Depositing device and method for depositing a portion in or on a packaging element

Abstract

Depositing device (1) for depositing a product (P) such as a portion (P) of one or more parts (T) on or in a packaging element (V), with - an upper product belt unit (2) and - a lower V-belt unit (3) running under the discharge end (2a) of the product belt (2A) for transporting the packaging elements (V), - a controlled activatable and deactivatable stop device (5) with a stop (4) for stopping the foremost of the packaging elements (V1) to be accumulated, - a control (1*) for controlling at least movable parts of the storage device (1), characterized in that - the stop (4) is arranged above the V-belt (3A) of the V-belt unit (3) and, when viewed from above, in the path of movement of the packaging elements (V).

Description

I. Area of ​​application

[0001] The invention relates to the, in particular positionally accurate, placement of a portion from one or more parts, in particular from a food product. II. Technical background

[0002] Although such a part can also be a whole food item such as a piece of fruit, it is usually a part that has been previously separated from a whole piece of food, such as a portion of slices of sausage or cheese that are partially overlapped and cut from a product bar with a uniform cross-section over its length, hence the so-called product caliber, a slice of pineapple or a raw schnitzel cut from a natural, irregularly shaped piece of meat.

[0003] Such portions are usually sold in supermarkets in shrink-wrapped packaging and placed on a packaging element, either a flat, so-called card board, i.e., a plate made of plastic or cardboard, or in a packaging tray, such as a thermoformed plastic package. Other types of packaging elements are also possible.

[0004] In the packaged state, a sealing film extends over the food product and is tightly connected to the packaging element, i.e. it is either welded onto the edge of the trough-shaped thermoformed packaging or tightly connected to the card board, in particular to its underside.

[0005] To achieve this, it is necessary that the portion is located in a predetermined, defined position on or within the packaging element before applying the sealing film, so as not to impede the application of the sealing film, particularly by ensuring that the portion does not extend into the area of ​​the packaging element where the sealing film is to be attached. Furthermore, by arranging the portion in a defined position and also by correctly arranging the parts of a portion relative to one another, an attractive, uniform visual appearance of the package is achieved.

[0006] In order to place the portions in the correct position and also to assemble the portions, it has been customary to date for slices cut from a product caliber - to which reference is primarily made below - that the separated slices first fall individually from the slicing machine, in particular a slicer, onto a product belt of its discharge unit and, if necessary, are then transferred to a product belt of a separate feed unit to the packaging machine.

[0007] On the discharge unit, they are possibly already grouped into portions or at least partial portions and are then dropped by this discharge unit - which is often made up of several parts in the direction of transport - or the feed unit from the last, the dropping, product belt onto the packaging element positioned in front of and below it, which for this purpose naturally has to be positioned exactly in this collecting position, and this at considerable speed, since the cycle time for separating slices from a piece of product is often less than 0.5 seconds.

[0008] The packaging element is also usually transported by means of a conveyor belt and positioned at the drop-off point.

[0009] As a rule, the packaging element moves in the transport direction at the same speed as the portion moves in the transport direction when it is ejected.

[0010] Nevertheless, the delivered packaging elements are usually accumulated in front of the drop-off point on the continuously running packaging belt, the so-called V-belt or trough belt in the case of packaging troughs as packaging elements, and the frontmost packaging element is released in a controlled manner at the right time, which then reaches the drop-off point at the running speed of this V-belt.

[0011] For example, it is known to temporarily hold the frontmost packaging element in place in order to accumulate it, for example by means of an activatable stop against which the frontmost packaging tray runs with its sloping front wall.

[0012] However, this has the disadvantage that the horizontally protruding upper edges of consecutive, accumulated packaging trays are in an undefined position relative to one another, especially the edges of flat card boards.

[0013] In addition, the sloping front wall of a packaging tray is not very dimensionally stable and can be deformed by the pressure build-up.

[0014] However, it must be taken into account that high hygiene requirements exist when processing food and therefore, for all parts that come into contact with the food, there is only a narrow selection of materials and, on the other hand, the device must be easy and thorough to clean, which can be a considerable effort, especially in the case of conveyor belts, even if these belt conveyors are designed in such a way that the conveyor belt can be removed relatively easily and cleaned separately.

[0015] Finally, in connection with the present invention, reference is made to the documents DE 10 2021 119 720 A1, DE 10 2021 102 385 A1, WO 2022 / 184 454 A2 and EP 3 318 516 A1, which shed light on the technological background. III. Description of the inventiona) Technical problem

[0016] It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a storage device and a storage method which avoids the disadvantages described. b) Solution to the task

[0017] This object is achieved by the features of claims 1 and 11. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the respective subclaims.

[0018] A generic depositing device for, in particular, accurately positioning a product on or in a packaging element, in particular a packaging tray, typically comprises - an upper product belt unit, with which the product is transported, and whose product belt has a discharge end at the free end pointing in the conveying direction, over which a product lying on it is discharged when the product belt is running, - a lower V-belt unit running under this discharge end for transporting the packaging elements, - a controlled activatable and deactivatable stop device with a stop, with which the foremost of the packaging elements transported on the V-belt unit can be stopped and the packaging elements can be accumulated on it, and - a control for controlling at least the moving parts of the storage device.

