Apparatus and method for processing foodstuff products

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) comprising: a multi-track conveyor unit (3) for conveying a plurality of foodstuff products in a main conveying direction; a multi-track packaging unit (5) located downstream of the conveyor unit (3) viewed in the main conveying direction; and a multi-track compensation unit (7) for providing a slice and / or a portion for compensating for one or more empty spaces in the packaging unit (5), wherein a slice and / or a portion can be conveyed, by means of a compensation device (9), from the compensation unit (7) to the packaging unit (5) in order to occupy the one or more empty spaces.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] title

[0003] Device and method for processing food products

[0004] State of the art

[0005] The invention is based on a device for processing food products with a multi-track conveyor unit and a multi-track packaging unit. Such devices are basically known from the prior art and are used to transport bar-shaped food products such as sausage or cheese, first cutting them into slices using so-called "slicers", then arranging them in a desired configuration to form portions and finally packaging them. Such devices have high cutting capacities. They cut the bar-shaped food products, for example, at up to 1,000 cuts per minute. The food products are transported in multiple tracks, i.e. parallel to one another, by means of the conveyor unit to a cutting plane in the region of a cutting element.In the cutting plane, the food products are sliced ​​by the cutting element, typically a rotating circular or sickle blade. The slice thickness is determined by the feed rate of the individual food products. The sliced ​​pieces are usually arranged and packaged in portions with a constant number of slices and / or according to their weight.

[0006] One problem with such devices is that gaps can arise, particularly due to the different lengths of the individual stick-shaped food products per lane or in multiple lanes. A gap refers to a missing slice and / or portion, particularly in a package. Prior art already provides methods or strategies by which the number of gaps can be minimized. However, these involve increased complexity, as, for example, an unnecessarily high level of regulation or control effort is required, particularly with regard to the slicer in combination with the feed speed of independent conveyor belts in the individual lanes. A further disadvantage of the prior art is that, for a smooth production process, the deployment of personnel in a safety area around the device may be necessary. Disclosure of the Invention

[0007] It is the object of the present invention to avoid the disadvantages mentioned in connection with the prior art and to provide a device of the type mentioned at the outset in which empty spaces are efficiently avoided or at least reduced and risks are eliminated or at least minimized.

[0008] The object of the present invention is achieved by a device for processing food products comprising a multi-track conveyor unit for transporting a plurality of food products along a main conveying direction, a multi-track packaging unit arranged downstream of the conveyor unit with respect to the main conveying direction, and a multi-track compensating unit for providing a slice and / or a portion for compensating one or more empty spaces in the packaging unit, wherein a slice and / or a portion can be transported from the compensating unit to the packaging unit by means of a compensating device to fill the one or more empty spaces.

[0009] The device according to the invention offers the advantage of full automation, meaning no personnel are required in the safety area, thus reducing and / or eliminating the risk of injury and production interruption. Furthermore, automation can result in the advantage of reducing the costs of the manufacturing process, particularly through lower labor costs. Furthermore, the device according to the invention eliminates the need for complicated coordination of individual conveyor belts with each other or for coordinating the feed speed of the individual conveyor belts with the slicer, since empty spaces are simply filled with the compensation device, thus efficiently preventing packages with empty spaces.

[0010] The compensating unit is - just like the conveyor unit and the packaging unit - preferably a multi-track unit, i.e. one comprising several conveyor belts, which provides slices and / or portions to compensate for one or more empty spaces in the packaging unit. The compensating unit can be arranged parallel, laterally or above the conveyor unit. Several compensating units are conceivable, in particular two compensating units, so that the compensating device can flexibly remove slices and / or portions from several points or areas in space and supply them to the empty spaces. A portion is understood to mean several slices. The compensating unit is preferably arranged close to the packaging unit in order to reduce the working path and thus the work / energy expenditure of the compensating device as much as possible.For example, an end section of the balancing unit can be arranged no further than half a meter from a starting section of the packaging unit. This has the advantage that the balancing device can be made small with low material and energy expenditure and takes up as little space as possible in the production plant. Furthermore, the balancing unit can be configured such that conveyor belts of the balancing unit are always arranged in a first, front row and a second row of the balancing unit arranged immediately behind the front row. If the first row is emptied by the balancing device, the conveyor belts of the balancing unit are driven so that the slices and / or portions of the previously second row are moved to the first row.This results in the advantage of fast production and packaging, as the balancing device can always remove slices and / or portions from the front row and supply them to the empty spaces with the shortest possible travel. In other words, the device can also be operated time-efficiently. The balancing device can also alternatively remove slices and / or portions from the second, third, fourth, etc. row.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the balancing device is a robot or a collaborative robot. The balancing device can, in particular, comprise a stationary base and a plurality of robot arm segments, wherein the robot arm segments are connected in series, wherein two adjacent robot arm segments are each connected to one another by means of a robot arm joint. It is also conceivable for the base or robot to be designed to be translationally movable in space, for example along a rail. The balancing device can preferably be designed as a six-axis robot. Thus, an end effector (tool center point), in particular designed as a gripper or pliers, can be translationally and rotationally movable about all three spatial axes. The balancing device can preferably be arranged within the safety zone, in particular within one meter of the packaging unit.

