Bread slicer with a guide surface

Abstract

A bread slicer comprising: - a loading compartment (2), which is connected to a receiving compartment (3), said compartments (2,3) defining a trough for the movement of the bread (4), - a cutting element for cutting the bread (4), - a support surface (6) for the bread (4), - a side wall (9) for said trough with a first part (10) of the wall (9) extending along the loading compartment (2) and a second part (11) of the wall (9) extending along the receiving compartment (3), a second slot (12) extending between the compartments (2,3) for the passage of the cutting element. Said second part (11) of the wall (9) extends in the continuation of the first part (10) and the first part (10) is connected to a guide surface (15) extending between this first part (10) and the second slot (12) forming a flare of the gutter to guide the bread (4).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a bread slicer for cutting bread into slices. This slicer comprises a loading compartment connected to a receiving compartment. These compartments define a trough to allow the bread to move through the slicer.

[0002] The slicer has a movable cutting blade along a cutting plane to cut successive slices of bread as it is moved between the loading and receiving compartments along the gutter.

[0003] A loaf of bread to be sliced ​​is moved onto a support surface which extends into said compartments along the gutter and which has a first slot between the compartments to allow the passage of the cutting blade.

[0004] The trough is laterally delimited by a wall extending along the direction of bread flow. One section of this wall runs along the loading compartment, while the other runs along the receiving compartment. The wall has a second slot between the compartments to allow the cutting blade to pass along the cutting plane. This second slot is connected to the first slot.

[0005] To slice a loaf of bread in this slicer, the loaf is moved from the loading compartment to the receiving compartment and then it is moved back to the loading compartment and as it enters this last compartment, the loaf is cut into slices.

[0006] Such trenchers have already been described, for example, in documents EP 3 102 376, DE 10 2014 011 167 and EP 3 347 178.

[0007] Document EP 3 102 376 discloses a slicer in which a loaf of bread is moved in a substantially horizontal direction between the loading compartment and the receiving compartment. To facilitate the movement of a loaf between the two compartments, they can be moved laterally relative to each other. In document DE 10 2014 011 167, a guide is applied to the wall of the trough to avoid having to move the compartments laterally relative to each other to allow the loaf to move.

[0008] Document EP 3 347 178 describes a trencher which is particularly interesting when the support surface extends vertically or approximately vertically.

[0009] Bread slicers of this type have, among other drawbacks, that the bread loses contact with the wall when it moves from the loading compartment to the receiving compartment due to the offset between the two compartments. The same applies to the slicer described in document DE 10 2014 011 167 when there is a guide in the loading compartment.

[0010] The loss of contact between the bread and the second part of the wall extending into the receiving compartment allows the bread to move under the pressure of the cutting blade during slicing, which negatively affects the quality of the slices and the proper gripping of the bread by the pusher.

[0011] The invention aims to remedy this problem by providing a bread slicer in which a loaf of bread can be moved from the loading compartment to the receiving compartment while maintaining contact between the wall and the bread, without any risk of the bread catching on the edge of the wall adjacent to the slot between the two compartments. The invention also prevents the sliced ​​bread from catching on the edge of the wall extending into the loading compartment during the reverse movement of the bread into that compartment. All of this is achieved by maintaining an offset between the two compartments at the slot to ensure a high-quality slice.

[0012] To this end, in the slicer according to the invention, at least at the location of the second slot, the second part of the wall extends in line with the first part of that wall, and the first part of the wall is connected to a guide surface that extends between this first part of the wall and the second slot. This guide surface forms a flared section of the trough that guides the bread, in particular the slices of bread, as it moves from the receiving compartment to the loading compartment.

[0013] Advantageously, the guide surface is inclined relative to the plane of the first part of the wall.

[0014] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the guiding surface is in the form of a slat inclined relative to the support surface.

[0015] According to an interesting embodiment of the invention, the slicer includes a movable pusher that can move in the direction of the bread's movement. This pusher allows the bread to be grasped and moved between the compartments across the cutting plane.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said wall extends substantially transversely with respect to the support surface.

[0017] Interestingly, the bread support surface comprises a portion extending into the loading compartment and a portion extending into the receiving compartment. These portions are aligned with each other at the location of the first slot. Between the first portion of the support surface and the first slot, a sliding surface is present in the loading compartment, connecting to the edge of the first portion of the support surface. This sliding surface faces the cutting plane and is recessed from the plane of the support surface.