[0019] By deactivating the stop device, the foremost accumulated packaging element is released and transported further by means of the V-belt, which generally continues to run constantly, to the impact point at which the product dropped by the product belt unit impacts the V-belt and in particular a packaging element lying on it.

[0020] The product may, for example, be a portion of one or more, in particular shaped, parts, in particular parts in the form of a foodstuff, such as slices of a foodstuff cut from a piece of food or a product calibre.

[0021] According to the invention, the stop is arranged above the V-belt, specifically in the movement path of the packaging elements, viewed from above, i.e. within the width range required by the packaging elements on their movement path.

[0022] This means that the stop device can be activated and deactivated very easily by means of a relative movement in height between the stop and the packaging element.

[0023] In particular, the stop is located upstream of the impact point and / or upstream of the discharge end of the product belt. The discharge end of the product belt is usually located upstream of the impact point.

[0024] The packaging element is usually a packaging tray with a circumferential, outwardly projecting edge at the level of the upper end of the tray's trough, with the trough wall, which is usually slightly inclined, merging into this outwardly projecting edge at the upper end by means of a bend.

[0025] This edge is usually more stable than the rest of the packaging tray and this usually also applies to the areas of the trough wall immediately adjacent to the edge so that a defined, reproducible positioning of such a tray at the stop can be used.

[0026] In the case of a packaging tray as the packaging element, the stop is preferably located in the movement path of the packaging tray's trough, viewed from above. This allows the stop to engage the trough wall.

[0027] In the case of plate-shaped packaging elements, so-called card boards, they can bulge in the middle area due to accumulation, but the front edge always allows for defined positioning.

[0028] In a simple embodiment, the stop itself can be activated and deactivated in a controlled manner, for example by being brought into and out of the movement path of the packaging element.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, however, the stop is fixedly arranged on the depositing device and is also not movable, i.e. cannot be activated or deactivated, but is located outside the normal movement path of the packaging element as a whole, which is transported on the V-belt.

[0030] To activate the stop device, there is then an activatable stop control element, the activation of which causes the packaging element to be lifted and to run against the stop in the conveying direction.

[0031] This results in a very simple design of the stop, which is also easy to clean.

[0032] Preferably, the stop surface of the stop for the edge of the packaging element, which stop surface faces opposite to the conveying direction, is an inclined stop surface inclined downwards towards the front in order to facilitate the sliding of the packaging element downwards along this stop surface due to gravity.

[0033] The inclination relative to the vertical should preferably be less than 45°, preferably less than 30°, preferably less than 20°.

[0034] Preferably, the stop control element is a component of the V-belt unit and, in particular, comprises a control section of the upper run of the V-belt of this V-belt unit. Thus, no or only a few additional components are required to implement the stop control element.

[0035] In particular, the stop control element comprises a height-adjustable control support under the control section of the V-belt, on which the control section rests.

[0036] The control support and thus the control section of the V-belt can be activated and deactivated by moving it vertically. In the activated, raised position of the control support, the packaging element lying on the control section is raised so far that it comes into contact with the stop when it is moved in the conveying direction towards the stop.

[0037] Depending on the time of lifting during transport of the packaging element and / or the longitudinal position of the control support, the packaging element runs against the stop either with its rear area, in particular its rear trough wall, or with its front area, in particular its front edge.

[0038] If the accumulation takes place in such a way that the packaging element is to rest with its front edge on the stop surface of the stop, the problem can arise that when the stop device is deactivated, not only the first, foremost packaging element is taken along by the V-belt, i.e. accelerated to the running speed of the V-belt, but simultaneously and without delay also the second accumulated packaging element, so that there is no sufficient gap between them to insert the stop between the first and second packaging element.

[0039] To reliably create such a gap, a braking element is preferably provided at the longitudinal position of the second-to-frontmost packaging element in the accumulated queue, for example, on each of the two sides of the movement path of the packaging elements. This braking element causes this second accumulated packaging element to accelerate more slowly than the first accumulated packaging element. The braking element can be a braked roller resting against the side(s) of the packaging element or a friction element, such as an elastic friction element.

[0040] For this purpose, the control support is preferably in contact with the underside of the upper run of the V-belt, in particular with its control section, at least in the raised, activated position.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, this control support is not just a sliding element on which the V-belt slides, such as a support plate or a support bar, but a control deflection roller over which the upper run of the V-belt runs, wherein preferably even in the lowered, deactivated state of this control deflection roller, the underside of the upper run of the V-belt is also in contact with this control deflection roller and supports it.

[0042] Preferably, in the deactivated state, the upper run of the V-belt, in particular in the area of ​​its control section, passes straight through, in particular from the frontmost to the rearmost deflection roller, without deflection by the control deflection roller, which only causes a deflection of the upper run in the raised, activated state.

[0043] Preferably, the control support, in particular the control deflection roller, with its most downstream and / or most upstream contact point to the upper run of the product belt in the activated, raised state is less than 12 cm away from the stop in the conveying direction, preferably less than 10 cm away, preferably less than 8 cm away.

[0044] As a result, for almost all common dimensions of packaging elements, the packaging element is lifted in either the rear or front half in the transport direction, while the other end remains on the upper run of the V-belt and, when the stop control element is deactivated, is then in a position that rises or falls diagonally upwards, in any case more diagonally than when the stop control element is deactivated.

