Transport device for moving food

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport device for moving food, in particular food portions, which comprise at least one slice cut off from a food product, in particular by means of a high-speed slicer, comprising a drive module having a drive surface which extends along a main transport direction of the transport device from an upstream end to a downstream end, at least one transport mover which can be moved over the drive surface in a specified or specifiable path, a control device for controlling the movement of the transport mover, and an adjusting device which is designed to move the drive surface from a starting position into a functional position, the functional position differing from the starting position, and to selectively position the drive surface in the starting position or the functional position.

Description

[0001] Weber Food Technology GmbH W29097PWO - Dm

[0002] Transport device for moving food

[0003] The invention relates to a transport device for moving foodstuffs, in particular food portions, comprising at least one slice separated from a food product – in particular by a high-speed slicer. The transport device comprises a drive module with a drive surface extending along a main transport direction of the transport device from an upstream end to a downstream end, at least one transport mover movable over the drive surface in a predetermined or predefinable path, and a control device for controlling the movement of the transport mover.

[0004] Such transport devices with movable transport movers are generally known to those skilled in the art and are described, for example, in DE 10 2014 106 400 A1 or DE 10 2020 125 269 A1.

[0005] In particular, such transport devices can be used in processing lines for food products, where the food products are sliced ​​at a slicing station to form food portions that include at least one of the sliced ​​portions. The food portions can then be transferred to a carrier of the transport mover and fed by the transport mover to a packaging machine, where the food portions can be packaged to ultimately obtain ready-to-sell, packaged food portions.

[0006] To move the transport mover, and thus the food portion, along the predetermined or predetermined path, the transport mover can, in addition to the carrier, have a runner that interacts with the drive surface. This allows for free movement of the transport mover across the drive surface, enabling flexible transport of food. For example, food transported on the transport mover can be transferred to other workstations before being transferred to the packaging machine. This allows for further processing of the food and / or the completion of a food portion by adding slices of various food products.While this allows for flexible transport of food along the drive surface, the possibilities for integrating such transport devices into the operation of a processing line are nevertheless limited. In particular, it is usually not possible to form food portions directly on a transport mover, as this often requires precisely stacking individual slices on top of each other. However, the transport mover, positioned above the drive surface, does not offer sufficient capacity to compensate for the increasing stack height or, more generally, for changes in the falling and depositing behavior of the slices. Therefore, the food portions must currently be formed in a special portioning area of ​​a slicing station and then transferred to the transport mover at a dedicated transfer station before being moved by the transport mover.Furthermore, the movements of the transport mover are fixed to the plane defined by the drive surface, so that, for example, at individual workstations it may also be necessary to remove the food from the transport mover in order to lift the food and transfer it to a work step taking place on another level.

[0007] Therefore, it is an object of the invention to create a transport device of the type described above which enables improved integration into a processing line for processing food products with extended functionality.

[0008] This problem is solved by a transport device having the features of claim 1.

[0009] The transport device includes an adjustment device designed to move the drive surface from a starting position to a functional position that differs from the starting position and to position the drive surface either in the starting position or the functional position.

[0010] In particular, by designing the transport device with such an adjustment device, an additional degree of freedom can be gained, since the transport mover is no longer exclusively movable in a movement space defined by the orientation and extent of the drive surface in the starting position, but further spatial positions can be accessed by moving the drive surface as a whole.

[0011] For example, by moving the drive surface between its initial position and its operating position, additional levels can be accessed, into which the transport mover can be guided by moving along the drive surface. For this purpose, the drive surface can be raised and / or lowered, at least in sections, by means of the adjustment device, starting from its initial position. This allows the transport mover to reach a level above or below the drive surface in its initial position by moving into the raised or lowered section of the drive surface and to be moved into this level. This can, for example, enable processing of the transported food, the transport mover, or the drive surface by a workstation or functional device operating in this additional level, thus providing further functionalities.

[0012] Alternatively or additionally to opening up further levels, raising or lowering the drive surface between the starting position and the operating position can also enable direct portioning to create a food portion from slices cut from a food product by a slicing station on a transport mover. For this purpose, the drive surface can be integrated into a processing line, particularly with its upstream end extending into a portioning area of ​​a slicing station, so that the transport mover can also be positioned directly in the portioning area and arranged in such a way that slices cut from the food product can be collected on a carrier of the transport mover and a stack of slices can be formed on the carrier.Starting from the initial position, the drive surface, or at least its upstream end, can be successively lowered towards the operating position during the formation of the food portion. This compensates for an increasing stack height of the discs stacked on the transport mover and ensures that all discs are separated and added to the food portion under consistent or optimal conditions, particularly regarding the drop height required to reach the disc stack. Furthermore, the movable drive surface allows the depositing behavior and portion formation to be influenced at any time, depending on the situation and operating conditions.In this respect, the mobility of the drive surface by the adjustment device can in particular enable improved integration of the transport device into the operation of a cutting station and thus a processing line, whereby a separate transfer station for transferring formed food portions to the transport mover can be dispensed with.

[0013] To achieve such a lowering and / or raising of the drive surface for movement from the initial position to the operating position (or vice versa), the adjustment device can, for example, be designed to selectively lower or raise the entire drive surface. Alternatively or additionally, the adjustment device can, for example, also be designed to selectively lower or raise the upstream end and / or the downstream end of the drive surface. For this purpose, the adjustment device can, in particular, be designed to pivot the drive surface, so that the drive surface can be arranged with an inclination different from the initial position when moving it from the initial position to the operating position.

[0014] Such a tilting of the drive surface can, in particular, enable the transport mover to move across an inclined surface, allowing it to be moved to different levels and raised to different heights. Furthermore, tilting the drive surface can also be used to tilt a transport mover positioned in the portioning area of ​​a slicing station, especially increasingly, relative to the horizontal, in order to achieve, for example, an improved angle for collecting successively sliced ​​food products to form a food portion.

[0015] Alternatively or additionally to raising or lowering the drive surface, at least in sections, the adjustment device can also be designed to move the drive surface horizontally laterally from its initial position to its operating position. Such lateral movements of the drive surface can also open up further spatial areas for the transport mover and / or the drive surface. For example, it may be possible to move the drive surface into its operating position to allow it to be positioned laterally away from a processing line, enabling cleaning of the drive surface and / or the transport mover by such a laterally positioned cleaning device.

[0016] Furthermore, the adjustability of the drive surface can be used to distribute or sort food products transported by the conveyor mover. For example, in the initial and operating positions, subsequent workstations can be connected to the downstream end of the drive surface. Lateral movement of the drive surface can, for instance, distribute food products to packaging machines and / or processing lanes arranged side-by-side perpendicular to the main conveyor, thus enabling switching between a thermoforming packaging machine and a tray sealer, depending on the application, without requiring two completely separate processing lines.Furthermore, in the functional position, for example, it may be possible to transfer food to an area for the manual completion of a food portion instead of a direct transfer to the packaging machine.

[0017] In general, the adjustability of the drive surface can also make it possible to create space for maintenance and / or cleaning work on the transport device and / or a processing line in which the transport device is used by moving the drive surface into the operating position.

[0018] The initial position of the drive surface can be, in particular, the position in which the drive surface is positioned during the conventional operation of the transport device for moving food products using the transport mover. Specifically, the drive surface can be horizontally oriented in the initial position. For example, when integrating the transport device into a processing line, the drive surface in the initial position may extend from a section of the processing line, where the food portions are transferred to the transport mover, to a downstream device, such as another transport device or a packaging machine, to which the transferred food products are transported by the transport device.In contrast, the functional position may be a position that differs from the initial position, whereby, for example, a vertical position, a horizontal position and / or an inclination of the drive surface in the functional position may differ from the respective horizontal position, vertical position and / or inclination of the drive surface in the initial position.

[0019] By designing the adjusting device to move the drive surface from the initial position to the functional position, the adjusting device can thus generally be configured to move the drive surface from a first position (in particular, the initial position) to a second position (in particular, the functional position) that differs from the first position. In principle, the initial position can therefore also be abstractly referred to as the first position and the functional position abstractly as the second position, although the terms initial position and functional position are chosen in this disclosure for the sake of clarity.

[0020] Furthermore, the adjustment device can generally be designed to selectively and at least partially raise, lower, and / or laterally move the drive surface from its initial position. In addition, it can generally be provided that the adjustment device is also designed to position the drive surface in intermediate positions between the initial position and the functional position. The initial position and the functional position can therefore, in particular, represent the respective end positions of the drive surface's movement, although intermediate positions between the initial position and the functional position can also be accessible for targeted positioning of the drive surface.Furthermore, it may also be provided, for example, that the initial position is an intermediate position between two functional positions, which represent the respective end positions of the drive surface's mobility. The drive surface can be moved between these two functional positions by the adjusting device and can optionally be positioned in the initial position. In this respect, the initial position in corresponding embodiments can, in a sense, form an intermediate position with regard to the drive surface's mobility. This position can represent a basic position of the drive surface during the normal operation of the transport device for moving food products, and from which two opposing functional positions can be reached to expand the functionality of the transport device and / or a processing line comprising the transport device.

[0021] Furthermore, additional functionalities may also be implemented in intermediate positions located between the respective end positions of the movement of the drive surface, so that such intermediate positions may be understood as functional positions and functional positions do not necessarily have to represent end positions of the movement of the drive surface.

[0022] When the transport device is used in a processing line, the main transport direction can extend, in particular, from a workstation upstream of the transport device to a workstation downstream of the transport device, so that food products, for example, can be taken over from the upstream workstation at the upstream end and transferred to the downstream workstation at the downstream end. In other words, during operation, a flow of food products moving across the drive surface can extend along the main transport direction and from the upstream end to the downstream end of the drive surface.

[0023] The transport device, comprising at least one transport mover, can in particular be designed as a planar drive device, and the transport mover can be freely movable over the drive surface, especially in a magnetic levitation state. In this respect, the path along which the transport mover can move can be freely selected, particularly by means of the control device – at least within the resolution of the drive surface – without the need for a mechanical guide for the transport mover. For example, the transport device can therefore have at least one permanent magnet as a runner, which can interact with magnetic fields generated by electrical components of the drive module on the drive surface in order to move the transport mover along the path.

[0024] To move the drive surface, the adjustment device can have an adjustment drive, which can be controlled, for example, by the control unit. For this purpose, a pneumatic drive, an electric motor drive, in particular a servo drive with a servo motor, and / or a spindle drive can be provided. However, manual adjustment of the drive surface by manually actuating the adjustment device is also possible in order to align and / or position the drive surface.

[0025] The control unit can, for example, include a microprocessor and / or a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Furthermore, the control unit can be modular in design and, for example, comprise individual control modules, in particular individual microprocessors and / or CPUs, for controlling the transport mover and the adjustment mechanism.

