METHOD FOR OPERATING A PACKAGING LINE AND SUITABLE PACKAGING LINE FOR THIS PURPOSE

Description

I. Area of ​​application

[0001] The invention relates to a packaging line consisting of a packaging machine, a slicing machine, such as a slicer, which also includes a discharge unit, and an insertion / feeding unit in between, to feed weight-checked portions from one or more slices cut by the slicing machine to the insertion station of the packaging machine at the correct insertion rate and, if necessary, correctly aligned with the track spacing of the multi-track packaging machine.

[0002] Both the discharge unit and the insertion feed unit consist of several conveyor belts arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel through the machine, and in the case of multi-track machines, also of several conveyor belts arranged next to each other transversely to this.

[0003] In practice, such an insertion and feeding unit is called an inserter or insertion line. The insertion and feeding unit and the discharge unit of the slicing machine together form a transport route along which the portions must be transported from their preparation to their placement in or onto the packaging element.

[0004] The slicer is frequently mentioned in the following, but this is not intended to limit the invention to this type of slicing machine. II. Technical Background

[0005] Even with such a packaging line, performance is paramount, usually specified in the form of the cycle time, with which the packaging elements, which generally move forward step by step, are moved in the packaging machine.

[0006] This is because the packaging machine is usually a thermoforming packaging machine, in which a strip of thermoformable plastic film is thermoformed section by section while stationary immediately upstream of the insertion station where the portions are placed on or in the packaging elements, thereby forming packaging recesses in the film strip, usually several packaging recesses in succession per lane in the direction of travel per thermoforming process.

[0007] The number and arrangement of packaging cavities produced in a single thermoforming process, or the corresponding number and arrangement of portions to be placed in these cavities, is referred to as the format. Since these are generally multi-lane slicing machines and multi-lane packaging machines, the cavities and corresponding portions form a two-dimensional format.

[0008] Since the film strip moves forward step by step at the insertion station due to the step-by-step deep-drawing process (deep-drawing cycle), a complete format of portions must be inserted into the corresponding format of cavities at the insertion station at each step (insertion cycle = deep-drawing cycle) as it moves forward.

[0009] The insertion feeder unit, on the one hand, assembles the portions into the correct formats and at the correct positions of the insertion feeder unit, and on the other hand, provides a buffer for portions and whole formats so that in the event of an interruption of the slicing operation - which regularly occurs when loading the slicer with one or more new product calibers - the packaging machine can continue to operate fed from this buffer.

[0010] For this reason, the Cutting performance the slicer's are usually slightly higher than the Insertion capacitythe packaging machine, in the case of a thermoforming packaging machine usually its Deep drawing performance or any other performance limiting the packaging machine's output.

[0011] Nevertheless, the average cycle frequency and thus the insertion performance (with inversely analogous increasing cycle time) of the packaging machine decreases when the slicing operation is interrupted, but not during the interruption, because during this time the packaging machine is fed from the buffer, but after the slicing operation is resumed, as time is needed to close the gap between the last format in the inserter and the portions newly produced on the transport line after the interruption.

[0012] This decrease in cycle rate could be shortened by choosing a much higher slicing capacity for the slicer than for the packaging machine, but this would entail a significant additional effort on the part of the slicer.

[0013] Not all conveyor belts are suitable as buffer belts within the infeed unit and, for the same reason, within the outfeed unit, because a buffer belt must be able to transfer the one or more portions stored on it to the following belt with positional accuracy even after a standstill.

[0014] Since the packaging elements, especially the tray belt, have a defined running speed during their movement phases, the last belt of the insertion feed unit, the so-called insertion belt, which drops the format on it into the trays, for example, must also have the same running speed during insertion, and thus often also the upstream belts, especially buffer belts.

[0015] A conveyor belt can therefore be ruled out as a buffer belt simply because it is too short to accelerate a portion stored on it to the required speed by the time it reaches the end of the belt during start-up. If more than one portion can fit consecutively on this buffer belt, only one or some of these portion positions can be designated as buffer positions, since the aforementioned condition is met for these, while one or more other buffer positions on this buffer belt are not designated for this purpose; these are subsequently referred to as non-buffer positions.

