Apparatus for cutting a product into slices and method for manufacturing such an apparatus

Abstract

 An apparatus for cutting a product into slices comprises a support frame (1) with opposite attachment elements (4,5) and a cutting wire (2) attached to the support frame (1) by deformation of the attachment elements (4,5) as a plurality of substantially mutual parallel wire sections (3) at an equal spacing. The cutting wire (2) is guided around the sides of the attachment elements (4,5) directed away from each other. The distance between the said sides of the attachment elements (4,5) directed away from each other is enlarged by the deformation of the attachment elements as compared to said distance before deformation of the attachment elements.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus for cutting a product into slices according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for manufacturing such an apparatus.

[0002] In the known apparatus of this type the cutting wire is clamped between the attachment elements and the support frame by bending the attachment elements. In this manner it is quite difficult to obtain an apparatus with a cutting wire well tightened.

[0003] The invention aims to provide an apparatus of the above-mentioned type wherein a cutting wire well tightened is guaranteed in a simple manner.

[0004] To this end the apparatus of the invention is characterized by the characterizing features of claim 1.

[0005] In this manner an apparatus is obtained wherein a cutting wire well tightened is guaranteed due to the deformation of the attachment elements.

[0006] According to a favourable embodiment the opposite attachment elements are staggered with respect to each other substantially along the intermediate distance between the wire sections, wherein a distance element is provided between each two attachment elements being successive transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wire sections, wherein the distance elements seen transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wire sections, have an equal length and wherein the spacing between the distance elements is substantially equal to this length increased by twice the cutting wire diameter.

[0007] In this manner it is obtained that the spacing between the wire sections of the cutting wire is determined by the distance elements, so that the deformation of the attachment elements does not affect this spacing. Moreover, the cutting wire needs to be guided only once along each attachment element.

[0008] The invention further aims to provide a method for manufacturing such an apparatus, wherein a cutting wire is guided around the sides of opposite deformable distance elements of a support frame, said sides being directed away from each other, in a tightly tightened manner and the cutting wire is attached as a plurality of wire sections mutually substantially parallel and lying at an equal spacing on the support frame by deforming said attachment elements, said method according to the invention being characterized in that the attachment elements are deformed in such a manner that the distance between the sides of the attachment elements directed away from each other, is enlarged.

[0009] The invention will be further explained by reference to the drawings in which an embodiment of the apparatus of the invention is schematically shown.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a partially shown top view of an embodiment of the apparatus of the invention before deformation of the attachment elements.

[0011] Fig. 2 is a cross section of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

[0012] Fig. 3 is a cross section corresponding with Fig. 2 after deformation of the respective attachment element.

[0013] Fig. 1 shows an apparatus for cutting a product into slices, in particular a so-called egg cutter, comprising a support frame 1 and a cutting wire 2 attached to the support frame 1 in a plurality of wire sections 3 mutually substantially parallel and at equal spacings. For the attachment of the cutting wire 2 the support frame 1 is provided with unitary attachment elements 4 and 5 formed as rivets, wherein the opposite attachment elements 4 and 5, respectively, are mutually staggered along a distance corresponding with the spacing between the wire sections 3. As shown in Fig. 2, the attachment elements 4, 5 consist of a cylinder projecting from the main surface of the support frame 1.

[0014] A distance element 6 is provided between each two attachment elements 4 and 5, respectively, successive transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wire sections 3. The length of these distance elements 6 measured transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wire sections 3 is mutually equal and equal to the spacing transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wire sections 3 between successive distance elements 6 increased by twice the diameter of the cutting wire 2. At the side of the attachment elements 5 end distance elements 7 are provided, only one being shown in Fig. 1. Each end distance element 7 lies at said distance from the corresponding previous distance element 6.

[0015] The apparatus described has the advantage that the spacing between the wire sections 3 is fully determined by the length of and distance between the successive distance elements 6, 7, respectively. The attachment of the cutting wire 2 to the support frame 1 is relatively simple, in particular guarantying a cutting wire tightly tightened. From a first attachment element 4, the cutting wire 2 is guided only once around each of the opposite sides of the attachment elements 4, 5 up to the last attachment element 4. The cutting wire 2 is fixed by rivetting, during which the attachment elements 4, 5 are deformed from the undeformed state of Fig. 2 into the deformed state shown in Fig. 3. By this deformation the diameter of each attachment element 4, 5 increases and thereby the distance between the opposite sides of the attachment elements 4, 5. Thereby, the cutting wire 2 is attached on the support frame 1 in a well tightened manner.

[0016] The invention is not restricted to the abovedescribed embodiment which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Apparatus for cutting a product into slices, comprising a support frame with opposite attachment elements and a cutting wire attached to the support frame by deformation of the attachment elements as a plurality of substantially mutual parallel wire sections at an equal spacing, wherein the cutting wire is guided around the sides of the attachment elements directed away from each other, characterized in that the distance between said sides of the attachment elements directed away from each other is enlarged by the deformation of the attachment elements as compared to said distance before deformation of the attachment elements.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the attachment elements each consist of a round rivet, the diameter of which is enlarged by said deformation.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the rivets are unitary with the support frame.

4. Apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opposite attachment elements are staggered with respect to each other substantially along the spacing between the wire sections.

5. Apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that a distance element is provided between each two attachment elements being successive transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wire sections, wherein the distance elements seen transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wire sections, have an equal length and wherein the spacing between the distance elements is substantially equal to this length increased by twice the cutting wire diameter.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that end distance elements are provided at one side of the support frame at said spacing from the respective adjacent distance element.

7. Apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support frame is circular.

8. Method for manufacturing an apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein a cutting wire is guided around the sides of opposite deformable distance elements of a support frame, said sides being directed away from each other, in a tightly tightened manner and the cutting wire is attached as a plurality of wire sections mutually substantially parallel and lying at an equal spacing on the support frame by deforming said attachment elements, characterized in that the attachment elements are deformed in such a manner that the distance between the sides of the attachment elements directed away from each other, is enlarged.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that a support frame with unitary rivets is used, said rivets each consisting of a cylinder projecting from the main surface of the support frame, wherein the cylinder is folded while clamping the cutting wire.

10. Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that a support frame with opposite attachment elements mutually staggered by said spacing is used, wherein the cutting wire starting from a first attachment element is guided only once around of the sides of successive attachment elements directed away from each other.

Drawing