Slice device

Abstract

To realize a slice device which is preferable for properly supporting a block when the block is soft and properly peeling a fillet after slicing.SOLUTION: When a slide device 2 includes a first pressing mechanism 4 which comes in contact with a front surface A1 of a block A to suppress movement when the slice device 2 sequentially slices the block A to be sliced with a blade 21 while feeding the block A. The slice device 2 slices a position near the front surface A1 of the block A with the blade 21 in a state that the block A is held by the first pressing mechanism 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a slicing device that is particularly useful for cutting fillets such as sushi toppings from a fillet of fresh fish. [Background technology]

[0002] In the seafood processing industry, processes such as removing scales from fish, filleting fish, and slicing fish meat into sashimi are being increasingly mechanized.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a device that, when cutting fillets from a stock, makes it possible to divide and cut the fish body into multiple pieces of the desired weight when the fish body to be cut is irregular. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 56-18539 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In recent years, the demand for sushi has been increasing both domestically and internationally. However, the preparation of sushi ingredients is still done entirely by hand, and mechanization has not progressed. The sushi industry in particular is facing a labor shortage due to a decline in the working population and a shortage of craftsmen, and is struggling to produce the desired amount of processed food even outside of peak seasons. Sushi chains also face the same challenge of securing personnel.

[0006] One reason why sushi ingredients are not being automated is that they must be particularly fresh, so the fish cannot be sliced ​​in a frozen or semi-thawed state, and they are difficult to slice because of their softness. In addition, because sushi ingredients are placed on top of rice and bend to cover it, unlike sashimi, the length and width of the fillets must be relatively large relative to the thickness to achieve a fixed size. Also, the cutting method must change depending on the shape of the sashimi.

[0007] 10(a) shows an example of a configuration in which the bar A is sliced ​​on the first conveying path 1 and stored in a tray T arranged on the second conveying path 101. If the bar A is frozen, it can be sliced ​​with the blade 21 without losing its shape, and by tilting the slicing section toward the fillet discharge side, the cut fillet a can be easily peeled off from the blade 21 and stored in a tray T on the second conveying path 101.

[0008] However, especially with soft fillets A, such as fresh salmon, the parts that will become fillets a tend to sag, so to achieve fixed-weight slicing, a mechanism X (hereafter referred to as support mechanism X) is required to support the resulting fillets a, as shown in Figure 10(b). Furthermore, fillets a, which are high in oil, tend to stick, making them difficult to peel from the cut-off point. The support mechanism X that corrects the sagging must also be precise to minimize variations in the fixed-weight slicing. Furthermore, when peeling the fillets a from the support mechanism X, the support mechanism X must peel the fillets a without deteriorating the quality of the soft fillets A (such as cracking the flesh), and some consideration must be given to preventing damage from dropping when transferring them to an unloading section such as a tray T.

[0009] A first object of the present invention is to realize a slicing device that is suitable for properly supporting the block A when the block A is soft and for properly peeling the fillet a after slicing.

[0010] Furthermore, in order to produce fixed-length fillets for soft fences, conveyance by a conveyor C, as shown in Figure 11, can be considered to prevent deformation of the fence in the conveying section. At the same time, one measure would be to provide a holding mechanism D to prevent the fence A from moving around during slicing, but in this case, the holding mechanism D would need a mechanism to hold the vicinity of the blade 21 that produces the fillets a in order to suppress deformation of the fence tip caused by the blade 21 during slicing (variation due to deformation).

[0011] Therefore, in the case of a fence holding mechanism D for a flat blade pull-cutting method, it is conceivable that this holding mechanism D is equipped with a holding mechanism D1 that holds down the top surface of the fence A with a top wall, and a holding mechanism D2 that holds down the side of the fence A (the side that the fence will move towards when it is pulled) with a side wall. When the fence is being transported, these holding mechanisms D1 and D2 are released, and when the fence A is transported to the specified slicing position, the holding mechanisms D1 and D2 are activated to hold the fence A.

