Adjustable Sausage Dividing Elements for Flexible Portioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sausage dividing devices struggle to achieve an optimal dividing process for different sausage products, often resulting in sausage bursts or bulky compartments, and require time-consuming and costly mechanical conversion when switching between different sausage calibers or lengths, especially when handling sensitive natural casings.
Innovation Solution
The dividing elements' movement is controlled along a freely adjustable path, allowing for specific parameters like sausage length, caliber, and casing type to be set, enabling flexible adaptation without mechanical retooling. This includes independent control of path coordinates and speeds, allowing for gentle or rapid constriction based on the sausage type, and adjustable immersion depths to prevent casing bursts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed path division is used, then device structure is simple, but cannot adapt to different sausage calibers and lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the movement path of dividing elements adjustable rather than fixed. The control device enables dynamic adjustment of path coordinates and speeds according to sausage caliber and length, allowing the same physical structure to adapt to different products without mechanical retooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes operational parameters (path coordinates X,Y and speeds vX, vY) through control rather than physical modification. By programming different path parameters into the control device, the system adapts to various sausage types while maintaining the same hardware structure.
2Productivity
If mechanical conversion is used for different calibers, then division precision is maintained, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static fixed paths to dynamic programmable paths. The control device receives product parameters and automatically calculates appropriate path coordinates and speeds, enabling rapid reconfiguration between different sausage calibers and lengths without manual mechanical conversion.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device autonomously determines the movement parameters based on input product specifications. The system self-adjusts the dividing element paths and speeds according to the required sausage dimensions, eliminating the need for operator intervention or mechanical retooling.
3Productivity
If rapid constriction is used, then productivity increases, but casing bursts occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by enabling variable speed control during the constriction process. The control device can adjust the speed of the dividing elements dynamically - using slower speeds when approaching the sausage surface to minimize casing stress, and faster speeds during the actual division phase to maintain productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the speed parameter during operation based on the constriction stage and sausage type. By programming different speed profiles (vX, vY) at different path positions, the system optimizes both productivity and casing protection, preventing bursts while maintaining efficient division.
4Manufacturing precision
If fixed immersion depth is used, then device structure is simple, but cannot optimize for different calibers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the immersion depth dynamic by adjusting the Y-coordinate path based on sausage caliber. The control device calculates appropriate immersion depths for different sausage sizes, ensuring optimal constricting without requiring different physical immersion depths for each caliber.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the path coordinate parameters (X,Y positions and speeds) to optimize immersion depth for different calibers. By programming caliber-specific path parameters, the system achieves precise portioning for various sausage sizes using the same physical dividing elements.
Data Source
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AI summary
The method involves transporting sausage string in a direction of transport (T) and portioning sausage string by opposing portioning elements that engage in sausage string. The movement of portioning elements is controlled along a freely adjustable track. The track coordinates (X,Y) of track and speed of respective portioning elements are adjusted at different track sections in relation to length of sausage portion, caliber of sausage portion, transport speed of transported sausage portion in direction of transport and type of sausage casing. Independent claims are included for the following: (1) a device for portioning sausage string; and (2) a filling machine.