Device and method for providing a product stream with interconnected food products on a product substrate.

Abstract

To provide a device and a method of providing a product stream with mutually arranged food products onto the product base material.SOLUTION: The device includes: a first conveyor belt 1 for supply transport and mutually crosswise arrangement; a second conveyor belt 2 that neighbors the transport direction at a belt transfer part 8 with clearances molded thereon and can be controlled separately from the discharge transport and the vertical, mutual arrangement part of the food products; and a base material positioning device 3 for supplying product base material from below via the belt transfer part in front of / under the food product that is transported crossing the belt transfer part 8.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device and method for supplying a product stream with mutually aligned food products onto a product substrate.

[0002] The production of food products, especially fresh products such as burger patties, minced meat or portions of cream cheese, is known to be possible on a production line with several machines arranged via a conveyor belt, and at the end of the conveyor belt there is a packaging machine or a forward processing belt. Such food products often have to be handled lying on the belt conveyor. This is due to the shape and consistency of the food products. Before processing such as frying, deep frying or deep freezing, the food products are typically relatively soft and have a yielding consistency, i.e., they are not essentially dimensionally stable during handling but can be plastically deformed.

[0003] Due to these product characteristics and the required placement of the food products on the belt conveyor, their placement positions transverse to the conveying direction can vary so greatly that they need to be corrected before further processing to produce a sufficiently uniform transverse alignment. The mutual alignment of the food products in the longitudinal direction, i.e., the conveying intervals between them, can vary very greatly, which prevents automated further processing or makes it impossible without correcting the conveying intervals. Such correction is known to be possible by arranging belt conveyors with variable conveying speeds.

[0004] The fundamental challenge in handling the food products described is ensuring their reliable transfer from one conveyor belt to the next. For this purpose, both the characteristics of the food products themselves and the characteristics of the device—such as the diameter of the deflection rollers at the beginning and end of the conveyor belts, the safe distance between each conveyor belt, the alignment of the conveyors relative to each other, and any potential speed differences between consecutive conveyor belts—are taken into consideration. Therefore, the belt transitions are a potential source of failure in production processing.

[0005] On the other hand, certain processing steps require associated belt transfer sections, such as the process of aligning food products on a conveyor belt or supplying sheet-like product substrates, such as carrier paper, for individual products.

[0006] For example, a device 200 for aligning food products LP in the transverse direction QR with respect to the transport direction TR, and in the longitudinal direction LR parallel thereto, is shown as an example, schematically in Figure 2. For this purpose, the device 200 comprises at least one first conveyor belt 201, the deflection roller on the exit side of this conveyor belt being adjustable in the transverse direction QR, and an adjacent second conveyor belt 202 having a changeable transport speed. For this purpose, the exit end 201a of the first conveyor belt 201 is individually adjusted for each food product LP such that a product stream PS with food products LPs substantially aligned in the transverse direction QR arises therefrom, as shown in Figure 2. Furthermore, the transport speed of the second conveyor belt 202 for each food product LP is changed so that the food products LPs in the resulting product stream PS have substantially the same transport interval. As is known, in this regard, it is necessary to detect the individual transverse and longitudinal positions of upstream food products LP (not shown) by, for example, imaging the upstream conveyor belt 203.

[0007] A device 300, schematically and illustratively shown in Figure 3, is also known for supplying sheet-like product substrate PU via a belt transition section 303 formed between a first conveyor belt 301 and an adjacent second conveyor belt 302. For this purpose, the device 300 comprises a substrate placement device 304 having a drawer device 305 for drawing out a strip-shaped carrier material TM and a separation unit 306 for separating the product substrate PU from the strip-shaped carrier material TM by continuously shearing it. Each product substrate PU is supplied from below directly in front of the food LP in sync with the food LP's transport speed, so that each food LP travels over the product substrate PU and is transported by the second conveyor belt 302.