[0018] In a particularly interesting embodiment, the slicer includes an access opening for the loading compartment to place a loaf of bread to be sliced ​​in this compartment.

[0019] Other details and features of the invention will become apparent from the description given below, by way of non-limiting example, of some particular embodiments of the machine and method according to the invention with reference to the attached drawings. There figure 1 is a schematic top view of a bread slicer, according to the invention, in which a loaf of bread is placed in the receiving compartment. figure 2 is a schematic cross-section along line II-II of the slicer of the figure 1 There figure 3 is a schematic top view analogous to that of the figure 1 when the bread is gripped by the slicer's pusher. The figure 4 is a schematic cross-section along line IV-IV of the slicer of the figure 3 . There figure 5 is a schematic top view analogous to that of the figure 1 when the bread is moved across the cutting plane from the loading compartment to the receiving compartment. figure 6 is a schematic cross-section along line VI-VI of the slicer of the figure 5 . There figure 7 is a schematic top view analogous to that of the figure 1 when the bread is in the receiving compartment. figure 8 is a schematic cross-section along line VIII-VIII of the trencher of the figure 7 . There figure 9 is a schematic top view analogous to that of the figure 1 when the bread is moved from the receiving compartment to the loading compartment. figure 10 is a schematic cross-section along line XX of the slicer of the figure 9 . There figure 11 is a schematic top view analogous to that of the figure 1 when the sliced ​​bread is in the loading compartment along with the pusher. figure 12 is a schematic cross-section along line XII-XII of the slicer of the figure 11 . There figure 13 is a schematic top view analogous to that of the figure 1 when the sliced ​​bread is in the loading compartment together and the pusher is returned to the receiving compartment. figure 14 is a schematic cross-section along line XIV-XIV of the slicer of the figure 13 . There figure 15 shows a detail of the slicer, according to the invention, indicated by a dotted circle A in the figure 1 . There figure 16 shows the detail of the slicer of the figure 15 according to an alternative embodiment of the invention. The figure 17 shows the detail of the slicer of the figure 15 according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0020] In the different figures, the same reference figures refer to similar or identical elements.

[0021] The invention generally relates to an automatic bread slicer in which a loaf of bread to be sliced ​​is moved along a direction of travel. During this movement, slices are cut one after another in a direction transverse to the direction of travel. This slicer comprises a frame with a loading compartment and a receiving compartment. To have a loaf of bread sliced, a user places the loaf in the loading compartment. This loaf is then moved to the receiving compartment and returned from this compartment to the loading compartment. As the loaf enters the loading compartment, it is sliced. After being fully sliced, the loaf is removed from the loading compartment by the user.

[0022] In another embodiment of the bread slicer, it is also possible to place the bread directly into the receiving compartment. It is then sliced ​​as it is moved to the loading compartment and returned to the receiving compartment after being sliced. The user can then remove the sliced ​​bread from the receiving compartment.

[0023] THE figures 1 à 14 show an interesting embodiment of a bread slicer according to the invention, and the different stages of slicing a loaf of bread when using this slicer.

[0024] This slicer includes a chassis 1 in which are provided a loading compartment 2 and a receiving compartment 3. These compartments 2 and 3 are connected to each other so as to form a trough to allow the movement of a loaf 4 along this trough.

[0025] A cutting element is provided that is movable along a cutting plane 5 extending between the loading compartment 2 and the receiving compartment 3. This cutting element allows slices to be cut from a loaf of bread 4 when the loaf 4 is moved between the loading compartment 2 and the receiving compartment 3 along the chute. The cutting element comprises, for example, a cutting blade or a circular blade that is driven around its central axis and can undergo a reciprocating motion along the cutting plane 5. Generally, the central axis of a circular blade extends perpendicularly to the cutting plane 5.

[0026] Compartments 2 and 3 have a base formed by a support surface 6 for the bread 4. This surface extends into both compartments 2 and 3 along the gutter and has a first slot 7 which extends between the two compartments 2 and 3. The slot 7 delimits the receiving compartment 3 from the loading compartment 2. The presence of this first slot 7 allows the cutting element to pass through the support surface 6 according to the cutting plane 5.

[0027] The support surface 6 defines a direction of movement 8 of the bread parallel to this support surface 6 and substantially transverse to the first slot 7.

