Method for operating a rotationally driven cutting blade on a slicing device and a slicing device

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a rotationally driven cutting blade (4) on a slicing device (1) for cutting one or more foodstuffs (2) into foodstuff portions (3a, b), the slicing device (1) having at least one cutting operation and one idle cutting operation, the cutting operation having a working mode in which a drive unit (5) rotationally drives the cutting blade (4) in the working mode and the cutting blade (4) cuts the one or more foodstuffs (2) into foodstuff portions (3a, b), wherein the slicing device (1) switches to the idle cutting operation between two foodstuff portions (3a, b) to be produced or when a temporary cutting stop is initiated, characterised in that the drive unit (5) can switch to an energy-saving mode in idle cutting operation.

Description

[0001] Method for operating a rotating driven cutting blade on a cutting device and a cutting device

[0002] The invention relates to a method for operating a rotating cutting blade on a cutting device. The invention further relates to a cutting device.

[0003] Slicing devices are preferably used in the industrial processing of food, whereby the slicing device can cut food, especially food bars, into portions. For this purpose, the slicing devices have a cutting blade and a drive unit, wherein the cutting blade cuts the food into portions and can be driven by the drive unit.

[0004] It is already known that slicing devices for producing and / or transporting food portions perform blank cuts, during which the cutting blade continues to be driven, but no food portions are separated. Particularly at higher throughputs, blank cuts are introduced between food portions to transport the food portions and / or the food itself so that the slicing process can begin with the next food portion. For this purpose, the cutting blade can either be moved out of a cutting plane by means of a blank cut drive or an adjustment device, and / or the food can be moved in a direction opposite to the cutting blade, or the food can be stopped before reaching the cutting plane. The cutting blade is continuously driven by the drive unit.Therefore, no food portions are produced during a blank cut, and the cutting blade continues to rotate. This has a significantly negative impact on the energy consumption of the slicing device and consequently on its efficiency.

[0005] Against this background, the task arises to provide an energy-efficient method for cutting food.

[0006] The problem is solved by a method for operating a rotating driven cutting blade on a slicing device for cutting one or more foodstuffs into food portions, wherein the slicing device has at least one cutting operation and one idle cutting operation, wherein the cutting operation has an operating mode in which a drive unit drives the cutting blade in a rotating manner and the cutting blade cuts the one or more foodstuffs into food portions, wherein the slicing device switches to idle cutting operation between two food portions to be produced or in the event of a temporary initiated cutting stop, wherein the drive unit can switch to an energy-saving mode in idle cutting operation.

[0007] The method according to the invention has the advantage that energy for driving the cutting blade can be saved via the drive unit in energy-saving mode. Furthermore, no significant energy expenditure is required to accelerate the cutting blade back to a desired speed, in particular the rated speed, for the operating mode, since a cutting blade continues to rotate due to its inertia, at least for a certain period of time. For example, the cutting blades of slicing devices, which are particularly designed for processing larger quantities of food, can experience less negative acceleration due to the higher inertia of the cutting blade. While the drive unit is in energy-saving mode, it consumes less energy or preferably no energy at all.Thus, the energy-saving mode has a positive effect on the energy consumption of the cutting device and, by reducing energy costs, enables a more economical process. Furthermore, this advantage can be amplified in industrial applications, where there may be a potentially higher number or frequency of blank cuts.

[0008] According to the invention, the method comprises a slicing device for cutting several foodstuffs, in particular food bars, into food portions. The foodstuffs are preferably cheese, sausage, or meat. For this purpose, the slicing device comprises at least one cutting blade and a drive unit, wherein the drive unit can rotate the cutting blade. A distinction can be made between the cutting operation and the idle cutting operation. The cutting operation comprises a working mode in which the cutting blade is rotated by the drive unit and at least one foodstuff is cut into food portions, preferably slices. Furthermore, the slicing device comprises the idle cutting operation, wherein the slicing device switches to the idle cutting operation between two food portions to be produced or upon a temporary cutting stop.According to the invention, the idle cutting operation includes an energy-saving mode, wherein the drive unit can switch to this energy-saving mode during idle cutting operation. The cutting stop can be initiated externally, particularly temporarily, preferably via a signal from a user or the cutting device. More preferably, this signal can initiate a feed stop or cutting stop of the cutting device, whereby the cutting device switches to idle cutting operation, preferably to the energy-saving mode, particularly until the signal is canceled. In energy-saving mode, the drive unit advantageously has a reduced energy consumption. Depending on the duration of the set energy-saving mode, the rotational speed of the cutting blade is advantageously reduced only slightly, so that re-acceleration to a preferred nominal speed for the operating mode is possible with low energy expenditure.The magnitude of the speed drop during shutdown can depend on the inertia of the cutting blade and the bearing of the cutting blade.

