Cutting machine for cutting food

Abstract

A cutting machine for slicing foodstuffs, such as sausage, cheese, or meat, with a cutting blade (7), comprising a feed means for feeding the foodstuff (10) to be sliced ​​to the cutting blade (7), wherein a feed unit (9) for feeding the foodstuff (10) to the cutting blade (7) comprises at least one gripper carriage (20) with a gripper support bar (22) and at least one movable gripper (21), wherein the at least one gripper (21) is actuated by a stationary drive, and wherein the mechanical work for gripping is transmitted to the grippers (21) via guides or further drive means, characterized in that the gripper carriage (20) with the gripper support bar (22) is guided on a guide rod (23) and is movable along a feed axis by means of a toothed belt transmission, and the toothed belt transmission comprises a gear (27) and a tensioning or deflection pulley (34),between which a toothed belt (26) runs back and forth, and that the toothed belt (26) is coupled to the gripper carriage (20), wherein the toothed belt (26) is provided with traction cables which are sealed on all sides by a plastic material of the toothed belt (26).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting machine for cutting foodstuffs, such as sausage, cheese or meat into slices, in particular for simultaneously slicing at least two stick-shaped foodstuffs with a cutting blade.

[0002] Powerful cutting machines, also called slicers, cut or slice stick-shaped foodstuffs, with at least one food stick being fed to a cutting blade.

[0003] EP 0713753 B1, for example, discloses a high-speed cutting machine with a cutting station and a drive that drives the knife along a predetermined cutting path, as well as a device for supporting the food sticks to be cut. When two food sticks are fed simultaneously, each of the food sticks can be fed with its own feed drive. The feed drives move the food sticks along the parallel feed paths perpendicular to the cutting path of the knife, with the knife and feeder positioned at an angle to the table plane of the cutting machine. The food sticks are fed horizontally into the cutting machine and, in front of the cutting station, are lifted at an angle for a cutting position by grippers at the end remote from the cutting station.

[0004] According to EP 2543484 A1, the gripper or product holder is provided with a guide device that guides the product holder on two sides spaced perpendicular to the conveying direction. According to EP 2543485 A1, the guide device has at least one carriage, movable longitudinally to the conveying direction, on which the product holder is arranged. For this purpose, the carriage is coupled to a linear drive, in particular an electromagnetic linear motor.

[0005] At least one driver of the linear drive is also contactlessly coupled to the carriage and guided in a cylindrical cavity of the guide device along the conveying direction. The carriage and / or driver are made of magnetizable material. The driver divides the cavity into sections, at least one of which can be pressurized with hydraulic fluid to move the driver. Encapsulation can be problematic in this case, similar to the use of ball screws.

[0006] With ball screws, the limited length and speed during the fast return stroke can result in further problems or application limitations.

[0007] WO 02 / 30635 A1 discloses a device for simultaneously slicing at least two food products, which is intended to achieve both slices of the same thickness and portions of constant weight, despite existing product differences. For this purpose, the product holders have a common base drive for synchronous movement, with an additional movement being able to be positively or negatively superimposed on at least one product holder. This is achieved by means of an auxiliary drive. The auxiliary drive generates an additional stroke of the product to change the slice thickness, if necessary based on the detected stack weights.

[0008] Another such device for slicing food is disclosed in WO 2005 / 037501 A1, in which food sticks are transported to the knife on a conveyor. The rear ends of the food sticks are at least temporarily in contact with a device, such as a gripper, which has no drive of its own during contact. This is intended to ensure that the food sticks remain sufficiently tightly clamped on the conveyor until the end, allowing them to be sliced.

[0009] The document DE 103 53 114 A1 discloses a cutting machine according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, reference is made to DE 695 16 809 T2 and DE 2 227 335 A.

[0010] The invention is based on the object of developing a cutting machine for cutting foodstuffs, such as sausage, cheese or meat into slices, in particular for simultaneously slicing at least two stick-shaped foodstuffs, which is provided with a further improved feed of the foodstuffs to be sliced.

