FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for arranging products on a conveyor belt. In particular, the present invention relates to a device for separating food products on a conveyor belt.

BACKGROUND

A device for separating and conveying the separated pieces of meat can be found in US10986847B2. US '847 discloses a method and a vibration separator for separating pieces of meat. The disclosed device comprises a frame assembly having support columns, a supporting screen box being supported by the frame assembly on elastic suspension elements mounted between the frame assembly and the supporting screen box, a supply trough having an outlet and serving to receive the meat pieces, a vibration motor and a controller. The vibration motor is supported by and connected to the supporting screen box for reciprocating the supporting screen box. The controller is connected to the vibration motor for controlling the reciprocating movement of the supporting screen box. The supporting screen box comprises a first conveying sector for alignment of the meat pieces into a single row and a second conveying sector comprising a chicane for elongating the conveying path of travel as compared to the first conveying sector. The device according to US '847 only addresses the separation of the pieces of meat along a horizontal plane. This is not sufficient as some pieces may stack on each other. The natural tendency of different pieces of meat for sticking together in combination with the vibration damping properties of meat, softer meats like poultry in particular, make vibratory conveyors unsuitable to effectively separate pieces of meat.

The present invention aims to resolve at least some of the problems and disadvantages mentioned above. There remains a need in the art for an improved separation device which can reliably separate food products with a sticky outer surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention and embodiments thereof serve to provide a solution to one or more of above-mentioned disadvantages. To this end, the present invention relates to device for separating and aligning solid food product pieces on a conveyor according to claim 1. The device is provided with an oscillating channeling element which actively displaces each piece of food product so as to space each piece along at least two dimensions. This spacing between consecutive pieces of food product greatly facilitates further handling of said pieces, in particular by skewer applying robots or human operators.

Preferred embodiments of the device are shown in any of the claims 2 to 11. A specific preferred embodiment relates to an invention according to claim 3, wherein the longitudinal elements are releasably attached to the sliding plate. This greatly expands the flexibility of the device as the number and dimensions of each passage channel are advantageously adjustable.

A method of setting up a device for separating and aligning pieces of food product is disclosed in a second aspect according to claim 12. Preferred embodiments are disclosed in claims 13 to 15. The method discloses a plurality of steps for configuring each element of the device as well as the operation of the same. In particular, the method permits achieving effective separation of the pieces of food product having different levels of rigidity and stickiness.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

The following description of the figures of specific embodiments of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present teachings, their application or uses. Throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

Figure 1 presents a side view of the device mounted on a conveyor.

Figure 2 presents an isometric view of the device mounted on a conveyor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a device for a device for separating and aligning pieces of food product on a conveyor. The device comprises a number of modules which make it easy and fast to install and maintain. The device of the present invention reliably separates, unstacks and aligns pieces of food product. The device is particularly suited to separate pieces of food product which have a sticky surface. Due to its construction, the device is also easy to retrofit to existing conveyor belts with minimal to no need for any changes to be made to said conveyor.

In this context, the term "food product" is to be understood as any solid food product of rigid and/or semirigid consistency. Examples of such food products include, but are not limited to, meat, fish meat, whole fruit/vegetables, pieces of fruit/vegetables, cheeses or tofu. Said food products may comprise one or more ingredients. The food products may further comprise at least one fluid and/or semifluid ingredient on the surface and/or inside said at least one solid ingredient. Examples of such food products include, but are not limited to, marinated food products, syrup coated food products, food products with fillings, etc. In the preferred embodiment the food product includes cell based (plant or meat) wherein cell fluid material causes adhesion or agglomeration and thus are difficult to separate in an automated procedure

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in disclosing the invention, including technical and scientific terms, have the meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. By means of further guidance, term definitions are included to better appreciate the teaching of the present invention.

As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings:

"A", "an", and "the" as used herein refers to both singular and plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. By way of example, "a compartment" refers to one or more than one compartment.

"Comprise", "comprising", and "comprises" and "comprised of" as used herein are synonymous with "include", "including", "includes" or "contain", "containing", "contains" and are inclusive or open-ended terms that specifies the presence of what follows e.g. component and do not exclude or preclude the presence of additional, non-recited components, features, element, members, steps, known in the art or disclosed therein.

Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order, unless specified. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers and fractions subsumed within that range, as well as the recited endpoints.

Whereas the terms "one or more" or "at least one", such as one or more or at least one member(s) of a group of members, is clear per se, by means of further exemplification, the term encompasses inter alia a reference to any one of said members, or to any two or more of said members, such as, e.g., any >3, >4, >5, >6 or >7 etc. of said members, and up to all said members.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in disclosing the invention, including technical and scientific terms, have the meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. By means of further guidance, definitions for the terms used in the description are included to better appreciate the teaching of the present invention. The terms or definitions used herein are provided solely to aid in the understanding of the invention.

Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to a person skilled in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments. Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

A first aspect of the invention relates to a device for separating and aligning pieces of food product on a conveyor, the device comprising: a conveyor having a first conveying sector and a second conveying sector; a channeling element defining at least one passage channel for pieces of food product, the channeling element being disposed between the first and second conveying sector of the conveyor,

The channeling element is slidably mounted onto a frame above the conveyor, such that said channeling element is laterally movable relative to the conveyor. The channeling element may be manually operated, more preferably by means of rotary and/or linear actuators, which actuators may be pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically powered. By preference, the channeling element is operated by a motor with an crank in a slotted link configuration, the slot being integral to the channeling elements. By preference, the length of said crank is adjustable. In this way, the amplitude of motion of the channeling element is advantageously adjustable. The device is, advantageously, capable of separating pieces of similar as well as different size.

In this context, an actuator is to be understood as a device that causes a machine or other device to operate. In the context of the channeling element, the term "operate" is to be understood as causing said channeling element to move alternately side to side i.e. a lateral oscillation. The operation of the channeling element being defined by frequency and amplitude of the lateral oscillation of the distal end of the channeling element.

In this context, a "slotted link mechanism" is to be understood as a reciprocating motion mechanism, converting the linear motion of a sliding element into rotational motion, or vice versa.

In an embodiment, the channeling element comprises a sliding plate and a plurality longitudinal elements attached to said sliding plate. In this way, the longitudinal elements and the sliding plate can be made of different materials. By preference, the longitudinal elements are made of a material which is corrosion resistant and has antimicrobial properties. Most preferably, the longitudinal elements are made of a stainless steel and/or titanium alloy. The channeling element comprising said sliding plate and longitudinal elements has, by preference, a comb-like structure wherein, each of the at least one passage channel is defined by the spacing and location of the distal ends of the longitudinal elements.

In a preferred embodiment, the longitudinal elements are releasably attached to the sliding plate. More preferably, the longitudinal elements are individually releasably attached to the sliding plate. In this way, it is possible to slide each longitudinal element in a distal or proximal direction so as to adjust the protrusion of each longitudinal element. In this way, it is possible to create, widen, narrow or eliminate passage channels which advantageously permits adjusting the device to the size of the pieces of food product as well as the number of rows into which said pieces of food product are to be laid.

The longitudinal elements may have any prismatic shape. In a further embodiment, the longitudinal elements of the channeling element are pins. Most preferably the pins have a cylindrical shape. Such cylindrical shape advantageously makes the pins easier to clean and install. The cylindrical shape of the pins also make the manufacturing of the device substantially easier. By preference, the proximal end of the pins is directly attached to the sliding plate, more preferably, the pins are attached to the sliding plate by means of a clamping bracket releasably attached to said sliding plate, said bracket having a plurality of grooves laterally distributed along the body of said clamping bracket. In this way, also the lateral position of the pins can be adjusted, thereby allowing for a larger variety of food product piece dimensions.

The device is intended to be usable with pieces of food product of different types. Each type of food product and even different parts the same food product will have different levels of rigidity. An example of this are different cuts of the same animal may differ in fat content, therefore differing in rigidity. The softer the pieces of food product, the more the tendency for said pieces to become damaged and/or entangled in the pins. In order to overcome this problem, in a further embodiment, the pins have a proximal section and distal section, the distal section having a larger diameter than the proximal section. In this way, the pins have a larger surface area. This larger area advantageously reduces the pressure imparted upon the food products, which is particularly relevant for, but not limited to, softer pieces of meat and food products with a soft filling. Said larger area also prevents the softer pieces of food product, particularly soft pieces of meat, from fully wrapping themselves around the pins.

In a further or another embodiment, the distal section of each pin is coated in a synthetic material. This further enhances the corrosion resistance of the pins while decreasing the friction between the food product and the pins. This advantageously improve the hygiene of the device while increasing its reliability. By preference, said synthetic material is provided in the form of covers releasably attached to the pins, allowing them to be washed and/or replaced if necessary. More preferably, different sizes of said synthetic material covers are available, most preferably in different diameters. In this way, the same pins can be used for the same type of food product by just replacing the synthetic covers. By preference larger diameter covers are used for poultry and other softer food ingredients, than for pork, beef or other more rigid types of food product. This embodiment can be realized by using covers of ABS, PVC or more preferably PTFE. The latter being particularly suitable due to its low coefficient of friction. In an embodiment, the covers of the pins are made of aluminum, brass, copper, bronze, iron or carbon steel, more preferably, stainless steel or titanium. In this way, food products having hard pieces, such as bones, pits, or the like, can be easily processed and without risk of damage to the covers of the pins.