[0045] The - usually endless - V-belt is preferably an endless slatted belt chain made up of belt chain links that are each connected to one another in an articulated manner, wherein in particular the control deflection roller has a diameter that corresponds at least to the simple distance between adjacent hinge axes of the slatted belt chain in the transport direction.

[0046] In the case of another control support in the form of a sliding part such as a support plate, the support plate is curved in side view with a radius of curvature which, analogously, corresponds to at least half the simple distance between two hinges of the hinged band chain which are adjacent in the transport direction.

[0047] In order to be able to control the storage device automatically, appropriate sensors should be available.

[0048] Thus, the depositing device preferably comprises a product sensor, in particular a contactless one, which detects the presence and / or the position of a product, in particular a portion, on the product belt, in particular the position in relation to the discharge end of the product belt and / or in particular the position in the discharge end area of ​​the product belt.

[0049] Preferably, this can be a camera arranged above the product belt unit - which can consist of several product belts arranged one behind the other in the transport direction.

[0050] Preferably, the depositing device comprises a V-sensor, in particular a contactless one, which detects the presence and / or position of a packaging element on the V-belt, in particular the presence of a packaging element adjacent to the stop.

[0051] Preferably, the depositing device comprises at least one running speed sensor which detects the running speed of the product belt and / or the V-belt.

[0052] The control is preferably designed in such a way that it is able to control the stop device, in particular as a function of the signals from the said sensors to which it is signal-technically connected, in particular to deactivate the stop device at the right time and thereby release the foremost accumulated packaging element at such a time that it is located at the impact point at exactly the time when the product thrown off via the discharge end of the product belt hits the packaging element positioned there.

[0053] It is usually necessary to know the position and speed of movement of the product at the discharge end of the V-belt, which is achieved by previously determining the position and the discharge speed - or alternatively the acceleration of the V-belt if it has to be accelerated from a standstill together with the product lying on it.

[0054] In addition, the geometric arrangement of the product belt and in particular its discharge end to the V-belt should be known, which is usually the case and is not changed.

[0055] If it is changed, for example the position of the discharge end, this current position must also be known or detected by means of an appropriate sensor.

[0056] In order to increase the variability of the storage device, it can have an additional buffer for products such as portions or parts of a portion, such as slices, in which these can be temporarily stored - preferably without a packaging element underneath.

[0057] This means that the storage device can continue to operate even if the production device for the products, especially portions, temporarily fails - in the case of a slicing machine, for example, because the slicing machine needs to be reloaded with a piece of food or a product caliber.

[0058] This is preferably a vertical intermediate storage device with, in particular, a vertically controlled movable storage shelf which has compartments arranged one above the other and open on both sides in the transport direction.

[0059] In this way, the additional length required in the transport direction for such an intermediate storage is kept within limits.

[0060] With regard to a method for, in particular positionally accurate, depositing of a product such as a portion of one or more parts in or on a packaging element, preferably by means of a depositing device as described above, a known method generally comprises the steps - Ejecting the product transported on the product belt from the discharge end of the product belt onto the packaging element, - Transporting the packaging elements one behind the other under the product belt, in particular on a V-belt, and accumulating them upstream of the point of impact and - time-controlled release of the foremost of the accumulated packaging elements.

[0061] According to the invention, the accumulation is carried out by means of a stop arranged above the V-belt and positioned, in plan view, in the movement path of the packaging elements, particularly a stationary stop. This prevents inaccuracies in the positioning of the foremost accumulated packaging element.

[0062] Preferably, the accumulation is carried out by lifting the packaging element, whereby the stop is preferably located above the normal path of movement of the packaging elements, i.e. when they are not lifted.

[0063] Preferably, the accumulation takes place by placing the rear edge of the trough of a packaging tray as a packaging element, in the conveying direction, or the front edge of the packaging element, against the stop.

[0064] The installation at the rear edge of the trough has the advantage that sliding down the stop surface of the stop due to gravity is facilitated due to the already existing inclination of the trough edge and, in addition, no gap in the longitudinal direction between the frontmost and the second frontmost accumulated packaging element is required to insert the stop.

[0065] If the front edge is nevertheless to be in contact with the stop for accumulation, the acceleration of the second accumulated packaging element is reduced to the speed of the V-belt, for example by a braking element, in order to create a gap to the frontmost accumulated packaging element, which is not braked and accelerates faster.

[0066] Due to the stable edge, an exact, reproducible positioning of the packaging element in the transport direction is achieved.

[0067] Preferably, the presence and / or position of the product, in particular the portion on the product belt unit, is detected.

[0068] Preferably, the presence and / or position of a packaging element on the V-belt unit is detected, in particular with regard to its abutment against the stop.

[0069] This information is usually necessary to be able to control the process automatically.

[0070] The prior determination, in particular calculation, of the required exact collection position for the packaging element, at which the packaging element must be located at the point of impact, in particular both in the conveying direction and in the transverse direction thereto, and / or the determination of the running speed of the packaging element at the point of impact, which is generally required for control purposes, should be carried out taking into account at least one collection parameter.

[0071] Such a catch-all parameter could be - the actual position of the product on the product belt unit, in particular the current one and / or - the detected or known discharge speed of the product by the discharged product belt and / or - the detected weight of the product, which is also determined during transport on the product belt unit.

