EP1762346B1 - Food slicer - Google Patents

Abstract

A formatting device is provided with a display unit (23) in the form of a touch screen on which product slices (25) can be realistically presented. The formatting device has a formatting function to which a user (27) can prepare any desired formats from multiple product slices on the display device. The formatting device has an evaluation unit (31) which converts the positions of the product slices forming a prepared format (29) on the display unit into control commands from a motor drive (19,21). The motor displaces the support table (17). The support table is displaced based on a cutting speed such that portions are formed on the support table in accordance with the format prepared on the display unit. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a formatting apparatus for use with a cutting apparatus; and (2) a slicing method for food products.

Description

The invention relates to a formatting device for a device for slicing food products such as sausage, cheese, ham and the like, with a product feeder which feeds a product aufzuschneid a cutting plane in which a cutting blade in particular moves circumferentially, and such a cutting device with a formatter ,

With such cutting devices, which are also referred to as slicers, food products of different consistency can be cut with high cutting sequence. The product slices produced in this process are - in aggregate - fed directly to a packaging machine with the aid of conveyors arranged downstream of the cutting device, which produces ready-to-serve portion packs. The presentation of sliced food products is becoming more and more important in sales. Therefore, it is endeavored to form through a sophisticated "portion design" increasingly complex arrangements of product slices, and possibly even when slicing, so that already having the desired "design" portions can be fed directly to the packaging machine without the arrangement of product slices has to be changed again.

There are already the cutting blade immediately downstream portioning known, which can be moved to form from falling on the Portionierband product slices portions whose form deviates from stacks of more or less exactly superimposed product slices. For example, shingled portions may be created by relatively slowly moving the portioning belt in the conveying direction during the slicing operation until the portion is complete and the portioning belt is accelerated to remove the portion. More complicated product geometries can be found in practice so far can not be formed in a simple manner, since a corresponding programming of the movable Portionierbänder is extremely complicated and at best by proven specialists and thereby can be accomplished only with great expenditure of time.

Out EP 0 574 649 A1 a slicing machine is known which automatically slices on the basis of stored cutting data, the cutting data, which may also include a deposit image, manually or via a computer in the memory can be entered.

The object of the invention is to provide a useful even for professional layman possibility to quickly and easily form of product slices, which are produced with a cutting device of the type mentioned, having any shape having portions.

The solution of this object is achieved in each case by the features of the independent claims 1, 12, 18 and 20.

According to the invention, the realistic presentation of product slices also gives the layman a vivid, intuitively usable tool for a portion design, in which the user "in the true sense of the word" has the result - namely the desired portion shape - in mind, before even a knife cut was made. The created format, ie the "virtual" portion, according to the invention automatically converted into a corresponding control of the filing table. An abstract-mathematical machine programming is not required. As a result, the portion design can be significantly accelerated and is practically insusceptible to errors since an undesired portion shape is already recognized as such on the display device.

By "realistic" representation is by no means necessarily an exact photorealistic imitation of real product slices on the display means meant. Although this is possible according to the invention, it is only important to choose the representation in such a way that the user can "simulate" the "real" situation on the display table as realistically as possible on the display device.

For this purpose, it is preferred if the product slices shown correspond in terms of their shape to the "real" product slices, for example, when sliced salami are circular. As far as the size of the product slices illustrated is concerned, it is preferred if the user is provided with appropriate information about how much space a format he is currently creating occupies the "real" storage table and where that format will lie on the table. For this purpose, for example, on the display device additionally a formatting area can be represented, which corresponds to a storage area on the storage table, in which the formation of portions is to take place. The formatting area may be displayed on the screen e.g. be deposited with a particular photographic representation of the tray table such that formatting area and storage area at least approximately coincide.

The motor drive for the storage table can basically comprise any number of drive motors. Preferably, exactly one motor is provided for each adjustment.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are indicated in the dependent claims, the description and the drawing.

In particular, the display device is a touchscreen, also referred to as touch screen or touch screen, which can be operated particularly easily with the finger or a stylus.

