DE102018128826A1 - Slicer - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a slicing machine, in particular for slicing food products, with a machine frame and with a cutting head carried by the machine frame, which comprises a knife unit comprising a cutting knife and a knife drive, which is designed to drive the knife unit relative to the machine frame for work movements which comprise at least one rotation of the knife unit about a knife axis, at least one vibration compensator with at least one balancing mass being attached to the machine frame, which is designed to compensate vibrations of the machine frame that occur during operation due to the working movements of the knife unit by moving the balancing mass relative to to at least partially compensate for the machine frame.

Description

The present invention relates to a slicing machine, in particular for slicing food products, with a machine frame and with a cutting head carried by the machine frame, which comprises a knife unit comprising a cutting knife and a knife drive, which is designed to drive the knife unit relative to the machine frame for work movements, which comprise at least one rotation of the knife unit about a knife axis.

The cutting head is carried by the machine frame and is therefore part of the machine frame.

Such slicing machines are generally known, in particular in the form of so-called high-speed slicers, which are used to cut food products, such as sausage, meat and cheese, into slices at high speed. Depending on the machine type and the type of cutting knife, very high cutting speeds of several hundred to several thousand cutting movements, i.e. cuts, are achieved per minute.

During the cutting operation, vibrations of the machine frame can occur even with optimal balancing and optimal mass balancing of the rotating knife unit. Under certain circumstances, these machine vibrations can have an adverse effect on the cutting quality. Various working movements of the knife unit can cause vibrations in the machine frame. Disruptive movements other than vibrations can also occur in the cutting operation, but for the sake of simplicity are also to be understood below under the term “vibrations”.

Machine vibrations can occur, for example, if the slicer has a so-called empty cut function. To carry out empty cuts, the knife unit is moved within a very short period of time by a comparatively short distance, for example a few millimeters, from the front end of the product. The knife unit continues to perform rotational movements, but due to the distance between the cutting knife and the product, no disks are separated, which is why these rotational movements are referred to as "empty cuts". Such “cutting breaks” are used in particular to remove complete portions comprising a predetermined number of slices. In order to restart the slicing operation as quickly as possible after the removal of a portion, the knife unit is moved - again in a very short time - from the empty cut position back into the cutting position.

This change between the cutting position and the empty cutting position requires that comparatively large masses be accelerated in a relatively short time. Such working movements of the knife unit relative to the machine frame lead to counter-movements and / or vibrations in the machine frame, which cannot be absorbed completely or at most with considerable mechanical effort through a correspondingly massive design of the parts of the machine frame concerned.

In order to perform an empty cut function, the knife drive has, in addition to the drive that ensures the rotation of the knife unit, an empty cut drive, in which, for example, a threaded spindle is set in rotation, which interacts with a spindle nut, in order to rotate the spindle in a translational movement parallel to the knife axis implement, the spindle engages the knife unit and adjusts the knife unit parallel to the knife axis between the cutting position and the empty cut position.

In addition to the cutting knife, the knife unit which can be moved here can comprise a knife holder, also known as a knife holder, a knife shaft which interacts with the rotary drive of the knife drive for generating the rotational movement of the knife unit, and a bearing for the knife shaft.

The structure and mode of operation of slicers with an empty cut function are known to the person skilled in the art, which is why there is no need to go into this in detail.

Irrespective of an empty cut function, machine vibrations can also arise from the actual cutting operation, in particular due to the repeated entry and exit of the products due to the rapid knife rotation. The products can be of different hardness. Other conditions that cannot be precisely predicted, for example the entry points of the cutting knife into the products relative to the knife axis, can influence the manner of the machine vibrations occurring during the cutting operation, in contrast to the knife movements controlled by the machine operation, e.g. in the above-mentioned empty cut movements - in a way that cannot be predicted or is not sufficiently precise.

Out EP 1 651 396 B1 a slicing device is known with a cutting knife mounted to be displaceable parallel to its axis of rotation, in which a counterweight is provided which is displaceable in the opposite direction to the cutting knife.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and reliable possibility of largely avoiding disturbing vibrations of the machine frame during operation in a slicing machine of the type mentioned at the outset.

This problem is solved in each case by the features of the independent claims.

In the slicing machine according to the invention it is provided that at least one vibration compensator with at least one balancing mass is attached to the machine frame, which is designed to relatively reduce vibrations and / or movements of the machine frame that occur during operation due to the working movements of the knife unit by moving the balancing mass to at least partially compensate for the machine frame.