[0012] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the presence and precise position of a void can be determined by an evaluation unit based on information from a position detection sensor. The position detection sensor can, in particular, determine the position of the bar-shaped food products, in particular their starting and ending positions. The evaluation unit can, based on information from the position detection sensor, determine in which lane a void is present. Furthermore, the evaluation unit can, in turn, transmit determined and / or calculated data, in particular regarding the position of a void, as output variables to the compensation device, either wired or wirelessly.

[0013] A further or alternative embodiment of the invention provides that the presence and precise position of a void can be determined by means of a void detection sensor for detecting a void in the packaging unit. The void detection sensor can preferably be designed as an optical sensor, in particular as a camera with an integrated additional evaluation unit. Furthermore, the void detection sensor can be arranged directly above or laterally above the packaging unit. The void detection sensor can be aligned in or against the main conveying direction. In addition, it can be arranged so as to be flexibly movable, for example, translationally along another rail. To detect and / or avoid voids, the position detection sensor and the void detection sensor can in particular be used in combination, thus creating redundancy for void detection.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that an incorrect position of a slice and / or portion in the packaging unit can be detected by means of the empty space detection sensor. An incorrect position is understood to mean any position of a slice and / or portion that deviates from the optimal position within a package.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the position of a slice and / or a portion in the packaging unit can be adjusted by means of the compensation device. The compensation device can advantageously make a correction and eliminate the incorrect position or incorrect positioning of the slice and / or portion. Any deficiencies in the packaging closure, for example, resulting from a slice protruding beyond a packaging edge, can thus be avoided.

[0016] A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that a slice and / or a portion can be removed from the packaging unit by means of the compensating device. By removing a slice from the packaging unit, excess slices that have been mistakenly placed in the packaging can be removed. This circumstance can be understood as a component of quality control. In particular, this allows for the flexible adjustment of the correct portion and / or packaging weight, which can be achieved due to variable cross-sectional starting and ending sections of food products.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that by means of the compensating device a slice and / or a portion can be transported to a position of the packaging unit which differs from an empty position, in particular to increase the weight of a portion.

[0018] A further subject of the invention is a method for processing food products, wherein a plurality of food products are transported by means of a multi-track conveyor unit along a main conveying direction to a multi-track packaging unit, wherein a slice and / or a portion are transported from a multi-track compensation unit to the packaging unit by means of a compensation device to occupy one or more empty spaces in the packaging unit.

[0019] The method according to the invention results in the same advantages and technical effects that have already been described in connection with the device according to the invention and its embodiments. The aforementioned advantages and technical effects can be applied individually or in combination.

[0020] In one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the presence and an exact position of a vacancy is determined by means of an evaluation unit on the basis of information from a position detection sensor.

[0021] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the presence and an exact position of a void is determined by means of a void detection sensor for detecting a void in the packaging unit.

[0022] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, an incorrect position of a slice and / or a portion in the packaging unit is detected by means of the empty space detection sensor. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a position of a slice and / or a portion in the packaging unit is changed by means of the compensation device.

[0023] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that a disc is removed from the packaging unit by means of the compensating device.

[0024] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that by means of the compensating device a slice and / or a portion is transported to a position of the packaging unit which differs from an empty position, in particular to increase the weight of a portion.

[0025] Further details, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawings and the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. The drawings merely illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention, which do not limit the essential inventive concept.

[0026] Short description of the drawings

[0027] Figure 1a shows a device for processing food products according to the prior art at a time ti a .

[0028] Figure 1b shows the device from Figure 1a at a time t > ti a .

[0029] Figure 1c shows the device from Figures 1a and 1b to a

[0030] Time ti c > t .

[0031] Figure 2a shows a first embodiment of an inventive

[0032] Device for processing food products at a time t2 a .

[0033] Figure 2b shows the device from Figure 2a at a time t2b > t2a.

[0034] Figure 2c shows the device from Figures 2a and 2b at a time t2c > t2b. Figure 2d shows the device from Figures 2a to 2c at a time t2d > t2c.

