Slicing machine and method for slicing food

Abstract

The invention relates to a slicing machine (1), in particular a slicer, for slicing foodstuffs, comprising a feed unit (20) which is configured to feed a product caliber (K) along a feed direction (10), a cutting unit (7) which is arranged downstream of the feed unit (20) and is configured to slice the product caliber (K) into slices (S), a weighing unit (17a) which is configured to determine a weight of one or more slices (S), and a control unit (1*), wherein the slicing machine (1) further comprises a length measuring unit (30) which is configured to determine a length (L) of the at least one product caliber (K) along the feed direction (10), the control unit (1*) is configured toto determine a slice weight as a function of a longitudinal position (P1, P2, ..., PN) at the product caliber (K) from the length (L) of the at least one product caliber (K) determined by the length measuring unit (20) and the weight of the one or more slices (S) determined by the weighing unit (17a), and the control unit (1*) is further configured to determine at least one slice parameter as a function of the longitudinal position based on the determined slice weight and to control the feed unit (20) and / or the cutting unit (7) based on the determined slice parameter. The invention further relates to a method for slicing foodstuffs by means of a slicing machine (1).

Description

The invention relates to a slicing machine, in particular a slicer, for slicing food, comprising a feed unit which is configured to feed at least one product caliber along a feed direction, a cutting unit which is arranged downstream of the feed unit and is configured to slice the at least one product caliber into slices, a weighing unit which is configured to determine a weight of one or more slices which have been sliced by the cutting unit, and a control unit which is in signal communication at least with the feed unit, the cutting unit and the weighing unit.It should already be pointed out at this point that the slicing machine is designed according to the invention to slice food in the form of so-called product calibers into slices from which preferably cut or stacked portions can be formed. The product calibers can be formed, for example, from sausage, cheese, grown meat, pressed meat and the like.According to the invention, the feed unit can be designed, for example, as an endlessly circulating belt conveyor or the like. In addition, the cutting unit can comprise a knife which can be driven to rotate about an axis of rotation and by means of which the discs can be cut off from an end of a respective product caliber facing the cutting unit.Furthermore, according to the invention, the weighing unit can be arranged downstream of the cutting unit, wherein the wafers separated from the cutting unit can preferably fall directly onto the weighing unit, which can be designed, for example, as an endlessly circulating weighing belt.In order to be able to ensure that a respective slice and / or a respective portion has at least one predetermined desired weight, it is known in slicing machines according to the prior art to determine a weight of the respective slice or of the respective portion directly after slicing by means of the weighing unit and, if the determined weight deviates from the predetermined desired weight, to correct, i.e. to increase or reduce, the slice thickness of the individual slices and / or the slice number of a respective portion.It is important not only that the respective portions do not fall below a predetermined minimum weight in order to meet corresponding legal or other specifications, but also that the respective portions do not exceed the predetermined minimum weight to an undesirable extent in order not to allow the so-called "Giveaway", i.e. an excess product portion of the respective portion, to rise too much.It is therefore precisely in the case of product calibers which have a cross section varying in the longitudinal direction, such as product calibers of grown meat, baked liver cheese, burnt meat or the like, for example, that the slice parameters such as a slice thickness and / or a slice number must frequently be corrected in order to be able to ensure that the respective portions do not deviate too strongly from the predetermined desired weight. However, since, as a rule, initially preset standard slice parameters which are constant over a product caliber length are used for slicing product calibers, the correction of the slice parameters can usually take place only after slicing and weighing a respective portion. As a result, in known slicing machines, it can take a comparatively long period of time when the product caliber changes in cross section, in which several portions are cut open until the portions again have an appropriate actual weight. This time period is generally also referred to as a "control offset".Although it is fundamentally known to provide a product scanner upstream or on the feed unit in order to record the external dimensions by means of a camera and / or the internal composition of the product calibers by means of an X-ray device or the like, such product scanners are comparatively expensive and can be extremely maintenance-prone.It is therefore the object of the invention to remedy this situation.This object is achieved according to the invention by a slicing machine of the type mentioned at the beginning, which further comprises a length measuring unit, which is in signal connection with the