[0072] Such a collection parameter can also be the trend of the change in the determined actual position of the product on the dropping product belt and / or the trend of the change in the determined actual position of the packaging element on the V-belt, for which in particular the actual position not only of the product currently being dropped and / or the packaging element currently intended to collect the product, but also of the respective preceding product or packaging element should be determined.

[0073] In particular, the actual position on the product belt should be determined consistently for each product and for each packaging element used with regard to the installation at the stop and / or after its release downstream of it with regard to the actual position on the V-belt.

[0074] In this way, the filing process can be controlled very precisely.

[0075] As a rule, the packaging element is moving in the transport direction when the product hits it, preferably at a speed which corresponds to the component of the speed of movement of the product in the transport direction during the discharge, and the two belts are controlled by the control system in this sense with regard to their running speed.

[0076] For this purpose, the running speed of the product belt at the discharge end and / or of the V-belt at the impact point is preferably determined in advance, in particular calculated, preferably taking into account at least one determined or known collection parameter, preferably one of the previously described collection parameters.

[0077] As a rule, the running speed of one of the two belts is predetermined because, for example, it runs continuously at a constant running speed, such as the V-belt, and the running speed of the product belt is controlled accordingly, especially at the time of product discharge. c) Examples of implementation

[0078] Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. They show: Fig. 1a, b: a known storage device with a slicing machine in front in side view and top view, Fig. 2a, b: a first design of a storage device according to the invention, also with a slicing machine in front according to the illustrations of Fig. 1a, b in side view and top view, Fig. 3a, b: a second design of a storage device according to the invention, also with a slicing machine in front according to the illustrations of Fig. 1a, b in side view and top view, Fig. 4a: a representation analogous to the Fig. 2a, but with an intermediate storage device between the slicing machine and the storage device, Fig. 4b: a detailed view along the line B - B of the Fig. 4a.

[0079] According to all figures, a product P in the form of a portion P from, for example, several slices S, which are partially superimposed and thus shingled in the conveying direction X, is to be placed in a packaging tray V.

[0080] The slices for this purpose are produced by a slicing machine 30, which uses a knife 13 to cut a slice S from the front end of a piece of food LS. The piece of food LS is generally fed at an angle downwards, which facilitates the falling of the slice cut from its front end without creasing onto a discharge unit, which in this case consists of three discharge belt units arranged one behind the other in the transport direction X.

[0081] In the case of food pieces LS with an uneven cross-section over their length, such as a piece of grown meat, these are pressed together before slicing upstream of the knife 13, preferably in a circumferentially closed, but open at the front and rear, forming tube 11 to a cross-section that is approximately constant in the feed direction of the food piece LS to the knife 13, in particular by means of a longitudinal pressing stamp 12 that presses against the rear end of the food piece LS and presses it against a front stop plate 14, so that the food piece LS should completely fill the inner cross-section of the forming tube 11, preferably over the entire length of the food piece LS.

[0082] After this shaping pressing, the excess of the food piece LS protruding beyond the front end of the forming tube 11 or a cutting frame is cut off by the knife 13 as a disc S.

[0083] In the case of a product caliber with a cross-section that remains constant over its length, there is usually only one cutting frame (not shown) with at least one product opening for the caliber to be pushed through immediately upstream of the knife, since pressing to a uniform cross-section is not necessary, with the excess of the caliber being cut off from the knife as a disc over the front of the cutting frame.

[0084] For slicing, the piece of food LS is pushed forward step by step by the slice thickness by the longitudinal pressing punch 12 or, in the case of a product caliber, by a gripper, until it comes into contact with the stop plate 14, which can be used to specify the thickness of the slices at a defined distance from the front end of the forming tube 11 during slicing, but does not necessarily have to be present.

[0085] The depositing device 1 relevant here comprises the product belt unit 2 - here at least the last belt unit in the conveying direction X of the discharge unit of the slicing machine 30 - via whose front end in the conveying direction X, the discharge end 2a, the product P in the form of the portion P lying thereon is discharged into a packaging element V, here packaging trays V1, V2, V3, which is fed below the product belt unit 2 in the conveying direction X by means of a V-belt 3.

[0086] The trays V are transported lying on the upper run of the V-belt 3A of this V-belt unit 3 and are accumulated in the conveying direction X upstream of the impact point 10, here also upstream of the discharge end 2a of the product belt 2A, by a stop device 5 which comprises a stop 4.

[0087] In the known design according to the Fig. 1a, b, the stop 4 is a bolt, for example the piston rod of a working cylinder, arranged next to the movement path of the packaging trays V and retractable in the transverse direction Y into the movement path of the packaging trays V. Such a stop is present on both sides here.

[0088] When the bolt located in the path of movement of the trays is activated, the foremost accumulated packaging tray, here V3, rests with its diagonally upwardly rising front wall against these two activatable and deactivatable stops 4.

[0089] Since the V-belt 3A continues to run continuously, in particular at a constant speed, the subsequent packaging trays V are also brought to a standstill by running onto the packaging tray V in front of them, whereby, as shown, the upper circumferential edges R of the packaging trays V are in an undefined position relative to one another in the mutual contact area, i.e. in one case the rear edge R of the front tray comes to lie above the front edge R of the subsequent packaging tray V or vice versa, and also in the conveying direction X the overlapping of these edges R does not always take place completely, but possibly only partially.