[0011] The problem is solved by the characterizing features of patent claim 1.

[0012] Such a cutting machine, a slicer, may comprise a lifting and conveying device for the food to be sliced ​​to the cutting blade, a feed unit for the food to be sliced, a storage table for the sliced ​​food, and a control unit.

[0013] According to the invention, the feed unit has at least one gripper carriage with a gripper receiving bar on which at least one or any number of grippers are guided.

[0014] The feed unit further comprises a linear guide, which is formed, for example, by guide rods on which the gripper carriage is arranged, a servo drive, and means for moving the gripper carriage. The gripper(s) are actuated by a stationary drive, with the mechanical work of gripping being transmitted via the guide rods or other drive means.

[0015] A key feature of the cutting machine according to the invention is that the drive for actuating the grippers does not travel on the gripper carriage, but is housed in a fixed location within the machine housing and can thus be operated either electrically or pneumatically. Traveling on the gripper carriage would otherwise require an unhygienic and failure-prone moving energy chain.

[0016] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent patent claims.

[0017] The gripper carriage is guided on the guide rods and arranged to be linearly movable, with at least one guide rod being rotatable about its own longitudinal axis.

[0018] A gripper support bar of the gripper carriage is guided along the other guide rod and can be moved along the feed axis by means of a toothed belt drive. The toothed belt drive comprises two wheels between which a toothed belt runs back and forth. The toothed belt is also coupled to the gripper carriage, so that it is driven when the toothed belt moves.

[0019] Two independent gripper carriages, each with a toothed belt, can also be provided.

[0020] According to the invention, the gripper support beam is arranged perpendicular to the feed axis of the food product and is provided with a linear element guided therein. A push rod is rotatably mounted at the end of the linear element closest to the guide rod, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the guide rod.

[0021] The rotation of the guide rod causes the linear element to move transversely to the feed axis. The linear element forms the interface for transmitting the drive power to the grippers. The grippers can be removed for cleaning purposes and securely fastened to the gripper support beam using a quick-release fastener. This also ensures the transmission of the drive force for the gripping movement. In a preferred design, pockets are incorporated into the linear element, which then positively transmit the force to the lever kinematics of the grippers. The transmission of the drive force from the flanks of the pocket to a roller on a pivoting lever has proven particularly advantageous with this interface because it requires little friction. The reverse arrangement of a roller on the linear element and a driving surface on a pivoting lever or a link piece is also efficient.

[0022] The force for actuating the claws is transmitted from the pivoting lever on the gripper, preferably via a slider crank. Instead of the pivoting lever, a sliding gate or similar mechanical element is also conceivable, which redirects the actuating force in the axial direction of the gripper. The individual claws are actuated analogously to existing pneumatically actuated grippers, for example, via levers, gates, or toothed segment / rack combinations.

[0023] The problem is also solved by the characterizing features of patent claim 7.

[0024] A toothed belt overdrive according to the invention comprises a drive wheel and a tension pulley, between which a toothed belt runs back and forth. The toothed belt is connected to gripper carriages at both ends, allowing the use of open toothed belts. When using an endless belt, the connection to the gripper carriage can also be made.

[0025] The timing belt is preferably a belt with steel tensile cords embedded in an elastic belt base made of a food-grade elastomeric material.

[0026] Advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the associated dependent patent claims.

[0027] The cutting machine according to the invention is characterized by a high degree of hygiene and longevity of the product feed.

[0028] The invention will be described in more detail below in an exemplary embodiment with reference to a drawing. Fig. 1 : a slicer according to the invention, Fig. 2 : a feed unit of the slicer after Fig. 1, Fig. 3 : a gripper holder of the feed unit according to Fig. 2, Fig. 4 : a gripper according to the invention, Fig. 5 : the gripper holder according to Fig. 4 in a different representation, Fig. 6 : the slicer after Fig. 1.

