Reduced Footprint Substrate Interleaver for Food Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing food production lines face challenges in accommodating interleavers due to their large footprint, requiring substantial space and costly reconfiguration, especially when retrofitting or in space-constrained environments.

Innovation Solution

A substrate interleaver with a reduced footprint, featuring an interleaver conveyor less than 15 inches in length, positioned between a food slicer/former and stacker, utilizing an offset housing and guide rolls to efficiently insert substrates beneath food items, with guide fins ensuring precise orientation and minimal substrate length, allowing for integration without major modifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a traditional interleaver is used to place substrate between food items, then interleaving function is achieved, but the production line occupies 5-6 feet of space which is substantial and requires costly reconfiguration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterleaving functionVSAvoidproduction line length

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The interleaver mechanism is nested within the existing production line structure by positioning it between the slicer/former and stacker, utilizing the vertical space and existing equipment footprint. The offset housing allows the interleaver to be partially embedded in the production line structure, reducing the overall horizontal space requirement from 5-6 feet to a minimal footprint that does not extend the production line length

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a horizontal space-consuming interleaver design to a vertical integration approach. The substrate feed path extends vertically from the substrate supply roll, and the interleaver mechanism operates in the vertical dimension between the food item delivery from slicer/former and the stacker, thereby minimizing horizontal footprint and eliminating the need for costly floor reconfiguration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If production lines are converted to provide interleaved substrate, then food items can be stacked without mixing, but insufficient room exists without substantial reconfiguration and rework of factory floor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood stacking integrityVSAvoidproduction line reconfiguration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The interleaver is merged with the existing production line equipment by positioning it between the slicer/former and stacker. The offset housing integrates the interleaver mechanism into the existing equipment footprint, combining multiple functions (substrate feeding, perforating, accelerating, and placing) into a single compact unit that becomes part of the existing production line structure without requiring separate floor space or major reconfiguration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The compact interleaver mechanism performs multiple functions within a single integrated unit: substrate supply roll support, substrate guiding, perforating, acceleration, and placement beneath food items. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple separate devices and reduces the overall complexity of production line reconfiguration while ensuring reliable food stacking integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of energy

If floor space is reduced in new installations, then manufacturing costs decrease, but traditional interleavers occupy substantial space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing floor space costVSAvoidinterleaver footprint

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention fundamentally changes the spatial parameters of the interleaver from a horizontal 5-6 foot footprint to a vertical integration with minimal horizontal extension. The offset housing configuration and vertical substrate feed path transform the space occupation from extensive horizontal floor space to compact vertical arrangement, directly reducing manufacturing floor space costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8635837B2Reduced footprint substrate interleaver for food preparation line

Publication Date: 2014.01.28 PACPROINC LLC

AI summary

A food processing system having a slicer/former for food preparations having a feed conveyor, a stacker for stacking food preparations, and n interleaver for inserting a substrate under a food preparation from the food slicer/former as it transitions to the stacker. The interleaver is arranged such that a portion of the interleaver is located beneath the feed conveyor of the slicer/former. The interleaver includes an interleaver conveyor which extends from the feed conveyor to the stacker in-feed conveyor, and an overall length of the interleaver conveyor is less than a length of the interleaver in order to provide a reduced footprint interleaver for new and retro-fit applications having a limited length for the food processing system.