[0012] However, if the contact points of each holding mechanism D1, D2 with the fence are constructed from flat members like this, it is difficult to say that they can adequately hold and hold the fence A, which varies in shape from one to another. Therefore, while it is possible to increase the contact surface with the holding mechanisms D1, D2 by increasing the holding force and deforming the soft fence, the deformation will affect the parts of the fillet that do not come into contact with the holding mechanisms D1, D2, making it impossible to produce fillets of the correct size. Also, the need for a dedicated holding mechanism D1 for the top and a dedicated holding mechanism D2 for the sides creates the drawback of a complex structure.

[0013] A second object of the present invention is to provide a slicing device that is suitable for appropriately pressing the top and side surfaces of the fence when slicing when the fence is soft. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention takes the following measures.

[0015] First, regarding the pressing of the front surface of the object to be sliced, the slicing device of the present invention is characterized in that it is equipped with a first pressing mechanism that contacts the front surface of the object to be sliced ​​to hold it in place as it is fed and sliced ​​sequentially with a blade, and while the object to be sliced ​​is held by the first pressing mechanism, the blade slices the area near the front surface of the object to be sliced.

[0016] In this way, even if the object to be sliced ​​is soft, it can be sliced ​​with a blade while holding it down so that the front side does not droop, which maintains the precision of the size and shape of the slices and prevents deterioration of quality.

[0017] In this case, it is preferable that the first pressing mechanism has an adsorption portion that peels the sliced ​​pieces from the blade after slicing, and that allows the sliced ​​pieces to be peeled from the adsorption portion by releasing the adsorption.

[0018] By using the suction part, there is no need to hold down the slices, so compression of the object to be sliced ​​can be avoided, suction holding prevents the object from shifting sideways, and the slices can be easily removed from the blade, and by releasing the suction, the slices can be removed from the suction part without causing damage.

[0019] Furthermore, it is preferable that the first holding mechanism has an adsorption portion that can move between an adsorption position where the movement of the object to be sliced ​​is held down and a slice piece peeling position set at a position away from the slicing position.

[0020] In this way, the process from cutting out the sliced ​​pieces to releasing them for the next step can be carried out in a single operation, making it easier to assemble the line.

[0021] In particular, if a Bernoulli grip is used for the suction part, there is no risk of oil or tissue being sucked in even when the object to be sliced ​​is soft, and it can be used without dust adhering to it.

[0022] On the other hand, with regard to holding the top surface of the object to be sliced, the slicing device of the present invention is characterized by having a second holding mechanism that brings an elastic member into contact with the object to be sliced ​​from above to hold down the movement of the object to be sliced, and slicing the area near the front of the object to be sliced ​​with a blade while the object to be sliced ​​is fixed by the second holding mechanism.

[0023] In this way, even if the object to be sliced ​​is soft, the elastic member deforms to conform to the shape of the object, increasing the contact area and contact resistance with the top and side surfaces of the object, thereby improving holding power. This reduces variation in slicing. Furthermore, since there is no need for a dedicated holding mechanism for the top surface or the side surfaces, the function can be simplified.

[0024] In this case, if the elastic member is provided with protrusions on the surface that comes into contact with the object to be sliced, the gripping force on the object to be sliced ​​can be increased. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] According to the present invention as described above, a slicing device can be provided that can properly support the fence when the fence is soft, properly peel the fillets after slicing, or properly press the top and sides of the fence when slicing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system including a slicing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the blade, the fence, and the slices of the slicing device. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a slicing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a first pressing mechanism in this embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a main part of a first pressing mechanism in this embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the first pressing mechanism. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a main part of a second pressing mechanism in this embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the second pressing mechanism. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the second pressing mechanism. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a comparative example of the first pressing mechanism. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a comparative example of the second pressing mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0028] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system including a slicing device 2 that produces fillets a from a fillet A. As shown in FIG. 2, the slicing device 2 is configured to automatically cut sushi-sized fillets a from a fillet A obtained from the body of a fresh fish. In this embodiment, the fillets A are, for example, filleted salmon that has been processed into blocks. Of course, the type of fish that will become the fillets A to be sliced ​​is not limited to salmon, and the process for obtaining the fillets A is not limited to filleting.