[0026] The control unit can therefore be designed in particular to control the adjustment device.

[0027] Furthermore, the transport device can in particular have several transport movers and the control device can be designed to move the several transport movers along a respective predetermined or predeterminable path.

[0028] Further embodiments are explained with reference to the dependent claims, the description and the figures.

[0029] In some embodiments, the transport device can be designed as a planar drive device, and the drive surface can comprise several tile-shaped drive sections.

[0030] In particular, the tile-shaped drive sections can form individual electrical modules to enable the control of the transport mover for movement along the track. The transport mover can also be electromagnetically coupled to the drive surface, and the transport device can be designed to move the transport mover in a magnetic levitation state above the drive surface along the track. In this respect, a gap can exist between the drive surface and the transport mover, allowing the transport mover to move above the drive surface without direct mechanical contact.

[0031] In addition to moving the transport mover along a predetermined path, its mobility in a magnetic levitation state can offer further control options. For example, in some embodiments, the height of the magnetic levitation state and the distance between the transport mover and the drive surface can be adjusted by the control device. For instance, the strength of the magnetic fields generated in the respective drive sections of the drive surface can be adjusted to raise and / or lower the transport mover.However, such raising or lowering of the transport mover is usually only possible in the range of a few millimeters and can, for example, enable minor lifting movements, whereas the aforementioned lowering of the transport mover to achieve controlled stacking on the transport mover can only be made possible by the movement of the drive surface disclosed herein, since this may require, in particular, flexible height adjustments, preferably by up to 100 mm and / or by at least 50 mm.

[0032] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the control device can be configured to tilt the transport mover relative to the drive surface by appropriately controlling the drive sections. For example, this allows a slight inclination of the drive surface to be compensated for by adjusting the drive surface from its initial position to its operating position, enabling food products transported on the movers to be transported horizontally despite the inclined orientation of the drive surface and transferred to a packaging machine and / or a feeding station for placing the food products into packaging stations provided by the packaging machine.

[0033] In general, the drive surface can comprise at least two drive sections which can interact and form a range of motion for the transport mover. The adjustment device can therefore be designed to selectively move at least two drive sections between the initial position and the operating position. Furthermore, the at least two drive sections can be arranged side by side, particularly transversely to the main transport direction, whereby an arrangement of drive sections transversely to the main transport direction can generally determine, in particular, the width of the drive surface.

[0034] The arrangement of tile-shaped drive sections can also lead to a tile-shaped structuring of the drive surface, whereby gaps and / or edges may form, for example, at transitions between adjacent tiles. To prevent dirt from adhering to the edges and / or gaps, some embodiments may include a cover, for example made of plastic or stainless steel, arranged above the tile-shaped drive sections. In such embodiments, the transport mover can be moved, particularly in a magnetic levitation state and at a distance from such a cover above the drive surface, so that again there is no direct mechanical contact between the transport mover and a section of the drive surface, especially the cover, and no frictional forces need to be overcome during the movement of the transport mover.However, it is also possible in principle to move the transport mover directly above the tile-shaped drive sections without a cover being provided.

[0035] In some embodiments, the drive surface can be held in a receiving structure, in particular a support frame, wherein the adjustment device can be designed to move the receiving structure.

[0036] In particular, the aforementioned tile-shaped drive sections of the drive surface can, in some embodiments, be held immovably relative to each other within the receiving structure, especially a support frame, so that the drive surface as a whole can be moved by moving the receiving structure. Therefore, in such embodiments, the drive surface can be moved and aligned accordingly, particularly by horizontal lateral, vertical, and / or tilting movement, especially pivoting, of the receiving structure, and the adjustment device can be designed to move the receiving structure in order to move the drive surface.

[0037] Furthermore, the drive surface (or drive module) can, for example, be modularly designed and optionally attachable to a support structure of the transport device. In particular, the drive surface or drive module can have one or more connecting sections and can optionally be attached to corresponding mounting sections of the support structure, especially without tools. For this purpose, connecting channels can be formed on the drive module, for example, via which the drive module (or the drive surface) can optionally be attached to retaining pins formed on a support structure or frame of the transport device, in particular those projecting transversely to the main transport direction. Such connecting channels can, for example, be formed on the aforementioned receiving structure and / or the aforementioned support frame, in which the drive surface can be held in some embodiments.

[0038] While such a modular design and mounting of the drive surface or drive module can facilitate easy assembly and disassembly (for example, for cleaning purposes) of the transport device or drive module, such a drive module can also be flexibly exchanged for conventional conveyor belt modules. Therefore, in appropriate embodiments, the transport device can be flexibly converted from a transport device with conveyor belt modules, especially with so-called belt cassettes, to the transport device with the drive module and at least one transport mover described here.Therefore, the transport device can be used flexibly in a simple way and / or the drive modules can be attached to support structures of existing transport devices with conveyor belt modules, so that such existing support structures or frames can be used in a simple way to use one or more of the drive modules or drive surfaces and transport movers to move the food instead of the conveyor belt modules.

[0039] In view of this, the present invention also relates, irrespective of the design of the transport device with an adjustment device, to a:

[0040] A transport device for moving foodstuffs, in particular food portions, comprising at least one slice separated from a food product – in particular by a high-speed slicer – comprising: a drive module with a drive surface extending along a main transport direction of the transport device from an upstream end to a downstream end; at least one transport mover movable above the drive surface in a predetermined or predeterminable path; a control device for controlling the movement of the transport mover; and a support structure to which the drive module can optionally be attached, wherein the support structure has a retaining pin projecting transversely to the main transport direction, onto which the drive module can optionally and in particular without tools be attached;or wherein the drive module has a retaining pin projecting transversely to the main transport direction, which can be inserted into a connecting channel formed on the support structure. In particular, the drive module can further comprise a support frame with a connecting channel into which the retaining pin can be inserted when the drive module is attached.

[0041] Furthermore, the transport device can also have a conveyor belt module designed as a belt cassette, whereby the conveyor belt module can optionally be attached to the supporting structure instead of the drive module.

[0042] The drive module and / or the conveyor belt module can be attached to the support structure, particularly without tools. Alternatively or additionally, the drive module and / or the conveyor belt module can be detached from the support structure without tools.

[0043] The transport device can in particular be designed as a planar drive device and / or the drive module can comprise several drive sections which assemble the drive surface in a tile-like manner.

[0044] Furthermore, in this aspect of the present disclosure, other features of the transport device, the drive module and / or the drive surface mentioned in the present disclosure may be implemented, provided that these (recognizable and / or understandable to the person skilled in the art) can in principle also be implemented independently of the design of the transport device with an adjustment device.

[0045] Again, with regard to the transport device with an adjusting device, the adjusting device in some embodiments can be designed to adjust the drive surface between the initial position and the functional position and to position the drive surface in intermediate positions between the initial position and the functional position.

[0046] In particular, the adjustment device can be designed to continuously adjust the drive surface between the initial position and the functional position and to position it freely between these two positions. Alternatively, the drive surface can be adjusted between the initial position and the functional position in steps, so that the achievable intermediate positions can be defined by a respective step grid and spaced apart from each other.

[0047] Particularly when arranging the drive surface in the portioning area of ​​a slicing station, as previously mentioned, the adjustment device can be designed to adjust the drive surface depending on the slicing and / or portioning operation of the slicing station. For example, the drive surface can be moved during stacking to form a food portion, whereby a continuous lowering of the drive surface can be provided to stack each slice on top of previously cut slices, especially under consistent conditions.

[0048] In some embodiments, the drive surface can be horizontally oriented in its initial position. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the drive surface can be horizontally oriented and / or inclined to the horizontal in its operating position. In principle, the drive surface can also be vertically oriented in its operating position.

[0049] In some embodiments, a follower drive surface can be connected to the downstream end of the drive surface, wherein the follower drive surface and the drive surface can extend in a common plane in the initial position, and wherein the transport mover can be moved from the drive surface to the follower drive surface in the initial position. Furthermore, the drive surface can be moved relative to the follower drive surface by moving from the initial position to the operating position, and wherein the transport mover can also be moved from the drive surface to the follower drive surface in the operating position, or wherein the transport mover cannot be moved from the drive surface to the follower drive surface in the operating position.

[0050] For example, the drive surface may be arranged with its upstream end extending into a portioning area of ​​a slicing station in a processing line, in order to enable the proper stacking of multiple slices on a transport mover positioned in the portioning area by adjusting the drive surface. The subsequent drive surface, on the other hand, may be designed, for example, to take over transport movers with food products on them and guide them to an infeed station of a packaging machine or another downstream workstation in a processing line.

[0051] For example, the drive surface for forming a food portion may be pivotable to allow the upstream end of the drive surface to be lowered during stacking. Therefore, the drive surface may be tiltable relative to the subsequent drive surface and inclined relative to the subsequent drive surface in its operating position. However, movement of the transport mover from the drive surface to the subsequent drive surface may still be possible because the resulting gap between the drive surface and the subsequent drive surface can be traversed by the transport mover. Therefore, transport movers may also be able to move from the drive surface to the subsequent drive surface if the drive surface is moved and thus inclined in the direction of its operating position, or if it is already positioned in its operating position.This allows the drive surface to be moved, for example, depending on a cutting and / or portioning operation of a slicing station, in order to form a food portion on a transport mover positioned in a portioning area, while previously formed food portions can be moved without restriction and independently of the position of the drive surface by further transport movers and in particular transferred to the subsequent drive surface.

[0052] Furthermore, in some embodiments, a gap between the drive surface and the follower drive surface, which can form and / or increase due to the tilting of the drive surface when moving towards the operating position, may be covered, for example, by a film or a flat rubber seal to prevent the accumulation of contaminants in this gap. Alternatively or additionally, the follower drive surface may also be designed to be tiltable, so that its inclination can be adapted, for example, to a change in the inclination of the drive surface relative to the common plane in the initial position, in order to avoid or reduce a gap forming or existing between the drive surface and the follower drive surface, at least at the time the transport mover passes over it.However, in this case, in particular, independent control of the drive surface and the subsequent drive surface can be provided, so that the drive surface can nevertheless be moved and / or deflected relative to the subsequent drive surface.

[0053] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the drive surface and a subsequent drive surface may be mechanically coupled, so that the drive surface and the subsequent drive surface can be moved together when the drive surface is moved between the initial position and the operating position. Such a configuration can also be understood as a drive surface comprising two successive drive surface sections in the main transport direction, which may be held, for example, in respective receiving structures.

[0054] However, it is also possible that the subsequent drive surface is only accessible to the transport mover when the drive surface is in its starting position. This can be the case, for example, in embodiments where the drive surface as a whole can be raised and / or lowered and / or moved horizontally to the side, in order to facilitate maintenance work on the drive surface and / or the transport device and / or a processing line into which the transport device is integrated.Furthermore, embodiments may also be provided in which the downstream end of the drive surface can be raised and / or lowered, for example by moving the drive surface as a whole or by pivoting the drive surface around the upstream end, which in turn may prevent the transport mover from the drive surface to the subsequent drive surface in the functional position, in order to open up further levels in the functional position and thus create further processing and / or transport possibilities.

