Lump food conveyor and food slicer

Abstract

Provided is a lump food conveying machine and food slicing device that can convey lump food such as loaves of bread a precise distance while stably holding the lump food, and can prevent the lump food from slipping off or from causing poor slicing in a slicer. That is, the lump food conveying machine (2) conveys an elongated block-shaped loaf of bread (100), and includes a plurality of screw conveyors (21) arranged so as to be able to clamp the loaf of bread (100) from a direction perpendicular to the elongated direction and conveying the loaf of bread (100) a prescribed distance along the elongated direction, and a drive unit (24) that intermittently rotates the plurality of screw conveyors (21) so as to convey the loaf of bread (100) the prescribed distance, and the plurality of screw conveyors (21) rotate while at least a portion of the screw threads provided on each of the screw conveyors is in contact with the loaf of bread (100) so as to bite into it, thereby guiding and conveying the loaf of bread (100) along the elongated direction.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chunk food conveying machine and a food slicing device, and in particular to a chunk food conveying machine that conveys chunk food such as bread, ham, cheese, etc. toward a slicer that slices the chunk food to a specified thickness, and a food slicing device equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, food slicing devices have been used that can slice block foods, such as loaves of bread after bread making, cheese, ham, sausage, or kamaboko, to an optimum thickness for easy eating. Such food slicing devices include a slicer that slices the block food to a predetermined thickness, and a block food conveyor that conveys the block food toward the slicer.

[0003] Several types of lump food conveying machines have been proposed so far as described above. For example, one proposed machine has a configuration in which a loaf of bread, which is a lump food, is sandwiched between a pair of feed belts made of timing belts with multiple protrusions on the surface, and the pair of feed belts sandwich the loaf of bread from both sides and conveys the loaf of bread at a fixed size toward a slicer so that the loaf of bread can be sliced ​​to a desired thickness (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-000884 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2013-000849 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As described above, the conveying machines disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are configured to clamp the loaf of bread between a pair of feed belts, and the pair of feed belts rotate to sequentially move the loaf of bread from above the slicer.

[0006] On the other hand, the pair of feed belts provided in the conveyors disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are composed of caterpillar-shaped timing belts, and therefore gears (see reference numeral 23 in FIG. 5 of each of Patent Documents 1 and 2) for transmitting rotation to the feed belts are arranged on the upper and lower ends. When a block of bread, which is a block food, is conveyed by the pair of feed belts as described above, a gap is formed between the pair of feed belts and the block of bread at the position of the gears. When the block of bread is fed to the slicer in such a state of gap, the block of bread is not held at the above-mentioned gap position and becomes unstable, so that when the slicer abuts against the block of bread, the block of bread may be deformed, resulting in poor slicing such as incomplete cutting. In addition, the presence of the above-mentioned gap position makes it impossible to slice the end (upper end) of the block of bread properly, and therefore the end portion becomes waste, resulting in a problem of a decrease in the yield of bread pieces.

[0007] Furthermore, in the conveyors disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a plurality of protrusions are provided on the surface of the feed belt, which makes it difficult for slippage to occur between each belt and the loaf of bread, and prevents the loaf of bread from slipping off. However, in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the presence of a position of separation between the pair of feed belts and the loaf of bread as described above makes the holding state of the loaf of bread unstable at this position, and depending on the length of the loaf of bread being sliced, there is a possibility that the loaf of bread may slip off.

[0008] In addition, the pair of feed belts provided in the conveyors disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are configured such that the timing belt is tensioned around the gears as a fulcrum, and therefore at least one of the pair of feed belts may become loose between the gears. If the feed belt becomes loose, the loaf of bread may slip off as described above. In addition, the conveying speed and conveying position of the loaf of bread may become unstable, making it difficult to convey the loaf of bread the desired distance and slicing it to the desired thickness.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a lump food conveying machine that can stably hold lump food and convey it a precise distance, preventing the lump food from slipping off and preventing poor slicing by the slicer, and a food slicing device using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive research. As a result, they have discovered that by using a screw conveyor instead of a conventional belt as a conveyor for conveying block food such as a block of bread, and by clamping and conveying the block food with multiple screw conveyors, the block food can be stably held and conveyed a precise distance. They have discovered that this makes it possible to prevent the block food from slipping off and the slicer from slicing poorly, and have completed the present invention.

[0011] In other words, the present invention provides a lump food conveying machine which holds and conveys elongated block-shaped lump food, comprising: a plurality of screw conveyors arranged so as to be able to clamp the lump food from a direction perpendicular to the elongated direction of the lump food, and which conveys the lump food a predetermined distance along the elongated direction; and a drive unit which intermittently rotates the plurality of screw conveyors so as to convey the lump food the predetermined distance, wherein the plurality of screw conveyors rotate while at least a portion of the screw threads on each of the plurality of screw conveyors are in contact with and bite into the lump food, thereby guiding the lump food along the elongated direction while conveying it.

[0012] In the above aspect of the chunk food conveying machine of the present invention, it is more preferable that the multiple screw conveyors are arranged in at least one pair facing each other with the chunk food interposed therebetween.

[0013] In the above-mentioned aspect of the chunk food conveying machine of the present invention, a configuration can be adopted in which the multiple screw conveyors are capable of reciprocating between a waiting position spaced away from the chunk food and a clamping position in contact with the chunk food.

[0014] In the above aspect of the chunk food conveying machine of the present invention, a configuration can be adopted in which each of the multiple screw conveyors rotates synchronously.

[0015] In the above-mentioned aspect, it is more preferable that the chunk food conveying machine of the present invention further adopts a configuration including a control unit for controlling the rotation of the multiple screw conveyors so as to convey the chunk food a predetermined distance along the elongated direction.

[0016] In the above-mentioned aspect of the chunk food conveying machine of the present invention, a configuration can be adopted in which the multiple screw conveyors are arranged in two pairs facing each other across the chunk food, and the two pairs of screw conveyors are arranged so that each pair is spaced apart in the width direction of the chunk food.

[0017] In the above-mentioned aspect, the chunk food conveying machine of the present invention may further comprise a plurality of auxiliary screw conveyors arranged so as to clamp the chunk food from a direction perpendicular to the elongated direction of the chunk food, and the auxiliary screw conveyors may be arranged in at least one pair between the two pairs of screw conveyors which are arranged spaced apart from each other, so as to face each other across the chunk food.

[0018] In the above-mentioned aspect, the chunk food conveying machine of the present invention may further adopt a configuration including a spacing adjustment unit for adjusting the distance between the two pairs of screw conveyors arranged spaced apart from each other.

[0019] In the above-mentioned aspect of the chunk food conveying machine of the present invention, the chunk food may be a loaf of bread, and the plurality of screw conveyors may convey the loaf of bread while guiding it along the elongated direction.

[0020] The present invention provides a food slicing device comprising at least a block food conveying machine for holding and conveying elongated block-shaped block food, and a slicer for slicing the block food conveyed and supplied by the block food conveying machine into food pieces of a predetermined thickness, wherein the block food conveying machine is the block food conveying machine according to the present invention described above.

[0021] In the above-mentioned aspect of the food slicing device of the present invention, the block food may be a block of bread, the block food conveying machine may convey and supply the block of bread toward the slicer, and the slicer may slice the block of bread into slices of a predetermined thickness. Effect of the Invention

[0022] As described above, the lump food conveyor of the present invention employs a configuration including multiple screw conveyors that grip and convey the lump food, so that the lump food can be stably held and conveyed a precise distance, preventing lump food such as loaves of bread from slipping off and preventing poor slicing by the slicer.

[0023] Furthermore, the food slicing apparatus of the present invention is equipped with the chunk food conveying apparatus of the present invention as described above, so as described above, it is possible to prevent chunk foods such as loaves of bread from slipping off and to prevent poor slicing by the slicer, and it also improves the yield of sliced ​​food pieces such as bread pieces.