[0008] The drawbacks of the described devices 200, 300 and the methods performed using them are that multiple belt conveyors 201, 202, 301, 302, and possibly upstream, intermediate, and / or downstream belt conveyors are required to perform each processing step. This leads to problems such as the complexity and spatial requirements of the devices becoming undesirably high, the numerous belt transitions becoming potential sources of failure, the need to adapt to different food LPs, and / or the inability to handle certain food LPs reliably.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need for improved devices and methods to provide a product stream in which individual food products are properly aligned with each other in both the transverse and longitudinal directions, and in which the food products can be further processed on a sheet-like product substrate. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0010] The presented objectives are met by the device described in claim 1 and the method described in claim 8. Preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0011] The device according to the present invention is used to provide a substantial product stream from mutually aligned food products onto a product substrate. For this purpose, the device comprises a first conveyor belt for supply transport and mutual transverse alignment of food products; a second conveyor belt adjacent in the transport direction with a gap-formed belt transition section and independently controllable at a variable speed for discharge transport and mutual longitudinal alignment of food products; and a substrate placement device for supplying the product substrate from below through front / under belt transition sections, respectively, of food products being transported across the belt transition section. The conveyor belt speed of the first conveyor belt may also be configured to be variable and controllable independently of the second conveyor belt.

[0012] To align food products and place them onto product substrates, only a single belt transition and a substrate placement device associated with the belt transition are required. In this way, the complexity of the devices, space requirements, and the total number of belt transitions required, and therefore the potential for interference between them, can be minimized.

[0013] Foodstuffs, in particular, possess a consistency that allows for plastic deformation. Plastic deformation is possible, for example, by the effect of the weight of the foodstuff itself, in that the shape of the foodstuff conforms to, for example, the supporting surface or shape. Foodstuffs are particularly fresh, pre-portioned products such as meat products, dairy products, or pasta.

[0014] Product substrates should be understood as sheet-like carrier materials, particularly paper, film, or nonwoven fabric, or composite materials made from at least two such materials. Product substrates are used, for example, as bases and / or intermediate layers for food products, when they are placed side by side, shingled, and / or stacked on top of each other in packaging.

[0015] The belt transition section with a gap is formed by providing a gap between at least one deflection roller on the exit side of the first conveyor belt and at least one deflection roller on the inlet side of the adjacent second conveyor belt.

[0016] By definition, transverse alignment is performed in a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of transport, and longitudinal alignment is performed in a longitudinal direction parallel to the direction of transport.

[0017] The exit end of the first conveyor belt can preferably be mechanically / motorized to different lateral alignment positions transverse to the direction of conveying in order to individually align food products with respect to the substrate placement device and the product substrates to be supplied. The inlet end (start) of the first conveyor belt or both ends of the conveyor belt can also be moved to different lateral alignment positions by motors.

[0018] For this purpose, the device comprises at least one actuator, which can be used to move at least one exit end of the first conveyor belt to a different alignment position transverse to the direction of transport, for example, by lateral displacement. The starting point (inlet end) of the first conveyor belt can be aligned to a fixed position transversely (i.e., transverse to the direction of transport). Thus, transverse offsets of individual food products on or immediately upstream of the first conveyor belt with respect to the target transport path can be reduced to or eliminated to an acceptable deviation at the exit end of the first conveyor belt.

[0019] Using a single associated actuator, the first conveyor belt is displaceable as a whole in the transverse direction relative to the alignment position. Using separate actuators for the inlet and outlet ends of the first conveyor belt, they are displaceable in a particularly variable manner with respect to both the place and time for the transverse alignment of food products. The maximum relative transverse offset between the inlet and outlet ends can also be adapted in a controlled manner to the respective transverse elasticity of the first conveyor belt. For example, the inlet end may be offset transversely by a smaller range than the outlet end.

[0020] The transverse offset on the entrance side can be determined, for example, by imaging, using a sensor located at or upstream of the position of the first conveyor belt.

[0021] The device preferably includes an electronically controlled device, which is configured to adjust the inlet and / or outlet ends of each food item to their respective lateral alignment positions before they come into contact with the associated product substrate and / or second conveyor belt while the first conveyor belt is in operation. As a result, twisting and / or undesirable displacement of the food items relative to the associated product substrate can be prevented.

[0022] The control device is preferably configured to maintain the lateral alignment position on the exit side until at least the aligned food products have completely left the first conveyor belt. This also facilitates the precise positioning of the food products on their respective product substrates.

[0023] The control device is preferably configured to change the conveying speed of the first conveyor belt and / or the second conveyor belt to longitudinally align the food products, when the food products have been fully received by the second conveyor belt and / or by the associated product substrates with respect to conveyance, and / or when the associated product substrates exist in a separated form. Thus, the common longitudinal alignment of the food products and product substrates can be separated from the advance of the product substrates, in particular, to allow for equalization of the conveying interval over as wide a range as possible, immediately after the above conditions are met.