[0055] In some embodiments, the adjusting device can be designed to move the drive surface translationally in a vertical direction and / or laterally in a horizontal direction from the initial position to the operating position.

[0056] As mentioned, this can be achieved in particular by raising or lowering the drive surface. Lateral movement of the drive surface may be intended, for example, to create space for maintenance work and / or to bring the drive surface into the effective range of a cleaning device that is offset laterally from the drive surface's initial position.

[0057] Furthermore, such translational movement can also be used to move the transport mover, or multiple transport movers, for example, carrying a batch of objects or foodstuffs, into the operating range of different workstations. For instance, the drive surface can be configured to engage different subsequent drive surfaces depending on its initial or functional position, allowing the transport mover to be moved to various workstations and, for example, different packaging machines. This can, for instance, enable a flexible changeover between a thermoforming packaging machine and a tray sealer.Furthermore, by moving the drive surface, certain food products can be fed, for example, instead of being fed directly via the downstream end to a subsequent processing station or packaging machine, to a manual processing area located in the functional position adjacent to the downstream end, in order to manually complete and / or adjust food products transported on the conveyor movers as necessary. In some embodiments, the adjustment device can be designed to pivot the drive surface from the initial position to the functional position.

[0058] As previously explained, such pivoting can, in particular, open up additional levels for the transport mover and / or the drive surface, whereby pivoting about a horizontal pivot axis oriented perpendicular to the main transport direction can be provided. Such a horizontal pivot axis can, in particular, coincide with the downstream end or the upstream end in order to raise or lower the respective other end. In addition to opening up further levels, the drive surface can, in particular, be moved from a horizontal starting position to a functional position inclined to the horizontal by such pivoting, so that the transport mover can also be arranged at an angle. This can be used, for example, to set a better angle for catching detached discs on the transport mover.

[0059] In some embodiments, the adjustment device can be designed to pivot the drive surface about a horizontally aligned pivot axis.

[0060] As mentioned, this pivot axis can be oriented perpendicular to the main transport direction in order to raise or lower at least the downstream end or the upstream end (or, optionally, both ends by means of a pivot axis arranged, for example, midway between the two aforementioned ends) and to access planes offset from the initial position of the drive surface. This can also be done, for example, to make the drive surface more accessible for cleaning purposes.

[0061] However, in some embodiments, the adjustment device can also be designed to pivot the drive surface about a pivot axis aligned parallel to the main transport direction. For example, in such embodiments, it can be provided that the drive surface can be selectively pulled out laterally from its initial position, particularly in the manner of a drawer and / or via a rail guide, and / or extended by means of the adjustment device, in order to then pivot the drive surface about the pivot axis aligned parallel to the main transport direction and thereby arrange it approximately vertically, so that the drive surface can be cleaned, for example, in a vertical orientation and laterally offset from its initial position.Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the adjustment device can also be designed to rotate the drive surface about an axis of rotation oriented perpendicular to a plane of extension of the drive surface in its initial position. This also allows further positions in space for the drive surface and / or the transport mover to be accessed by means of the drive surface.

[0062] In some embodiments, the adjustment device can be configured to pivot the drive surface around the downstream end and / or the upstream end. A corresponding pivot axis can be provided at the respective end for this purpose.

[0063] For example, by such a pivoting motion the downstream end and / or the upstream end, in particular the respective end opposite the pivot axis, can be raised and / or lowered in order to open up further levels for the drive surface and / or the transport mover.

[0064] In some embodiments, it may also be provided that the drive surface can be pivoted either around the downstream end or around the upstream end, whereby the pivoting can, for example, be carried out individually around one of the respective pivot axes and / or in combination with raising and / or lowering in a vertical direction and / or a horizontal lateral movement of the drive surface as a whole.

[0065] In some embodiments, the drive surface can be arranged inclined relative to the horizontal in the operating position, with the downstream end of the drive surface being arranged below the upstream end in the operating position, or vice versa.

[0066] Due to the free movement of the transport mover, it can always be moved to further planes made possible by such an inclined arrangement of the drive surface, since the transport mover can be moved both along and against the main transport direction and thus, for example, beyond the upstream or downstream end, in order to guide the transport mover to further processing steps and / or functional devices. In some embodiments, the drive surface can be moved into the operating area of ​​a functional device by moving it into the functional position. This device is designed to process a foodstuff transported by the transport mover, the transport mover itself, and / or the drive surface, or to discharge a foodstuff transported by the transport mover.

[0067] For example, starting from the initial position, a functional device positioned above or below the drive surface can be accessed by raising or lowering it—or at least the upstream or downstream end by pivoting the drive surface—into the operating position. Because the functional device can be accessed in the operating position, the transport mover can, for example, feed the functional device to it via the drive surface. This allows, for instance, the transfer of a food product unsuitable for packaging to an optional discharge device, which can then remove and discharge the food product, for example, using a gripper, in front of the transport mover.Furthermore, such a functional device, accessible by moving the drive surface into the operating position, can also be designed, for example, for processing and, in particular, cleaning the drive surface. For instance, by tilting the drive surface in the operating position, a cleaning element, which can be extended from the functional device at an angle, can be moved across the drive surface for cleaning. In addition, functional devices can also be designed and / or used for processing and, for example, cleaning the transport mover and / or for parking other transport movers, as explained in more detail below.

[0068] In some embodiments, the functional device can be designed as a cleaning device for cleaning the transport mover and / or the drive surface. While cleaning of the drive surface can be carried out, for example, by means of a functional device in the manner described above and by extending a cleaning element, the transport mover can, for example, be moved into the functional position of a cleaning device after the drive surface has been moved into position. For this purpose, it can be moved, for example, onto a drive surface of the functional device that is adjacent to the upstream or downstream end of the drive surface in its functional position, so that it can then be cleaned on this additional drive surface by the functional device.After cleaning, the transport mover can, for example, be moved back onto the drive surface in its operating position so that it can be used again for transporting food – particularly after the drive surface has been moved back to its starting position. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the operating device can be designed as a discharge device for removing food. This, too, can be done, for example, in the manner described above.

[0069] In some embodiments, the functional device can be designed as a retrofit device for attaching cleaning devices to the transport mover.

[0070] Here too, the functional unit can, for example, initially have an additional drive surface onto which the transport mover can be moved in the functional position of the drive surface. The retrofit unit can, for example, house one or more different cleaning devices, such as a vacuum and / or mop unit, which can be attached to a transport mover positioned within the retrofit unit, and in particular to its carrier, using a robot gripper of the retrofit unit. The transport mover can then, for example, be moved back onto the drive surface with the cleaning device attached, in order to clean the drive surface.After cleaning is complete, the transport mover can be returned to the retrofit unit, which can remove the cleaning device from the transport mover. The transport mover can then be moved back onto the drive surface and used for transporting food. If necessary, the transport mover can also be cleaned beforehand in the retrofit unit. The corresponding movements of the transport mover can be controlled, in particular, by the control unit.

[0071] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the functional device can be designed as a parking device for parking the transport mover outside the drive area.

[0072] Such a parking device can, for example, have an additional drive surface onto which the transport mover can be moved when the drive surface is in its operating position, in order to be parked. Such parking of transport movers can, in turn, make the operation of the transport device more flexible, as the transport movers can, for example, be transferred to the parking device for cleaning of the drive surface, and then immediately returned to the drive surface and used again for moving food products.Furthermore, transport movers of various designs, such as those with different sized carriers, can be provided. However, only a selection of transport movers suitable for a specific application needs to be moved on the drive surface, while the remaining transport movers are not used for that application and can therefore be parked in the parking unit. By moving the drive surface into the operating position, transport movers can be flexibly exchanged. This allows, for example, for the appropriate positioning of transport movers on the drive surface when cutting a differently shaped food product and / or creating a different portion shape.Furthermore, the number of transport movers to be moved on the drive surface can generally be flexibly adjusted by providing such a parking facility, in order to avoid having to move and / or position an unnecessarily large number of transport movers on the drive surface.

[0073] In general, a further drive surface of a functional unit can also be integrated into the control system of the transport device and therefore accessible to the control unit, whereby the positions and / or identifications of transport movers positioned on the further drive surface of the functional unit can be accessible to and / or known to the control unit. This can, in particular, enable immediate use of the further drive surface without, for example, having to restart the control unit or program the identification of a transport mover into the control unit when transport movers are moved from the further drive surface and, for example, a parking device, onto the drive surface.

[0074] In some embodiments, the functional unit may have an additional drive surface, and the transport mover may be movable onto this additional drive surface in the functional position. More generally, the functional unit may also be designed as an additional drive surface onto which the transport mover may be moved in the functional position, and may, for example, function as a parking surface.

[0075] In some embodiments, the functional device can be sealed gas- and / or watertight, and in particular the functional device can be designed as a cleaning device for cleaning the transport mover and for cleaning the transport mover moved onto the further drive surface by means of mechanical devices and / or by applying a cleaning gas and / or a cleaning fluid.

[0076] For example, the functional unit can have a bulkhead that can be closed after the transport mover has been moved onto the drive surface to achieve a gas- and / or watertight encapsulation of the functional unit for cleaning the transport mover. A cleaning fluid and / or cleaning gas, particularly for killing germs on the transport mover, can be used for this purpose. This fluid and / or cleaning gas can then be extracted after cleaning, after which the bulkhead can be opened and the cleaned transport mover moved back onto the drive surface in its functional position.

[0077] In some embodiments, the transport device can have at least two transport movers, and the control device can be configured to move a first of the at least two transport movers onto the further drive surface and park it there. Furthermore, the control device can be configured to move a second of the at least two transport movers onto the drive surface when the first transport mover is parked there, particularly when the drive surface is in its starting position and / or operating position.

[0078] As already mentioned, the additional drive surface can be integrated into the control system of the transport device, making it accessible to the control unit and allowing the control unit to know the positions of the transport movers located on it. This effectively provides an extended drive surface, for example, by using it as a parking area for transport movers. Parked transport movers can then be flexibly combined with those already on the drive surface, or transport movers on the drive surface can be exchanged for parked ones when the drive surface is moved into its operating position.Since the control device can also be designed to move the second transport mover on the drive surface both in its starting position and in its operating position, the full functionality of the transport device can be available regardless of the positioning of the first transport mover.

[0079] The control unit can be configured to selectively move transport movers parked on the other drive surface into the operating position. As explained, this allows for a simple exchange of transport movers, enabling the flexible use of application-specific transport movers.