[0024] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, which refers to the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a chunk food conveying machine and food slicing device according to the present invention, and is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a food slicing device including a chunk food conveying machine, using an example in which a chunk of bread is used as a chunk food. [Diagram 2] Figures 2(a) and (b) are schematic diagrams illustrating one embodiment of the chunk food conveying machine and food slicing device of the present invention, and are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of the main parts of the food slicing device including the chunk food conveying machine, where Figure 2(a) is a front view and Figure 2(b) is a bottom view. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the food slicing device according to the present invention, and is a bottom view of the essential parts showing the operation of the slicer. [Figure 4]Figures 4(a) and (b) are schematic diagrams illustrating one embodiment of the block food conveying machine and food slicing device of the present invention, and are schematic diagrams showing the operation of slicing bread pieces from a block of bread as the block food. [Figure 5A] Figure 5A is a diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a chunk food conveying apparatus according to the present invention, showing the general configuration of a chunk food conveying apparatus including multiple screw conveyors, and is a diagram viewed from the direction of arrow B in Figure 1. [Figure 5B] Figure 5B is a diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a bulk food conveying apparatus according to the present invention, showing the general configuration of a bulk food conveying apparatus including multiple screw conveyors, and is a cutaway view viewed from the direction of arrow B in Figure 1. [Figure 5C] Figure 5C is a diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a chunk food conveying apparatus according to the present invention, showing the general configuration of a chunk food conveying apparatus including multiple screw conveyors, and is a side view of a conveying unit that constitutes the chunk food conveying apparatus shown in Figures 5A and 5B. [Figure 5D] FIG. 5D is a diagram for explaining a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the chunk food conveying machine of the present invention, and is a cutaway view from above of an example chunk food conveying machine in which the distance between two pairs of screw conveyors can be adjusted. [Figure 5E] FIG. 5E is a diagram for explaining a block food transport apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and is a cutaway view of the block food transport apparatus shown in FIG. 5D, seen from the side. [Figure 5F] FIG. 5F is a diagram for explaining a block food transport apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and is a cutaway view of the block food transport apparatus viewed from the side at a cutaway position different from that of FIG. 5E. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining one embodiment of the food slicing device according to the present invention, and is a plan view showing the conveyance state of slices of bread, which are sliced ​​food pieces. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of the food slicing device of the present invention, showing the transport state of sliced ​​food pieces, i.e., bread pieces, and is a plan view showing the transport state further downstream than the state shown in FIG. [Figure 8] Figures 8(a) and (b) are schematic diagrams illustrating one embodiment of the food slicing device of the present invention, showing the general configuration of an edge trimmer provided in a food slicing device that slices a loaf of bread as a block of food, with Figure 8(a) being a front view and Figure 8(b) being a side view. [Figure 9] 9(a) to 9(d) are diagrams for explaining an embodiment of the food slicing device according to the present invention, each showing a process for performing edge trimming on a piece of bread, which is a food piece. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram for illustrating a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the food slicing apparatus of the present invention, showing the general configuration of a chunk food conveying machine including a plurality of auxiliary screw conveyors in addition to a plurality of screw conveyors. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a chunk food conveying machine and a food slicing apparatus equipped with this chunk food conveying machine according to the present invention will be described in detail with appropriate reference to the drawings. In addition, in order to make the characteristics of the chunk food conveyor and food slicer of the present invention easier to understand, the drawings used in the following description may show characteristic parts slightly enlarged for convenience, and the dimensional ratios of each component may differ from the actual ones. Furthermore, the materials, dimensions, etc. exemplified in the following description are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to them, and appropriate changes may be made within the scope of the present invention.

[0027] <Overall configuration of food slicing machine including chunk food conveyor> The overall configuration of a food slicing apparatus including a chunk food conveyor according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of a food slicing apparatus 1 including a chunk food conveyor 2 according to this embodiment, using a chunk of bread 100 as an example of a chunk of food. 2(a) and (b) are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of the main parts of food slicing device 1 including chunk food conveyor 2, where FIG. 2(a) is a front view and FIG. 2(b) is a bottom view. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the essential parts showing the operation of the rotary slicer (slicer) 3. As shown in FIG. 4(a) to 4(c) are schematic diagrams showing an operation of slicing bread pieces 101 from a block of bread 100, using the block of bread 100 as the block of food. Figure 5A shows the general configuration of a chunk food conveying machine 2 which includes multiple screw conveyors 21, and is a view seen from the direction of arrow B in Figure 1, Figure 5B is a cutaway view, and Figure 5C is a side view of a conveying unit 2B that constitutes the chunk food conveying machine 2. FIG. 5D is a cutaway view, seen from above, of chunk food conveying apparatus 200 in an example in which the distance between two screw conveyors 21, 21 (21B, 21B) is adjustable. FIG. 5E is a cutaway side view of food conveying machine 200 shown in FIG. 5D. FIG. 5F is a cutaway view of chunk food conveying machine 200 seen from the side at a cutaway position different from that of FIG. 5E. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state in which a slice of bread 101, which is a sliced ​​food piece, is being conveyed. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the conveyance state of a sliced ​​food piece, ie, a bread piece 101, and is a plan view showing the conveyance state further downstream than the state shown in FIG. Figures 8(a) and (b) show the schematic configuration of an edge trimmer 6 provided in the food slicing device 1 for cutting off edges 102 from bread pieces 101, where Figure 8(a) is a front view and Figure 8(b) is a side view. 9(a) to 9(d) are process diagrams each showing an operation of subjecting a bread piece 101, which is a food piece, to a crust trimming process. For ease of explanation, Figs. 1, 2(a) and 4(a) to (c) show a side view of conveying unit 2B with the chunk food conveying machine 2 partly cut away.

[0028] The block food to be sliced ​​by the food slicing device of the present invention is, for example, a food that is irregularly solidified or homogeneously solidified, such as a loaf of bread after baking, cheese, ham, sausage, or kamaboko. The food slicing device of the present invention is capable of slicing the above-mentioned block of food to an optimum thickness that is easy to eat, and the block of food conveyor of the present invention conveys the above-mentioned block of food toward, for example, a slicer. Therefore, in the following description, first the overall configuration of the food slicing apparatus 1 including the chunk food conveying device 2 of this embodiment will be described in detail, and then the configuration of the chunk food conveying device 2 will be described in more detail.

[0029] In addition, in this specification, for ease of understanding, a block of bread (see reference number 100 shown in FIG. 1, etc.) will be given as an example of a block of food, and an example will be described in which this block of bread is sliced ​​to obtain bread pieces (see reference number 101 shown in FIG. 1, etc.), which are food pieces.

[0030] That is, the food slicer 1 of this embodiment can be used to slice a block-shaped loaf of bread 100 baked in an oven (not shown) or the like into a plurality of bread slices 101 each having a slice thickness α suitable for sandwiches, for example. Note that the block-shaped loaf of bread 100 generally has a shape similar to an elongated rectangular parallelepiped, and its sliced ​​surface has a pseudo-rectangular shape, but in the following description, the loaf of bread 100 may be treated as having a regular quadrangular prism shape and its sliced ​​surface as having a square shape.

[0031] [Food slicing device] As shown in Figure 1 etc., the food slicing device 1 of this embodiment is broadly composed of at least a block food conveying machine 2 that holds and conveys a block of bread 100, which is an elongated block-shaped block of food, and a rotary slicer (slicer) 3 that slices the block of bread 100 conveyed and supplied by the block food conveying machine 2 into bread slices 101, which are food pieces of a predetermined thickness. The food slicing device 1 in the illustrated example further includes a slicer reciprocating driver 4 that drives the rotary slicer 3 back and forth, a transport conveyor 5 that transports the multiple bread slices 101 sliced ​​by the rotary slicer 3 sequentially downstream, an ear trimmer 6 that cuts off the crusts 102 from the bread slices 101, a crusher 7 that crushes the crusts 102 into crumbs 104, and a wind-powered transporter 8 that uses wind power to transport the crumbs 104 to a predetermined location.

[0032] Of the above components, the transport conveyor 5 includes a first belt conveyor 51 disposed below the rotary slicer 3, a second belt conveyor 52 disposed downstream of the first belt conveyor 51, a third belt conveyor 53 disposed further downstream, and a fourth belt conveyor 54 disposed toward the sandwich process (sandwich manufacturing process). The second belt conveyor 52 is provided with the above-mentioned edge trimmer 6, and a crusher 7 and a wind conveyor 8 are provided so as to straddle the end (downstream end) of the second belt conveyor 52 (upstream conveyor) and the start (upstream end) of the third belt conveyor 53 (downstream conveyor). A butter applicator 94 is also provided on the third belt conveyor 53.

[0033] Furthermore, the food slicing device 1 is equipped with a bread loaf supplier 91 which supplies bread loaves 100 one by one towards the loaf food conveyor 2, an aligner 92 which aligns the positions of the bread pieces 101 on the first belt conveyor 51 in a certain state before the edge trimming process by the edge trimmer 6, and a remover 93 which removes the end bread pieces 105 (see Figure 6) which are sliced ​​first and last from a bread loaf 100 from the first belt conveyor 51.

