Food product slicer with timed sharpening operation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A slicer for use in slicing a food product, the slicer comprising:
- a slicer body;
a slicer knife mounted for rotation relative to the slicer body, the slicer knife having a peripheral cutting edge, and an associated knife drive motor;
a food product carriage mounted to the slicer body for reciprocating movement back and forth past a cutting zone of the slicer knife;
a controller operable to activate a sharpen knife annunciator based upon at least one operating parameter of the slicer in order to alert an operator of need to sharpen the slicer knife, the controller associated with the knife drive motor to effect operation thereof;
an operator actuatable knife sharpen input device associated with the controller, upon operator actuation of the knife sharpen input device the controller causes the knife drive motor to be energized for a set knife sharpening time period.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A food product slicer with a rotatable slicer knife includes a knife sharpener and a control for providing a timed sharpening operation. The control effects rotation of the slicer knife for a set knife sharpen time period when a knife sharpen input of the slicer is triggered.
47 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A slicer for use in slicing a food product, the slicer comprising:
-
a slicer body; a slicer knife mounted for rotation relative to the slicer body, the slicer knife having a peripheral cutting edge, and an associated knife drive motor; a food product carriage mounted to the slicer body for reciprocating movement back and forth past a cutting zone of the slicer knife; a controller operable to activate a sharpen knife annunciator based upon at least one operating parameter of the slicer in order to alert an operator of need to sharpen the slicer knife, the controller associated with the knife drive motor to effect operation thereof; an operator actuatable knife sharpen input device associated with the controller, upon operator actuation of the knife sharpen input device the controller causes the knife drive motor to be energized for a set knife sharpening time period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 16)
-
-
6. A slicer for use in slicing a food product, the slicer comprising:
-
a slicer body; a slicer knife mounted for rotation relative to the slicer body, the slicer knife having a peripheral cutting edge, and an associated knife drive motor; a food product carriage mounted to the slicer body for reciprocating movement back and forth past a cutting zone of the slicer knife; an operator actuatable knife sharpen input device; a knife sharpen light element; a sensor for detecting movement of the food product carriage; a controller associated with the knife drive motor, the operator actuatable knife sharpen input device, the knife sharpen light element and the sensor, the controller programmed to (i) monitor the sensor to maintain a count of food product carriage slicing strokes, (ii) effect illumination of the knife sharpen light element when the count reaches a set threshold, (iii) upon operator actuation of the knife sharpen input device, effect operation of the knife drive motor for a set time period, after which operation of the knife drive motor is automatically stopped. - View Dependent Claims (7, 11, 17, 18)
-
-
8. A slicer for use in slicing a food product, the slicer comprising:
-
a slicer body; a slicer knife mounted for rotation relative to the slicer body, the slicer knife having a peripheral cutting edge, and an associated knife drive motor; a food product carriage mounted to the slicer body for reciprocating movement back and forth past a cutting zone of the slicer knife; a knife sharpen input device; a knife sharpen light element; a sensor for detecting movement of the food product carriage; a controller associated with the knife drive motor, the knife sharpen input device, the knife sharpen light element and the sensor, the controller programmed to (i) monitor the sensor to maintain a count of food product carriage slicing strokes, (ii) effect illumination of the knife sharpen light element when the count reaches a set threshold, (iii) upon actuation of the knife sharpen input device, effect operation of the knife drive motor for a set time period, after which operation of the knife drive motor is automatically stopped; wherein the controller is programmed to reset the count upon completion of the set time period and cease illumination of the knife sharpen light element; wherein the controller is programmed such that, if actuation of the knife sharpen input device is stopped prior to completion of the set time period, operation of the knife drive motor is automatically stopped prior to completion of the set time period, illumination of the knife sharpen element is continued and the count is not reset. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
-
-
12. A slicer for use in slicing a food product, the slicer comprising:
-
a slicer body; a slicer knife mounted for rotation relative to the slicer body, the slicer knife having a peripheral cutting edge, and an associated knife drive motor; a sharpener movable for engaging the slicer knife for sharpening; a food product carriage mounted to the slicer body for reciprocating movement back and forth past a cutting zone of the slicer knife; a controller associated with the knife drive motor to effect operation thereof; an operator actuatable knife sharpen input device associated with the controller for initiating a sharpening operation; wherein the controller is configured such that upon operator actuation of the knife sharpen input device the controller causes the knife drive motor to be energized for a set knife sharpening time period. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
-
Specification