As part of the formatting function according to the invention, the creation of the desired format preferably takes place by moving the illustrated product slices on the display device. For this purpose, a so-called drag-and-drop function can be provided.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that, in the calculation of the control commands, the evaluation device takes into account both positional positions of the product slices on a depositing surface and stacking positions of the product slices within stacks of product slices which at least partially overlap one another. In addition to the positions in the storage area, certain "height positions" of the product slices can consequently also be taken into account by the storage order. Formats can thus be created on the display device so to speak three-dimensional and also simulated three-dimensionally by appropriate control of the tray table.

Furthermore, a sorting function can be provided with which the stack positions of the product slices can be changed within an at least partially created format.

By means of a preferably provided alignment function also product slices can be aligned with each other and / or relative to a predetermined direction or line in an at least partially created format.

The positioning of the product slices, in particular by shifting, when creating a format can be assisted by a grid which only permits certain positions, which are for example 1 mm apart (relative to the "real" storage table).

Furthermore, it is possible to provide a fine positioning function, based on this comparatively coarse "free-hand" raster, with which product slices in an at least partially produced format in a predetermined fine raster of e.g. 1/10 mm can be moved.

Furthermore, a marking function can be provided, with which one or more product slices can be selected in an at least partially created format in order subsequently to be the subject of a further function.

The invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment with reference to the drawing, the single figure shows schematically a cutting device including formatting.

The cutter comprises a product feeder 13, e.g. an endless conveyor belt, for slicing food products 11, which are fed to a cutting plane 15 in which a cutting knife, not shown, for example, rotates planetary.

The product slices (not shown) separated from the product 11 by means of the cutting blade fall onto a delivery table in the form of a portioning belt 17 comprising a plurality of adjacent strip or belt-shaped endless belts 39 which are drivable about a front motor 19 in both directions of rotation Shaft 35 and a rear, free-running shaft (not shown) are guided. This arrangement can also be moved as a whole in the manner of a slide via a spindle 37 in the transverse direction, which can also be driven by means of a motor 21 in both directions of rotation.

The motor 19 thus enables movement of the shelf 33 formed by the endless belts 39, at least substantially horizontally, and thus of the product slices lying in and against the conveying direction F of the products 11, which is also referred to below as the x-direction, whereas the motor 21 allows a reciprocating movement of the shelf 33 in a direction perpendicular to the x-direction and parallel to the shelf 33 extending y-direction (transverse direction).

By means of a motor controller 45, both motors 19, 21 are independently controllable, wherein speed and acceleration of the support surface 33 in both directions x, y can be selected virtually continuously and changed. Both motors 19, 21 can be operated in particular at the same time, which is why the storage surface 33 - as it were like a plotter - can be moved along arbitrary speed or acceleration profiles along practically any desired horizontal trajectories. Figuratively speaking, with the help of product slices, any desired figures can be "painted" on the support surface 33.

The engine controller 45 is integral with or communicates with a central engine controller 47 which controls the operation of the cutter as a whole. Since the number of product slices which fall on the storage surface 33 per unit time is determined by the cutting performance, also referred to as the cutting speed, this is taken into account by the motor controller 45 in the control of the motors 19, 21 for moving the storage surface 33.

Control commands for the motor control 45 are generated by a computer-aided evaluation device 31, on which a computer program for formatting is implemented. According to the invention, this format design program enables the realistic representation of product slices 25 and the realistic production of formats 29 comprising a plurality of product slices 25, which correspond to desired portions, on a display device 23, e.g. is designed as a touch screen.

Once a format 29 has been created, from the relative positions of the product slices 25 forming this format 29, the control commands required to drive the motors 19, 21 as a function of the slicing performance are calculated such that the "real" slices falling on the portioning belt 17 "Product slices yield a portion that corresponds exactly to the previously created format 29.