[0034] As described above, the butter applicator 94 is disposed on the third belt conveyor 53. The butter applicator 94 temporarily applies butter (e.g., mustard butter) stored in a hopper 94a to the surface of the rotating transfer roller 94b, and transfers and applies the butter from the transfer roller 94b to the sliced ​​surfaces of the crustless bread pieces (food pieces) 103 from which the crusts 102 have been cut off. The auxiliary roller 94c is in contact with the lower surface side of the third belt conveyor 53 so as to face the transfer roller 94b in order to keep the downward bending amount of the crustless bread pieces 103 and the third belt conveyor 53 caused by the pressing of the transfer roller 94b within a predetermined range. The transfer roller 94b is driven to rotate by a motor or the like (not shown), but the auxiliary roller 94c may be in a non-driven, free-rotating state in which it rotates by contacting the third belt conveyor 53.

[0035] The chunk food conveying machine 2 holds and conveys chunk food in the shape of an elongated block, and in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5A, 5B, 5C, etc., it conveys a block of bread 100 as the chunk food and supplies it towards the rotary slicer 3 (see also the configuration of chunk food conveying machine 200 illustrated in Figures 5D to 5F).

[0036] The chunk food conveying machine 2 is generally configured to include multiple screw conveyors 21 (21A, 21B) that are arranged so as to clamp the bread loaf 100 from a direction perpendicular to the elongated direction of the bread loaf 100 and transport the bread loaf 100 a predetermined distance along the elongated direction, and a drive unit 24 that intermittently rotates the multiple screw conveyors 21 (21A, 21B) so as to transport the bread loaf 100 a predetermined distance.

[0037] In the chunk food conveying machine 2 of this embodiment, the multiple screw conveyors 21 (21A, 21B) rotate while at least a portion of the screw threads 212 provided on each of these screw conveyors 21 (21A, 21B) is in contact with and bites into the bread loaves 100. By rotating the multiple screw conveyors 21 (21A, 21B) as described above, the chunk food conveying machine 2 conveys the bread loaves 100 toward the rotary slicer 3 while guiding them along the elongated direction. The chunk food conveying machine 2 of this embodiment will be described in more detail later.

[0038] The rotary slicer (slicer) 3 is configured in a circular plate shape and is inclined at an acute angle θ (for example, θ = approximately 5° to 30°) relative to the conveying surface 51a (horizontal surface) of the first belt conveyor 51 so that the plate surface becomes higher toward the start side of the slicing process.

[0039] The slicer reciprocating driver 4 reciprocates the rotary slicer 3 in an acutely inclined direction parallel to the inclined posture described above. The slicer reciprocating driver 4 causes the rotary slicer 3 to perform a slicing operation with a forward stroke that is generally diagonally downward, and a retreating operation with a return stroke that is generally diagonally upward. The chunk food conveyor 2 intermittently conveys the loaf of bread 100 from above in FIG. 1 in a direction that intersects with the trajectory of the reciprocating drive of the rotary slicer 3 (a direction perpendicular to the trajectory in the figure) by a distance corresponding to the slice thickness α. In the food slicing device 1 of this embodiment, as described above, the direction in which the loaf of bread 100 is conveyed is perpendicular to the inclined trajectory of the rotary slicer 3, so that the loaf of bread 100 is sliced ​​into bread pieces 101 cut at a right angle. The conveying direction of the loaf of bread 100 by the chunk food conveyor 2 is inclined at an inclination angle θ with respect to the direction perpendicular to the conveying surface 51a of the first belt conveyor 51.

[0040] The bread loaf supplier 91 has a vertical conveyor 91a that is connected by multiple vertical frames 91b and moves in a circle while being guided by a guide frame 91c that is fixed in position. In the bread loaf supplier 91, rectangular parallelepiped or square prism-shaped bread loaves 100 are inserted one by one between the vertical frames 91b, and as the vertical conveyor 91a moves in a circle, the guide frame 91c causes the leading bread loaf 100 to change its position obliquely (at an inclination angle θ) above the loaf food conveyor 2 and drop. By the above-mentioned operation, the bread loaf supplier 91 supplies the bread loaves 100 one by one to the loaf food conveyor 2.

[0041] 2(a) and (b) are a front view and a bottom view showing the schematic configuration of the main parts of the food slicing device 1, mainly the rotary slicer 3 and the slicer reciprocating driver 4. FIG. As shown in the figure, the rotary slicer 3 is supported by a reciprocating frame 31 in an acutely inclined position (incline angle θ) relative to a first belt conveyor 51 (conveying surface 51a) so that it becomes higher toward the slicing start side, and is rotated and driven via a slicer rotation belt 33 by a slicer motor 32 fixed to the reciprocating frame 31. The reciprocating frame 31 is guided by a fixed frame 41 whose position is fixed so that it becomes higher toward the slicing start side relative to the first belt conveyor 51 and reciprocates along an acute angle inclination direction inclined at an acute angle. With the reciprocating frame 31 and the fixed frame 41 connected, the slicer reciprocating driver 4 reciprocates the rotary slicer 3 and the slicer motor 32 together with the reciprocating frame 31 in an acute angle inclination direction while being guided by the fixed frame 41.

[0042] Specifically, the rotation of a reciprocating motor 42 fixed to a fixed frame 41 in the slicer reciprocating driver 4 is transmitted by a belt 43 to a drive shaft 44 rotatably supported by the fixed frame 41 and a rotating arm 45 integral with the drive shaft 44. Two arm holding rails 31b are fixed to the reciprocating frame 31 in the front-rear direction (direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the first belt conveyor 51), and a tip 45a of the rotating arm 45 is inserted between the arm holding rails 31b, 31b (i.e., groove) so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. Two straight rails 31a are fixed to the reciprocating frame 31 in parallel in the left-right direction (the traveling direction of the first belt conveyor 51), and these straight rails 31a are guided by two left-right straight guides 41a fixed to the fixed frame 41 in parallel. In the illustrated example, the linear guide member is formed by the linear rail 31a on the moving side and the linear guide 41a on the fixed side, but the fixed side may be a rail and the moving side may be a guide.

[0043] 2(b) to the position shown in FIG. 3, the tip 45a of the rotating arm 45 slides between the arm holding rails 31b, 31b in the front-rear direction, and the reciprocating frame 31 moves linearly left-right relative to the fixed frame 41 by the sliding guide between the linear rail 31a and the linear guide 41a. In this way, the fixed frame 41 guides the rotary slicer 3 and the slicer motor 32 in a unitary manner to reciprocate, so that the rotation of the rotary slicer 3 during slicing and the reciprocating movement in the acute angle inclination direction (acute angle inclination trajectory) are stabilized, and the sliced ​​surface of the bread piece 101 looks beautiful. In the illustrated example, the rotating arm 45 and the arm holding rails 31b, 31b constitute a reciprocating slider crank mechanism, but if the space between the arm holding rails 31b, 31b is considered to be a cam groove, the tip 45a of the rotating arm 45 can also be regarded as a cam follower.

[0044] 2(a) also shows, although simplified for convenience of illustration, an adjustment mechanism 46 for adjusting the tilt angle θ using a long hole and a screw. This adjustment mechanism 46 makes it possible to adjust the tilt angle θ of the rotary slicer 3 and the slicer reciprocating driver 4 within a range of, for example, about ±5°, thereby fine-tuning the falling attitude of the bread slices 101 depending on the toasting method of the bread loaf 100, the size of the bread slices 101 (particularly the slice thickness α), etc.

[0045] 2(a) and 2(b), a plate-shaped bread piece guide 34 is fixed to the tip (the block food conveyor 2 side) of the reciprocating frame 31 and moves integrally with the rotary slicer 3 in synchronization with the reciprocating motion of the rotary slicer 3. The tip of the bread piece guide 34 is located immediately behind and directly below the blade edge of the rotary slicer 3 that cuts into the bread block 100. The bread piece guide 34 guides the bread piece 101 sliced ​​by the rotary slicer 3 so that the bread piece 101 falls onto the first belt conveyor 51 in an inclined position during slicing, and covers the bread piece 101 so that the slicer rotation belt 33, pulley 33a, rotating shaft 33b, etc. located on the lower surface side of the rotary slicer 3 do not interfere with the bread piece 101. The bread piece guide 34 is positioned to intersect with the inclined track of the rotary slicer 3 at a guide angle δ (δ=about 10° to 60°), which is an elevation angle.

[0046] Here, the guide angle δ of the bread piece guide 34 (e.g., δ≈30°) is set to an angle larger than the inclination angle θ of the inclined track (e.g., θ≈15°). This allows the bread piece 101 sliced ​​by the rotary slicer 3 to be guided into an inclined posture that faces downward as it approaches the slicing start side (the downstream side in the conveying direction of the first belt conveyor 51) (see FIG. 4(a)). In this way, by guiding the bread piece 101 into an inclined posture by the bread piece guide 34, the side on which the bread piece 101 will land first can be determined, so that the falling posture of the bread piece 101 is stabilized and the disturbance of the falling position can be reduced.