control unit and is configured to determine a length of the at least one product caliber along the feed direction, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a slice weight as a function of a longitudinal position on the at least one product caliber from the length of the product caliber determined by the length measuring unit and the weight of the one or more slices determined by the weighing unit, and wherein the control unit is further configured to determine at least one slice parameter as a function of the longitudinal position of the at least one product caliber on the basis of the determined slice weight, and to control the feed unit and / or the cutting unit on the basis of the determined slice parameter.According to the invention, the pane weight can be determined as a function of the longitudinal position, i.e. preferably for each longitudinal position, at the respective product caliber in order to be able to estimate how the at least one pane parameter must be adjusted at a respective longitudinal position of the product caliber in order to achieve an actual pane weight and / or portion actual weight which comes as close as possible to a predetermined target pane weight and / or portion target weight. Advantageously, no product scanner in the form of a camera and / or an X-ray device or the like is required any longer. The slice parameter can preferably be prepredicted by already adapting the slice parameter with a changing product caliber cross section before the slice weight and / or the portion weight changes to an undesired extent. Consequently, it is possible to reduce the control offset mentioned at the beginning.The pane weight determined by the control unit can preferably be a length-specific pane weight depending on the longitudinal position at the at least one product caliber. The length-specific pane weight can correspond to a weight per millimeter product caliber length and / or a weight per millimeter feed distance. The feed path can thereby denote a path by which the product caliber is moved along the feed direction. From this it can thus be estimated which weight a slice has, which is cut open at a predetermined longitudinal position with a predetermined product caliber length. The predetermined product caliber length can correspond to a pane thickness of the respective pane in the feed direction.Furthermore, the slice parameter can preferably be a predetermined slice thickness of a respective slice and / or a predetermined slice number for a respective portion. As a result, the slice thickness per slice and / or the slice number per portion can be varied as a function of the longitudinal position in order to obtain portions which are as accurate as possible in weight during the slicing of a product caliber and which have a weight which comes as close as possible to the portion desired weight. The slice parameter can preferably be adjusted via the control unit of the slicing machine, wherein the cutting unit and / or the feed unit can be controlled by the control unit as a function of the slice parameter.According to one exemplary embodiment, it is proposed that the slicing machine is further assigned a memory unit which is in signal connection with the control unit and is configured to store one or more data sets, wherein each data set can comprise a length of a respective product caliber and an, in particular length-specific, slice weight as a function of the longitudinal position at the respective product caliber. Accordingly, records may be stored for later access / processing. Each data set can correspond to a predetermined product caliber pattern. For example, for a predetermined type of a respective product caliber, such as, for example, baked liver cheese and / or smoke ham, a desired data set can be selected, which corresponds to or at least is similar to the length and / or the, in particular length-specific, slice weight of a product caliber to be cut up at the moment, whereby the control offset can be at least reduced. The storage unit can be a component of the slicing machine or can be arranged separately therefrom, for example within a remotely arranged server or a cloud.In a development of the last-mentioned exemplary embodiment, the control unit can furthermore be configured to control the feed unit and / or the cutting unit on the basis of a slice parameter which has been determined on the basis of a data record of the one or more data records which corresponds to a previous product caliber which has been cut open before, in particular immediately before, a product caliber which is currently to be cut open. In this case, it can be assumed that, in particular during a batch slicing operation of the slicing machine, an earlier product caliber, in particular the immediately preceding product caliber, can be similar to the product caliber to be sliced at that moment. Thus, the slice parameters of the previous product caliber can first be used and then optionally corrected during the slicing of the product caliber to be sliced momentarily.Additionally or alternatively, the control unit may be configured to control the feeding unit and / or the cutting unit on the basis of a slice parameter which has been determined on the basis of a data set of the one or more data sets which corresponds to a previous product caliber which has been cut open before a product caliber to be cut open at the moment and has a predetermined or highest similarity to the product caliber to be cut open at the moment. As a result, it is possible