[0029] In Figure 1, conveyor 1, which forms an endless track, is driven by motor M1, and fence A placed on conveyor 1's transport surface 1a is transported in the direction of arrow V0 toward slicing device 2, where it is sliced. Every time slicing device 2 operates to cut a fillet a, conveyor 1 intermittently feeds fence A by an amount equivalent to the thickness of fillet a, preparing to slice the next fillet a. Control of motor M1 and slicing device 2 is managed by control means 3.

[0030] The control means 3 includes a microcomputer unit consisting of a CPU, memory, and interface, and the memory stores required programs and data. The CPU sequentially loads the programs and executes various controls in this embodiment in cooperation with peripheral hardware resources. Setting values ​​Z for various slicing conditions, etc., are input to the control means 3 through a setting unit 30. Furthermore, the control unit 3 calculates parameters for each fillet a (or each fence A), such as the start and end positions of the blade 21 across the conveying path a, the cutting angle of the blade 21, and the slicing angle, based on information about the fence A to be sliced ​​acquired in advance by the camera 9 and information about the required dimensions of the fillet a input from the setting unit 30. The control unit 3 then sends control signals to the motors M1, the drive units (not shown) of the slicing device 2, etc.

[0031] In the slicing device 2, the blade 21 is arranged so that the direction intersecting the conveying direction of the conveyor 1 is the blade length direction (blade length direction).

[0032] 2(a) shows the fence A and the blade 21, FIG. 2(b) is a view of the fillet a being cut by the blade 21 as seen from above the conveying surface 1a, and FIG. 2(c) is a view of the fillet a being cut by the blade 21 as seen from the side of the conveying surface 1a. The arrow V in FIG. 2(b) indicates the longitudinal direction of the fence A, which normally coincides with the conveying direction V0 of the conveying surface 1a. As shown in these figures, the blade length direction (blade length direction, X direction) of the blade 21 is the longitudinal direction (longitudinal dimension L) of the fillet a, the blade width direction (blade width direction, cutting edge direction, Y direction) of the blade 21 is the lateral direction (lateral dimension W) of the fillet a, and the feed pitch of the fence A for each pass is the thickness dimension D of the fillet a. The length L, width W and thickness D of fillet a must satisfy the specified dimensions L0, W0 and D0 as the fixed weight size, since fillet a must bend to cover and conceal sushi rice B when placed on top of it, as shown in Figure 2(d).

[0033] Therefore, in case the dimensions are insufficient, the slicing device 2 is configured to achieve the appropriate longitudinal dimension L0 of the fillet a by setting a first relative angle θ1 between the conveying direction V of the fence A and the blade length direction (X direction) of the blade 21, to achieve the appropriate transverse dimension W0 of the fillet a by setting a second relative angle θ2 between the conveying direction V of the fence A and the blade width direction Y of the blade 21, and to achieve the appropriate thickness dimension D0 of the fillet a by setting the conveying pitch of the fence A.

[0034] By the way, even if a setting can be made to obtain the appropriate size of fillet a, the sashimi A that will be used as sushi toppings is fresh and soft, so when cutting thin fillets a from sashimi A for sushi toppings, they cannot be sliced ​​as smoothly as frozen sashimi.

[0035] Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the slicing device 2 is provided with a first holding mechanism 4 that holds down the movement of the front surface A1 of the fence A, which is the object to be sliced.

[0036] As mentioned above, the slicing device 2 uses a blade 21 to sequentially slice the tip of the fence A that has been transported along a conveying path 1 such as a belt conveyor and arrived near the end, and sends the fence A out a distance equivalent to the thickness of the fillet a from the slicing position of the blade 21 to the discharge side and stops it.

