Slicing machine

Abstract

 Slicing machine comprising:
- a frame (12);
- a slicing device (13), fixed to said frame (12), and provided with a plurality of blades (14) spaced apart and side by side each other, and adapted to slicing products (P) brought into interference with said blades (14);
- conveyor means (15), supported by said frame (12), to bring, according to a feeding direction (A), products (P) to be sliced in interference with said slicing device (13);

characterized in that it comprises a cutting device (16), distinct and separate from said slicing device (13), adapted to cut at least an end slice (17) of the products (P) to be sliced, and supported by said frame (12) in a position upward of said slicing device (13) with respect to said feeding direction (A).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a slicing machine.

[0002] Said slicing machine is also suitable to put sliced products within trays.

[0003] This slicing machine is particularly suitable to be employed to slice vegetables and fruit, but it can be advantageously used to slice cheeses and salami.

[0004] Generally speaking, slicing machine according to the invention is aimed to slice foodstuffs having a substantially spherical shape, such as tomatoes, mozzarella, eggplants, and like, or product having a substantially cylindrical shape with lowered poles, such as onions, or having a substantially cylindrical shape, such as cheeses and like, or any other shape suitable to be sliced.

[0005] Particularly, said slicing machine is preferably suitable to slice tomatoes to be immediately packaged, perfectly aligned, within trays.

[0006] Therefore, present invention is included within the field of food industry machines and particularly machines for working and packaging vegetables, cheese or meat based foodstuffs.

[0007] At present, a machine is known in this field to slice vegetables, and particularly to slice tomatoes, said machine being described in EP patent 1 238 763.

[0008] Said known slicing machine comprises a frame, provided with a support for vegetables to be sliced, said support being provided with a plurality of seats placed sided by side, receiving said vegetables.

[0009] Said seats have an open bottom, permitting descent of vegetables to be cut through said bottom.

[0010] Below said seat bottom, a cutting device is provided, having a plurality of blades, parallel and spaced each other and suitable to slice vegetables descending through the same bottom.

[0011] Said blades are at a distance each other corresponding to the thickness wished for slices of vegetables to be sliced.

[0012] Above said support, said slicing machine has a pushing device, provided with pushing elements suitable to force a group of vegetables provided within the support seats, to bring said vegetables at the same time on said blades, to be cut.

[0013] Further, said standard slicing machine is provided, under the slicing blades, with two collection devices, a first one of which is suitable to collect lateral slices of each vegetable, to be discarded, and the second one suitable to collect the group of central slices of each vegetable, to be packaged.

[0014] Downward the cutting blades, groups of central slices are received within the second collection device, here, said central slice groups are spaced each other of a distance at least corresponding to the dimension of the lateral slices, removed before and collected within said first collection device.

[0015] A compaction device is provided in correspondence of said second collection device, gathering said central slice groups, to be then discharged and packaged within a tray.

[0016] Said standard slicing machine has a particularly complex structure, difficult to be subjected to maintenance, in view of the large number of compaction, collection, slicing and pushing devices.

[0017] Further, said slicing machine has the drawback of not permitting a precise packing of central slices that can be easily offset while packing the same.

[0018] Main problem solved by the present invention is that of simplifying the structure of known slicing machines.

[0019] Main object of the present invention is that of realising a slicing machine solving said drawbacks of known machines described in the above.

[0020] With the above in mind, it is object of the present invention that of suggesting a slicing machine permitting obtaining a more precise alignment of slices in order to prevent oxidation of sliced parts.

[0021] Another object of the present invention is that of realising a machine permitting a much easier cleaning and maintenance with respect to the known slicing machines.

[0022] Still another object of the invention is that of suggesting a slicing machine much easier to be employed with respect to known machines.

[0023] A further object of the invention is that of realising a slicing machine permitting obtaining a high yield with respect to known machines.

[0024] These and other results that will be better individuated in the following are obtained by a slicing machine according to the enclosed independent claim.

[0025] Detailed features of the slicing machine according to the invention are described in the enclosed dependent claims.

[0026] Further features and advantages of the invention will be evident from the specification of the preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of slicing machine according to the invention, shown for illustrative, but not limitative purposes in the enclosed drawings, wherein:

figure 1 shows a side view of a slicing machine according to the invention;

figure 1a shows a schematic front view of a particular of the conveyor device of slicing machine of figure 1;

figure 2 shows a top plan view of slicing machine of figure 1;

figure 2a shows a perspective schematic view of a particular of the slicing machine;

figure 3 shows a schematic plan view of a particular of the cutting device of machine of figure 1;

figure 4 shows affront view of the machine of figure 1;

figure 5 shows a plan view of slicing device of machine of figure 1;

figure 6a shows a side view of a particular of the pushing device of machine of figure 1;

figure 6b shows a front view of the particular of figure 6a, partially in section view taken along line B-B of figure 6a;

figure 6 shows a plan view of particular of figure 6a;

figure 6d shows a section taken along line D-D of figure 6a the particular of figure 6a.