to recognize a recurrent product caliber pattern by, for example, carrying out a comparison with data sets stored in the storage unit. The control unit can consequently be configured in such a way that it controls the cutting unit and / or the feed unit according to a data set stored in the storage unit, which corresponds to a product caliber, which has a length that is as similar as possible and / or a slice weight that is as similar as possible, in particular specific to length, depending on a longitudinal position. In this case, it is likewise conceivable for the control unit to access a suitable algorithm for recognizing a respective product caliber pattern, for example using artificial intelligence or the like.According to yet another exemplary embodiment, the control unit can be configured to control the feeding unit and / or the cutting unit on the basis of the disk parameter which has been determined on the basis of an average, in particular length-specific, disk weight as a function of the longitudinal position, which corresponds to an average value of a plurality of data sets, in particular of all data sets, which are stored in the storage unit. Consequently, the mean value from stored data sets can also be used and the respective product caliber can be cut open according to a mean value slice parameter as a function of the longitudinal position.Furthermore, the control unit can be configured to control the feed unit and / or the cutting unit such that the predetermined slice thickness of a respective slice is increased if the specific slice weight at the respective longitudinal position is less than a target slice weight, and / or the predetermined slice thickness of a respective slice is reduced if the specific slice weight at the respective longitudinal position is greater than a predetermined target slice weight. Accordingly, the slice weight can be corrected, i.e. increased and / or reduced, in each case in order to reduce the deviation of the actual slice weight from the target slice weight of the one or more slices.In an analogous manner, the control unit can be configured to control the cutting unit and / or the feed unit such that the predetermined number of slices of a respective portion is increased if the determined slice weight at the respective longitudinal position is less than a slice desired weight and / or the predetermined number of slices of a respective portion is reduced if the determined slice weight at the respective longitudinal position is greater than a predetermined slice desired weight. Consequently, the number of slices can be corrected, i.e. increased and / or reduced, in each case in order to reduce the deviation of the portion actual weight from a predetermined portion desired weight.Since end pieces of a respective product caliber are usually unusable and are usually removed by a so-called gate before slicing, it can be advantageous to record the weight of the disk in a middle section of the product caliber only as a function of the longitudinal position. Therefore, according to a further embodiment it is proposed that the control unit is configured to determine the pane weight depending on the longitudinal position only in the middle section of the product caliber, which is arranged between two opposite end piece sections of the product caliber, wherein the product caliber in the middle section can preferably have at least one predetermined dimension in the height direction and / or in the width direction of the product caliber.In a fundamentally known manner, the slicing machine can furthermore comprise a gripper unit with at least one gripper which is configured to grip the at least one product caliber at its end facing away from the cutting unit. In order to be able to carry out the length measurement by means of the length measurement unit at best already during gripping of the respective product caliber by means of the gripper unit, the length measurement unit can preferably be functionally combined with the gripper unit or be a component of the gripper unit. This can be effected, for example, by a displacement and / or force measurement at the gripper unit, in that the control unit determines which displacement the gripper unit travels until it reaches the end of the respective product caliber facing away from the cutting unit. The reaching of the product caliber can be detected in this case in that the gripper unit can no longer be moved further in the feed direction or at least cannot be moved without overcoming a predetermined force in the process.Additionally or alternatively, however, the length measuring unit can also comprise a sensor, such as a light barrier or a laser, for example, in order to determine the length of the respective product caliber. The length measuring unit can be arranged in the region of the cutting unit, in particular of the knife. Preferably, the length measuring unit can be arranged with respect to the feed direction, in particular directly, upstream of the cutting unit, in particular of the knife. The length measuring unit can detect a passing or a presence or absence of the product caliber, in order to be able to determine the length of the product caliber together with a monitoring of the movement of the feed unit in the feed direction.Finally, the slicing machine can comprise a portioning unit which is configured to form portions from the slices cut open by the cutting unit, wherein each portion can comprise one or more slices. The portioning unit is preferably combined and / or