[0028] The gutter is laterally delimited by a wall 9. This wall 9 extends along the direction of travel 8, with a first portion 10 of the wall extending along the loading compartment 2 and a second portion 11 extending along the receiving compartment 3. The wall 9 also has a second slot 12 provided between compartments 2 and 3 to allow passage of the cutting element. The cutting plane 5 therefore also extends along this second slot 12, which is connected to the first slot 7. Preferably, the wall 9 extends substantially transversely with respect to the support surface 6.

[0029] The first part 10 and the second part 11 of this wall 9 extend in line with each other, at least at the point of the second slot 12. In this way, a loaf 4 can be moved along said direction of movement 8 from the loading compartment 2 to the receiving compartment 3 by sliding against the wall 9 without catching on the edge 13 of the second part 11 of the wall 9. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the wall 9 comprising said first part 10 and said second part 12, has a surface which is substantially flat.

[0030] When the loaf 4 is sliced, it is advanced from the receiving compartment 3 to the loading compartment 2 in discrete increments of a distance corresponding to the thickness of a slice 14 to be cut. This is illustrated by the figures 9 et 10 . The cutting element is then driven along the cutting edge 7 to cut successive slices 14 after each advance step of the bread 4.

[0031] In order, on the one hand, to ensure that the cut slices 14 are of good quality with a clean and regular cutting surface, and, on the other hand, to allow unimpeded movement of slices 14 towards the loading compartment 2, the gutter has an enlargement immediately adjacent to said second slot 12 on the side of the loading compartment 2.

[0032] At the point of this widening of the gutter, the second part 11 of the wall 9 is connected to a guide surface 15 which extends between this first part 11 of the wall 9 and the second slot 12. This guide surface 15 forms a flare of the gutter which allows to guide the bread 4 when moving from the receiving compartment 3 to the loading compartment 2.

[0033] In the embodiment of the slicer shown in the figures 1 à 14 A guide surface 15 extends between the first part 10 of the wall 9 and the cutting plane 5. This guide surface 15 is shown enlarged in the figure 15 The guide surface 15 extends outwards from the gutter, in particular from the loading compartment 2, relative to the plane 16 of the wall 9. Thus, the distance between the plane 16 of the wall 9 and the guide surface 15 increases from the first part 10 of the wall 9 towards the cutting plane 5.

[0034] In general, this guide surface 15 is therefore inclined with respect to the first part 10 of the wall 9, or with respect to the plane 16 of this wall 9. Preferably, the guide surface 15 is in the form of a slat which is inclined with respect to the plane 16 of the wall 9.

[0035] The guide surface 15 does not necessarily have to be straight, but may optionally have a curved shape. In this case, it is preferably slightly convex in the direction of the movement 8 of the bread 4. A convex guide surface 15, in particular rounded towards the gutter, is illustrated in the figure 17 .

[0036] When you want to slice a loaf of bread, the loaf is placed in the loading compartment 2, as shown by the... figures 1 et 2 The loading compartment 2 has an access opening 17 for this purpose, which can preferably be closed by a cover 18. In the figure 2 Lid 18 is shown in its open position.

[0037] The slicer is equipped with a pusher 19 which can be driven in the direction of travel 4 of the bread 4. Thus, this pusher 19 can travel between the receiving compartment 3 and the loading compartment 2. When the cover 18 is open, the pusher is located in the receiving compartment on the side opposite the cutting plane 5, as illustrated by the figures 1 et 2 .

[0038] The pusher 19 includes a retractable claw that allows it to grasp a loaf of bread for slicing. Thus, when the lid 18 is closed, the pusher is moved into the loading compartment until the loaf of bread 4 is reached. The loaf is then grasped by the claw of the pusher 19, as shown in the figures 3 et 4 Then the pusher is returned to the receiving compartment 3 through the cutting plane 5, bringing the loaf 4 back, as illustrated in the figures 5 et 6 .

[0039] After the uncut loaf 4 was moved to the receiving compartment 3 in this way and is entirely within that compartment, as shown in my figures 7 et 8 The pusher then moves the loaf 4 in discrete increments across the cutting plane 5 to return it to the loading compartment 2. During this final movement, the cutting element is driven and moves back and forth along the cutting plane 5 to cut successive slices 14 of the loaf as the loaf 4 advances through the loading compartment 2. This is schematically illustrated by the figures 9 et 10 .

