Transport device

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport device for separated slices of a food cutting machine, with a transport chain frame and a chipper for depositing the separated slices on a storage surface. In order to enable a better and more precise placement pattern, the tee is intended to be driven by an electric linear motor.

Description

The invention relates to a transport device for severed slices of a food slicing machine according to the features of the preamble of claim 1.In practice, such transport devices are used in food slicing machines to allow automated placement of severed slices.DE 29 42 418 C2 discloses a food slicing machine which has such a transport device. The transport device comprises a scraper for depositing the severed slices, which is mounted pivotably about an axis. The beater is driven by a rotary magnet.Furthermore, cutting machines are known from practice, the deflectors of which are driven by a lifting magnet.Common to these solutions with lifting magnet or rotary magnet is the disadvantage that the movement of the striker can only be varied with difficulty. In order to enable an exact storage image, an exact control of the beater is often desired, since the storage image can vary depending on the material to be cut.The object of the invention is to provide a transport device for a cutting machine which is of simple construction and has an improved storage pattern. Preferably, the position of the deposited slices should be exactly adjustable and in particular independent of the material to be cut used.The object is achieved according to the invention by a transport device according to the features of claim 1.The transport device transports separated slices and deposits these on a deposition surface by means of a deposition device. The depositing device has a pivotably mounted scraper which is driven by an electric linear motor. The linear electric motor includes a fixed stator and a movable mover. The stator includes field generating windings that generate a magnetic field travelling along the stator. This magnetic field travels linearly along the stator and thereby carries along a magnetic rotor. In an alternative embodiment, it can also be provided that the stator has permanent magnets arranged alternately and the rotor has field-generating coils. In this case, the rotor pulls quasi along the magnetic field of the stator.The electric linear motor has only very few movable parts and is thus structurally simple to integrate into the cutting machine. Due to the few components required, the mechanical construction can be designed in a simple and play-free manner, so that an exact and quiet operation is made possible. The electric linear motor is also very reliable in operation, so that the maintenance effort is reduced. In addition, the linear motor is simple to clean and has a low weight because of the few components required.The electric linear motor can be controlled particularly well, in particular the stroke, the speed or the speed profile or the driving force or the driving force profile of the electric linear motor can be adjusted exactly, so that the movement of the launcher and thus ultimately the location of the deposited wafers can be adjusted exactly.In one embodiment, it is provided that a control device for controlling the electric linear motor is provided. This control device can control the stroke or the distance covered by the electric linear motor and thus, for example, define the end point of the movement of the launcher. The control device can likewise control the speed and / or the speed profile, and / or the drive torque and / or the torque profile of the electric linear motor.In order to achieve an improved deposition result, it can also be provided that the electric linear motor has a sensor, in particular a displacement sensor or speed sensor, which is connected to the control device. As a result, the control device can not only control the electric linear motor, but can exactly regulate it on the basis of the sensor signals.A particularly exact deposition result can be achieved if the control device controls or regulates the electric linear motor on the basis of a predefined drive profile. Depending on the type of material to be cut, an optimized drive profile is provided, which is stored in a memory of the control device.In particular, it is provided that a plurality of such drive profiles are stored next to one another in the memory of the control device, wherein the control device automatically selects the drive profile which is optimum for a specific item to be cut. The type of material to be cut can be different, for example it can be differentiated basically according to sausage, cheese, meat and meat or a further subdivision according to sausage type, cheese type and fish type can be effected. The control device can also take into account the size, in particular the diameter of the material to be cut when selecting the drive profile.The depositing accuracy of the transport device is of particular importance if a two-dimensional depositing image, i.e. for example a circle, a square or other images, is to be laid of the cut material. For this purpose, it can be provided that the depositing surface is mounted movably in an axis parallel to the cutting plane and can be adjusted automatically in a driven manner. Thus, the severed slices can be transported with the aid of the transport chain frame perpendicular to the cutting plane and with the aid of the depositing surface parallel to the cutting plane. The deposition accuracy of the separated slices can be improved by means of the controllable electric linear motor, so that it is possible to achieve exact deposition images even with different items to be cut.An application of the transport device according to the invention is provided in slicing machines for food such as sausage, fish or cheese. The cutting machines can be designed as vertical cutters, i.e. have knives rotating in a vertical cutting plane, or as inclined cutters, i.e. have a cutting plane tilted vertically. Alternatively, the transport device can also be used on cutting machines with sickle knives.Further exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures and described in the associated description.Show:, FIG. 1 : shows a schematic sectional illustration of a cutting machine with a transport device; FIG. 2 : shows a schematic view of the transport chain frame with beaters; FIGS. 3, 4 : show a schematic side view of the transport device.FIG. 1 schematically shows the structure of a cutting machine 2. By way of example, a so-called vertical cutter is shown. This means that the cutting machine 2 has a driven cutting blade 21 which rotates in a vertical cutting plane B. A cutting gap is adjusted by means of an adjustable stop plate which is arranged parallel to the cutting blade 21. The width of the cutting gap determines the thickness of the slices cut from a food strand 24. The cut slices are taken up by a transport device 1 and deposited on a depositing table 43 via a transport chain frame 3 and a depositing device 4. From there the slices can be removed.The food strand 24 is placed on a carriage 22 for cutting and guided by the latter. The carriage 22 is arranged parallel to the cutting blade 21 or the cutting plane B and is mounted displaceably in a machine housing 25. The machine housing 25 accommodates the drive motors and control units of the cutting machine 2. The carriage 22 is driven either manually or by motor for cutting, a stroke being carried out for each cut. On its front side, i.e. on the side facing an operator, the carriage 2 has a hand protection plate which covers the carriage 2 forward. The hand protection plate prevents an operator from unintentionally entering the cutting region of the knife 21 with his hand.During the cutting, it is necessary for the food strand 24 to be fed continuously to the cutting plane B or to the cutting blade 21. For this purpose, the carriage 22 has an adjusting device 23, which adjusts the material to be cut 24.The cut slices of the food strand are received behind the cutting blade 21 by the transport device 1, which is shown in an enlarged manner in FIG. 2. The transport device 1 comprises a transport chain frame 3 which has a plurality of chains 31 running in parallel for transporting severed slices. For holding the disks, the chains have chain links with wire tips onto which food disks are spit. The depositing of the disks is effected by means of a depositing device 4 which comprises a scraper 41 which is mounted pivotably about a horizontally running axis of rotation A. The scraper 41 has a plurality of spaced fingers 42 which engage between the revolving chains 31 of the transport chain frame 3 and deposit the discs on a depositing surface 43. To deposit the discs, the scraper 41 pivots about a horizontal axis of rotation A. In this case, it releases the discs which are seated firmly on the chain tips and carries them along in its pivoting movementFIGS. 3 and 4 show the movement sequence of the launcher 41 when depositing the wafers. In FIG. 3, the beginning of the movement or the rest position of the striker 41 is shown. FIG. 4 shows the pivoted scraper 41 in movement towards the depositing surface 43.The scraper 41 is mounted pivotably about a horizontal axis A. A linear electric motor 5 is connected to the lower portion of the launcher 41. The electric linear motor 5 has a fixed stator 52, which is fixedly connected to the machine housing 25. A linearly movable rotor 51 is displaceably mounted within the stator 52 and is connected to the beater 41 via a pivot joint 53.A control device 6 is arranged in the machine housing 25 and regulates the electric linear motor via a connecting line. For this purpose, the electric linear motor 5 has a sensor which measures the position or the path of the rotor 51 and transmits it to the control unit 6 via the line. The control unit 6 can thus determine the required drive torque or the required speed on the basis of a desired drive profile and actuate the linear motor 5 exactly. The drive profile is automatically determined by the control unit 6 by selecting a specific drive profile from a selection of a plurality of drive profiles stored in parallel in the memory 61. Criteria for the selection of the drive profile are the type of material to be cut, the diameter of the material to be cut, and the desired deposit pattern and / or the desired cutting speed. These criteria are transmitted to the control device 6 from a central cutting machine control or directly input via an input device.

