Cutting machine and conveyor device

A cutting machine includes a cutting device and a co-operating conveyor device for conveying food products in a conveying direction. The conveyor device includes at least one conveyor unit having a conveyor belt which is guided by at least one deflection roll and which comes into contact with the food products in the contact area and having at least one guide means for guiding the conveyor belt. The at least one guide means has a first support portion for supporting the conveyor belt at a first height and a second support portion for supporting it at a second height, these heights being spaced apart in a direction extending perpendicularly to the conveying direction, and at least one recess arranged between the first height and the second height, in which the conveyor belt can give way at least partly due to contact with a food product.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to German Application No. 10 2021 118 255.7, filed Jul. 14, 2021. The above-mentioned patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to a cutting machine for separating food products, in particular sausage chains, including a cutting device for separating the food products and a conveyor device co-operating with the cutting device, for conveying the food products in a conveying direction. This application also relates to a conveyor device for such a cutting machine and to a food processing machine having such a cutting machine.

BACKGROUND

Cutting machines of the kind initially specified are generally known from the prior art. They are used in conjunction with a stuffing machine and a portioning device, for example, to produce and separate sausage chains. A pasty food mass, which may include sausage meat or a vegetarian alternative, is stuffed into a casing by the stuffing machine and portioned by the portioning device. The casings can preferably be a natural or synthetic gut casing, or a collagen gut casing. The portioned food products, such as sausage chains, are then fed to the respective cutting machine.

Cutting machines of the kind initially specified are also used to produce small batches by a stuffing table, and the food products are simply fed manually into the conveyor device of the cutting machine.

Cutting machines have a cutting device for separating the food products by cutting them at a predefined position. Cutting is preferably done by at least one cutting blade. For example, sausage chains can be cut at the respective twist points and thus separated. To convey the food products to and away from the cutting device, the cutting machines also have one or more conveyor devices each comprising one or more conveyor units. In most cases, the conveyor units have a conveyor belt, at least one deflection roll for guiding and deflecting the conveyor belt, and a guide means for guiding the conveyor belt. The guide means mostly have a planar support surface for supporting the conveyor belt, so that the latter comes into contact with the food product in the contact area. The food product is thus guided and conveyed in such a way that the food product can be cut at a predefined position.

Due to production-related variations in the outer dimensions, the surface of the food product may be exposed to increased pressure. The variable outer dimensions can be the cross-section, for example, or the diameter of the food product, which is referred to as the caliber in the case of sausages. Curvature of the food product occurs routinely in the case of food products with a natural gut casing, in particular, with the result that greater pressure is exerted locally on the food product by the conveyor belt that extends in the contact area in the conveying direction T. This pressure and the resultant friction between the conveyor belt and the guide means reduces the conveying speed and can cause damage to the food product.

As a result, it would be desirable to improve the conveying of food products having varying dimensions and/or curvatures, in a cutting machine or in a conveyor device for same, and in a food processing machine having such a cutting machine, such that the rejection of damaged food is reduced on the whole, at least, or the conveying speed is unaffected, at least.

SUMMARY

These and other technical objects and problems are addressed by the embodiments provided in this invention. To this end, the cutting machine according to embodiments of this invention includes the at least one guide means having a first support portion for supporting the conveyor belt at a first height h1and a second support portion for supporting the conveyor belt at a second height h2, wherein height h1and h2are spaced apart in a direction h extending perpendicularly to the conveying direction T, and by the conveyor unit also having at least one recess arranged between the first height h1and the second height h2, into which the conveyor belt can at least partly give way due to contact with a food product.

Due to the recess between the first height h1and the second height h2, a region is provided in which the conveyor belt can give way at least partly due to contact with a food product. This is the case, for example, when food products with a curvature or with too large a caliber or with too large a diameter are conveyed by the conveyor device. The tension of the conveyor belt is preferably to be so selected that it is deformed in such a way, due to contact with a food product, that it can at least partly give way into the recess without damaging the food product. The distance between height h1and height h2preferably corresponds to the diameter or height in direction h of the food to be conveyed, so that it is supported along its entire height by the conveyor belt and the guide means.

Within the meaning of the invention, at least one guide means for guiding the conveyor belt in the contact area is needed. A plurality of guide means for guiding the conveyor belt, which preferably guide the conveyor belt in sections in the contact area, may preferably also be provided. The first support portion and the second support portion may also be formed integrally on a guide means, and also on two separate guide members of a two-part guide means.

