Clamping assemblies for securing knives to slicing machines, slicing machines equipped therewith, and tools for use therewith

Abstract

To provide clamping assemblies for securing knives to slicing machines, slicing machines equipped therewith, and tools for removing and installing knives on slicing machines.SOLUTION: A clamp 32 has a knife-engaging portion and a base portion. A cam rod applies a clamping load to the clamp to secure a knife 20 to a knife holder. The cam rod has a cam surface that engages the base portion of the clamp when the cam rod is rotated to a clamping position to clamp the knife against the knife holder, and a radial concavity sized to accommodate the base portion of the clamp such that the base portion is loosely received within the radial concavity when the radial concavity faces the clamp in an open position thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) This application claims the benefit of priority based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 211,381, filed on June 16, 2021, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] (Technical Field) The present invention relates to cutting devices such as slicing devices for slicing food. Specifically, the present invention relates to a clamp assembly for fixing a knife to the slicing device, a slicing device provided with the clamp assembly, and a tool for attaching and detaching the knife to and from the slicing device.

Background Art

[0003] Various devices for slicing, dicing, and grinding foods such as vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and meat products are known. A device widely used for such purposes is commercially available under the brand name "Model CC (registered trademark)" from Arshiel Laboratories, Inc. The Model CC device is equipped with a centrifugal - type slicer and can slice various foods with high productivity. The Model CC series of devices are suitable for performing slicing, peeling, dicing, and grinding uniformly. The configuration and aspects of the Model CC device are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,139,128, U.S. Patent No. 3,139,129, U.S. Patent No. 5,694,824, U.S. Patent No. 6,968,765, U.S. Patent No. 7,658,133, U.S. Patent No. 8,161,856, U.S. Patent No. 9,193,086, U.S. Patent No. 10,456,943, U.S. Patent No. 10,562,203, U.S. Patent No. 10,632,639, and U.S. Patent No. 10,933,552, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0210239, and the entire content of all of these is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a representative apparatus 10 of the Model CC apparatus. The apparatus 10 has a substantially annular cutting head 12 and an impeller 14 coaxially mounted within the cutting head 12. The impeller 14 has a rotation axis 17 that coincides with the central axis of the cutting head 12. The impeller 14 is housed within a housing 18 and is rotationally driven about the rotation axis 17 via a shaft (not shown) connected to a gear box 16. The cutting head 12 is attached to a support ring 15 above the gear box 16 and is stationary when the impeller 14 rotates. The product is conveyed to the cutting head 12 and the impeller 14 via a hopper 11 located above the impeller 14. During operation, when the hopper 11 conveys the product to the impeller 14, due to centrifugal force, the product moves outward and engages with a knife (not shown) attached along the periphery of the cutting head 12. The impeller 14 includes substantially radially oriented paddles 13, and each paddle 13 has a surface for engaging with the product and directing the product radially outward and toward the knife of the cutting head 12 as the impeller 14 rotates. Other features regarding its configuration and operation, including various embodiments of the Model CC apparatus, are specified in the above publication, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0005] FIGS. 2 and 3 are, respectively, a view showing alone and a partial bottom view of a non-limiting example of a cutting head 12 used in a slicing apparatus of Model CC, including the apparatus 10 schematically shown in FIG. 1. The cutting head 12 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described with reference to the slicing apparatus 10 including the impeller 14 shown in FIG. 1. Based on the coaxial arrangement of the cutting head 12 and the impeller 14, relative terms such as "axial direction", "circumferential direction", "radial direction", and related forms are used to describe the cutting head 12 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0006] In FIG. 2, the cutting head 12 is substantially annular, and cutting knives 20 are circumferentially spaced along its periphery. Each knife 20 projects radially inward in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the impeller 14 within the cutting head 12, and a cutting edge is provided at the innermost side of the knife 20 in the radial direction. The cutting head 12 further includes lower and upper support members shown as rings 22 and 24 in FIG. 2, and further includes a plurality of support segments (shoes 26) that are circumferentially spaced and fixed by fasteners 34 therebetween.

[0007] The knives 20 are attached to respective shoes 26 that constitute the cutting stations of the cutting head 12. The knives 20 of the cutting head 12 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are fixed to respective shoes 26 by clamp assemblies 28. Each clamp assembly 28 includes a knife holder 30 attached to the shoe 26 between support rings 22 and 24, and a clamp 32 disposed on the radially outer surface of the knife holder 30 to fix the knife 20. Each knife 20 is supported by the radially outer surface of one knife holder 30, and since the clamp 32 is on the knife holder 30, the knife 20 is located between the outer surface of the knife holder 30 and the radially inner surface of the clamp 32 facing the knife holder 30. By applying a force to the clamp 32 in the direction of the knife holder 30, for example, by bolts 36, the clamp 32 applies a clamping force to the portion of the knife 20 adjacent to the cutting edge. As an alternative to using bolts, an eccentric cam rod can be used as a quick-clamp function for applying a clamping force to the clamp 32, non-limiting examples of which are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,658,133, U.S. Patent No. 10,562,203, U.S. Patent No. 10,780,602, U.S. Patent No. 10,786,922, U.S. Patent No. 10,807,268, and U.S. Patent No. 10,933,552, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0008] Figures 2 and 3 further show the gate 38 fixed to each shoe 26. The food contacts the knife 20 attached to the subsequent shoe 26 after crossing the gate 38. A gate opening 40 (Figure 3) that determines the thickness of the slices produced by the knife 20 is formed by the cutting edge of the knife 20 and the trailing edge of the leading gate 38.

