SCALABLE MACHINE

• US 20120136460A1
• Filed: 11/29/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albert Handtmann Metallgusswerk GmbH & Company KG (Handtmann Beteiligungen GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Albert Handtmann Metallgusswerk GmbH & Company KG (Handtmann Beteiligungen GmbH)
• Inventors: Maile, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 10,506,816 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/11
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 11/0245 Controlling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/031 Apparatus for drying A23B4/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/044 Smoking; Smoking devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24162 Biometric sensor, fingerprint as user access password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder

Abstract

A food processing machine, such as a filling machine and/or twisting line for the manufacture of foods, particularly sausages, and a corresponding operating method, having at least one function module and at least one control section for controlling the corresponding function modules. Through at least one activation device, and after the input of an access authorization, at least one function module can be activated and/or one performance range from a plurality of possible performance ranges of at least one function module can be activated.

Claims

1. A food processing machine for manufacturing foods, comprising:

one or more function modules;

one or more control sections for controlling the corresponding function modules; and

one of

at least one activation device by means of which at least one function module can be activated after the input of an access authorization

a performance range from a plurality of possible performance ranges of at least one function module that can be activated, and

a combination thereof.

2. The food processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the activation device is connected to an input unit and is connected to the control sections and can conduct a signal corresponding to an input to a control section of a function module, as a result of which, depending on the signal the function module can be one of controlled, not controlled, operated in a performance range, and a combination thereof.

3. The food processing machine according to claim 1, and wherein a plurality of selectable performance ranges are specified in a memory and can be activated or the selected performance range is conveyed to the control section or sections during the activation process.

4. The food processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the performance range of a function module can be limited to a maximum performance that lies below a maximum possible performance of the function module.

5. The food processing machine according to at claim 1, wherein the control sections and/or the at least one activation device for at least one of the function modules is designed in such a way that one of when the performance of a function module is limited, the performance range of at least one other function module is automatically limited,

an increased performance range of at least one function module can only be activated if a correspondingly increased performance range of another function module or other function modules has been activated,

and a combination thereof.

6. The food processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the food processing machine has at least one of the following function modules:

a drive for the conveyor, a drive for the conveyor curve, a drive for the twisting unit, a drive for the inline grinder, a drive for the squeezing unit, a drive for the separating unit, a drive for a transport unit, a drive for the suspension device, a vacuum pump for the filler, a drive for the lifting device, a ventilation drive, and wherein one of

at least one of the following function modules can be activated by means of the at least one activation device;

the drive of the conveyor curve, the drive of the twisting unit, the inline grinder drive, the drive of the squeezing unit, the drive of the separating unit, the drive of the transport unit, the drive of the suspension device, the vacuum pump, the drive of the lifting device, the ventilation drive,

different performance ranges of at least one of the following function modules can be activated;

the drive for the conveyor, the drive of the conveyor curve, the drive of the twisting unit, the drive of the inline grinder, the drive of the squeezing unit, the drive of the separating unit, the drive of the transport unit, the drive of the suspension device, the vacuum pump, the drive of the lifting device, the ventilation drive,

and a combination thereof.

7. The food processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the activation device comprises one of a hardware interlock, a software interlock, logic interconnections in a switching device, a mechanical lock, an optical sensor for registering 2D or 3D codes, and a combination thereof.

8. A method for operating a food processing machine according to claim 1, comprising:

a) Inputting changes regarding the function modules to be activated or the function module to be activated and/or changes to the corresponding performance range of the function module or of the function modules as well as an input for inputting access authorization into an activation device,

b) Activating one of the selected function module(s),

a performance range from a plurality of possible performance ranges of a function module or of a plurality of function modules, and a combination thereof, and

c) Selecting current process parameters for operating the food processing machine.

9. The food processing machine according to claim 1, wherein one of the function modules, the performance ranges, and a combination thereof actually used can be registered and can be accordingly invoiced.

14. The food processing machine according to claim 3, wherein the performance ranges can be activated in a continuously variable manner.

10. A food processing machine comprising:

one or more function modules,

one or more control sections for controlling the corresponding function modules, and

a registering device that registers which function module is or function modules are being operated and/or the performance range of the function module(s).

11. The food processing machine according to claim 10, wherein the food processing machine comprises a filling machine for the manufacture of foods.

12. The food processing machine according to claim 10, wherein the food processing machine comprises a twisting machine for the manufacture of foods.

13. The food processing machine according to claim 10, wherein the food processing machine comprises a filling machine for the manufacture of sausages.