FR2681576A1 - PROCESS FOR CUTTING PORTION CULINARY PREPARATION AND PACKAGING SUCH PORTIONS, ITS DEVICE AND USES THEREOF. - Google Patents

Abstract

A Device for continuously cutting and packaging culinary preparations includes: a device (2) for storing and conveying culinary preparations (1); a cutting station (3) having at least one entrance location (A) for culinary preparations, a plurality of cutting locations (B, C, D, E), a device for displacing preparations from location to location, an outlet (G) for preparations leaving the cutting station, a high pressure water jet cutting plant (6) comprising at least one jet; a loading, transporting and discharging station (7); and a packaging station (8).

Description

PROCESS FOR CUTTING CULINARY PREPARATION INTO PORTIONS AND
PACKAGING OF SUCH PORTIONS, ITS DEVICE AND ITS
USES
The present invention relates to a process for cutting culinary preparation into portions and for packaging said portions and to its device.

 Freezing has long been known as a means of preserving food and ready meals. The rapid defrosting devices (microwaves or others) have allowed the development of the very important market of catering from frozen products.

 It has become possible to prepare industrially bagged or individually wrapped dishes, and sold frozen.

 When culinary preparations which do not require a very careful presentation, for example sauces, vegetables (rice, cut potatoes, ...), r meats, etc., the packaging does not pose any particular problem. But when presentation is essential, as in pastry making, handling and packaging require great care.

 Generally cakes, pies, pizzas or others are frozen whole and wrapped so that their movements are very limited and the presentation is not affected.

 Faced with the growing consumption of individual dishes, it appeared interesting to also offer cakes, pies, pizzas and other dishes with careful presentation, in the form of individual portions.

 However, while the packaging of a frozen whole cake does not pose any particular difficulties because the cake forms a relatively solid product, which is self-contained, it is not always the same for the portion: the Cutting the fresh cake can cause deformations harmful to its presentation.

 This is why the cakes (for example) are cut at the end of manufacture, before freezing, then each portion is placed in a package, and frozen; and operations must remain manual to ensure good quality of the finished product, which results in high prices.

In addition, this process brings uncertainties:
- the portions are hardly regular (variable weight),
- fingerprints, even with the use of gloves, are frequent,
- manual gripping is an important bacteriological risk factor X
According to another cutting and packaging process, the frozen cake is cut using guillotine knives, then manually the portions are taken and wrapped. But this process which is also expensive because the packaging is manual and the piece, still presents the uncertainties:
- the knives are difficult to center properly and the portions do not have the same weight; in addition in the center of the cake, a more or less large hole is formed which causes a loss of material for each portion r which is to the detriment of the presentation and which entails bacteriological risks during the thawing of the particles;
- manual gripping still leaves fingerprints and is also a bacteriological risk factor,
- moreover if the cake is not perfectly frozen, when the inside is creamy, the cream adheres to the blades: the portions are no longer presentable and must be discarded, and the knives must be cleaned which disturbs the production rate .

 The invention aims to resolve these drawbacks. To this end, it completely automates the process of cutting cakes or other similar products into portions having an impeccable presentation and their packaging.

The subject of the invention is a process for cutting culinary preparation into portions and for packaging said portions, continuously, characterized in that zen only successively:
- the preparation is placed on a cutting station, comprising a succession of cutting stations,
- at each station, the preparation is cut with a cutting line - by means of a device provided with at least one very fine water jet at very high pressure,
- after each cutting, the preparation is moved to the next station, so that two successive cutting lines determine at least one portion r
- when the preparation is completely cut, the portions are, together but individually, taken and transported to a packing station, where they are all simultaneously packed.

The process is also remarkable for the following characteristics:
- before cutting, the preparations are frozen, and the cutting and packaging operations are carried out in a few minutes in an atmosphere at ambient or low temperature of the order of a few degrees above zero so that the freezing state is not affected.

 - For packaging each portion is brought before a packaging tray, on which it is placed before covering it with a cover, the base and the cover being provided to immobilize the portion.