[0024] Each food item is fully received from a transport standpoint when it is no longer stationary on the conveyor belt / transport device immediately upstream (i.e., when it has completely moved downstream). Needless to say, the food items are already located primarily on the receiving conveyor belt at that point, meaning that the geometric center of gravity of the food items is above the receiving conveyor belt at that point.

[0025] The product substrate is preferably separated by being continuously sheared from a strip carrier material, but in principle it may also be provided in a stacked and separated form in a magazine present in the substrate placement device.

[0026] The control device is preferably configured to determine the conveying speed and / or to temporarily match the speeds of the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt, and is also configured to match the speed profile of the advancement of the product substrate for feeding in front of / under the food product. This means that the first conveyor belt, the second conveyor belt and the substrate placement device operate temporarily at the same conveying and advancement speeds for each individual feeding and substrate placement. Thereby, the product substrate can be accurately and reliably fed in front of and under each food product.

[0027] The substrate placement device is preferably configured to separate the product substrate from the strip carrier material, and the advancement speed of the substrate placement device can be adapted to the transfer speed of the first conveyor belt and / or the second conveyor belt, and in particular can be adapted to shear the product substrate, provided that the respective associated food product is not completely stationary on the second conveyor belt. As a result, the length (dimension in the conveying direction) of the product substrate can be adapted to each food product and reproduced with good reproducibility.

[0028] The advancement speed can at least temporarily deviate from the upstream and / or downstream of the conveying speed. For example, the advancement of the carrier material for separating / shearing the product substrate can be temporarily interrupted or decelerated. Basically, the length of the product substrate can be variably adjusted so that, for example, two food products can be placed on a corresponding long product substrate, or the product substrate can be folded to place other food products thereon.

[0029] The method according to the invention is used to provide a product stream consisting of foodstuffs aligned with each other, in particular foodstuffs having a plastically deformable consistency, onto a product substrate. For this purpose, the foodstuffs are conveyed on a first conveyor belt and aligned with each other in the transverse direction by their mechanical adjustment. Furthermore, the product substrate is supplied from below at the outlet-side end of the first conveyor belt, and the foodstuffs are received and carried out individually via the supplied product substrate by a second conveyor belt adjacent in the conveying direction. The foodstuffs are aligned with each other in the longitudinal direction by adjusting the speed of the second conveyor belt, in particular the speed relative to the first conveyor belt, and in particular the conveying intervals between the foodstuffs are equalized. Thereby, the advantages described in claim 1 are obtained. Also, the conveying speed of the first conveyor belt can be adjusted / changed to assist in equalizing the conveying intervals between the individual products at the outlet side.

[0030] The foodstuffs are preferably aligned in an automated manner during conveyance, which is done by mechanically adjusting the end of the first conveyor belt at the outlet side, which transverses the conveying direction, with respect to the individual transverse alignment positions with respect to the supplied product substrate, in each case before the foodstuffs come into contact with the product substrate and / or the second conveyor belt. In contrast, the starting point (inlet-side end) of the first conveyor belt is basically possible by a common or separate actuator, but does not necessarily have to be adjusted in the transverse direction. Next, by selectively moving to the individual alignment positions at the end of the belt, the transverse offset between the individual foodstuffs at the start of the belt can be eliminated or at least minimized.

[0031] The alignment position of the outlet-side end of the first conveyor belt, which is individually assumed for the individual foodstuffs, is preferably maintained until at least the relevant foodstuffs have completely left the first conveyor belt. This promotes the accurate positioning of the product substrate and the foodstuffs relative to each other.

[0032] The conveying speeds of the first and / or second conveyor belts for longitudinal alignment (spacing) of food products relative to each other are preferably mechanically adjusted at the time, and especially immediately thereafter, when each food product has been fully received with respect to conveyance by the first and / or second conveyor belts via the associated product substrate. In particular, when the spacing is adjusted, the food products are mainly, and especially completely, stationary on the conveyor belts used for spacing adjustment, possibly via the associated product substrate.

[0033] The speeds and / or speed profiles of the first and second conveyor belts, as well as the forward speed of the product substrates, are preferably temporarily matched / synchronized with each other for their supply.