[0090] To take a portion P, the stop 4 is deactivated for a short time and thereby the Fig. 1a, the foremost accumulated packaging tray V3 is released, which then travels on the V-belt 3A - which generally runs continuously at the same running speed - to the impact point 10, as shown in the form of the packaging tray V2, and reaches and passes through this impact point 10 at exactly the time and in such a positioning in the conveying direction X, in which the portion P ejected via the discharge end 2a of the product belt 2A then hits the bottom of the packaging tray V and there preferably without any wrinkling and without coming into contact with the sloping walls of the packaging tray V.

[0091] For this purpose, the product belt 2A of the product belt unit 2 - here the last belt unit most downstream of the discharge unit of the slicing machine 30 - preferably runs at a constant speed, or is accelerated by the product belt 2A, in particular from standstill, to the discharge speed after a portion P has been placed on it and its position has been determined by the camera 8 arranged above it.

[0092] The Fig. 2a, b show the inventive development of a first design of the storage device 1 with otherwise analogous representations as in the Fig. 1a, b:

[0093] How best to Fig. As shown in Fig. 2a with enlargement, the storage device 1 according to the invention is designed differently with regard to the stop device 5 than the known stop device: As especially the enlargement from Fig. 2a, the stop device 5 also includes a stop 4, but this is mounted immovably above the V-belt 3A on the depositing device 1 at such a height that during normal operation of the V-belt 3A, in which the packaging trays V are not to be accumulated, they pass under the stop 4.

[0094] However, the upper run 3Ao of the V-belt 3 can be raised in a certain section in the conveying direction 10, namely the control section 6 located downstream, in particular immediately downstream, of the stop 4, to such an extent that a packaging tray V transported in this raised position on the upper run 3Ao runs against the stop 4 with the rear trough wall Mh of the trough M of the packaging tray V, here the tray V2, during further forward movement and the packaging tray V is thereby stopped, although the V-belt 3A continues to run underneath, so that the underside of the packaging tray V slides on the upper run 3Ao.

[0095] The tray V1, which is located in front of this tray V2 on the V-belt and is already filled with a portion P, continues to run and is transported away.

[0096] The lifting should of course only take place when the stop 4 is already in the length range of the packaging tray V, but still in front of its rear trough wall Mh.

[0097] Preferably, the stop 4 is located in such a position that a packaging tray V, here V2, stopped by it is located exactly at the impact point 10, so that a portion P ejected via the discharge end 2a of the product belt 2A impacts exactly in this tray V2 and there also at the correct position in the longitudinal direction X.

[0098] However, the collecting bowl V2 is then at a standstill when the portion P hits.

[0099] The control section 6 is raised by a control deflection roller 3c, which is in contact with the underside of the upper run 3Ao at least in this raised position of the upper run, so that this control deflection roller 2c can be used as a stop control element 5A.

[0100] The control support 7, here in the form of the control deflection roller 3c, is positioned in the conveying direction X in such a way that at least the rear end region of the packaging tray V2 to be stopped is lifted, or the entire packaging tray V2 to be stopped.

[0101] Specifically, the control deflection roller 3c is located at a longitudinal position that approximately corresponds to the discharge end 2a of the product belt 2A, in particular + / - half a tray length or, expressed in absolute values, a maximum of + / - 15 cm, better a maximum of + / - 10 cm, deviating therefrom. Instead of the control deflection roller 3c, another control support 7 could also be present, which rests against the underside of the upper run 3Ao by moving up and presses it upwards, such as a support plate (not shown), a support strip or the like, which naturally creates sliding friction against the upper run 3Ao, which prevents the control deflection roller 3c from rolling off.

[0102] Especially the first enlargement of the Fig. 2a further shows that the stop surface 4a of the stop 4 is inclined relative to the vertical, i.e., inclined forward and downward in the conveying direction X. This serves to allow the rear troughed belt Mh of the tray V resting against the stop surface 4a to slide smoothly down to its lower end without jamming, when the stop control element 5A in the form of the control deflection roller 3c is lowered.

[0103] Preferably, the inclination of the stop surface 4a corresponds to the inclination of the rear trough wall Mh of a bowl V2 in its raised position.

[0104] The Fig. 2a, b also show the sensors that facilitate or even enable the automatic control of the depositing process 1: A camera is mounted above the product belt unit 2 as a product sensor 8, which detects the presence and also the position of a portion P on the product belt 2A.

[0105] Furthermore, a V-sensor 15 detects whether a tray V3 rests with its front edge R on the stop 4.

[0106] The running speed of the product belt 2A is measured - preferably continuously - by means of a running speed sensor 16 in order to know the speed of movement of a product P being moved therewith and in particular to be ejected.

[0107] The control of the storage device 1 (not shown) is connected to these sensors via data technology and can thus automatically control the storage process.

[0108] The Fig. 3a, b show a second design of the storage device 1 with otherwise analogous representations as in the Fig. 2a, b: In this second design, the frontmost packaging tray to be accumulated should be able to be placed against the stop 4 with its front, forwardly projecting edge R, which usually runs around the entire trough M when viewed from above, when the stop device 5 is activated.