[0009] In FIGS. 2 and 3, since the knife 20 has a straight cutting edge for producing flat slice foods, it will be described as a "flat knife" in the following description, but other shaped knives can also be used for the cutting head 12. As a non-limiting example, the cutting head 12 is characterized by, but not limited to, a periodic pattern with alternating peaks and valleys when viewed from the edge side, and is configured to use a shaped knife such as a wave cut, a strip cut, a shred cut, or a corner cut that can produce products. As another non-limiting example, the cutting head 12 is configured to use a knife (Julian type knife) developed to produce strip-shaped or shredded (Julian cut) foods. Such cutting generally produces an elongated strip-shaped food. Non-limiting examples of Julian type knives are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,395,742, U.S. Patent No. 9,469,041, U.S. Patent No. 9,840,015, U.S. Patent No. 9,849,600, and U.S. Patent No. 10,843,363, and each of these can be used in various devices including the slicing device of the model CC described above. As defined herein, a knife for strip cutting (Julian type) also has a flat or non-flat shape, but is spaced along the knife adjacent to the cutting edge and further includes a Julian "tab" blade protruding from the surface of the knife to form a desired strip-shaped or shredded cross-section. FIG. 4 shows a non-limiting example of a flat-strip cutting knife 20 formed as an assembly comprising a flat and planar slicing knife 20A having a cutting edge 42, a flat base 44, and a second knife 20B which is a Julian type knife or a knife for strip cutting having a plurality of Julian tab blades 46 disposed substantially perpendicular to the base 44. When the slicing knife 20A and the strip knife 20B are assembled as shown, each Julian tab blade 46 is disposed substantially perpendicular to the cutting edge 42 of the slicing knife 20A to produce a flat food with a strip cut (Julian cut).The tab blade 46 is disposed rearward of the cutting edge 42 of the slicing knife 20A, and each tab blade 46 has a cutting edge 48. In use, the cutting edge 42 of the slicing knife 20A slices the food, and then the slice is cut into strips by the tab blade 46. The knife 20 shown in FIG. 4 has no handle extending from one longitudinal end of the knife 20. A knife without such a handle is referred to as a handleless knife.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0010] Centrifugal type slicers typified by the Model CC series function optimally for their intended use, but further improvements, including improvements related to the maintenance of the device, are continuously required. Non-limiting examples include the knife 20, 20A, 20B, clamp 32, and / or knife holder 30, whose leading edge (cutting edge) is easily damaged by collisions with stones, sand, and other debris that frequently accompany foods such as potatoes, and the cleaning and replacement thereof.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] The present invention provides a clamp assembly for fixing a knife to a slicing device, a slicing device provided with the clamp assembly, and a tool for attaching and detaching the knife to and from the slicing device.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, a clamp assembly includes a knife holder having a surface and a leading edge, a knife supported on the surface of the knife holder and having a cutting edge protruding from the leading edge of the knife holder, and a clamp disposed with respect to the knife holder and the knife for clamping the knife to the knife holder. The clamp has a longitudinal direction, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a knife engaging portion adjacent to the leading edge of the clamp, and a base adjacent to the trailing edge of the clamp. At least a part of the knife engaging portion has a shape complementary to the knife. The knife engaging portion and the base of the clamp each have a width in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the clamp, and the width of the base is smaller than the width of the knife engaging portion. The clamp assembly further includes a cam rod configured to apply a clamping load to the clamp to fix the knife to the knife holder. The cam rod is rotatable about its major axis and has a longitudinal length and a cam surface for engaging the base of the clamp when the cam rod rotates to a clamping position to engage the clamp with the knife and fix the knife to the knife holder, and a radial recess having a longitudinal length and a concave surface having a length over at least a part of the longitudinal length of the cam rod. The radial recess is sized to receive the base of the clamp, and the width of the base is smaller than the longitudinal length of the radial recess such that the base of the clamp is loosely received in the radial recess when the cam rod rotates and the radial recess is in an open position opposite the clamp.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, a slicing device is provided that includes one or more clamp assemblies having the elements described above.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tool for attaching and detaching a clamp and / or a knife of a clamp assembly including, but not limited to, the clamp assembly having the elements described above. Such a tool includes a base having a surface and at least a first hole opening into the surface. A first pin is received in the first hole and has a distal portion disposed adjacent to the surface of the base. When the first pin is biased, the distal portion of the first pin is biased toward the surface of the base, and at least one first magnet is disposed on at least one of the distal portion of the first pin and the surface of the base.

Advantages of the Invention

[0015] Due to the technical features of the clamp assembly having the features described above, it becomes easy to completely remove the clamp and / or the knife from the slicing device for the purpose of cleaning or replacing parts of the device. The clamp assembly is suitable for removing, among other things, a clamp that fixes a strip cutting knife, particularly by the action of an eccentric cam rod. Further, the tool having the features described above also facilitates the complete removal of a clamp and / or a knife, including but not limited to a handleless strip cutting knife, from the slicing device and provides a quick change function that facilitates cleaning and replacement.

[0016] Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The following detailed description of the present invention, and the intended purpose of the expressions and terms used in the following detailed description, is to describe the illustrated embodiments with respect to one or more non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, and to describe certain parts, although not all, of the illustrated embodiments. Further, the following detailed description describes certain alternative embodiments, although not all, of the illustrated embodiments. By way of non-limiting example, the present invention includes additional or alternative embodiments that replace, add to, or alternatively omit one or more functions or features of the disclosed embodiments, and / or includes additional or alternative embodiments that combine two or more features or characteristics of different disclosed embodiments, and / or are shown as part of different embodiments. Accordingly, the appended claims are not intended to be a detailed description, but rather to specifically identify the subject matter regarded as the present invention, which includes certain aspects and alternative embodiments, although not necessarily all aspects and alternative embodiments, described in the detailed description.

[0019] Figs. 5-29 schematically illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the clamp assembly, and Figs. 30-49 schematically illustrate non-limiting embodiments of various cutting devices including, but not limited to, the centrifugal type slicing device 10 shown in Fig. 1, and knife changing tools usable for the cutting head 12 shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In some cases, the clamp assembly disclosed herein can also be substituted or modified for the clamp assemblies for the devices and cutting heads of the type shown in Figs. 1-3. For convenience, the following description is made with reference to the clamp assembly and tools illustrated and described with reference to the slicing device shown in Fig. 1 having the annular cutting head 12 shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Therefore, the following description is mainly made with reference to specific aspects of the clamp assembly and tools described with reference to the specific aspects of the device 10 and the cutting head 12 shown in Figs. 1-3, and for other aspects of the device 10 and the cutting head 12 not described in detail in the following description, they may be as described with reference to Figs. 1-3. However, the teachings of the present invention are generally applicable to other types of cutting devices. Further, such devices and cutting heads are particularly suitable for slicing food, but it is also within the scope of the present invention to apply the clamp assemblies and tools described herein to devices and cutting heads for cutting various other types of materials.

[0020] For ease of understanding the following description of the illustrated clamp assembly and tool, relative terms are used with reference to the direction of the clamp assembly and tool with respect to the cutting head 12 of FIG. 2 as indicated by the cutting head 12 and impeller 14 of the apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1. Based on the coaxial arrangement of the cutting head 12 and impeller 14 shown in FIG. 1, relative terms include, but are not limited to, "axial", "circumferential", "radial", etc. Similar terms may also be utilized in describing the illustrated non-limiting embodiments. All such relative terms are useful for describing the clamp assembly and tool illustrated in FIGS. 5-49, but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Further, as used herein, "front" (and related forms) means a position or direction on the cutting head 12 that is forward or ahead in the direction of rotation of the impeller 14 attached to and rotating within the cutting head 12, and "rear" (and related forms) means a position or direction on the cutting head 12 that comes after or follows in the direction of rotation of the impeller 14.