[0047] Furthermore, a plate-shaped bread loaf stopper 35 is provided at the tip of the reciprocating frame 31, and this bread loaf stopper 35 moves integrally with the rotary slicer 3. The bread loaf stopper 35 has a support 35a that supports the lower end of the bread loaf 100 from below, and a rectangular window 35b that allows the bread pieces 101 sliced ​​by the rotary slicer 3 to pass through. By supporting the bread loaf 100 from below with the support 35a, for example, it is possible to adjust the feeding force of the chunk food conveyor 2 so that the bread pieces 101 are not compressed more than necessary in the thickness direction, and this makes it possible to prevent unevenness in the slice thickness α of the bread pieces 101. However, if the slice thickness α of the bread pieces 101 can be ensured by the intermittent conveyance and holding of the bread loaf 100 by the chunk food conveyor 2, the support 35a can be omitted.

[0048] The window hole 35b is disposed below the rotary slicer 3 so as to face the bread piece guide 34. By disposing the window hole 35b and the bread piece guide 34 facing each other, the bread piece 101 sliced ​​by the rotary slicer 3 is protected from interference with the pulley 33a, the rotary shaft 33b, etc. of the rotary slicer 3, while being easily guided diagonally downward by the bread piece guide 34 and guided to the window hole 35b.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 3, when the slice surface of the bread loaf 100 is considered to be a square with a side length LS, the slicer diameter DM required for cutting is expressed by the following formula (1). DM>2 1 / 2 ×LS ····(1) Further, the movement stroke ST of the rotary slicer 3 required for cutting (that is, the turning diameter of the rotary arm 45) is expressed by the following formula (2). ST>2 1 / 2 ×LS ····(2) Since the food slicer 1 of this embodiment has the bread slice guide 34 as described above, the slicer diameter DM is 2 times the length LS of one side. 1 / 2 ≈1.41 times larger, and the movement stroke ST is equal to or greater than the slicer diameter DM.

[0050] Hereinafter, the operation of slicing bread slices 101 from a bread loaf 100 using the food slicer 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 4(a) to (c).

[0051] As shown in Figure 4(a), first, the lump food conveyor 2 conveys the loaf of bread 100 by the slice thickness α and stops, and then the rotary slicer 3 slices bread slices 101 from the bottom end of the loaf of bread 100 by a forward stroke along an acutely inclined trajectory. During the slicing operation of the rotary slicer 3, the bread slices 101, which have been sliced ​​by the rotary slicer 3 and are guided by the bread slice guides 34, pass through (fall) through the window holes 35b. At this time, the support 35a is retracted forward of the lump food conveyor 2 in the forward stroke direction so as not to interfere with the slicing operation of the rotary slicer 3.

[0052] 4(b), the rotary slicer 3 retreats from the loaf of bread 100 by its return stroke, and the lump food conveyor 2 conveys the loaf of bread 100 by the next slice thickness α. When the rotary slicer 3 retreats as described above, the support 35a is positioned below the lump food conveyor 2 and holds the bottom end of the loaf of bread 100 while maintaining the next slice thickness α, and the window hole 35b and bread piece guide 34 retreat together with the rotary slicer 3.

[0053] Next, as shown in FIG. 4(c), while the lump food conveyor 2 is stopped, the rotary slicer 3 again moves a forward stroke along an acutely inclined track to slice the next bread slice 101 from the bottom end of the bread block 100. In this manner, the conveying operation of the lump food conveyor 2 for conveying the bread block 100 and the slicing operation of the rotary slicer 3 are performed in coordination with each other, so that the slicing process can be performed efficiently. Note that in this embodiment, even if the end bread slice 105 (see FIG. 6) remaining after slicing multiple bread slices 101 from the bread block 100 does not reach the predetermined slice thickness α, the end bread slice 105 can be supported by the multiple screw conveyors 21 provided in the lump food conveyor 2. At this time, the end bread slice 105 cannot be sliced ​​by the forward stroke movement of the rotary slicer 3, but the end bread slice 105 is guided by the bread slice guide 34 to pass through the window hole 35b and fall onto the first belt conveyor 51.

[0054] Then, the bread pieces 101 sliced ​​by the rotary slicer 3 fall onto the first belt conveyor 51 in an inclined position at an acute angle (for example, an inclined position of about 10° to 30°) with respect to the conveying surface 51a, and are held parallel to the first belt conveyor 51 and conveyed downstream. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the bread pieces 101 sliced ​​by the rotary slicer 3 are guided by the bread piece guide 34 to an inclined position that faces downward as they approach the slicing start side (the downstream side in the conveying direction of the first belt conveyor 51). As shown in FIG. 4(b), the bread pieces 101 falling in an inclined position land on the conveying surface 51a of the first belt conveyor 51 (the downstream side of the conveying direction) at the diagonally lower end portion 101a. Then, as shown in Figures 4(b) and (c), the upper end 101b rotates downward with the lower end 101a as a fulcrum and lands on the conveying surface 51a (upstream of the conveying direction), thereby smoothly holding the entire slice surface on the conveying surface 51a.

[0055] In this way, when the bread piece 101 falls onto the conveying surface 51a, the bread piece 101 is guided into an inclined position by the bread piece guide 34, and the bread piece 101 falls in a stable inclined position without bending or sagging as a whole, and without the ends of the bread piece 101 sagging. That is, the end on the lower side of the inclined position (lower end 101a) lands on the conveying surface 51a, and shortly thereafter the end on the higher side (upper end 101b) also lands, so that the falling position is less likely to be disturbed and disturbance in the falling position is also small.

[0056] Hereinafter, the conveying state of the bread slices 101 sliced ​​by the food slicing device 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0057] As described above, when the bread pieces 101 fall at an angle relative to the transport surface 51a of the first belt conveyor 51, the falling posture of the bread pieces 101 is particularly stable when viewed from the front. However, even in this case, there are cases where the falling position (falling posture) when viewed from above is slightly deviated (not parallel) from the traveling direction of the first belt conveyor 51. Therefore, the food slicing device 1 of this embodiment is provided with an aligner 92 for aligning the position of the bread pieces 101 on the first belt conveyor 51 to a state parallel to the traveling direction of the first belt conveyor 51 before performing the edge trimming process.

[0058] Specifically, the aligner 92 shown in Fig. 6 has alignment plates 92a arranged on both the left and right sides of the bread pieces 101 in the traveling direction of the first conveyor belt 51, and air cylinders 92c for moving each alignment plate 92a back and forth. In the aligner 92 shown in Fig. 6, the left and right alignment plates 92a synchronously come into contact with the left and right side surfaces of the bread pieces 101, thereby quickly aligning the bread pieces 101 in a straight state in the traveling direction.

[0059] A remover 93 for the end bread pieces 105 is provided downstream of the aligner 92 in the conveying direction. Specifically, the remover 93 has a pusher plate 93a for pushing the end bread pieces 105 from one side in the advancing direction, and an air cylinder 93b for moving the pusher plate 93a forward and backward. From the size (height) of the bread loaf 100 and the slice thickness of the bread pieces 101, the time when the end bread pieces 105 are generated (the time when they reach the remover 93) is known in advance, or the arrival can be detected by a sensor (not shown). Therefore, by extending the air cylinder 93b at a predetermined timing, the end bread pieces 105 can be pushed out by the pusher plate 93a, and the end bread pieces 105 can be taken out into the end bread piece collection container 93c.

[0060] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 7, the conveying state of the bread piece 101 downstream of the position shown in FIG. 6 will be described in detail.

[0061] The bread pieces 101, whose orientation has been adjusted by the aligner 92 shown in Fig. 6, are transferred from the first belt conveyor 51 (transport surface 51a) to the following second belt conveyor 52 (transport surface 52a). In the middle of the second belt conveyor 52, an edge trimmer 6 is provided for cutting off the edges of the bread pieces 101 on the transport surface 52a.

[0062] The edge trimming device 6 has an edge trimming blade 62 arranged above the second belt conveyor 52, and an elastic member 67 arranged in an area where the edge trimming blade 62 abuts below the second belt conveyor 52. As shown in Fig. 7, the elastic member 67 has an area larger than the sliced ​​surface of the bread pieces 101.

[0063] The edge-trimming blade 62 is arranged in a rectangular frame shape (approximately a square in the example shown in FIG. 7) in plan view. Specifically, the edge-trimming blade 62 is arranged by combining four blade bodies 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d in a crisscross pattern, and two opposing sides (two blade bodies 62a and 62c in the example shown in FIG. 7) are formed long enough to reach or exceed the outer edge of the bread piece 101. When the second belt conveyor 52 is stopped, the blade bodies 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d constituting the edge-trimming blade 62 are simultaneously pressed against the stationary bread piece 101, so that the ears 102 on a total of four sides are simultaneously cut while being separated from each other. The elastic member 67 is fixed to a conveyor guide (not shown) of the second belt conveyor 52, and may be, for example, a rubber plate or a urethane sheet.