functionally combined with the weighing unit. An example of this is a so-called weighing and transport belt on which the slices can be both weighed and assembled into portions.It should also be noted that the slicing machine can furthermore comprise a discharge unit which is configured to discharge the slices cut open by the cutting unit along a discharge direction in order to be able to process and / or package the slices and / or portions further. The discharge direction can correspond to a direction of passage of the product calibers through the slicing machine.It should also be noted that the slicing machine according to the invention can also be designed as a multi-track slicing machine. In this case, the feed unit can comprise a plurality of tracks, which can be arranged next to one another in particular orthogonally to the feed direction. In this case, a product caliber can preferably be arranged on each track, so that the cutting unit can be configured to separate a disk from each product caliber arranged next to one another with a respective revolution of the knife.According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a method for slicing food by means of a slicing machine, in particular the slicing machine according to the invention described above, comprising the following steps:supplying, by means of a supply unit of the slicing machine, at least one product caliber along a supply direction,slicing, by means of a slicing unit of the slicing machine, the at least one product caliber; anddetermining, by means of a weighing unit of the slicing machine, a weight of one or more slices that have been cut open by the cutting unit,determining, by means of a length measuring unit of the slicing machine, a length of the at least one product caliber along the feed direction,determining, by means of a control unit of the slicing machine, from the length of the product caliber determined by the length measuring unit and the weight of the one or more slices determined by the weighing unit, a slice weight depending on a longitudinal position on the at least one product caliber, anddetermining, by means of the control unit, on the basis of the determined wheel weight, at least one wheel parameter as a function of the longitudinal position of the at least one product caliber, andcontrolling the feeding unit and / or the cutting unit based on the determined slice parameter.With regard to the advantages and effects of the method according to the invention, reference is already made at this point to the advantages and effects of the slicing machine according to the invention. All statements regarding the slicing machine according to the invention also apply to the method according to the invention and vice versa.In this case, the determined slice weight can be in an analogous manner a length-specific slice weight as a function of the longitudinal position at the at least one product caliber and / or the slice parameter can be a predetermined slice thickness of a respective slice and / or a predetermined slice number for a respective portion.The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the attached drawing with reference to an exemplary embodiment. They represent: FIG. 1 a shows an exemplary embodiment of a slicing machine according to the invention in a perspective view, FIG. 1 bshows the slicing machine according to FIG. 1 ain a side view, and FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a product caliber and further components of the slicing machine for explaining the function of the slicing machine according to the invention.FIGS. 1 aand 1 b show a slicing machine 1 in the form of a multi-lane slicer 1 for simultaneously slicing a plurality of product calibers K on a respective track SP 1 to SP 4 next to one another and depositing them in cut portions P each comprising a plurality of slices S with a general direction of passage 10* through the slicer 1 from right to left.FIG. 1 bshows-with inserted product caliber K-a side view of the slicer 1 with the omission of covers and other parts which are fastened to a base frame 2, so that the functional parts, in particular the conveyor belts, can be seen better. The longitudinal direction 10 is the feed direction of the product calibers K to a cutting unit 7 and thus also the longitudinal direction of the product calibers K lying in the slicer 1.In this case, a cutting unit 7 of the slicer 1 with a knife 3 rotating about an axis of rotation R, for example a sickle knife 3, can be supplied with a plurality of product calibers K, in this case four, lying next to one another on a feed conveyor 4 transversely to the feed direction 10, with projections 15 of the feed conveyor 4 projecting from a support surface as spacers therebetween by a feed unit 20, from the front ends of which the rotating knife 3 can separate a slice S with its cutting edge 3 ain each case in one operation.For slicing the product calibers K, the feeder 4 is in the oblique slicing position shown in FIG. 1 a, with a low cutting-side front end and a high cutting-side rear end, from which it can be folded down about a pivot axis extending in its width direction, the first transverse direction 11, which is located in the vicinity of the cutting unit 7, into an approximately horizontal loading position, as shown in FIG. 1 b.The rear end of each product caliber K lying in the feed unit 20 is held in each case by a gripper 14 or 14 a- din a positive-locking manner with the aid of gripper claws 16. These grippers 14 or 14 a- 14 dactivatable