In a factory environment, it is very advantageous to be able to do maintenance and cleaning by removing only the minimum amount of parts from the device, and as fast as possible. In order to facilitate said cleaning and maintenance, in a further or another embodiment, the channeling element further comprises at least one sliding element in sliding attachment with the frame, the at least one sliding element being releasably attached to the sliding plate. In this way, the channeling element, including the longitudinal elements and sliding plate, is advantageously easily removable and replaceable as a sub-assembly in the least amount of time.

In a further or another embodiment, the frame is pivotable with respect to the upper surface of the conveyor. By preference, the frame can by pivoted so as to permit the adjustment of the angle of the channeling element relative to the conveyor. More preferably, the angle of the channeling element relative to the conveyor can be adjusted between 45° and 120°, more preferably between 60° and 120°, 60° and 100°, most preferably 60° and 120°. In this way, the distal ends of the pins are directed downstream, which causes the moving conveyor belt to pull away any pieces of food product that may adhere to the pins, thereby increasing the reliability of the device.

In a further or another embodiment, the conveyor is motor driven. The motor may be pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical. By preference, the motor is connected to a controller, which controller is further connected to the actuator causing the moving of the channeling element. In this way, it is possible to synchronize the motion of the channeling element and the speed of the conveyor. This advantageously permits controlling the spacing between each piece of food product. In a further or another embodiment, the frame is releasably attached to a chassis supporting the conveyor. In this way, the device including the conveyor can be provided as a single unit. By preference, the chassis of the conveyor is further provided with legs, which legs permit easier integration of the device in existing production lines.

Device according to any previous claim 1-10, characterized in that, the conveyor is further equipped with at least one deflection element. Each of said deflector plates having a surface substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the conveyor, said deflector plate being angled between 5° and 70° with the side of the conveyor. In this way, any pieces of food product located near any of the lateral edges of the conveyor are displaced towards the center of the conveyor belt. By preference, the distal end of any deflector plate is located at least 50, more preferably, 100mm, most preferably 150mm before the channeling element of the device. This prevents pieces of mean located near the edge of the conveyor from falling out of the conveyor.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a method for setting up a device for separating and aligning pieces of food product, the method comprising the steps of: defining at least one passage channel in the channeling element; and setting channeling element oscillation amplitude and frequency;

In this method, the channeling element oscillation amplitude is set to higher value for more rigid and/or stickier types of food product. For example, hard cheeses, hard tofu, meats such as pork and beef can withstand higher amplitudes. A higher amplitude is particularly advantageous for pieces of food product that are stickier. In particular, higher amplitudes are used for pieces of food product that have been marinated, as the higher amplitude helps break the adhesion between pieces of food products. In an embodiment, the amplitude of the device is set based of the width of the conveyor. Considering that the method is applicable to conveyors of different width, it is of utmost importance that the motion of the channeling element does not exceed the width of the conveyor. Failing to do so can result in damage to the device, poor alignment performance and/or in pieces of food product being thrown out the sides of the conveyor. These negative effects are advantageously avoided by adjusting the amplitude of the oscillations of the channeling element in function of the width of the conveyor, in particular, by setting the maximum amplitude to be smaller than the half the width of the conveyor. By preference, the channeling element oscillation amplitude is set in function of the width of the conveyor and the size of the pieces of food product so that said amplitude is less than half the width of the conveyor minus the maximum size of the piece of food product. In this way, the channeling element always stops some distance short of the sides of the conveyor, said distance being sufficient for a piece of food product to pass through. The adjustment of the channeling element oscillation amplitude can be carried out by means of a controller in connection with the actuator operating the channeling element. The adjustment of the channeling element oscillation amplitude can be carried out by changing or modifying actuators in order to reduce the motion range of said actuators.

In an embodiment, the channeling element oscillation frequency is set to lower values for softer and/or stickier types of food product. For example, soft candy, softer types of meat, such as chicken, some types of fish meat or even thinner cuts of pork tend to be more pliable, which causes said types of food product to wrap around the pins when moved at higher speeds. This is further aggravated by higher stickiness, in particular due to syrupy and/or starchy marinades. Lowering the frequency of the oscillation of the channeling element, lowers the speed of the channeling elements, therefore, the tendency of the softer pieces of food product, particularly meat, to wrap around said channeling elements. A lower frequency is also more adequate to more delicate pieces of food product, such as food products with a filling. Said frequency being maintained by a controller in connection with the actuator operating the channeling element, said controller controlling also the speed of the conveyor.