The vibration compensator attached to the machine frame according to the invention makes it possible to move its compensating mass in a targeted manner such that the vibrations and / or movements of the machine frame are at least largely compensated for.

At least partially compensating for vibrations and / or movements of the machine frame should also be understood to mean at least partially absorbing or damping the vibrations or movements, i.e. A vibration compensator is not only to be understood as a device for compensating, but also a device for absorbing or damping vibrations and / or movements of the machine frame, i.e. for example a vibration damper or vibration damper.

The designation of the compensator or damper or damper as a vibration compensator or vibration damper or vibration damper does not exclude that it is designed and / or arranged in such a way that such movements of the machine frame are also counteracted, in particular by compensating, absorbing or damping the are not vibrations. The movements of the machine frame can be, for example, deflections. Vibrations of the machine frame can be periodic vibrations, but also aperiodic vibrations.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are also specified in the dependent claims, the description and the drawing.

According to one embodiment, the weight of the balancing mass is less than the weight of the knife unit. As a result, the vibration compensator can be used in a targeted manner on the machine frame with a comparatively small space requirement where the expected vibrations and / or movements can be counteracted particularly effectively by moving the balancing mass. By adjusting the speed and / or the acceleration of the balancing mass, despite the lower weight of the balancing mass, the appropriate pulses and / or forces can be generated in order to compensate for the respective vibrations and / or movements.

The vibration compensator is preferably designed to compensate for vibrations and / or movements of the machine frame that occur due to empty-cut movements of the knife unit that run parallel to the knife axis - that is, in the axial direction. The slicer therefore has an empty cut function. In this regard, reference is also made to the explanations in the introductory part. The empty cut movements of the knife unit are controlled by the central control device of the slicing machine, so that the operation of the vibration compensator can take place on the basis of known or predictable working movements of the knife unit.

Alternatively or additionally, machine vibrations caused by other working movements can also be compensated for according to the invention. As already mentioned at the beginning, another working movement can be, in particular, the rotary movement of the knife unit, which can generate vibrations in that the cutting knife is repeatedly exposed to mechanical resistance changes when entering and leaving the products to be cut.

According to one embodiment, a separate drive, different from the knife drive, is provided for the balancing mass. This drive of the balancing mass, also referred to below as the “compensation drive”, can be controlled by a control device which is formed by the central control of the slicing machine or by a separate control device which is integrated into the overall control of the slicing machine.

However, it is not imperative that the differential drive be coupled to a control device. In principle, it is also possible to derive the compensating drive directly from the knife drive. This is particularly possible when there are vibrations due to machine-controlled and therefore predictable work movements arise, in particular in the case of the already explained empty cut movements of the knife unit.

Furthermore, it is possible to couple a drive for the balancing mass to a detection device which is designed to detect vibrations, movements and / or accelerations of the machine frame. In principle, the vibration compensator can be operated independently of machine-controlled working movements of the knife unit. Rather, the vibration compensator is operated as a function of the vibrations, movements or accelerations of the machine frame that actually occur and are detected by the detection device. The detection device can comprise, for example, one or more vibration sensors, each of which is attached to a suitable location on the machine frame.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the vibration compensator comprises a base fastened to the machine frame, on which the compensating mass is movably mounted. The base can be designed, for example, as a housing which contains the balancing mass. In addition, at least part of a drive for the balancing mass can also be arranged on or in the housing.

By means of the base, which is preferably designed as a housing, the vibration compensator can be attached to a suitable and basically arbitrary point on the machine frame.

According to a preferred embodiment, the base, the balancing mass and at least part of a drive for the balancing mass are combined to form a separate compensator unit. In this way, a compact vibration compensator can be realized, which can be selectively attached to any point on the machine frame and can compensate for the vibrations and / or movements of the machine frame there.

A drive for the balancing mass can be designed, for example, as a belt or belt drive, as a spindle drive, as a hydraulically or pneumatically operated piston / cylinder drive or as an electromotive drive.

The vibration compensator is preferably provided with at least one connection for a control and / or supply line of a drive for the balancing mass. This enables flexible positioning of the vibration compensator on the machine frame.

According to a further preferred exemplary embodiment, the knife unit and the vibration compensator are attached to a common support of the machine frame. As a result, the vibration compensator can be positioned close to the source of the vibrations, namely on a component of the machine frame to which the movable knife unit is also attached and via which the vibrations to be compensated are consequently introduced into the machine frame. The common carrier can be part of the cutting head. For example, the carrier is or comprises a support plate extending perpendicular to the knife axis.