[0080] In some embodiments, the functional device may include a machining element that is movable across the drive surface when the drive surface is moved into the functional position. Therefore, in such embodiments, moving the drive surface into the functional position enables machining of the drive surface by the machining element. For example, in the functional position, the drive surface may be oriented in a direction corresponding to the movement of the machining element to allow machining, and / or a machining element positioned offset from an area accessible in the initial position of the drive surface may be accessible by moving the drive surface.The processing element can therefore be arranged in an area not required for the transport of food, so that no installation space needs to be kept free in this area for the arrangement of the additional processing element.

[0081] In some embodiments, the processing element can be configured to process a food item transported by the transport mover, the transport mover itself, and / or the drive surface, or to remove a food item transported by the transport mover from the transport mover. Alternatively, the processing element can also be configured, for example, to catch a food item, in particular a sliced ​​portion or an end section of a food product to be sliced.

[0082] For example, it may be possible to move the drive surface into the functional position before the start or end of slicing a food product at a slicing station and to position a processing element designed as a collecting element above the drive surface, for example by pivoting it in, so that a slice or end section of the food product to be sliced ​​falls onto the processing element after being cut at the slicing station and can be sorted out by means of the processing element.

[0083] Furthermore, the processing element can, for example, be designed as a cleaning element for cleaning the drive surface, which in the functional position can be moved over the drive surface and can be arranged, for example, above or below a plane within which the drive surface extends in the starting position, so that the mobility of the drive surface can ultimately also enable an expanded use of installation space for arranging such processing elements.

[0084] In some embodiments, the processing element can be designed as a protective element for the drive surface, in particular as a protective plate, wherein the protective element can be arranged above the drive surface in the functional position of the drive surface to protect it prior to maintenance work. In particular, when the transport device is integrated into a processing line, various maintenance tasks can be carried out on the processing line, requiring access above the drive surface and potentially necessitating the movement of relatively heavy and / or sharp-edged elements.For example, on a cutting device of such a processing line, where the drive surface may extend into the portioning area, a blade change or a replacement of the cutting edge may be necessary, requiring the aforementioned components to be removed directly above the drive surface. However, contact between the blade, which is usually quite heavy, the cutting edge, or tools required during such maintenance work, and the drive surface can potentially damage the drive surface. Such contact can be prevented by first moving the drive surface into its operating position and positioning a protective element above the drive surface, thus protecting the drive surface from damage and / or contamination.

[0085] In some embodiments, the functional device can be connected to the downstream or upstream end of the drive surface in its operating position. For drive surfaces where both the downstream and upstream ends are movable relative to the positions of their respective ends in the initial position, each end of the drive surface can also be assigned its own functional device, within whose operating range the drive surface can be moved into its operating position. In particular, the functional device can also be accessible to the transport mover via the respective end of the drive surface in its operating position.

[0086] In some embodiments, the adjusting device can be configured to selectively move the drive surface into a first functional position or a second functional position, wherein the drive surface can be brought into an effective range of a first functional device by moving it into the first functional position, and wherein the drive surface can be brought into an effective range of a second functional device by moving it into the second functional position.

[0087] In some embodiments, the first functional device can be connected to the upstream end of the drive surface in the first functional position, and the second functional device can be connected to the downstream end of the drive surface in the second functional position. Alternatively, in some embodiments, both the first and the second functional device can be connected to the upstream end or the downstream end of the drive surface in their respective functional positions.

[0088] In general, the first functional device and the second functional device can be configured as disclosed above and can be designed as one of the respective functional devices from the selection of the functional devices disclosed herein.

[0089] By designing the adjustment mechanism in appropriate embodiments to selectively transfer the drive surface into two different functional positions, the flexibility in the use of the transport device can be further increased and additional functionalities can be unlocked. For example, to reach two functional devices connected to the upstream end, the drive surface can be pivoted from its initial position around the downstream end in two opposite directions, so that the upstream end can be selectively raised or lowered and moved into the operating range of a respective functional device. Similarly, reaching two functional devices associated with the downstream end can be achieved by pivoting the drive surface around the upstream end in opposite directions.Furthermore, functional devices can generally be flexibly accessed by raising or lowering, or by horizontally moving, the entire drive surface. In addition, the drive surface can, for example, be pivotable around both ends and / or around a pivot axis located between the ends, in order to raise or lower either the downstream or upstream end and thus bring it into the operating range of a respective functional device.

[0090] In principle, more than two functional devices can also be provided, in whose area of ​​operation the drive surface and in particular a respective end of the drive surface can be brought into a respective functional position by moving the drive surface.

[0091] In some embodiments, the control device may be designed to tilt the transport mover relative to the drive surface, in particular to compensate for or increase any tilt of the drive surface in the operating position.

[0092] In particular, the control device can be designed to tilt the transport mover by controlling a magnetic field generated in the drive surface and thus the levitation height of the transport mover above the drive surface relative to the drive surface, whereby this tilting can be controlled in particular in the opposite or same direction as a swiveling of the drive surface in order to thus reinforce or compensate for an inclination angle of the transport mover resulting from the tilting of the drive surface relative to the horizontal.

[0093] In some embodiments, the transport mover can be brought into contact with an external actuating element in the operating position of the drive surface, which may be designed to trigger an additional function on the transport mover.

[0094] For example, the external actuator can be designed to trigger an additional stroke of the transport mover, an additional tilt, and / or to control and / or amplify a rotation of the transport mover. For example, the activation of the additional function can be triggered directly by moving the drive surface into the operating position, in particular by tilting the drive surface, and thus reaching another level for the transport mover, or by contact between the transport mover and the actuator. Furthermore, activation of the actuator and thus the additional function on the transport mover can also be provided, for example, by a setting on the transport mover, such as by the transport mover performing a specific movement, such as a rotation on the spot or a self-lift, at a predetermined position on the drive surface, or by transmitting a radio signal to the actuator.

[0095] In some embodiments, the transport mover may have an engagement element, in particular a lateral extension, with which the actuating element can contact the drive surface in the functional position to trigger the additional function.

[0096] For example, such an engagement element in the functional position can be brought into contact with the actuating element by moving the transport mover to the upstream or downstream end of the drive surface, whereby the actuating element, through contact with the engagement element, can exert a force on the transport mover and, in particular, tilt the transport mover, for example, its structure. For this purpose, the engagement element can, for example, extend as a lateral projection beyond a pivot axis formed on the transport mover, so that an end of the transport mover opposite the engagement element can be lifted by contact of the engagement element with the actuating element and pivoting about the pivot axis.In some embodiments, the drive surface can comprise two adjacent partial drive surfaces, wherein the adjusting device can be designed to move the partial drive surfaces independently of each other from a respective starting position to a respective functional position and to position them either in the respective starting position or the respective functional position.

[0097] In particular, the partial drive surfaces can be positioned side by side perpendicular to the main transport direction, forming individual transport lanes along which food items, especially food portions, are moved and / or produced. The independent movement of the partial drive surfaces allows for lane-specific operation of the transport device. For example, the two partial drive surfaces can extend into a portioning area of ​​a two-lane slicing station, enabling food portions to be formed in two lanes by transport movers positioned on the respective partial drive surfaces. By individually controlling the partial drive surfaces, especially in the portioning area, portion formation can be carried out individually on each partial drive surface and tailored to the specific slicing process.In the starting position, however, the partial drive surfaces can be aligned parallel to each other and / or horizontally.

[0098] In some embodiments, the transport device may have a sorting surface adjoining the downstream end of the drive surface, wherein a transport mover moved from a first of the two partial drive surfaces onto the sorting surface may be movable onto a section of the sorting surface adjoining the second of the two partial drive surfaces along the main transport direction.

[0099] In particular, the sorting area allows for the exchange of foodstuffs or food portions moved across the two partial drive surfaces, and especially for the exchange of foodstuffs transported in two lanes, by enabling the foodstuffs to be flexibly exchanged between the two lanes at the sorting area.

[0100] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the partial drive surfaces can be moved laterally, particularly perpendicular to the main transport direction in a plane assumed in the initial position, relative to each other and / or together. In particular, the adjustment device in such embodiments can be configured to move the partial drive surfaces laterally relative to each other and / or together laterally. Such lateral movement also allows the drive surface with the partial drive surfaces to be moved, for example, between an initial position and a functional position (or several functional positions).For example, it may be possible to laterally shift one or two of the drive surfaces to a downstream unit adjacent to the drive surface, to which the food can be transferred by at least one transport mover. This allows the respective drive surface to be cleaned or maintained in such a laterally offset and therefore more accessible position. If only one of the drive surfaces is moved into such a lateral cleaning position, the other drive surface can remain in a position where the downstream unit is connected to it, so that one drive surface can be cleaned while food can be transferred to the downstream unit via the other drive surface.In general, the following device can be, for example, a follower drive surface, a workstation of a processing line, or a packaging machine.

[0101] Furthermore, the partial drive surfaces can be moved laterally outwards from their initial position, particularly in opposite directions, to facilitate removal from a processing line and cleaning. For this purpose, the partial drive surfaces can be mounted on rails and / or pulled outwards like drawers, allowing them to be removed as individual modules that can be placed on the rails or taken out of drawers for maintenance and / or replacement.

[0102] In another application, the partial drive surfaces – either together or individually and independently of each other – can be positioned laterally, for example, to connect to different downstream devices that are offset from one another. This allows, for instance, different pathways for the food, enabling the food to be fed to a first downstream device in its starting position and to a second downstream device in its operating position.

[0103] Furthermore, in embodiments where the drive surface comprises two adjacent partial drive surfaces, each of the two partial drive surfaces can be designed modularly and optionally attached to a support structure of the transport device, as already explained generally for the drive surface above. For example, the partial drive surfaces can be attached to protruding retaining pins on opposite sides of the support structure. This can also allow the partial drive surfaces to be optionally replaced by belt cassettes from conveyor belt systems. The partial drive surfaces can, for example, be held in respective receiving structures.

[0104] The invention further relates to a food processing line for processing foodstuffs, comprising a slicing station configured to slice supplied food products and to form a food portion in a portioning area, comprising at least one slice separated from the food product. The food processing line also includes a transport device of the type disclosed herein.

[0105] As already mentioned, such a transport device can in particular enable better integration into such a processing line, and additional functions may also be made possible.

[0106] The slicing station can be designed as a high-speed slicer and include a product feed for feeding food into a cutting area where a rotating blade is positioned to cut slices from the food product. The slices can then fall into the portioning area, where they can be stacked and assembled into a food portion consisting of several slices.

[0107] In some embodiments, the drive surface of the transport device can extend into the portioning area of ​​the cutting station, and the control device can be configured to position the transport mover in the portioning area. The cutting station can be configured to form the food portions on the transport mover positioned in the portioning area, in particular on a carrier of the transport mover.