[0021] For convenience, the same or functionally related / equivalent elements of the various embodiments of the clamp assembly illustrated in FIGS. 5-49 are labeled with the same reference numerals.

[0022] Figures 5 and 6 are, respectively, a partial perspective view and a partial side view of a first embodiment of a clamp assembly 50 attached to a cutting head 12 of a slicing apparatus 10. The clamp assembly 50 is shown as including a knife holder 52, which is partially hidden, and a clamp 54 for fixing a strip cutting knife 20 to a surface 52A of the knife holder 52. As a non-limiting example, in FIGS. 5 and 6, the knife 20 is shown as an integral knife 20 having a handle 21 that protrudes through an opening 25 of an upper support ring 24, but the knife 20 can also be configured as a handleless knife, such as the handleless two-piece knife 20 shown in FIG. 4, as a non-limiting example. As shown in FIG. 5, one or more positioning pins 53 protrude from the surface 52A of the knife holder 52 through complementary positioning holes (e.g., 20C in FIG. 4) of the knife 20 and are received in complementary positioning holes 54E of the clamp 54 shown in FIG. 7, properly aligning the knife 20 and the clamp 54 with the knife holder 52.

[0023] Furthermore, the clamp assembly 50 is shown as being attached by a pair of bases 72 attached to support rings 22 and 24 of the cutting head 12 and being attached between these bases 72. As is more apparent from FIG. 7, where the clamp 54 is removed and shown, the clamp 54 includes a knife engaging portion 54A that forms a front edge 54C of the clamp 54 and physically contacts the knife 20, and thus has a shape complementary to the knife 20 to the extent that at least the knife engaging portion 54A has a slot 56 (FIG. 7) that receives a tab blade 46 of the knife 20. The clamp 54 further includes a base 54B adjacent to a rear edge 54D of the clamp 54 and is configured to be engaged by means for fixing the clamp 54 to the knife holder 52 and applying a clamping load to the clamp 54. As is apparent from FIGS. 5-7, the base 54B has a width smaller than the width of the knife engaging portion 54A in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction or length of the clamp 54 (substantially parallel to the front edge 54C of the clamp 54) in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the clamp 54.

[0024] In FIGS. 5 and 6, the fixing / clamping means of the clamp 54 is illustrated as an eccentric cam rod 60 configured as a quick-clamping function for applying a clamping force to the clamp 54. The cam rod 60 is rotatably attached between the bases 72 of the cutting head 12 so as to rotate about the central longitudinal axis 61 (FIGS. 6 and 7) of the cam rod 60 passing through the end of the cam rod 60 housed in the base 72 (FIG. 6). FIGS. 5 and 6 further show the upper end 64 of the rod 60 protruding through the upper support ring 24. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, when viewed from above in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, by rotating the cam rod 60 counterclockwise about its axis 61 using the handle 66 of the rod 60, the cam rod 60 moves eccentrically and engages with the base 54B of the clamp 54, whereby the clamp 54 engages with the knife 20 and the knife 20 is clamped in the knife holder 52. This position illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 is referred to as the lock position or the clamp position. The force applied from the cam rod 60 to the clamp 54 is released by rotating the cam rod 60 counterclockwise about the axis 61. When the cam rod 60 rotates to the unlock position or the open position, the clamping force is sufficiently reduced to enable the removal of the knife 20. In such an open position, referred to as the knife release position, the knife 20 can be removed from the cutting head 12 by grasping the handle 21 of the knife 20 and pulling the knife 20 upward through the opening 25 of the upper support ring 24.

[0025] As is more apparent from FIG. 7, the cam rod 60 has a cam surface 70, and when the cam rod 60 rotates to the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it engages with the base 54B of the clamp 54, whereby the clamp 54 engages with the knife 20 and the knife 20 is clamped in the knife holder 52 via the clamp 54. To facilitate the application of a uniform clamping load to the clamp 54, the base 54B of the clamp 54 is illustrated as being centrally located along the longitudinal length of the clamp 54. In FIG. 7, the eccentricity of the cam rod 60 is such that the central longitudinal axis 71 of the portion of the cam rod 60 including the cam surface 70 is parallel to the central longitudinal axis 61 of the cam rod 60 and at a distance d oIt is shown only by being offset in the diametrical direction. As further shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the cam rod 60 has a radial recess 62 (FIG. 7) that forms a concave surface 68 that extends over a portion (most of it as shown) of the longitudinal length of the rod 60 between the bases 72. The concave surface 68 is also shown to be substantially parallel to the axes 61 and 71, and the radial recess 62 is sized to accommodate the base 54B of the clamp 54. The width of the base 54B of the clamp 54 is also parallel to the cam rod 60 and is smaller than the longitudinal length of the concave surface 62, so that when assembled as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the cam rod 60 is rotated about its axis 61 until the radial recess 62 faces the clamp 54, the base 54B of the clamp 54 is loosely received within the radial recess 62. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the cam rod 60 rotates about its axis 61 and the cam surface 70 engages the clamp 54, the radial recess 62 and the concave surface 68 of the cam rod 60 face away from the clamp 54.

[0026] Figures 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, and 10 show two rotational positions of the cam rod 60 that achieve the engagement (clamping) and disengagement (release) of the clamp 54. Figures 8A and 8B show the locked position described above. As shown in Figure 8B, the cam surface 70 is arranged to engage the clamp 54, shown by the phantom line, and the radial recess 62 and concave surface 68 of the cam rod 60 face away from the clamp 54, clamping the knife 20 and fixing it to the knife holder 52. In the locked position, the stop pin 65 protruding from the cam rod 60 abuts the locked stop 74 on the upper support ring 24, and the handle 66 of the cam rod 60 is disposed directly above the opening 25 of the upper support ring 24, preventing access to the handle 21 (not shown) of the knife 20. In Figure 9A, the cam rod 60 has rotated to the aforementioned knife release (open) position. As shown in Figure 9B, the radial recess 62 and concave surface 68 of the cam rod 60 are arranged to substantially face the clamp 54, shown by the phantom line, and the cam surface 70 faces substantially away from the clamp 54. As is apparent from the movement of the cam rod 60 away from the clamp 54 relative to the position shown in Figure 8B, the combination of the eccentricity of the cam rod 60 and the positions of its recess 62 and concave surface 68 enables the knife 20 to be removed from the knife holder 52. In the knife release position, the stop pin 65 protruding from the cam rod 60 abuts the knife release stop 76 on the upper support ring 24 shown in Figures 8A and 9A such that it is positioned approximately 180 degrees clockwise from the locked stop 74. Further, the handle 66 of the cam rod 60 is not disposed directly above the opening 25 of the upper support ring 24, facilitating access to the handle 21 of the knife 20. Thus, the knife 20 can be removed from the cutting head 12 by grasping the handle 21 of the knife 20 and pulling the knife 20 upward through the opening 25 of the upper support ring 24.