[0109] The stop device 5 with the stop 4 - also arranged stationary and not movable above the normal movement path of the packaging trays V - differs in the figures from that of the Fig. 2a, b by the fact that in the Fig. 3a, b the control deflection roller 3c is arranged slightly set back against the conveying direction X, namely upstream of the discharge end 2a of the product belt 2A.

[0110] However, this is only shown to clarify the other purpose, because both for the purpose of the first design and for the purpose of the second design, the control deflection roller 3c or another control support 7 could be arranged in the same position, for example under the discharge end 2a, again in particular + / - a maximum of half a shell length, in particular a maximum of + / - a quarter of a shell length, or expressed in absolute values ​​a maximum of + / - 15 cm, better a maximum of + / - 10 cm deviating therefrom.

[0111] Otherwise, the statements regarding the 1st design apply according to the Fig. 2a, b for this 2nd design according to the Fig. 3a, b analogously.

[0112] How Fig. As shown in Figure 3a, the rear edge of a tray V and the front edge of the tray V located behind it slide over each other in an undefined manner during accumulation and can also hook onto each other with their cutting edges. However, for the front edge R of a packaging tray V to be stopped against the stop surface 4a of the stop 4, - either the front edge R of the following shell V is reliably above the lower edge of the preceding shell V, which, as mentioned above, is not the case - or in the longitudinal direction, a gap L in the conveying direction X must be present in front of the first packaging tray V to be accumulated to the preceding packaging tray V, so that when passing through this gap L under the stop 4, the stop device 5, lifting the control support 7, here the control deflection roller 3c, the stop 4 can dip into this gap L and the front edge R can run against the stop 4.

[0113] To create this gap L, a braking element 31 is provided at the longitudinal position of the second of a series of accumulated shells V, here V4, which braking element engages with this shell V4 and, when the first accumulated shell, here V3, is released, causes it to be brought very quickly to the speed of the upper run 3Ao of the V-belt 3A, while the second accumulated shell V4 is accelerated more slowly due to the adjacent braking element 31, thereby creating the desired gap L between them.

[0114] Preferably, such a braking element 31 is present on both sides of the movement path of the shells V, although this does not necessarily have to be the case.

[0115] In Fig. 3b shows, as one possibility, a braked brake roller 31 rotating about an upright axis, which engages either with the lateral wall of the trough M or with the outer edge of the laterally projecting edge R, or an elastic, in particular plate-shaped, brake element 31 projecting from the outside in the transverse direction against the shell V, which, due to its elastic prestress, rests against one of the said areas of the second accumulated shells V, here V4, and brakes them somewhat.

[0116] A V-belt 3A often consists of a link belt chain in which a large number of chain belt links 3G are arranged one behind the other and are connected to one another via hinge axes running in the transverse direction Y.

[0117] In such a V-belt 3A, the diameter D of the control deflection roller 3c should be at least as large as the distance A between two hinges adjacent in the conveying direction X between two belt chain links 3G, as shown in the second enlargement of the Fig. 2a.

[0118] Fig. 4a further shows a storage device 1 according to the Fig. 2a, b in the side view, which is not only preceded by a slicing machine 30, but also has an intermediate storage 17 for portions P already produced between the slicing machine 30 and the depositing device 1, so that even in the event of an interruption in operation of the slicing machine 30, the depositing device 1 can be supplied with portions P from the intermediate storage 17.

[0119] In order not to increase the overall length of the machine too much, the intermediate storage unit 17 is in the form of a paternoster buffer 20 as the core element as well as an infeed unit 18 - here the last conveyor arranged between the slicing machine 30 and the paternoster buffer 20 - and an outfeed unit 19 - here the product belt unit 2 of the depositing device 1 which transports a product P such as a portion P to the buffer 20 and away from it.

[0120] The paternoster 20 carries a series of buffer elements 21, for example 21.3, which are essentially plate-shaped and serve as a shelf, i.e. a storage surface, for example a storage tray, for a product P to be placed thereon.

[0121] The buffer elements 21 are normally not closed plate-shaped, but have Fig. 4b has a plurality of tines 21a spaced apart from one another in the conveying direction X or oppositely extending, which are connected at one end to a tine plate 21A or individually fastened to a base body 21b or merge integrally into it and end freely at the other end, preferably pointing in the conveying direction X.

[0122] This also facilitates the possible uncoupling of the remainder of each buffer element 21, in particular the tine plate 21A from the base body 21b.

[0123] As is usual with a paternoster, the individual moving elements 21 are attached to at least two annularly rotating traction elements 22a, 22b as a drive, whereby the attachment here preferably occurs only on the base bodies 21b. In this case, each base body 21b or each tine plate 21A is attached at each of its ends pointing in the transverse direction Y to two traction elements 22a, b—offset in the conveying direction X.

[0124] Since the tines 21a point with their free ends, for example, in the conveying direction X, the buffer elements 21, which are currently located in the inlet run 22.18 facing the inlet unit 18, protrude according to Fig. 4b into the interior of the paternoster 20 surrounded by the traction elements 22a, b - when viewed from the side - and on the other side away from the outlet run 22.19 in the conveying direction X.

[0125] A control system (not shown) controls not only the rotation of the traction elements 22 a, b of the paternoster 20, but also its height adjustment, because the deflection rollers 23.1 - 23.4, around which the endless traction elements 22 a, b rotate at the top and bottom, are fastened with their axes 29 to a common support frame 24, which can be moved up and down in a controlled manner.