[0035] Figure 2e shows the device from Figures 2a to 2d at a time t2e > t2d-

[0036] Figure 2f shows the device from Figures 2a to 2e at a time t2f > t2e.

[0037] Figure 3a shows a second embodiment of an inventive

[0038] Device wherein a portion in the packaging unit has an incorrect position.

[0039] Figure 3b shows the device from Figure 3a after a position correction of a portion.

[0040] Embodiments of the invention

[0041] In the various figures, identical parts are always provided with the same reference symbols and are therefore usually named or mentioned only once.

[0042] Figure 1a shows schematically a device 1 for processing food products 2 according to the prior art at a time ti ashown. The device 1 comprises a multi-lane conveyor unit 3 for transporting a plurality of food products 2 along a main conveying direction H. Furthermore, the device 1 comprises a multi-lane packaging unit 5 arranged downstream of the conveyor unit 3 with respect to the main conveying direction H. Various units are arranged in front of, i.e. upstream of, the packaging unit 5, which units can be comprised by the conveyor unit 3 or formed separately. In a cutting plane S, the rod-shaped food products 2 can be cut into slices 24 and arranged into differently configured portions 22. Downstream of the cutting plane S, the slices 24 and / or the portions 22 can be weighed, for example, in a weighing unit and / or sorted out by a sorting unit.The conveyor unit 3 and the packaging unit 5 each have four tracks, with one food product 2 arranged per track, whereby each food product 2 can be used to produce slices 24 and portions 22. In Figure 1a, a complete portion 22 comprises exactly four slices 24. Four portions 22, one per track, each arranged perpendicular to the main conveying direction, form a product line 20.

[0043] The food products 2 in Figure 1a each have, at least in part, different lengths. These different lengths lead to a problem in the prior art.

[0044] Figure 1b shows the device 1 from Figure 1a at a later time t1b than at time t1a. The third lane—relative to Figure 1a—from the top has the shortest food product 2. As a result, said food product 2 is most likely to be used up due to conveyance in the main conveying direction H and cutting into slices 24. Therefore, the third lane is the most likely to become empty. While conveyor belts F of all four lanes continue to operate and food products 2 in the first, second, and fourth lanes continue to be cut into slices 24, empty spaces L arise in the third lane. A empty space denotes the absence of a slice 24 and / or a portion 22.

[0045] Figure 1c shows the device 1 from Figures 1a and 1b at a later point in time ti cthan at time t from Figure 1b. As a result of the empty spaces L formed downstream of the packaging unit 5, empty spaces L also arise in the packaging unit 5. Since empty or partially empty packages cannot be sold, the invention described below attempts to minimize empty spaces L in the packaging unit.

[0046] Figure 2a shows a first embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention for processing food products 2 at a time t2a. According to the invention, the device 1 has a multi-track compensating unit 7 for providing a slice 24 and / or a portion 22 to compensate for one or more empty spaces L in the packaging unit 5. Furthermore, according to the invention, the device 1 has a compensating device 9 designed as a robot, wherein by means of the compensating device 9 a slice 24 and / or a portion 22 can be transported from the compensating unit 7 to the packaging unit 5 to fill the one or more empty spaces L. The compensating device 9 can alternatively also be designed as a collaborative robot. The compensating device 9 has an end effector designed as a gripper and, in Figure 2a, picks up a portion 22 from a first, front product row 20 of the compensating unit 7.Subsequently, the compensating device 9 transports the portion 22 picked up at time t2a to a frontmost product row 20 of the packaging unit 5 and occupies a vacancy L with said portion 22, so that a completely filled package is created instead of an empty one (Figure 2b). Subsequently, the compensating device 9 picks up another portion 22 from the compensating unit 7 (Figure 2c) and occupies another vacancy L in the packaging unit 5 with the last picked portion 22 (Figure 2d).

[0047] In Figure 2e, the portions 22 previously formed as a second product line 20 in Figures 2a to 2d are moved along the main conveying direction H and thus to a new, first, front product line. Analogous to the explanations in Figures 2a to 2d, the two remaining empty spaces L in the packaging unit 5 are each filled with one portion 22 (Figure 2f). Overall, the device 1 according to the invention achieves the advantage of full automation, so that no personnel are required in a safety area on and around the device 1, thereby reducing and / or eliminating the risk of injury and the risk of production interruption. Furthermore, the automation can result in the advantage of a cost reduction in the manufacturing process, in particular by reducing labor costs.In addition, by means of the device 1 according to the invention, empty spaces L are filled in a simple manner with the compensating device 9. In this respect, packaging with empty spaces L can be efficiently avoided.