[0040] The slicer, according to the invention, therefore includes control means for actuating the pusher 19 in order to grasp the loaf 4 in the loading compartment 2 and to move the loaf 4 towards the receiving compartment 3 in said direction of movement 8. These control means also control the pusher 19, to bring the loaf 4 back through the cutting plane 5 towards the loading compartment, in cooperation with the cutting member to cut the slices 14 of the loaf 4 as it passes through the cutting plane 5.

[0041] To keep the 14 slices cut together against each other, the slicer includes in the loading compartment a slice support 20. Such a slice support 20 is in itself known to the craftsman and is described, for example, in documents DE 20 2012 009 223 U, DE 10 2010 036 721 or EP 3 967 465.

[0042] In general, this slice support 20 is designed to exert pressure against the already cut portion of the loaf 4 to hold the cut slices 14 together. The slice support 20 is mobile and therefore moves as the cut portion of the loaf 4 advances into the loading compartment 2 in order to maintain slight pressure on the slices 14 to hold them together. This is shown schematically in the figures 9 et 11 .

[0043] The slicer preferably includes a slice support 20 extending into the loading compartment 2. This support 20 is designed to exert pressure against the already sliced ​​portion of the loaf 4 to hold the slices 14 of the loaf 4 together. The slice support 20 is movable to maintain contact with the sliced ​​portion of the loaf 4 as it advances into the loading compartment 2.

[0044] Once the loaf 4 is completely cut, it is placed in the loading compartment 2 and released by the pusher claw 19 as illustrated by the figures 13 et 14 The pusher 19 then returns to its initial position, as shown in the figures 1 et 2 , and the lid 18 can be opened by the user to retrieve the bread 4 cut into slices 14.

[0045] According to the embodiment of the invention shown in the figures, the support surface 6 for the bread 4 comprises a part 6a extending into the loading compartment 2 and a part 6b extending into the receiving compartment 3. These parts 6a and 6b are preferably aligned with each other at the location of the first slot 7 to allow the bread 4 to move on the support surface 6 between the two compartments 2 and 3 without being hindered by a difference in level between the two parts 6a and 6b of the support surface 6.

[0046] Interestingly, between the first part 6a of the support surface 6 and the first slot 7, a sliding surface 21 is present in the loading compartment 2. This sliding surface 21 is connected to the edge of the first part 6a of the support surface 6 facing the cutting plane 5. To facilitate the cutting of the slices 14 and the movement of the cut slices 14 towards the loading compartment 2, the sliding surface 21 extends back from the plane of the support surface 6.

[0047] This sliding surface 21 is, for example, in the form of a slat inclined relative to the support surface 6 which allows the cut slices from the first slot 7 to be guided towards the part 6a of the support surface 6.

[0048] Optionally, this sliding surface 21 may be convex in the said direction of the movement 8 of the bread.

[0049] The presence of a sliding surface 21 is optional and can be omitted.

[0050] To optimize the cutting quality of the slices 14 and to make the slicer relatively compact, the support surface 6 may have, for example, an inclination α relative to the horizontal of between 0° and 40° as indicated in the figure 2 Preferably this inclination α is, for example, on the order of 25°. Thus, the loading compartment 2 is lower than the receiving compartment 3. The direction of movement 8 of the bread generally extends in a plane which is substantially transverse to the front of the user when the latter places a loaf in the loading compartment 2 so that the bread moves towards the user when the bread is cut.

[0051] To ensure that the loaf 4 is always well guided by the wall 9 and along the wall 9 before being cut into slices 14, the support surface 6 preferably has an inclination with respect to the horizontal of between 0° and 45°, and, for example, greater than 10°, in a direction extending transversely with respect to the direction of movement 8 of the loaf 4.

[0052] In one embodiment of the machine, according to the invention, the second part 11 of the wall 6 extending into the receiving compartment 3 has an edge 13 which is directed towards the second slot 12. This edge has a chamfer or a rounded end on the side of the gutter to facilitate the movement of the loaf 4 from the loading compartment 2 to the receiving compartment 3. This is schematically represented in the figure 16 This edge 13 extends substantially parallel to the cutting plane 5.

[0053] The presence of the guide surface 15, preferably in combination with the feature that the surfaces of the first part 10 of the wall 9 and the second part 11 of this wall 9 are aligned at the location of the second slot 12, allows a loaf to be moved along the direction of movement 8 through this slot between the compartments 2 and 3 without catching on the edges of this slot 12. Thus, the loaf can easily be moved along the direction of movement 8, on the one hand, from the loading compartment 2 to the receiving compartment 3, and, on the other hand, along this same direction of movement 8 in the opposite direction from the receiving compartment 3 to the loading compartment 2.