The invention also relates to the device for continuously cutting and packaging culinary preparations for carrying out the process defined above, characterized in that it comprises:
- a device for storing and supplying culinary preparations,
- a cutting station with at least:
an entry station for culinary preparations,
a plurality of cutting stations, a device for moving preparations from station to station,
a cutting station exit station,
a very high pressure water jet cutting unit comprising at least one jet,
- a loading, transport and unloading station,
- a packing station.

The device is also remarkable for the following characteristics:
- The feed device comprises at the end of the journey a thrust member which ensures the loading of the preparation on the cutting station;
- the cutting station has a support which moves in front of the cutting stations
- the cutting station has a fixed support in front of the moving cutting stations,
- The support comprises at least one rigid surface element having at least one recess. each recess being intended to receive a cutting plate,
each cutting plate has at least one through slot intended for the passage of the water jet,
- The face of the tray intended to receive the culinary preparation, or sxlperieure face, comprises at least two ribs or flat bosses which extend 1 ODgi tlldi-nally on the tray and are separated by a slot, each boss being a support on which rest the prepared Lion,
the bosses extend towards the top over a height determining a space under the preparation r for the passage of a gripping member for the preparation,
the cutting unit comprises at least one projection nozzle, the cutting path of which is rectilinear,
- the cutting center has a plurality of nozzles, one at each station, mechanically linked together so that the cuts are simultaneous r
- the loading, transport and unloading station comprises at least two gripping devices connected together by a joint, mounted on a guide and transport rail r
each gripping device comprises a bracket whose vertical upright carries a horizontal member in the form of a shovel or fork, the finger being movable vertically on the upright and the upright being movable horizontally on the cross member,
- the support is a table, mounted to rotate around its center,
the table has a plurality of recesses regularly distributed over a circumference, so that the angle at the center between two recesses determines the angle of rotation of the table between two successive workstations, this angle also determining the size of the part,
- Each plate is circular and has at least one rectilinear slot passing through the center and extending over the same distance on either side of it.

the cutting unit comprises at least two arms each carrying a jet nozzle, which move in parallel above two neighboring recesses so that the jets each pass vertically simultaneously through a slot, the angular offset between the recesses forming the portions,
- The recesses and the plates have respective positioning marks to ensure the rigorous positioning of the plates relative to the cutting jets.

 - the transport rail has a circular loading end which is wound around a recess and a straight end which extends in front of the packaging station, and the gripping members are oriented on the side of the center of the winding of the rail.

 The invention also relates to the uses of the method and its device. "'n effect the process can be applied, on the one hand to the cutting and packaging of fresh products whose consistency allows a cutting not followed by deformation or cllun spreading, on the other hand to the cutting of frozen products (or frozen).

In order to better understand the invention, an illustrative, non-limiting example has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic overview of the device according to the invention,
FIG. 2 is a top view of the device according to the invention,
FIG. 3 is a top view of a cutting plate,
FIG. 4 is a side view of the plate of FIG. 3 with partial section along III-TII,
FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the gripping member,
FIG. 6 is a schematic detail view in perspective of the articulation and transport device of the gripping members of FIG. 5,
FIGS. 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d illustrate the movement of the gripping member,
- Figure 8 is a diagram of a variant cutting support according to the invention.

 The exemplary embodiment illustrated below relates to the cutting of cakes 1 of circular shape: sponge cakes, pies or the like.

 The device, as seen in Figure I comprises a device 2 for storage and supply where the cakes are stored then, one by one, conduits of the cutting installation 3. The installation comprises a frame 4 on which are mounted the cutting station, that is to say the support 5 carrying the cakes with an input station A and cutting stations B, C, D, ... and the cutting center 6, then the loading, transport and unloading 7 and the packing station 8.

 In the example, the supply device is a conveyor belt 9 of a type known per se. Its movement is controlled by presence sensors not shown so that the cakes 1 are immobilized at the end of the journey always at the same predetermined location. The device comprises at the end of the journey a pushing member 10 whose function is to push the cake laterally in order to disengage it from the conveyor belt and to load it on the cutting station.

 The cutting station consists of a rigid support 5 on which the cakes 1 are placed, which moves continuously in successive steps, in front of work stations. Each time a cake arrives at a station, the support stops, when the job is completed the support moves to the next work station r etc.

 The support 5 comprises, as shown in the variant of FIG. 8, at least one rigid surface element 50, each having at least one recess 14.

