Flipping unit for pancakes and other flat foods

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a unit (12) for turning one or several flat food items (10), comprising a turning element (14) configured to rotate about a rotation axis (14.6) and provided with at least one outer surface (14.1, 14.2) for receiving one or several flat food items (10) to be turned over. The at least one outer surface (14.1, 14.2) is provided with air suction holes (14.3) for holding the one or several flat food items (10) against the outer surface (14.1, 14.2) by a pressure drop when the turning element (14) is rotated with the outer surface (14.1, 14.2) facing downwards.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention is directed to the field of production of flat food products that need to be turned over during production, in particular pancakes that need to be turned over on both sides. [Background technology]

[0002] Prior art patent document FR 2706164 discloses a unit for flipping flat food products such as pancakes. The flipping unit is installed along a main conveyor with a cooking plate. The flipping unit consists of an inlet belt conveyor designed to collect pancakes from the main conveyor with a baking plate and a drum-shaped rotating flipping element with a circular outer surface for receiving the pancakes from the inlet conveyor. Once the pancakes are received by the flipping element, they naturally adhere to the circular shape of the outer surface, following the circular shape of the outer surface. A scraper is provided adjacent to and below the outer surface of the rotating element and is configured to separate the pancakes from the outer surface. Because the rotational speed of the pancakes on the flipping element is opposite to the translational speed of the main conveyor with the baking plate, the flipping element is mounted for translation relative to the frame of the main conveyor so that it is moved in the same direction as the translational movement of the main conveyor. In an alternative embodiment, the drum-shaped tipping element is replaced by a second belt conveyor. This teaching is interesting because it allows for accurate positioning of food products on the main conveyor after being returned. However, food products may exhibit various adhesion behaviors on the outer surface of the tipping element: they may not adhere sufficiently and therefore break away prematurely and fall uncontrolled onto the main conveyor, or they may be difficult to release from the outer surface by a scraper, again resulting in the possibility of uncontrolled falling onto the main conveyor. Furthermore, the translational movement of the tipping element relative to the frame of the main conveyor requires additional space, complexity, and cost.

[0003] The prior art patent document published under EP 1759585 also discloses a unit for flipping flat food products such as pancakes. The flipping unit includes a flat scraper that can first rotate approximately 180° to collect the pancakes from the main conveyor and then pivots the pancakes approximately 180° about its axis of rotation to flip them upside down relative to the main conveyor. The flipping unit is advantageous in that it is relatively simple and compact. However, it requires fine adjustment of the rotational movement. Furthermore, the positioning of the flipped food products back onto the main conveyor may necessarily exhibit some imprecision due to the dynamic influence of the scraper, once raised, required to hold the food products in place for dropping onto the main conveyor.

[0004] The prior art patent document published under EP 3434160 also discloses a unit for flipping flat food products such as pancakes. The flipping unit essentially consists of three rolls arranged after the exit of a belt conveyor. These three rolls exhibit decreasing diameters and are rotated at a reduced speed to allow the flat food product to pivot around the last roll as it leaves the flipping unit. The flipping unit is advantageous in that it can move the food product without the flipping action caused by rotating the rolls at a high speed. However, for proper flipping, the food product needs a certain degree of rigidity. If a freshly baked pancake, for example, exhibits very limited rigidity on only one side, this means that the flipping unit of this teaching may not be suitable. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] French Patent Application Publication No. 2706164 [Patent Document 2] European Patent Application Publication No. 1759585 [Patent Document 3] European Patent Application Publication No. 3434160 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has a technical problem to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above. More particularly, the present invention has a technical problem to provide a flipping unit for flat food items, such as pancakes, that provides accurate and controlled positioning of the food item once flipped. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention is directed to a unit for turning one or several flat food items, comprising a turning element configured to rotate about a rotation axis and provided with at least one outer surface for receiving one or several flat food items to be turned over, the at least one outer surface being provided with air suction holes for holding the one or several flat food items against the outer surface by pressure reduction when the turning element is rotated with the outer surface facing downwards.

[0008] According to a preferred embodiment, each of the at least one outer surface is flat.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, the at least one outer surface comprises a first outer surface and a second outer surface opposite the first outer surface.