Direction h is preferably the vertical direction, and the conveying direction T extends preferably in the horizontal direction.

In the region of the first support section and/or the second support section, the conveyor belt can have punctiform contact with the support portion and/or line contact and/or surface contact along a predefined length of the support section in the conveying direction T. The first height h1and the second height h2are to be understood, accordingly, either as a discrete value with support being provided by punctiform contact or line contact, or as a range of values that includes the respective height h1and h2. In the case of surface contact, a first range of value that includes height h1is spaced apart in direction h from a second range of values that includes height h2. The conveyor belt is held at two positions by the first support portion and the second support portion, namely at h1and at height h2, or at the ranges which include the respective height, and is thus held sufficiently to convey the food products in the conveying direction T.

The conveyor belt is preferably coupled to a drive means which is assigned to the conveyor device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one guide means has the recess which is arranged between the first support portion and the second support portion of the guide means, such that the conveyor belt can give way at least partly into the recess due to contact with due to contact with a food product. The guide means can thus be manufactured in a simple manner and also comprises the recess, in addition to the first support portion and the second support portion. In a plane extending perpendicularly to the transport direction, the guide means thus has a recess on its side facing the conveyor belt and, in particular, is concave in shape. The recess can preferably have a shape matching that of the food product. In cases in which sausages are conveyed, the recess can be defined, for example, by an arc extending between the first support portion and the second support portion and which is concavely curved. In further variants, recesses with a polygonal shape, for example, may also be provided.

According to another preferred embodiment, the at least one guide means has a first guide member having the first support portion and a second guide member having the second support portion. The recess is preferably arranged between the first guide member and the second guide member. A two-part guide means is thus provided which guides the conveyor belt in the region of the first support section and the second support section. The recess can preferably be provided at least partially by a cavity, or by a housing region that is not used otherwise, between the first guide member and the second guide member.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first guide member and/or the second guide member may each be designed as a guide plate which extends at least in sections in the conveying direction T and which is adapted to support the conveyor belt. A combination of different guide members, for example guide rolls and guide plates, may be provided. Manufacturing the guide means can be simplified, on the whole, by a two-part guide means, and standard components such as rolls or plates can be used.

It is preferable that the conveyor unit is a first conveyor unit and that the conveyor device has a second conveyor unit arranged in the contact area parallel to and spaced apart from the first conveyor unit. The food products can thus be supported evenly on two sides and conveyed by the respective conveyor belt. The first conveyor unit and the second conveyor unit are preferably designed and arranged in mirror symmetry about the plane formed by conveying direction T and direction h.

According to an alternative preferred embodiment, the conveyor device has a receiving means which co-operates with the conveyor unit and which is arranged in the contact area parallel to and spaced apart from the conveyor unit. The food product to be conveyed is thus held between the conveyor unit and the co-operating receiving means and is moved along the receiving means in the conveying direction T by the motion of the conveyor belt. This simplifies the design of the cutting machine and reduces both the production costs and the maintenance costs.

At least one guide means is preferably designed as a guide roll which is mounted rotatably about a rotational axis extending in direction h. Direction h preferably extends in the vertical direction, so that the guide roll is rotatably mounted about a vertical axis. This reduces the resistance when guiding the conveyor belt, since there is only rolling friction between the guide roll and the conveyor belt. If the drive power is constant, the conveying speed therefore remains constant and is not adversely affected when conveying food products that have too large a diameter, for example. It is further preferred that a two-part guide means may be designed with a first guide member and a second guide member as a pair of concentric guide rolls having matching diameters.

Such a guide roll may be adapted, within the meaning of the invention, to guide and to deflect the conveyor belt. In this case, the guide roll simultaneously performs the function of a deflection roll.

It is further preferred that the guide roll and/or the deflection roll have a diameter which varies in direction h and which obtains a maximum dMaxat the first support portion and/or at the second support portion. This means that the region of the first and/or second support section protrudes relative to the rest of the guide roll and/or deflection roll in such a way that a recess is formed therebetween, into which the conveyor belt can give way. In particular, the respective guide roll and/or deflection roll may have a maximum diameter dMaxin the region of the first support section and in the region of the second support section. Alternatively, a first guide roll with a maximum diameter dMaxcan also be provided in the region of the first support section and a second guide roll with a maximum diameter dMaxcan be provided in the region of the second support section, for example. The deflection roll, too, can accordingly be a first deflection roll with a maximum diameter dMaxin the region of the first support section, and a second deflection roll with a maximum diameter dMaxcan be provided in the region of the second support section. This means that the deflection rolls, too, may have a first support portion and/or a second support portion. The conveyor belt can therefore give way into a recess, also in the region of the respective deflection roll, due to contact with a food product.

