PORTION GRIPPER

• US 20120086226A1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH Breidenbach
• Original Assignee: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH Breidenbach
• Inventors: Weber, Günther
• Application Number:
  US13/247,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20120086226A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 294/81.54
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0045 Manipulators used in the food industry
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0014 having fork, comb or plate shaped means for engaging the lower surface on a object to be transported
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0293 having fingers directly connected to actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0202 Agricultural and processed food products
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/90 Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a portion gripper for picking up a product with two blade pans and a drive mechanism for moving the blade pans between a first position, in which the blade pans can be placed down on opposite sides of the product to be picked up onto a support for the product to be picked up, and a second position in which the blade pans are at least partially located under the product to be picked up.

Claims

1. A portion gripper for picking up and conveying a food product with at least two blade pans oriented in opposite directions and mounted on a longitudinal guide, which can be moved by at least one drive mechanism between an outer ready position and an inner working position, wherein the food product can be picked up by the blade pans,

characterized in that

shortening flaps for shortening the food product in the direction of the longitudinal guide or transverse to the latter are present.

2. The portion gripper according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the shortening flaps are on longitudinal guides and are adjustable.

3. The portion gripper according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the shortening flaps are between the blade pans.

4. The portion gripper according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the shortening flaps are adjustable between a neutral position in which they are not engaged with a product to be picked up, and an active position in which they are engaged with a picked up product.

5. The portion gripper according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the shortening flaps comprise at least two spaced apart opposed flaps which can each be pivoted about a pivoting axis between a first, at least approximately horizontal ready position, and a second, essentially vertical working position which is oriented essentially at right angles to the moving direction of the blade pans.

6. The portion gripper according to claim 1,

characterized in that

a device is provided by which the movement of the blade pans from their first position to their second position can be converted to an adjustment of the shortening flaps from their neutral position to their active position.

7. The portion gripper according to claim 6,

characterized in that

the device comprises rollers connected to the blade pans and beveled edges embodied at the shortening flaps onto which the rollers run.

8. The portion gripper according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the shortening flaps are lockable in one or both of their neutral position and their active position.

9. The portion gripper according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the shortening flaps are lockable by magnets.

10. The portion gripper according to claim 8,

further comprising

a release mechanism for the lockable shortening flaps.

11. The portion gripper according to claim 1,

further comprising

a plunger for pressing down a picked up portion.

12. The portion gripper according to claim 11,

characterized in that

the plunger can be moved between a lifted position in which a bottom side of the plunger facing the picked up portion is at a distance to the portion, and a lowered position in which the plunger'"'"'s bottom side is approximately at the height of a blade pan plane defined by the blade pans or below.

13. The portion gripper according to claim 11,

characterized in that

the plunger is between the shortening flaps, wherein extension of the plunger essentially corresponds to the distance of the shortening flaps in their active position.

14. The portion gripper according to claim 10,

characterized in that

the release mechanism comprises magnets at the shortening flaps and at the plunger, which are arranged and polarized such that the magnets of the shortening flaps and the magnets of the plunger repel each other when the plunger reaches its lowered position.

15. The portion gripper according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the shortening flaps comprise at least two flaps adjustable in the direction of the longitudinal guide or at least two flaps adjustable in the direction transverse.

16. The portion gripper according to claim 15,

characterized in that

the adjustable flaps each facing each other are movably connected to each other via a double-armed guide and comprise an actuator.

17. The portion gripper according to claim 11,

characterized in that

the blade pans or the flaps or the plunger comprise fingers between notches.

18. The portion gripper according to claim 15,

characterized in that

the flaps adjustable in the direction of the longitudinal guide of the blade pans are mounted on the longitudinal guide of the blade pans or the latter are formed towards the center of the product gripper in the shape of a U or a V.