[0016] Similarly, a conveyor belt is not suitable as a buffer belt if it is not driven by a servo motor, as it cannot then be precisely controlled in terms of timing and speed profile, which is why a synchronous and position-accurate transfer to a subsequent belt is not possible.

[0017] Therefore - see Figure 5- only certain conveyor belts within the packaging line are permitted as buffer belts, while the others, the so-called non-buffer belts, are not.

[0018] Functions such as weighing portions, rejecting defective portions, adjusting the adjacent portions to the track spacing of the packaging machine, rotating and aligning the portions, etc., are usually provided by the conveyor belts of the slicer's discharge unit or the subsequent first belts of the insertion / feed unit, by containing appropriately designed conveyor belts.

[0019] Document DE 10 2021 102385 A1 discloses a method according to the preamble of claim 1. Reference is also made to DE 10 2017 105919 A1 and DE 10 2021 105098 A1. III. Description of the invention a) Technical task

[0020] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a method for operating a packaging line which minimizes and in particular avoids the increase in the average cycle time of the packaging machine due to an interruption of the slicing operation of the slicing machine, and to provide a suitable packaging line for this purpose without significantly increasing the construction effort for the packaging line. b) Solution of the task

[0021] This problem is solved by the features of claims 1 and 6. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0022] Regarding the procedure to operate a packaging line, which typically includes, as outlined one Packaging machine with a loading station in which a portion is placed on or in a packaging material, a single-lane or multi-lane slicing machine, in particular a Slicer , for separating discs from a product caliber, including a discharge unit with multiple conveyor belts for the discs, which is capable of stacking several discs at least partially on top of each other to form a portion, and a downstream horizontal conveyor in the direction of flow. Insert feed unit for buffering and feeding the portions to the insertion station by means of several conveyor belts equipped with controllable servo drives, at least one part of which is used as a buffer belt, where The discharge unit and the insertion / feed unit together form a transport route for the portions, will be in Normal operation The slicing machine is operated only with such a real slicing capacity that - per lane - the number of portions present on the transport route corresponds at most to the total number of storage positions for one portion each, the buffer positions, present in the buffer route.

[0023] This ensures that in the event of an interruption of the insertion process at the insertion point and a subsequent immediate stop of the cutting operation, the portions present on the transport route upstream of the powder line can be transported further into the buffer line and all find space there.

[0024] Since the buffer belts there are each driven by servo motors, after a restart of the insertion operation the contents of the buffer section can be gradually and correctly inserted at the insertion point onto or into the packaging element.

[0025] The realCutting performance is the number of slices cut per unit of time, and especially per lane. maximum The slicing performance, which is limited by the maximum rotational speed of the slicing machine's blade, is usually somewhat higher.

[0026] To adjust the slicing machine to a predetermined, actual slicing output, the blade speed is not reduced. Instead, the machine operates at the speed that would yield the maximum number of slices per unit of time if slices were cut with each blade rotation. However, a certain number of blank cuts are incorporated—during which the blade does not cut a slice due to lack of contact with the workpiece—so that the desired, lower, actual slicing output is achieved instead of the potential maximum.

[0027] A placement position for a portion is understood to be the space, especially its extent in the direction of transport, where a portion can be placed on a conveyor belt. Therefore, if two portions can fit one after the other on a conveyor belt track in the direction of transport, but there is no room for a third portion, then this conveyor belt has two placement positions.

[0028] For example, if the buffer section comprises four buffer belts, each of which is long enough to have two storage positions for one portion each, then the buffer section has a total of eight storage positions.

[0029] The existing problem is solved by the fact that in Special caseIn the event of a foreseeable interruption of the slicing operation of the slicing machine, the slicing machine is temporarily operated with a significantly higher actual slicing capacity during a lead-up period before the interruption, such that the number of portions present in the buffer section per lane reaches a special number that is higher than the number of buffer positions on the buffer section by a predetermined special difference.

[0030] The number of normal buffer positions on the buffer route, together with the additional special difference released during special operation, therefore results in the increased special number of portions that may be present at most on the entire transport route. Anzahl Puffer - Positionen + Sonder - Differenz = erhöhte Sonder - Anzahl .