 In the embodiment, the support consists of a flat and rigid flat table 11 arranged between two parallel beams 29, 30 of the chassis 4. This table is mounted in rotation around its central axis 19 and rotates according to arrow 13 (Figure 2) counterclockwise. Rotation constitutes the means of movement of the support 5 within the meaning of the invention.

 The table has a series of recesses 14 distributed over a circumference at the periphery of the table.

The recesses are identical, preferably circular and pass through the table: these are holes. These recesses are intended to receive a plate 15, of corresponding circular shape.

 The recesses are distributed regularly so that a same angle at the center 16 separates them. In the example, the table has eight recesses spaced between them by an angle at the center of forty five degrees. Each tray corresponds to a workstation.

 The plates 15 have the shape of a circular disc: the lower face 17 has at its periphery a shoulder 18 bearing on the edge of the recess. Means known per se and not shown (ribs and grooves) are provided on the edges of the recesses and plates in order to be able to position them very rigorously (positioning marks).

 The plates have a plurality of slots 19 which pass through the entire thickness; in the example they all have four. The slots are rectilinear pass through the center 20 of the disc and extend over the same distance 21 on either side of the latter 20. Preferably the length of slots is greater than or equal to the diameter of the cake. In addition, the slots are regularly spaced by an angle 24 of the same value as the angle 16 spacing two consecutive recesses. In the embodiment, the angle 24 is forty five degrees.

 Thus formed the trays have eight surface portions 25 which determine eight cake portions.

 The upper face 22 has a plurality of ribs or bosses 23. Each of these bosses is flat, parallel to the general surface of the plate and extends longitudinally on the plate in a radial direction. They constitute a support on which the preparation rests. The upper face has at least one boss 23 between two neighboring slots 19. In addition, the bosses extend upward over a substantial height 26, for example of the order of 1 to 4 millimeters, in order to reserve a space 27 for the passage of a gripping member 28 of the portion of cut cake. .

 The cutting unit is a device whose operation is known per se: it essentially comprises a water supply, a device for setting at very high pressure (of the o'cd "e of 4.1vs Pascals or 4000 bars), a or several nozzles 32 for outputting very fine jets, mounted at the end of support arms 31.

 According to the invention the cutting unit comprises four separate nozzles 32, that is to say as many as slots on a plate; they are mounted fixed, each at the end of a rigid arm and connected to the same distribution box 33; the position of the nozzles relative to the housing is fixed.

 The distribution box is slidably mounted on parallel rectilinear rails 34 which are themselves mounted in a fixed manner on the chassis perpendicular to the longitudinal members 29 and 30.

In this way the nozzles move all with the displacement of the housing on the rails.

 The nozzles are arranged so that their vertical jet falls exactly into a slot in a tray. They are located on a circumference 35 which moves above the table in a rectilinear movement parallel to the rails 34 of the seat and housing, limited to the length of the slot. When the nozzles are plumb with the center of the trays (middle of the slit), the center of the circumference is at the center 12 of the table and you can see that the nozzles are angularly spaced at an angle of 45 degrees (Figure 2 ).

Each nozzle 32 constitutes a cutting station, and the four nozzles, which move simultaneously, and simultaneously produce four cutting lines, on four cakes which follow one another, placed on four successive trays. The plates being located on the same circumference and separated at an angle to the center of forty five degrees, their linear displacement on this circumference, between successive stations is accompanied by a rotation of the plate by forty five degrees relative to a point fixed fi of the chassis and in particular with respect to the next nozzle
So when a cake arrives at the station number 2 referenced s, the second cutting line will form an angle of forty five degrees with the first. The displacement of the nozzle being at most equal to the length of the slot, two opposite portions are obtained. ; and so on: in four lines the cutting is completed.

As shown in Figure 2 the device operates continuously: at each stop of the table each station performs an operation:
entry station A takes care of a cake,
the cutting stations B, C, D, E respectively numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 carry out their cutting line,
The next station F is a control station: it is indeed necessary to check the correct regularity of the cuts before packaging. The proper functioning of the device based on the central parts (table, cakes r nozzles) the slightest offset distorts the regularity of the portions. This station therefore allows immediate intervention by interrupting operation.

