DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING STACKS OF SLICES

The invention relates to a device and a method for producing stacks of slices packed individually in film, in particular cheese slices, according to the preamble of the independent claims.

Numerous such devices and methods for producing stacks of cheese slices packed individually in film are known from the state of the art.

Thus DE 4204987 A1, which harks back to the same applicant discloses a device for the cutting and stacking of products that are arranged in a film tube in the form of a chain, wherein individual product slices are formed in the chain which are separated from one another by sealing seams running transversely over the width of the film tube, wherein further a slicing device slices the individual, interlinked product slices in the region of the sealing seam and places the individual product slices on a stacking device, in which the product stacks are formed, said product stacks being supplied to a downstream packaging machine, wherein the film tube can be inserted into the slicing device, and that at the exit of the slicing device a stacking magazine is arranged which consists of at least two slat straps arranged opposite one another and in parallel, which form opposing receiving chambers, into which the product slice can be inserted. The stacks of slices are deposited here by means of vertically moveable rake-like collectors on a horizontal transport belt located below.

The disadvantage is the fact that only one single film transport station supplying the film tube is provided per cutting and stacking unit, as well as only one single product transport belt conducting the sliced product slices away, said product transport belt conveying said product slices to a downstream packaging station. The product performance product is hence relatively low, and thus the product costs are relatively high, likewise the costs for production and operation of the device itself.

DE 8709053 U1 discloses a very similar device which is however simpler in design, said device supplying slices that are already separated by means of the horizontal conveyor to the vertical conveyor from two parallel brush belts. In addition the stacks of slices formed on the bottom of the vertical conveyor are horizontally supplied by means of a slider to a further horizontal conveyor.

The disadvantage is that only one vertical conveyor and one lower horizontal conveyor are provided per upper horizontal conveyor. The product performance is thus relatively low, and thus the product costs are relatively high.

DE 19604926 A1 and EP 788986 A1 disclose a slice stacker for cheese slices consisting of at least one vertical disk insertion belt and a horizontal slice transport device with at least two brush belts opposite one another, between which the slices are conveyed in the direction of a star handle as a slice stack formation device, which places the stack of slices on a downstream transport belt that supplies the stack of slices to a downstream packaging unit.

The disadvantage is that at least one insertion belt per brush belt pair is provided, so that with this in turn the product performance is relatively low and the product costs are relatively high, as are the costs for production and operation of the device itself.

The present invention addresses the problem of forming a simple and cost-effective device as well as a simple and cost-effective method for producing stacks of slices packed individually in film in such a way that the product performance, i.e. the number of slices conveyed through the device per time unit can be increased significantly.

The features of the independent claims solve the stated problem.

The significant features of the device are that a dispensing roller is provided between the cutting unit and the slice feeding unit, said dispensing roller first dispensing the slices packed individually in slices by the cutting unit transverse to the horizontal main conveyor direction, and then transferring said slices to at least two slice conveyor elements of the slice collecting and stacking unit by means of two separate conveyor belts of the slice feeding unit.

The significant features of the method are that a plurality of slices packed individually in film are first collected on a dispensing roller and dispensed transverse to the horizontal main conveyor direction, that is, in the transverse conveyor direction after exiting the cutting device, and are then transferred in parallel to a plurality of separate transport belts and conveyed thereon to one each of the vertical transport and collecting chutes.

Advantageous further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The advantage of the inventive device is that the product performance, that is the number of products conveyed through by means of the inventive device per time unit, can be increased by up to 50%.

Another advantage is that the inventive device can be produced, mounted and operated significantly more cost-effectively since it is very simple and compact in structure and in particular exhibits a relatively small dimensioned dispensing roller with slight width and small diameter and therefore is very cost-effective in production and operation, with only low rotational energy to be expended and hence low power consumption.

The lateral distances of the conveyor belts to one another in transverse direction are selected in correspondence to the individual slices to be arranged on the dispensing roller in transverse direction. The position in the main conveyor direction (x-direction) and transverse direction (y-direction) of the chutes, as well as the height (z-direction) of the upper insertion edges of the chutes are selected in such a way that the conveyor belts cannot collide anywhere.