[0031] This solution therefore relies on the assumption that during the short period of special operation, in which the transport route is more heavily occupied with portions than in normal operation – essentially the time of the interruption of the slicer's slicing operation – no additional standstill of the infeed / insertion unit and / or the outfeed unit of the slicer will be forced by other circumstances, but rather that they will continue to run and the infeed / insertion unit will continue to supply the packaging machine with formats by means of stepwise forward movement.

[0032] This continuously frees up buffer positions on the feeder insertion unit, because otherwise the portions – especially those on non-buffer belts – would have to be removed or at least inserted manually, as they could no longer be automatically transferred to the subsequent belts with precise positioning.

[0033] Preferably, the special difference is set such that the number of special items per lane does not exceed the total number of storage positions for portions available in the transport route. This ensures that a separate storage position is available for each portion present in the transport route.

[0034] To minimize the described risk, the period of increased occupancy is kept as short as possible. For this purpose, according to the invention, the lead-up period is placed immediately before the slicing operation is stopped.

[0035] For the same reason, the length of the lead time is chosen so that the special number is only reached with the last cutting operation before the cutting operation stops.

[0036] Likewise, the lead time is started as late as possible, especially so late that the desired number of special orders can just be built up before the interruption.

[0037] Typically, the packaging materials are moved forward step by step in the packaging machine, picking up a format consisting of several portions – one after the other in the transport direction and, in the case of a multi-lane machine, several portions side by side in the transverse direction. The formats are assembled from individual portions using the infeed unit.

[0038] Then the special number per lane corresponds at most to the number of portions per lane of two formats, or at most to the number of portions per lane of only one format, in order not to increase the additional occupancy too much.

[0039] Should the conveying unit and / or the inserting feed unit nevertheless come to a standstill during the special operating period, i.e., the increased occupancy of the transport route, the portions located on the non-buffer belts will generally be diverted from the packaging line and / or placed manually onto the packaging materials when the line is restarted.

[0040] One Packaging line for the production and packaging of portions from one or more slices separated from a product caliber, it is generally known to include one Packaging machine with a loading station in which a portion can be placed on or in a packaging element, a single-lane or multi-lane Slicing machine, especially one Slicer, for separating slices from a product caliber, including a discharge unit with usually several conveyor belts for the slices, including a portioning belt which is able to at least partially stack several slices on top of each other to form a portion, and a horizontal conveyor downstream of this conveyor in the direction of travel. Insert feed unit For buffering and feeding the portions to the insertion station by means of several conveyor belts, at least one part of which can be used as a buffer belt, a control system for controlling moving parts of the packaging line.

[0041] With regard to such a packaging line, the existing problem is solved according to the invention by the fact that the packaging line, in particular its control system, is designed in such a way that it is able to carry out the method described above.

[0042] This makes it possible to achieve the advantages described in the procedure.

[0043] Preferably the Packaging line for this a portioning belt for at least partially stacking slices to form portions, in particular a subsequent discharge belt for transporting the portion from the portioning belt and / or a transfer belt for transferring a portion to a subsequent unit, in particular a conveying-feed unit and / or a weighing belt with a scale for weighing a portion and / or a rocker belt for diverting a portion and / or a distribution belt or spreading belt for spacing the portions from the track spacing of the slicer to the track spacing of the packaging machine and / or a compensating belt for arranging the corresponding portions on the different tracks at the same longitudinal position and / or a format belt for precisely assembling portions into at least one format and / or at least one buffer belt for buffering at least one portion, in particular at least one whole format.and / or an insert belt for dropping a format onto at least one packaging element.