[0108] Such positioning of the transport mover within the portioning area can thus enable, in particular, the immediate formation of portions on the transport mover or its carrier, eliminating the need to transfer food portions from a portioning area to a transport mover. In this respect, the food portions can be directly picked up and conveyed within the portioning area, allowing them to be immediately fed into further processing. In some embodiments, the adjustment device can be configured to lower and / or tilt the transport mover during the formation of the food portion by moving the drive surface towards the operating position.

[0109] In particular, the control device can be configured to lower and / or tilt the drive surface depending on the cutting process or portioning, especially synchronously with the cutting. Lowering the drive surface can facilitate stacking slices that form the food portion, for example, by maintaining a consistent drop height for each slice by successively lowering the drive surface. In this respect, the drive surface can be lowered and / or tilted to lower and / or tilt the transport mover positioned in the portioning area. In particular, this lowering can compensate for height differences, preferably by up to 100 mm or up to 50 mm.

[0110] Furthermore, by tilting the drive surface, the transport mover in the portioning area can also be arranged at an angle in order to adapt an angle to a cutting plane of the slicing station, in which in particular a knife separating the slices can rotate, or to the falling slices, and to enable improved collection of the slices.

[0111] In general, the drive surface, particularly its upstream end, can extend into the portioning area. Therefore, the control device can be designed to lower and / or tilt the upstream end of the drive surface during the formation of the food portion, for which purpose the entire drive surface can be lowered or pivoted, particularly around its downstream end.

[0112] In some embodiments, the control device can be configured to tilt the transport mover during the formation of the food portion, particularly to compensate for or enhance any change in the inclination of the drive surface compared to the initial position due to movement towards the operating position. This allows, in particular, consistent and / or optimized conditions for separating each slice, enabling continuous and flexible optimization based on the portion formation stage or stack height.

[0113] In some embodiments, the food processing line may further include a packaging machine for packaging the food portion and a loading station for loading the food portion onto a packaging area provided by the packaging machine, wherein the food portion may be transported to the loading station by the transport mover.

[0114] For example, the infeed station can include a robot with a robot gripper, but alternatively or additionally a conveyor belt can also be provided, with which the food portion can be taken over by the transport mover and then placed into packaging stations provided by a packaging machine.

[0115] The control device can further be configured to tilt the transport mover at the infeed station, in particular to compensate for a change in the inclination of the drive surface compared to the initial position due to movement towards the operating position. For example, it can be provided that several transport movers are positioned on the drive surface, with a food portion being formed on one of the transport movers, while previously formed food portions can be transported towards, and in particular to, the infeed station by means of the other transport movers.By enabling the control unit to tilt the transport mover relative to the drive surface, any tilting of the drive surface at the infeed station can be compensated for. This ensures, for example, that a robot gripper of a robot at the infeed station can always pick up food portions with the transport mover horizontally aligned and insert them into the packaging machine. In this way, the drive surface's mobility can be utilized without requiring further modifications to the processing line, particularly regarding the insertion of the food portions into the packaging machine.

[0116] The invention further relates to a method for operating a food processing line comprising a slicing station and a transport device of the type disclosed herein. The slicing station is configured to slice supplied food products and to form a food portion in a portioning area, comprising at least one slice separated from the food product. In the method, the drive surface of the transport device is moved from the starting position towards the operating position.

[0117] In particular, the drive surface can be moved into the operating position or positioned in intermediate positions between the initial position and the operating position. Furthermore, the drive surface can be moved during operation or before or after the operation of the slicing station, for example to facilitate slicing the food product and forming the food portion, or to enable further functions for preparing or following up on the operation of the processing line, such as for maintenance work or for replacing transport units.

[0118] In some embodiments, the drive surface can extend into the portioning area, and the transport mover can be moved into this area to form the food portion. The food portion can then be formed on the transport mover. Furthermore, the drive surface can be moved towards its operating position during the food portion formation process, thereby lowering it, at least within the portioning area.

[0119] To lower the drive surface, in some embodiments it can be tilted, or the drive surface can be lowered from its initial position towards the operating position while maintaining a constant tilt. As mentioned, the drive surface can, in particular, be pivoted to be arranged at an angle.

[0120] In some designs, the lowering process can be synchronized with the cutting of the slices. In particular, the lowering can also be synchronized with stacking to form the food portion. Generally, the lowering process can thus be synchronized with the cutting operation.

[0121] In some embodiments, the drive surface of the transport device can be moved from the initial position to the functional position, and the transport mover can be moved into an area of ​​operation of a functional device adjoining the drive surface in the functional position, wherein the transport mover can in particular be moved onto a further drive surface of the functional device adjoining the drive surface.

[0122] In particular, the functional unit can be designed as explained above and perform the functions described above for the respective functional units.

[0123] In some embodiments, a cut slice and / or an end section of the food product can be removed from the transport mover at the functional unit and discharged. Alternatively or additionally, the transport mover can be cleaned by the functional unit. In some embodiments, the drive surface of the transport device can be moved from the initial position to the functional position, and a further transport mover parked on an adjacent drive surface in the functional position can be moved from the adjacent drive surface onto the drive surface. Alternatively or additionally, the transport mover can also be parked on the adjacent drive surface.As already explained, this allows for a flexible arrangement of suitable transport movers on the drive surface, whereby by parking transport movers on the additional drive surface which functions as a parking area, an exchange of transport movers can take place without them first having to be integrated into the control system of the transport device.

[0124] In some embodiments, the drive surface of the transport device can be moved from the starting position to the operating position and thereby brought into the effective range of a functional device, whereby the drive surface can be cleaned by the functional device.

[0125] In some embodiments, the drive surface of the transport device can be moved from the initial position to the operating position, and a protective element, in particular a guard plate, can be arranged over the drive surface in the operating position, especially by extending the protective element from a functional unit adjoining the drive surface in the operating position. After the protective element has been attached, maintenance work can be carried out on the processing line, in particular on the cutting station. This can include, in particular, changing the blade, changing the cutting edge, or cleaning the cutting station.

[0126] In addition, in some embodiments such a protective element can also serve as a collecting element for catching a cut slice or an end section of the food product and, after the drive surface has been moved, be brought into the functional position for catching such a cut slice or such an end section over the drive surface.

[0127] Alternatively, in some embodiments a specially provided collecting element may be included.

[0128] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the drive surface of the transport device may be moved from its initial position to its operating position, and in particular, lowered at least partially, for example, lowered completely or pivoted, to create space for maintenance work on the processing line and especially the cutting station. Such maintenance work can be carried out after the drive surface has been moved into its operating position.

[0129] Furthermore, in some embodiments it may be provided that the transport mover transports the food portion to a packaging machine, in particular a thermoforming packaging machine or a tray sealer, which is connected to the downstream end of the drive surface, and that the food portion is packaged by the packaging machine.

[0130] Furthermore, one or more of the process steps already described above or below in connection with a transport device and / or a processing line may be implemented in the process. Conversely, the process steps described above may, in particular, be implemented by the control unit of the transport device disclosed herein.

[0131] The invention will be explained below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0132] They show:

[0133] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a processing line with a slicing station where a supplied food product is sliced ​​and food portions are formed on a transport mover of a transport device positioned in a portioning area of ​​the slicing station, and with a packaging machine to which completed food portions are transported by transport movers of the transport device.

[0134] Fig. 2 is a schematic top view of a drive surface of the transport device,

[0135] Fig. 3 shows a further schematic representation of the processing line with the drive surface positioned in an intermediate position between a starting position and a functional position, in which the drive surface can be moved by means of an adjusting device; Fig. 4 shows a further schematic representation with the drive surface positioned in the functional position.

[0136] Figs. 5A and 5B show a schematic representation of another embodiment with the drive surface positioned in the initial position or the functional position,

[0137] Figs. 6A and 6B show a schematic representation of another embodiment with the drive surface positioned in the initial position or the functional position,

[0138] Figs. 7A to 7C show a schematic representation of a further embodiment with the drive surface positioned in the initial position, a first functional position or a second functional position.

[0139] Fig. 8 shows a schematic top view of another embodiment in which the drive surface comprises two adjacent partial drive surfaces.

[0140] Fig. 9 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment in which a subsequent drive surface is connected to the drive surface.

[0141] Figs. 10A and 10B show a schematic representation illustrating the triggering of an additional function on a transport mover, which can be triggered in the operating position of the drive surface by an external actuating element.

[0142] Fig. 1 1 A to 1 1 D shows a respective representation to illustrate further functions that can be achieved by lateral adjustability of respective partial drive surfaces of the drive surface and the integration of the transport device into a processing line,

[0143] Figs. 12A and 12B show illustrations of further functions that can be achieved by laterally adjusting the respective partial drive surfaces of the drive surface and integrating the transport device into a processing line. Fig. 13 shows an illustration of a further function that can be achieved by laterally adjusting the respective partial drive surfaces of the drive surface and integrating the transport device into a processing line.

[0144] Fig. 14 is a schematic representation illustrating the mounting of the drive module and the drive surface on a support structure of the transport device.

[0145] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a processing line 85 in which a food product 15, fed to a slicing station 19 via a product feed 101, is cut into slices 16 and food portions 17 are formed, each comprising several of the separated slices 16. The food portions 17 are subsequently fed by a transport device 11 to a packaging machine 87 and packaged in packaging stations 89 provided by the packaging machine 87, so that ultimately ready-to-sell packages are produced, each containing one food portion 17.

[0146] In order to process the food products 15 accordingly, the processing line 85 first includes the slicing station 19, which can be configured in particular as a high-speed slicer 21. The food product 15 to be processed is advanced in the product feed 101 by a product gripper 19 engaging at a rear end of the product and fed to a knife 105 rotating in a cutting area, which cuts the slices 16 from the food product 15. The slicing station 19 is also designed to create the food portions 17, whereby successively cut slices 16 are stacked in a portioning area 97 adjoining the knife 105 to form a complete food portion 17.

[0147] In the embodiment illustrated with reference to Fig. 1, it is further provided that a drive surface 25 of a drive module 23 of the transport device 11, designed as a planar drive device 37, extends with an upstream end 27, relative to a main transport direction T of the transport device 11, into the portioning area 97. The transport device 11 has several transport movers 31 for transporting the food portions 17 to the packaging machine 87, wherein the transport movers 31 are movable into the portioning area 97, so that the food portions 17 can be formed directly on a respective transport mover 31.

[0148] In order to transport the food portions 17 (or foodstuffs 13 in general) to the packaging machine 87, the transport movers 31 are movable along a path defined or definable by a control device 33 of the transport device 11 over the drive surface 25, the movement of the transport movers 31 occurring primarily along the main transport direction T of the transport device 11, which extends from the cutting station 19 to the packaging machine 87. The food portions 17 are therefore movable by means of the transport movers 31 to an end 29 of the drive surface 25 downstream of the main transport direction T, to which the packaging machine 87 is connected.