It is preferred if the at least two conveyor belts as well as the associated at least two chutes are arranged offset to one another along the horizontal main conveyor direction by an amount Δx and in the transverse conveyor direction by an amount Δy. It is advantageous when the conveyor belts and their respective chutes are continuously arranged offset to one another in a direction (either plus or minus direction of x or y). In particular the at least two chutes exhibit an upper insertion height different from the at least two conveyor belts by an amount Δz for the individually packed slices. It has proved to be successful when the conveyor belts run horizontally and/or at an acute angle α between 5° and 15° to the horizontal.

The cutting and dispensing process of the slices by means of the cutter and dispensing rollers takes place in a continuous sequence and at a corresponding production speed, synchronized with the conveyor chutes and the conveyor belts toward the conveyor chutes and away from the conveyor chutes.

On the whole, with the inventive device a substantial increase of the conveyed stack of slices per time unit can occur, so that a substantial price reduction of the stack of slices can be achieved without in the process substantially increasing the production, operation, maintenance and repair costs of the inventive device.

In the following the invention will be described more closely with the help of only one embodiment. In this connection further features and advantages of the invention essential to the invention arise from the drawings and their description.

FIG. 1 shows the inventive device for producing stacks of slices 10 from slices 14 packed individually in film in a lateral view, FIG. 2 shows said inventive device in a top view, FIG. 3 shows said device in a front view from the left (only central chute and conveyor belt).

In the right upper margin of FIG. 1 a film belt with individual cheese slices 13 runs downward in vertical conveyor direction 16 (minus z-direction) between a cutter roller 2 and a dispensing roller 1 and is sliced into a plurality of slices 14 packed individually in film by a cutter bar (not shown).

These slices 14 packed individually in film are then adhered on the outer jacket of the dispensing roller 1 by means of vacuum adhesion device (not shown) and during the rotation of the dispensing roller 1 are moved by a transverse motion device (not shown) known from the state of the art in transverse directions 17 (y-directions) in accordance with FIG. 2 on the underside of the outer jacket of the dispensing roller 1 until a predefined number of slices 14 (here 3 pieces) lie next to one another in transverse direction 17 (i.e. y-direction along the axis of symmetry 18 of the dispensing roller 1).

Of course more than three slices, for example four, five or six slices 14 can also be arranged next to one another in transverse directions 17 (y-directions) on the dispensing roller 1, however at least two slices 14.

After the lateral distribution in y-directions of the three slices 14, 14′ an 14″ on the dispensing roller 1, said slices are projected vertically downward (minus z-direction) and in the main conveyor direction 15 (x-direction) to the three conveyor belts 3,4; 3′,4, 3″, 4″ running vertical to one another at the angle α=+/−8° by interruption of the vacuum of the vacuum adhesion device on the basis of the gravitation.

The central conveyor belt 3, 4 is aligned somewhat horizontally in this connection, the right conveyor belt 3′, 4′ in the main conveyor direction 15 (x-direction) being aligned by plus 8° upward from the horizontal, the left conveyor belt 3″, 4″ in main conveyor direction 15 (x-direction) being aligned by minus 8° downward from the horizontal.

All conveyor belts 3,4; 3′,4, 3″, 4″ start from a vertical starting level 19 below the dispensing roller 1, about from half the radius of the dispensing roller 1, in main conveyor direction 15 (x-direction) situated forward from the longitudinal axis of symmetry 18 of the dispensing roller 1.

Each of the conveyor belts 3,4; 3′,4, 3″, 4″ is in other respects formed by a lower transport belt 3; 3′; 3″, as well as by an upper runner belt 4; 4′; 4″ running in parallel above, each forming a conveyor belt pair, between which then the slices 14 to be transported are caught and conveyed.

On these conveyor belts 3,4; 3′,4, 3″, 4″ the slices 14, 14′ an 14″ are conveyed to their associated chutes 5, 5′ and 5″ and inserted there.

Each chute 5 is—as can be best seen in FIG. 3—formed by two brush belts 6 spaced apart from one another in y-direction and revolving in z-directions, the brushes of said brush belts protruding into the interior of the chute 5, wherein the slices 14 inserted above into chute 5 then, carried between the brushes of the left and right brush belt 6, and downward in vertical main conveyor direction 16 are conveyed in minus z-direction to the separations 8, 9, where they are pre-separated and post-separated.