[0010] Advantageously, the eversion element presents a cross-sectional shape, for example a rectangle or a square polygon.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, the at least one outer surface comprises three or more outer surfaces distributed around the axis of rotation.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the turning element is elongated along the axis of rotation and each of the at least one outer surface is further divided into several regions, each of which receives at least one of the several flat food products.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the eversion element comprises a specific vacuum chamber in fluid connection with an air suction hole in each of at least one outer surface.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the unit further comprises means configured to limit the reduced pressure to no more than 50 mbar below atmospheric pressure, which may comprise a ventilator specially dimensioned to achieve reduced pressures of more than 50 mbar.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, the eversion element forms a hollow profile extending along the axis of rotation and presenting a cross section with at least one outer wall forming at least one outer surface.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the unit further comprises a depositing conveyor configured to deposit one or several flat food products onto one of the at least one outer surface of the turning element.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment, the depositing conveyor is a belt conveyor with a retractable end configured to selectively extend from the belt and to direct one or more flat food items from the belt to at least one outer surface of the flipping element and to retract said outer surface back to the belt.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, the unit further comprises an unloading conveyor positioned below the turning element and configured to receive one or more flat food products in an inverted state.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, the unloading conveyor forms a main conveyor extending to the inlet side of the unit, and the depositing conveyor is configured to collect one or more flat food products from the main conveyor.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the main conveyor comprises cooking plates that are attached to one another along a main direction of the main conveyor and are configured to each receive one of the flat food products along the main direction.

[0021] According to a preferred embodiment, the unit further comprises at least one vacuum pump fluidly connected to the air suction holes in at least one outer surface of the eversion element, which vacuum pump may be a ventilator.

[0022] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one vacuum pump is fluidly connected to at least the vacuum chamber of the eversion element.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment, the fluid connection of the at least one vacuum pump is angularly fixed relative to the eversion element, which is actuated to rotate in an inverted manner.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment, the fluid connection of the at least one vacuum pump is angularly rotatable relative to the eversion element, which is actuated to rotate in the same rotational direction.

[0025] According to a preferred embodiment, the fluid connection of the at least one vacuum pump is located at one or both ends of the eversion element along the axis of rotation.

[0026] According to a preferred embodiment, the unit further comprises a control unit configured to continuously and repeatedly bring one or several flat food items to one of the at least one outer surface of the inverting element, create a pressure drop on the one or several flat food items through air suction holes in the outer surface, rotate the inverting element to invert the one or several flat food items, and release the pressure drop to move the one or several flat food items away from the inverting element by gravity.

[0027] The present invention is directed to a process for flipping one or more flat food items, comprising the steps of: (a) placing one or more flat food items on the outer surface of a flipping element; (b) rotating the flipping element to flip one or more flat food items; and (c) releasing the one or more flat food items from the flipping element. Step (b) includes holding the one or more flat food items by their undersides through air suction holes provided on the outer surface by creating a pressure drop. Step (c) includes releasing the pressure drop in the one or more flat food items.

[0028] According to a preferred embodiment, step (c) comprises applying compressed air to the air suction holes to facilitate the release of one or several flat food items from the outer surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] The present invention is particularly interesting because it provides better control over the positioning of the inverted food product, which can easily increase production speed. The inverting element actually holds the food product against its outer surface by a pressure drop, allowing for rapid rotation. Furthermore, the release of the food product is also well controlled, avoiding the adverse effects of dynamic effects as in the prior art. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic view of a production line for baked flat food products, such as pancakes, equipped with a turning unit according to the invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of the flip unit. [Figure 3a] 3A and 3B show four successive steps in the functioning of the turning-over unit of FIGS. 1 and 2; [Figure 3b] 3A and 3B show four successive steps in the functioning of the turning-over unit of FIGS. 1 and 2; [Figure 3c] 3A and 3B show four successive steps in the functioning of the turning-over unit of FIGS. 1 and 2; [Figure 3d] 3A and 3B show four successive steps in the functioning of the turning-over unit of FIGS. 1 and 2; [Figure 4] 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the fluid connection of an eversion element to a vacuum pump, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the fluid connection of an eversion element to a vacuum pump according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Figure 1 illustrates, in schematic form, a production line for baking flat foods such as pancakes. Such products are baked on a baking or cooking hot surface in an open environment (i.e., as opposed to an oven), for example, on both sides.