[0149] To transfer the food portions 17 to the packaging machine 87, a feeding station 91 of the processing line 85 is arranged at the downstream end 29 of the drive surface 25. This feeding station includes, in particular, a robot 93 with a gripper 95, which is designed to remove food portions 17 provided by a transport mover 31 from the transport mover 31 and place them into a packaging station 89 provided by the packaging machine 87. The packaging machine 87, shown only schematically, can, for example, be a thermoforming packaging machine and be designed to provide troughs drawn into a material web as packaging stations 89. The food portions 17 are placed into these troughs, which can then be sealed at a sealing station by an upper material web fed from above.However, packaging machines known as tray sealers are also known, which can be used as an alternative to a thermoforming packaging machine for packaging the food portions 17. Furthermore, the food portions 17 can be placed on a material web moved by the packaging machine 87 without prior indentations being drawn into the material web, whereby with such packaging machines 87, closed packaging can again be achieved by feeding and sealing an upper material web.

[0150] As mentioned, the transport device 11 is designed as a planar drive device 37, wherein the drive surface 25 is composed in particular of several tile-shaped drive sections 39 (see Fig. 2), over which the transport movers 31 can be moved in a magnetic levitation state M (see Fig. 1). For this purpose, permanent magnets can be provided as runners on the transport movers 31, which can be moved in a generally free path over the drive surface 25 by magnetic fields generated in the drive sections 39. The tile-shaped drive surfaces 39 are also held or enclosed in a receiving structure 41 designed as a support frame 43 and are fixed relative to each other in the receiving structure 41.

[0151] While such a transport device 11, due to the free movement of the transport mover 31, generally enables flexible transport of the food portions 17 along the drive surface 25, allowing them, for example, to be fed to further processing devices even during transport, the integration of such a transport device 11 into a processing line 85, and in particular the direct formation of the food portions 17 on a transport mover 31 as provided for in the embodiment according to Fig. 1, often proves difficult. For example, stacking the discs 16 to form the food portions 17 leads to a progressively decreasing distance between a disc 16 to be cut off and a disc 16 last placed on the transport mover 31, and thus a decreasing drop height of the disc 16 to be cut off, which can potentially lead to incorrect placement.

[0152] To address these problems and to enable improved integration of the transport device into the processing line 85, as well as the development of further functionalities, a positioning device 35 is provided in the transport devices 1 1 of the present disclosure. This device allows the drive surface 25 to be moved from an initial position A shown in Fig. 1, in which the drive surface 25 is oriented, in particular horizontally, to at least one different functional position F and can optionally be positioned in the functional position F (see Fig. 4). As illustrated in Fig. 3, in the embodiment shown, the drive surface 25 can also be positioned in intermediate positions Z between the initial position A and the functional position F, and in particular, stepless adjustment of the drive surface 25 can be provided.To move the drive surface 25 between the initial position A and the functional position F, the adjusting device 35 can, in particular, have an adjusting drive, for example a pneumatic and / or electric motor adjusting drive, or manual adjustability, for example by means of a suitable handle, can be provided. In particular, the adjusting device 35 can engage the receiving structure 41 of the tile-shaped drive surface 39 in order to be able to move the receiving structure 41 and thus the entire drive surface 25 and its drive sections 39.

[0153] As can be seen from the combined view of Figures 1, 3, and 4, the drive surface 25 can be moved between the initial position A and the operating position F, in particular by pivoting about a pivot axis S arranged at the downstream end 29 and extending horizontally. By such pivoting, the drive surface 25 can be progressively lowered from the initial position A at the upstream end 27, which extends into the portioning area 97 of the cutting station 19, whereby this lowering can be synchronized, in particular, with the cutting of slices 16 from the food product 15.This makes it possible to compensate for an increasing stack height of the separated slices 16 during the formation of the food portion 17, so that all slices 16 of a food portion 17 can be stacked under constant conditions and thus precise stacking can be achieved directly on the transport mover 31.

[0154] Furthermore, it can be seen, for example, from Fig. 3, that the transport movers 31 can remain positioned in a horizontal orientation, particularly despite the drive surface 25 being inclined relative to the horizontal in the intermediate position Z due to pivoting about the pivot axis S, by means of the control device 33 being designed to tilt the transport movers 31 relative to the drive surface 25. This also ensures that the conditions for stacking discs 16 on the transport mover 31 do not change during portioning, and that discs 16 can always be deposited in a consistent manner.However, it may also be possible to arrange the transport mover 31, in particular in the portioning area 97, inclined according to the drive surface 25 or even further inclined relative to an inclination of the drive surface 25, in order to achieve an improved angular position relative to the knife 105 and to optimize the depositing behavior of a disc 16 or the stacking formation.

[0155] Furthermore, by tilting the transport movers 31 relative to the drive surface 25, it is also possible to guide the food products 17 to the infeed station 91 with horizontally oriented transport movers 31, even with the drive surface 25 inclined. This allows the gripper 95 to pick up the food portions 17 in a horizontal orientation, regardless of the position of the drive surface 25, and transfer them to the packaging machine 87. In this respect, adjusting the drive surface 25 can facilitate stacking or portioning in the portioning area 97 without imposing any restrictions on subsequent operation or requiring any additional measures. The ability to compensate for the inclination of the drive surface 25 also prevents the food portions 17 from slipping down during transport. Fig.Figure 4 further illustrates that the upstream end 27, in the aforementioned operating position F, can be lowered to such an extent compared to the initial position A that the drive surface 25 enters the effective range of a functional device 47, which is also shown in Figures 1 and 3. The functional device 47 has a further drive surface 63 and is designed as a parking device 59, so that the further drive surface 63 functions as a parking surface 65. In the operating situations illustrated with reference to Figures 1 and 3, further transport movers 61, which are smaller than the transport movers 31, are parked on the parking surface 65. However, according to the operating situation illustrated with reference to Figure 4, these are guided onto the drive surface 25 after the drive surface 25 is moved into the operating position F. In contrast, the transport movers 31 are shown in Figure 4.4 moved to the further drive surface 63 and parked there, so that the transport movers 31 were, in a sense, exchanged for the transport movers 61.

[0156] In particular, such a procedure can make it possible to flexibly deploy transport movers 31 or 61 adapted to a specific application and to keep any unused transport movers 31 or 61 on the parking area 65. For example, Fig. 4 illustrates that a food product 15 that is smaller than the one processed according to Figs. 1 and 3 can be cut open, allowing the smaller transport movers 61 adapted for this purpose to be used, thus avoiding the need to move and position unnecessarily large transport movers 31 on the drive surface 25. Furthermore, by providing the parking area 65 accessible by pivoting the drive surface 25, the number of transport movers 31 and 61 moving on the drive surface 25 and thus requiring coordination can be flexibly adjusted.

[0157] In order to be able to position the transport movers 61 or 31 optionally on the drive surface 25 or the further drive surface 63, the further drive surface 63 can in particular be integrated into a control system of the transport device 11, so that the transport movers 31 or 61 positioned on the further drive surface 63 and their positions are known to the control unit 33 and the respective transport movers 31 and 61 can thus be controlled directly by the control unit 33.

[0158] Figures 5A and 5B illustrate a further embodiment of the processing line 85 and the transport device 11, wherein, in this embodiment, the drive surface 25 can be moved from the initial position A to the functional position F into the effective range of a functional device 47, which also has a further drive surface 63 that can function as a parking surface 65, so that the functional device 47 is again designed as a parking device 59. In addition, however, the functional device 47 has a machining element 69 which, when the drive surface 25 is positioned in the functional position F, can be brought into contact with the drive surface 25 for machining purposes.In particular, a cleaning element 71, for example a brush, is arranged on the processing element 69, wherein the cleaning element 71 is movable over the drive surface 25 in the operating position F of the drive surface 25 in order to clean the drive surface 25 (see Fig. 5B). In addition, the functional device 47, which accordingly functions and is designed as a cleaning device 59, has a cleaning nozzle 67, so that transport movers 31 moving on the further drive surface 63 can be cleaned in the functional device 47 by being supplied with a cleaning fluid and / or cleaning gas. For this purpose, the functional device 47 can in particular also be sealed gas- and / or watertight, for example by a bulkhead arranged facing the upstream end 27 of the drive surface 25.

[0159] In the embodiment illustrated with reference to Figures 6A and 6B, the drive surface 25 can be moved from the initial position A to the functional position F into the operating range of a functional device 47, which has a further drive surface 63 and accordingly functions as a parking device 59 with a parking area 65 for the transport movers 31. Furthermore, a processing element 69 can again be positioned above the drive surface 25 when the drive surface 25 is arranged in the functional position F.

[0160] In this embodiment, however, the processing element 69 forms part of a discharge device 51 and is designed to catch a cut-off slice 103 from the food product 15 (or also an end piece to be cut off at the end of the processing of the food product 15) and to discharge the cut-off slice 103 (or the end section) that is not to be used for food portions 17. Furthermore, the processing element 69 can also function as a protective element 73 and may, for example, be designed as a guard plate. It may be provided that the drive surface 25 is moved into the operating position F and the protective element 73 is positioned above the drive surface 25 before maintenance work is carried out on the cutting station 19, for example, a change of the knife 105 or a cutting edge not shown in the figures.This prevents any damage to the drive surface 25 or the drive sections 39 forming the drive surface 25 during such maintenance work. Furthermore, Figures 6A and 6B schematically illustrate that the functional device 47 can also be designed as a retrofit device 55 and can provide a cleaning device 57, which can be attached to transport movers 31 positioned on the further drive surface 63 and moved by a respective transport mover 31 to the drive surface 25 in the functional position F in order to clean the drive surface 25 using such cleaning devices 57. For example, suction and / or wiping devices can optionally be attached to a transport mover 31 in order to flexibly use the respective transport mover 31 as a cleaning mover for cleaning the drive surface 25.For example, such a cleaning device 57 can be attached to a carrier of the transport mover 31 by a robot of the retrofit device 55 (not shown).

[0161] Figures 7A to 7C illustrate that the drive surface 25 can, for example, be vertically movable in its entirety between the initial position A and a first functional position F1, whereby a first functional device 75 adjoining the upstream end 27 of the drive surface 25 and a second functional device 77 adjoining the downstream end 29 of the drive surface 25 can be reached. Due to the free movement of the transport movers 31, the transport movers 31 can be supplied to both the first functional device 75 and the second functional device 77 when the drive surface 25 is positioned in the first functional position F1.

[0162] According to Fig. 7B, the first functional position F1 can also form a cleaning position in which the drive surface 25 can be cleaned on a lower level where, during normal operation, there are no sensitive foodstuffs 13, food products 15 or food portions 17.