Claims

1. A bread slicer for cutting a loaf of bread (4) into slices (14), comprising: - a loading compartment (2), which is connected to a receiving compartment (3), said compartments (2, 3) defining a trough for the movement of the loaf (4), - a cutting element movable along a cutting plane (5) and enabling the cutting of slices (14) of the loaf (4) when the loaf (4) is moved between the loading compartments (2) and the receiving compartment (3) along the trough, - a support surface (6) for the loaf (4), this surface extending into the aforementioned compartments (2, 3) along the trough and having a first slot (7) between said compartments (2, 3) to allow the passage of the cutting element along said cutting plane (5), this support surface (6) defining a direction of movement (8) of the loaf (4) parallel to the support surface (6) and substantially transverse to said first slot (7),- a lateral wall (9) for said gutter, this wall (9) extending along said direction of travel (8) with a first part (10) of the wall (9) extending along the loading compartment (2) and a second part (11) of the wall (9) extending along the receiving compartment (3), this wall (9) having a second slot (12) between the compartments (2,3) to allow the passage of the cutting element according to said cutting plane (5), this second slot (12) being connected to the first slot (7), this slicer being , characterized in that,at least at the location of the second slot (12), the second part (11) of the wall (9) extends in line with the first part (10) of this wall (9), and the first part (10) of the wall (9) is connected to a guide surface (15) which extends between this first part (10) of the wall (9) and the second slot (12) in such a way that the guide surface (15) forms a flare of the gutter which allows the bread (4) to be guided during its movement from the receiving compartment (3) to the loading compartment (2).

2. Trencher according to claim 1, in which said wall (9) extends substantially transversely with respect to the support surface (6).

3. Trencher according to claim 1 or 2, in which said guide surface (15) is inclined with respect to the plane (16) of the first part (10) of the wall (9).

4. Trencher according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the guiding surface (15) is in the form of a slat inclined with respect to the plane (16) of the wall (9).

5. Slicer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the guide surface (15) is convex in said direction of movement (8) of the bread.

6. Trencher according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said wall (9), comprising said first part (10) and said second part (11) of this wall (9), has a surface which is substantially flat.

7. Slicer according to any one of claims 1 to 6, with a movable pusher (19) capable of moving along said direction of movement (8) of the bread (4) which allows the bread (4) to be grasped and moved between said compartments (2,3) through the cutting plane (5).

8. Slicer according to claim 7, with control means for actuating the pusher (19) to grasp a loaf (4) in the loading compartment (2) and move the loaf (4) towards the receiving compartment (3) in said direction of movement (8) of the loaf and, then, bring the loaf (4) back through the cutting plane (5) towards the loading compartment (2) to cut the loaf (4) into slices (14).

9. Slicer according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the support surface (6) for the bread (4) comprises a part (6a) extending into the loading compartment (2) and a part (6b) extending into the receiving compartment (3), these parts (6a,6b) being aligned with each other at the location of the first slot (7), wherein between the first part (6a) of the support surface (6) and the first slot (7), a sliding surface (21) is present in the loading compartment (2) which connects to the edge of the first part (6a) facing the cutting plane (5) and which is recessed with respect to the plane of the support surface (6).

10. Trencher according to claim 9, in which the sliding surface (21) is in the form of a slat inclined relative to the support surface (6).

11. Slicer according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the sliding surface (21) is convex in said direction of movement (8) of the bread (4).

12. Slicer according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said support surface (6) has an inclination (α) with respect to the horizontal of between 0° and 40°, and preferably of the order of 25°, in the direction of movement (8) of the loaf (4) so ​​that the loading compartment (2) is lower than the receiving compartment (3).

13. Slicer according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the support surface (6) has an inclination with respect to the horizontal of between 0° and 45°, and preferably greater than 10°, in a direction extending transversely with respect to the direction of movement (8) of the loaf.

14. Slicer according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the part (11) of the wall (9) extending into the receiving compartment (3) has an edge (13) which is directed towards the second slot (12), this edge (13) being provided with a chamfer or a rounding on the side of the gutter to facilitate the movement of the loaf (4) from the loading compartment (2) to the receiving compartment (3).

15. Slicer according to claim 14, wherein said edge (13) extends substantially parallel to the cutting plane (5).

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