[0032] The production line 2 comprises a main conveyor 4 along which a series of baking plates 6 are transported, arranged next to one another. A support chain (not shown) may be provided to support the baking plates 6. The support chain and the baking plates form a closed loop with an upper section 4.1 moving, for example, from left to right, and a lower section 4.2 moving, for example, from right to left. This closed loop rotates approximately 180° around two support rolls (not shown). A series of burners 8 are provided below the baking plates 6 in the upper section 4.1 for baking the pancakes 10. The production line 2 also comprises a dough injection unit (also not shown) at the start of the upper section 4.1 of the main conveyor 4, as is known to those skilled in the art.

[0033] The production line 4 is equipped with a pancake 10 flipping unit 12. The flipping unit 12 essentially comprises a flipping element 14 exhibiting at least one outer surface 14.1 or 14.2 provided with suction holes 14.3. For example, the flipping element 14 comprises a first outer surface 14.1 and a second outer surface 14.2 opposite the first outer surface 14.1. The suction holes 14.3 provided in the first outer surface 14.1 are in direct fluid communication with a first vacuum chamber 14.4. Similarly, the suction holes 14.3 provided in the second outer surface 14.2 are in direct fluid communication with a second vacuum chamber 14.5. These first and second vacuum chambers 14.4 and 14.5 are separate and do not communicate with each other. Each of them is fluidly connected to a corresponding vacuum pump, as will be described in more detail below. The flipping element 14 is rotatable about a rotation axis 14.6 that extends through a central region in a transverse cross section of the flipping element 14. A reduced pressure applied to a chamber fluidly connected to the suction holes 14.3 allows a flat food item, such as a pancake, to be held against the outer surface by the pressure drop, with the underside of the pancake in contact with the outer surface. The food item can be held in place during the rotation of the flipping element 14 until it reaches a lower position where it can be flipped over and released from the flipping element 14.

[0034] The turning unit 12 may also include a loading conveyor 16, e.g., of the belt type, shaped and oriented to collect food products, e.g., pancakes 10, from the main conveyor 4 and deposit the pancakes 10 onto the turning element 14, more specifically onto at least one outer surface 14.1 and 14.2. The loading conveyor 16 may advantageously include a belt conveyor 16.1 of known construction, with a curved or angled profile, presenting a first portion adjacent to the main conveyor 4 and with a limited inclination (e.g., less than 45°) relative to the main conveyor 4, and a second portion adjacent to the turning element 14 that is horizontal or near-horizontal (e.g., with an inclination of less than 20° relative to the horizontal). The loading conveyor 16 may include a retractable end 16.2 configured to convey the food products onto one of the at least one outer surface 14.1 and 14.2 of the turning element 14. The retractable end 16.2 may be configured to move in translation from a retracted position located primarily on the belt conveyor to a deployed position located primarily on the outer surface 14.1 or 14.2 of the flipping element 14. The depositing conveyor 16 may also include a scraper 16.3 adjacent the entrance to the main conveyor 4 and the belt conveyor 16.1. The scraper 16.3 is positioned to capture food products from the main conveyor 4 as the main conveyor 4 moves to direct the food products toward the belt conveyor 16.1.

[0035] The turning unit 12 comprises a control unit 17 configured to control the operation of the turning elements 14 and the depositing conveyor 16, as explained below. The control unit 17 may belong to the production line 2 and control additional operations, such as the injection of dough ingredients and the baking of the food product.

[0036] In operation, the production line 2 illustrated in FIG. 1 functions as follows: Food products, such as pancakes 10, are poured onto the baking plate 6 of the main conveyor by a pouring unit (not shown) and combustors 8 and toasted. Once toasted on one side, the food products 10 move toward the flipping unit 12, where they are collected from the main conveyor 4 by a loading conveyor 16 and directed toward the flipping element 14. Upon reaching the end of the loading conveyor 16, the food products are transferred to the outer surface 14.1 of the flipping element 14. A vacuum in the first vacuum chamber 14.4, applied to the suction holes 14.3, holds the food products 10 against the first outer surface 14.1, while the flipping element 14 rotates, e.g., 180°, lowering the first outer surface 14.1 and moving it to an inverted position, e.g., corresponding to the position of the second outer surface 14.2 depicted in FIG. 1. Once that position is reached, the vacuum in the first vacuum chamber 14.4 is stopped, releasing the food product 10 from the first outer surface 14.1 and allowing it to fall by gravity and return upside down to the main conveyor 4. The upside down side of the food product can then be toasted on the toasting plate 4.1 by a combustor 8 located downstream of the flipping unit 12.

