D-Shaped Food Product Slicing for Better Cutting Zone Use
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food product slicing methods are inefficient due to the unoccupied space in the cutting zone caused by food products with conventional cross-sections, leading to increased costs and reduced productivity.
Innovation Solution
The use of D-shaped food products and a slicing apparatus with D-shaped apertures allows for more efficient slicing by optimizing the use of space within the cutting zone, enabling multiple D-shaped food products to be sliced simultaneously with a cutting element that moves through a defined cutting path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional cross-sectional shapes (circular, rectangular, or semi-circular) are used for food products, then the slicing operation can be performed with standard equipment, but the amount of food product sliced per blade movement is reduced, leading to lower efficiency and increased costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by changing the food product cross-section from traditional symmetric shapes (circular, rectangular, or semi-circular) to an asymmetric D-shape. This asymmetric configuration allows the product to occupy more of the cutting zone aperture, thereby increasing the amount of food sliced per blade movement and improving slicing efficiency without requiring complex manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying the geometric parameters of the food product cross-section. Specifically, it changes the shape parameters to create a D-shaped profile with one straight side and one curved side, optimizing the configuration to maximize space utilization in the cutting zone while maintaining ease of manufacture through standard molding processes
2Area of stationary object
If food products are formed in traditional shapes, then manufacturing processes remain simple and standard, but the space available for cutting is not maximized, resulting in wasted space and increased operational costs
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric D-shaped cross-section is designed to better fit within the cutting zone aperture, allowing the food product to occupy more of the available cutting space. This asymmetric configuration eliminates wasted space that occurs with traditional symmetric shapes, thereby increasing the effective cutting area and reducing material loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the two-dimensional cross-sectional geometry of the food product to maximize space utilization in the cutting zone. By carefully designing the D-shaped profile with specific curvature and straight side configurations, the product occupies more area within the cutting zone aperture, effectively utilizing the available spatial dimension without increasing product volume
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for manufacturing and processing a food product, such as forming, cooking, transporting, and slicing. The food product includes an elongated body having a generally D-shaped cross section. Additionally, the system includes a buffering and equilibrating apparatus which compensates for a difference in cycle times between the cooking system and the slicing system.