It is particularly preferable that the guide roll and/or the deflection roll be designed as concave rolls. The smooth transitions of a concave roll prevent peak stresses and increased friction on the conveyor belt.

According to another preferred embodiment, at least one guide means is designed as a guide plate having a first longitudinal edge extending in the conveying direction and a second longitudinal edge extending parallel to and spaced apart from the first longitudinal edge, and wherein the first support portion is formed by the first longitudinal edge and/or the second support portion is formed by the second longitudinal edge. Such a guide plate preferably extends in the conveying direction T in the contact area.

A first guide means is preferably designed as a guide plate and a second guide means as one or more guide rolls, which are arranged upstream and/or downstream in the conveying direction T from the guide plate. A guide plate provides even support in the region of the first support section and/or second support section in the conveying direction T, the guide rolls simultaneously reducing the friction and increasing the conveying speed. It is further preferred that the support portion of the guide rolls and/or of the deflection rolls protrudes slightly, relative to the guide plate, in the direction of the conveyor belt, so that when the conveyor belt is in the unloaded state it only comes into contact with the first support region and second support region of the guide rolls and only rolling friction occurs, so that wear and tear is reduced. If the conveyor belt comes into contact with a food product to be conveyed, it can give way into the respective recess of the guide rolls and/or of the guide plate, the conveyor belt being evenly supported by the guide plate along a predefined section in the conveying direction T.

According to another preferred embodiment, the respective guide plate is designed in two parts, such that a first part of the guide plate has the first support portion and a second part of the guide plate has the second support portion, wherein the first part of the guide plate and the second part of the guide plate are arranged spaced apart from each other such that the recess is formed between the first part of the guide plate and the second part of the guide plate. The two-part guide plate is preferably arranged between two adjacent guide rolls and/or two adjacent deflection rolls.

The conveyor belt preferably has a height hT, and the at least one guide means preferably has a height hFin direction h that is greater than the height hTof the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is thus guided and supported reliably even when there is a deviation in its position in direction h. The respective guide roll and/or deflection roll preferably has a first end section having a stop member for fixing the conveyor belt in direction h, and a second, matching designed end section having a second stop member. The conveyor belt is thus held securely in place in direction h.

It is further preferred that at least one guide means includes a metal material, in particular steel. The guide means thus has sufficient strength to guide and reliably support the conveyor belt.

It is further preferred that the conveyor belt includes an elastomer. This makes the conveyor belt wear-resistant and sufficiently elastic to be able to give way into the recess by elastic deformation due to contact with a food product, without damaging the food product.

The invention has been described above with regard to a first embodiment. According to a second embodiment, the invention relates to a conveyor device for a cutting machine, in particular for a cutting machine according to the first embodiment of the invention, comprising a conveyor belt extending in a conveying direction T at least in sections in a contact area and designed to come into contact with the food products in the contact area, at least one deflection roll for guiding the conveyor belt, and at least one guide means for guiding the conveyor belt in the contact area. With regard to a conveyor device, the invention achieves the object initially specified by the at least one guide means having a first support portion for supporting the conveyor belt at a first height h1and a second support portion for supporting the conveyor belt at a second height h2, wherein height h1and h2are spaced apart in a direction h extending perpendicularly to the conveying direction T, and by the conveyor unit also having at least one recess arranged between the first height h1and the second height h2, into which the conveyor belt can at least partly give way due to contact with a food product. The conveyor device according to the invention utilizes the advantages described above in relation to a cutting machine having such a conveyor device. Preferred embodiments and aspects of the first embodiment of the invention are at the same time preferred embodiments and aspects of the second embodiment of the invention.