[0037] The associated reduced pressure, particularly for pancakes, advantageously does not exceed 50 mbar, preferably 40 mbar, below atmospheric pressure. For some food products, a greater reduced pressure may perforate the food product and force the food material into the suction holes, clogging these holes and causing the food product to lose its required pressing force against the corresponding outer surface 14.1 or 14.2, damaging the food product, e.g., pancakes. The sensitivity of a food product to reduced pressure depends on the product's composition and its degree of baking or cooking. Food products made from meat are, for example, substantially more resistant than bakery products.

[0038] Even during operation, when the turning element 14 is rotated, for example, 180°, to move the first outer surface 14.1 to a lower position, the second outer surface 14.2 can be moved, for example, to an upper position corresponding to the initial position of the first outer surface 14.1 to receive another food item, while the previous food item is turned over and ready to be released. The presence of several outer surfaces on the turning element 14 allows for higher production rates in that it would not otherwise be necessary to return only one outer surface of the turning element 14 to its upper loading position to load the next food item.

[0039] 1, the everting element 14 presents two opposing outer surfaces 14.1 and 14.2, and the everting element rotates in increments of approximately 180°. These successive rotations can be in the same rotational direction, or alternatively in opposite rotational directions.

[0040] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a flipping unit 12 in the production line of Figure 1. It can be seen that the flipping unit 12 can extend transversely to the longitudinal direction of the production line so as to simultaneously flip several food items in the same row of the production line. It should be understood that although only two food items are shown in Figure 2 in each row, substantially more food items are possible.

[0041] 2 also shows that the retractable end 16.2 of the loading belt conveyor 16.1 comprises a translating seat or blade configured to travel along the belt beneath the food products 10 in the retracting motion, and along the corresponding outer surface 14.1 of the turning-over element 14 in the deploying motion. This blade presents a U-shaped profile with the open portion of the U directed towards the turning-over element 14. This is advantageous in that once moved to the deploying position on the turning-over element, reduced pressure applied to the suction holes will press the central portion of the food products against the corresponding outer surface 14.1, thereby allowing the blade to return to the retracted position, while the food products remain in place and preventing undesired movement of the food products.

[0042] It will be appreciated that although separate blades of the retractable end 16.2 are also shown in Figure 2, they are advantageously connected to one another to form a single element, and translation means may be provided at the two ends of that single blade element.

[0043] As is evident in Figure 2, the eversion element 14 presents a polygonal cross section and preferably extends along a rotation axis 14.6. The eversion element 14 is advantageously polygonal and hollow in shape, with one or several separating walls between the vacuum chambers associated with the suction holes provided on each outer surface.

[0044] 2, the suction holes 14.3 are arranged in groups along the flip element 14, with each group corresponding to the size of the food product 10. In FIG. 2, each group comprises nine suction holes 14.3 arranged in a three column by three row array. This is by way of example only. For circular food products 10, such as pancakes, the suction holes in each group could be arranged in concentric circles rather than in an array.

[0045] 3(a) to 3(d) show four successive steps of the functioning of the flipping unit of FIGS.

[0046] 3(a), the food product 10 that has reached the end of the loading conveyor 16 is positioned in the retracted position of the retractable end 16.2. This can be achieved by the forward movement of the belt of the belt conveyor when the retractable end 16.2 is in the retracted position, or by the movement of the retractable end 16.2 back to the retracted position from the deployed position.

[0047] In Figure 3(b), the food product 10 on the retractable end 16.2 is transferred and placed on the first outer surface 14.1 of the turning element 14. Meanwhile, the belt conveyor 16.1 can move further to advance the next food product.

[0048] In FIG. 3(c), a vacuum is applied to the first vacuum chamber 14.4 to hold the food item by a pressure drop against the first outer surface 14.1. The retractable end 16.2 retracts, thereby moving the next food item underneath. Referring to the above description, the act of bringing the next food item onto the retractable end 16.2 in the retracted position can take other forms than those considered here. Indeed, alternatively, the vacuum can be applied only after the retractable end 16.2 retracts. This can depend, for example, on the extent to which the food item is to be toasted, i.e., how fragile the food item is. For example, the food item may be only partially toasted before being flipped over and further toasted on the other side, meaning that the food item is fragile at this stage. The retraction speed of the retractable end 16.2 is advantageously at least 250 mm / s to ensure adequate retraction so that the food item remains on the first outer surface 14.1 of the flipping element 14 due to its inertia.

