Slicer Blade Exit Contour Gap Elimination

Solution Overview

Problem

Slicers in the food industry face issues with achieving clean cuts due to wedge-shaped gaps at the blade exit point caused by variations in the radius of curvature between the product caliber and the product opening, leading to uneven cutting patterns and material displacement.

Innovation Solution

Designing the inner contour of the product opening with a radius of curvature in the blade exit area that matches or is slightly smaller than the product caliber's curvature, ensuring a smooth and continuous transition to minimize gaps and accommodate varying product sizes without deformation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the product opening size is designed to accommodate the maximum cross-sectional area of product caliber, then all product calibers can pass through without deformation, but wedge-shaped gaps appear at the blade exit point causing uneven cutting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of varying product sizesVSAvoidcutting edge cleanliness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The product opening contour is designed with different radius of curvature values at different locations: a first radius of curvature in the blade exit area that matches the product caliber's radius, and a second radius of curvature in other areas. This local differentiation ensures tight contact at the critical blade exit point while maintaining overall adaptability to varying product sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting frame is designed with adjustable product openings that can be modified to match different product caliber dimensions. This dynamic adjustability allows the opening contour to be optimized for each specific product size, ensuring consistent cutting quality across varying product specifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the product opening contour has a larger radius of curvature than the product caliber, then the product caliber fits easily through the opening, but material is displaced into the wedge-shaped gap during cutting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct passage through openingVSAvoidmaterial displacement

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The product opening contour is designed with different radius of curvature values at different locations: a first radius of curvature in the blade exit area that matches the product caliber's radius, and a second radius of curvature in other areas. This local differentiation ensures tight contact at the critical blade exit point while maintaining overall adaptability to varying product sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If the product opening size is reduced to eliminate gaps at the blade exit point, then cutting quality improves, but product calibers with maximum cross-sectional area cannot pass through without deformation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting pattern qualityVSAvoidaccommodation of maximum product size

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The product opening contour is designed with different radius of curvature values at different locations: a first radius of curvature in the blade exit area that matches the product caliber's radius, and a second radius of curvature in other areas. This local differentiation ensures tight contact at the critical blade exit point while maintaining overall adaptability to varying product sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting frame is designed with adjustable product openings that can be modified to match different product caliber dimensions. This dynamic adjustability allows the opening contour to be optimized for each specific product size, ensuring consistent cutting quality across varying product specifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11179863B2Slicer and method for its layout

Publication Date: 2021.11.23 MULTIVAC SEPP HAGGENMULLER GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

In order to avoid a gap on both sides of a blade exit point, if an outer radius of a product caliber is smaller than an inner radius of a product opening in a cutting frame at this point, a contour of the cutting frame in this blade exit area is given a radius of curvature as small as the smallest product caliber to be expected.