In a further embodiment, the step of defining at least one passage channel in the channeling element includes the steps of: releasing the pins; extending all pins such that the distal end of each pin is between 2mm and 10mm from the surface of the conveyor. adjusting the protrusion of at least one pin such that the distance between the distal end of said pin and the surface of the conveyor belt is at least 10mm longer than the height of a food product piece; retightening the pins.

In this way, the number and dimension of the passage channels can be quickly set and reconfigured if necessary. The pins set to a lower position define the sides of the passage channels while the distal end of the pins set to a higher position define the top edge of a passage channel. By distancing the pins set to a higher position to no more than 10mm above the height of a food product piece, any food product pieces stacking on top of other pieces are advantageously unstacked. In this way, no two pieces of food product are left touching each other after passing through the channeling element.

In a further embodiment, the method further includes the step of adjusting the angle of the pins relative to the surface of the conveyor. By preference, this step is carried out by adjusting the frame supporting the channeling element. In this way, the angle of the channeling element relative to the conveyor can be adjusted without changing the configuration of the pins relative to each other and to the sliding plate. This permits a much faster adjustment of the device, in particular during test runs of the production line.

However, it is obvious that the invention is not limited to this application. The method according to the invention can be applied in all sorts of food products, with or without a sticky surface, with or without packaging.

The invention is further described by the following non-limiting examples which further illustrate the invention, and are not intended to, nor should they be interpreted to, limit the scope of the invention.

The present invention will be now described in more details, referring to examples that are not limitative.

EXAMPLES AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

With as a goal illustrating better the properties of the invention the following presents, as an example and limiting in no way other potential applications, a description of a number of preferred embodiments of the device for separating pieces of food product based on the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 presents a side view of the device (1) mounted on a conveyor (2). A bridge assembly (3) is shown comprising bridge rod (4) and a guiding plate (5) attached to the bridge rod (4), the guiding plate having at least one substantially horizontal track (6) on one of its surfaces. The bridge rod (4) is shown supported by two legs (7) laterally attached to either side of the bridge rod (4) by means of a cross clamp (16). The lower end of each of said legs (7) extending downwards and attaching to one of two brackets (8) configured to be attached laterally to the conveyor (2). The bridge assembly (3) is further equipped with a motor (9) releasably attached to the guide plate (5) on the side opposite to the at least one track (6), the axis of the motor (9) extending at a substantially right angle through the guiding plate and onto the track side of the guiding plate. A crank (10 not shown) radially extending from the motor axis is provided with a pin (11 not shown) distally extending near the end of the crank opposite to the motor shaft. A channeling element (24) comprising a sliding plate (12) and a row of pins (17) is slidingly attached to the at least one track (6) of the guiding plate by means of at least two sliding elements (13) complementary with the at least one track (6), said sliding elements (13) being removably attached to the sliding plate (12) by means of at least one fastener (14).

FIG. 2 presents an isometric view of the device (1) mounted on a conveyor (2). The figure shows further details of the sliding plate (12) of the channeling element (24), which sliding plate (12) is further equipped a substantially vertical slot (15), the slot being in sliding engagement with the crank pin (11). A row of pins (17) extend downwards from the sliding plate (12), the position of the distal end of each pin (17) being either a high position or a low position , the difference in height between said positions being more than the height of a piece of food product and lower than the height of two pieces of said food product, the pins are placed alternating between a high position and a low position. The conveyor (2) is shown comprising a conveyor belt (19) spanning between two rollers (20) disposed to each end of a chassis (21). The chassis (21) is shown supporting a guard plate (22), which guard plate (19) further supports a deflector plate (23). In this figure, the cylindrical covers (18) of the pins (17) are clearly show disposed at different heights, the higher pins (17) having larger diameter cylindrical covers (18) than those in the lower positions.

It is supposed that the present invention is not restricted to any form of realization described previously and that some modifications can be added to the presented example of fabrication without reappraisal of the appended claims.

It is clear that the method according to the invention, and its applications, are not limited to the presented examples.

List of numbered items:

1 device

2 conveyor

3 bridge assembly

4 bridge rod

5 guiding plate 6 track

7 leg

8 bracket

9 motor

10 crank

11 crank pin

12 siding plate

13 sliding elements

14 sliding plate fastener

15 vertical slot

16 cross-clamp

17 pin

18 cylindrical covers

19 conveyor belt

20 roller

21 chassis

22 guard plate

23 deflector plate

24 channeling element