According to a preferred embodiment, a group of several jointly operable vibration compensators is provided, which are attached to the machine frame at different locations. The group preferably comprises a relatively small number of vibration compensators. Preferably two or three vibration compensators are used. However, the invention is not restricted to this. In principle, any number of vibration compensators can be provided and controlled by a suitable control device depending on the work movements and / or the detected vibrations of the machine frame. The vibration compensators can be identical or of identical construction. Alternatively, it is possible to provide different vibration compensators. The vibration compensators can differ from one another, for example, with regard to the weight of their balancing masses and / or with regard to the speeds and / or accelerations of their balancing masses that can be achieved.

The vibration compensators can be controlled independently of one another. All vibration compensators can be controlled individually. It is also possible for the group to comprise several subgroups and for the subgroups to be controlled independently of one another.

The arrangement of the vibration compensators on the machine frame does not have to be subject to any particular order and can be selected, for example, depending on the vibrations to be expected and / or on the mode of operation of the vibration compensators.

Alternatively, orderly positioning of the vibration compensators is possible. For example, at least some of the vibration compensators can be effective and / or arranged in a common plane and / or on at least one common circle or partial circle. The knife unit preferably has a center of gravity which lies on the knife axis or on a center of gravity axis parallel to the knife axis, the plane in which a plurality of vibration compensators are effective containing the center of gravity axis or the central axis of the circle or partial circle on which a plurality of vibration compensators are effective and / or are arranged, coincides with the center of gravity axis.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the vibration compensators are radially spaced from the knife axis and / or from one another with respect to the knife axis, wherein the radial distances can be different or the same.

In general, by means of a plurality of vibration compensators that are controlled in a concerted manner, as it were and figuratively speaking, the “counter-sound principle” can be used to compensate for the vibrations of the machine frame.

An individual controllability of several vibration compensators can include that one or more vibration compensators can be specifically activated and deactivated.

It can be provided here, for example, that a group of vibration compensators can be brought into basically any compensation configurations which differ in which of the vibration compensators are activated and deactivated for a particular cutting application. These compensation configurations can be individually selected by a user on the control device of the slicing machine or can be coupled to respective cutting programs stored in the control device.

A compensation configuration can e.g. depending on the respective cutting knife, the respective cutting head, the product to be cut and / or the positioning of the product to be cut relative to the knife axis, can be selected automatically or individually by the user.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the position of the or each vibration compensator can be changed manually or automatically relative to the machine frame. The changeability can be designed in such a way that the positions can be adjusted during the slicing operation. Alternatively, it can be provided that several mounting positions are specified for the vibration compensator (s), which can only be changed during an interruption of the cutting operation.

In a preferred embodiment, the balancing mass can only be driven to translate movements, in particular to translate movements parallel to the knife axis. As a result, the structure and functionality of the vibration compensator can be kept comparatively simple. Alternatively or additionally, the balancing mass can be driven to make rotational movements. The balancing mass can be specifically provided with an unbalance.

In the method according to the invention it can be provided that the movement of the balancing mass is derived from the movement of the knife unit, in particular from an empty cut movement of the knife unit running parallel to the knife axis.

Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the movement of the balancing mass is derived from at least part of the vibrations of the machine frame.

The balancing mass is preferably driven to a movement which is directed in the opposite direction to a working movement of the knife unit to be compensated. However, this is not mandatory. For example, but not exclusively, when a plurality of vibration compensators are provided, these can be controlled to work movements which are not directed in the opposite direction to the work movement of the knife unit to be compensated. For example, several vibration compensators of this type can be controlled in such a way that a resulting compensating movement results which is directed in the opposite direction to the working movement of the knife unit.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the weight of the balancing mass is less than the weight of the knife unit, the balancing mass being moved at a greater speed and / or greater acceleration than the knife unit.

Regardless of the total number of vibration compensators provided or used for a particular application and regardless of their specific design, the invention enables the vibration compensator (s) to be controlled in such a way that a balance pulse scenario or mass balance scenario that is most suitable for a particular vibration condition of the frame is generated.

• 1 zwei unterschiedliche perspektivische Teildarstellungen einer erfindungsgemäßen Aufschneidemaschine gemäß einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung, und
• 2 zwei verschiedene Ansichten eines bei der Aufschneidemaschine gemäß 1 eingesetzten Schwingungskompensators.

The invention is described below by way of example with reference to the drawing. Show it:

• 1 two different perspective partial representations of a slicing machine according to the invention according to an embodiment of the invention, and
• 2nd two different views of one in the slicer according to 1 vibration compensator used.