[0027] Figures 10 and 11 are perspective views of the cutting head 12 shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8A - 9B, with the cam rod 60 in the knife release position, and showing the state where the clamp 54 is partially removed from the clamp assembly 50 and the state where the clamp 54 is completely removed, respectively. In FIG. 11, the knife 20 pre - fixed by the clamp 54 is also removed, and the knife holder 52 and the knife support surface 52A of the knife holder 52 are exposed.

[0028] Figures 12 and 13 are perspective views of the cutting head 12 shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8A - 11, showing that the cam rod 60 is lifted and the stop pin 65 (not visible in the figure) protruding from the cam rod 60 exceeds the knife release stop 76 of the upper support ring 24, and the rod 60 can rotate beyond the knife release position shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, 10, and 11 to a full open position. FIG. 12 shows that the strip - cut knife 20 can be attached regardless of the presence or absence of the handle 21 before attaching the clamp 54 to the cutting head 12, and FIG. 13 shows that, for example, a strip - cut knife 20 without a handle as shown in FIG. 4 and the clamp 54 can be pre - assembled and then the assembled clamp - knife assembly can be attached to the cutting head 12. FIGS. 14 and 15 show step - by - step the state of attaching the clamp 54 and the knife 20 simultaneously when the cam rod 60 is in the full open position shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

[0029] FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically showing the clamp 54 shown in FIGS. 5 to 15 and a second clamp 54 configured to be used for fixing a flat knife that is not a strip-cutting knife. As is apparent from FIG. 16, the second clamp 54 is different from the clamp 54 shown in FIGS. 5 to 15 in that the slot 56 of the knife engaging portion 54A that houses the tab blade 46 of the strip-cutting knife 20 is omitted. FIGS. 17 and 18 are partial perspective views of the cutting head shown in FIG. 5, and show non-limiting examples of a flat knife 20 with a handle and without a handle that can be attached to the cutting head 12 in combination with, for example, the second clamp 54 shown in FIG. 16.

[0030] FIGS. 19 to 29 show the cutting head 12 shown in FIG. 5, which is applicable to an eccentric cam rod 60 different from the rod 60 shown in FIGS. 5 to 18. The cam rod 60 shown in FIGS. 19 to 29 also has a quick-clamp function of the clamp assembly 50 for applying a clamping force to the clamp 54. In view of the similarities between the cam rod 60 shown in FIGS. 5 to 18 and the cam rod 60 shown in FIGS. 19 to 29, the following description mainly focuses on the aspects of the cam rod 60 shown in FIGS. 19 to 29 that are significantly or markedly different from the cam rod 60 shown in FIGS. 5 to 18. For other aspects of further embodiments not described in detail, in terms of structure, function, material, etc., they are essentially the same as those described for the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 to 18.

[0031] The cam rod 60 shown in FIGS. 19 to 29 is rotatably mounted between the bases 72 about the axis 61 of the cam rod 60, and the upper end 64 of the rod 60 projects through the upper support ring 24. FIG. 20 shows the lock (or clamp) position of the cam rod 60. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, when viewed from above in FIG. 20, by rotating the cam rod 60 counterclockwise about its axis 61 using the handle 66 of the rod 60, the cam surface 70 of the cam rod 60 moves eccentrically and engages the base 54B of the clamp 54, whereby the clamp 54 engages a knife 20 not shown in FIG. 20, and the knife 20 is clamped in the knife holder 52. The force applied to the clamp 54 from the cam rod 60 is released by rotating the cam rod 60 counterclockwise about the axis 61. FIG. 21 shows the cam rod 60 rotated clockwise from the lock (clamp) position shown in FIG. 20 to the knife release (open) position, at which position the clamping force is sufficiently reduced to allow the knife 20 to be removed from the cutting head 12.

[0032] In FIGS. 19 - 29, the stop pin 65 shown in FIGS. 5 - 18 is replaced by a stop flange 65. In the illustrated non - limiting embodiment, the stop flange 65 is a planar surface that projects radially from the upper end 64 of the rod 60. The stop flange 65 projects sufficiently from the cam rod 60 such that when the rod 60 is in the lock (clamp) position shown in FIG. 20, it can abut against a lock stop 74 (FIG. 21) on the upper support ring 24. In this position, the handle 66 of the cam rod 60 is disposed directly above the opening 25 of the upper support ring 24. In FIG. 21, the cam rod 60 rotates about its axis 61 to the aforementioned knife release (open) position. In this position, most of the cam surface 70 still faces the clamp 54, but due to the eccentricity of the cam rod 60, the cam surface 70 is sufficiently disengaged from the clamp 54 such that the knife 20 can be removed from the knife holder 52. In the knife release position, the stop flange 65 of the cam rod 60 abuts against a knife release stop 76 on the upper support ring 24 and is at a position at an angle θ of less than 90 degrees clockwise from the lock stop 74, as shown in FIG. 21. In the knife release position, the handle 66 of the cam rod 60 is no longer disposed directly above the opening 25 of the upper support ring 24.