[0027] Making reference to the figures, a slicing machine is generically indicated by reference number 10, particularly suitable for slicing vegetables and for precisely packaging the same within a tray.

[0028] Generally speaking, slicing machine 10 is suitable for slicing foodstuffs having a substantially spherical shape, such as tomatoes, mozzarella, eggplants, and like, or product having a substantially cylindrical shape with lowered poles, such as onions, or having a substantially cylindrical shape, such as cheeses and like, or any other shape suitable to be sliced.

[0029] Particularly, said slicing machine 10 is preferably suitable to slice tomatoes to be immediately packaged, perfectly aligned, within trays 11.

[0030] Slicing machine 10 comprises:

• a frame 12;
• a slicing device 13, fixed to said frame 12, and provided with a plurality of blades 14 spaced apart and side by side each other, and adapted to slicing products P brought into interference with said blades 14;
• conveyor means 15, supported by said frame 12, to bring, according to a feeding direction A, products P to be sliced in interference with said slicing device 13.

[0031] Preferably, blades 14 are supported by modular blocks 14a, wherein blades 14 are tightly supported between two stops, placed at an adjustable distance each other, to permit adjustment of blade tension.

[0032] Modular blocks 14 are advantageously mounted on a movable carriage 14b, reciprocally along a slicing direction C, preferably parallel with respect to the feeding direction A.

[0033] According to the invention, slicing machine has a specific feature in the fact that it comprises a cutting device 16, distinct and separate from said slicing device 13, adapted to cut at least an end slice 17 of the products P to be sliced, and supported by said frame 12 in a position upward of said slicing device 13 with respect to said feeding direction A.

[0034] Cutting device 16 is preferably suitable to cut at least an end slice 17 from products P, e.g. because it has a petiole or a physiologically hard part of vegetables to be sliced.

[0035] The fact that slicing machine 10 according to the invention had cutting device 16 upward and separated with respect to the slicing device 13, gives to the same machine 10 a simpler structure with respect to the known slicing machines, permitting a better accessibility of the two devices (the cutting device 16 and the slicing device 13).

[0036] Furthermore, thanks to the provision of the cutting device upward the slicing device 13, products reaching the slicing device are already without the end slice 17 to be discarded, or of two opposed slices 17 and 17a, to be discarded as well (as it will be better described in the following). Thus, central parts 18 of products P can be compacted and provided side by side, as obtained by slicing machines 10 in the preferred, but not limitative, embodiment herein shown and described.

[0037] Said slicing machine, according to the invention, permits slicing at the same (as it will better explained in the following) a plurality of central parts 18 of products P, already without parts to be discarded, so that slices obtained slicing said central parts 18 will be compacted and perfectly placed side by side each other, result that cannot be obtained by known slicing machines.

[0038] Advantageously, said conveyor means 15 comprise a pushing device 19, preferably provided above said blades 14, and advantageously provided with at least one movable element 20 having a seat 21 adapted to house a product to be sliced.

[0039] Pushing device 19 is preferably provided above blades 14 to push product P to be sliced against the same.

[0040] Preferably, pushing device comprises a plurality of movable elements 20, advantageously placed side by side each other along a direction which is substantially horizontal and perpendicular with respect to the feeding direction A.

[0041] Each movable element 20 is advantageously movable, according to a vertical direction, between a position for receiving the products P to be sliced and a working position in which said seats 21 are engaged by said blades 14 for slicing the products P housed in said seats 21.

[0042] For illustrative, but not limitative purposes, in figure 4 there are shown position I where movable elements 20 are received and working position II of the latter.

[0043] Each movable element 20 preferably comprises a plurality of retaining elements 22 delimiting said seat 21 for products P to be sliced, and, more specifically, said retaining elements 22 define, according to feeding direction, above and frontally, said seats 21.

[0044] Retaining elements 22 are parallel each other and with respect to blades 14 of slicing device 13, and each retaining element 22 is provided between two adjacent blades 14, at least when movable element 20 is in its working position.

[0045] Preferably, retaining elements 22 are staggered to define a concavity forming said seat 21, as particularly shown, for illustrative, but not limitative purposes, in figures 6b and 6d.

[0046] Said structure of retaining elements 22 permits obtaining a precise positioning and alignment above blades 14, particularly of products P having a substantially spherical shape.

[0047] Conveyor means 15 advantageously comprise a feeding device 23 adapted to convey the products P to be sliced in accordance with said feeding direction A towards said slicing device 13.