[0064] Hereinafter, the configuration of the edge trimmer 6 included in the food slicing device 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b).

[0065] In the ear-dropping device 6, a lifting frame 61 that integrally supports an ear-dropping blade 62 via a vibration-proof member 61b is guided by a fixed frame 66 whose position is fixed so that it can reciprocate up and down.

[0066] Specifically, the rotation of the ear drop motor 63 fixed to the fixed frame 66 is transmitted to a circular rotating plate 64 directly connected to the ear drop motor 63. The rotating plate 64 and the lifting frame 61 are connected by a swinging arm 65. One end (lower end) of the swinging arm 65 is swingably connected to the lifting frame 61. The other end (upper end) of the swinging arm 65 is rotatably connected to the rotating plate 64 at a position eccentric from the center of the rotating plate 64. Two straight rails 61a are fixed to the lifting frame 61 in parallel in the vertical direction, and these straight rails 61a are guided by two vertical straight guides 66a fixed in parallel to the fixed frame 66. In the illustrated example, the moving-side straight rail 61a and the fixed-side straight guide 66a form a linear guide member, but the fixed side may be a rail and the moving side may be a guide.

[0067] 8(b) in either the forward or reverse direction, the lifting frame 61 moves linearly downward (to the position of the imaginary line) relative to the fixed frame 66 due to the sliding guide of the straight rail 61a and the straight guide 66a. When the rotating plate 64 makes another half turn in either the forward or reverse direction, the lifting frame 61 moves linearly upward (to the original position of the solid line) relative to the fixed frame 66 due to the sliding guide of the straight rail 61a and the straight guide 66a.

[0068] Hereinafter, the operation of subjecting the bread pieces 101 to the edge trimming process by the edge trimmer 6 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 9(a) to (d) (also with reference to Figs. 1 and 7 as necessary).

[0069] First, as shown in FIG. 9( a ), while the edge trimming blade 62 is waiting above the second belt conveyor 52 , the next bread piece 101 is transported by the second belt conveyor 52 . Next, as shown in Figure 9(b), when the bread pieces 101 reach the area where the elastic member 67 is provided, the second belt conveyor 52 is stopped and the edge-removing motor 63 (see Figures 8(a) and (b)) is driven to lower the edge-removing blade 62.

[0070] 9(c), at the lowest stroke position of the edge-trimming blade 62, the elastic member 67 elastically supports the force with which the edge-trimming blade 62 presses against the bread pieces 101 while allowing the second belt conveyor 52 to sink. As a result, the tip of the edge-trimming blade 62 descends until it lightly touches the transport surface 52a of the second belt conveyor 52, cutting off only the edge 102 of the bread piece 101.

[0071] Then, as shown in FIG. 9(d), the edge-trimming motor 63 (same as above) is driven to raise the edge-trimming blade 62, and transportation by the second belt conveyor 52 is resumed. As described above, by providing the elastic member 67, the edge trimming blade 62 can be elastically supported so that it does not bite into the second belt conveyor 52, which has the effect of being safe and hygienic and not compromising the durability of the second belt conveyor 52.

[0072] Returning to Fig. 7, the terminal end (downstream end) of the second belt conveyor 52 and the starting end (upstream end) of the third belt conveyor 53 are connected via a gap β that allows the crustless bread pieces 103 to be delivered. The transport width (belt width) of the third belt conveyor 53 is slightly wider than the width of the crustless bread pieces 103, in other words, is formed to be approximately the same width as the bread pieces 101.

[0073] Therefore, the crustless bread pieces 103 can move from the second belt conveyor 52 to the third belt conveyor 53 by inertial force. On the other hand, the crusts 102 already cut by the crust cutting blade 62 are separated from the crustless bread pieces 103 by the impact when the crustless bread pieces 103 move onto the third belt conveyor 53, and fall into pieces through the gap β or from both sides of the third belt conveyor 53. The fallen crusts 102 are collected in the crust collection container 71 of the crusher 7, crushed into bread crumbs 104 by the crusher 72, and then transported by wind force through the pipe 82 by the blower 81 of the wind-powered conveyor 8 and collected in the bread crumb collection container 83 (see FIG. 1). Furthermore, on the third belt conveyor 53, butter is applied to the sliced ​​surfaces of the crustless bread pieces 103 by the transfer roller 94b of the butter applicator 94 as necessary, and the process proceeds to the sandwich process (see FIG. 1).

[0074] The food slicing device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a chunk food conveyor 2, the details of which will be described later, and can therefore prevent chunk food from slipping off and poor slicing by the rotary slicer 3, not just when slicing a chunk of bread 100 as a chunk food.

[0075] [Lump food conveyor] The configuration of the chunk food conveying apparatus 2 of this embodiment will be described in more detail below, mainly with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5C (also see the chunk food conveying apparatus 200 illustrated in FIGS. 5D to 5F).

[0076] As described above, the lump food conveying machine 2 of this embodiment includes a plurality of screw conveyors 21 (21A, 21B) that can hold the bread loaf 100 from the sides, and a drive unit 24 that rotates the plurality of screw conveyors 21A, 21B. The lump food conveying machine 2 conveys the bread loaf 100 toward the rotary slicer 3 while guiding it along the elongated direction by rotating the plurality of screw conveyors 21A, 21B while at least a portion of the screw threads 212 provided on each of the screw conveyors 21A, 21B is in contact with and bites into the bread loaf 100. At this time, the bread loaf 100 is conveyed in the elongated direction by being guided according to the lead angles of the screw threads 212 of the screw conveyors 21A, 21B.

[0077] In the example shown in Figure 5B etc., for convenience of explanation, the bread loaf 100 and the screw conveyors 21A, 21B are shown separated from each other, but during transport, each of the screw conveyors 21A, 21B comes into contact with the bread loaf 100, thereby providing the above-mentioned holding and transporting (guiding) action for the bread loaf 100. More specifically, the above-mentioned action is achieved by contacting the bread loaf 100 so that the screw threads 212 of the screw conveyors 21A, 21B slightly bite into (sink into) the bread loaf 100.

[0078] As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the chunk food conveying machine 2 has a pair of conveying units 2A, 2B, which are mounted on a unit base 2C and are generally integrally configured. The pair of conveying units 2A, 2B are symmetrically arranged at positions spaced apart from each other on the unit base 2C, and the side walls 22A and 22B of each of the conveying units 2A, 2B are arranged opposite each other. In this manner, the side walls 22A, 22B are arranged opposite each other to form a food storage section 22 capable of storing each of the conveyed objects, ie, the loaves of bread 100, supplied from the bread loaf supplier 91. The food storage section 22 in the illustrated example further includes a pair of walls 22C that are arranged between the pair of conveying units 2A, 2B and that constitute the food storage section 22 together with the side walls 22A, 22B. The space surrounded by the side walls 22A, 22B and the pair of walls 22C constitutes the food storage section 22. In addition, for convenience of illustration as a plan view, FIG. 5A shows only one of the pair of wall portions 22C that is disposed on one side.

[0079] The unit base 2C functions as a base plate supporting the entire chunk food conveying machine 2 with the pair of conveying units 2A, 2B mentioned above being placed on its upper surface, and is made, for example, of a high-strength steel plate of a predetermined thickness.

[0080] The unit base 2C supports the pair of conveying units 2A, 2B described above so that they can slide a predetermined distance in the direction separating or approaching each other, and although detailed illustration is omitted, is provided with slide holes or the like through which bolts or the like for supporting the pair of conveying units 2A, 2B so that they can slide. Similarly, the unit base 2C is provided with a plurality of through holes or threaded holes (not shown) for attaching the chunk food conveyor 2 to the food slicer 1 using bolts or the like.

[0081] The unit base 2C is also provided with a discharge hole 26 for conveying the bread loaves 100 downward. The unit base 2C is also provided with a plurality of clearance holes 25 capable of accommodating the tips 211b of the plurality of screw conveyors 21A, 21B, the details of which will be described later.

[0082] The chunk food conveyor 2 of this embodiment is provided with a handle portion 23 for adjusting the distance between the pair of conveying units 2A, 2B described above. The handle portion 23 manually rotates an adjustment shaft 233, and in the example shown in Fig. 5A, the adjustment shaft 233 is supported by a support portion 231 provided on the conveying unit 2A and a support portion 232 provided on the conveying unit 2B in a rotatable manner while having its movement in the thrust direction restricted.