[0009] Preferably, during the empty cutting operation, the cutting blade is moved out of a cutting plane by means of an adjustment device and / or an empty cutting drive, particularly in a direction opposite to that of the food. Alternatively or additionally, during the empty cutting operation, the food can be stopped at its current position upstream of the cutting plane or moved in a direction opposite to that of the cutting blade. The cutting blade preferably interacts with a cutting edge, wherein the cutting edge is, for example, a front end of a conveying unit or a rear end of a product support, which together can define the cutting plane in which food portions are separated from the food.

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the power output of the drive unit is reduced in energy-saving mode. Preferably, the drive unit comprises an electric motor for driving the cutting blade. In energy-saving mode, the power output of the electric motor can preferably be regulated, and in particular reduced, in such a way as to minimize the electric motor's energy consumption. Power regulation can be achieved, for example, by controlling the current supply, voltage, pulse duration (in the case of pulse-width modulation), frequency, speed, or torque of the electric motor. The speed and / or power and / or torque are preferably adjustable via the current supply, applied voltage, pulse duration, or frequency of the electric motor. The term "power" can refer to both the power input and the power output of the drive unit.According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the power output of the drive unit in energy-saving mode is in a power range between 0 and 20%, preferably 0.1 and 10%, particularly preferably 0.5 and 5% of the power output of the drive unit in operating mode. Advantageously, the power output of the drive unit in energy-saving mode can be significantly lower than the power output of the drive unit in operating mode.

[0011] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the torque and / or speed and / or voltage and / or rotational speed and / or pulse duration during pulse width modulation of the drive unit in energy-saving mode lies in a range between 0 to 20%, preferably 0.1 to 10%, particularly preferably 0.5 to 5% of the respective variable to be controlled by the drive unit in operating mode.

[0012] Preferably, the torque of the drive unit in energy-saving mode is in a range of 0 to 2 Nm, preferably 0.5 to 1.5 Nm.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the drive unit is at least temporarily switched off in energy-saving mode. To simplify any control of the drive unit and simultaneously minimize its energy consumption, the drive unit can be switched off at least temporarily in energy-saving mode. This temporary switching off of the drive unit can preferably be performed several times in energy-saving mode for a predefined duration. This ensures that the drive unit does not require more energy to accelerate the cutting blade back to operating speed than is saved by the energy-saving mode.

[0014] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cutting blade has a cutting speed during cutting operation and an idle speed during idle operation, the idle speed preferably being at least temporarily lower than the cutting speed. The cutting speed and the idle speed can be understood as the rotational speed of the cutting blade currently present in the respective operation or mode. In energy-saving mode, the energy consumption of the drive unit can be reduced such that the idle speed is at least partially lower than the cutting speed. Advantageously, this reduces the energy consumption of the drive unit. For example, by temporarily switching off the drive unit during idle operation, the idle speed is at least temporarily lower than the cutting speed, in particular the rated speed.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cutting device is configured such that at least one rotational speed measurement takes place, whereby the cutting speed and / or the idle speed of the cutting blade is measured. The rotational speed measurement preferably includes the rotational speed of the drive unit and / or the cutting blade. The cutting speed and / or the idle speed are preferably measured in the respective mode. For measuring the rotational speed, the cutting device can have a rotational speed sensor, wherein the rotational speed sensor is preferably arranged either on the cutting blade or arranged on the cutting device in such a way that the rotational speed sensor can measure the rotational speed of the cutting blade in the respective mode.Alternatively or additionally, a speed sensor can be arranged on the cutting device in such a way that the speed sensor can measure the speed of the drive unit in the respective mode, or the speed sensor is arranged directly on the drive unit.