 The next station G is the station for leaving the portions towards the packing station.

 The next station H is a rest station without any particular work, intended to allow rapid interventions on a tray at the end of cycle 4.e: change of tray, cleaning,.

 The two control stations F and rest H are not essential for operation and the device can only operate with ion + 4) / 3 stations, n being even and equal to the number of portions desired, the number of recesses being equal to n.

 The loading, transport and unloading station comprises a guide and transport rail 36 on which a train 37 of gripping devices circulates. The rail is located above the table level and has a circular end section 38 which surrounds the outer periphery of the recess located at the outlet station, and a straight end section 39, so that the rail has one end rolled up on itself.

 As shown in Figure 5 the gripping device comprises a bracket 40, which carries a horizontal member 28 elongated in the form of a fork 41. The fork is movable vertically on the vertical upright 42 of the bracket, while the upright is movable horizontally on the horizontal crosspiece 43.

 The brackets 40 are perpendicular to the rail 36 and the members are mounted on the brackets all on the same side, inside the circular part of the rail, that is to say oriented towards the plate or the recess of the station G.

 Each bracket is mounted in an upper chassis 44; the chassis are connected one after the other by articulated connecting rods 45, the articulations being provided with rollers 46 or the like allowing movement on the rail. The whole forms a train of suspended gallows. The distance between each member is determined so that, when the train is wrapped around a platform, each member is exactly opposite a portion.

 The train of gripping devices has eight brackets, each intended for loading a portion of cake.

 In addition, the gripping member comprises a horizontal plate 47 located below the horizontal crosspiece.

This plate is flat, generally triangular in shape, the acute apex oriented towards the end of the fork, and has edges folded down. The plate is a stop for immobilizing the portion, it is a stop plate.

The handling station works as follows:
- when a tray arrives at the exit station, the train of gripping devices moves and is wound around the tray; the train stops, the last organ arrives in front of a portion. The members are in the rear rear position, each in front of a portion (FIG. 7a).

- all the organs take a portion at the same time by three successive movements:
1- horizontal translation in front of the fork (Figure 7b): the fork circulates in the space between the cake and the surface of the plate, on each side of the boss;
2- vertical translation of the fork (Figure 7c): the cake is carried by the fork and comes to be embedded in the upper stop plate;
3- front to back translation of the fork carrying the portion (Figure 7d);
- the train being loaded, sets off again as it arrived but in the opposite direction, the portions being held by the stop plate. It stops when all the portions have reached the unloading and packaging station. Sensors or other known means are provided to pilot and control the movements of the train;
Unloading is carried out again by simultaneous translations of the forks: translations from the high quarry position (figure 7d) to the high front position (figure 7c) above a receiving tray and then to the low front position (figure 7b) , then back into rear position (Figure 7a). during the recoil, a surface element is positioned against the rear wall of the cake and immobilizes it: the cake slides and falls into the tray.

 - during this time, the table being released, the table turns forty five degrees bringing the next table.

 As soon as the forks are again in the rear position the train goes back to the table.

This process and its device have many applications, for example:
- in the field of pastry, and pastry, all cakes, pies, pizzas, usually round or flat shape, whose consistency allows a cut in the fresh state not followed by a deformation or a sprawl.

 - frozen or frozen products, in particular frozen cakes, ice cream, pies, and other cooked dishes (pizzas, lasagna, etc .;).

On the other hand, many variants can be envisaged, the embodiment being only one choice among others. for example:
- The supply device can be a compartmentalized vertical column, each compartment containing a culinary preparation. The column descends from a compartment at each step.

 - The table can be replaced by a horizontal support consisting of a plurality of identical shelves, or surface element, each comprising a recess, each tablet circulating in a closed circuit ensuring the continuity of the process. The circuit can be horizontal or in a vertical plane, the shelves can circulate like a conveyor belt, without end.