[0048] According to the slicing machine 10 shown in the enclosed figures, the latter has conveyor means 15 preferably comprising a chute 24, supported by said frame 12, between said feeding device 23 and said pushing device 19. Said chute 23 is suitable to receive products P from said feeding device 23 and to discharge them in each seat 21 of said pushing device 19.

[0049] Advantageously, chute 24 tapers from an inlet section 24a, through which it is suitable to receive products P (particularly, central part 18 of products P) from feeding device 23, to a discharge section 24b, through which it is suitable to discharge said products P, adjacent to one another, into said pushing device 19.

[0050] Further, said chute 24 is provided with a plurality of separation walls 24c delimiting at least a part of descent channels 24d for central parts 18 of products.

[0051] Said separation walls 24c preferably extend from the inlet section, along chute 24, spaced from outlet section 24b so that said chute 24 is without separation walls 24c in correspondence of its end part 24e, thus, in said end part 24e, central parts 18 of descending products P gather.

[0052] Thus, chute 24 permits simplifying slicing machine 10 with respect to known machines, the latter providing a packing device of central parts of products provided with twp opposed mechanical pushing devices.

[0053] In the preferred, but not limitative, embodiment of slicing machine 10 shown in the enclosed figures, feeding device 23 preferably comprises a plurality of housings 25 for the products P to be sliced, aligned according to said feeding direction A, and movable on command along said feeding direction A.

[0054] Further, feeding device 23 preferably comprises an abutment wall 26 delimiting each one of said housings 25 laterally with respect to said feeding direction A.

[0055] Cutting device 16 comprises at least one cutting blade 27 parallel to and spaced from said abutment wall 26 for cutting said end slice 17 of the products P.

[0056] Slicing machine 10 according to the present invention advantageously comprises thrust means 28 for pushing products P to be sliced, accommodated within said housings 25, against said abutment wall 26.

[0057] Said thrust means 28 are preferably connected to said frame 12 upward to said cutting device 16 according to said feeding direction A, and are advantageously comprised of an elastic fin, preferably comprised of metallic material, fixed to said frame 12.

[0058] Operationally, said pushing means 28 are suitable to intercept products P advancing along the feeding direction A, to elastically push them against the abutment wall 26, preferably just upward the cutting blade 27, so as to obtain an optimum positioning of the product from which the end slice 17 must be cut.

[0059] Advantageously, slicing machine 10 comprises a side wall 29, parallel to and facing toward said abutment wall 26.

[0060] Said housings 25 are preferably interposed between said abutment wall 26 and said side wall 29.

[0061] Further, said cutting means 16 preferably comprise at least one pair of cutting blades 27, a first one of which being parallel to, and spaced from, said abutment wall 26, and the second one of said blades 27 being parallel to, and spaced from, said side wall 29, to cut two end slices 17, from opposite ends of the products P to be sliced.

[0062] Advantageously, cavities 30 are provided, faced toward said cutting blades 27, on said side wall 29 and on said abutment wall 26, suitable for receiving said end slices 17, in order to prevent that said end slices 17 are pushed against cutting blades 27, and therefore are dragged by the same blades.

[0063] Advantageously, feeding device 23 is provided with a discharge opening 31, at least in correspondence of each cutting blade 17, and preferably under said cavities 30.

[0064] Feeding device 23 comprises a plurality of parallel lanes comprised of sequences of said housings 25, each one laterally delimited by one of said abutment walls 26 and from one of said side walls 29.

[0065] Particularly, without any limitation, when the machine 10 is realised to slice substantially spherical products, said housings 25 have a bottom 32 leaning toward said abutment part 26.

[0066] Further, feeding device 23 advantageously has a track structure, or a belt, looped and returned on pulleys 33 supported by said frame 12.

[0067] Housings 25 are equipped with a rear wall 34 and a front wall 35, which is inclined ahead according to said feeding direction A, to facilitate the discharge of products P from said feeding device 23 to the inlet section 24a of said chute 24.

[0068] Slicing machine 10 preferably also comprises a feeding assembly 36, supported by said frame 12 and adapted to supply trays, or other containers, to be filled with sliced products P, below said slicing device 13, according to a feeding direction parallel to said feeding direction A.

[0069] Advantageously, feeding device 23 and pushing device 19 and feeding group 36 substantially have a stepwise operation and are advantageously operated by first electric motor 37. Slicing device 13 and cutting device 16 are preferably operated by second electric motor 38.

[0070] However, in other arrangements, pushing device 19 and slicing device can be operated by pneumatic, or hydraulic, actuators, on the basis of the specific designing solutions.

[0071] The above invention can be subjected to many modifications and variations, all included within the scope defined by the enclosed claims.

