Patent ID: 11897158
Assignee: PEPSICO, INC.
Field: Machine tools (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 42:
43. A cutting machine comprising an annular-shaped cutting head and an impeller coaxially mounted within the cutting head for rotation about an axis of the cutting head in a rotational direction relative to the cutting head, the cutting head having multiple knives each extending radially inward toward the impeller in a direction opposite the rotational direction of the impeller, the impeller comprising:
a lower plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a perimeter;
paddles configured with the lower plate to direct material placed on the lower plate in a radially outward direction of the impeller when the impeller is rotated, at least one of the paddles having an outer radial extent that is adjacent the perimeter of the lower plate; and
at least a first exit hole located in the lower plate, the first exit hole having a wall section that completely closes the first exit hole along the perimeter at the upper surface of the lower plate, the first exit hole extending through the lower plate to define a passageway connected to the upper surface to enable foreign debris at the upper surface to exit the impeller through the passageway;
wherein the first exit hole has a radially outermost wall that is not perpendicular to the upper surface of the plate;
wherein the at least one of the paddles comprises posts extending in the radially outward direction of the impeller from the outer radial extent of the at least one of the paddles;
wherein the posts are spaced apart along the outer radial extent of the at least one of the paddles to define first gaps therebetween, and a lowermost extent of the at least one of the paddles lacks a lower shear edge and lacks a post to create a second gap through which debris are able to pass and escape around the outer radial extent of the at least one of the paddles.