[0049] 3(d), the flipping element 14 is rotated, e.g., clockwise, approximately 180° while a vacuum is applied to the first vacuum chamber 14.4, to move the first outer surface 14.1 to a lower, inverted position. Once rotated, the next food item is transferred and deposited by the retractable end 16.2 onto the second outer surface 14.2, which is now in an upper, depositing position. The vacuum in the first vacuum chamber 14.4 is then released, releasing the food item from the first outer surface 14.1 and depositing it, in an inverted state, onto an unloading conveyor, e.g., the main conveyor 4.

[0050] It is important to note that the turning of the food product illustrated in Figure 3(d) is achieved without the need for any physical holding means to press the food product against the corresponding outer surface 14.1 or 14.2. In other words, during the turning operation, the food product 10 is held against the corresponding outer surface 14.1 or 14.2 only by the pressure difference between the outer and inner surfaces due to the vacuum.

[0051] After the step of FIG. 3(d), the steps of FIG. 3(c) to FIG. 3(d) can be repeated.

[0052] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the fluid connection of an eversion element to a vacuum pump, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] In Figure 4, the eversion element 14 has two vacuum chambers 14.4 and 14.5 fluidly connected to respective vacuum pumps 18.1 and 18.2. This fluid connection is provided by two rotary junctions 20.1 and 20.2 attached to opposite ends of the hollow profile forming the eversion element 14 along the rotation axis 14.6. Such rotary junctions allow a rigid fluid connection between a fixed fluid connection and a rotating fluid connection. In this case, the rotating fluid connection is rigidly fixed to the rotatable eversion element 14 and is fluidly connected to one of the first and second vacuum chambers 14.4 and 14.5. Shut-off valves 21.1 and 21.2 can be fluidly provided between the rotary junctions 20.1 and 20.2 and the respective vacuum pumps 18.1 and 18.2.

[0054] With such a rotatable fluid connection, the eversion element 14 can rotate in the same rotational direction in every rotation step.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the fluid connection of an eversion element to a vacuum pump according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Here, the fluid connection between the first and second vacuum chambers 14.4 and 14.5 is via flexible hoses or conduits 20'.1 and 20'.2, which allow the eversion element 14 to rotate to a given angle without damage, meaning that during operation the eversion element 14 needs to reciprocate, i.e., to rotate continuously in opposite rotational directions.

[0057] In Figure 5, the flexible hoses 20'.1 and 20'.2 are depicted generally as helical, but it should be understood that other shapes and configurations are possible, such as being coiled around the axis of rotation 14.6.

Claims

1. A unit (12) for turning one or several flat food items (10), a turning-over element (14) configured to rotate about a rotation axis (14.6) and provided with at least one outer surface (14.1, 14.2) for receiving one or several flat food items (10) to be turned over, the at least one outer surface (14.1, 14.2) being provided with air suction holes (14.3) for holding the one or several flat food items (10) on the outer surface (14.1, 14.2) by a pressure drop when the turning-over element (14) is rotated with the outer surface (14.1, 14.2) facing downwards; a depositing conveyor (16) for depositing one or several of the flat food products (10) onto one of the outer surfaces (14.1, 14.2) of at least one of the turning-over elements (14); wherein the unit (12) The unit (12) is characterized in that the loading conveyor (16) is a belt conveyor (16.1) optionally with a retractable end (16.2) extending from the belt and configured to guide one or more of the flat food products (10) from the belt to one of the outer surfaces (14.1, 14.2) of at least one of the turning-over elements (14) and to retract from the outer surface to the belt.

2. 2. A unit (12) according to claim 1, wherein each of said at least one outer surface (14.1, 14.2) is flat.

3. 3. A unit (12) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one outer surface comprises a first outer surface (14.1) and a second outer surface (14.2) opposite the first outer surface (14.1).

4. 3. A unit (12) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one outer surface comprises three or more outer surfaces distributed around the axis of rotation.

5. 5. A unit (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the turning element (14) is elongated along the axis of rotation (14.6), and each of the at least one outer surface (14.1, 14.2) is further divided into several regions, each of which receives one of several of the flat food products (10).

6. 6. A unit (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the eversion element (14) comprises a specific vacuum chamber (14.4, 14.5) fluidly connected to the air suction holes (14.3) in each of at least one of the outer surfaces (14.1, 14.2).

