Variable Cutting Angle Sickle Blade for Food Slicers

Solution Overview

Problem

High-speed slicers face challenges in optimizing product compression and storage behavior due to the limitations of constant cutting angles, which either lead to excessive pressure or inadequate wedging of product slices.

Innovation Solution

The cutting knife features a variable cutting angle along its circumference, increasing from a small angle at the immersion point to a steeper angle as it moves through the product, allowing for adaptive cutting based on the radial distance from the axis of rotation, minimizing compression and optimizing slice deposition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a large cutting angle is used, then the cutting knife can wedge and store product slices effectively, but the product experiences excessive compression

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct storage behaviorVSAvoidproduct compression

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting knife features a variable cutting angle along its circumferential direction, where different sections have different angles optimized for their specific function: the immersion area has a smaller angle (15°-25°) to minimize compression, while the rear area has a larger angle (25°-45°) to ensure proper wedging and storage of slices. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying different angle characteristics to different functional zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting angle is designed to dynamically vary along the cutting edge rather than remaining constant. The angle increases in the direction of rotation, creating a progressive transition from gentle immersion to effective wedging. This dynamic variation allows the knife to adapt its cutting characteristics throughout the cutting process, simultaneously achieving low compression during entry and proper slice storage during exit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Stress or pressure

If a small cutting angle is used, then product compression is minimized, but the product slices cannot be properly wedged and stored

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct compressionVSAvoidproduct storage behavior

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting knife features a variable cutting angle along its circumferential direction, where different sections have different angles optimized for their specific function: the immersion area has a smaller angle (15°-25°) to minimize compression, while the rear area has a larger angle (25°-45°) to ensure proper wedging and storage of slices. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying different angle characteristics to different functional zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting angle is designed to dynamically vary along the cutting edge rather than remaining constant. The angle increases in the direction of rotation, creating a progressive transition from gentle immersion to effective wedging. This dynamic variation allows the knife to adapt its cutting characteristics throughout the cutting process, simultaneously achieving low compression during entry and proper slice storage during exit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If a constant cutting angle is used along the cutting edge, then the knife structure is simple, but it cannot simultaneously minimize compression and optimize slice storage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveknife structureVSAvoidproduct storage behavior

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting knife features a variable cutting angle along its circumferential direction, where different sections have different angles optimized for their specific function: the immersion area has a smaller angle (15°-25°) to minimize compression, while the rear area has a larger angle (25°-45°) to ensure proper wedging and storage of slices. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying different angle characteristics to different functional zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting angle is designed to dynamically vary along the cutting edge rather than remaining constant. The angle increases in the direction of rotation, creating a progressive transition from gentle immersion to effective wedging. This dynamic variation allows the knife to adapt its cutting characteristics throughout the cutting process, simultaneously achieving low compression during entry and proper slice storage during exit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2162266B1Cutting blade

Publication Date: 2012.05.02 WEBER FOOD TECHNOLOGY SE & CO KG

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Figure 3a~3d

AI summary

The invention relates to a cutting blade for machines for slicing food products, particularly for high-speed slicers, wherein the cutting blade is a sickle-shaped blade rotating about a rotation axis during the slicing operation and having a cutting edge that deviates from a circular shape at the radially outer circumference thereof and revolves about the rotation axis, particularly in the manner of a spiral, said edge being positioned in a cutting plane extending perpendicular to the rotation axis, wherein the cutting edge forms the radially outer end of a cutting surface, which forms part of the blade back side facing away from a product to be sliced during the slicing operation and includes a blade angle together with the cutting plane, and wherein the size of the blade angle varies in the circumferential direction.