[0048] Figure 3a shows a second embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention, wherein a portion 22 in the packaging unit 5 is incorrectly positioned. The second embodiment comprises a void detection sensor 15 designed as a camera. The void detection sensor 15 is directed in the main conveying direction H and can detect the packaging unit 5, packages arranged therein, outlines and corner points of both the packaging unit 5 and the package. Alternatively, the void detection sensor 15 can also be directed counter to the main conveying direction H. Furthermore, the void detection sensor 15 can be arranged above or laterally of the packaging unit 5. In particular, the void detection sensor 15 can detect not only voids L but also incorrect positions of slices 24 and / or portions 22.In Figure 3a, such an incorrect position of a portion 22 is detected, and a corresponding signal is transmitted to the compensation device 9 as an output variable. The compensation device 9 then corrects the incorrect position and transports the portion 22 to a correct position within the associated package (Figure 3b). As a result of the corrected position of a disc 24 and / or portion 22, the closure or lamination of the package can also be carried out efficiently.

[0049] The compensating device 9 can also remove a slice 24 and / or a portion 22 from the packaging unit 5, for example, to avoid excess and unnecessary weight in a package. Likewise, the compensating device 9 can transport a slice 24 and / or a portion 22 to a location in the packaging unit 5 other than an empty location L, in particular to an incomplete package, in particular to increase the weight of an incomplete portion 22. For this purpose, the compensating device 9 can remove a slice 24 or a portion 22 either from the compensating unit 7 or from a package.

[0050] List of reference symbols

[0051] 1 device

[0052] 2 food products

[0053] 3 conveyor unit

[0054] 5 packaging units

[0055] 7 Compensation unit

[0056] 9 Compensation device

[0057] 15 Void detection sensor

[0058] 20 product lines

[0059] 22 servings

[0060] 24 slices

[0061] F conveyor belt

[0062] H Main conveying direction

[0063] L blank space

[0064] S cutting plane

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Device (1) for processing food products, comprising a multi-lane conveyor unit (3) for transporting a plurality of food products along a main conveying direction, a multi-lane packaging unit (5) arranged downstream of the conveyor unit (3) with respect to the main conveying direction, and a single- or multi-lane compensating unit (7) for providing a slice and / or a portion to compensate for one or more empty spaces in the packaging unit (5), wherein the portions can be lined up and provided in one or more lanes, wherein a slice and / or a portion can be transported from the compensating unit (7) to the packaging unit (5) to fill the one or more empty spaces by means of a compensating device (9).

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the balancing device (9) is a robot or a collaborative robot.

3. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the presence and an exact position of a vacancy can be determined by means of an evaluation unit (11) on the basis of information from a position detection sensor (13).

4. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the presence and an exact position of a void can be determined by means of a void detection sensor (15) for detecting a void in the packaging unit (5).

5. Device (1) according to claim 4, wherein an incorrect position of a slice and / or a portion in the packaging unit (5) can be determined by means of the empty space detection sensor (15).

6. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a position of a slice and / or a portion in the packaging unit (5) can be changed by means of the compensating device (9).

7. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a disc can be removed from the packaging unit (5) by means of the compensating device (9).

8. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein by means of the compensating device (9) a slice and / or a portion can be transported into a position of the packaging unit (5) which differs from an empty position, in particular to increase the weight of a portion.

9. A method for processing food products, wherein a plurality of food products are transported by means of a multi-track conveyor unit (3) along a main conveying direction to a multi-track packaging unit (5), wherein a slice and / or a portion are transported from a multi-track compensating unit (7) to the packaging unit (5) by means of a compensating device (9) to occupy one or more empty spaces in the packaging unit (5).

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the presence and an exact position of a vacancy is determined by means of an evaluation unit (11) on the basis of information from a position detection sensor (13).

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the presence and an exact position of a void is determined by means of a void detection sensor (15) for detecting a void in the packaging unit (5).

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein an incorrect position of a slice and / or a portion in the packaging unit (5) is determined by means of the empty space detection sensor (15).

13. Method according to one of claims 9 to 12, wherein a position of a slice and / or a portion in the packaging unit (5) is changed by means of the compensating device (9).

14. Method according to one of claims 9 to 13, wherein a disc is removed from the packaging unit (5) by means of the compensating device (9).

15. Method according to one of claims 9 to 14, wherein by means of the compensating device (9) a slice and / or a portion is transported into a position of the packaging unit (5) which differs from an empty position, in particular to increase the weight of a portion.

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