and activatable with regard to the position of the gripper claws 16 are fastened to a common gripper unit 13, which can be tracked along a gripper guide 18 in the feed direction 10.In this case, both the feed of the gripper unit 13 and of the feed conveyor 4 can be driven in a controlled manner, wherein, however, the actual feed speed of the product calibers K can be effected by a so-called upper and lower product guide 8, 9, which is likewise driven in a controlled manner and engage the upper side and the lower side of the product calibers K to be cut open in their front end regions close to the cutting unit 7.The front ends of the product calibers K are each guided through a product opening 6a-d of a plate-shaped cutting frame 5, wherein the cutting plane 3" runs directly in front of the front end face of the cutting frame 5, which end face points obliquely downwards, in which the knife 3 rotates with its cutting edge 3a about the axis of rotation R and thus separates the protrusion of the product calibers K from the cutting frame 5 as a disk S. The cutting plane 3" extends orthogonally to the upper run of the feed conveyor 4 and / or is defined by the two transverse directions 11, 12 to the feed direction 10. The inner periphery of the product openings 6 a- dof the cutting edge 3 aof the knife 3 serves as a counter-cutting edge.Since both product guides 8, 9 can be driven in a controlled manner, in particular independently of one another and / or possibly separately for each track SP 1 to SP 4, these determine a-continuous or clocked-feed speed of the product calibers K through the cutting frame 5.The upper product guide 8 is displaceable in the second transverse direction 12, which runs orthogonally to the surface of the upper strand of the feed conveyor 4, in order to adapt to a height of the product caliber K in this direction. Furthermore, at least one of the product guides 8, 9 can be designed to be pivotable about one of its deflection rollers in order to be able to change the direction of a guide belt of the product guide 8 and / or 9 bearing against the respective product caliber K in a limited manner.The slices S which are inclined in space when separated fall onto a discharge unit 17 which begins below the cutting frame 5 and runs in the direction of passage 10* and which, in the exemplary embodiment shown, comprises a plurality of discharge conveyors 17 a, 17 b, 17 carranged one behind the other in the direction of passage 10*, of which the first discharge conveyor 17 ain the direction of passage 10 can be designed as a weighing unit 17 aand in particular also as a portioning belt.The slices S can impinge on the discharge unit 17 individually and spaced apart from one another in the direction of passage 10* or, by appropriate control of the weighing unit 17 a, the movement of which, like almost all movable parts, is controlled by a control unit 1* of the slicer 1, cut or stacked portions P (see FIG. 1 b) can be formed. The portions P can be formed, for example, by a stepwise forward movement of the P of the weighing unit 17 a, which in the present case also serves as a portioning belt, in the direction of passage 10*.Below the feed unit 20 in the illustrated embodiment there is a substantially horizontally running residue conveyor 21, which starts with its front end below the cutting frame 5 and directly below or behind the discharge unit 17 and can transport residues falling thereon with its upper run to the rear.As already mentioned above, in the slicing machine 1 shown in FIGS. 1 aand 1 b, the conveyor belt 17 afunctions as the weighing unit 17 awhich is configured to determine a weight of one or more slices S cut open by the cutting unit 7. If a plurality of slices S, i.e. a portion P, is arranged on the weighing unit 17 a, the weighing unit 17 acan be correspondingly configured to determine the weight of the portions P. The weighing unit 17 a, the feed unit 20 and the cutting unit 7 are in signal communication with the control unit 1* of the slicing machine 1.FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a product caliber K and further components of the slicing machine 1 for explaining a function of the slicing machine 1.In order to determine a length L of the product caliber K along the feed direction 10, the slicing machine 1 according to the invention further comprises a length measuring unit 30, which is in signal connection with the control unit 1*. The length measuring unit 30 is only schematically indicated in FIG. 2. The length measuring unit 30 can be designed, for example, in the region of the knife 3 as a sensor, such as a light barrier or a laser, which can detect a passing of the product caliber K, in order to thus be able to determine the length L of the product caliber K together with a monitoring of the movement of the feed conveyor 4 in the feed direction 10.Alternatively, the length measuring unit 30 can also be arranged, for example, on the gripper unit 13, wherein a movement of the gripper unit 13 along the gripper guide 18 can be monitored in order to determine the length L of the product caliber K. If the feed conveyor 4 is in the upwardly folded slicing position shown in FIG. 1 a, the product caliber K can abut on the cutting goggles 5 or a stop element arranged in the region of the cutting goggles 5 and the gripper unit 13 can be moved in the feed direction 10 until the respective gripper 14 ato 14 dmay grip the corresponding product caliber K. From the position of the gripper unit 13 on the gripper guide 