[0044] The intended purpose can be achieved very easily with the help of these conveyor belts in the packaging line. c) Examples of implementation

[0045] Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. The figures show: Figures 1a, b: A cutting machine in the form of a slicer according to the state of the art in different perspective views, with the feed belt folded up into the cutting position, Figure 2a, b: the slicing machine of the Figure 1a , b in the side view with the trim panels removed, so that the various conveyor belts are more clearly visible, at Figure 2b In contrast, with the feed belt folded down into the loading position, Figure 3a: A packaging line in side view showing its loading status during normal operation, Figure 3b: the packaging line of Figure 3a in a four-lane design, viewed from above, Figure 4a: a packaging line in side view with loading status in Special operation shortly before a shutdown of the slicing operation, Figure 4b: the packaging line of Figure 4a in a four-lane design, viewed from above, Figure 5: a block diagram with included positions, Figure 6a, b: Time diagrams showing the loading of a transport route in normal operation and in special operation.

[0046] The Figure 1a , 1b show different perspective views of a known, multi-lane slicer 100 for the simultaneous slicing of several product calibers K - not shown in these two figures - on one lane SP1 to SP4 next to each other and depositing in shingled portions P from several slices S with a general flow direction 10* through the slicer 1 from right to left.

[0047] Figure 2a Figure 1 shows a side view of slicer 1 with caliber K inserted, omitting covers and other parts not relevant to the invention. These parts, like all other units, are attached to the base frame 2, so that the functional parts, especially the conveyor belts, are more clearly visible. The longitudinal direction 10 is the feed direction of the caliber K to the cutting unit 7 and thus also the longitudinal direction of the caliber K lying in slicer 1.

[0048] It can be seen that the basic structure of a slicer 100 according to the state of the art consists in the fact that several, in this case four, product calibers K lying next to each other on a feeder 4 with spacers 15 of the feeder 4 between them are fed by this feeder 20 to a cutting unit 7 with a knife 3 rotating around a knife axis 3', here a sickle knife 3, and from the front ends of which the rotating knife 3 with its cutting edge 3a cuts off a slice S in one operation, i.e. almost simultaneously.

[0049] For cutting the product caliber K, the feeder 4 is located in the Figure 1a , b and 2aas shown in the side view, oblique cutting position with low-lying cutting-side front end and high-lying rear end, from which it can be folded down about a pivot axis 20' running in its width direction, the first transverse direction 11, which is located near the cutting unit 7 according to Figure 2b into an approximately horizontal loading position.

[0050] The rear end of each caliber K lying in the feed unit 20 is - see Figures 2a , b - Each gripper 14a - d is positively engaged by means of activatable and deactivatable gripper claws 16. The grippers 14a - 14d are attached to a common gripper slide 13, which can be moved along a gripper guide 18 in the feed direction 10.

[0051] In this system, both the feed of the gripper slide 13 and the feeder 4 can be driven in a controlled manner. However, the specific feed speed of the calibers K is determined by a similarly controlled drive, so-called upper and lower product guide 8, 9, which engages the top and bottom of the calibers K to be cut in their front end regions near the cutting unit 7. The front ends of the calibers K are each guided through a so-called product opening 6a-d of a plate-shaped cutting frame 5. The cutting plane 3" runs directly in front of the front, downward-sloping end face of the cutting frame 5. The knife 3 rotates in this plane with its cutting edge 3a, thus cutting off the protruding portion of the calibers K from the cutting frame 5 as a disc S, as better illustrated in the schematic diagram. Figures 3a , bThe cutting plane 3" runs perpendicular to the upper run of the feeder 4 and / or is spanned by the two transverse directions 11, 12 to the feed direction 10.

[0052] The inner circumference of the product openings 6a - d serves as a counter-edge for the cutting edge 3a of the knife 3.

[0053] Since both product guides 8, 9 can be driven in a controlled manner, in particular independently of each other and / or possibly separately for each track SP1 to SP4, these determine the - continuous or pulsed - feed rate of the caliber K through the cutting frame 5.

[0054] Below the feed unit 20 - see Figure 1a , b- there is usually a roughly horizontal residual conveyor 21, which begins with its front end below the cutting frames 5 and directly below or behind the conveying unit 17 and with its upper run transports residuals falling there to the rear by means of the drive of one of the conveying units 17 against the flow direction 10.

[0055] The discs S, which are positioned at an angle in space during separation, fall onto a conveying unit 17 that begins below the cutting frame 5 and extends in the direction of travel 10*, and which in this case consists of several conveying units 17a, b, c arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel 10* with their upper runs approximately aligned, of which the first conveying unit 17a in the direction of travel 10 can be designed as a portioning belt 17a.

