Cutting – Processes – With subsequent handling
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-17
2001-08-14
Ashley, Boyer (Department: 3724)
Cutting
Processes
With subsequent handling
C083S088000, C083S155000, C083S165000, C083S703000, C083S714000, C083S409200, C083S410800, C083S733000, C083S439000, C083S443000, C083S468700, C083S856000, C083S932000, C426S518000, C099S537000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272958
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the slicing of food materials, and more particularly to an apparatus for use in the slicing of food materials and which prevents the curling of food material slices during the slicing thereof.
Automated slicing is commonly used in the processing of various food materials. In some slicing applications, at least one food material supply is held in a magazine that is repeatedly moved against a knife to successively obtain a series of slices from the food material. The movement of the food material supply magazine against the knife has a reciprocating, or oscillating cycle, wherein each cycle produces a food material slice during forward movement of the food material supply against the knife. The slices so obtained by such slicers are, in essence, thrown onto a transfer surface, such as a food material packaging tray, or a moving surface like a food transfer conveyor.
Curling of the food material slices is a problem which occurs frequently with food slicers of the type described above. Curling is exacerbated by the temperature of the food material supply. If the food material supply is in a somewhat frozen state, the slice curls as it is sliced because of the low temperature of the food material, much like a wood chip obtained from a carpenter's plane. However, in other instances, energy is imparted to the food material slice during the slicing process which warms the surfaces of the slice and may cause it to become tacky or partially adhesive in nature whereupon it is likely to adhere to surfaces it contacts such as the slicing knife or a transfer assembly. A range of desired temperatures exists at which the tendency of a food material slice to curl or adhere to processing components is tolerable. However, even within this range, curling nevertheless occurs.
The curling that occurs may detrimentally affect the ability of the slice transfer or knife components to properly convey the food material slices. The curl of the slice most often detrimentally affects the trajectory of the slice as it is sliced and thrown onto a transfer component. This curling of such food material slices may affect other components in the food material production line. Additionally, curling occurs in the slicing of hard, dry sausages such as pepperoni or salami.
Certain apparatus for removing or reducing the curling of a food material slice are known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,267, issued Jul. 27, 1993, and commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention describes an apparatus having a constriction aligned with and located close to a slicing knife. This construction includes two opposing surfaces, one moving surface and one stationary surface. The upper surface of the construction is stationary while the lower surface is a moving surface composed of flexible bands driven by two rollers at opposite ends of the apparatus. This apparatus, although effective, requires two rollers to carry out its decurling purpose.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a device which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages, provides an apparatus which enables a substantial increase in slicing speed to be achieved in an associated slicing assembly and represents an improvement over the apparatus described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,267.
In this regard, the present invention provides a constriction located near, and preferably below, the slicing assembly, and having a moving surface which moves at a speed at least substantially equal to or greater than the slicing speed. This lower moving surface exerts the most influence on the food material slice movement and therefore provides a moving surface as part of the constriction, so that individual successive food material slices are prevented from curling without significantly altering their course of movement through the constriction.
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a curved slice thickness, or guide plate, having a series of grooves which accommodate an equal number of elastic bands or flexible belts. The slice thickness plate is convex in configuration and has a outer surface that preferably matches the swinging path of the food supply magazine. Preferably, the swinging path of the food supply magazine in this embodiment defines a curved path. The bands travel through the guide plate beneath its outer surface and are driven by a single driving roller. A leading edge of the guide plate provides a change in direction of the bands to position the moving lower surface of the constriction a preselected distance away from the portion of the knife assembly which serves as the fixed upper surface of the constriction. The bands direct the slices onto a suitable transfer means for transfer to another work station on the production line. The curvature of the guide plate matches the path of the food supply magazine and prevents the food supply from being pinched against the guide plate during movement of the food supply magazine.
In another embodiment, wherein the food supply magazine oscillates back and forth in a linear path with translational rather than rotational movement, the guide plate is planar in order to match the path of the food supply magazine and so permits the reduction of curl in slices made from multiple food items held in the food supply magazine so that as multiple slices are made, they are uncurled.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for maintaining a slice of food material freshly cut from a food material supply in a substantially flat configuration.
Another object of the present invention as exemplified by a first embodiment of the invention is to provide a food slice decurling device particularly suitable for use with a food material slicing apparatus in which a food material supply is reciprocatably moved in an arc through a food slicing zone, whereby movement of the food material supply in one direction causes the food material supply to contact a cutting edge and to produce a slice of food material that is not curled. The decurling device includes a constriction positioned proximate to the slicing apparatus knife edge, the constriction having a first stationary surface forming the upper portion of the constriction and a second, moving surface forming the lower portion of the constriction.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for preventing curling from occurring in successive slices of food material sliced from a food material supply wherein the apparatus includes a curved slice thickness and guide plate assembly, the assembly including a moving surface extending through the assembly and beneath the outer, curved surfaces thereof to a location near the slicing knife, the moving surface being formed by a plurality of moving elements, such as elastic bands, the bands forming the moving, lower surface of a constriction disposed proximate to the slicer, changing direction at a leading edge of the guide plate and further moving at a speed nominally equal to or greater than the speed at which slices are made from the food material supply.
Still another object of the present invention, as exemplified by a second embodiment of the invention, is to provide an apparatus for substantially preventing curling of food material slices sliced from a food material supply, wherein the supply may include multiple food material sticks and wherein the apparatus includes a slicing knife mounted in a first guide plate disposed beneath the food material supply, a second guide plate spaced apart from the first guide plate, also beneath the food material supply, the second guide plate further having a plurality of food material contact members that are moved around the second guide plate in the same direction as the food material supply and at approximately the same or greater speed thereof.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the ac
Abler Norman C.
Hamburg Donald W.
Rattmann James A.
Ashley Boyer
Cook Alex McFarron Manzo Cummings & Mehler, Ltd.
Kraft Foods Inc.
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