According to a third embodiment, the invention relates to a food processing machine for producing a food product, comprising a stuffing machine for receiving a pasty food mass and for stuffing the pasty food mass into a casing, a portioning device for portioning the food in the casing, and a cutting machine according to the first embodiment of the invention for separating the portioned food products. The food processing machine according to the third embodiment of the invention, comprising a cutting machine according to the invention, utilizes the advantages described above in relation to the first embodiment of the invention. Preferred embodiments and aspects of the first embodiment of the invention are at the same time preferred embodiments and aspects of the third embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS.1A,1B,2A and2Bshow a prior art cutting machine1and a prior art conveyor device7for such a cutting machine. In the embodiment shown, food product3is a sausage or chain of sausages with a diameter referred to as the caliber.

Such cutting machines1also have at least one conveyor device7upstream from cutting device5for conveying food product3in a conveying direction T. Such cutting machines1preferably also have a second conveyor device7downstream from cutting device5which is designed to convey the food products3separated by cutting device5in conveying direction T for further processing.

Conveyor device7, a detail of which is shown inFIG.1B, has two conveyor units9,10, each having a conveyor belt11which comes into contact with the food product in a contact area13. The two conveyor units9,10run parallel to and spaced apart from each other in contact area13. Conveyor units9,10each have a guide means15for guiding conveyor belt11in contact area13and which is designed to guide conveyor belt11in such a way that it extends at least in sections in conveying direction T in contact area13.

The cutting machine1shown inFIG.2Ais the same as the cutting machine shown inFIG.1Aand the conveyor device shown in inFIG.2Bis the same as the conveyor device shown inFIG.1B.FIGS.1A,1B and2A,2Bdiffer only by the dimensions of food product3, in particular by the size of the caliber, i.e., the diameter of food product3.

InFIGS.1A and1B, food product3has a caliber which is smaller than the distance between the two conveyor belts11of conveyor units9,10arranged parallel to and spaced apart from each other. This distance can preferably be adjusted, but production-related variation in caliber may occur. When food products3with too small a caliber, as shown inFIGS.1A and1B, are conveyed, they do not come sufficiently into contact with conveyor belt11in contact area13and thus cannot be positioned exactly in cutting device5, for example.

InFIGS.2A and2B, food product3has a diameter which is greater than the distance between the two conveyor belts11of conveyor units9,10arranged parallel to and spaced apart from each other. In this case, greater pressure is exerted on food product3by conveyor belt11and guide means15, as a result of which it may be damaged. The friction exerted on conveyor belt11at guide means15is also increased by the food product3, thus reducing the conveying speed in conveying direction T.

FIG.3shows a food processing machine100according to the invention, comprising a cutting machine1, a stuffing machine17and a portioning device23arranged between stuffing machine17and cutting machine1. Portioning machine23and cutting machine1are arranged downstream from stuffing machine17.

Stuffing machine17has a feed hopper19and a housing21. Cutting machine1likewise has a housing22which is designed at least partly to accommodate cutting device5and on which conveyor device7is arranged at least in sections (cf.FIG.6).

A pasty food product can preferably be stuffed by stuffing machine17via a stuffing tube24into a casing and subsequently portioned by portioning device23. The casing can preferably be a natural or synthetic gut casing, and the pasty food product that can be introduced into stuffing machine17can be sausage meat or a vegan or vegetarian alternative. In this case, the finished food product3is sausages, and portioning device23includes a twist line for twisting the sausage casing. The sausage chains thus produced are then separated into separate sausages by cutting machine1.

FIG.4Ashows a first embodiment of conveyor device7according to the invention in an unloaded state, andFIG.4Bcorrespondingly shows conveyor device7in a loaded stated in which food product3comes into contact with conveyor device7. Conveyor device7is shown in a side view, in which the cutting plane extends orthogonally to conveying direction T.

Conveyor device7comprises two conveyor units9,10arranged parallel to and spaced apart from each other. Conveyor units9,10each have a conveyor belt11which preferably includes an elastomer, and a guide means14,15,16for guiding conveyor belt11in contact area13(cf.FIG.6).

In the cutting plane shown, which extends orthogonally to conveying direction T, conveyor belt11has a preferred thickness of less than 5 mm and a height which is adapted to the height of food product3and to the height of guide means14,15,16. Guide means14,15,16each have a recess25into which conveyor belt11can give way when in contact with food product3. Recess25is arranged between a first support portion27and a second support portion29of guide means14,15,16.