Claims (16)

CLAIMS 1 - Process for cutting culinary preparation into portions and packaging of said portions, continuously, characterized in that successively: - the preparation is placed on a cutting station comprising a succession of cutting stations, - at each station, the preparation is cut with a cutting line - by means of a device provided with at least one very fine water jet at very high pressure, - after each cutting the preparation is moved to the next station, from so that two successive cutting lines determine at least one portion, - when the preparation is entirely cut, the portions are, together but individually, taken and transported to a packing station, where they are all simultaneously er-lballed.  2 - Cutting method according to claim 1 characterized in that prior to cutting, the preparations are frozen  3 - cutting method according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that for the packaging each portion is brought de-fanX a packaging tray, on which it is placed before covering it with a cover, the tray and the cover being provided to immobilize the portion.  4 - Device for continuously cutting and packaging culinary preparations for carrying out the process according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises:  - a device (2) for storing and supplying culinary preparations (1),  - a cutting station (3) presenting to the oois:  an entry station (A) for culinary preparations  . a plurality of cutting stations (B, C, D, E),  . a device for moving the preparations  from station to station,  . an output station (G) from the cutting station,  a cutting unit (6) with water jet under very  high pressure comprising at least one jet,  - a station (7) for loading, transport and unloading,  - a packing station (8).  5 - Device according to claim 4 characterized in that the supply device comprises at the end of the journey a thrust member rlO) which ensures the loading of the preparation on the cutting station;  6 - Device according to claim 4 characterized in that the cutting station includes a support (5) which moves in front of the cutting stations.  7 - Device according to claim 4 characterized in that the cutting station has a fixed support in front of the cutting stations which move.  8 - Device according to claim 6 characterized in that the support (5) comprises at least one surface element (50) rigid having at least one recess (14), each recess being intended to receive a plate (15) for cutting.  9 - Device according to revendicat70n 8 characterized in that each cutting plate (15) has at least one through slot (19), intended for the passage of the water jet.  10 - Device according to claim S characterized in that the face (22) of the plate intended to receive the culinary preparation, or upper face, comprises at least two ribs (23) or flat bosses which extend longitudinally on the plate and are separated by a slot (19) r each boss being a support on which the preparation (1) rests.  it - Device according to claim 10 characterized in that the bosses extend upwards over a height (26) determining a space (27) under the preparation for the passage of a gripping member (28) of the preparation .  12 - Device according to claim 4 characterized in that the cutting center (6) comprises at least one nozzle (32) whose trajectory is straight.  13 - Device according to claim 12 characterized in that the cutting center comprises a plurality of nozzles (32), one at each station, mechanically connected together so that the cuts are simultaneous.  14 - Device according to claim 4 characterized in ee that the station (7) for loading, transport and unloading comprises at least two pre-tensioning devices (51) connected together by a joint (52) and a link (45) mounted on a rail (36) of guidaye and transport.  15 - Device according to claim 14 characterized in that each gripping device (51) comprises a bracket (40) whose vertical upright (42) carries a horizontal member (28) in the form of a shovel or fork (41), l member being vertically movable on the upright (42) and the upright being movable horizontally on the crosspiece (43).  16 - Device according to claim 6 characterized in that the support (5) is a table 111), rotatably mounted around its center (12).  17 - Device according to claim 16 characterized in that the table (11) has a plurality of recesses (14) regularly distributed over a circumference, so that the center angle (16) between two recesses determines the angle of rotation of the table between two successive workstations, this angle also determining the size of the portion.  18 - Device according to claim 8 characterized in that each plate (15) is circular and has at least one rectilinear slot (19) passing through the center (20) and extending over the same distance (91) on either side other of it.  19 - Device according to claims 13 and 18 characterized in that the cutting center (6) comprises at least two arms (31) each carrying a jet nozzle (3 ^); which move in parallel above two neighboring recesses t1fl) so that the jets each pass vertically simultaneously through a slot (19), the angular offset between the recesses forming the portions  20 - Device according to claim 8 characterized in that the recesses (14) and the plates (15) have respective positioning marks to ensure the rigorous positioning of the plates relative to the cutting jets.  21 - Cutting device according to claim 14 characterized in that the transport rail (36) has a circular loading end (38) which is wound around a recess (14) and a straight end (39) which s 'relaxes in front of the packing station (8), and the gripping members (51) are oriented towards the center side of the rail winding.  22 - Use of the method and its device according to any one of the preceding claims, for cutting and packaging of fresh products whose consistency allows cutting not followed by deformation or spreading.  23 - Use of the method and its device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 20, for cutting and packaging of frozen QU frozen products.