[0056] The discs S can hit the conveying unit 17 individually and spaced 10* apart from each other in the direction of travel, or, by appropriate control of the portioning belt 17a of the conveying unit 17 - whose movement, like almost all moving parts, is controlled by the control unit 1* - shingled (see Figures 3a , b ) or stacked portions P are formed by mostly stepwise forward movement of the portioning belt 17a.

[0057] Figure 3a Figure 1 shows a packaging line 1 in side view with a feed insertion unit 200 in the through-direction 10* following a slicer 100, with its discharge unit 17, and a packaging machine 300 indicated by the trough belt, into whose troughs M the feed insertion unit 200 places the portions P, in particular a portion P consisting of three slices S as shown.

[0058] The side view of the Figures 3a , 4aThis applies both to a single-lane packaging line 1 and to a multi-lane packaging line 1 with several consecutive lanes in the direction of view of these figures, such as a four-lane packaging line 1, as shown in the top view of the Figures 3b , 4b and analogous to the Figures 3a , 4a as well as for the slicer in the Figures 1a to 2b depicted.

[0059] The in the Figures 3a , b, 4a, b The packaging line 1 shown comprises the following conveyor belts on each of the tracks SP 1 to SP4 from the cutting unit 7 downstream: portioning belt 17a, discharge belt 17b and transfer belt 17c as part of the discharge unit 17, which usually also belongs to the slicer 100.

[0060] Downstream, others immediately downstream, of which, preferably in this order, a weighing belt 22 with a scale 29 for weighing a portion P located on it, a controlled discharge belt 23, preferably designed as a controlled pivoting rocker belt 23, for diverting an underweight portion P, a distribution belt 24, often also called a spreading belt 24, to move the portions located next to each other in the transverse direction 11 from the track spacing of the slicer 100 to the track spacing of the packaging machine 300, a compensating belt 25 to move the portions P located next to each other in the transverse direction 11 to the exact same longitudinal position in the through-direction 10*, format belt 26 to bring the corresponding number of portions P - in this case two portions P one after the other per track - together for a format F and to the correct longitudinal spacing and thus form finished formats F.

[0061] Downstream of this is the actual buffer section 30, consisting of one or more, in this case three, buffer bands 27.1 - 27.3, whereby in this case the compensating bank 25 and the format Bd. 26 also belong to the buffer section 30, since they also fulfill a buffer function as buffer bands in addition to the functions mentioned above.

[0062] The buffer belts 27.3 and 27.2 can each hold at least one format F of portions P, while the buffer belt 27.1 can only hold part of a format F, in this case only one portion, whereas the immediately upstream so-called format belt 26 can also hold a portion P, so that together they can buffer a format F, especially in the correct relative position of the two portions P of which it consists, to each other, especially in the direction of travel 10*.

[0063] Finally, the downward-sloping insert belt 28 follows, which places the format F held on it, consisting of in this case eight portions P, onto the thermoforming belt TB running below into the analogous format F* formed from the recesses M of the thermoforming belt TB, for which purpose the thermoforming belt TB and the insert belt 28 are brought to the same speed in the direction of travel 10*.

[0064] It goes without saying that the successive bands are arranged so closely together that they are able to take a corresponding portion P from the upstream preceding band and pass it on to the downstream next band.

[0065] The length of the format F, F* in the feed direction 10* and / or the cycle frequency as well as the speed in their movement phases are determined by how many troughs M in the feed direction 10* are drawn one after the other - and of course in the transverse direction 11 next to each other, usually simultaneously over all tracks - in the deep drawing station between the upper tool 303 and the lower tool 304 from the flat deep drawing strip TB.

[0066] In this case, a format F* in the direction of travel comprises 10* in succession per lane SP1 - SP4 two troughs M and analogously a format F two portions P per lane SP1 - SP4.

[0067] The following show Figures 3a , b - per lane SP1 - SP4 - the loading quantity of portions P on the entire transport route 217 in Normal operation at an arbitrary time, because the 9 portions per lane SP1 - SP4 shown here may also be located on conveyor belts other than those shown.