18, the length L of the respective product caliber K can be determined accordingly.It can also be seen in FIG. 2 that the product caliber K has varying dimensions in the height direction 12 over the length L. Thus, the product caliber K has the height h 1 at an end region leading in the feed direction 10, while the product caliber K has only a lower height h 2 in a middle region with respect to the length L. This has the result that slices separated from the product caliber K, which have the same sheath thickness d, can have a different slice weight. In other words, a pane weight of a respective pane S can vary with the pane thickness d depending on a longitudinal position P 1, P 2,..., P N at the at least one product caliber K. It is understood that the product caliber K can also have different dimensions in the width direction 11, which could be taken into account in an analogous manner.In order to meet these problems, the control unit 1* is therefore configured according to the invention to determine a wafer weight on the product caliber K from the length L of the product caliber K determined by the length measuring unit 30 and the weight of one or more wafers S determined by the weighing unit 17 a, as a function of the longitudinal position P 1, P 2,..., P N and is further configured to determine at least one wafer parameter on the basis of the determined wafer weight, as a function of the longitudinal position P 1, P 2,..., P N of the at least one product caliber K and to control the feed unit 20 and / or the cutting unit 7 on the basis of the determined slice parameter. The slice parameter can be, for example, the predetermined slice thickness d and / or a predetermined slice number for a respective portion P.Since, according to the invention, a pane weight, in particular a length-specific pane weight, is therefore preferably determined for each longitudinal position P 1, P 2,..., P N of the product caliber K, it is consequently possible to estimate which weight a pane S has, which is cut off from the product caliber K at a predetermined longitudinal position, for example the longitudinal position P 1, P 2 or P N. In order to be able to ensure that the respective panes S each have the same weight as possible, in the exemplary embodiment shown, a smaller pane thickness d can therefore be selected, for example, at the position P 1 than at the position P 2.In order to be able to regulate the pane parameter, i.e. in the present exemplary embodiment the pane thickness d, at best already in a predictive manner, a storage unit 32 is furthermore schematically indicated in FIG. 2, which is in signal connection with the control unit 1*. The storage unit 32 can be configured to store one or more data sets, wherein each data set can comprise a length L of a respective product caliber K and the, in particular length-specific, pane weight as a function of the longitudinal position P 1, P 2,..., P N on the respective product caliber K. If the product caliber K is cut open in FIG. 2 and the control unit 1* can access a data set corresponding to the product caliber K from the storage unit 32, it becomes accordingly possible to correspondingly adapt the pane thickness d over the length L already during the cutting open of the product caliber K, so that all panes S cut off from the product caliber K at best have an actual pane weight which comes as close as possible to a target pane weight.The length-specific pane weight can correspond, for example, to a weight per millimeter of product caliber length L. The feed unit 20, i.e. in the present exemplary embodiment the feed conveyor 4 and / or the product guides 8 and 9, can / can therefore be actuated by the control unit 1* in each case in such a way that, in order to separate a slice S, the product caliber K is moved in each case by a predetermined feed distance along the feed direction 10, which is located one at the respective position P 1, P 2 or. P N corresponds to a slice thickness d.If, for example, in the context of a batch slicing operation, a plurality of similar product calibers K are sliced successively, the control unit 1* can furthermore be configured to control the feed unit 20 and the cutting unit 7 on the basis of a slice parameter, i.e. for example the predetermined slice thickness d, which has been determined on the basis of a data set which corresponds to a previous product caliber which has been sliced before, in particular immediately before, the product caliber K. Thus, the control unit 1* can thus, for example, first use the slice thickness d as a function of the longitudinal position P 1, P 2,..., P N which has been determined for a previous product caliber, and then, during the slicing of the product caliber K to be sliced momentarily, correct it accordingly, taking into account measurement results of the weighing unit 17 a.It is also conceivable, if there are not yet any data sets present in the memory unit 32, to first cut up a calibration product caliber for the creation of a calibration data set, for which standard values for the pane thickness d are first used in order to determine the pane weight as a function of the longitudinal position P 1, P 2,..., P N. For all the following product calibers K, the calibration data set created in each case can then be assumed or this can be corrected, i.e. overwritten, repeatedly.Additionally or alternatively, the control unit 1* can be configured to control the feed unit 20 and the cutting unit 7 on the basis of a slice parameter, i.e. for example the slice