By means of the mechanical or electric/electronic query 7 in the interior of each chute 5, 5′, 5″ the pre-separation and post-separation 8, 9 as well as the discarding of the stack of slices 10, 10′, 10″ are steered to the joint lower delivery belt 11. This pre-separation and post-separation 8, 9 are sufficiently state of the art and therefore do not have to be described more closely. The stack of slices 10, 10′, 10″ are then conveyed on the common lower delivery belt 11 in x-direction, that is, main conveyor direction 15 from the device to a downstream packaging unit (not shown).

In the synopsis of FIGS. 1 and 2 it can be well recognized that the chutes 5, 5′, 5″ on the one hand in the main conveyor direction 15 (x-direction) are arranged about at the same longitudinal distance Δx from one another, on the other hand in the transverse conveyor direction 17 (y-direction) are likewise arranged at the same width distance Δy. Also the conveyor belts 3,4 an 3′,4′, as well as 3″,4″ are spaced apart from one another in the same width distance y in the transverse conveyor direction 17 (y-direction). The chutes 5, 5′, 5″ are in the process about equal in length in x-direction and about equal in width in y-direction, but have different heights in z-direction. The height z of chutes 5, 5′, 5″ in comparison, increases in the process with the rising distance to the dispensing roller 1, so that the upper insertion edges 20, 20′, 20″ of the chutes 5, 5′, 5″ exhibit a height offset Δz to one another in the main conveyor direction 15 (x-direction). Proceeding from the central chute 5, at which the horizontal conveyor belt 3, 4 runs, the directly leading and directly following chute 5′ and 5″ exhibit a nearly identical height offset Δz.

The distances in transverse direction 17 (y-direction) of the conveyor belts 3,4 and 3′,4′ as well as 3″,4″ to one another are correspondingly selected on the slices 14, 14′, 14″ to be arranged individually on the dispensing roller 1 in transverse direction 17. The position in x-direction and y-direction of the chutes 5, 5′, 5″ as well as the height of the upper insertion edges 20, 20′, 20″ of the chutes 5, 5′, 5″ in z-direction are selected in such a way that the conveyor belts 3,4 and 3′,4′, as well as 3″, 4″ do not collide anywhere.

The waste position 12 in FIG. 1 below the dispensing roller 1 constitutes per conveyor belt 3,4 and 3′4′, as well as 3″, 4″ one flap each, which controls the access to the conveyor belts 3,4, 3′4′, as well as adjusting 3″,4″ for defective slices 14″ and diverting downward in the direction of a reject collection container 21, so that these reject slices 14″ do not reach the stack of slices 10, 10′, 10″.

On the whole with the present invention a substantial increase of the stack of slices 1, 10′, 10″ conveyed on the delivery belt 11 in the direction of the 15 packaging equipment per time unit, in comparison with to the prior art, so that a price reduction of the stack of slices 10, 10′, 10″ can be achieved with a simultaneously simple and more cost-effective device.

• 1. Dispensing roller
• 2. Cutter roller
• 3. Transport belt
• 4. Upper runner belt
• 5. Chute
• 6. Brush strap
• 7. Query
• 8. Pre-separation
• 9. Main separation
• 10. Product stack
• 11. Delivery belt
• 12. Waste position
• 13. Individual slice in continuous film belt
• 14. Individually wrapped slice in film (14″′ reject slice)
• 15. Horizontal main conveyor direction
• 16. Vertical main conveyor direction
• 17. Transverse conveyor direction
• 18. Longitudinal axis of symmetry of 1
• 19. Vertical starting plane of belts 3,4
• 20. Upper insertion edge of 5
• 21. Reject collection container for reject slices 14″′
• α=angle between the belts 3,4 and 3′,4′ as well as 3,4 and 3″,4″
• Δx=Length offset in x-direction (horizontal main conveyor direction 15)
• Δy=Height offset in y-direction (transverse conveyor direction 17)
• Δz=Height offset in z-direction (vertical main conveyor direction 16)