In 1 In each of the two views, only part of a food slicer known in principle to the person skilled in the art is shown, as is also explained at the beginning by way of example and which serves to knock around a knife axis 17th rotating cutting knife 15 - here a sickle knife - several food products at the same time 11 feed and cut into slices.

From the machine frame of the slicer there is only one plate serving as a carrier 33 shown, the movable knife unit and a knife drive 16 wearing. The knife unit includes the cutting knife 15 , a knife holder 46 with counterweight 49 , a spindle, not shown, via a gear 16b is set in rotation, and a knife shaft, not shown, by means of a gear 16a is rotatable. Not relative to the wearer 33 movable knife drive 16 comprises a motor arrangement, which uses toothed belts (not shown) with the gears 16a , 16b is coupled. This is the knife drive 16 able to set the knife unit in rotation as well as by rotating the spindle via the gear wheel 16b to drive empty cuts, as is basically explained in the introductory part, to which reference is hereby made. This design of the drive of an empty cut knife head is known in principle to the person skilled in the art, so that it need not be discussed in more detail here.

The knife drive 16 is with a central control device 25th of the slicer, which also controls a product feed, of which one of the two here for the two tracks or products 11 provided upper product conveyor belts 41 as well as a common front product support belt 43 are shown.

On the product support belt 43 a cutting edge closes 45 with which the cutting knife 15 for separating slices from the products 11 cooperates.

In the right representation of the 1 is not an upper product conveyor for simplicity 41 shown. In the illustration on the left is the upper product conveyor belt 41 for the left product 11 , for the left lane of the two-lane slicer, not shown for the sake of simplicity.

Furthermore, there is a detection device 51 in the form of several vibration sensors provided on the carrier 33 attached and designed for this purpose, vibrations, movements and / or accelerations of the carrier occurring during operation of the slicer 33 capture. As in 1 indicated schematically, the vibration sensors can be designed and / or arranged such that vibratory movements of the carrier 33 can be measured in the three mutually perpendicular spatial directions. This detection device 51 is also with the central control device 25th connected to the slicer.

Furthermore, are on the carrier 33 on that of the cutting knife 15 opposite side two vibration compensators 19th attached, which are described in more detail below. The vibration compensators 19th each have a central axis 53a , wherein in the embodiment shown here the two vibration compensators 19th are arranged such that their central axes 53a and the knife axis 17th around which the knife unit and thus the cutting knife 15 rotates during operation, lie in a common plane. However, as already mentioned in the introductory part, such an arrangement is not mandatory and only represents a possible exemplary embodiment.

How 2nd shows, each vibration compensator includes 19th a housing that serves as the basis 29 . In a front part of the housing 29 there is an essentially cylindrical balancing mass 21st that are on one axis 53 sits, whose central axis is the central axis 53a of the vibration compensator 19th forms.

This front part of the case 29 is also with a radially projecting flange 55 provided, which serves the housing 29 and thus the vibration compensator 19th overall with the carrier 33 to screw in like it 1 is shown.

The axis 53 is with one in a rear part of the case 29 housed drive 23 coupled, which is, for example, a piston / cylinder unit that is operated pneumatically or hydraulically. Alternatively, the drive 23 eg include an electric motor.

To control the drive 23 or - depending on the design - for the supply with a pneumatic or hydraulic medium is the housing 29 with one connection 31 for one or more control or supply lines.

In 1 is shown schematically that the vibration compensators 29 each over the connection 31 with the central control device 25th connected and thus integrated into the slicer control.

During the operation of the slicer, the vibration compensators can 19th by means of the control 29 controlled and the balancing masses 21st - as in 2nd indicated by the arrows - parallel to the central axis 53a that when ordered according to 1 parallel to the knife axis 17th runs, are moved back and forth. These compensatory movements can also be carried out by means of the control depending on the 25th caused empty cut movements of the knife unit and / or as a function of the directly using the detection device 51 measured actual vibrations, movements or accelerations of the carrier 33 be generated.

The invention thus enables effective vibration compensation by means of compact, stationary on the machine frame - here in the exemplary embodiment on the carrier 33 as part of the cutting head - mountable compensator units with integrated compensating masses that can be specifically controlled for individual compensating movements 21st whose weight can be smaller than the weight of the knife unit causing the vibrations or movements to be compensated.

