Multilevel Blade Cartridges For Food-Product Slicers and Food-Product Slicers Incorporating Multilevel Blade Cartridges

• US 20140208917A1
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Edlund Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: Edlund Company, LLC
• Inventors: Whitney, Ryan S.
• Application Number:
  US14/163,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20140208917A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 83/858
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/03 with a plurality of cutting members
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 2003/287 having a holder for the product to be cut
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/10 Hand or foot actuated means
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/16 Cam means
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/01 Means for holding or positioning work
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/0608 by pushers B26D7/0616, B26D7/0625 and B26D7/0641 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/654 With work-constraining means on work conveyor [i.e., "work-carrier"]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/66 With means to press work to tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6606 Tool between laterally spaced work-conveying means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9498 Parallel cutting edges

Abstract

A blade cartridge for a food-product slicer having a frame and blades located on multiple blade levels, wherein all of the blades are held in tension by the common frame. In various embodiments, the blades on each blade level are held in spaced relation to one another by blade holders located at opposing ends of the blades. In various embodiments the blades on each blade level are tensioned using adjustable fasteners. In various embodiments, blades on one level within a multilevel blade cartridge are spaced from blades on an immediately adjacent bladed level to inhibit binding of slices of food-product sliced using the blade cartridge. In various embodiments, a removable blade cover is securable to the blade cartridge when the cartridge is installed in the food-product slicer.

Claims

1. A blade cartridge for a food-product slicer, the blade cartridge comprising:

a frame having opposing ends;

a blade set having a cleaving axis, said blade set including;

a first plurality of blades tensioned between said opposing ends, wherein said first plurality of blades has a corresponding plurality of first cutting edges having a first mean cutting-edge level; and

a second plurality of blades tensioned between said opposing blade support ends, wherein said second plurality of blades has a corresponding plurality of second cutting edges having a second mean cutting-edge level spaced from said first mean cutting-edge level, wherein said first plurality of blades are staggered relative to said second plurality of blades in a direction parallel to said cleaving axis.

2. A blade cartridge according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of blades on said first blade level has a width and said first mean cutting edge level leads said second mean cutting edge level by a distance, each said width being less than said distance.

3. A blade cartridge according to claim 1, wherein all of said first plurality of blades are identical to one another and all of said second plurality of blades are identical to one another.

4. A blade cartridge according to claim 3, wherein all of said first plurality of blades are identical to all of said second plurality of blades.

5. A blade cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the blade cartridge is designed and configured for cutting a hard food-product, wherein each of said first and second plurality of blades has a serrated cutting edge.

6. A blade cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising:

first and second blade holders located at opposing ends of said first plurality of blades; and

third and fourth blade holders located at opposing ends of said second plurality of blades;

wherein;

said first and second blade holders hold said first plurality of blades in tension within said frame; and

said third and fourth blade holders hold said second plurality of blades in tension within said frame.

7. A blade cartridge according to claim 6, wherein;

said first blade holder is adjustably secured to said frame so as to permit adjusting said tension in said first plurality of blades; and

said third blade holder is adjustable secured to said frame so as to permit adjusting said tension in said second plurality of blades.

8. A blade cartridge according to claim 7 wherein:

said first blade holder has a first length and said first plurality of blades are spaced along said first length, the blade cartridge further comprising a first plurality of adjustable fasteners spaced along said first length and adjustably securing said first blade holder to said frame so as to permit adjusting said tension in said first plurality of blades; and

said third blade holder has a second length and said second plurality of blades are spaced along said second length, the blade cartridge further comprising a second plurality of adjustable fasteners spaced along said second length and adjustably securing said third blade holder to said frame so as to permit adjusting said tension in said second plurality of blades.

9. A blade cartridge according to claim 6, wherein;

said first blade holder has a plurality of first slots correspondingly respectively receiving said first plurality of blades; and

said third blade holder has a plurality of second slots correspondingly respectively receiving said second plurality of blades.

10. A blade cartridge according to claim 6, wherein;

said first blade holder has a plurality of first slots correspondingly respectively receiving said first plurality of blades; and

said third blade holder has a plurality of second slots correspondingly respectively receiving said second plurality of blades.

11. A blade cartridge according to claim 10, wherein:

said first blade holder has a first plurality of fingers spaced to define said plurality of first slots; and

said third blade holder has a second plurality of fingers spaced to define said plurality of second slots.

12. A blade cartridge according to claim 11, wherein:

said first blade holder includes first and second fingered members together providing said first plurality of fingers in an interdigitated arrangement; and

said third blade holder includes third and fourth fingered members together providing said second plurality of fingers in an interdigitated arrangement.

13. A blade cartridge according to claim 10, wherein said first and second pluralities of blades have a corresponding plurality of cutting edges, the blade cartridge further comprising a removable blade cover removably secured to said frame so as to inhibit a user'"'"'s hands from contacting said plurality of cutting edges.

14. A blade cartridge according to claim 13, wherein said removable blade cover comprises a plurality of openings designed and configured to allow wash-water to flow therethrough during a cartridge-cleaning operation.

15. A blade cartridge according to claim 14, wherein said removable cover and said frame are designed and configured so that a user can secure and unsecure said removable cover to said frame while the blade cartridge is located in an operational position within the food-product slicer.

16. A food-product slicer, comprising:

a blade-cartridge receiver;

a blade cartridge removably engaged with said blade-cartridge receiver, said blade cartridge comprising;

a frame having opposing ends;

a blade set having a cleaving axis, said blade set including;

a first plurality of blades tensioned between said opposing ends, wherein said first plurality of blades has a corresponding plurality of first cutting edges having a first mean cutting-edge level; and

a second plurality of blades tensioned between said opposing blade support ends, wherein said second plurality of blades has a corresponding plurality of second cutting edges having a second mean cutting-edge level spaced from said first mean cutting-edge level, wherein said first plurality of blades are staggered relative to said second plurality of blades in a direction parallel to said cleaving axis.

17. A food-product slicer according to claim 16, further comprising a cartridge lock designed and configured to secure said blade cartridge in said blade-cartridge receiver during use.

18. A food-product slicer according to claim 17, further comprising a food-product pusher designed and configured to extend into said blade cartridge during a cutting operation, wherein said cartridge lock has an unlocked position that blocks said food-product pusher from extending into said blade cartridge when said blade cartridge is installed in said blade-cartridge receiver.

19. A food-product slicer according to claim 16, further comprising a blade cover designed and configured to be removably secured to said blade cartridge when said blade cartridge is installed into said blade-cartridge receiver.

20. A food-product slicer according to claim 19, further comprising a cartridge lock designed and configured to secure said blade cartridge in said blade-cartridge receiver during use, wherein said blade cartridge, said blade cover, and said cartridge lock are designed and configured so that said blade cover is securable to said blade cartridge, when said blade cartridge is installed into said blade-cartridge receiver, only when said cartridge lock is in an unlocked position.