The product slices 25 are matched in terms of their shape and size, in which they are displayed on the touch screen 23, on the actually sliced product 11 and its size ratio to the storage table 17. On the screen 23 for this purpose, in addition to the representation of a Produktscheibenvorrates 49 a representation 43 of the tray table is provided, wherein it is e.g. to act in a top view a photograph of the "real" tray table 17 used as background image 43.

A storage area on the "real" storage table 17, in which the portion formation is to take place, is shown on the screen 23 by a representation 43 of the storage table superimposed frame 41, which is also referred to as formatting or catching area. When creating formats 29, the product slices 25 can be stored only with the condition that the centers of the product slices 25 within Formierungsbereiches 41 lie, but in principle, other or additional boundary conditions are conceivable.

The creation of formats 29 is done in a very simple and intuitive way and layman intuitive manner in that the user 27 taps the product disk supply 49 with his finger, a product disk 25 in the Formierbereich 41 pulls (indicated by a not shown on the screen 23 , here only illustrative arrow), the product disk 25 placed at the desired location in the formatting area 41 and then releases the product disk 25 (drag and drop function).

In this case, as indicated in the figure, stacking or overlapping possible. The formats 29 are shown as a corresponding portion on the "real" tray table 17 - in plan view - would look like. Alternatively, a perspective view would be possible in principle obliquely from above, the top view, however, represents the preferred variant.

In addition, on the screen 23, the coordinates of each product slice 25 are shown in the format 29, in particular as x and y coordinates in a Cartesian coordinate system whose axes correspond to the adjustment directions x and y of the tray table 17 and its center, for example in the middle the formatting area 41 is located. The coordinates here relate to a characteristic point of the product slices 25, in particular to the center thereof, ie a product slice 25 lying exactly in the middle of the formatting region 41 has the coordinates x = y = 0.

The presentation of these coordinates on the screen 25 allows the user an additional control of the format 29 and an exact correction of the positions of the format 29 forming product slices 25. For this purpose, provided by the running on the computer 31 according to the invention format design program additional functions that the user can call on the screen 23 by tapping corresponding function icons 51.

These functions have already been discussed in the introduction. For selecting a single product slice 25, e.g. in the format 29, relative to the other product slices 25, or to be moved one position further up or down in the stack, this need only be tapped with the finger, whereafter e.g. its edge is displayed in a different color to highlight the selected product slice 25. Several product slices 25, e.g. be moved together or aligned with each other or horizontally or vertically, are selected by first a marker or multiple selection symbol is tapped and then the relevant product slices 25 are selected in the format 29 successively by tapping or marked. When the product slice 25 or marked product slices 25 are marked, the desired processing function can then be selected by tapping the corresponding function symbol 51.

Further function symbols 53 on the screen 23 are used in particular for saving created formats 29 or for loading or importing previously created formats 29.

A finished format 29 thus represents a set of coordinate pairs (x _i , y _i ), each pair, for example, the position of the center of the respective Product disc 25 referred to the center of the Formierbereiches 41. In addition, the format design program knows the stacking positions of the individual product slices 25, ie, the storage order that is required to reproduce the illustrated format 29 identically.

From the coordinates and stack position information, the program calculates control commands for the motors 19, 21 of the tray table 17, on the basis of which, during the slicing of the corresponding product 11, the motor controller 45 coordinates the movement of the tray table 17 in the x and y directions. By communication with the central machine control 47, the current cutting speed enters the control of the motors 19, 21, so that the movement of the depositing table 17 can be matched to the "beat" of the falling product slices.

Beginning with the lowermost product slice 25 in the format stack 29 created "virtually" on the screen 23, the delivery table 17 successively moves all positions of the product slices 25 forming the format stack 29 so that a slice that has just been separated from the product 11 by means of the cutting knife is exactly in place the storage surface 33 of the storage table 33 falls, which corresponds to the position of the corresponding "virtual" product disk 25 on the "virtual" storage table 43 on the screen 23.

The on the screen 23 without abstract-mathematical programming, solely by pictorial illustration, so to speak created by "graphical programming" format 29 is so accurately reproduced by the cutting speed adjusted moving the tray table 17, wherein running on the computer 31 format design program the "Picture" 29 of the desired portion in one for the engine control In this way, the programming of arbitrary, even extremely complex filing images is made possible in the first place or even for laymen.