Reference symbol list

11

product

13

Machine frame

15

Cutting knife

16

Knife drive

16a

gear

16b

gear

17th

Knife axis

19th

Vibration compensator, absorber, absorber

21st

Leveling compound

23

Drive for balancing mass

25th

Control device

29

Base, housing

31

connection

33

carrier

41

upper product conveyor

43

front product support belt

45

Cutting edge

47

Knife holder

49

Counterweight

51

Detection device

53

axis

53a

Central axis

55

flange

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• EP 1651396 B1 [0011]

Claims (21)

Slicer, in particular for slicing food products (11), - With a machine frame (13), and - With a cutting head carried by the machine frame (13), which comprises a knife unit (15) comprising a knife unit and a knife drive (16), which is designed to drive the knife unit relative to the machine frame (13) for working movements that at least one rotation comprise the knife unit about a knife axis (17), - Wherein on the machine frame (13) at least one vibration compensator (19) with at least one balancing mass (21) is attached, which is designed to vibrations and / or movements of the machine frame (13) that occur during operation due to the working movements of the knife unit to compensate at least partially by moving the balancing mass (21) relative to the machine frame (13). Slicer after Claim 1 , wherein the weight of the balancing mass (21) is less than the weight of the knife unit. Slicer after Claim 1 or 2nd , wherein the vibration compensator (19) is designed to compensate for vibrations of the machine frame (13) which occur due to empty cut movements of the knife unit running parallel to the knife axis (17). Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a separate drive (23) different from the knife drive (16) is provided for the compensating mass (21). Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a drive (23) for the balancing mass (21) is coupled to the knife drive (16) or to a control device (25) for the knife drive (16). Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a drive (23) for the balancing mass (21) is coupled to a detection device (51) which is designed to detect vibrations of the machine frame (13). Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vibration compensator (19) comprises a base (29) which is attached to the machine frame (13) and is preferably designed as a housing and on which the compensating mass (21) is movably mounted. Slicer after Claim 7 , wherein the base (29), the balancing mass (21) and at least part of a drive (23) for the balancing mass (21) are combined to form a separate compensator unit, the base (29) preferably being used as a housing for the balancing mass (21) and at least part of the drive (23) is formed. Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a drive (23) for the balancing mass (21) is designed as a belt or belt drive, as a spindle drive, as a hydraulically or pneumatically operated piston / cylinder drive or as an electric motor drive. Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vibration compensator (19) is provided with at least one connection (31) for a control and / or supply line of a drive (23) for the balancing mass (21). Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the knife unit and the vibration compensator (19) are attached to a common carrier (33) of the machine frame (13), the carrier (33) preferably being part of the cutting head. Slicer after Claim 11 , wherein the carrier (33) comprises a support plate which extends at least substantially perpendicular to the knife axis (17). Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a group of several, in particular two or three, jointly operable vibration compensators (19) is provided, which are attached to the machine frame (16) at different points. Slicer after Claim 13 The vibration compensators (19) can be controlled independently of one another. Slicer after Claim 13 or 14 , wherein the vibration compensators (19) are effective and / or arranged in a common plane and / or on at least one common circle or partial circle, the knife unit preferably having a center of gravity which is on the knife axis (17) or on a knife axis (17 ) is parallel to the center of gravity, and the plane contains the center of gravity axis or the central axis of the circle or partial circle coincides with the center of gravity, and / or wherein the vibration compensators (19) refer to the knife axis (17) from the knife axis (19) and / or to one another are radially spaced. Slicer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the balancing mass (21) can be driven exclusively for translational movements, in particular parallel to the knife axis (17). Method for compensating vibrations on a device for slicing products (11), in particular food products, in particular on a slicer according to one of the preceding claims, the device comprising: - a machine frame (13), - A cutting head carried by the machine frame (13), which comprises a knife unit comprising a cutting knife (15) and a knife drive (16) which drives the knife unit relative to the machine frame (13) to work movements which cause at least one rotation of the knife unit Knife axis (17) include, and - at least one vibration compensator (19) attached to the machine frame (13) and comprising at least one balancing mass (21), - During operation, vibrations of the machine frame (13), which occur due to the working movements of the knife unit, are at least partially compensated for by moving the balancing mass (21) relative to the machine frame (13). Procedure according to Claim 17 The movement of the balancing mass (21) is derived from the movement of the knife unit, in particular from an empty cut movement of the knife unit running parallel to the knife axis (17). Procedure according to Claim 17 or 18th , wherein the movement of the balancing mass (21) is derived from at least part of the vibrations of the machine frame (13). Procedure according to one of the Claims 17 to 19th , wherein the balancing mass (21) is driven to a movement which is opposite to a working movement of the knife unit to be compensated. Procedure according to one of the Claims 17 to 20th , wherein the weight of the balancing mass (21) is less than the weight of the knife unit and the balancing mass (21) is moved with a greater speed and / or greater acceleration than the knife unit.

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