[0037] The first pressing mechanism 4 is an arm portion 41 including an air supply portion 41A capable of supplying air and a mechanism 41B (e.g., a cylinder) capable of moving the suction portion 42 forward and backward; an adsorption portion 42 at the tip of the arm portion 41; A moving mechanism 43 including a motor M that rotates the arm portion 41 is provided. The arm portion 41 is configured to be rotatable between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position.

[0038] The air supply unit 41A includes an air line 41a for supplying compressed air, and a separate air line 41b for supplying air for peeling the fillets a, which will be described later.

[0039] The suction unit 42 is provided with two Bernoulli grips 40 that can suction the fillets a without contact. Also, other methods such as a cyclone-type grip can be used as long as they can suction the fillets a without contact.

[0040] In addition, air blowing holes 42a are provided between the Bernoulli grips 40, and are used when the air supply unit 41A, which will be described later, blows air onto the fillet a to separate it from the suction unit 42 when the fillet is in a substantially vertical position.

[0041] The suction part 42 is also provided with a protrusion 42b, which is set to a size smaller than the thickness D of the fillet a. As a result, when the suction part 42, which will be described later, is brought into contact with the front surface A1 of the fence A to slice the fillet a, the protrusion 42b supports the fillet a from below, allowing the fillet a to be sliced ​​to a predetermined size and preventing the fillet a from falling.

[0042] 5(a), when air is supplied from line 41a of air supply unit 41A to air supply port 40a, air is blown out from air blowing unit 40c of Bernoulli grip 40, and the Bernoulli grip 40 uses the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure generating unit formed in the internal flow path to suck the object to be sucked. When the supply of air to air supply port 40a is stopped, the suction force of Bernoulli grip 40 is released.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 5(b), the suction part 42 can be swung at least in the vertical direction by an angle adjustment mechanism 44 using a motor M.

[0044] In this embodiment, in response to a command from the control unit 3 shown in Figure 1, the following operations can be sequentially performed: maintaining the first holding mechanism 4 in an approximately horizontal position as shown in Figure 3; advancing the suction portion 42 from that state so that the suction portion 42 comes into contact with the front surface A1 of the fence A; supplying air to the air supply port 40a in Figure 5 to put the suction portion 42 into a suction state; retracting the suction portion 42 using the cylinder 41; rotating the cylinder 41 to an approximately vertical position; releasing the suction of the suction portion 42 by stopping the air supply to the air supply port 40a; and returning the cylinder 41 to an approximately horizontal position.

[0045] The Bernoulli grip 40 (FIG. 5(a)) is provided with a cover 40b1, which can suppress vibrations that occur when the object to be picked up comes into contact with the Bernoulli grip 40, allowing for stable pick-up.

[0046] 3, a second conveying path 101 is provided below the first pressing mechanism 4 when the first pressing mechanism 4 is in a substantially vertical position. The second conveying path 101 is a line along which the trays T are conveyed.

[0047] The control unit 3 in FIG. 1 synchronizes the operation of the first pressing mechanism 4 with the feeding operation of the conveying path 1, the slicing operation of the blade 21, the feeding operation of the second conveying path 101, and the like.

[0048] As a result, as shown in Fig. 6, after advancing and adjusting the angle for the next slice (Fig. 6a), the fence A is sent along the first conveying path 1 at a predetermined pitch (thickness) (Fig. 6b), and the adsorption part 42 adsorbs the front surface A1 of the fence A (Fig. 6c). In this state, the blade 21 slices the food (Fig. 6d), and the arm 41 pivots to move the sliced ​​fillet a into a vertical position, after which the fillet a is peeled off and transferred onto the tray T (Fig. 6e, f). Meanwhile, the blade 21 rises (Fig. 6g), and the operations of Figs. 6a to 6g are repeated again to slice the next fillet a. As a result, the fillets a are aligned at a predetermined pitch on the tray T on the second conveying path 101 shown in Fig. 3.

[0049] Of course, after slicing is completed in FIG. 6(d), the suction part 42 may be retracted before the arm part 41 is rotated in FIG. 6(e) or the blade 21 is raised in FIG. 6(g).