[0034] Preferably, the product substrates are separated individually from the strip-shaped carrier material under the first and / or second conveyor belts and temporarily adjusted to their conveying speed, for example, at a speed synchronized with it. The product substrates are then guided from below to the front of the associated food products, respectively, through a belt transition section formed between the first and second conveyor belts, with the front of the starting point of the second conveyor belt running over the product substrates and being discharged longitudinally aligned with them on the second conveyor belt. Synchronized feeding of the product substrates can facilitate accurate dimensional determination and positioning of the product substrates in the conveying direction and can also facilitate reliable transport of the product substrates along with the incoming food products. Separation is also possible, for example, during a temporary interruption of the belt forward movement (of the carrier material), without having to synchronize the speeds simultaneously.

[0035] The product substrate is preferably sheared from the strip-shaped carrier material before the associated food product is fully placed on the second conveyor belt.

[0036] The transverse offset and conveying interval of food items on the inlet side to be corrected are preferably detected by sensors upstream of and / or at the beginning of the first conveyor belt (inlet side end) and compensated or equalized by the first and second conveyor belts. The transverse offset between individual food items thus determined can be corrected in an automated manner that is advantageous by transverse adjustment of the ends of the first conveyor belt (inlet and / or outlet side), and similarly, the longitudinal offset thus determined, or uneven conveying intervals of food items from one another can be corrected by compensating for speed adjustment of the second conveyor belt and optionally the first conveyor belt.

[0037] This method is preferably carried out by a consistent, continuous conveying motion of the food product. The device is preferably configured for transverse and longitudinal alignment of the food product, as well as for supplying the product substrate, during such continuous conveying. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0038] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings. [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a schematic side view and a plan view of the device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows a schematic side view and a plan view of a conventional alignment device. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows a schematic side view and a plan view of a substrate placement device known from the prior art. Detailed description of the invention

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the device 100 according to the present invention for providing a product stream PS consisting of food products LP arranged toward each other on a product substrate PU according to a preferred embodiment comprises: a first conveyor belt 1 for aligning food products LP in a transverse direction QR with respect to each other in order to supply and transport food products LP at a variable first transport speed V1, a second conveyor belt 2 adjacent to the transport direction TR and driven separately at a variable second transport speed V2 for aligning food products LP in a longitudinal direction LR and for transporting food products LP on the product substrate PU, and a substrate arrangement device 3 for supplying the product substrate PU between the first conveyor belt 1 and the second conveyor belt 2 before and after the food products LP that have been transported by the first conveyor belt 1 and aligned in the transverse direction QR.

[0040] The starting end (inlet end) of the first conveyor belt 1 is formed by a deflection roller 1a on the inlet side, and the deflection roller 1a is either stationary in the transverse direction QR or can be arbitrarily moved in the lateral direction. The end (outlet end) of the first conveyor belt 1 is formed by a deflection roller 1b on the outlet side, and the deflection roller 1b can be displaced substantially horizontally in the transverse direction QR by a motor.

[0041] (Shown schematicly only) At least one actuator 1c can adjust the exit-side deflection roller 1b and optionally the inlet-side deflection roller 1a in the transverse direction QR. For example, a separate actuator 1c (not shown) can be associated with the inlet-side deflection roller 1a. Alternatively, an actuator 1c common to both deflection rollers 1a and 1b (not shown) could be used to displace the first conveyor belt 1 in the transverse direction QR.

[0042] Device 100 comprises an electronic control device 4 for controlling / adjusting at least one actuator 1c, the at least one actuator 1c moving the deflection rollers 1a, 1b of the first conveyor belt 1 on the inlet and / or outlet sides for individual food LPs to individual alignment positions 5.

[0043] At the alignment position 5 on the exit side of the first conveyor belt 1, it is preferable that each food product LP is centered relative to the substrate placement device 3 and / or product substrate PU in the transverse direction QR.

[0044] At least one actuator 1c and control device 4 ensure that the transverse offset 6 of individual food items LPs is located on or just upstream of the inlet side of the first conveyor belt 1, defined, for example, relative to the central target alignment of the product stream PS, and can then be eliminated or reduced to a predetermined range. Therefore, the alignment position 5 moves to compensate for the inlet-side transverse offset 6 of individual food items LPs at the outlet end of the first conveyor belt 1.