[0126] This allows the height of a buffer element 21 in one strand to be adjusted independently of the movement of the buffer elements in the other strand.

[0127] Since the inlet unit 18 and the outlet unit 19 are usually positioned with their upper support surfaces at a, in particular the same, predetermined height above the ground, usually at working height, this usually also defines the height at which products P are transferred to and from the paternoster 20, the transfer height.

[0128] In order to make the paternoster 20 simple, the individual buffer elements 21 preferably do not have any conveying devices such as sliders or a design as a conveyor belt with which they can pull an article lying on them towards them or push it off them.

[0129] Therefore, for example, an internal conveyor 25 is provided at the transfer height, which can take over an article A from both the inlet run 22.18 and the outlet run 22.19 from a buffer element 21 arranged at the transfer height and can also deliver it to them.

[0130] Preferably, according to Fig. 4b in the transverse direction Y the plate-shaped buffer elements 21 are wider than the incoming and outgoing conveyors, since these must be able to move between the lateral ends of the buffer elements 21 in the transverse direction Y, to which they are attached to the rotating traction elements 22a, b.

[0131] Despite the vertically movable buffer elements 21, a conveyor - such as the internal conveyor 25 or the discharge conveyor in the form of the product belt 2 of the depositing device 1 - can mutually transfer a product P lying thereon, extending in the transverse direction Y over several of the tines 21a: For this purpose, the - under the supervision of the Fig. 4b, viewed on the side with the free ends of the tines 21a, the conveyor, here the inner conveyor 25, is not designed as a belt conveyor with a conveyor belt running across the entire width in the transverse direction 11, but as a belt conveyor with several conveyor belts 26 running side by side in vertical planes in the transverse direction Y.

[0132] These run over a common deflection roller 27, i.e., one that runs through all belts 26 in the transverse direction 11, at their end facing away from the buffer element 21 and are generally also driven by this continuous deflection roller 27.

[0133] At the end near the buffer, each belt 26 runs over its own separate deflection roller 28, which is narrow when viewed from above and is fastened by means of a support strut (not shown) which also runs in the conveying direction 10, relative to the base frame of this conveyor, in which the continuous deflection roller 27 is also mounted.

[0134] The buffer-side unit consisting of deflection pulley 28, belt 26 and, if applicable, support strut is still narrower in plan view than the distance between two adjacent tines 21a, so that they can fit in the space between them, as shown in the plan view of the Fig. 4b.

[0135] It is irrelevant whether the entire conveyor 18, 19 or only its deflection rollers 18 are moved in the direction of the buffer element 21 and move between the tines 21a.

[0136] A loading process of the buffer 20 would therefore proceed in such a way that the individual deflection rollers 28 and the belts 26 guided around them are located in the intervals between the tines 21a, inserted as far as possible between the tines 21a and with the upper side of the upper run of the belt 26 slightly higher than the upper side of the buffer element 21.

[0137] Then, by means of the feed unit 18, a product P can be pushed forward over its front end in the conveying direction X, over the base body 21b, which is relatively narrow in this direction, and onto the conveyor belts 26, which are driven in the conveying direction X, preferably synchronously with the delivering conveyor 18, and pull the product P at least completely over onto the buffer element 21.

[0138] Once this has happened, the buffer element 21 can move upwards relative to the conveyor belts 26 and thereby lift the product P from the conveyor belts 26, which then only rests on the tines 21a if the product P is to be temporarily stored in the buffer 20.

[0139] In an analogous manner, a product P, for example a portion P, can be transferred from a buffer element 21 to the outlet unit 19, here for example the product belt 2 of the depositing device 1, at the outlet run 22.19 of the buffer 20, which for this purpose must of course also be designed as described above with reference to the internal conveyor 25. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 1 storage device 2 Product belt unit 2A product band 2a Drop-off end 3 V-belt unit 3a, b deflection roller 3c Control deflection roller 3A V-belt, hinged belt chain 3Ao upper run 3G band chain link 4 stop 4a Stop surface 5 Stop device 5A Stop control 6 Tax Section 7 Tax levy 8 Product sensor, camera 9 Libra 10 Impact point 11 shaped pipe 12 longitudinal pressing punches 13 knives 14 Stop plate 15 V sensor 16 Running speed sensor 17 cache 18 Inlet unit, inlet conveyor 19 Drain unit, drain conveyor 20 paternoster buffers, buffers 21 Shelf, buffer element 22 a, b tension element 23.1-.4 Deflection pulley 24 Support frame 25 internal conveyors 26 conveyor belts 27 Deflection roller 28 pulley 29 Axis 30 slicing machine 31 Brake element A distance D Diameter L gap LS food piece M trough Mh rear trough wall P Portion R edge of the bowl S disc T Part V packaging element, packaging tray X Conveying direction, 1. horizontal direction Y transverse direction, 2. horizontal direction Z upright direction, vertical direction