[0033] The cam rod 60 shown in FIGS. 19 - 29 further has an annular slot 78 and an annular collar 80 that exist between the upper end 64 of the rod 60 and the concave surface 68. The collar 80 has a concave surface 82 that is located substantially on the chord of the collar 80. As shown in FIG. 19, the concave surface 82 is circumferentially offset in the clockwise direction of the cam rod 60 from the concave surface 68 of the rod 60 as viewed from above FIG. 19. As is apparent from FIGS. 22 and 23, the slot 78 cooperates with a retaining element 84 to hold the cam rod 60 in an axial position relative to the base 72 adjacent to the upper support ring 24. In this axial position, the cam rod 60 is rotatably received in each of the bases 72, as shown in FIG. 20.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 21 to 23, the lock stop 74 and the knife release stop 76 are disposed within a recess in the upper surface of the upper support ring 24. The raised step 86 is disposed within this recess in a clockwise direction from the knife release stop 76. The axial length of the slot 78 is sufficient to lift the cam rod 60 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 23 while keeping the cam rod 60 engaged with the retaining element 84, such that the stop flange 65 can overcome the step 86, whereby the cam rod 60 can rotate clockwise about its axis 61 beyond the knife release stop 76. In the non-limiting embodiment shown in FIG. 23, the cam rod 60 has rotated clockwise from the lock position shown in FIGS. 20 and 22 to a second open position of approximately 90 degrees beyond the knife release position shown in FIG. 21, such that the stop flange 65 has overcome the step 86 and is resting on the step 86. In the position shown in FIG. 23, the concave surface 82 of the collar 80 is aligned with the retaining element 84, whereby the collar 80 can overcome the retaining element 84 and further lift the cam rod 60 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 23, and if desired, completely remove the cam rod 60 from the cutting head 12. Therefore, the open position shown in FIG. 23 may also be referred to as the cam release position of the cam rod 60.

[0035] Figs. 24 and 25 schematically show top views of a part of the cutting head 12, showing that the cam rod 60 is in the lock (clamp) position corresponding to Figs. 20 and 22 and in the knife release (open) position corresponding to Fig. 21, respectively. As is clear from Figs. 24 and 25, in which the contour of the radial recess 62 of the cam rod 60 is shown by a phantom line, the cam surface 70 faces mostly the clamp 54 in both the lock position and the knife release position. However, in the knife release position shown in Fig. 25, due to the eccentricity of the cam rod 60, the cam surface 70 is sufficiently disengaged from the clamp 54, enabling the knife 20 to be removed from the knife holder 52. In Fig. 26, the cam rod 60 rotates about its axis 61 to a third open position approximately on the opposite side (clockwise by about 180 degrees from the lock position) of the lock position shown in Figs. 20 and 22, beyond the knife release position shown in Figs. 21 and 25 and the cam release position shown in Fig. 23. As is clear from Fig. 26, when the radial recess 62 and the concave surface 68 of the cam rod 60 face the clamp 54, sufficient clearance is provided therebetween so that the clamp 54 can be removed from the clamp assembly 50. Therefore, the open position shown in Fig. 26 is sometimes referred to as the clamp removal position of the cam rod 60. By providing the clamp removal position, it becomes easier to clean the clamp assembly 50 and its components.

[0036] Figs. 27 to 29 are also top views schematically showing a part of the cutting head 12, showing a state in which the cam rod 60 rotates about its axis 61 from the clamp removal position shown in Fig. 26 to a position about 240 degrees clockwise from the lock position shown in Figs. 20 and 22. As is clear from Figs. 27 to 29, the radial recess 62 and the concave surface 68 of the cam rod 60 substantially face the clamp 54, forming a larger gap therebetween so that the clamp 54 can be easily removed from the clamp assembly 50. Figs. 27 to 29 show step by step the state of removing the clamp 54 from the clamp assembly 50.

[0037] The cam rod 60 shown in FIGS. 19 to 29 is further shown to have a clamp stop bar 88 as an optional element with a characteristic shape 90 that can be arranged opposite the trailing edge 54D of the clamp 54. The clamp stop bar 88 functions to accurately position the leading edge 54C of the clamp 54 in close proximity to the leading edge of the knife holder 52.

[0038] FIGS. 30 to 49 show a knife exchange tool 100 that can be used in various cutting devices including, but not limited to, the centrifugal type slicing device 10 shown in FIG. 1. For a non-limiting embodiment of the tool 100, reference is made to the cutting head 12 and the impeller 14 shown with reference to FIG. 1 and the slicing device 10 having any of the cutting heads 12 shown with reference to FIGS. 2 to 29 for illustration and description. However, the tool 100 is generally applicable to other types of cutting devices and cutting heads as well. Further, the tool 100 is particularly applicable, but not limited thereto, to the attachment and removal of various strip cutting knives including the strip cutting knife 20 shown with reference to FIGS. 4 to 29. In view of the similarities among the tools 100, the same or functionally related / equivalent elements of the tool 100 are labeled with the same reference numerals in FIGS. 30 to 49.

[0039] A first embodiment of the knife exchange tool 100 includes a base 102, an actuator 104, and a handle 106, as shown in FIGS. 30 to 36. As shown in FIGS. 30 to 33, the base 102 has a generally elongated shape with a rectangular cross-section, having a lower surface 108, an upper surface 110 disposed on the opposite side, a front surface 112, and a rear surface 114 disposed on the opposite side. The handle 106 is fixed to the base 102 by a screw mechanism to maintain a fixed position relative to the base 102, and the actuator 104 is fixed to the base 102 so as to be displaceable relative to the base 102 in a displacement direction substantially perpendicular to the lower surface 108.

[0040] In the non-limiting embodiments shown in FIGS. 30-36, the base 102 has a plurality of parallel holes 116 that each receive a pin 118 extending from the bar 120 of the actuator 104. The holes 116 open to the lower surface 108, and the distal portions of the respective pins 118 are disposed adjacent to the lower surface 108 of the base 102. By arranging the holes 116 and the pins 118 parallel to the displacement direction of the actuator 104, the actuator 104 can be displaced in the displacement direction. In the illustrated embodiment, each hole 116 has a shoulder 122, and the pin 118 received within the hole 116 has an opposing shoulder 124, such that a cavity is formed that surrounds the pin 118 inside the hole 116 and includes a compression spring 126 that biases the pin 118 toward the lower surface 108 of the base 102. Alternatively, the tool 100 can adopt a configuration in which the number of holes 116 with springs 126 is less than the number of all the holes 116. Although a coil spring 126 is illustrated, other biasing means can be used, and non-limiting examples include one or more springs (including gas or hydraulic) and / or elastic members that apply pressure, tension, or torsional force and operate via a lever or other intermediate mechanism.