[0029] A slicing machine according to the invention ( Fig. 1) for cutting stick-shaped foodstuffs 10 into slices, a so-called slicer 1 comprises a feeding device 2 of the foodstuff 10 to be cut, e.g. sausage or cheese in the form of sticks or bars to a cutting device 6 with a cutting knife 7, a lifting and conveying device 3, a deposit table 4 of the sliced ​​foodstuff (portions) as well as a conveyor belt 5 for transporting the sliced ​​foodstuff 10 to a vacuum packaging device, not shown.

[0030] It further comprises a control unit 8 of the slicer 1 and a feed unit 9 for the food 10 to be sliced.

[0031] The cutting blade 7 ( Fig. 6) can be fixed by means of screws or a quick-release device on a holder of a rotor 13, which is connected to a drive motor in the cutting device 6. A feed level for feeding the food 10 to be cut is assigned to the cutting blade 7, below which the conveyor belt 5 is connected for transporting stacks of slices of the cut food 10 to the storage table 4.

[0032] The cutting device 6 and the cutting blade 7 are arranged at an angle towards the storage table 4, which enables better cutting guidance and saves space, i.e. allows longer food sticks in the slicer 1.

[0033] The drive motor causes the cutting blade 7 to rotate about the axis of the rotor 13. To perform the cut, the block- or rod-shaped food 10 is fed to the cutting blade 7 at a feed rate corresponding to the desired slice thickness.

[0034] The cutting blade 7 is, in particular, a sickle blade, as disclosed, for example, in DE 20 2013 101 903 U1, and is provided on its circumference with a radially outwardly facing, spiral-shaped cutting edge 12 having a recess. It is further provided with a central receiving bore 11 and can thus be mounted directly and detachably on the cutting rotor 13.

[0035] The cutting blade 7 is formed with the at least partially annular outwardly facing cutting edge 12, the recess and with a radius extension of the cutting edge 12, wherein the center of gravity is located outside the axis of rotation, which does not require a separate positioning movement to execute a cut.

[0036] The cutting blade 7 has a mounting hole 11 with a diameter of approximately 100 mm, which is surrounded by two spaced-apart pitch circles of larger diameter. Mounting holes on the inner pitch circle serve to detachably attach the cutting blade 7 to the rotor 13 mount.

[0037] From a supply area, the bar-shaped foodstuffs 10 are transferred to an endless conveyor belt 14 of the lifting and conveying device 2, which is provided with receiving profiles 3 ( Fig. 1, Fig. 6). The receiving profiles 3 have a counter-contour to the food stick and ensure parallel feeding of the food sticks and thus identical cutting parameters for the food sticks fed in one clamping.

[0038] By means of the lifting and conveying device 2, the food 10 is lifted to approximately the height of the cutting blade 7 and guided through shaped openings 15 in an intermediate wall.

[0039] The ends of the food 10 facing away from the cutting blade 7 are also pivoted upwards about a virtual pivot point common to the cutting blade 7 until they or their longitudinal axis form approximately a right angle to the cutting plane of the cutting blade 7.

[0040] This enables product holders or grippers 21 of the feed unit 9 to grip the remote ends of the food sticks and to ensure a uniform feed to the cutting device 6 in the longitudinal direction ( Fig. 3).

[0041] The feed unit 9 further comprises a gripper carriage 20 with a gripper support beam 22 on which the grippers 21 are guided, two guide rods 23 and 25 arranged parallel to one another, a servo drive 24 and elements for moving the gripper carriage 20 ( Fig. 2, Fig. 3). The gripper carriage 20 is arranged on the guide rods 23 and 25 so that it can be moved linearly, whereby the guide rod 25 can also simultaneously perform a rotational movement about its own longitudinal axis.

[0042] The gripper carriage 20 ( Fig. 2) is guided with the gripper support beam 22 on / at the guide rod 23, which is round in the example, and is moved precisely along the feed axis by means of a toothed belt overdrive via the servo drive 24.