[0050] As described above, the slicing device 2 of this embodiment is equipped with a first holding mechanism 4 that contacts the front surface A1 of the fence A to restrain its movement as it feeds the fence A, which is the object to be sliced, and slices it sequentially with the blade 21. With the fence A held by the first holding mechanism 4, the blade 21 slices the area near the front surface A1 of the fence A.

[0051] Therefore, even if the object to be sliced ​​is a soft salmon fillet A, it is possible to slice it with the blade 21 while holding the front surface A1 so that it does not droop, and the precision of the size and shape of the fillet a can be maintained, and deterioration of quality can be prevented.

[0052] In particular, the first pressing mechanism 4 has an adsorption portion 42, which peels the sliced ​​pieces (fillets a) from the blade 21 after slicing, and allows the fillets a to be peeled off from the adsorption portion 42 by releasing the adsorption.

[0053] In this way, by using the suction part 42, there is no need to hold down the fillet a, so it is possible to avoid compressing it by pressing against the fence A, and by holding it by suction, the fillet a is prevented from shifting sideways, and it is easy to peel the fillet a from the blade 21, and by releasing the suction, the fillet a can be peeled off from the suction part 42 without being damaged.

[0054] Furthermore, the first holding mechanism 4 allows the suction part 42 to move between a suction position that holds down the movement of the fillet a and a peeling position for the fillet a that is set away from the slicing position, so that the process from cutting out the fillet a to releasing it for the next process can be carried out efficiently in a single series of operations, making it easier to assemble the line.

[0055] In particular, since the suction part 42 employs a Bernoulli grip, even if the object to be sliced ​​is a soft salmon fillet A, there is no risk of sucking in oil or tissue, and it can be used without dust adhering to it.

[0056] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0057] This embodiment also solves a problem similar to that of the first embodiment when carrying out the steps of Figures 1 and 2, namely, because the sushi bark A that will be used as the sushi topping is fresh and soft, when cutting thin fillets a for sushi toppings from the bark A, it cannot be sliced ​​as smoothly as frozen bark, and the fillets move around during slicing, making it impossible to cut out a fixed size.

[0058] For this reason, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a second holding mechanism 5 is provided that brings an elastic member 51 into contact with the fence A, which is the object to be sliced, from above to hold down the movement.

[0059] As described above, the slicing device 2 uses a blade 21 to sequentially slice the tip of the bar A that has been transported along a conveying path 1 such as a belt conveyor and arrived near the end, and is controlled to send the bar A out to the discharge side by an amount equivalent to the thickness of the fillet a beyond the slicing position of the blade 21.

[0060] The second pressing mechanism 5 uses a pressing belt 51 as an elastic member, and is configured so that the pressing belt 51 can move between a position where it presses the fence A (solid line position) as shown in Figure 7, and a retracted position (dashed line position) where it retracts upward from the fence A and does not interfere with the pitch feed of the first conveying path.

[0061] The pressure belt 51 is stretched over the opening of a movable frame 52 having a downward U-shaped cross section, and can be raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism 53 shown in Fig. 3 between a pressure position that covers the conveying unit 1 and a retracted position that opens the conveying unit 1. The pressure belt 51 has a protrusion (not shown) on the surface that comes into contact with the fence A.

[0062] 7(b), when the pressure belt 51 comes into contact with the fence A, which is the object to be sliced, from above, the pressure belt 51 elastically deforms along the fence A. The inner space of the movable frame 52 is set to a depth that does not prevent the pressure belt 51 from deforming.

[0063] The control unit 3 in FIG. 1 synchronizes and sequentially controls the lifting and lowering operation of the movable frame 52, the feeding operation of the first conveying path 1, the slicing operation of the blade 21, the feeding operation of the second conveying path 101, and the like.

