends to supply power to the windings of the actuator 53 during use. The connecting plate 93 extends parallel to the cutting body 2 and connects to another connecting plate 94, which has a hole 95 for connection to a manipulator. The other connecting plate 94 extends perpendicular to the connecting plate 93 and is relative to... Figure 3 The cut body 2 shown in the view is symmetrical.

[0047] In use, the described cutting device 1 can be moved relative to the object to be cut by a manipulator, causing the cutting body 2 to perform the desired cut, such as a pig carcass, for cutting its spine or for opening its abdomen. Typically, in use, the rotor speed, and therefore the cutting body 2 speed, is between 750 rpm and 2000 rpm, and / or the speed of the outer edge 3 of the cutting body is in the range of 5 m / s to 100 m / s.

[0048] Figure 6 An alternative embodiment of the cutting equipment is provided. This cutting equipment differs from cutting equipment 1 in that the motor cover 71 and shaft body 81 are replaced by a motor cover 171 and a shaft body 181. The shaft body 181 differs from shaft body 81 in that a cooling channel 281 is provided on the outer circumference of the cylindrical portion 282 of the shaft body 181. The cooling channel 281 extends inside the rotor and stator of the cutting equipment.

[0049] The shaft body 181 is provided with a small flange 283 that extends radially outward relative to the cylindrical portion 282 of the shaft body 181. Cooling channels 281 extend over the entire circumference of the cylindrical portion 282 and include chambers 283 on opposite sides, wherein only one chamber 283 is located within... Figure 6 As can be seen, the cooling channel 281 has a zigzag shape between the two chambers 283. The cooling channel 281 is machined in the cylindrical portion 282 of the shaft body 181, more specifically on the outer side of the cylindrical portion 282. Figure 6 The visible chamber 283 is connected to the cooling water inlet 295 via inlet passage 284. Another opposite chamber—in Figure 6Invisible in the middle—connected to cooling water outlet 296 via outlet channel. During use, cooling water is supplied via inlet 295 and inlet channel 284. Figure 6 The visible chamber 283. From this chamber 283, cooling water flows in two zigzag sections of the cooling channel 281 in two opposite directions, 180 degrees apart, to the opposite chamber 283. From this opposite chamber 283, the slightly warmed cooling water flows to the outlet 296 via an outlet channel corresponding to the inlet channel 284. Due to the zigzag shape of the cooling channel 281 over most of its length, the total length of the cooling channel 281 exceeds the circumference of the cylindrical section 282, thus providing increased cooling capacity. Furthermore, the zigzag shape promotes turbulence of the cooling fluid within the channel 281, which also contributes to the cooling capacity.

[0050] The motor cover 171 differs from the motor cover 71 in that the motor cover 171 has a cylindrical portion 271 with a radial edge 272 at one end and a flange 273 at the opposite end. The flange 273 extends an outer flange portion 273a on the outside of the cylindrical portion 271 and an inner flange portion 273b on the inside of the cylindrical portion 271. A screw hole 275, similar to screw hole 75, is provided in the outer flange portion 273a. When the motor cover 171 and the shaft body 181 are assembled together, the cylindrical portion 271 tightly covers the cylindrical portion 282 and thus the cooling channel 281 therein. The radial edge 272 of the cylindrical portion 271 sealably engages the flange 282, and similarly, the radial edge 285 of the shaft body 181 sealably engages the inner flange portion 273b. Suitable sealing devices, such as sealing rings, can be used as understood by those skilled in the art.

[0051] In another alternative embodiment, a cooling channel, such as cooling channel 281, may be formed inside the cylindrical portion 271 of the motor cover 171, rather than in the cylindrical portion 282 of the shaft body 181. The cooling channel, such as cooling channel 281, may also extend in both the cylindrical portion 271 and the cylindrical portion 282, for which the motor cover 171 and the shaft body 181 should be properly aligned relative to each other.

Claims

1. A cutting device for cutting food, preferably for cutting beef or pork carcasses, comprising: - A flat cutting body having at least one cutting edge. - A drive device for driving the cutting body to rotate about a rotation axis, the drive device including a direct drive motor having a stator and a rotor, the rotor being rotatable relative to the stator, the rotor being rigidly connected to the cutting body. - Housing, in which the direct drive motor is disposed. in, The cutting body has an opening on its inner side, and the stator and the rotor extend within the opening.

2. The cutting device according to claim 1, wherein, The cutting body is disc-shaped and has at least one cutting edge on the radially outer side of the cutting body, the cutting edge being preferably circular.

3. The cutting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The radially inner portion of the cutting body is also disposed within the housing.

4. The cutting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The stator and the rotor both extend on opposite sides of the cutting body.

5. The cutting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The housing, or at least a portion thereof, is rigidly connected to the cutting body, and / or wherein the cutting body is clamped between two clamping bodies.

6. The cutting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The stator extends radially inside the rotor.

7. The cutting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The width of the shell is at most 20cm, preferably at most 15cm, at most 10cm, at most 8cm, or at most 5cm.

8. The cutting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The diameter of the circle followed by the radial outer side of the cutting body is in the range of 20cm to 120cm, preferably in the range of 30cm to 90cm.

9. The cutting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The shell is tapered on the outside when viewed in cross-section.

10. The cutting device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the combined weight of the cutting body, the stator, the rotor and the housing is at most 40 kg, preferably at most 30 kg, more preferably at most 25 kg, and / or the combined weight of the cutting body, the stator, the rotor and the housing is at least 10 kg, preferably at least 15 kg, more preferably at least 20 kg.

11. The cutting device according to any one of the preceding claims, the cutting device comprising a cooling system, preferably a water cooling system, for cooling the direct drive motor by means of a cooling fluid, the cooling system having a cooling fluid inlet, a cooling fluid outlet and a cooling channel extending within the housing and between the cooling fluid inlet and the cooling fluid outlet.

12. The cutting device according to claim 11, wherein, The cooling channel extends in 360 degrees.

13. The cutting device according to claim 12, wherein, The cooling fluid inlet is connected to the cooling channel via an inlet channel, the inlet channel being connected to the cooling channel at an inlet position, and wherein the cooling fluid outlet is connected to at least one outlet channel via an outlet channel, the outlet channel being connected to the cooling channel at an outlet position.

14. The cutting device according to claim 13, wherein the inlet position and the outlet position are positioned opposite to each other.

15. The cutting apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the cooling channel includes chambers at the inlet and outlet locations.

16. The cutting apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein, The cooling channel extends inside the stator and the rotor.

17. The cutting apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 16, wherein, The cooling channel has a wavy shape for at least most of its length.

18. A cutting body having a cutting edge, the cutting body being arranged for use in a cutting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 17, the cutting body having an opening on its inner side such that the stator and rotor of a direct drive motor can extend within the opening.

19. The cutting body according to claim 18, wherein the diameter of the opening is in the range of 10cm to 35cm, preferably in the range of 15cm to 30cm.

20. A method for cutting food, preferably for cutting beef or pork carcasses, the method comprising the step of using a cutting device according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the rotational speed of the rotor is in the range of 750 rpm to 2000 rpm, preferably in the range of 1000 rpm to 1500 rpm.

22. The method according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the speed of the cutting edge is in the range of 5 m / s to 100 m / s, preferably in the range of 15 m / s to 60 m / s, and more preferably in the range of 20 m / s to 50 m / s.

Images