[0045] The apparatus for control device 4 suitable for this purpose can be implemented in a manner known in principle by using appropriate hardware and software, as with the other control functions described, and therefore will not be described in detail.

[0046] Furthermore, the control device 4 is configured to independently set the transport speed V1 of the first conveyor belt 1, the transport speed V2 of the second conveyor belt 2, and the forward speed V3 of the substrate placement device 3, and to synchronize these speeds in time to temporarily match them.

[0047] For this purpose, the first conveyor belt 1, the second conveyor belt 2, and the substrate placement device 3 each include a separate drive motor (not shown) for belt transport or forward movement. These are, for example, servo motors.

[0048] The substrate placement device 3 preferably includes a separation device 7, which can be used to separate individual product substrates PU from, for example, a strip-shaped carrier material TM provided on a roll.

[0049] Alternatively, in principle, the product substrate PU could be provided within the magazine of the substrate placement device 3 as a stack already separated (not shown).

[0050] Furthermore, it is schematically shown that the product base material PU is supplied from below (i.e., mainly from the vertical direction) through a belt transition section 8 formed in a gap between the deflection roller 1b of the first conveyor belt 1 on the outlet side and the deflection roller 2a of the second conveyor belt 2 on the inlet side.

[0051] Each product base material PU is supplied in front of the food product LP that it is to be transported, and the food product LP travels over each product base material PU. As a result, the food product LP is bent by the food product LP as it travels across the belt transition section 8 and positioned on the second conveyor belt 2 in a manner known in principle. This allows the product base material PU and the food product LP placed on it to be received by the second conveyor belt 2 and transported together.

[0052] The first conveyor belt 1, the second conveyor belt 2, and the substrate placement device 3 are preferably controlled / adjusted by a control device 4 as follows.

[0053] When the food products LP are aligned in the transverse direction QR, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction TR, it is preferable that the corrective lateral movement of the deflection roller 1b to the alignment position 5 on the exit side of the first conveyor belt 1 is completed as long as the food products LP are completely aligned on the first conveyor belt 1.

[0054] When the food product LP first comes into contact with the associated product substrate PU and / or the second conveyor belt 2, the transverse alignment of each food product LP is already completed thereafter. As a result, it is possible to prevent the food product LP from becoming off-center, twisting, and / or undergoing undesirable displacement on the associated product substrate PU.

[0055] Once the newly aligned food LPs have completely left the first conveyor belt 1, the deflection rollers 1b of the first conveyor belt 1 on the exit side are first returned to their uniform starting position, or moved directly to the next alignment position 5 for the next food LPs. This also helps to achieve the most accurate transverse alignment and centering possible of the food LPs on the associated product substrate PU.

[0056] To adjust the spacing, it is preferable that individual food products LP are aligned with each other in the longitudinal direction LR, i.e., in the opposite direction to the transport direction TR, only when they have been substantially fully received by the first conveyor belt 1 and / or the second conveyor belt 2, and especially immediately thereafter. This prevents interference between longitudinal alignment on the one hand and separation and supply of product substrates on the other. Fully received food products LP are now understood to mean that they are no longer stationary on the conveyor belt or on similar transport devices located immediately upstream of each other, and therefore, with respect to transport, are completely away from the latter.

[0057] The forward speed V3 of the product substrate PU and the conveying speeds V1 and V2 of the first conveyor belt 1 and the second conveyor belt 2 are preferably matched by the control device 4 from the point in time when each food product LP first comes into contact with the relevant product substrate PU. The latter then also induces the relevant separation with an appropriate time delay, i.e., shearing of the individual product substrate PUs from the strip carrier material TM.

[0058] The synchronized transport / forward speeds V1, V2, and V3 may be constant or may have appropriate speed profiles.

[0059] The control device 4 induces separation such that the product substrate PU is sheared, for example, when each food product LP is placed primarily, and especially as a whole, on the second conveyor belt 2 and associated product substrate PU.

[0060] The product base material PUs are preferably separated at the point where they are already clamped between the second conveyor belt 2 and the associated food product PUs, and can therefore be pulled by the second conveyor belt 2. From this point onward, it is not necessary to actively supply each product base material PU via the base material placement device 3, so the product base material PUs can be preferably separated from the advanced carrier material TM. As a result, the length of the product base material PUs can be flexibly determined to match each food product LP and / or according to special production requirements.