In principle, according to the invention, the portion formation could be supplemented by vertical movements of the depositing table 17, that is to say by adjusting the depositing surface 33 in the z-direction. In this way, the length of the fall path for the product slices could be varied, with which additional depositing effects could be achieved.

Furthermore, the formatting area 41 could be extended, not only in the y, but also in the x direction. If the design conditions for this are given, such formats 29 would be conceivable, for example, their replica already on the shelf 33 product slices so far to the rear, ie against the conveying direction F, must be moved so that they at least partially reach behind the cutting plane 15 , In the case of relatively large product slices adhering well to the storage surface 33, this is comparatively easily possible since they can even temporarily hang down from the storage table 17 to a certain extent.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

11

Food product

13

product feed

15

cutting plane

17

Tray, Portionierband

19

Motor for conveying direction

21

Motor for transverse direction

23

Display, touch screen, screen

25

illustrated product slice

27

Hand of a user

29

created format

31

Evaluation device, computer

33

shelf

35

wave

37

spindle

39

Endless conveyor belt

41

Formatting area

43

Presentation of the filing table

45

motor control

47

machine control

49

Product slice stock

51

function symbols

53

function symbols

Claims (21)

1. A formatting apparatus for a cutting apparatus, in particular a high-performance slicer, for the slicing of food products (11) such as sausage, cheese, ham and the like,
   wherein the cutting apparatus comprises a product supply device (13) which supplies a product (11) to be sliced to a cutting plane (15) in which a cutting knife moves, in particular in a revolving manner, and a support table (17), in particular made as a portioning band, onto which the product slices cut off by means of the cutting knife fall and which is provided with a controllable motor drive (19, 21) which displaces the support table (17) relative to the falling product slices to form portions of any desired shape from a plurality of product slices;
   wherein the formatting apparatus is characterized by:

   a display device (23), in particular in the form of a touch screen, on which product slices (25) can be realistically presented and which has a formatting function by means of which a user (27) can prepare any desired formats (29) from a plurality of product slices (25) on the display device (23), and

   an evaluation device (31) which converts the positions of the product slices (25) forming a prepared format (29) on the display device (23) into control commands for the motor drive (19, 21) on the basis of which the motor drive (19, 21) displaces the support table (17) in dependence on the cutting speed such that portions are formed on the support table (17) in accordance with the format (29) prepared on the display device (23).
2. An apparatus, in particular a high-performance slicer, for the slicing of food products (11) such as sausage, cheese, ham and the like, having a product supply device (13) which supplies a product (11) to be sliced to a cutting plane (15) in which a cutting knife moves, in particular in a revolving manner, and having a support table (17), in particular made as a portioning band, onto which the product slices cut off by means of the cutting knife fall, wherein the support table (17) is provided with a controllable motor drive (19, 21) which displaces the support table (17) relative to the falling product slices to form portions of any desired shape from a plurality of product slices,
   characterized in that
   the cutting apparatus includes a formatting device in accordance with claim 1.
3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the support table (17) has a - preferably at least substantially horizontal - support surface (33) for the product slices and is displaceable in two directions (x, y) extending perpendicular to one another parallel to the support surface (33), with a displacement direction (x) preferably extending in the conveying direction (F) of the products (11) and a displacement direction (y) extending transversely to the conveying direction (F).
4. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the motor drive for each displacement direction (x, y) comprises precisely one actuating motor (35, 37).
5. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support table (17) is made as an endless conveyor with one or a plurality of endless conveyor bands (39) and a drive (19, 35) for the displacement movement for the formation of the portions of any desired shape is identical to the drive for the normal conveying operation for the transporting away of complete portions.
6. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a spindle drive (21, 37) is provided for a displacement movement of the support table (17) transversely to the conveying direction (x), with the support table (17) preferably being displaceable as a whole.
7. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the product slices (25) shown are displaceable on the display device (23), in particular using a drag & drop function.
8. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the display device (23) comprises a touch screen on which the product slices (25) shown are movable by touching with a finger of the user or using a working aid, in particular in pen form.
9. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a formatting region (41) can additionally be presented on the display device (23) and corresponds to a support region on the support table (17) in which the formation of portions should take place, with the formatting region (41) preferably being stored with a representation (43) of the support table (17) in particular in photographic form such that the formatting region (41) and the support region coincide at least approximately.
10. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation device (31) takes account both of the location positions of the product slices (25) on a support surface and of stack positions of the product slices (25) inside stacks of product slices (25) mutually overlapping at least in part in the calculation of the control commands.
11. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that coordinates of the product slices (25) forming the format (29) prepared can additionally be presented on the display device (23), with the coordinates each relating to a characteristic point of the product slices (25) and to a reference point on the support table (17).
12. A method of slicing food products (11) such as sausage, cheese, ham and the like by means of a cutting apparatus, in particular a high-performance slicer,
    wherein a product (11) to be sliced is supplied to a cutting plane (15) in which a cutting knife is moved, in particular in a revolving manner, with the product slices cut off by means of the cutting knife falling onto a support table (17), in particular made as a portioning band, which is provided with a controllable motor drive (19, 21) with which the support table (17) can be displaced relative to the falling product slices in order to form portions of any desired shape from a plurality of product slices,
    characterized by the steps of:

