EP1857233A1 - A device for the automatic cutting of bread into slices - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) has a loading compartment (2) and an unloading compartment (3), and blades (4) arranged parallel to each other between the compartments. A push button (5) is arranged to be displaced in the compartment (2). Pallets are connected to a displacement unit (9) to displace each pallet in the compartment (3) parallel to its base and transversal to displacement direction of the button between two positions. Each pallet is contiguous to a lateral edge of the base and enters in contact with the bread during its cutting in the respective positions.

Description

The present invention relates to an automated cutting device sliced breads.
Automated cutting devices for sliced breads are well known. They are found in most bakeries and also in supermarkets. These devices, or automatic bread slicers operate according to the following principle: The user of the device introduces the bread he wants to cut into slices by placing it in a loading compartment. This compartment is traditionally arranged between a bread pusher and a set of parallel blades for slicing said bread. The user then starts the device by engaging the switch provided for this purpose, which causes the reciprocating movement of reciprocating blades and translation movement transversely to the direction of the blades of the pusher. The bread is then moved by this pusher in the direction of the blades and cutting begins when it comes in contact with them. The user retrieves his sliced bread in an unloading compartment disposed on the side of the blades opposite to that where the bread loading compartment is placed in the device. This user then only has to pack the cut bread.
A problem encountered with this type of device is that bread slices have a tendency to cut the latter and even more once it is finished, to deviate from each other, so it is then difficult for the user to collect them to proceed with the packaging of the cut bread. This problem obliges the user to watch for the sliced portion of the bread being cut emerging from the set of blades in the unloading compartment and to manually enter this sliced portion by its ends on both sides of the set of slices to prevent them from deviating from one another until the end of the cutting operation. Such manipulation therefore requires the user to focus his attention on the cutting operation for its duration, to lean forward to see the portion of the bread to be grasped, and to remain in this uncomfortable position until the end of the cutting operation. In addition, this manipulation can be dangerous insofar as the user would introduce his hands too forward to the set of blades and then make them come into contact with them, with the risk of injury that may result, in especially in young children, for whom the cutting of a bread by such a device can represent a fun game. On the other hand, in order to meet increasingly stringent safety standards, the automated sliced bread cutters are each more equipped with lids for covering the bread discharge compartment and arranged in such a way that so that the cut stops as soon as this lid is no longer closed. Therefore, it is no longer allowed the user to enter the bread being cut to prevent the slices that constitute it deviate from each other until this cut is not completely completed, it that is, at a time when the slices have already moved away. The generalization of the use of such protective covers therefore makes it necessary to find alternative means for handling the bread being cut by the user to prevent the slices of this bread can deviate from each other.
Various solutions to this problem have been proposed. For example, it is known to dispose laterally in the bread discharge compartment, vertically on either side of the set of blades, a set of semi-rigid plastic blades oriented obliquely relative to the set of blades, forward of unloading compartment. When the bread emerges from this set of blades in the compartment, it comes into contact with each of the sets of plastic blades, which deform to fit the shape of the cut bread and therefore exert a pressure of share and bread, each in the opposite direction and transversely to the cutting planes of the slices of bread. In this way, the set of slices tends to be held in place. Such a system nevertheless has disadvantages. First of all, the flexibility of the plastic blades is not modifiable, even their orientation at rest. Therefore, depending on the size and flexibility of the bread to be cut, they may either not be enough to prevent its slices from deviating from each other during or after cutting, or make it difficult to grip the bread cut by the user after cutting is complete.
Another system has also been proposed, consisting of a curtain of rigid rods suspended from a rail and being able to move freely perpendicular thereto. Such a curtain being disposed vertically in the bread discharge compartment, parallel to the blade assembly and at a distance therefrom. When the bread comes out in the discharge compartment being cut, the stems it encounters are raised on its passages by the pressure it applies to them while those on both sides of the bread and that This one does not touch keep their vertical position and in this way hold it on both sides of its two outermost slices, thus preventing the slices from moving apart from each other. Such a system, however, also has disadvantages. In particular, the distance between the curtain of rigid rods and the set of blades of the cutting device being fixed, this distance may be excessive to properly retain a small cut bread, or otherwise insufficient to properly retain a large size . Moreover, since a part of the curtain rods are raised by the passage of the bread, they present their points in the direction of the user, which may constitute a danger of possible injury, especially again with regard to children.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing an automated slice cake cutter comprising a frame, a load compartment in the device of a slicer and an unloading compartment of the sliced bread device, comprising each a substantially flat base, the device further comprising a set of bread cutting blades arranged substantially parallel to each other between said loading and unloading compartments and a pusher arranged to be moved into the loading compartment between a first position wherein a bread can be introduced into this compartment and a second position adjacent to all of the blades, wherein the cut bread can be removed from the unloading compartment, also comprising at least a first pallet connected to a first means arranged to move each pallet in the compartment of unloading, substantially parallel to its base and transversely to the direction of movement of the pusher, between a first position in which each pallet is contiguous to a lateral edge of said base and a second position in which each pallet comes into contact with the bread during its cut.