[0061] On the other hand, separation is preferably carried out very quickly so that the rear end of the sheared product substrate PU passes through the distance between the separation locations, i.e., a second conveyor belt 2 that timely aligns with, for example, the blade for shearing the carrier material TM and the rear end of the food product LP being conveyed upward. This then prevents improperly long product substrate PU.

[0062] For example, with respect to the central target alignment of the product stream PS, in addition to the transverse offset 6 of individual food items LP on the inlet side, the inlet-side conveying interval 9 between individual food items LP is further detected by sensors (for example, by a camera 10, distance sensor, etc., schematically shown in Figure 1). The inlet-side conveying interval 9 can also be detected on the inlet side of the first conveyor belt 1.

[0063] By adapting the speed of the first conveyor belt 1 and / or the second conveyor belt 2, process-related uneven conveying intervals 9 between food LPs on the inlet side are corrected to substantially uniform conveying intervals 11 on the outlet side. For this purpose, the second conveyor belt 2 is preferably configured to convey one food LP each, so that individual food LPs can be arranged independently of each other with uniform conveying intervals 11 from preceding food LPs in the product stream PS toward the outlet side by speed adjustments associated with each of the second conveyor belts.

[0064] Furthermore, a feed conveyor belt 12 and a discharge conveyor belt 13 are shown exemplarily and are connected to the first conveyor 1 and the second belt conveyor 2 in a manner known in principle.

[0065] To facilitate separate adjustments of the first conveyor belt 1 on the inlet and / or outlet sides of the transverse direction QR, the first conveyor belt 1 may consist of, for example, multiple circular belts aligned adjacent to each other and running parallel to each other. However, the first conveyor belt 1 may also, in principle, consist of at least one elastic flat belt.

[0066] The conveying speed V2 of the second conveyor belt 2 and optionally the conveying speed V1 of the first conveyor belt 1 can be adjusted in a manner known in principle so that the conveying interval 9 on the inlet side between individual food items LP can be changed by temporarily increasing or decreasing their respective conveying speeds V1 and V2. The range of possible interval corrections to produce a conveying interval 11 on the outlet side depends on the length of the food items LP, the length of each conveyor belt 1 and 2, and the range of variation of their conveying speeds V1 and V2.

[0067] The substrate placement device 3 can operate in a manner known in principle so that its forward speed V3 matches the conveying speeds V1, V2 of the belt conveyors 1, 2 by the time the food product LP reaches the starting point (endpoint point pointing in the direction of conveying) where it protrudes above the product substrate PU at the latest. The product substrate PU is received for conveyance by the second conveyor belt 2, the food product LP is placed on it, and when it reaches a desired length of product substrate PU, the product substrate PU is sheared from the strip carrier material TM.

[0068] The product base material PU is supplied from below through transverse gaps formed in the belt transition section 8, which can be formed between the first belt conveyor 1 and the second belt conveyor 2 in a manner known in principle.

[0069] By appropriately timing-controlled / adjusting the deflection rollers 1b on the exit side of the first conveyor belt 1 to their individual alignment positions 5, separating and supplying the associated product substrate PU immediately thereafter, and then adjusting the individual speeds of the second conveyor belt 2 again immediately thereafter, combined processing operations can be performed to align the food LP transversely and longitudinally relative to each other and to supply it onto the product substrate PU, with relatively low equipment complexity and low failure susceptibility in the area of ​​the associated belt conveyors 1 and 2 and the single belt transition section 8 during the continuous (uninterrupted) transport of food LP.

Claims

1. In a device (100) for providing a product stream (PS) with mutually aligned food products (LP) onto a product substrate (PU), A first conveyor belt (1) for supplying and transporting the food products and aligning them in a transverse direction, A second conveyor belt (2) adjacent to the first conveyor belt (1) in the conveying direction (TR) at a belt transition section (8) where a gap is formed, When each of the aforementioned food products (LP) is fully received by the second conveyor belt (2) in relation to the transport of the product base material (PU), the transport speed (V2) of the second conveyor belt (2) can be individually controlled by adjusting the speed of the first conveyor belt (1) relative to the transport speed (V1) of the first conveyor belt (2) to control the discharge transport and the longitudinal alignment of the food products. The food products (LP) are arranged independently of each other at the exit side of the second conveyor belt (2), and the second conveyor belt (2) has a uniform conveying interval (11) in the product stream (PS), A substrate placement device (3) for supplying the product substrate from below via the front / below belt transition section of the food product being transported across the belt transition section, To individually align the food products (LP) with respect to the substrate placement device (3), at least one actuator (1c) is provided that can displace the exit end of the first conveyor belt (1) to different alignment positions (5) in a transverse direction with respect to the transport direction (TR), A device equipped with the following features.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first conveyor belt (1) has a variable conveying speed (V1).