[0041] The length of the pin 118 extending from the bar 120 of the actuator 104 relative to the length of each hole 116 is preferably such that when the pin 118 is fully inserted into the hole 116 under the influence of the spring 126, the distal end 128 of each pin 118 is coplanar with or at least proximate to the lower surface 108 of the base 102. A magnet 130 is received within the cavity located at the distal end 128 of each pin 118, and each magnet 130 has an exposed surface 132 that is coplanar with or at least proximate to the lower surface 108 of the base 102. A variety of magnetic materials can be used for the magnets 130. Suitable magnetic materials are capable of generating a magnetic field strong enough to magnetically capture ferromagnetic bodies such as the aforementioned clamp 54 and / or knife 20 that are disposed relative to or proximate to the lower surface 108 of the base 102.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 31, the actuator 104 includes a trigger or tab 134 that protrudes from a bar 120 of the actuator 104. The tab 134 is disposed on the back side of the base 102 and protrudes above the back surface 114 of the base 102. The tab 134 and the handle 106 are arranged and oriented such that an operator can grasp the tab 134 simultaneously with grasping the handle 106 and can pull the tab 134 away from the base 102. By pulling the tab 134 away from the base 102, as shown in FIG. 33, the actuator 104 is displaced against the biasing effect of the spring 126 from the base 102, and the magnet 130 retracts within the hole 116 of the base 102. In this position, the ability of the magnet 130 to capture a ferromagnetic material such as, for example, the knife 20 and / or the clamp 54 is significantly attenuated to the extent that, for example, the magnet 130 can no longer hold the knife 20 and / or the clamp 54 against the lower surface 108 of the base 102. By releasing the tab 134, the spring 126 displaces the actuator 104 towards the base 102, whereby the bar 120 contacts the upper surface 110 of the base 102 at a position where the distal end 128 of the pin 118 and the magnet 130 are close to the lower surface 108 of the base 102. In this position, the magnet 130 can capture a ferromagnetic material such as the knife 20 and / or the clamp 54 and hold it against the lower surface 108 of the base 102.

[0043] Figures 34 to 36 show a state in which the tool 100 simultaneously holds the clamp 54 and the knife 20, with the lower surface 108 of the base 102 disposed against or in proximity to the clamp 54 and the exposed surface 132 of the magnet 130 being in the same plane as or in proximity to the lower surface 108 of the base 102 (see Fig. 32). As described with reference to Fig. 5, when the clamp assembly 50 includes the positioning pin 53, the base 102 can straddle this positioning pin 53 by the slot 136 in the lower surface 108 of the base 102, so that the lower surface 108 can directly contact the clamp 54, the knife 20, etc. By grasping the tab 134 and pulling it away from the base 102, the actuator 104 is displaced away from the base 102 against the biasing effect of the spring 126 until the magnet 130 is sufficiently drawn into the hole 116 of the base 102 and the clamp 54 is disengaged (see Fig. 33).

[0044] Figures 37 to 49 show additional embodiments of the knife replacement tool 100. The following description focuses mainly on aspects of the tool 100 shown in Figs. 37 to 49 that are significantly or markedly different from the tool 100 shown in Figs. 30 to 36. For other aspects of the embodiments shown in Figs. 37 to 49 that are not described in detail, in terms of structure, function, material, etc., they are essentially the same as those described for the embodiments shown in Figs. 30 to 36.

[0045] The actuator 104 of the tool 100 shown in FIGS. 37 to 40 is operated via a trigger 134 that can be grasped by an operator while holding the handle 106 by hand. By pulling the trigger 134 toward the handle 106 so that the actuator 104 is displaced away from the base 102 against the biasing effect of the spring 126, the magnet 130 is drawn into the hole 116 of the base 102, as shown in FIG. 33. This operation is based on the fact that the trigger 134 is composed of an extension of an arm 134A coupled to the base 102 and the actuator 104 via a pivot pin 138 disposed on the base 102 and a cam follower 140 disposed on the actuator 104, respectively. The cam follower 140 is present within a cam slot 142 of the arm 134A and converts the arcuate trajectories of the trigger 134 and the arm 134A centered on the pivot pin 138 into a linear displacement of the actuator 104. When the trigger 134 is released, the spring 126 displaces the actuator 104 toward the base 102, and the pin 118 can be drawn into the base 102. The tool 100 shown in FIGS. 37 to 40 optionally has additional features including a removable handle 106 (FIG. 40) and a plier 144 attached to the handle 106 to assist in the removal of the clamp 54 or the knife 20.

[0046] The tool 100 shown in FIGS. 41-45 does not include the actuator 104 and the tab / trigger 134 of the foregoing embodiments. The tool 100 includes a pair of positioning pins 146 that are present within the holes 148 of the base 102 and are biased by a spring 150 toward the lower surface 108 of the base 102. The positioning pins 146 are sized to be received simultaneously in the positioning holes 54E and 20C of the clamp 54 and the knife 20 shown in FIGS. 7, 4, and 12, respectively, of the base 102, whereby the clamp 54 and the knife 20 are accurately positioned on the tool 100 while being held by the magnet 130 before and during the process of attaching the clamp 54 and the knife 20 to the knife holder 52. During attachment, the positioning pins 146 are aligned with the positioning pins 53 of the knife holder 52, and when the tool 100 is pressed against the knife holder 52 and the positioning pins 146 are retracted into the base 102 against the biasing force of the spring 150, the clamp 54 and the knife 20 are transferred to the knife holder 52 and its positioning pins 53 as shown in FIG. 45.

[0047] The tool 100 shown in FIGS. 46 to 49 is a combination of specific aspects of the tool 100 shown in FIGS. 30 to 45. For example, the tool 100 shown in FIGS. 46 to 49 includes an actuator 104 reciprocally attached to the base 102 by pins 118, similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 30 to 40, and a positioning pin 146 reciprocally attached within the base 102, similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 41 to 45. Also, the tool 100 shown in FIGS. 46 to 49 includes magnets 130 shown in FIGS. 48 and 49, attached to the distal ends of one or more pins 118, similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 30 to 40. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 41 to 45, the positioning pin 146 is disposed within the base 102, and the positioning pin 146 is sized to be simultaneously received, for example, in the positioning holes 54E and 20C of the clamp 54 and the knife 20 shown in FIGS. 7, 4, and 12, respectively, whereby the clamp 54 and the knife 20 are accurately positioned on the tool 100 during the step of attaching the clamp 54 and the knife 20 to the knife holder 52.

[0048] In the tool 100 shown in FIGS. 46 to 49, the positioning pin 146 is configured to be displaced relative to the pin 118, and each positioning pin 146 is at least partially retracted into the hole 148 when the magnet 130 of the pin 118 is biased by the spring 126 toward the lower surface 108 of the base 102, and each positioning pin 146 is displaced so as to protrude from the lower surface 108 of the base 102 when the magnet 130 is retracted into the hole 116 within the base 102.

