Ice Cream Cutting Tool Actuation for Precise Stroke Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cutting mechanisms in ice cream machines have high inertia, making precise control costly and difficult, and are not adaptable to different ice cream products without stopping and manual adjustments.
Innovation Solution
An electrical actuator with a rotatable element and tilt actuator is used to control the cutting tool's movement, allowing precise control of cutting stroke length, speed, and profile, enabling the same cutting arrangement to handle various ice cream products without mechanical adjustments, and ensuring continuous extrusion by tilting the cutting tool away from the extrusion nozzle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional cutting mechanisms (pneumatics or crank shafts) are used, then the cutting tool can be actuated, but the large inertia makes precise control hard to achieve and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical cutting mechanisms (crank shafts, pneumatics) with an electrical actuator system. The electrical actuator directly drives the cutting tool through a simple rotational-to-reciprocating motion conversion, eliminating complex mechanical linkages and reducing inertia. This substitution enables precise control through electrical signals while simplifying the overall mechanism structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional cutting mechanisms are used, then cutting can be performed, but adaptation to different ice cream products requires stopping the conveyer and manual adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic control system where the electrical actuator can be programmatically adjusted to accommodate different ice cream products. The cutting stroke length, speed, and timing can be dynamically modified through control signals without any physical reconfiguration. This enables rapid adaptation to various product types while the conveyer continues running, eliminating downtime for manual adjustments.
3Loss of substance
If the cutting tool operates close to the extrusion nozzle, then ice cream waste is reduced, but the cutting tool may cut ice cream during both extending and retracting movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic control of the cutting operation by synchronizing the cutting action with specific phases of the electrical actuator's reciprocating cycle. The control system activates the cutting tool only during the extending movement phase when the cutting blade moves toward the ice cream product, while deactivating it during the retracting phase. This periodic activation prevents unwanted cutting during the return stroke, enabling the cutting tool to operate closer to the extrusion nozzle without wasting ice cream, thereby maximizing productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces costs and assembly time, allows precise control of cutting operations, and minimizes ice cream waste by enabling closer operation to the extrusion nozzle with reduced backlash, resulting in more efficient and adaptable ice cream product production.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical actuator connected to and supporting the cutting tool, the electrical actuator being arranged to generate a reciprocating movement of the cutting tool
Implementation Method 2
a tilt actuator operatively connected to the rotatable element for tilting the cutting tool. By tilting the cutting tool, preferably away from an extrusion nozzle during the cutting procedure
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a cutting arrangement for an ice cream machine, an ice cream machine comprising a cutting arrangement and a method for cutting ice cream using a cutting arrangement. The cutting arrangement comprises a cutting tool (2), and an electrical actuator (1) connected to and supporting the cutting tool (2), the electrical actuator (1) being arranged to generate a reciprocating movement of the cutting tool (2) in order for the cutting tool (2) to cut ice cream into ice cream products.