[0064] As a result, as shown in Figure 8, each time the fence A is sent down the first conveying path 1 at a predetermined pitch (thickness) (Figure 8a), the movable frame 52 descends and the pressure belt 51 fixes the fence A, which is the part to be sliced ​​(Figure 8b), and in this state the slicing is carried out by the blade 21 (Figure 8c), the blade 21 rises as the sliced ​​piece a is peeled off (Figure 8d), the movable frame 51 rises and releases the pressure belt 51 from restraining the fence A, and the first conveying path 1 pitches the fence A by the thickness of the next fillet a (Figure 8a), and this operation is repeated intermittently until the slicing of one fence A is completed.

[0065] As described above, the slicing device 2 of this embodiment is equipped with a second holding mechanism 5 that holds down the movement of the fence A by contacting the holding belt 51, which is an elastic member, with the fence A from above as it slices the fence A, which is the object to be sliced, sequentially with the blade 21 while it is fed, and with the fence A fixed by the second holding mechanism 5, the blade 21 slices the vicinity of the front surface A1 of the fence A.

[0066] Therefore, even when the object to be sliced ​​is a soft fillet A such as salmon, the pressure belt 51 deforms to fit the shape of the fillet A, increasing the contact area and contact resistance with the top and sides of the fillet A and improving holding power. This helps to reduce variation in slicing. Also, since there is no need for a dedicated holding mechanism for the top or sides, the function can be simplified.

[0067] Furthermore, since the elastic member has protrusions on the surface that comes into contact with the fence A, the gripping force on the fence A can be effectively increased.

[0068] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the specific configuration of each part is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0069] 9, a movable frame 152 having a tensioned pressing belt 151 is attached to a base 100a of the conveying unit 100 so as to be rotatable about a fulcrum, and tension is applied to the movable frame 152 by a tension spring 153 in a direction that causes the movable frame 152 to bounce up about a fulcrum n. Meanwhile, a moving mechanism 154 is provided at a position away from the fulcrum n of the movable frame 152 to move the movable frame 152 to a position that covers the conveying unit 100. The moving mechanism 154 includes a wire 154a, pulleys 154b (154b1, 154b2) wound around the wire 154a, and an actuator (not shown) that retracts and releases the wire 154a.

[0070] Even with this configuration, the fence A can be pressed down appropriately.

[0071] Furthermore, the second holding mechanism may be used alone without being used in combination with the first holding mechanism, for example, when holding down during slicing or when transferring to the next process, or when suction is not required. Similarly, the first holding mechanism may be used alone without being used in combination with the second holding mechanism, when the fence can be appropriately held down from above or the side by other means.

[0072] Other configurations can also be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] A...Slice object (fence) A1...Front 2...Slicing device 21...Knives 4...First holding mechanism 40…Bernoulli Grip 42...Adsorption part 5...Second holding mechanism

Claims

1. The object to be sliced ​​is fed and sliced ​​sequentially with a blade, A slicing device comprising a first pressing mechanism that contacts the front surface of the object to be sliced ​​to restrain its movement, and a blade that slices the vicinity of the front surface of the object to be sliced ​​with the first pressing mechanism held thereon.

2. 2. The slicing device according to claim 1, wherein the first pressing mechanism has an adsorption portion that peels the sliced ​​pieces off the blade after slicing and releases the adsorption, thereby enabling the sliced ​​pieces to be peeled off from the adsorption portion.

3. 3. The slicing device according to claim 2, wherein the first holding mechanism is capable of moving the suction portion between an adsorption position where the object to be sliced ​​is held down and a slice piece peeling position set at a position away from the slicing position.

4. 4. The slicing device according to claim 2, wherein the suction portion employs a Bernoulli grip.

5. 2. The slicing device according to claim 1, further comprising a second holding mechanism that brings an elastic member into contact with the object to be sliced ​​from above to hold down the movement of the object to be sliced, and while the object to be sliced ​​is fixed by the second holding mechanism, the front surface of the object to be sliced ​​is sliced ​​with a blade.

6. 6. The slicing device according to claim 5, wherein the elastic member has a protrusion on a surface that comes into contact with the object to be sliced.

Images