Butchering – Sausage making – Stuffing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-20
2001-10-30
Little, Willis (Department: 3643)
Butchering
Sausage making
Stuffing
C452S040000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309293
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for filling a pasty filling material and to a vacuum filler for filling a pasty filling material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vacuum fillers are known that are used for conveying sausage meat and comprise a vane-type conveying mechanism as a metering or proportioning unit. Such a vacuum filler is e.g. described in European patent specification EP 0 432 388 B2. A further embodiment of a vane-type conveying mechanism for use in a vacuum filler is e.g. disclosed in German patent application DE 42 27 621 A1.
In such vacuum fillers, the filling material to be conveyed in the vane-type conveying mechanism can only be evacuated through gaps at places at which the vanes of the conveying mechanism, the rotor and the housing of the conveying mechanism are in contact. Such gaps should only be so large that filling material cannot be passed therethrough, in particular when the conveying mechanism is at a standstill in the activated state of the vacuum pump as, otherwise, said filling material would be sucked into the vacuum channel and would then clog said channel. However, the width of the gap which is to be kept small renders the evacuating process difficult because the suction effect is thereby restricted or limited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a method and a vacuum filler for permitting a more efficient production of negative pressure for supporting the intake of sausage meat.
Since the negative pressure in the vane-type conveying mechanism is in the main only produced while the vane cells are rotating and, consequently, in a state where the rotor is not at a standstill, the negative pressure will only be produced when the sausage meat is filled into the vane cells and further transported in portions to the outlet of the vane-type conveying mechanism by rotation of the vane cells. The mechanical transportation of the sausage meat will prevent the sausage meat from being drawn into the vacuum channel.
However, since there is no negative pressure for the period of time in which the operation is interrupted, i.e. in the stopped state of the vane-type conveying mechanism, the efficient cross-sections of the gaps can be made larger than in the prior art. The gap size is only restricted to a dimension which ensures that in the running state of the conveying mechanism no sausage meat is pressed or sucked into the vacuum channel. Therefore, the gap may have a larger size or greater depth than in vacuum fillers according to the prior art, which will then effect the desired and more efficient production of a negative pressure.
Preferably, the rearward suction effected by the negative pressure is in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the vane cells. As a result, sausage meat possibly passing into the area of negative pressure is conveyed in the running state of the conveying mechanism out of said mechanism and away from the opening of the suction channel towards the sausage meat outlet, whereby sausage meat material is prevented from being sucked into the vacuum channel.
The negative pressure is particularly preferably produced in delayed fashion after the conveying mechanism has been switched on, in particular only if a first vane cell has already moved past the vacuum opening. In such a case, the sausage meat which has possibly accumulated near the vacuum opening is pushed away by the vane cell moving past the vacuum opening, so that the sausage meat cannot pass into the vacuum channel by reason of the resulting vacuum.
In an advantageous development of the method, the negative pressure is automatically produced in rotating vane cells. Since the operating personnel need not worry about the production and deactivation of negative pressure while the conveying mechanism is rotating or at a standstill, the vacuum filler can be handled in an easy manner.
A vacuum filler according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a closure element for at least partly opening and closing the vacuum opening, i.e. a unit which either allows or blocks the conduction of the negative pressure prevailing in the vacuum channel into the area of the conveying mechanism. Since, in contrast to the prior art, the vacuum opening towards the conveying mechanism does not have a constant cross-section, but the cross section of said opening can also be reduced by a closure element or the vacuum opening may be closed altogether by such a closure element, it is possible that the negative pressure in the conveying mechanism is only producible in the main while the vane cells are rotating, resulting in the already above-described advantages.
The closure element is preferably arranged in the transitional region extending from the vacuum channel to the inner chamber of the housing of the conveying mechanism. In this area, the closure element can efficiently separate the conveying mechanism from the entire vacuum channel.
Advantageously, the vacuum opening is arranged in an upper region of the wall of the vane-type conveying mechanism. Since sausage meat predominantly collects on the bottom, i.e. in a lower region of a vane cell, the provision of the vacuum opening in an upper region at a distance from said lower region will render difficult or prevent the entry of sausage meat into the vacuum opening communicating with a vacuum source or into the vacuum channel.
In an advantageous embodiment the closure element is mounted and designed with its surface oriented towards the interior of the housing of the conveying mechanism in such a manner that the vanes of the vane cells sweep along said surface while the vane cells are rotating. Hence, the side of the closure element that is oriented towards the interior of the housing of the conveying mechanism is designed as part of the outer contour of the vane-type conveying mechanism swept over by the vanes, with the effect that the vanes will continuously wipe off sausage meat possibly adhering to said place, so that a cleaning effect is achieved and the formation of long-time deposits on the closure element is avoided.
Preferably, the closure element is designed as a slide because the closure element can then be realized mechanically in an easy manner and the vacuum opening of the vacuum channel can be closed and opened again easily by displacing the slide.
Preferably, the slide is detachably arranged on a spring bar supported in the wall of the housing of the conveying mechanism. The spring bar is expediently shaped such that it does not substantially block the vacuum opening. In the operative position it can movably be supported with one end in the wall of the housing of the conveying mechanism and can be connected with the other end to the actuator for the slide. The spring bar will move and then hold the slide in its opening and closing positions; on the other hand, the spring bar permits an easy disassembly for cleaning the slide as the spring bar can be moved into a position in which it is no longer supported in the housing of the conveying mechanism and can then be bent rearwards for releasing the slide.
The closure element, e.g. the slide, can be displaced by an operator manually for closing or opening the vacuum opening; preferably, however, the closure element is connected to an electromotive actuator to permit an automatic slide control that is coupled with the activation and deactivation of the conveying mechanism. Alternatively, a pneumatic cylinder may be used as the actuator.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2837762 (1958-06-01), Azzini et al.
patent: 3631565 (1972-01-01), Muller
patent: 3742556 (1973-07-01), Beasley
patent: 4484374 (1984-11-01), Herschberger
patent: 4975033 (1990-12-01), Righele et al.
patent: 5102314 (1992-04-01), Staudenrausch
patent: 5380240 (1995-01-01), Staudenrausch
patent: 5720603 (1998-02-01), Miller et al.
patent: 4227621 (1994-02-01), None
patent: 432388 (1991-06-01), None
Pick Georg
Zinser Georg
Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik
Little Willis
Marshall Gerstein & Borun
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