[0016] Advantageously, the speed of the cutting blade can be determined from the speed of the drive unit.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the drive unit is controlled in energy-saving mode such that the idle speed of the cutting blade is maintained within a predefined speed range during idle operation. This allows the cutting blade to be advantageously accelerated as needed, ensuring that the idle speed remains within this predefined range. The predefined speed range can be designed according to the cutting blade and / or the food being cut. For example, a cutting blade with high inertia may preferably have a higher predefined speed range, particularly to reduce the energy required to accelerate the cutting blade to the cutting speed.The predefined speed range can have upper and lower speed limits, with the drive unit being controlled such that the idle speed of the cutting blade remains within these limits. For example, the drive unit can be specifically controlled in energy-saving mode by adjusting the current draw, voltage, pulse duration, frequency, and / or power to maintain the speed within the predefined range. Alternatively or additionally, control can be achieved by temporarily switching the drive on and off. This control has a positive effect on the energy consumption of the drive unit, as it requires less energy in energy-saving mode than during cutting operations.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the drive unit is switched on during idle operation when a predefined lower speed limit is undershot, and the idle speed of the cutting blade is accelerated, in particular such that the idle speed of the cutting blade is greater than the predefined lower speed limit. Thus, the cutting blade can advantageously be accelerated only as needed, so that the idle speed remains above the predefined lower speed limit. The lower speed limit can be designed depending on the cutting blade and / or the food being cut. Advantageously, a compromise can be reached between the energy savings of the drive unit when switched off and the energy expenditure required to accelerate the idle speed to the cutting speed.

[0019] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is conceivable that the idle cutting operation, in addition to the energy-saving mode, has at least one maintenance mode, wherein in the maintenance mode the drive unit is temporarily accelerated and / or controlled in such a way that no significant energy expenditure is required to resume the operating mode. The energy-saving mode can include the energy-saving measures, and the maintenance mode can include temporary interventions in the control of the drive unit. Thus, with minimal energy expenditure in the maintenance mode, the drive unit can be in a state of rapid resumption of cutting operation during idle cutting operation.

[0020] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the drive unit is temporarily switched off and / or on during idle operation depending on a time or time range, in particular periodically. Such a method is simple and cost-effective to implement.

[0021] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the predefined speed range or the predefined lower speed limit is selected depending on the food product and / or the cutting blade. Preferably, the cutting blade is a circular blade or a sickle blade. The cutting blade can be defined essentially by its size, thickness, material, cutting edge, weight, and / or shape, these factors particularly affecting the inertia of the cutting blade. The inertia can preferably affect the negative acceleration of the cutting blade when the drive unit is temporarily switched off. Higher inertia results in lower negative acceleration, while lower inertia requires less energy to return to the cutting speed.Alternatively or additionally, the predefined speed range or the predefined lower speed limit can depend on the food being cut, whereby the food being cut can dictate a cutting speed and this in turn affects the predefined speed range or the predefined lower speed limit.

[0022] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the predefined lower speed range or the predefined lower speed limit is selected such that the cutting speed is reached again within a predetermined time range, in particular within one to a maximum of five, preferably two to four, rotor revolutions. The predetermined time range can be specified, in particular, in rotor revolutions of the cutting blade. Advantageously, the cutting speed can thus be reached again quickly. The cutting speed can preferably refer to the cutting speed last present before the transition to idle cutting operation.

[0023] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the slicing device comprises a conveying unit and a product tray, wherein the conveying unit is arranged upstream of the cutting blade and the product tray is arranged downstream of the cutting blade. The conveying unit transports the food to the cutting blade, and the product tray collects and removes the food portions. The conveying unit can be understood as the supplier of the food to the cutting blade, and the product tray as the receiver of the food portions. The conveying unit preferably transports the food to the cutting blade in such a way that the food crosses the cutting plane, particularly essentially perpendicular to the cutting plane. The product tray can collect the sliced ​​food portions and remove them. A food portion can consist of one or more sliced ​​food items.Preferably, the conveying unit can transport the food to the cutting blade during cutting operation and, during empty cutting operation, stop the transport of the food and / or move the food away from the cutting blade in the opposite direction. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the conveying unit and / or the product support has one or more parallel tracks, each of which transports at least one food item and / or one food portion. Several tracks can preferably be arranged substantially parallel to each other and each transport at least one food item. The food items on a track are preferably arranged one behind the other in a transport direction. A track can consist of one or more driven conveyor belts, which transport the food to the cutting blade or transport the food products away from the cutting blade.

[0024] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, a track is provided that it has at least one lower and one upper conveyor belt, wherein the lower and the upper conveyor belts are arranged such that the foodstuff can be transported between the lower and the upper conveyor belts. Particularly preferred is the lower and / or the upper conveyor belt being height-adjustable. Thus, the distance between the lower and the upper conveyor belt can be adjusted depending on the foodstuff to be transported.