thickness d, which has been determined on the basis of a data set which corresponds to a previous product caliber which has been cut open before the product caliber K to be cut open at the moment and has a highest similarity to the product caliber K to be cut open at the moment.If, for example, the length L of the product caliber K is measured before slicing the product caliber K, a data set can already be selected on the basis of this length L, which corresponds to a product caliber having a length that is as similar as possible and then first of all can be assumed from this data set. However, this at best presupposes that product calibers of similar length have a substantially similar shape, i.e. a substantially similar cross section over their length L.Moreover, it is also conceivable that the control unit 1* controls the feeding unit 20 and the cutting unit 7 only on the basis of the slice parameter corresponding to an average value of a plurality of data sets stored in the storage unit 32. Consequently, for example, for each longitudinal position P 1, P 2,..., P N the slice thickness d can be used, which corresponds to a mean slice thickness at the respective longitudinal position P 1, P 2,..., P N which has been determined from a predetermined number or all data sets in the storage unit 32.It is understood that, in addition or alternatively to the slice thickness d, the slice number of a respective portion P can also be varied. It is thus conceivable, for example, for the control unit 1 to control the cutting unit 7, in particular the knife 3, and the feed unit 20 in the region of the longitudinal position P 1 in such a way that a smaller number of slices S is cut open there for a respective portion P than in the region of the longitudinal position P 2, if, for example, a constant slice thickness d is assumed.Furthermore, the control unit 1* can be configured to determine the pane weight depending on the longitudinal position P 1, P 2,..., P N only in a middle section of the product caliber K, which is characterized in FIG. 2 by the length L m and is located between two opposite end piece sections of the product caliber K. This is therefore advantageous since the end pieces of a respective product caliber K are generally unusable and are accordingly usually removed by a so-called gate before slicing into slices S.

Claims

Slicing machine (1), in particular slicer, for slicing food, comprising: a feed unit (20) which is configured to feed at least one product caliber (K) along a feed direction (10), a cutting unit (7) which is arranged downstream of the feed unit (20) and is configured to slice the at least one product caliber (K) into slices (S), a weighing unit (17a) which is configured to determine a weight of one or more slices (S) which have been sliced by the cutting unit (7), and a control unit (1*) which is in signal communication at least with the feed unit (20), the cutting unit (7) and the weighing unit (17a), characterized in that the slicing machine (1) further comprises a length measuring unit (30), which is in signal communication with the control unit (1*) and is configured to determine a length (L) of the at least one product caliber (K) along the feed direction (10), that the control unit (1*) is configured to determine a disc weight as a function of a longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) at the at least one product caliber (K) from the length (L) of the at least one product caliber (K) determined by the length measuring unit (20) and the weight of the one or more discs (S) determined by the weighing unit (17a), and that the control unit (1*) is further configured to determine a disc weight as a function of a longitudinal position (P P P at the at least one product caliber (K), and that the control unit (1*) is further configured to, based on the determined wheel weight, at least one wheel parameter is determined depending on the longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) of the at least one product caliber (K), and the feeding unit (20) and / or the cutting unit (7) is controlled based on the determined wheel parameter.Slicing machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the slice weight determined by the control unit (1*) is a length-specific slice weight as a function of the longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) at the at least one product caliber (K).Slicing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the slice parameter is a predetermined slice thickness (d) of a respective slice (S) and / or a predetermined slice number for a respective portion (P).Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slicing machine (1) is also assigned a memory unit (32) which is in signal connection with the control unit (1*) and is configured to store one or more data sets, wherein each data set comprises a length (L) of a respective product caliber (K) and an, in particular length-specific, slice weight as a function of the longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) at the respective product caliber (K).Slicing machine according to claim 4, characterised in that the control unit (1*) is further configured to control the feed unit (20) and / or the cutting unit (7) on the basis of a slice parameter which has been determined on the basis of a data set of the one or more data sets which corresponds to a previous product caliber which has been cut open before, in particular immediately before, a product caliber (K) which is currently to be cut open.Slicing machine