[0083] Although detailed illustration is omitted, the adjustment shaft 233 may be one that expands and contracts approximately near the center in the longitudinal direction as it rotates. The expansion and contraction of the adjustment shaft 233 causes the support 231 provided on the conveying unit 2A and the support 232 provided on the conveying unit 2B to approach or separate from each other, and each of the pair of conveying units 2A and 2B slides on the unit base 2C. This allows the distance between the side wall 22A and the side wall 22B to be changed, so that the contact pressure and the biting amount of the screw threads 212 of the screw conveyors 21A and 21B against the loaf of bread 100 can be adjusted while taking into consideration the size (thickness) of the loaf of bread 100 to be conveyed. In other words, by optimally adjusting the separation distance between the side wall 22A and the side wall 22B, the loaf of bread 100 can be conveyed stably without being significantly damaged or dropped.

[0084] The pair of conveying units 2A and 2B each have two screw conveyors 21A or 21B, and have roughly the same configuration in that each component is symmetrically arranged. Therefore, in the following explanation, the detailed configurations of both of these conveying units 2A and 2B will be described in detail together.

[0085] 5A to 5C, the multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B are partially omitted from detailed illustration, but are comprised of two screw conveyors 21A provided in conveying unit 2A and two screw conveyors 21B provided in conveying unit 2B. The chunk food conveyor 2 intermittently conveys the bread chunks 100 downward toward the rotary slicer 3 by intermittently rotating the screw conveyors 21A, 21B in a predetermined direction.

[0086] In addition, the multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B are each arranged so that a portion of the screw thread 212, which will be described in detail later, is exposed to the food storage section 22 through a window portion 22a provided in the side wall 22A or the side wall 22B (see the screw conveyors 21A, 21B in Figures 5A and 5B, and the screw conveyor 21B and window portion 22a in the conveying unit 2B shown in Figure 5C).

[0087] The screw conveyors 21A and 21B each have a screw thread 212 formed on the surface of the cylinder portion 211, forming a screw shape as shown in the figure (see the screw conveyor 21B shown in FIG. 5C). As shown in FIG. 5B, the base end 211a of each of the screw conveyors 21A and 21B is rotatably supported by a suspension portion 214 arranged at the upper portion in each of the conveying units 2A and 2B. The tip 211b of each of the screw conveyors 21A and 21B, which is opposite to the base end 211a, is accommodated in a clearance hole 25 provided in the unit base 2C while ensuring a clearance. Furthermore, each of the screw conveyors 21A and 21B is provided with a conveyor gear 213, which is made of a spur gear and to which rotation is transmitted from a motor 24A described later via a transmission 24B, at a position close to the base end 211a.

[0088] 5B and 5C, the screw conveyors 21A and 21B have a break in the screw shape at a position slightly lower than the middle part in the length direction, and the cylinder shaft 215 serving as the rotation shaft of the screw conveyors 21A and 21B is exposed at this break. The cylinder shaft 215 is inserted into a through hole (not shown) provided in the support frame 27, so that the screw conveyors 21A and 21B can rotate in a stable position.

[0089] The material of the screw conveyors 21A, 21B is not particularly limited, and any metal material having a certain strength can be used without any restrictions. On the other hand, considering that the screw conveyors 21A, 21B will come into contact with various block foods such as bread loaves 100 that have a certain temperature or higher after baking, dairy products such as cheese, and processed meats such as ham, it is preferable to make the screw conveyors 21A, 21B from stainless steel materials or the like from the standpoint of heat resistance and hygiene.

[0090] The motor 24A is a drive source for rotating the screw conveyors 21A and 21B, and may be a general motor or a pulse motor capable of controlling the rotation angle. In the example shown in FIG. 5B (see also FIG. 5D), the rotation by the drive unit 24 is decelerated by the transmission 24B, and then the rotation is transmitted from a first drive gear 244 attached to a rotation shaft (not shown) of the transmission 24B to a second drive gear 245 attached to a transmission shaft 243. The rotation transmitted to the second drive gear 245 is transmitted to a first bevel gear 240 via the transmission shaft 243, and further transmitted to a transmission gear 241 composed of a spur gear via a second bevel gear 242 meshed with the first bevel gear 240. Then, rotation is transmitted from the transmission gear 241 to the conveyor gears 213 provided on each of the screw conveyors 21A, 21B, so that the plurality of screw conveyors 21A, 21B can be rotated by the motor 24A, which is a drive source.

[0091] It is preferable that the multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B are arranged in at least one pair facing each other across the loaf of bread 100. Although some detailed illustration is omitted in Figures 5A and 5B, each of the two screw conveyors 21A provided in the transport unit 2A and each of the two screw conveyors 21B provided in the transport unit 2B are arranged in a pair facing each other and configured to be able to clamp the loaf of bread 100. That is, in the illustrated example, the multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B are arranged in two pairs facing each other across the loaf of bread (lump food) 100, and these two pairs of screw conveyors 21A, 21B are arranged near the corners of the loaf of bread 100 so as to be spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the loaf of bread 100. By arranging the multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B as described above, it becomes possible to transport the bread loaves 100 stably without damaging them or causing them to fall off.

[0092] It is more preferable that the screw conveyors 21A, 21B are reciprocatingly movable between a standby position spaced apart from the loaf of bread 100 and a clamping position in contact with the loaf of bread 100, in accordance with the adjustment of the separation distance between the pair of conveying units 2A, 2B by the above-mentioned method. In this case, although detailed illustration is omitted, in the lump food conveying device 2 shown in Figures 5A and 5B, for example, an automatic separation mechanism can be employed that operates the conveying units 2A and 2B to move away from and towards each other. By employing such a configuration, for example, when a loaf of bread 100 supplied vertically from above the lump food conveying device 2 is received into the food storage section 22, the automatic separation mechanism moves the conveying units 2A and 2B in the separation direction, separating them slightly wider than when the loaf of bread 100 was conveyed, so that the loaf of bread 100 can be received in a stable position. After a certain length of bread loaf 100 is received in food storage section 22, conveying unit 2A and conveying unit 2B are moved toward each other by an automatic separation mechanism, thereby stabilizing the conveying posture of bread loaf 100 by multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B. Furthermore, when the above-mentioned automatic spacing mechanism is used to operate the multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B in a direction that causes them to be separated by a large distance, this has the effect of improving workability when cleaning or maintaining the entire food chunk conveying machine 2 and food slicing apparatus 1.

[0093] In addition, it is preferable that the screw conveyors 21A, 21B rotate in synchronization with each other, so that the rotation speed and conveying speed of each screw conveyor 21A, 21B are matched, and it becomes possible to convey the bread loaves 100 stably and uniformly without partial misalignment during conveyance.

[0094] Furthermore, in the chunk food conveyor 2 (and food slicer 1) of this embodiment, it is more preferable to further include a control unit (not shown) that controls the rotation of the multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B so as to convey the bread chunk 100 a predetermined distance along the elongated direction. By including such a control unit, for example, it is possible to uniformly rotate each of the multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B in synchronization with one another, thereby making it possible to convey the bread chunk 100 more stably and uniformly. Furthermore, by including a control unit (not shown) and adopting a configuration capable of adjusting the rotation speed of the screw conveyors 21A, 21B, it becomes possible to easily and optimally adjust the thickness of the bread pieces 101 sliced ​​from the bread chunk 100 in the rotary slicer 3.

[0095] The intermittent conveying distance of bread chunks 100 by lump food conveyor 2 is a distance that corresponds to the set value of slice thickness α (see FIG. 1) of bread pieces 101, and this conveying distance can be optimally set by storing in advance in the control unit the relationship between the rotation speed of multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B and the conveying distance. Alternatively, a configuration can be adopted in which an optical sensor or the like is installed somewhere in lump food conveyor 2 to detect the actual conveying distance of bread chunks 100 while the control unit controls drive unit 24 and controls the rotation speed of multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B. Furthermore, if a pulse motor is used for drive unit 24, the control unit can control the rotation speed even more easily and accurately, and the intermittent conveying distance of bread chunks 100 can be made even more accurate.

[0096] There are no particular limitations on the various specifications of the multiple screw conveyors 21A, 21B provided in the chunk food conveying machine 2 of this embodiment, but for example, it is preferable to optimally set the pitch and feed angle of the screw threads 212 from the standpoint of enabling the bread chunks 100 to be transported stably and uniformly at an appropriate conveying speed.

[0097] According to the chunk food conveying machine 2 of this embodiment, the above-mentioned configuration makes it possible to convey a loaf of bread 100, for example, having a length of three loaves, an accurate distance corresponding to the desired thickness so that it can be sliced ​​to a thickness suitable for use in sandwiches, toast, etc.