[0025] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the drive unit is designed as an electric motor, which can switch to an energy-saving mode during idle operation. Preferably, the energy supply to the electric motor can be temporarily stopped and / or regulated, in particular reduced, so that the drive unit has reduced energy consumption. This energy saving has a positive effect on the energy consumption of the cutting device.

[0026] A further object of the invention is a slicing device for cutting several foodstuffs into food portions, comprising a rotating cutting blade and a drive unit, wherein the slicing device has at least one cutting operation and one idle cutting operation, wherein the cutting operation has a working mode and the slicing device is configured such that the drive unit rotates the cutting blade in working mode and the cutting blade cuts the one or more foodstuffs into food portions, and wherein the slicing device switches to idle cutting operation between two food portions to be produced or in the event of a temporary cutting stop, wherein the drive unit can switch to an energy-saving mode in idle cutting operation.The same advantages and effects can be achieved with the cutting device as have already been described in connection with the method according to the invention. The advantageous embodiments and features described in connection with the method according to the invention can also be applied to the cutting device, alone or in combination.

[0027] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cutting device comprises a conveying unit and a product support, wherein the conveying unit is arranged upstream of the cutting blade and the product support is arranged downstream of the cutting blade. Preferably, the conveying unit and the product support have a conveying direction, wherein the conveying direction for the food and the food portions extends in the same direction. Preferably, the conveying direction directs the food towards the cutting blade and the food portions away from the cutting blade.

[0028] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the drive unit comprises an electric motor, wherein the electric motor is switched off at least temporarily in energy-saving mode.

[0029] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the slicing device is configured such that the slicing operation and the idle slicing operation are repeatedly performed for any number of food items. The slicing device can thus have an idle slicing cycle time or frequency, and in particular, it can switch more frequently between the slicing mode and the idle slicing operation. This is especially relevant when producing a large number of food portions or slicing foods. This advantageously increases the energy savings per idle slicing operation.

[0030] Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings. These show:

[0031] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a

[0032] Cutting device;

[0033] Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the

[0034] Cutting device; and Fig. 3a, b schematic representations of a multi-lane conveyor unit and product support of a cutting device.

[0035] Fig. 1 shows a schematic slicing device 1. The slicing device 1 can cut one or more food items 2 into food portions 3a, 3b by means of a rotating cutting blade 4, for example, a sickle blade or a circular blade. The cutting blade 4 can be driven by a drive unit 5. The slicing device 1 can have at least two different operating modes. In a cutting mode, or in a working mode encompassed by the cutting mode, the drive unit 5 rotates the cutting blade 4, and the cutting blade 4 cuts the food item(s) 2 into food portions 3a, b. Alternatively, the slicing device 1 can switch to a blank cutting mode between two food portions 3a, b to be produced, or during a temporary cutting stop.In the empty-cutting mode, a blank cut can be performed in which the cutting blade 4 does not cut any food 2 into food portions 3a, b. The advantage of the invention lies in the fact that during the empty-cutting mode, the drive unit 5 can switch to an energy-saving mode, so that no unnecessary energy is consumed. Unnecessary energy can be energy that is expended and does not generate a direct output (here, food portions 3a, b). It is conceivable that the cutting device 1 combines several food items 2 into one food portion 3a, b or cuts several food portions 3a, b from one food item 2.

[0036] Figure 1 shows that the cutting blade 4 can be connected to the drive unit 5 via a blade holder 9. The drive unit 4 is preferably designed as an electric motor and can be switched off, at least temporarily, particularly in energy-saving mode. The food product 2 can be transported to the cutting blade 4 via a conveyor unit 6. After the food product 2 has been cut into food portions 3a, b, the food portions 3a, b can be collected and transported away by means of a product tray 7. The product tray 7 and the conveyor unit 6 are preferably designed as one or more conveyor belts, which can be driven by at least one motor. The conveyor unit 6 is arranged upstream of the cutting blade 4 and preferably transports the food product 2 in such a way that it crosses a cutting plane of the cutting blade 4. The product tray 7 is arranged downstream of the cutting blade 4.