[0068] In normal operation, there are therefore 9 portions in this case because the buffer section 30, i.e. from the compensating belt 25 to the insertion belt 28, including each track SP1 - SP4, offers 9 storage positions for one portion P each.

[0069] The portions distributed over the entire transport route 217 in the depicted state could therefore be transported further until they are all within the buffer section 30, from where, even after a standstill of the conveyor belts of the transport route, position-accurate transfer and placement into the troughs M as packaging material V would be possible.

[0070] At the time shown, the following are located in the Figures 3a , b so within the buffer zone 30 two portions of P consecutively per lane on the insert belt 28, two portions of P consecutively per lane on the buffer belt 27.2, one portion of P on the equalization belt 25, where tapes 25 and 26 together fulfill the function of a format tape, on which a total of two portions P are arranged one after the other per track SP1 - SP4 at the correct distance from each other.

[0071] Upstream of buffer section 30, there is one track per lane two portions P on the distribution belt 24, one portion on the transfer belt 17c of the conveying unit 17 and one portion on the portioning belt 17a of the conveying unit 17.

[0072] The Figures 4a , b In contrast, the loading quantity of portions P on the entire transport route 217 is shown in Special operation at the time the slicing operation stopped or immediately before.

[0073] As a special exception, 8 portions were released per lane, compared to the normal operation with 9 portions per lane according to Figure 3a , b now in Figure 4a , b There are 17 portions per lane on the transport route.

[0074] The additional 8 portions released are the most recently produced portions, whereby the remaining portions P were transported accordingly during their production, so that in particular the buffer zone 30 is now more heavily loaded, in this case completely, in contrast to the previous state. Figures 3a , b Additionally, there are also two portions of P in succession on buffer tapes 27.1 and 27.3, meaning that there is one format F on each of these two buffer tapes and also one portion of P per track on format tape 26.

[0075] Figure 5 shows left for the Normal operation, that in the slicing operation – in which packaging line 1 represents a rolling system – the normal buffer, consisting of the buffer belts of buffer section 30, only has as many storage positions for portions, i.e., buffer positions, occupied as are necessary so that the remaining free buffer positions there would fit at least the number – in this case, exactly the number – of portion positions present on the upstream non-buffer belts 17a to 24, the occupied portion positions, if they were transported there – as is necessary, for example, for special operations – according to the dashed arrow in Figure 5 left .

[0076] In the Figure 5 right In the special operation shown, this has already happened, so that the normal buffer in the form of buffer section 30 is completely occupied.

[0077] For the Special operation However, a Special differenceAdditional portion positions are released and filled for the intake of portions P to be produced, which together with the normal buffer constitute the released Special number This results in the following: In the present case, the released special difference is the total number of free portion positions available to the non-buffer belts.

[0078] This makes it clear that - provided that the insertion feed unit 200 does not stop during the interruption of the slicing operation - the packaging machine 300 can be supplied with formats F not only from the buffer section 30, but from the entire insertion feed unit 200 during the interruption of the slicing operation.

[0079] Meanwhile, the free portion positions that arise mainly in the upstream area of ​​the insertion feed unit 200 are closed more quickly after the slicing operation is resumed by the slicer 100 - which then produces portions P faster than the packaging machine 300 consumes them - than during normal operation until the slicing operation is interrupted.

[0080] How this happens and for what purpose is explained in the Figures 6a , b based on the temporal change of the portions P present on track SP1 - SP4 of another transport route with a higher loading capacity than that in the Figures 3a to 4b The illustrated transport route 217, particularly during a standstill of the slicer 100, typically due to a necessary loading process: On the one hand, as with the insertion line 1 according to the Figures 3a to 4b also in the Figures 6a , bThe insertion feed unit 200, via its insertion belt 28, delivers a format F to the packaging machine 300 at the insertion station 301 after each insertion cycle time ET.

[0081] On the other hand, the slicer 100, which can produce one slice S per lane at regular intervals corresponding to the blade's rotation time, can produce more than the 6 slices per lane required for one format, namely 8 slices, within one loading cycle time ET. Therefore, in normal operation, after producing the 6 slices required for one format F, two blank cuts are performed within one loading cycle time ET, for example, by slightly retracting the caliber K so that it no longer has contact with the blade 3.