[0043] The toothed belt transmission comprises a drive wheel 27 with teeth and a tension pulley 34, which can also be designed without teeth, between which a toothed belt 26 runs back and forth. The toothed belt 26 is coupled to the gripper carriage 20 below the guide rod 23 ( Fig. 2). The coupling allows the use of open timing belts, also known as yard goods.

[0044] The preferred timing belt 26 is a belt with steel tension cords embedded in an elastic belt base made of a food-grade elastomer material. A special design ensures that the steel tension cords are completely sealed with the belt material, which applies to both the belt sides and the tooth bases. The timing belt 26 is very hygienic to use, as the strands, into which water and dirt could penetrate, are completely sealed with plastic. Furthermore, such a timing belt 26 is very durable, as no corrosion of the strands occurs, and the achievable feed movement is constant and very precise due to the high rigidity of the steel strands.

[0045] In conventional timing belts, however, the tension cables are exposed both on the sides of the belt and in the tooth base, where they rest on the winding lugs during casting.

[0046] The lower stiffness compared to conventional timing belts with steel strands can be compensated by appropriate dimensioning of the timing belt 26 in terms of width and pitch.

[0047] The grippers 21 can be coupled to the gripper support beam 22 of the gripper carriage 20 via a quick-release fastener 35, allowing them to be actuated centrally from the stationary part of the slicer 1. They can be precisely controlled via a common mechanism.

[0048] Each gripper 21 is coupled in pockets 29 on the gripper support beam 22 and with a locking lever 36. The gripper support beam 22 is arranged perpendicular to the feed axis of the food 10 and is provided with a linear element 28 guided therein. A push rod 30 is rotatably arranged at the end of the linear element 28 closer to the guide rod 25. The other end of the push rod 30 is pivotally connected to a rotationally fixed ring 31 of the guide rod 25. A rotational movement or a torque of the guide rod 25, triggered by a servo motor 32, is thus converted into a linear movement of the linear element 28.

[0049] This linear movement is transmitted in the same way and simultaneously via an interface to all coupled grippers 21 and controls the gripper mechanism for the actuation of the gripper claws 33.

[0050] In the Fig.4 shows grippers 21 with open and closed gripper claws 33. The gripper mechanism comprises a pivot lever 38, which is arranged on a roller 39 and connected to a sliding crank 40. The other end of the sliding crank 40 corresponds to the movement device of the gripper claws 33.

[0051] To close the gripper claws 33, the pivot lever 38 is pivoted toward a gripper head 41 via the linear movement of the linear element 28, and the pusher crank 40 pushes the gripper head 41, which is guided in a groove, forward. The gripper claws 33 are pivoted inward about their bearing point (cylindrical pins 37) toward the longitudinal axis of the food bar and engage with it.

[0052] To open the gripper claws 33 or release the food bar, the pusher crank 40 is pulled in the opposite direction by a linear movement of the linear element 28.

[0053] Compared to conventional pneumatic actuators, the design is significantly simpler and more cost-effective. It eliminates the need for conventional plug-in connectors, the tangle of pneumatic hoses, and the need for grease lubrication of the pneumatic cylinders. This also improves hygiene.

[0054] The purely electric drive of the slicer 1 according to the invention enables it to work without compressed air. List of reference symbols: 1 slicer 2 Lifting and conveying device 3 Recording profile 4 storage table 5 Conveyor belt 6 Cutting device 7 cutting blades 8 Control unit 9 Feed unit 10 foods 11 Mounting hole 12 cutting edge 13 Rotor 14 Endless conveyor belt 15 Opening 20 gripper carriages 21 grippers 22 gripper bars 23 Guide rod 24 servo drive 25 Guide rod 26 timing belts 27 gear 28 Linear element 29 bag 30 push rod 31 rings 32 servo motor 33 gripper claw 34 Tension or idler pulley 35 quick release 36 locking lever 37 cylindrical pin 38 swivel lever 39 roll 40 slider crank 41 Gripper head