[0049] The magnet 130 and the positioning pin 146 are drawn into the base 102 and pulled toward the handle 106 through the operation of a trigger (not shown) of the type shown for the tool 100 shown in FIGS. 30-36, for example, while the operator grasps the handle 106 by hand. As a result, the actuator 104 is displaced away from the base 102 against the biasing effect of the spring 126, as shown in FIGS. 47 and 49. As shown in FIGS. 46 and 48, when the actuator 104 is disposed relative to the upper surface 110 of the base 102, the magnet 130 is coplanar with the lower surface 108 of the base 102 or is close to the lower surface 108 of the base 102, as shown in FIG. 48. When the actuator 104 is displaced away from the base 102 as shown in FIGS. 47 and 49, the magnet 130 is drawn into the hole 116 of the base 102, as shown in FIG. 49. The magnet 130 and the positioning pin 146 are interconnected such that as the actuator 104 is displaced away from the base 102 and the magnet 130 is drawn into the base 102, the positioning pin 146 moves in the opposite direction, i.e., advances, so that the positioning pin 146 protrudes from the lower surface 108 of the base 102, as shown in FIG. 49. On the other hand, when the actuator 104 is displaced toward the base 102, the magnet 130 is displaced toward the lower surface 108 of the base 102, and the positioning pin 146 retracts into the base 102, as shown in FIG. 48. By such an operation, when the clamp 54 is held in place by the magnet 130, the positioning pin 146 does not get in the way and the positioning pin 146 does not interfere with the positioning pin 53 of the knife holder 52. However, when the magnet 130 is retracted, the clamp 54 can be aligned with the tool 100 using the positioning pin 146.

[0050] Figures 46 and 47 show non-limiting embodiments of means for interconnecting magnet 130 and positioning pin 146 to effect opposite movement within base 102. In the illustrated embodiment, cam follower 141 is provided at the upper end of pin 146 and is disposed within slot 143 in base 102. Each cam follower 141 is received within cam slot 142 in arm 134A, and arm 134A houses a second cam follower 140 connected to actuator 104. The movement of actuator 104 is limited to reciprocating movement relative to base 102 via pin 118 received within bore 116 of base 102. Actuator 104 is biased away from base 102, as shown in FIGS. 47 and 49, by the biasing effect of spring 126 mounted within base 102 and pin 118, as shown in FIGS. 48 and 49. Positioning pin 146 is biased to retract into base 102, as shown in FIGS. 46 and 48, by the interconnection between magnet 130 and positioning pin 146 via arm 134A and the biasing effect of spring 126 mounted to magnet 130.

[0051] Under the influence of spring 126, actuator 104 contacts upper surface 110 of base 102 and tool 100 assumes the appearance as shown in FIGS. 46 and 48. While actuator 104 is displaced away from base 102, cam followers 140 and 141 are within respective cam slots 142 of arm 134A, and arm 134A pivots about pivot pin 138 to accommodate the linear displacement of actuator 104 and the position of positioning pin 146, and positioning pin 146 advances from base 102 as actuator 104 is displaced away from base 102, as is apparent from a comparison of FIGS. 46 and 47 and FIGS. 48 and 49.

[0052] As described above, specific aspects of the present invention have been described with respect to one or more specific embodiments, but alternative aspects of the present invention are also applicable by those skilled in the art. For example, the clamp assembly 50, the tool 100, the cutting head, and the devices to which they are attached or used may differ in their outer shape and structure from the illustrated content. Also, the clamp assembly 50 and the tool 100 can be used with knives different from those illustrated. For example, the shape (flat or a specific shape) may be different, and in the case of a shaped knife, the amplitude (distance from valley to peak) and / or pitch (distance between peaks) may be different. Furthermore, various materials and processes can be employed to manufacture the clamp assembly 50, the tool 100, and their components. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein or the illustrated embodiments.