Claims

[1] Depositing device (1) for depositing a product (P) such as a portion (P) of one or more parts (T) on or in a packaging element (V), with - an upper product belt unit (2) and - a lower V-belt unit (3) running under the discharge end (2a) of the product belt (2A) for transporting the packaging elements (V), - a controlled activatable and deactivatable stop device (5) with a stop (4) for stopping the foremost of the packaging elements (V1) to be accumulated, - a control (1*) for controlling at least moving parts of the storage device (1), characterized by , that - the stop (4) is arranged above the V-belt (3A) of the V-belt unit (3) and, when viewed from above, in the path of movement of the packaging elements (V). [2] Storage device according to claim 1, characterized by , that - in the case of a packaging tray (V) as the packaging element (V), the stop (4) is arranged in the path of movement of the trough (M) of the packaging tray (V) when viewed from above and / or - the stop (4) has a stop surface (4A) that is inclined downwards and diagonally forwards. [3] Storage device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - either the stop (4) is fixed, i.e. stationary and immovable, to the storage device (1) and the stop device (5) has a stop control element (5A) that can be activated and deactivated in a controlled manner - or the stop (4) can be activated and deactivated in a controlled manner. [4] Storage device according to claim 3, characterized by , that - the stop control element (5A) is part of the V-belt unit (3), - in particular the stop control element (5A) comprises a control section (6) of the upper run (3Ao) of the V-belt (3A). [5] Storage device according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized by , that - the stop control element (5A) comprises a control support (7) which can be displaced in a height-controlled manner and can thus be activated and deactivated under the control section (6) of the V-belt (3A), - the control support (7) is in contact with the underside of the upper run (3Ao) of the V-belt (3A), at least in the raised, activated position. - in particular the control support (7) is a control deflection roller (3c), - which is in contact with the underside of the upper run (3Ao) of the V-belt (3A), especially in the lowered, deactivated state and / or - a braking element (31) for engaging a packaging element (V) in the path of movement of which is present at a longitudinal position of the second accumulated packaging element (V). [6] Storage device according to claim 5, characterized by , that - the control support (7), in particular the control deflection roller (3c), is arranged with its most downstream and / or most upstream contact point to the upper run (3Ao) of the product belt (3A) less than 12 cm back from the stop (4), - in particular by less than 10 cm, in particular by less than 8 cm. [7] Storage device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the endless V-belt (3A) is an endless hinged belt chain (3A) consisting of belt chain links (3G) which are each connected to one another in an articulated manner, - the control deflection roller (3c) has a diameter (D) which corresponds at least to the simple distance (A) between two adjacent hinges of the hinged band chain (3A). [8] Storage device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the depositing device (1) comprises a product sensor (8), in particular a contactless one, which detects the presence of a product on the product belt (2A), in particular in its discharge end region (2a) and / or - the depositing device (1) comprises a V-sensor (15), in particular a contactless one, which detects the presence of a packaging element (V) on the V-belt (3A), in particular at its stop (4). [9] Storage device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the product belt unit (2) comprises a running speed sensor (16), - the control (1*) is capable of deactivating the stop device (5) in a controlled manner depending on the signals from the product sensor (8) and / or the V sensor (15) and / or the running speed sensor (16). [10] Storage device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the storage device (1) comprises an additional intermediate storage (17) for products (P) such as portions (P), in particular without a packaging element (V) underneath, - in particular in the form of a vertical intermediate storage device (17) with a vertically controlled movable storage shelf (17) with compartments (18) open on both sides in the conveying direction (X) and arranged one above the other. [11] Method for the precise placement of a product (P) such as a portion (P) consisting of one or more parts (T) in or on a packaging element (V), by - the product (P) transported on a product belt (2A) is dropped from its end (2a) onto the packaging element (V) located at the drop-off point (10), - the packaging elements (V) are transported one after the other on a V-belt (3A) and are accumulated upstream of the impact point (10) and - the foremost accumulated packaging element (V1) is released in a time-controlled manner, characterized by , that - the accumulation is carried out by means of a stop (4) arranged above the V-belt (3A) and, viewed from above, in the path of movement of the packaging elements (V). [12] Method according to claim 11, characterized by , that - the accumulation takes place by lifting the packaging element (V), in particular - the accumulation takes place by placing the rear trough wall (Mh) of a packaging tray (V) in the conveying direction (X) on the stop (4) or the front edge (R) of the packaging element (V), in particular the projecting upper edge (R) of the packaging tray (V), on the stop (4). [13] Method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized bythat when the front edge (R) is jammed by placing it on the stop (4) when the foremost jammed packaging element (V) is released, the acceleration of the immediately following packaging element is reduced in such a way that a spacing from the foremost released packaging element (V) occurs. [14] Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized by , that - the presence, in particular the position, of the product (P) on the product belt unit (2) is detected and / or - the presence, in particular the position, of the packaging element (V) on the V-belt (3A) is detected. [15] Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized bythat the determination of the required exact collection position and / or running speed of the packaging element (V) at the point of impact (10) and / or running speed of the product (P) at the discharge end (2a) is carried out taking into account at least one collection parameter, in particular - the detected actual position of the product (P) on the product belt unit (2) and / or - the detected or known discharge speed of the product (P) by the discharged product belt (2A) and / or - the detected weight of the product (P) on the product belt unit (2) and / or - the trend of the change in the determined actual position of the product (P) on the dropping product belt (2A) and / or the detected actual position of the packaging element (V) on the V-belt (3A), in particular by determining not only the actual position of the product (P) currently being dropped and the packaging element (V) currently being collected, but also the actual position of the previous product (P) or packaging element (V) and comparing it with the actual position of the current product or packaging element.

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