Claims

[1] Cutting machine for slicing foodstuffs, such as sausage, cheese or meat, with a cutting blade (7), comprising a feed of the foodstuff (10) to be sliced ​​to the cutting blade (7), wherein a feed unit (9) for feeding the foodstuff (10) to the cutting blade (7) comprises at least one gripper carriage (20) with a gripper receiving bar (22) and at least one movable gripper (21), wherein the at least one gripper (21) is actuated by a stationary drive, and wherein the mechanical work for gripping is transferable to the grippers (21) via guides or further drive means, characterized bythat the gripper carriage (20) with the gripper receiving bar (22) is guided on a guide rod (23) and can be moved along a feed axis by means of a toothed belt overdrive, and the toothed belt overdrive comprises a gear wheel (27) and a tensioning or deflection roller (34), between which a toothed belt (26) runs back and forth, and that the toothed belt (26) is coupled to the gripper carriage (20), wherein the toothed belt (26) is provided with traction cables which are sealed on all sides by a plastic material of the toothed belt (26). [2] Cutting machine according to claim 1, characterized by that the gripper carriage (20) is guided on a linear guide, preferably in the form of guide rods (23, 25) and is arranged to be linearly movable, wherein the guide rod (25) is at the same time rotatable parallel to its longitudinal axis. [3] Cutting machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the gripper receiving bar (22) is arranged perpendicular to the feed axis of the food (10) and is provided with a linear element (28) guided therein, and that at the end of the linear element (28) closer to the guide rod (25) a push rod 30 is rotatably arranged, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the guide rod (25). [4] Cutting machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the gripper (21) is provided with a sliding crank (40), the ends of which correspond to a movement device of the gripper claws (33) and the linear element (28). [5] Cutting machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that one end of the sliding crank (40) is pivotally connected to a gripper head (41) of the gripper (21), the gripper head (41) being arranged to be displaceable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the gripper (21). [6] Cutting machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized bythat the stationary drive for actuating the gripper claws (33) is carried out by means of a pneumatic cylinder or electric motor. [7] Cutting machine for slicing foodstuffs, such as sausage, cheese or meat, with a cutting blade (7), comprising a feed of the foodstuff (10) to be sliced ​​to the cutting blade (7) with at least one feed unit (9) which moves at least one gripper carriage (20) along the feed axis by means of a toothed belt drive, wherein the toothed belt (26) is provided with traction cables which are sealed on all sides by a plastic material of the toothed belt (26), characterized bythat the gripper receiving bar (22) is arranged perpendicular to the feed axis of the foodstuff (10) and is provided with a linear element (28) guided therein, and that at the end of the linear element (28) closer to a guide rod (25) a push rod (30) is rotatably arranged, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the guide rod (25). [8] Cutting machine according to claim 7, characterized by that the toothed belt transmission comprises a gear wheel (27) and a tensioning pulley or deflection pulley (34), between which the toothed belt (26) runs back and forth. [9] Cutting machine according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by that the toothed belt (26) can be coupled to the gripper carriage (20) and the toothed belt (26) is provided with steel tension cords which are embedded in an elastic belt base body made of a food-safe elastomeric material. [10] Cutting machine according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized bythat the feed unit (9) comprises a gripper carriage (20) with a gripper receiving bar (22) on which grippers (21) are guided, a linear guide, in particular two guide rods (23, 25), a servo drive 24 and means for moving the gripper carriage (20). [11] Cutting machine according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized by that the gripper carriage (20) is guided on the guide rods (23, 25) and is arranged to be linearly movable, wherein the guide rod (25) is simultaneously rotatable about its own longitudinal axis. [12] Cutting machine according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized by that the gripper (21) is provided with a sliding crank (40), the ends of which correspond to a movement device of the gripper claws (33) and the linear element (28). [13] Cutting machine according to claim 12, characterized bythat one end of the sliding crank (40) is pivotally connected to a gripper head (41) of the gripper (21), the gripper head (41) being arranged to be displaceable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the gripper (21).

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