[0082] Thus, the occupancy of transport route 217 with portions P changes cyclically, for example between 21 and 27 portions.

[0083] Will be according to Figure 6aThe slicer 100 is stopped for reloading – which in this case requires almost three insertion cycles ET – so during this period, formats F are taken from transport section 217 in cycles, thus increasing the occupancy in this section. Figure 6a In the assumed case, the number of slices has dropped to 5 – with a typical occupancy between 21 and 27 – when the slicer 100 starts generating slices again.

[0084] Since, as a safety measure, the average occupancy of the transport route 217 is to be increased to the same level and thus the same buffer size as before loading after loading, no empty cuts are made by the slicer 100 during the first insertion cycle times ET, so that it produces eight slices S per lane instead of six in one insertion cycle time ET.

[0085] As can be seen, a significant number of insertion cycle times ET are required to achieve a transport track occupancy comparable to that before the Slicer 100 was out of service.

[0086] This will be improved according to the invention by introducing a Special operations according to Figure 6b , in which, even before the - foreseeable - interruption of the slicing operation, the occupancy of the transport route with portions P is increased by - here in the last insertion cycle times ET before the interruption of the slicing operation - the slicer 100 no longer performs any empty cuts and produces - in this case again - eight slices S per insertion cycle time ET instead of six, whereby the transport route reaches an occupancy of 33 portions immediately before the interruption of the slicing operation.

[0087] With the same loading time, the occupancy at the end of the slicing operation only drops to 11, and accordingly, with appropriate operation of the slicer, after the end of the slicer's interruption, the original occupancy level is reached all the faster, initially without empty slices.

[0088] This advantage outweighs the disadvantage that, during the overloading of the transport route, an additional stop of the insertion feed unit 200 shortly before the stop of the slicer 100 would mean that some portions P would either have to be inserted manually into the packaging machine 300 or would become rejects. REFERENCE MARK LIST

[0089] 1 Packaging line 1* Control 2 Base frame 3 Blades 3 Rotation axis 3" Blade plane, cutting plane 3a Cutting edge 4 Feeder, feed belt 5 Cutting frame 6a - d Product opening 7 Cutting unit 8 Upper product guide, upper guide belt 8.1 Contact run, lower run 8a Eyeglass-side deflection roller 8b Eyeglass-off deflection roller 9 Lower product guide, lower guide belt 8.1 Contact run, upper run 9a Eyeglass-side deflection roller 9b Eyeglass-off deflection roller 10 Feed direction Caliber 10* Flow direction through machine 111. Transverse direction, width direction 12 Vertical 13 Gripper unit, gripper carriage 14,14 a - d Gripper 15 Spacer 16 Gripper claw 17 Discharge unit 17a, b, c Discharge conveyor 17a Portioning conveyor 18 Gripper guide 19 Height sensor 20 Feed unit 21 Remnant conveyor 22 Weighing conveyor 23 Discharge conveyor, rocker conveyor 24 Distributor conveyor 25 Compensation conveyor 26 Format conveyor 27.1 / .2 / .3 Buffer conveyor 28 Insertion conveyor 29 Scale 30 Buffer section 100 Slicing machine, slicer 200 Insertion feed unit 217 Conveyor line 300 Packaging machine 301 Insertion station 302 Supply roll 303 Upper tool 304 Lower tool Article ET Insertion cycle time F, F* Format K Product, Product caliber MM Tray S Disc SP1-SP4 Track TB Deep drawing belt P Portion V Packaging material

