Food Slicing Stop Positioning With Projected Light Marks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slicing devices require manual, time-consuming, and costly adjustments for different food products of varying geometries, leading to potential operational errors and increased waste, wear, and machine damage.
Innovation Solution
A slicing device equipped with a positioning aid using a light source to project a light mark for the position-adjustable lifting devices, providing precise guidance for accurate repositioning, reducing manual effort and increasing operational reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual adjustment of lifting devices is performed for different food products, then the slicing device can be adapted to various geometries, but the adjustment process is time-consuming and increases operational errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment with an optical positioning system. A projection device projects light marks onto the feed plane indicating target positions for lifting devices. This optical system eliminates the need for operators to manually measure and estimate positions, significantly reducing changeover time while maintaining adaptability to different food geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy of the target position through light projection. Instead of requiring operators to understand complex mechanical measurements, the system projects a visual representation (light mark) of the correct position directly onto the work area, making position transfer intuitive and error-free.
2Ease of operation
If manual positioning of lifting devices is performed, then adjustment flexibility is maintained, but precision and accuracy depend on operator skill leading to operational errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces subjective manual positioning with an objective optical reference system. The projection device provides precise visual targets that eliminate reliance on operator skill or estimation. Operators simply align lifting devices with the projected light marks, ensuring consistent high-precision positioning while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The light projection serves as an intermediary between the control system and the physical lifting devices. It translates complex positioning requirements into simple visual targets, bridging the gap between design specifications and manual operation without requiring advanced operator skills.
3Productivity
If lifting devices are incorrectly positioned, then machine operation continues, but product waste and machine wear increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs positioning preparation in advance by projecting light marks that indicate exact target positions before the slicing operation begins. This preliminary visual guidance ensures that lifting devices are correctly positioned from the start, preventing incorrect positioning during operation and thereby reducing product waste and machine wear while maintaining continuous productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The projected light marks provide immediate visual feedback to operators about the correct position. This feedback mechanism allows operators to verify positioning accuracy before starting operation, preventing errors that would lead to product waste or machine damage while keeping the system ready for continuous operation.
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
Enables rapid and reliable conversion to different food products by ensuring precise positioning of lifting devices, minimizing errors and reducing changeover time.
Implementation Method 1
a positioning aid in the form of a light source (6) configured to project a light marking (20) for the lifting device (5)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a slicing device (1) for slicing food, wherein the slicing device (1) has a cutting unit (2) having a rotating cutting knife (3) and has a feed unit (4) for feeding the food to be sliced to the cutting unit (2), wherein the feed unit (4) and/or the cutting unit (2) has a position-variable stop means (5) for guiding, holding and/or positioning the food, and wherein the slicing device (1) has a positioning aid (6) in the form of a light source which is configured to project a light marker for the position-variable stop means. The invention further relates to a method for positioning a position-variable stop means of the slicing device.