[0037] Furthermore, Fig. 1 shows an adjustment movement 8a of the cutting blade 4. The adjustment movement 8 can enable a blank cut by moving the cutting blade 4 out of the cutting plane and thus ceasing to cut the food 2. For this purpose, the cutting blade 4 can be moved away from the conveying unit 6 by means of a blank cut drive or an adjustment device. Alternatively or additionally, the blank cut can be generated by moving the food 2 in the opposite direction away from the cutting blade 4 or by stopping the food 2 in its current position. The cutting blade 4 preferably interacts with a cutting edge, wherein the cutting edge is, for example, a front end of a conveying unit 6 or a rear end of a product support, which together can define the cutting plane in which food portions 3a, b are separated from the food 2.

[0038] The cutting blade 4 can have a cutting speed, in particular a nominal speed, during cutting operation and an idle speed during idle cutting operation. Due to the energy-saving mode of the drive unit according to the invention, the idle speed can be lower than the cutting speed, for example, by selectively controlling the power. The cutting speed and the idle speed are preferably only the speeds of the cutting blade 4 present in the respective mode, in particular those measured. The cutting device 1 is preferably configured such that at least one speed measurement takes place, whereby the cutting speed and / or the idle speed of the cutting blade 4 are measured.This detection can be achieved in particular by a speed sensor, wherein the speed sensor is arranged on the cutting device 1 such that the rotational speed of the cutting blade 4 can be measured directly or determined indirectly. It is conceivable that the drive unit 5 has an additional maintenance mode during idle cutting operation, which briefly accelerates the drive unit 5, for example by temporarily switching it back on or by selectively controlling the drive unit 5 during idle cutting operation. In this way, the idle cutting speed of the cutting blade 4 can be maintained within a predefined speed range or at or substantially above a lower speed limit during idle cutting operation. For this purpose, the drive unit 5 can be briefly switched on, particularly in a time-dependent manner, when the lower speed limit is undershot, and the cutting blade 4 can be accelerated again.The lower speed limit and / or the predefined speed range can preferably be designed depending on the foodstuff 2 and / or the cutting blade 4. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the predefined lower speed range or the predefined lower speed limit is selected such that the cutting speed is reached again within a predetermined time range, in particular within one to a maximum of five, preferably two to four, rotor revolutions. The predetermined time range in which the cutting blade can be accelerated back to the cutting speed is preferably designed to be as short as possible, so that the slicing device 1 can quickly transition to slicing operation. The control of the drive unit 5 can in particular include power control, wherein the power can preferably be controlled via the current consumption, the voltage, the pulse duration, and / or the frequency of the drive unit 5.The power rating can preferably describe the power input of the drive unit 5. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the power rating describes the power output of the drive unit 5. Preferably, the drive unit 5 is controlled such that its power rating in energy-saving mode lies within a range of 0 to 20%, preferably 0.1 to 10%, and particularly preferably 0.5 to 5% of its power rating in operating mode. Alternatively, such control can also be achieved, for example, via the torque. More preferably, the drive unit 5 can be controlled such that its torque in energy-saving mode lies within a range of 0 to 2 Nm, preferably 0.5 to 1.5 Nm.

[0039] Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of the slicing device 1 according to the invention. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in the adjustment movement 8b of the food 2 and the upper conveying unit 6'. An adjustment movement 8b of the food 2, as shown in Fig. 2, would also be possible with the slicing device 1 according to the first embodiment, but is only explained here in connection with the second embodiment.

[0040] The upper conveying unit 6' can be arranged essentially parallel to the conveying unit 6, with the upper conveying unit 6' being positioned above the foodstuff 2. Preferably, the upper conveying unit 6' and the conveying unit 6 are arranged such that the foodstuff 2 can be transported between the upper conveying unit 6' and the conveying unit 6, and in particular, the foodstuff 2 is in direct contact with the upper conveying unit 6' and the conveying unit 6. For this purpose, the upper conveying unit 6' and the conveying unit 6 are preferably height-adjustable. Furthermore, the upper conveying unit 6' can be driven by a motor, and in particular, both the upper conveying unit 6' and the conveying unit 6 are driven by a motor.

[0041] Figures 3a and 3b show a multi-lane conveyor unit 6 and a product support 7. The product support 7 can be moved essentially parallel to the cutting blade 4. Figures 3a and 3b show several food items 2 (A, B) arranged in parallel, each on its own track and, in particular, movable independently of the others. The food items 2 are preferably designed as bars and can differ, for example, in cross-sectional area, length, height, or type. Advantageously, a blanking cut allows the respective food items 2 to be conveyed and / or the respective food portions 3a, b to be removed or moved during this time. Thus, between Figures 3a and 3b, the product support 7 is moved essentially perpendicular to the conveyor direction 10, and the food items B are conveyed in the direction of the cutting blade 4 and / or the cutting plane 4'.Alternatively or additionally, the food items A are transported in a direction away from the cutting blade 4. The cutting operation and the empty cutting operation can preferably be repeated for any number of food items 2 and / or food portions 3a, b.