With each first pallet connected to a first means arranged to move each pallet in the unloading compartment, substantially parallel to its base and transversely to the direction of movement of the pusher, between a first position in which each pallet is contiguous to a lateral edge of said base and a second position in which each pallet comes into contact with the bread during its cutting, maintained contact after cutting, the bread is held laterally by the pallet which comes into contact with it, which prevents its slices from moving apart from each other. The movement of each pallet being effected from its initial position until it comes into contact with bread being cut, it is maintained regardless of its size or flexibility and without any danger for the user, unlike previous systems.

• La figure 1 représente en coupe verticale un dispositif selon l'invention,
• les figures 2a et 2b sont des vues de face d'une partie du dispositif représenté à la figure 1, selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• les figures 3a et 3b sont des vues du dessus de la partie de dispositif représentée aux figures 2a et 2b,
• les figures 4a et 4b sont des vues de face de la partie de dispositif représentée aux figures 2a et 2b, selon un second mode de réalisation de l'invention.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the attached figures, showing in a nonlimiting manner, various embodiments of this invention and in which:

• FIG. 1 represents in vertical section a device according to the invention,
• FIGS. 2a and 2b are front views of a part of the device represented in FIG. 1, according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• FIGS. 3a and 3b are views from above of the device part shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b,
• Figures 4a and 4b are front views of the device portion shown in Figures 2a and 2b, according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a device 1 for automated cutting of a sliced bread according to the invention, comprising a frame 1a, a load compartment 2 in the device of a bread to be cut and a compartment 3 unloading device cut bread, each having a substantially planar base 2a, 3a, the device further comprising a set of cutting blades 4 of the bread arranged substantially parallel to each other between said loading compartments 2 and unloading 3 and a pusher 5 arranged to be moved in the load compartment between a first position a1 in which a bread can be introduced into this compartment and a second position a2 adjacent the blade assembly, wherein the cut bread can be removed from the unloading compartment 3.
Referring to the same figure and to Figures 2a and 2b, it can be seen that the device further comprises at least one first pallet, in this case two 6a, 6b connected to a first means 9 arranged to move each pallet in the unloading compartment, substantially parallel to its base and transversely to the direction of movement of the pusher, in the respective direction indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2a, between a first position b1 in which each pallet is contiguous with a lateral edge of said base and a second position b2 in which each pallet comes into contact with the bread during its cutting. The first means 9 is arranged to be able to slide freely in a rail 10 fixed to the frame 1a under the base 3a of the unloading compartment 3, substantially parallel to the set of blades 4.
Referring to Figures 3a and 3b, we see that the first means 9 comprises at least one rack, in this case two 9a, 9b, each rack being fixed to a first pallet 6a, 6b different, a toothed wheel 9c whose teeth cooperate with those of each rack 9a, 9b and a first motor (not shown) arranged to drive the toothed wheel 9c in a rotational movement according to the curved arrows in Figure 3a, whose direction determines the approximation or the spacing the first pallets 6a, 6b from each other, to move each of these first pallets 6a, 6b between its first b1 and its second b2 respective position, according to the directions indicated by the straight arrows in Figure 3a.
Alternatively, each rack 9a, 9b can be replaced by a rail and the toothed wheel 9c by a smooth wheel cooperating with each rail, so that a rotational movement of said smooth wheel causes a translational movement of each rail.
The device also comprises a second means (not shown) coupled to the first motor and arranged to cause the interruption of operation of said motor when each of the first pallets 6a, 6b has arrived at its first b1 or second b2 position. This second means may for example consist of a first set of two switches each of which is placed at the level of the face of a different pallet inside the device, so that the operation of the first motor is interrupted when each pallet is contacted in its respective position b2 with the sliced bread, this input contact causing the engagement of one of the switches of the first set question question and secondly of a second set of two switches each of which is arranged at a different lateral side of the unloading compartment of the sliced bread so that the operation of the first motor is interrupted when each pallet is contacted in its respective position b1 with one of said sides, causing the engagement of one of the switches of the second set of question. Any other alternative means that the skilled person can use to ensure the interruption of operation of the first motor when the pallets have arrived in their respective positions b1 and b2 can of course be used according to the invention.