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a control device (4) configured to terminate the movement to the different alignment positions (5) when the first conveyor belt (1) is traveling before each of the food products comes into contact with the product base material (PU) and / or the second conveyor belt (2).

4. The device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a control device (4) configured to maintain at least the different alignment positions (5) until each of the aligned food products (LP) is completely separated from the first conveyor belt (1).

5. The device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a control device (4) configured to automatically increase the transport speed (V2) of the second conveyor belt (2) for longitudinal alignment of the food product (LP) when the food product (LP) has been substantially received by the second conveyor belt (2) via the product substrate (PU) and the product substrate (PU) is separated.

6. The device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a control device (4) configured to temporarily match the transport speed (V1, V2) / speed profile of the first conveyor belt (1) and the second conveyor belt (2) with the forward speed (V3) of the product substrate (PU) for supplying and arranging the food product (LP).

7. The substrate placement device (3) is configured to separate the product substrate (PU) from the strip carrier material (TM), and the forward speed (V3) of the substrate placement device can be matched to the conveying speeds (V1, V2) of the first conveyor belt (1) and / or the second conveyor belt (2) in order to shear the product substrate unless each of the associated product (LP) is completely placed on the second conveyor belt.

8. A method for providing a product stream (PS) of food products (LP) aligned with each other onto a product substrate (PU), The food products are transported on a first conveyor belt (1) and aligned with respect to the transport direction (TR) in the transverse direction (QR) by mechanical adjustment of at least one deflection roller of the first conveyor belt. The product substrate is supplied from below at the exit end of the first conveyor belt, and the food product is received and discharged via the supplied product substrate by the second conveyor belt (2), which is adjacent to the first conveyor belt (1) in the conveying direction. The food products are aligned with respect to each other in the longitudinal direction (LR) by adjusting the speed of the first conveyor belt and / or the second conveyor belt. With respect to the supplied product substrate (PU), before the food product comes into contact with the product substrate and / or the second conveyor belt (2), the exit end of the first conveyor belt (1) is mechanically adjusted to traverse the transport direction (TR) with respect to each alignment position (5), thereby aligning the food product (LP) during transport. A method wherein, when each of the aforementioned food products (LP) is fully received by the second conveyor belt (2) with respect to the conveyance of the product base material (PU), the second conveyor belt (2) is individually controllable at a variable conveying speed (V2) for discharge conveying and longitudinal alignment of the food products by adjusting the speed of the second conveyor belt (2) relative to the conveying speed (V1) of the first conveyor belt (1).

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the conveying interval (11) between the food products is equalized by adjusting the speed of the first conveyor belt and / or the second conveyor belt.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the alignment position (5) at the exit end of the first conveyor belt (1), which is taken individually for each individual food item (LP), is maintained at least until the food item in question is completely separated from the first conveyor belt (1).

11. For the longitudinal alignment / spacing adjustment of the food products (LP), the conveying speed (V2) of the second conveyor belt (2) is set such that each food product is mechanically aligned when it has been completely received by the second conveyor belt via the product substrate (PU), and immediately thereafter when the product substrate (PU) is separated. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the transport speeds (V1, V2) / speed profiles of the first conveyor belt (1) and the second conveyor belt (2) are temporarily matched and supplied with respect to the forward speed (V3) of the product substrate (PU).

13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the product substrate (PU) made from a strip carrier material (TM) is separated below the first conveyor belt (1) and / or the second conveyor belt (2) and supplied in a speed-synchronized manner with the second conveyor belt (2).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the product substrate (PU) is sheared from the strip carrier material (TM) before the associated food product (LP) is substantially completely placed on the second conveyor belt (2).

15. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the inlet-side conveying offset (6) and conveying interval (9) of the food products (LP) to be corrected are detected by sensors upstream of and / or leading the first conveyor belt (1) and compensated or equalized via the first conveyor belt (1) and the second conveyor belt (2).

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