[0163] Furthermore, Fig. 7C illustrates that, in principle, the drive surface 25 can also be pivoted about a pivot axis S arranged at the upstream end 27 of the drive surface 25 in order to selectively move the drive surface 25 into a second functional position F2 and thereby into an operating range of the second functional device 77. In principle, any combination of movements of the drive surface 25 can also be provided in order to be able to reach different functional devices and / or assume functional positions as flexibly as possible. For example, horizontal lateral movement of the drive surface 25 is therefore also conceivable, for example by extending the drive surface 25 laterally along a rail, although this is not specifically illustrated in the figures.Figure 8 further shows that in some embodiments the drive surface 25 can also be divided into two parts and have two adjacent partial drive surfaces 81a, 81b. In such embodiments, the adjusting device 35 can be designed, in particular, to move the partial drive surfaces 81a, 81b individually between their respective initial positions A and functional position F, wherein the partial drive surfaces 81a, 81b can extend, in particular, into the portioning area 97 of the cutting station 19 not shown in Figure 8 (see, for example, Figure 1). This can, in particular, enable lane-specific cutting and the formation of food portions 17 in two lanes, since the two partial drive surfaces 81a, 81b can be moved individually between the initial position A and the functional position F, especially during the cutting of two food products 15 fed side by side in two lanes of the product feed 101.

[0164] As shown in Fig. 8, a sorting surface 83 adjoins the two partial drive surfaces 81a and 81b, on which the transport movers 31 fed via the partial drive surfaces 81 can, in principle, be moved freely, as illustrated by the arrows P. This can, in particular, enable the exchange of food portions 17 between the tracks formed by the two partial drive surfaces 81.

[0165] Furthermore, Figures 11A to 13 illustrate that lateral adjustability (along the arrow P) of the partial drive surfaces 81a and 81b between respective starting positions A and respective functional positions F, F1, F2 and / or F3 can also be provided, which may enable further functionalities.

[0166] Fig. 11A shows in general terms that the partial drive surfaces 81a and 81b can be arranged in the initial position A such that a subsequent device 109 of a processing line 85 is connected to the partial drive surfaces 81a and 81b. Therefore, food portions 17 produced at a slicing station 19 can be fed to the subsequent device 109 in the initial position A via the drive surface 25 and its partial drive surfaces 81a and 81b. This subsequent device could be, for example, the aforementioned packaging machine 87, another workstation of the processing line 85, a subsequent drive surface 45, or the aforementioned sorting surface 83.

[0167] In the functional position F1 shown in Fig. 11 B, both partial drive surfaces 81 a and 81b are moved laterally and perpendicularly outwards to the main transport direction T in order to be positioned more easily accessible for cleaning, for example. For this purpose, the partial drive surfaces 81 a and 81 b can be moved, slid and / or pulled outwards, for example, via respective rails.

[0168] Figures 11C and 11D show that a joint adjustment of the partial drive surfaces 81a and 81b can also be provided, so that, for example, in the operating position F2 shown in Figure 11C, the partial drive surface 81a remains aligned such that foodstuffs 13 or food portions 17 moved over it can still be transferred to the downstream device 109, whereas the partial drive surface 81b is arranged laterally offset from the downstream device 109, for example for maintenance and / or cleaning. Figure 11D shows a reverse situation, wherein in the corresponding operating position F3 the partial drive surface 81a is arranged laterally offset from the downstream device 109 for cleaning, whereas the partial drive surface 81b remains aligned for transferring foodstuffs 13 to the downstream device 109.

[0169] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 12A and 12B, the drive surface 25 with its partial drive surfaces 81a and 81b can be laterally adjustable. This allows a common cutting station 19 to supply various downstream devices 109a and 109b, for example, different packaging machines 87, with food portions 17, or to selectively distribute food portions 17 formed at the cutting station 19 onto tracks formed by the downstream devices 109a and 109b. Additionally, for example, the discharge of food portions 17 via one of the two downstream devices 109a and 109b can be provided, so that the food portions 17 can be selectively fed to further processing or discharged by adjusting the drive surface 25.

[0170] According to Fig. 13, it is also possible, for example, to distribute food portions 17 to three different, laterally adjacent subsequent devices 109a, 109b and 109c.

[0171] Fig. 9 illustrates that a secondary drive surface 45 can, in principle, be connected to the primary drive surface 25. The primary drive surface 25 can be deflected relative to the secondary drive surface 45 by pivoting about a pivot axis S at its downstream end 29 when the primary drive surface 25 is positioned in the operating position F. In the initial position A (not shown), the primary drive surface 25 can also extend horizontally and thus in a common plane with the secondary drive surface 45. For example, the secondary drive surface 45 can be designed to ultimately provide the food portions 17 to the feeding station 91. By fixing the secondary drive surface 45 in place, the transfer of the food portions 17 can be ensured with transport movers 31 that are always horizontally oriented.However, a gap that forms between the drive surface 25 and the subsequent drive surface 45 due to the movement of the drive surface 25 into the functional position F may be traversable by the transport movers 31 and / or sealed by a film and / or a rubber seal.

[0172] Figures 10A and 10B further illustrate another function that can be implemented by moving the drive surface 25 from the initial position A to the functional position F. In particular, it can be provided that by lowering the drive surface 25 into the functional position F, an engagement element 107 of the transport mover 31 can be brought into contact with an external actuating element 79 in order to trigger an additional function B on the transport mover 31. By way of example, it is shown here that the engagement element 107 can be designed as a lateral extension of the transport mover 31 in order to enable a pivoting movement of components of the transport mover 31 relative to each other by engaging with the external actuating element 79. Furthermore, for example, an additional stroke or an additional or assisted rotation of the transport mover 31 could also be triggered by such an external actuating element 79.

[0173] Fig. 14 further illustrates that a modular concept can be pursued with the drive module 23, wherein the drive module 23, and thus the drive surface 25, can optionally be attached to a support structure 11 1 of the transport device 11, for example, a frame. For this purpose, in the illustrated embodiment, the support structure 11 1 has a retaining pin 113 projecting perpendicular to the main transport direction T, and a connecting channel 115 is formed on the aforementioned support frame 43, in which the drive surface 25 is held, so that the support frame 43 can optionally be attached to the retaining pin 113 to attach the drive surface 25 to the support structure 11 1.In particular, this can enable tool-free assembly and disassembly of the drive surface 25 and the drive module 23, and also allows for flexible replacement with a belt cassette containing a conveyor belt (not shown, but such conveyor belt systems are generally known to those skilled in the art). Therefore, existing support structures 1 11 of transport devices 11 with conveyor belt systems can be used to mount the drive module 23, or the transport device 1 1 can be flexibly and as required converted from the planar drive device 37 (with the drive module 23 installed) to a transport device with conveyor belts by sliding a belt cassette onto the retaining mandrel 1 13 instead of the drive module 23.

[0174] In summary, the adjustability of the drive surface 25 in the transport device 11 of the type disclosed herein makes it possible to access additional levels or spatial positions for the transport movers 31 and / or the drive surface 25, which are not accessible in conventional transport devices 11. This allows the transport movers 31 of the transport device 11 and / or the drive surface 25, for example, to be brought into contact with functional devices 47 in order to enable additional functions. Furthermore, in particular, by successively lowering the drive surface 25 in the portioning area 97 of a slicing station 19, it can be achieved that food portions 17, comprising several slices 16 separated from a food product 15, can be formed directly on a transport mover 31 of the transport device 11 without the stacking impeding the placement of a subsequent slice 16.Therefore, the food portions 17 can be precisely formed on the transport mover 31, eliminating the need for the conventionally required transfer of food portions 17 already formed on conveyor belts to a transport mover 31. Overall, this results in a high degree of integration of the transport device 11 into the processing line 85, along with enhanced functionality.

[0175] Reference to the list of symbols

[0176] 11 Transport device

[0177] 13 Foods

[0178] 15 Food product

[0179] 16 discs

[0180] 17 food portions

[0181] 19 Cutting station

[0182] 21 High-speed slicers

[0183] 23 Drive module

[0184] 25 Drive area

[0185] 27 upstream end

[0186] 29 downstream end

[0187] 31 transport movers

[0188] 33 Control unit

[0189] 35 Adjustment device

[0190] 37 Planar drive device

[0191] 39 Drive section

[0192] 41 Recording structure

[0193] 43 support frames

[0194] 45 Follow-up propulsion surface

[0195] 47 Functional device

[0196] 49 Cleaning equipment

[0197] 51 Exit device

[0198] 55 Retrofit kit

[0199] 57 Cleaning device

[0200] 59 Parking facilities

[0201] 61 more transport movers

[0202] 63 additional drive surface

[0203] 65 parking spaces

[0204] 67 Cleaning nozzle

[0205] 69 Processing element

[0206] 71 Cleaning element

[0207] 73 Protective element

[0208] 75 first functional setup

[0209] 77 second functional unit

[0210] 79 Actuating element

[0211] 81 a T partial drive surface

[0212] 81 b T partial drive surface

[0213] 83 sorting area

[0214] 85 Food processing line

[0215] 87 Packaging machine

[0216] 89 packing station

[0217] 91 Delivery station

[0218] 93 robots

[0219] 95 grippers

[0220] 97 Portioning area

[0221] 99 product grippers

[0222] 101 Product Supply

[0223] 103 Cutting disc

[0224] 105 knives

[0225] 107 Intervention element

[0226] 109 Follow-up institution

[0227] 109a Follow-up facility 109b Follow-up facility

[0228] 109c Follow-up institution

[0229] 111 Load-bearing structure

[0230] 113 Retaining pin 115 Connecting channel

[0231] A Starting position

[0232] B Additional function

[0233] F Functional position

[0234] F1 first function position F2 second function position

[0235] M Magnetic levitation state

[0236] P arrow

[0237] S swivel axis

[0238] T Main transport direction Z Intermediate position

Claims

Weber Food Technology GmbH W29097PWO - Dm Claims 1. Transport device (11) for moving foodstuffs (13), in particular food portions (17), comprising at least one slice (16) separated from a food product (15) – in particular by a high-speed slicer (21) – comprising a drive module (23) with a drive surface (25) extending along a main transport direction (T) of the transport device (11) from an upstream end (27) to a downstream end (29); at least one transport mover (31) movable above the drive surface (25) in a predetermined or predeterminable path; a control device (33) for controlling the movement of the transport mover (31); and an adjustment device (35) configured to adjust the drive surface (25) to move from a starting position (A) to a functional position (F) that differs from the starting position (A) and to position it either in the starting position (A) or in the functional position (F).

2. Transport device (11) according to claim 1, wherein the transport device (11) is designed as a planar drive device (37) and wherein the drive surface (25) comprises several tile-shaped drive sections (39).