[0098] For example, when a loaf of bread 100 having a length equivalent to three loaves is sliced ​​to a thickness used for thin sandwiches as handled in convenience stores, in-store bakeries, etc., the following thickness and number of slices may be used. For example, when a loaf of bread 100 having a length of 386 mm, width of 134 mm, and height of 122 mm, which is equivalent to three loaves, is sliced ​​in a process prior to the edge trimming process so as to produce bread pieces 101 for sandwich use with a cut size of 105 mm by 100 mm in a plan view, the bread pieces 101 are sliced ​​to a thickness of 9 mm, 11 mm, or 13 mm. Also, when the bread pieces 101 are used for sandwiches, the bread loaf 100 may be sliced ​​to a thickness of 15 mm.

[0099] Here, when a loaf of bread 100 having the size of three loaves as described above is conveyed by a conveying machine of a conventional configuration in which the loaf of bread is sandwiched between a pair of feed belts and conveyed as disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is difficult to properly slice the end (upper end) portion of the loaf of bread 100 because there is a separation between the feed belts and the loaf of bread. For this reason, when a conventional conveying machine is used, the end (upper end) portion of the loaf of bread 100 becomes waste, resulting in a problem of a reduced yield of bread pieces. According to experiments conducted by the present inventors, when a loaf of bread 100 of the above size is conveyed by a conveying machine of a conventional configuration having a pair of feed belts, the yield is 38 pieces when the loaf of bread 101 is sliced ​​to a thickness of 9 mm, 32 pieces when the loaf is sliced ​​to a thickness of 11 mm, and 27 pieces when the loaf is sliced ​​to a thickness of 13 mm.

[0100] In contrast, in an experiment in which the bread block 100 was conveyed by the lump food conveying machine 2 of this embodiment using the multiple screw conveyors 21A and 21B to slice the bread pieces 101 to a thickness of 9 mm, the yield was 40 pieces, when sliced ​​to a thickness of 11 mm, the yield was 33 pieces, and when sliced ​​to a thickness of 13 mm, the yield was 28 pieces. That is, by conveying the bread block 100 using the lump food conveying machine 2, the yield of the bread pieces 101 increased by about 1 to 2 pieces per loaf of bread having a size of 3 loaves, improving the yield by about 3 to 5%. From these experimental results, it was confirmed that by conveying the bread block 100 using the multiple screw conveyors 21A and 21B, it was possible to slice the bread block 100 to a desired thickness even at the position of the upper end (terminal end) of the bread block 100. Therefore, it was revealed that by conveying the bread block 100 using the lump food conveying machine 2 of this embodiment, the yield of the bread pieces 101 that can be used as products such as sandwiches can be increased, and the yield is improved.

[0101] In an experiment using a conveyor with the above-mentioned conventional configuration, when large caving occurs in the bread loaf 100, particularly when a long bread loaf 100 having the size of three loaves is conveyed and sliced, the yield of bread pieces 101 tended to decrease further. This is thought to be because, with a conveyor with a conventional configuration using a pair of feed belts, it is difficult to stabilize the conveying position when caving occurs in the bread loaf 100, making it difficult to obtain an appropriate slice thickness, particularly at the position of the upper end (terminal end) of the bread loaf 100.

[0102] <Action and effect> As described above, the lump food conveyor 2 of this embodiment employs a configuration including multiple screw conveyors 21 that clamp and convey lump food (bread chunks 100), making it possible to stably hold lump food and convey it an accurate distance. This makes it possible to prevent lump food such as bread chunks 100 from slipping off and to prevent poor slicing by the rotary slicer 3.

[0103] Furthermore, the food slicing device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with the chunk food conveying device 2 of this embodiment as described above, so as described above, it is possible to prevent chunk foods such as bread loaves 100 from slipping off and to prevent poor slicing in the rotary slicer 3, and also to improve the yield of food pieces such as bread pieces 101.

[0104] <Modifications of the present invention> Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the chunk food conveying machine and food slicing device of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present invention and the scope of the appended claims. Each of the modified examples of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0105] [Modification with auxiliary screw conveyor] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the lump food conveying machine is provided with only a plurality of screw conveyors 21 (21A, 21B) arranged in two pairs facing each other across a block of bread 100, which is a lump food, as shown in Figures 5A to 5C, etc., but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, it is also possible to adopt a configuration such as the example lump food conveying machine 20 shown in Figure 10, which further includes a plurality of auxiliary screw conveyors 28 arranged so as to be able to clamp a block of bread 100 (see Figure 5B) from a direction perpendicular to the elongated direction of the block of bread 100. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a chunk food conveyor 20 (conveying unit 20B) including a plurality of auxiliary screw conveyors 28 in addition to a plurality of screw conveyors 21. In the example shown in Figure 10, for convenience of illustration, only one of the pair of conveying units that make up the chunk food conveying apparatus 20, conveying unit 20B, is shown (corresponding to conveying unit 2B in the chunk food conveying apparatus 2 shown in Figures 5A and 5B).

[0106] 10, the auxiliary screw conveyor 28 has the same shape as the screw conveyor 21, that is, a screw shape as shown in the illustrated example is formed by having a screw thread 282 formed on the surface of a cylinder portion 281. Also, like the screw conveyor 21, the auxiliary screw conveyor 28 has a base end side (upper end side in the illustrated example) rotatably supported by a suspension portion 214 disposed at the upper part in the transport unit 20B, and is provided to be intermittently rotatable by a drive portion 24, although detailed illustration is omitted. Like the screw conveyor 21, the auxiliary screw conveyor 28 can be configured so that its rotation is controlled by a control unit (not shown) so that it rotates while at least a portion of the screw threads 282 bites into and contacts the bread loaves 100, and the rotation is controlled by a control unit (not shown) so as to guide the bread loaves 100 along their elongated direction while transporting them a predetermined distance. In addition, although the auxiliary screw conveyor 28 is not shown in Figure 10, similar to the screw conveyor 21, it can be configured to be able to move back and forth between a standby position away from the bread loaf 100 and a clamping position in contact with the bread loaf 100. Furthermore, the auxiliary screw conveyor 28 can be configured to rotate in synchronization with the screw conveyor 21 by controlling the rotation by the above-mentioned control unit.

[0107] Similarly to the screw conveyor 21, the auxiliary screw conveyor 28 also has a slit where the screw shape ends, at a position slightly lower than the middle part in the longitudinal direction in Fig. 10, and the cylinder shaft 215 is exposed at this slit. Similarly to the screw conveyor 21, the cylinder shaft 215 is inserted into a through hole (not shown) provided in the support frame 27, so that the auxiliary screw conveyor 28 can rotate in a stable position.

[0108] In the lump food conveyor 20 illustrated in Figure 10, auxiliary screw conveyors 28 are arranged between two pairs of screw conveyors 21, 21 (only one screw conveyor 21 is shown in Figure 10) that are arranged at a distance from each other, and are arranged in pairs to face each other across the block of bread 100. In this way, by providing at least one pair of auxiliary screw conveyors 28 in addition to the two pairs of screw conveyors 21, a total of six screw conveyors come into contact with the block of bread 100, which is a lump food. This allows for more stable conveyance without being affected by the characteristics of the block of bread, even if the length of the block of bread is large or the block of bread is soft, as will be described in detail later.

[0109] [Modification with a gap adjustment unit between two pairs of screw conveyors] In the above embodiment, a configuration including handle 23 (see FIG. 5A) for adjusting the distance between pair of conveying units 2A, 2B is described, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the present invention can also adopt a configuration including a distance adjustment unit for adjusting the distance between two pairs of screw conveyors arranged to be spaced apart from each other (see chunk food conveying machine 200 shown in FIGS. 5D, 5E, and 5F). For the example chunk food conveying machine 200 shown in FIGS. 5D, 5E, and 5F, only one of the pair of conveying units is shown for convenience of illustration (corresponding to conveying unit 2B in chunk food conveying machine 2 shown in FIG. 5A, etc.).

[0110] 5D, 5E, and 5F, detailed illustration of the interval adjustment unit is omitted, but for example, a configuration can be adopted in which the separation distance between two pairs of screw conveyors 21, 21 arranged to be spaced apart from each other can be changed by providing an extension mechanism whose length changes by operating a handle, similar to the structure shown in Fig. 5A. In this case, for example, by attaching the above-mentioned extension mechanism to support frames 27, 27 that support the two pairs of screw conveyors 21, 21, respectively, it is possible to configure a configuration in which the support frames 27, 27 and the two pairs of screw conveyors 21, 21 can be slid.