[0042] Reference symbol list

[0043] 1 - Cutting device

[0044] 2 - Food

[0045] 3a, b - Food portions 4 - Cutting knife

[0046] 4' - cutting plane

[0047] 5 - Drive unit

[0048] 6 - Conveyor unit

[0049] 6' - upper conveying unit 7 - product support

[0050] 8a - Adjustment movement of the cutting blade

[0051] 8b - Adjustment movement of the food

[0052] 9 - Blade holder

[0053] 10 - Direction of conveyance

[0054] A, B - different foods

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Method for operating a rotatingly driven cutting blade (4) on a slicing device (1) for cutting one or more foodstuffs (2) into food portions (3a, b), wherein the slicing device (1) has at least one cutting operation and one idle cutting operation, wherein the cutting operation has an operating mode in which a drive unit (5) rotates the cutting blade (4) and the cutting blade (4) cuts the one or more foodstuffs (2) into food portions (3a, b), wherein the slicing device (1) switches to idle cutting operation between two food portions (3a, b) to be produced or in the event of a temporary initiated cutting stop, characterized in that the drive unit (5) can switch to an energy-saving mode in idle cutting operation.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the power of the drive unit (5) is reduced in energy saving mode.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the power of the drive unit (5) in energy saving mode is in a power range between 0 to 20%, preferably 0.1 to 10%, particularly preferably 0.5 to 5% of the power of the drive unit (5) in operating mode.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive unit (5) is switched off at least temporarily in energy saving mode.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting blade (4) has a cutting speed in cutting operation and has an idle cutting speed in idle cutting operation, wherein the idle cutting speed is preferably at least temporarily smaller than the cutting speed.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the cutting device (1) is configured such that at least one speed measurement takes place, wherein the cutting speed and / or the idle cutting speed of the cutting blade (4) is measured.

7. Method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the drive unit (5) is controlled in energy-saving mode such that the idle cutting speed of the cutting blade (4) is kept in a predefined speed range during idle cutting operation.

8. Method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the drive unit (5) is switched on in idle cutting mode when a predefined lower speed limit is undershot and the idle cutting speed of the cutting blade (4) is accelerated, in particular such that the idle cutting speed of the cutting blade (4) in idle cutting mode is greater than the predefined lower speed limit.

9. Method according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the predefined speed range or the predefined lower speed limit is selected depending on the food (2) and / or the cutting blade (4).

10. Method according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the predefined lower speed range or the predefined lower speed limit is selected such that the cutting speed is reached again within a predetermined time range, in particular within one to a maximum of 5, preferably 2 to 4, rotor revolutions.

11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting device (1) has a conveying unit (6) and a product support (7), wherein the conveying unit (6) is arranged upstream of the cutting blade (4) and the product support (7) is arranged downstream of the cutting blade (4), wherein the conveying unit (6) transports the food (2) to the cutting blade (4) and the product support (7) collects and transports the food portions (3a, b).

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the conveying unit (6) and / or the product support (7) have one or more parallel tracks, each of which transports at least one foodstuff (2) and / or one food portion (3a, b).

13. Slicing device (1) for cutting several foodstuffs (2) into food portions (3a, b) with a rotating driven cutting blade (4) and a drive unit (5), wherein the slicing device (1) has at least one cutting operation and one idle cutting operation, wherein the cutting operation has a working mode and the slicing device (1) is configured such that the drive unit (5) rotates the cutting blade (4) in working mode and the cutting blade (4) cuts the one or more foodstuffs (2) into food portions (3a, b) and wherein the slicing device (1) switches to idle cutting operation between two food portions (3a, b) to be produced or in the event of a temporary cutting stop, characterized in that the drive unit (5) can switch to an energy-saving mode in idle cutting operation.

14. Cutting device (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the cutting device (1) has a conveying unit (6) and a product support (7), wherein the conveying unit (6) is arranged upstream of the cutting knife (4) and the product support (7) is arranged downstream of the cutting knife (4).

15. Cutting device (1) according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the drive unit (5) has an electric motor, wherein the electric motor is switched off at least temporarily in energy saving mode.

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