The device according to the invention also comprises a first switch 11 arranged to put into operation the first motor when it is engaged by the bread during its cutting, so that moving each first pallet 6a, 6b from its first position b1 to its second position b2 and to restart said motor when the first switch is triggered by removing the cut bread from the unloading compartment 3, so as to move each first pallet 6a, 6b from its second position b2 to its first position b1. Said first switch 11 is disposed at the level of the base of the unloading compartment 3, at a predetermined distance from the set of blades 4. Alternatively, this first switch may comprise a light source arranged on a lateral side of the unloading compartment. cut bread and a photoelectric cell disposed on the other lateral side of this compartment and arranged to receive the light beam emitted by said source, so as to put into operation the first motor when the beam is interrupted by the presence of the bread cut in the unloading compartment and engage it again when said beam is restored by removing the cut bread from this compartment. Any other equivalent means of operating the first motor within the reach of those skilled in the art can also be used according to the invention.
Alternatively to the first switch, a second motor (not shown) actuating the pusher 5 of the device shown in Figure 1 is coupled to a third means (not shown) arranged to determine the distance between the pusher 5 of the blade assembly 4 when this pusher 5 comes into contact with the bread to be cut, and to put into operation the first motor to cause the displacement of the first pallets 6a, 6b from their first position b1 to their second position b2 when the pusher 5 has then traveled a predetermined fraction of this distance and the device comprises a fourth means arranged to put back into operation the first motor to cause the displacement of said first pallets 6a, 6b in the opposite direction when the cut bread is removed from the compartment of unloading 3. this configuration allows the device to automatically adapt to any type of bread, whatever its shape or size, the third means is for example arranged to measure the intensity of the current consumed by the second motor, and to determine said distance when this intensity reaches a predetermined value, characteristic of the input of the pusher 5 in contact with the bread.
In another embodiment of the device according to the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 4a and 4b, the loading compartments 2 and the unloading compartments 3 each comprise a side wall 7a (not shown), 7b inclined at an angle of at least 90 ° relative to their respective base 2a, 3a and the device comprises a single first pallet 6a and is arranged such that the first position b1 of this first pallet 6a is contiguous with the side edge of the base 3a of the opposite unloading compartment to said side wall 7b.

In operation, a device according to the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b behaves as follows: A user disposes a bread to be cut in the loading compartment 2 and turns on the device, this which causes the movement of back and forth of the blade assembly 4 and the operation of the second motor controlling the pusher 5. The bread is pushed towards the set of blades 4 and when a predetermined fraction of the bread is cut and emerges in the unloading compartment 2, the operation of the first motor actuating the first means 9 is engaged, either by a first switch or by a third means as described above and the vanes 6a and 6b move from their first positions b1 to their respective second positions b2. Depending on the position of the bread in the load compartment 2, a first pallet 6a may come into contact with the cut bread before the other first pallet 6b. In this case, the displacement of this first pallet 6a, retained by the bread, can be interrupted, while that of the other first pallet 6b continues; also causing the first means 9 to slide in the rail 10. When the first two pallets 6a and 6b come into contact with the bread in their respective positions b2, the operation of the first motor is interrupted, for example by a first set of two switches of which each is disposed at one face of a first pallet 6a, 6b different inside the device. The cutting of the bread can then be completed, without the slices can deviate from each other after cutting, whatever the position of the bread in the load compartment 2 and therefore in that of unloading. once this cutting is completed, the user removes bread from the unloading compartment 3, this withdrawal causing, thanks to the first switch or to a fourth means as described above, the startup of the first motor in the opposite direction of its initial operation and spacing the first pallets 6a, 6b from their respective positions b2 to their respective positions b1, on each lateral side of the unloading compartment 3. The interruption of the operation of the first motor is controlled for example by a second set of two switches each disposed at a lateral side different from said compartment, so that operation is interrupted only once e each first pallet has engaged a switch of said second set. If a first pallet engages one before the other first pallet, only the latter continues its movement, also causing that of the first means 9 in the rail 10, until the other first pallet has also engaged a switch of the second set .