[0072] Further, all details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

[0073] Substantially, materials employed, as well as shapes and dimensions, can be modified on the basis of specific needing and of the specific technique.

[0074] Constructive and technical features mentioned in the following claims which are indicated by numeral and sign references, said numeral and sign references only aim to give a better understanding of the same claims, and consequently, they are not a limitation of interpretation of each element, which is identified by said reference only for illustrative purposes.

Claims

1. Slicing machine comprising:

- a frame (12);

- a slicing device (13), fixed to said frame (12), and provided with a plurality of blades (14) spaced apart and side by side each other, and adapted to slicing products (P) brought into interference with said blades (14);

- conveyor means (15), supported by said frame (12), to bring, according to a feeding direction (A), products (P) to be sliced in interference with said slicing device (13);
characterized in that it comprises a cutting device (16), distinct and separate from said slicing device (13), adapted to cut at least an end slice (17) of the products (P) to be sliced, and supported by said frame (12) in a position upward of said slicing device (13) with respect to said feeding direction (A).

2. Slicing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said conveyor means (15) comprise a pushing device (19), provided with at least one movable element (20) having a seat (21) adapted to house a product to be sliced, being said at least one movable element (20) movable, on command, between a position for receiving the products (P) to be sliced and a working position in which said seats (21) are engaged by said blades (14) for slicing the products (P) housed in said seats (21).

3. Slicing machine, according to claim 2, characterized in that said at least one movable element (20) of said pushing device (19) comprises a plurality of retaining elements (22) for the products (P) to be sliced, delimiting said seat ( 21), parallel to each other and to the blades (14) of said slicing device (13), each of said retaining elements (22) being inserted between two adjacent of said blades (14) at least when said at least one movable element (20 ) is in said working position.

4. Slicing machine, according to claim 3, characterized in that said the retaining elements (22) are staggered to define a concavity forming said seat (21).

5. Slicing machine, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said conveyor means (15) comprises a feeding device (23) adapted to convey the products (P) to be sliced in accordance with said feeding direction (A) towards said slicing device (13).

6. Slicing machine, according to claim 5 and any of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that said conveyor means (15) comprise a chute (24), supported by said frame (12) between said feeding device (23) and said pushing device (19), and suitable to receive products (P) from said feeding device (23) and to discharge them in said seat (21) of said at least one movable element (20) of said pushing device (19).

7. Slicing machine, according to claim 6 characterized in that said chute (24) tapers from an inlet section (24a), through which it is suitable to receive products (P) from said feeding device (23), to a discharge section (24b), through which it is suitable to discharge said products (P), adjacent to one another, in said pushing device (19).

8. Slicing machine, according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that said feeding device (23) comprises a plurality of housings (25) for the products (P) to be sliced, aligned according to said feeding direction (A ), and movable on command along said feeding direction (A), and an abutment wall (26) delimiting each of said housings (25) laterally with respect to said feeding direction (A), said cutting means (16 ) comprising at least one cutting blade (27) parallel to and spaced from said abutment wall (26) for cutting said end slice (17) of the products (P).

9. Slicing machine, according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises thrust means (28) for pushing products (P) to be sliced, accommodated in said housings (25), against said abutment wall (26), said thrust means (28) being connected to said frame (12) upward to said cutting device (16) according to said feeding direction (A).

10. Slicing machine, according to any of the claims 8 and 9, characterized in that it further comprises a side wall (29) parallel to and facing toward said abutment wall (26), said housings (25) being interposed between said abutment wall ( 26) and said side wall (29), said cutting means (16) comprising at least one pair of said blades (27) a first one of which being parallel to, and spaced from, said abutment wall (26), and the second one of said blades (27) being parallel to, and spaced from, said side wall (29), to cut two end slices (17), from opposite ends of the products (P) to be sliced.

11. Slicing machine, according to claim 10, characterized in that said feeding device (23) comprises a plurality of parallel lanes consist of sequences of said housings (25) each one delimited laterally by one of said abutment walls (26) and from one of said side walls (29).

12. Slicing machine according to one or more of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that said housings (25) have a bottom (32) leaning toward said abutment part (26).

13. Slicing machine according to one or more of the claims 8 to 12, characterized in that said feeding device (23) has a track structure, or belt, looped and returned on pulleys (33) supported by said frame ( 12), said housings (25) being equipped with a rear wall (34) and a front wall (35) which is inclined ahead according to said feeding direction (A), to facilitate the discharge of products (P) from said feeding device (23) to said chute (24).

14. Slicing machine, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a feeding assembly (36), supported by said frame (12) and adapted to supply trays, or other containers, to be filled with sliced products P, below said slicing device (13), according to a feeding direction parallel to said feeding direction (A).

Drawing