Claims

1. A method for operating a packaging line (1) having - a packaging machine (300) having an infeed station (301) in which a portion (P) is stored on or in a packaging means (V), - a single-track or multi-track slicing machine (100), in particular a slicer (100), for cutting slices (S) from a product calibre (K), including a discharge unit (17) with a plurality of conveyor belts one behind the other for the slices (S), which is capable of placing a plurality of slices (S) at least partially on top of one another to form a portion (P), - a horizontal infeed unit (200) downstream of the latter in the direction of travel (10*) for buffering and feeding the portions (P) to the infeed station (301) by means of a plurality of conveyor bands, of which the conveyor bands arranged within a buffer route (30) and equipped with controllable servo drives are used as buffer bands, - wherein the discharge unit (17) and the infeed unit (200) together form a transport route (217) for the portions (P), - in normal operation the slicing machine (100) is operated only with such a real cutting power that per track the number of portions (P) present on the transport route corresponds at most to the number of deposit positions present in the buffer route (30) for one portion (P) each, the buffer positions, characterised in that - in the special case of a foreseeable interruption of the cutting operation of the slicing machine (1) in a preliminary period before the interruption, the slicing machine (100) is temporarily operated with a real cutting power which is so much higher in comparison, that per track (SP1 - SP4) the number of portions (P) present in the transport route (217) reaches a special number which is higher by a predetermined special difference than the number of buffer positions on the buffer route (30), i.e. free and occupied buffer positions + released special difference = increased special number of portions on the entire transport route (217), wherein the preliminary period is placed immediately before the stop of the cutting operation and the length of the preliminary period is selected in such a manner that the special number is reached with the last cutting process before the stop of the cutting operation.

2. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the special number per track (SP1 - SP4) corresponds to a maximum of the total number of storage positions for portions (P) available in the transport route (217).

3. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that - the preliminary period is started as late as possible, - particularly so late that the desired special number can just be built up until the cutting operation is interrupted.

4. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein - the packaging means (V) are moved forward step by step in the packaging machine (300) with receptacle of a format (F) consisting of several portions per track (SP1 - SP4), - with the help of the infeed unit (200), portions (P) are assembled into formats (F). characterised in that the special number per track (SP1 - SP4) corresponds at most to the portion number per track (SP1 - SP4) of two formats (F), at most to the portion number per track (SP1 - SP4) of one format (F).

5. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the event of a standstill of the discharge unit (17) and / or the infeed unit (200), the portions located on the non-buffer bands are discharged from the packaging line (1) when the line is restarted.

6. A packaging line (1) for the production and packaging of portions (P) each comprising one or more slices (S) separated from a calibre of product (K), comprising - a packaging machine (300) having an infeed station (301) in which a portion (P) can be stored on or in a packaging element (V), - a single-track or multi-track slicing machine (100), in particular a slicer (100), for cutting slices (S) from a product calibre (K), including a discharge unit (17) with several conveyor bands (17a, b, c) for the slices (S), among them a portioning band (17a), which is able to lay several slices (S) at least partially on top of one another to form a portion (P), - a horizontal infeed unit (200) downstream of the latter in the direction of travel (10*) for buffering and feeding the portions (P) to the infeed station (301) by means of a plurality of conveyor bands, of which the conveyor bands arranged within a buffer route (30) and equipped with controllable servo drives are used as buffer bands, - a controller (1*) for controlling moving parts of the packaging line (1), characterised in that - the controller (1*) of the packaging line (1) is designed in such a manner that it is capable of performing the method according to any of the preceding claims.

7. The packaging line according to claim 6, characterised in that the discharge unit (17) further comprises, in addition to the portioning band (17a) - a subsequent discharge band (17b) for transporting the portion (P) away from the portioning band (17a) and / or - a transfer band (17c) for transferring a portion (P) to a downstream unit, in particular a discharge feeder unit (200).

8. The packaging line according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the packaging line (1) comprises - a weighing band (22) with a scale (29) for weighing a portion (P) and / or - a discharge band (23), in particular a rocker band (23) for discharging a portion (P) and / or - a distribution band (24) or spreader band (24) to bring portions (P) running side by side onto the track spacing of the packaging machine (300) and / or - a balancing band (25) to bring portions (P) running side by side in the direction of travel (10) to exactly the same position and / or - a format band (26) for assembling portions (P) into at least one format (F) with positional accuracy and / or - at least one buffer band (27.1, 27.2, 27.3) for buffering at least one format (F) and / or - an infeed band (28) for transferring, in particular dropping, a format (F) onto at least one packaging means (V).