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein but also covers any alternative form within the scope of the skilled person.

Claims (10)

Device (1) for automatically cutting a sliced bread, comprising a frame (1a), a compartment (2) for loading into the device of a bread to be cut and a compartment (3) for unloading the device from the cut bread , each having a substantially planar base (2a, 3a), the apparatus further comprising a set of bread cutting blades (4) arranged substantially parallel to each other between said loading (2) and unloading (3) compartments (3). and a pusher (5) arranged to be moved in the loading compartment between a first position (a1) in which a bread can be introduced into this compartment and a second position (a2) adjacent to the set of blades, wherein the cut bread can be removed from the unloading compartment;
characterized in that
the device comprises at least a first pallet (6a, 6b) connected to a first means (9) arranged to move each pallet in the unloading compartment, substantially parallel to its base and transversely to the direction of movement of the pusher (5), between a first position (b1) in which each pallet is contiguous with a lateral edge of said base and a second position (b2) in which each pallet comes into contact with the bread during its cutting. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first means (9) is arranged to be able to slide freely in a rail (10) fixed to the frame (1a) under the base (3a) of the unloading compartment (3), substantially in parallel to the blade assembly (4). Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the loading (2) and unloading (3) compartments each comprise a lateral wall (7a, 7b) inclined at an angle of at least 90 ° relatively at their respective base (2a, 3a) and in that it comprises a single first pallet (6a), the device being arranged so that the first position (b1) of this first pallet (6a) is contiguous with the lateral edge of the base (3a) of the unloading compartment opposite said side wall (7b). Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first means (9) comprises at least one rack (9a, 9b), each rack being fixed to a first pallet (6a, 6b) different, a toothed wheel (9c) whose teeth cooperate with those of each rack (9a, 9b) and a first motor arranged to drive the toothed wheel (9c) in a rotational movement to move each first pallet (6a, 6b) between its first (b1) and its second (b2) respective position. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises two first pallets (6a, 6b) and two racks (9a, 9b) each fixed to a first pallet (6a, 6b) and arranged substantially parallel to one another. another on either side of the toothed wheel (9c), and a first motor arranged to drive the toothed wheel (9c) in a rotational movement whose direction determines the bringing together or spacing of the first pallets (6a, 6b ) one from the other. Device according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that it comprises a second means coupled to the first motor and arranged to cause the interruption of operation of said motor when each of the first pallets (6a, 6b) has arrived at its first (b1) or second (b2) position. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a first switch (11) arranged to put into operation the first motor when it is engaged by the bread during its cutting so as to moving each first pallet (6a, 6b) from its first position (b1) to its second position (b2) and to restart said engine when the first switch is triggered by the removal of the cut bread from the unloading compartment (3), so as to move each first pallet (6a, 6b) from its second position (b2) to its first position (b1). Device according to claim 7, characterized in that said first switch (11) is arranged at the base of the unloading compartment (3) at a predetermined distance from the blade assembly (4). Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pusher (5) is actuated by a second motor and in that the latter is coupled to a third means arranged to determine the distance between the pusher (5) of the blade assembly (4) when this pusher (5) comes into contact with the bread to be cut and to operate the first motor to cause the movement of the first pallets (6a, 6b) from their first position (b1) to their second position (b2) when the pusher (5) has then traveled a predetermined fraction of this distance and in that it comprises a fourth means arranged to put back into operation the first motor to cause the displacement of said first pallets (6a, 6b ) in the opposite direction when the cut bread is removed from the unloading compartment. Device according to Claim 9, characterized in that the third means is arranged to measure the intensity of the current consumed by the second motor and for determining said distance when this intensity reaches a predetermined value, characteristic of the input of the pusher (5) in contact with the bread.

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