[0111] By providing the above-mentioned interval adjustment unit, it is possible to narrow the distance between the two pairs of screw conveyors 21, 21 in the sliding direction S shown in Figures 5D and 5F, or to widen the distance between the two pairs of screw conveyors 21, 21 in the direction opposite to the sliding direction S. This makes it possible to adjust the contact positions of the four screw conveyors 21 with the block of bread 100, which is a lumpy food, to optimal positions that allow the block of bread 100 to be stably held and transported, and also makes it possible to finely adjust the contact pressure and the amount of penetration of the screw conveyors 21 with the block of bread 100. Therefore, as in the above, even if the length dimension of the block of bread is large or the block of bread is soft, more stable transport is possible without being affected by each of these characteristics. Furthermore, although not shown in Figures 5D, 5E, and 5F, it is more preferable that the gap adjustment unit be configured to be able to simultaneously or individually adjust the axis distance between the pair of auxiliary screw conveyors 28 described above in addition to the two pairs of screw conveyors 21, 21.

[0112] [Effects obtained by having an auxiliary screw conveyor or a gap adjustment unit] The following explains how a chunk food conveying machine can transport chunk food (bread chunks) more stably by being equipped with an auxiliary screw conveyor or a spacing adjustment unit as described above in addition to multiple (two pairs) screw conveyors, and also discusses the problems with conveying machines of conventional configurations.

[0113] Generally, bread loaves are baked to a length equivalent to three loaves of square bread sold in stores, and then cut into loaves as needed, or conveyed to a slicer by a block food conveying machine as described above and sliced ​​into pieces. On the other hand, three-loaf-sized bread loaves are prone to size changes due to their length, and to changes in shape due to softness and caving (bending), which affect the texture of the bread. However, conventional conveying machines using a feed belt or the like are unable to handle these characteristics and cannot convey the loaves stably. In other words, in the case of a conveying machine that also uses the weight of a long loaf of bread to move vertically downward, a conventional conveying belt or the like is prone to changes in size (length) and deformation.

[0114] In the chunk food conveying machine of the present invention, first, by adopting a configuration in which chunk food (bread chunks) are conveyed by a screw conveyor, it is possible to stably convey chunk food such as bread chunks without damaging or causing the bread chunks to fall off, compared to conveying machines of conventional configurations. Furthermore, in the present invention, when the above-mentioned auxiliary screw conveyor or the gap adjustment unit between the two pairs of screw conveyors is provided, it is possible to effectively suppress changes in size and shape without being affected by the length or softness of the bread loaf. Furthermore, by providing the auxiliary screw conveyor or the gap adjustment unit, the conveying posture of the bread loaf 100 is stabilized, especially when large caving occurs in the bread loaf 100. This makes it possible to slice the bread loaf 100 to the desired thickness even at the top end (terminal end) position, and therefore the yield of bread pieces 101 is stably improved.

[0115] [Applications of bulk food conveyors] In the above embodiment, an example is described in which the chunk food conveying machine is applied to a food slicing device to convey chunks of bread as a chunk food and supply them to a slicer, but the invention is not limited to this and may be applied to any application that requires the conveying and supply of chunk food.

[0116] In the above embodiment, a block of bread is used as an example of a block of food, but the objects to be transported by the block food transport device of the present invention are not limited to blocks of bread. The block food transport device of the present invention can achieve the same effects as described above even when the objects to be transported are various block foods such as cheese, ham, sausage, solidified processed meat, or kamaboko, as well as marine products such as fresh fish or solidified processed marine products. The same is true for the food slicing device of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0117] The lump food conveying machine of the present invention can convey lump food a precise distance while stably guiding the lump food, and can prevent lump food such as loaves of bread from slipping off or poor slicing by a slicer. Therefore, the lump food conveying machine of the present invention is extremely suitable for conveying lump foods such as cheese, ham, sausage, solidified processed meat, and kamaboko, as well as for slicing marine products such as fresh fish or solidified processed marine products. [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 1...Food slicer 2,20,200…Bulk food conveyor 2A, 2B, 20B...Transport unit (pair of transport units) 2C...Unit base 25…Clearance hole 26...Export hole 21, 21A, 21B...Screw conveyor (multiple screw conveyors; pair of screw conveyors; two pairs of screw conveyors) 211…Cylinder section 211a...Proximal end 211b…Tip 212…Thread 213...Conveyor gear 214...Suspension part 215…Cylinder shaft 22...Food storage section 22A, 22B…Side wall 22a…Window section 22C...Wall (pair of walls) 23…Handle section 231,232...Support part 233…Adjustment shaft 28...Auxiliary screw conveyor (multiple screw conveyors; pair of auxiliary screw conveyors) 281…Cylinder section 282…Thread 24A…Motor 24B…Gearbox 240…First bevel gear 241...Transmission gear 242…Second bevel gear 243...Transmission shaft 244…First driving gear 245…Second driving gear 27…Support frame S…Slide direction 3...Rotary slicer (slicer) 31…Round-trip travel slots 31a...Straight rail 31b…Arm support rail 32...Slicer motor 33...Slicer rotation belt 33a…pulley 33b...Rotation axis 34…Bread slice guide 35…Bread loaf stopper 35a...Support 35b…Window hole 4…Slicer reciprocating drive 41...Fixed frame 41a...Straight guide 42...Reciprocating drive motor 43...Belt 44…Drive shaft 45…Rotating arm 45a...Tip 5...Transport conveyor 51...First conveyor belt 51a...Transport surface 52...Second belt conveyor (upstream conveyor) 52a...Transport surface 53...Third belt conveyor (downstream conveyor) 54…Fourth conveyor belt 6…Ear Dropper 61…Lifting frame 61a...Straight rail 61b... Vibration-proof member 62...Ear Dropping Blade 62a,62b,62c,62d...Blade body 63...Ear drop motor 64...Rotating plate 65...Swing arm 66…Fixed frame 66a...Straight guide 67...Elastic member 7. Crusher 71...Ear collection container 72...Crusher 8…Wind-powered conveyor 81…Blower 82…Pipe line 83…Bread crumb collection container 91...Bread loaf dispenser 92...Aligner 92a…Alignment board 92c…Air cylinder 93…Removal device 93a…Extrusion plate 93b...Air cylinder 93c…Bread scrap collection container 94…Butter applicator 94a…Hopper 94b...Transfer roller 94c...Auxiliary roller 100…Bread loaf (lump food) 101...Bread pieces (food pieces) 102...Ear part 103…Bread without crust 104...Breadcrumbs

Claims

1. A food lump conveying machine that holds and conveys elongated block-shaped food lump, a screw conveyor arranged in a plurality of units so as to be capable of gripping the lumpy food from a direction perpendicular to the elongated direction of the lumpy food, and for transporting the lumpy food a predetermined distance along the elongated direction; a drive unit for intermittently rotating the plurality of screw conveyors so as to convey the block of food the predetermined distance; The multiple screw conveyors rotate while at least a portion of the screw threads on each of the multiple screw conveyors are in contact with and bite into the bulk food, thereby guiding and transporting the bulk food along the elongated direction.

2. 2. The food lump transport machine according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of screw conveyors are arranged in at least one pair facing each other across the lump food.

3. 3. The food conveying machine according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of screw conveyors are capable of reciprocating between a standby position spaced apart from the food mass and a clamping position in contact with the food mass.

4. 3. The food lump conveyor according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of screw conveyors rotates synchronously.

5. 3. The food conveying machine according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit for controlling the rotation of the plurality of screw conveyors so as to convey the food chunks the predetermined distance along the elongated direction.

6. 3. The food lump conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of screw conveyors are arranged in two pairs, facing each other across the lump food, and the two pairs of screw conveyors are arranged so that each pair is spaced apart in the width direction of the lump food.

7. The food product conveyor further includes a plurality of auxiliary screw conveyors arranged so as to be able to hold the food product in a direction perpendicular to the elongated direction of the food product, 7. The food conveying machine according to claim 6, wherein the auxiliary screw conveyors are arranged in at least one pair between the two pairs of screw conveyors spaced apart from each other, and opposed to each other across the food mass.

8. 7. The food lump conveying machine according to claim 6, further comprising a space adjustment unit for adjusting the space between the two pairs of screw conveyors arranged spaced apart from each other.

9. 3. The food lump conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the food lump is a loaf of bread, and the plurality of screw conveyors convey the loaf of bread while guiding it along the elongated direction.

10. a lump food conveying machine for holding and conveying at least an elongated block-shaped lump food; a slicer for slicing the block of food conveyed and fed by the block of food conveyor into food pieces of a predetermined thickness, 3. A food slicing apparatus, comprising: a food conveying machine according to claim 1 or 2.

11. 11. The food slicing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the block food is a block of bread, the block food conveyor conveys and supplies the block of bread toward the slicer, and the slicer slices the block of bread into slices of a predetermined thickness.