Rotatable Stop Element for Food Slicing Machine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing slicing machines face issues with securing misshapen or soft cut materials, leading to slipping or deformation during the cutting process, resulting in food waste and inefficiencies, especially when trying to secure varying diameters and shapes.

Innovation Solution

A sleeve-shaped support element with an oval or lens-shaped cross section that rotates to gently secure cut materials, allowing for even feeding to the circular knife and easy cleaning, while compensating for unevenness and reducing pressure on the cut material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single cut material holder is used to secure the cut material, then the device complexity is low, but the cut material slips or transverses during cutting leading to food waste

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecuring of cut materialVSAvoidnumber of support elements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support element is divided into a shaft portion and a sleeve portion with the stop element, creating segmented functional zones that work together to secure cut material more effectively while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stop element acts as an intermediary component between the support element and the cut material, providing a specialized contact surface that prevents slipping without requiring multiple complex support elements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If additional support elements are added to secure misshapen cut material, then the securing reliability improves, but the device complexity and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecuring of misshapen cut materialVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The stop element features a curved contact surface that adapts to misshapen cut material, providing effective securing through geometric design rather than adding multiple support elements, thus keeping manufacturing costs low

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The stop element's contact surface parameters (curvature, orientation) are optimized to work with varying diameters and shapes of cut material, allowing a single component to handle diverse materials effectively

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If a rotatable stop element with high contact pressure is used, then the cut material is secured firmly, but soft or misshapen clippings are deformed or still slip

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecuring forceVSAvoidintegrity of soft clippings

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The stop element provides localized gentle pressure through its curved contact surface, concentrating the securing force on a specific area of the cut material without deforming soft clippings, while still preventing slipping

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The curved contact surface of the stop element distributes pressure more evenly across the cut material surface, preventing localized deformation of soft clippings while maintaining secure contact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Stress or pressure

If the stop element has a wide contact surface, then the pressure on cut material is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure on cut materialVSAvoidstop element structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The curved contact surface of the stop element achieves an optimized balance between contact area and structural simplicity, providing sufficient surface area to reduce pressure on cut material while maintaining a simple sleeve-shaped design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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

The solution effectively prevents slipping and deformation of cut materials, ensuring consistent cutting and reducing waste by providing secure and gentle support, even for misshapen items, and allows for easy maintenance and retrofitting of existing machines.

Implementation Method 1

the cut surface adhering to the stop plate... the cut material slips or transverses in the direction of movement of the cut material wagon

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

The rotatable stop element makes it possible for the cut material to be moved past the support element in the course of the cutting process, regardless of its shape

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGeometry: Geometry

Data Source

PatentEP3542980B1Cutting machine for food

Publication Date: 2021.01.20 S A M INNOVATIONS GMBH & CO KG

Figure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a slicing machine for foodstuffs such as sausage, cheese, or the like, comprising a circular blade (1), a stop plate (2) which determines the cutting thickness and is displaceable in the axial direction of the circular blade (1), and a cutting cart (3) which is movable parallel to the stop plate (2). The cutting cart (3) comprises a support surface (4) for the food to be sliced, a cutting holder (5) which is displaceable in the direction of the stop plate (2), and a support element (6) which is displaceable parallel to the stop plate (2) and extends in a direction normal to the support surface (4) for securing the food to the support surface (4). The support element (6) has at least one stop element (7) which is pivotable or rotatable about its longitudinal axis.