Claims

Transporting device for severed slices of a slicing machine (2) for foods, having a transport chain frame (3) with a plurality of revolving chains (31) for transporting the severed slices, and having a depositing device for depositing the slices on a depositing surface (43) with a scraper (41) which engages between the chains of the transport chain frame and is mounted pivotably about a pivot axis (A), characterized in that the depositing device (4) has an electric linear motor (5) for driving the scraper (41).Transport device according to claim 1, characterised in that the scraper (41) is connected to the rotor (51) of the electric linear motor (5) via a pivot joint (53).Transport device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the depositing device (4) has an electronic control device (6) for controlling the electric linear motor (5).Transport device according to claim 3, characterised in that the control device (6) controls the speed and / or the drive torque of the linear motor (5).Transport device according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the control device (6) controls the electric linear motor (5) according to a predetermined, preferably adjustable drive profile.Transport device according to one of Claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the electric linear motor (5) has a travel sensor and the control device (6) is connected to this travel sensor for regulating the speed and / or the travel and / or the drive torque of the launcher (41).Transport device according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterised in that the control device (6) has a storage means (61) or is connected to a storage means in which a plurality of drive profiles can be stored next to one another.Transport device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the control device (6) automatically selects a drive profile from a set of stored drive profiles on the basis of the type and / or size of the material to be cut and / or a set storage image.Transport device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the depositing surface (43) is automatically adjustable along an axis parallel to a cutting plane (B).Slicing machine for food, having a rotationally driven cutting blade (21) for slicing slices of a strand-shaped item to be sliced, wherein the sliced slices are transported by a transport device (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

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