7. 7. The unit (12) of claim 6, further comprising means configured to limit the pressure reduction to no more than 50 mbar below atmospheric pressure.

8. The unit (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the eversion element (14) forms a hollow profile, the hollow profile presenting a cross section with at least one outer wall extending along the axis of rotation (14.6) and forming at least one of the outer surfaces (14.1, 14.2).

9. 9. The unit (12) of claim 1, further comprising an unloading conveyor positioned below the turning element (14) and configured to receive one or more of the flat food products (10) in an inverted state.

10. 10. The unit (12) of claim 9, wherein the loading / unloading conveyor forms a main conveyor (4) extending to an inlet side of the unit, and the placing conveyor (16) is configured to collect one or more of the flat food products (10) from the main conveyor (4).

11. 11. A unit (12) according to claim 10, wherein the main conveyor (4) comprises cooking plates (4.1) attached to each other along a main direction of the main conveyor (4) and configured to receive one of the flat food products (10) each along the main direction.

12. 12. A unit (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the air suction holes (14.3) in each of at least one outer surface (14.1, 14.2) consist of several air suction holes (14.3) distributed perpendicular to the axis of rotation (14.6) for each of one or several flat food products (10).

13. A unit (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the turning element (14) does not include mechanical means for gripping one or several flat food items (10) against at least one of the outer surfaces (14.1, 14.2).

14. 14. The unit (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising at least one vacuum pump (18.1, 18.2) fluidly connected (20.1, 20.2, 20'.1, 20'.2) to the air suction holes (14.3) in at least one of the outer surfaces (14.1, 14.2) of the eversion element (14).

15. 15. A unit (12) according to claim 14 when dependent on claim 6, wherein at least one said vacuum pump (18.1, 18.2) is fluidly connected (20.1, 20.2, 20'.1, 20'.2) to at least one said vacuum chamber (14.4, 14.5) of said eversion element (14).

16. 16. A unit (12) according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the fluid connection (20'.1, 20'.2) of at least one of the vacuum pumps (18.1, 18.2) is angularly fixed relative to the eversion element (14), and the eversion element is actuated to rotate in an inverted manner.

17. 16. A unit (12) according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the fluid connection (20.1, 20.2) of at least one of the vacuum pumps (18.1, 18.2) is angularly rotatable relative to the eversion element (14), the eversion element being actuated to rotate in the same rotational direction.

18. 18. A unit (12) according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the fluid connection (20.1, 20.2, 20'.1, 20'.2) of at least one of the vacuum pumps (18.1, 18.2) is located at one or both ends of the eversion element (14) along the axis of rotation (14.6).

19. 19. The unit (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, further comprising a control unit (17) configured to continuously and repeatedly bring one or several flat food items (10) onto one of the at least one outer surface (14.1, 14.2) of the turning-in element (14), create a pressure drop on the one or several flat food items (10) through the air suction holes (14.3) in the outer surface, rotate the turning-in element (14) so ​​as to turn the one or several flat food items (10) over, and release the pressure drop so that the one or several flat food items (10) move away from the turning-in element (14) by gravity.

20. A method for turning one or several flat food items (10) using a unit (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 19, comprising: (a) placing one or several of said flat food items (10) on the outer surface (14.1, 14.2) of a turning element (14); (b) rotating the turning element (14) to turn one or several of the flat food items (10); (c) separating one or several of the flat food items (10) from the turning element (14); wherein the method comprises: Step (b) comprises holding one or several of the flat food items (10) against the outer surfaces (14.1, 14.2) by creating a pressure drop on the underside of one or several of the flat food items (10) through air suction holes (14.3) provided in the outer surfaces (14.1, 14.2); and step (c) comprises releasing the vacuum reduction on one or several of said flat food items (10).

21. 21. The method according to claim 20, wherein step (c) comprises applying compressed air to the air suction holes (14.3) to facilitate the release of one or several of the flat food items (10) from the outer surface (14.1, 14.2).

22. 22. The method according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the eversion element (14) comprises a vacuum chamber (14.4, 14.5) fluidly connected to the air suction holes (14.3) in the outer surface (14.1, 14.2), and wherein in step (b) a vacuum of not more than 50 mbar below atmospheric pressure is applied to the vacuum chamber (14.4, 14.5) to bring about a pressure drop.

23. A method according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein in step (b) one or several of the flat food items (10) are held on the outer surface (14.1, 14.2) by pressure drop only.

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