according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the control unit (1*) is configured to control the feeding unit (20) and / or the cutting unit (7) on the basis of a slice parameter which has been determined on the basis of a data set of the one or more data sets which corresponds to a previous product caliber which has been cut open before a product caliber to be cut open at the moment and has a predetermined or highest similarity to the product caliber (K) to be cut open at the moment.Slicing machine according to one of Claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the control unit (1*) is configured to control the feed unit (20) and / or the cutting unit (7) on the basis of the slice parameter which has been determined on the basis of an average, in particular length-specific, slice weight as a function of the longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) which corresponds to an average value of a plurality of data sets, in particular of all data sets, which are stored in the storage unit (32).Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (1*) is configured to control the feed unit (20) and / or the cutting unit (7) such that a predetermined slice thickness (d) of a respective slice (S) is increased if the specific slice weight at the respective longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) is less than a slice desired weight, and / or the predetermined slice thickness (d) of a respective slice (S) is reduced if the specific slice weight at the respective longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) is higher than a predetermined target slice weight.Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (1*) is configured to control the cutting unit (7) and / or the feed unit (20) such that the predetermined number of slices of a respective portion (P) is increased if the specific slice weight at the respective longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) is less than a target slice weight, and / or the predetermined number of slices of a respective portion (P) is reduced if the specific slice weight at the respective longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) is greater than a predetermined target slice weight.Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (1*) is configured to determine the slice weight as a function of the longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) only in a central section (L M) of the product caliber (K) which is arranged between two opposite end piece sections of the product caliber (K), wherein the product caliber (K) in the central section (L M) preferably has at least one predetermined dimension in the height direction (12) and / or in the width direction (11) of the product caliber (K).Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a gripper unit (13) having at least one gripper (14, 14a - 14d) which is configured to grip the at least one product caliber (K) at its end facing away from the cutting unit (7), wherein the length measuring unit (30) preferably functionally joins the gripper unit (13) or is a component of the gripper unit (13), or is arranged in the region of the cutting unit (7), in particular of the knife (3).Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a portioning unit (17a) which is configured to form portions (P) from the slices (S) cut open by the cutting unit (7), wherein each portion (P) comprises one or more slices (S).Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a discharge unit (17b, 17c) which is designed to discharge the slices (S) cut open by the cutting unit (7) along a discharge direction.Method for slicing food by means of a slicing machine (1), in particular according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: supplying, by means of a supply unit (20) of the slicing machine (1), at least one product caliber (K) along a supply direction (10), slicing, by means of a cutting unit (7) of the slicing machine (1), the at least one product caliber (K) into slices (S), and determining, by means of a weighing unit (17a) of the slicing machine (1), a weight of one or more slices (S) which have been sliced by the cutting unit (7), characterized by determining, by means of a length measuring unit (30) of the slicing machine (1), a length (L) of the at least one product caliber (K) along the supply direction (10), determining, by means of a control unit (1*) of the slicing machine (1), from the length (L) of the product caliber (K) determined by the length measuring unit (30) and the weight of the one or more slices (S) determined by the weighing unit (17a), a slice weight as a function of a longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) at the at least one product caliber (K), and by means of the control unit (1*), on the basis of the determined slice weight, at least one slice parameter as a function of the longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) of the at least one product caliber (K) and, controlling the feeding unit (20) and / or the cutting unit (7) on the basis of the determined disk parameter.Method according to claim 14, characterised in that the determined slice weight is a length-specific slice weight as a function of the longitudinal position (P 1, P 2,..., P N) at the at least one product caliber (K), and / or in that the slice parameter is a predetermined slice thickness (d) of a respective slice (S) and / or a predetermined slice number for a respective portion (P).

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