The first support portion27is configured to support conveyor belt11at a first height h1, and the second support portion29is configured to support conveyor belt11at a second height h2. Height h1and height h2are arranged at a distance from each other in a direction h. Heights h1and h2are to be understood within the meaning of the invention not only as discrete values but also as value ranges in which conveyor belt11is supported by the respective support portion27,29. For example, height h1may comprise a range from 1 to 20 mm in which conveyor belt11is supported by the upper support portion27. The same also applies to height h2.

As shown inFIG.4Bin particular, conveyor belt11can give way into the respective recess25of conveyor unit9,10due to contact with a food product3which is conveyed in conveying direction T by conveyor device7. In the embodiment shown, guide means14,15,16is integral in design and concave in shape in relation to the cutting plane shown, so recess25is integrally formed on guide means14,15,16between the first support portion27and the second support portion29due to the concave shape.

In the embodiment shown inFIGS.4A and4B, the guide means may have any shape which is suitable to guide the conveyor belt at height h1and at height h2and for it to simultaneously have a recess25. The guide means is preferably designed as a guide plate15(cf.FIGS.7A,7B,9) or as a guide roll14,16(cf.FIGS.8A,8B,9).

The embodiment shown inFIGS.5A and5Bdiffers from the embodiment shown inFIGS.4A and4Bin that guide means14,15,16is designed in two parts, with a first guide member14a,15a,16aand a second guide member14b,15b,16b. The first guide member14a,15a,16ahas the first support portion27for supporting conveyor belt11at the first height h1, and the second guide member14b,15b,16bhas the second support portion29for supporting conveyor belt11at the first height h2. In this embodiment, recess25is formed at least in sections between the first guide member14a,15a16aand the second guide member15b,14b,15b,16b, such that conveyor belt11can also give way at least partially, due to contact with the food product3to be conveyed, into the recess between the first guide member14a,15a,16aand the second guide member15b,14b,15b,16b.

In the embodiment shown inFIGS.5A and5B, the guide means or the guide members may have any shape which is suitable for guiding the conveyor belt at height h1and at height h2and for it to simultaneously have a recess25. The guide means is preferably designed as a guide plate15(cf.FIGS.7A,7B,9) or as a guide roll14,16(cf.FIGS.8A,8B,9).

FIG.6shows a first preferred embodiment of cutting machine1according to the invention. Cutting machine1is designed to convey food products3, preferably sausages, in a conveying direction T.

Cutting machine1comprises a cutting device5, a first conveyor device7upstream from the cutting device and a second conveyor device7downstream from cutting device5. The conveyor device7upstream from cutting device5and the conveyor device7downstream from cutting device5are preferably of identical design.

According to the embodiment shown, each conveyor device7has two conveyor units9,10which preferably have identical parts and are designed in mirror symmetry with each other. The first conveyor unit9and the second conveyor unit10are arranged parallel to and spaced apart from each other in contact area13, such that they are symmetrical with reference to a mirror plane formed by conveying direction T and a vertical direction h. Food products3are received between the first conveyor unit9and the second conveyor unit10for conveying in conveying direction T.

Each conveyor unit9,10has a conveyor belt11which extends at least in sections in conveying direction in contact area13, and a guide means15for guiding conveyor belt11. The conveyor device7downstream from cutting device5is preferably identical in design to conveyor device7upstream from cutting device5. The two conveyor devices7are preferably arranged, at least in sections, on a housing22of cutting machine1.

Conveyor units9,10each also have at least one deflection roll31for guiding and deflecting conveyor belt11. Deflection rolls31are rotatable about a rotational axis extending in direction h. Guide means15has a carrier plate33with a number of through holes35adapted to receive connecting elements38for connecting deflection rolls31with carrier plate33. Deflection rolls31each have a first stop member39and a second stop member40spaced apart in direction h, wherein conveyor belt11(cf.FIG.7B) is guided between the first stop member39and the second stop member40along deflection roll31, wherein stop members39,40prevent relative movement of conveyor belt11in direction h.

In contact area13(cf.FIG.6), guide means15has a first longitudinal edge41which extends in conveying direction T and which forms the first support portion27. Guide means15also has a second longitudinal edge43extending in conveying direction T, which provides support to the second support portion29. Guide means15is embodied between the first support portion and the second support portion with a concave shape in relation to conveyor belt11, such that recess25is integrally provided on guide means15, as shown in particular inFIG.7B.