Claims

1. A clamp assembly for fixing a knife to a slicing device, the clamp assembly comprising: a knife holder having a surface and a leading edge; a knife supported on the surface of the knife holder and having a cutting edge protruding from the leading edge of the knife holder; a knife; a clamp disposed with respect to the knife holder and the knife for clamping the knife to the knife holder; a clamp; and, the clamp has a longitudinal direction, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a knife engaging portion adjacent to the leading edge of the clamp, and a base portion adjacent to the trailing edge of the clamp, at least a part of the knife engaging portion has a shape complementary to the knife, the knife engaging portion and the base portion each have a width in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the clamp, and the width of the base portion is smaller than the width of the knife engaging portion; the clamp has a longitudinal direction, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a knife engaging portion adjacent to the leading edge of the clamp, and a base portion adjacent to the trailing edge of the clamp, at least a part of the knife engaging portion has a shape complementary to the knife, the knife engaging portion and the base portion each have a width in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the clamp, and the width of the base portion is smaller than the width of the knife engaging portion; the clamp has a longitudinal direction, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a knife engaging portion adjacent to the leading edge of the clamp, and a base portion adjacent to the trailing edge of the clamp, at least a part of the knife engaging portion has a shape complementary to the knife, the knife engaging portion and the base portion each have a width in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the clamp, and the width of the base portion is smaller than the width of the knife engaging portion; the clamp has a longitudinal direction, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a knife engaging portion adjacent to the leading edge of the clamp, and a base portion adjacent to the trailing edge of the clamp, at least a part of the knife engaging portion has a shape complementary to the knife, the knife engaging portion and the base portion each have a width in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the clamp, and the width of the base portion is smaller than the width of the knife engaging portion; the clamp has a longitudinal direction, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a knife engaging portion adjacent to the leading edge of the clamp, and a base portion adjacent to the trailing edge of the clamp, at least a part of the knife engaging portion has a shape complementary to the knife, the knife engaging portion and the base portion each have a width in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the clamp, and the width of the base portion is smaller than the width of the knife engaging portion; the clamp assembly includes a cam rod configured to apply a clamping load to the clamp to fix the knife to the knife holder; the clamp assembly includes a cam rod configured to apply a clamping load to the clamp to fix the knife to the knife holder; the cam rod is rotatable about its major axis, the cam rod has a longitudinal length, and when the cam rod rotates to a clamping position to engage the clamp with the knife and clamp the knife to fix it to the knife holder, the cam rod has a cam surface that engages the base portion of the clamp, and a radial recess having a longitudinal length and a concave surface extending over at least a part of the longitudinal length of the cam rod, the radial recess is sized to receive the base portion of the clamp, the width of the base portion is smaller than the longitudinal length of the radial recess, and when the cam rod rotates and the radial recess faces the clamp in the open position, the base portion of the clamp is loosely received in the radial recess; the cam rod is rotatable about its major axis, the cam rod has a longitudinal length, and when the cam rod rotates to a clamping position to engage the clamp with the knife and clamp the knife to fix it to the knife holder, the cam rod has a cam surface that engages the base portion of the clamp, and a radial recess having a longitudinal length and a concave surface extending over at least a part of the longitudinal length of the cam rod, the radial recess is sized to receive the base portion of the clamp, the width of the base portion is smaller than the longitudinal length of the radial recess, and when the cam rod rotates and the radial recess faces the clamp in the open position, the base portion of the clamp is loosely received in the radial recess; the cam rod is rotatable about its major axis, the cam rod has a longitudinal length, and when the cam rod rotates to a clamping position to engage the clamp with the knife and clamp the knife to fix it to the knife holder, the cam rod has a cam surface that engages the base portion of the clamp, and a radial recess having a longitudinal length and a concave surface extending over at least a part of the longitudinal length of the cam rod, the radial recess is sized to receive the base portion of the clamp, the width of the base portion is smaller than the longitudinal length of the radial recess, and when the cam rod rotates and the radial recess faces the clamp in the open position, the base portion of the clamp is loosely received in the radial recess; the cam rod is rotatable about its major axis, the cam rod has a longitudinal length, and when the cam rod rotates to a clamping position to engage the clamp with the knife and clamp the knife to fix it to the knife holder, the cam rod has a cam surface that engages the base portion of the clamp, and a radial recess having a longitudinal length and a concave surface extending over at least a part of the longitudinal length of the cam rod, the radial recess is sized to receive the base portion of the clamp, the width of the base portion is smaller than the longitudinal length of the radial recess, and when the cam rod rotates and the radial recess faces the clamp in the open position, the base portion of the clamp is loosely received in the radial recess; the cam rod is rotatable about its major axis, the cam rod has a longitudinal length, and when the cam rod rotates to a clamping position to engage the clamp with the knife and clamp the knife to fix it to the knife holder, the cam rod has a cam surface that engages the base portion of the clamp, and a radial recess having a longitudinal length and a concave surface extending over at least a part of the longitudinal length of the cam rod, the radial recess is sized to receive the base portion of the clamp, the width of the base portion is smaller than the longitudinal length of the radial recess, and when the cam rod rotates and the radial recess faces the clamp in the open position, the base portion of the clamp is loosely received in the radial recess; the cam rod is rotatable about its major axis, the cam rod has a longitudinal length, and when the cam rod rotates to a clamping position to engage the clamp with the knife and clamp the knife to fix it to the knife holder, the cam rod has a cam surface that engages the base portion of the clamp, and a radial recess having a longitudinal length and a concave surface extending over at least a part of the longitudinal length of the cam rod, the radial recess is sized to receive the base portion of the clamp, the width of the base portion is smaller than the longitudinal length of the radial recess, and when the cam rod rotates and the radial recess faces the clamp in the open position, the base portion of the clamp is loosely received in the radial recess; the knife is detachable from the clamp assembly when the cam rod rotates to the open position, the cam rod is further rotatable beyond the open position so that the clamp can be detached from the clamp assembly; the knife is detachable from the clamp assembly when the cam rod rotates to the open position, the cam rod is further rotatable beyond the open position so that the clamp can be detached from the clamp assembly; the knife is detachable from the clamp assembly when the cam rod rotates to the open position, the cam rod is further rotatable beyond the open position so that the clamp can be detached from the clamp assembly; the knife is detachable from the clamp assembly when the cam rod rotates to the open position, the cam rod is further rotatable beyond the open position so that the clamp can be detached from the clamp assembly; the knife is detachable from the clamp assembly when the cam rod rotates to the open position, the cam rod is further rotatable beyond the open position so that the clamp can be detached from the clamp assembly; the clamp assembly has a stop for establishing the open position, the stop has steps, and since the cam rod is displaceable along its major axis, by overcoming the steps, the cam rod can rotate further beyond the open position, and the clamp becomes detachable from the clamp assembly; the clamp assembly has a stop for establishing the open position, the stop has steps, and since the cam rod is displaceable along its major axis, by overcoming the steps, the cam rod can rotate further beyond the open position, and the clamp becomes detachable from the clamp assembly; the clamp assembly has a stop for establishing the open position, the stop has steps, and since the cam rod is displaceable along its major axis, by overcoming the steps, the cam rod can rotate further beyond the open position, and the clamp becomes detachable from the clamp assembly; the clamp assembly has a stop for establishing the open position, the stop has steps, and since the cam rod is displaceable along its major axis, by overcoming the steps, the cam rod can rotate further beyond the open position, and the clamp becomes detachable from the clamp assembly; A clamp assembly.

2. The knife is a strip-cutting knife, and the strip-cutting knife includes a tab blade disposed perpendicular to the cutting edge of the strip-cutting knife. The clamp assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a tab blade disposed perpendicular to the cutting edge of the strip-cutting knife. The clamp assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a tab blade disposed perpendicular to the cutting edge of the strip-cutting knife. **Claim 3** The clamp assembly according to claim 2, wherein the knife engagement portion includes a slot for receiving the tab blade of the knife. The clamp assembly according to claim 2, wherein the knife engagement portion includes a slot for receiving the tab blade of the knife. **Claim 4** The clamp assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base of the clamp is located centrally along the longitudinal direction of the clamp. The clamp assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base of the clamp is located centrally along the longitudinal direction of the clamp. **Claim 5** The clamp assembly according to claim 1, wherein the concave surface is parallel to the major axis of the cam rod. The clamp assembly according to claim 1, wherein the concave surface is parallel to the major axis of the cam rod. **Claim 6** The clamp and the knife are both detachable from the clamp assembly when the cam rod rotates beyond the open position. The clamp and the knife are both detachable from the clamp assembly when the cam rod rotates beyond the open position. The clamp and the knife are both detachable from the clamp assembly when the cam rod rotates beyond the open position. **Claim 7** The clamp assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a stop bar against which the rear edge of the clamp is placed in contact to dispose the front edge of the clamp close to the front edge of the knife holder. The clamp assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a stop bar against which the rear edge of the clamp is placed in contact to dispose the front edge of the clamp close to the front edge of the knife holder. The clamp assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a stop bar against which the rear edge of the clamp is placed in contact to dispose the front edge of the clamp close to the front edge of the knife holder. **Claim 8** A slicing device comprising the clamp assembly according to claim 1.

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