3. Transport device (11) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the drive surface (25) is held in a receiving structure (41), in particular a support frame (43), wherein the adjusting device (35) is designed to move the receiving structure (41).

4. Transport device (11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adjusting device (35) is configured to adjust the drive surface (25) between the initial position (A) and the functional position (F) and to position the drive surface (25) in intermediate positions (Z) located between the initial position (A) and the functional position (F).

5. Transport device (11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive surface (25) is horizontally aligned in the starting position (A).

6. Transport device (11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a follower drive surface (45) adjoins the downstream end (29) of the drive surface (25), wherein the follower drive surface (45) and the drive surface (25) extend in a common plane in the initial position (A), and wherein the transport mover (31) is movable from the drive surface (25) to the follower drive surface (45) in the initial position (A), wherein the drive surface (25) is movable relative to the follower drive surface (45) by moving from the initial position (A) to the operating position (F), wherein the transport mover (31) is also movable from the drive surface (25) to the follower drive surface (45) in the operating position (F), or wherein the transport mover (31) is not movable from the drive surface (25) to the follower drive surface (45) in the operating position (F). The following drive surface (45) is movable.

7. Transport device (11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adjusting device (35) is configured to move the drive surface (25) translationally in a vertical direction and / or laterally in a horizontal direction from the initial position (A) to the functional position (F).

8. Transport device (11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adjusting device (35) is configured to pivot the drive surface (25) for movement from the initial position (A) to the functional position (F).

9. Transport device (11) according to claim 8, wherein the adjusting device (35) is configured to pivot the drive surface (25) about a horizontally aligned pivot axis (S).

10. Transport device (11) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the adjusting device (35) is configured to pivot the drive surface (25) about the downstream end (29) and / or the upstream end (27).

11. Transport device (11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive surface (25) is arranged inclined relative to the horizontal in the operating position (F), wherein the downstream end (29) of the drive surface (25) is arranged below the upstream end (27) in the operating position (F); or vice versa.

12. Transport device (11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive surface (25) can be brought into an effective area of ​​a functional device (47) by moving it into the functional position (F), which is designed to process a foodstuff (13) transported by the transport mover (31), the transport mover (31) and / or the drive surface (25) or to discharge a foodstuff (13) transported by the transport mover (31).

13. Transport device (11) according to claim 12, wherein the functional device (47) is configured as: a cleaning device (49) for cleaning the transport mover (31) and / or the drive surface (25); a discharge device (51) for discharging foodstuffs (13); a retrofit device (55) for attaching cleaning devices (57) to the transport mover (31); and / or a parking device (59) for parking the transport mover (31) outside the drive surface (25).

14. Transport device (11) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the functional device (47) has a further drive surface (63), wherein the transport mover (31) is movable onto the further drive surface (63) in the functional position (F).

15. Transport device (11) according to claim 14, wherein the transport device (11) has at least two transport movers (31, 61), wherein the control device (33) is configured to move a first of the at least two transport movers (31) onto the further drive surface (63) and park it on the further drive surface (25), and wherein the control device (33) is configured to move a second of the at least two transport movers (61) on the drive surface (25) when the transport mover (31) is parked on the further drive surface (25), in particular when the drive surface (25) is positioned in the initial position (A) and / or the functional position (F).

16. Transport device (11) according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the control device (33) is configured to selectively move transport movers (61) parked on the further drive surface (25) in the functional position (F) onto the drive surface (25).

17. Transport device (11) according to one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the functional device (47) is gas- and / or watertight sealable, in particular wherein the functional device (47) is designed as a cleaning direction (49) for cleaning the transport mover (31) and for cleaning the transport mover (31) moved onto the further drive surface (63) by means of mechanical devices and / or by applying a cleaning gas and / or a cleaning fluid.

18. Transport device (11) according to one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the functional device (47) has a processing element (69) which is movable over the drive surface (25) when the drive surface (25) is moved into the functional position (F).

19. Transport device (11) according to claim 18, wherein the processing element (69) is configured to process a foodstuff (13) transported by the transport mover (31), the transport mover (31) and / or the drive surface (25) or to remove a foodstuff (13) transported by the transport mover (31) from the transport mover (31); or wherein the processing element (69) is configured to catch a foodstuff (13), in particular a sliced ​​portion (103) or an end section of a food product (15) to be sliced.

20. Transport device (11) according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the processing element (69) is designed as a protective element (73) for the drive surface (25), in particular as a protective plate, wherein the protective element (73) can be arranged above the drive surface (25) in the functional position (F) of the drive surface (25) to protect the drive surface (25) in advance of maintenance work to be carried out.

21. Transport device (11) according to one of claims 12 to 20, wherein the functional device (47) in the functional position (F) is connected to the downstream end (29) or to the upstream end (27).

22. Transport device (11) according to one of claims 12 to 21, wherein the adjusting device (35) is configured to selectively move the drive surface (25) into a first functional position (F1) or into a second functional position (F2), wherein the drive surface (25) is moved into the first functional position (F1 ) can be brought into an effective range of a first functional device (75) and wherein the drive surface (25) can be brought into an effective range of a second functional device (77) by moving it into the second functional position (F2).

23. Transport device (11) according to claim 22, wherein the first functional device (75) in the first functional position (F1) connects to the upstream end (27) of the drive surface (25) and wherein the second functional device (77) in the second functional position (F2) connects to the downstream end (29) of the drive surface (25); or wherein both the first functional device (75) and the second functional device (77) connect to the upstream end (27) of the drive surface (25) or to the downstream end (29) of the drive surface (25) in the respective functional position (F1, F2).

24. Transport device (11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control device (33) is configured to tilt the transport mover (31) relative to the drive surface (25), in particular to compensate for or increase an inclination of the drive surface (25) in the operating position (F).

25. Transport device (11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport mover (31) can be brought into contact with an external actuating element (79) in the functional position (F) of the drive surface (25), which is designed to trigger an additional function (B) on the transport mover (31).

26. Transport device (11) according to claim 25, wherein the transport mover (31) has an engagement element (107), in particular a lateral extension, with which the actuating element (79) can be contacted in the functional position (F) of the drive surface (25) to trigger the additional function (B).

27. Transport device (11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive surface (25) comprises two adjacent partial drive surfaces (81 a, 81 b), wherein the adjusting device (35) is configured to move the partial drive surfaces (81 a, 81 b) independently of each other from a respective initial position (A) to a respective functional position (F) and to position them selectively in the respective initial position (A) or the respective functional position (F).

28. Transport device (11) according to claim 27, wherein the transport device (11) has a sorting surface (83) adjoining the downstream end (29) of the drive surface (25), wherein a transport mover (31) moved from a first of the two partial drive surfaces (81) onto the sorting surface (83) is movable onto a section of the sorting surface (83) adjoining the second of the two partial drive surfaces (81a, 81b) along the main transport direction (T).

29. Food processing line (85) for processing food (13), comprising a slicing station (19) which is configured to slice supplied food products (15) into slices (16) and to form a food portion (17) in a portioning area (97) comprising at least one slice (16) separated from the food product (15), and a transport device (1 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims.

30. Food processing line (85) according to claim 29, wherein the drive surface (25) of the transport device (1 1 ) extends into the portioning area (97) of the cutting station (19), wherein the control device (33) is configured to position the transport mover (31 ) in the portioning area (97), and wherein the cutting station (19) is configured to form the food portion (17) on the transport mover (31 ) positioned in the portioning area (97).

31. Food processing line (85) according to claim 30, wherein the adjusting device (35) is configured to lower and / or tilt the transport mover (31) during the formation of the food portion (17) by moving the drive surface (25) in the direction of the functional position (F).

32. Food processing line (85) according to claim 30 or 31, wherein the control device (33) is configured to tilt the transport mover (31) during the formation of the food portion (17), in particular to compensate for a change in the inclination of the drive surface (25) compared to the initial position (A) due to movement in the direction of the functional position (F).

33. Food processing line (85) according to one of claims 29 to 32, wherein the food processing line (85) further comprises a packaging machine (87) for packaging the food portion (17) and a feeding station (91) for feeding the food portion (17) onto a packaging station (89) provided by the packaging machine (87), wherein the food portion (17) can be transported from the transport mover (31) to the feeding station (91).

34. Method for operating a food processing line (85), in particular according to one of claims 29 to 33, wherein the food processing line (85) comprises a slicing station (19) and a transport device (11) according to one of claims 1 to 28, wherein the slicing station (19) is configured to slice supplied food products (15) into slices (16) and to form a food portion (17) in a portioning area (97) comprising at least one slice (16) separated from the food product (15), wherein: the drive surface (25) of the transport device (11) is moved from the starting position (A) in the direction of the operating position (F).

35. Method according to claim 34, wherein the drive surface (25) extends into the portioning area (97), wherein the transport mover (31 ) is moved into the portioning area (97) for forming the food portion (17) and the food portion (17) is formed on the transport mover (31 ), wherein the drive surface (25) is moved in the direction of the functional position (F) during the formation of the food portion (17) and is thereby lowered at least in the portioning area (97).

36. Method according to claim 35, wherein the lowering is synchronized with the separation of the disks (16).

37. Method according to one of claims 34 to 36, wherein the drive surface (25) of the transport device (1 1 ) is moved from the initial position (A) to the functional position (F) and wherein the transport mover (31 ) is moved into the effective area of ​​a functional device (47) adjoining the drive surface (25) in the functional position (F), wherein the transport mover (31 ) is moved in particular onto a further drive surface (63) of the functional device (47) adjoining the drive surface (25).

38. Method according to one of claims 37, wherein a cut slice (16) and / or an end section of the food product (15) is removed from the functional device (47) by the transport mover (31) and discharged; and / or wherein the transport mover (31) is cleaned by the functional device (47).

39. Method according to one of claims 34 to 38, wherein the drive surface (25) of the transport device (1 1 ) is moved from the initial position (A) to the functional position (F) and wherein a further transport mover (61 ) parked on a further drive surface (25) adjoining the drive surface (25) in the functional position (F) is moved from the further drive surface (25) to the drive surface (25) and / or wherein the transport mover (31 ) is parked on the further drive surface (25).

40. Method according to one of claims 34 to 39, wherein the drive surface (25) of the transport device (1 1 ) is moved from the initial position (A) to the functional position (F) and is thereby brought into the effective range of a functional device (47), wherein the drive surface (25) is cleaned by the functional device (47).

41. Method according to one of claims 34 to 40, wherein the drive surface (25) of the transport device (1 1 ) is moved from the initial position (A) to the functional position (F) and wherein a protective element (73), in particular a protective plate, is arranged over the drive surface (25) in the functional position (F), in particular by extending the protective element (73) from a functional device (47) adjoining the drive surface (25) in the functional position (F), wherein maintenance work is carried out on the processing line, in particular the cutting station (19), after the protective element (73) has been attached.

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