    (1) a realistic representation of product slices (25) on a display device (23) in particular provided in the form of a touch screen;

    (2) making available a formatting function by means of which a user (27) can prepare any desired formats (29) from a plurality of product slices (25) on the display device (23);

    (3) converting the positions of the product slices (25) forming a prepared format (29) on the display device (23) into control commands for the motor drive (19, 21); and

    (4) controlling the motor drive (19, 21) for the displacement of the support table (17) such that portions are formed on the support table (17) which correspond to the format (29) prepared on the display device (23).
13. A method in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that a displacement function, in particular a drag & drop function, is made available with which the product slices (25) shown can be displaced on the display device (23).
14. A method in accordance with claim 12 or claim 13, characterized in that a formatting region (41) is additionally presented on the display device (23) and corresponds to a support region on the support table (17) in which the formation of portions should take place, with the formatting region (41) preferably being stored with a representation (43) of the support table (17) in particular in photographic form such that the formatting region (41) and the support region coincide at least approximately.
15. A method in accordance with any one of the claims 12 to 14,
    characterized in that both the location positions of the product slices (25) on a support surface and stack positions of the product slices (25) inside stacks of product slices (25) mutually overlapping at least in part are taken into account in the calculation of the control commands.
16. A method in accordance with any one of the claims 12 to 15,
    characterized in that coordinates of the product slices (25) forming the format (29) prepared are additionally presented on the display device (23), with the coordinates each relating to a characteristic point of the product slices (25) and to a reference point on the support table (17).
17. A method in accordance with any one of the claims 12 to 16,
    characterized in that selectable sorting, aligning, fine-positioning and/or marking functions are in particular additionally made available, in particular by touching the display device (23), with which, in an at least partly prepared format (29), the stack positions of product slices (25) can be changed (sorting), product slices (25) can be aligned with respect to one another and/or relative to a predetermined direction or line (aligning), can be displaced in steps corresponding to a predetermined fine grid (fine-positioning) and one or more product slices (25) can be selected (marking).
18. A computer program having program coding means to carry out a method in accordance with claim 12 when the program is implemented on a computer.
19. A computer program having program coding means in accordance with claim 18 to additionally carry out the steps of any one of the claims 13 to 17 when the program is implemented on a computer.
20. A computer program product having program coding means which are stored on a computer-readable data carrier to carry out a method in accordance with claim 12 when the program product is implemented on a computer.
21. A computer program product having program coding means in accordance with claim 20 in order additionally to carry out the steps of any one of the claims 13 to 17 when the program product is implemented on a computer.

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