AsFIG.7Balso shows, guide means15has a height hFand the conveyor belt has a height hTin direction h, with height hFexceeding height hT.

FIGS.8A and8Bshow a second preferred embodiment of the conveyor unit9according to the invention.

The conveyor unit9shown inFIGS.8A and8Bdiffers from the first embodiment shown inFIGS.7A and7Bby the formation of the guide means, which is embodied here as a number of guide rolls14,16.

The first guide roll14and the second guide roll16are each mounted on carrier plate33rotatably about a rotational axis extending in direction h.

Carrier plate33has through holes35which are designed for connecting elements38to pass through. By through holes35and the corresponding connecting elements38, it is possible to couple not only one deflection roll31, but also at least one guide roll14,16with carrier plate33. In this embodiment, deflection rolls31also have, in a known manner, an upper stop member39and a lower stop member40.

For a better overview, the side view inFIG.8Bshows only a guide roll14,16, and the deflection roll31upstream from the guide roll is masked out in this view. Guide roll14,16is mounted rotatably about a rotational axis D and has an upper support portion27for supporting conveyor belt11at a first height h1and a second support portion29for supporting conveyor belt11at a second height h2. Guide rolls14,16are designed as concave rolls, such that recess25is integrally embodied between the first support portion27and the second support portion29on the respective guide roll14,16.

Guide rolls14,16each preferably have a varying diameter in direction h which obtains a maximum dMaxin the region of the first support section27or at height h1and which obtains a second maximum dMaxin the region of the second support section29or at height h2. In the region of the receiving means, preferably in the middle between height h1and height h2, guide rolls14,16have a minimum diameter dMin. Conveyor belt11can thus give way into the recess25provided by guide roll14,16, due to contact with a food product3. Due to the fact that there is only rolling friction between guide rolls14,16and conveyor belt11, friction is minimized, and the conveying speed is affected only slightly by the conveyor belt11giving way into recess25.

FIG.9shows a third embodiment of conveyor unit9according to the invention. The embodiment shown inFIG.9differs from the embodiments shown inFIGS.7A and7Band inFIGS.8A and8Bin that a first guide means15is designed as a guide plate and a second guide means is provided in the form of two guide rolls14,16, wherein guide plate15and guide rolls14,16each have a first support portion27for supporting the food product at a first height h1, a second support portion29for supporting the food product at a second height h2and a recess25arranged between the first support portion27and the second support portion29.

Guide plate15is arranged between the two guide rolls14,16. In this preferred embodiment, conveyor belt11(cf.FIG.6) can also be supported in such a way by guide rolls14,16entering or exiting conveyor device7that it can give way into the recess25in guide rolls14,16due to contact with too large or too curved a food product3. Damage to food product3is thus prevented in this area also.

The shape and design of the guide means15embodied as a guide plate corresponds in all its features to the shape and design of the guide means according to the embodiments shown inFIGS.7A and7B.

The shape and design of guide rolls14,16corresponds to the shape and design of the guide rolls14,16in the embodiment shown inFIGS.8A and8B. By the two co-operating guide means14,15,16, conveyor belt11is reliably supported over the entire contact area13(cf.FIG.6), also and particularly in the region where the respective conveyor device7is entered or exited.

Within the meaning of the invention, the conveyor unit9shown inFIGS.7A to9can be used not only together with a correspondingly designed second conveyor unit10, conveyor units9,10each being arranged in contact area13parallel to and spaced-apart from each other in pairs, such that food product3is received between them. The conveyor units9shown inFIGS.7A to9can also be used in combination, so a first conveyor unit9may correspond, for example, to the first embodiment and a second conveyor unit10, arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the first conveyor unit9in contact area13, corresponds to the embodiments shown inFIGS.8A and8B.

The conveyor units9shown inFIGS.7A to9can also be used, within the meaning of the invention, in combination with a receiving means that is not shown her in further detail. Such a receiving means can be provided, for example, by a guide rail or a guide plate which guides food products3relative to conveyor unit9, the conveying movement in conveying direction T being produced solely by the friction between the conveyor belt11of conveyor units9, and food product3. Such a receiving means preferably has a low-friction surface coating.

The embodiments described above are only descriptions of preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various variations and modifications can be made to the technical solution of the present invention by those of ordinary skills in the art, without departing from the design and spirit of the present invention. The variations and modifications should all fall within the scope defined by the claims of the present invention.