Abstract:
An automatic food product cutting apparatus is provided that employs a continuously rotating table arranged with multiple cutter cups, each cup being aligned with a plunger that rotates with the table. The plungers are driven to force fruit through the cup and to withdraw from the cup by cam following rollers that follow a generally elliptical cam track. The cam track is concentric to but does not rotate with the table. With this arrangement, a single drive motor is used to power both the rotation of the table and the plunging force to push the food product through the cutter cups, thereby achieving smooth, continuous operation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a slicing or sectionizing apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for automatically and continuously cutting food products. 
     In the commercial preparation of food products, especially fruit products for the food service industry, it is often necessary or desirable to cut the fruit or other products into some predetermined form or shape. For example, in the case of citrus fruit, it is common for a commercial kitchen to employ hand laborers to slice fruit into wedges or segments for presentation with a meal. Also, it is common for restaurants, hotel kitchens, or other institutional kitchens to slice citrus fruit transversely into “wheels” for presentation in or as a garnish with beverages. This is particularly common in providing “lemon wheels” for presentation in ice water at upscale hotels and restaurants. 
     Since preparation of fruit sections or wheels is highly labor intensive, it is desirable to provide a mechanism that can perform this task automatically. Prior devices that have been used for this purpose have been of two general types. Manual sectionizers are slow, single fruit devices with one cutting barrel or cup. While these devices are adaptable to cut either sections or slices, they cannot produce the volume of production required in a modern commercial kitchen. Automatic devices, while faster than the manual sectionizers, are still too slow. They are stop-and-go single or multiple plunger units, usually requiring special air supplies to operate. Moreover, they are large and cumbersome and consume significant space in commercial facilities, making them less adaptable to existing layouts. Stop-and-go units typically require multiple power sources with special mechanisms to ensure alignment of the cutting barrel and plunger. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel food product cutting apparatus that overcomes the problems experienced with prior devices. 
     A primary object of the invention is to provide an automatic food cutter that is effective and efficient in the setting of a commercial foodservice operation, such as an institutional kitchen. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a food cutting device that is capable of continuous, smooth and quiet, high volume operation that uses a single conventional power source to provide both the high speed operation and the motive force to cut the food products. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a food cutting device that is capable of performing a variety of different cutting operations and which is capable of operating at a wide variety of different speeds. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a versatile food cutting device that can operate on a variety of food products, is moveable, requires a minimum of space, and is easily adaptable to current equipment layouts. 
     It is yet another object of the invention to provide a food product cutting apparatus that is capable of achieving the above objects and is still easy to clean and maintain, and is efficient in operation. 
     These and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing an automatic food product cutting device that employs a continuously rotating table arranged with multiple cutting cups, each cup being aligned with a plunger that rotates with the table. The plungers are driven to force product through the cup and to withdraw from the cup by cam following rollers that follow a generally elliptical cam track. The cam track is concentric to, but does not rotate with, the rotating table. With this arrangement, a single drive motor is used to power both the rotation of the table and the plunging force to push the product through the cutter cups, thereby achieving smooth, continuous operation. 
     In the cutting apparatus of the present invention, the table rotates through a loading station and a cutting station, and the plungers are caused to move away from the cutter cups at the loading station and toward, into, and through the cutter cups at the cutting station. The cam track is not perfectly elliptical, but instead is arranged to hold the plungers at or near their maximum distance from the cutters while the cutters pass through the loading station, and to accelerate the product downwardly through the cutters at the cutting station. For safety purposes, the cam track includes a ledge to prevent a plunger from moving toward the cutters as the cutters pass through the loading station, and the loading station is provided with contact switches at each side to stop operation of the apparatus if the switches are contacted. The cutting apparatus is also provided with a receptacle to receive cut product and a conveyor to remove the cut product from the receptacle. If desired, the apparatus can be provided with a product feeding mechanism to supply product to the loading station automatically. 
     In addition, the cutters of the present invention are comprised of removable cups that contain an array of cutting blades. A flexible support membrane extends across the top of the cup to releasably receive and support the product for cutting. The cups are removable and replaceable to permit use of different configurations of the array of cutting blades. The plungers are provided with plunger heads that contact and push the product through the cutters. These plunger heads are also removable and replaceable to accommodate different configurations of the blade arrays. The apparatus includes a pair of guide plates mounted on the same axis as the table for synchronous rotation with the table and for the purpose of guiding each plunger toward and away from its respective cutter cup. 
     These and other aspects of the invention will be more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment thereof when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings and appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar parts, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the of the present invention shown partly assembled to more clearly depict certain parts thereof; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the plunger of the present invention, showing its relation to the support membrane, cutter, and rotating table; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cam track of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the cam track, taken partly in section, and showing the cam follower, safety ledge, and the cam track&#39;s relation to the frame and central rotating axis of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the guide plate of the present invention showing the preferred roller bearing arrangement for guiding the plunger shaft; and 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the cutting apparatus showing the motor and gearbox, and showing the receptacle and conveyor for removing product from the apparatus. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A partially assembled food product cutting apparatus is generally shown at  10  in FIG.  1  and is comprised of a frame  12  arranged to be moveable on locking casters  14 . A rotary table  16  is mounted for rotation above a platform  18  on the frame  12  and is arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane by being secured to a central rotating axle center rotary shaft  20 . The axle center rotary shaft  20  could be a stationary post with the table mounted for rotation by a conventional bearing and being driven by, for example, a gear track around the periphery of the table. However, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the table is rigidly secured to the central axle center rotary shaft  20 , and the axle center rotary shaft  20  is driven by a motor  22  and gearbox  24  to provide the motive force to rotate the table  16 . The motor  22  and gearbox  24  are best seen in FIG.  6 . The upper end of the axle center rotary shaft  20  is rotatably received in a bearing (not shown in FIG. 1) that is ultimately secured to a plate  26  that is formed as part of the frame  12 . 
     The table  16  shown in FIG. 1 has eight evenly spaced apertures  28  in which an array of cutting cups (not shown in FIG. 1) are positioned. Positioned over each aperture  28  is a plunger assembly  30 , which is moveable toward and away from the aperture  28  in a manner that will be described in more detail below. The purpose of this motion is to force food products through the apertures  28 , and the cutter cups positioned therein, to perform the cutting operation of the apparatus  10 . For clarity of illustration, only one plunger assembly has been shown in FIG. 1, but it will be noted that a separate plunger assembly  30  is provided for each aperture  28  in the table  16 . 
     The detailed structure of the plunger assembly  30  is best illustrated in FIG.  2 . The plunger assembly  30  is comprised of a shaft  32 , preferably having a hexagonal cross section, that has a plunger head mounting bracket  34  secured to its lower end by a machine screw  36 . To prevent rotation of the bracket  34  with respect to the shaft  32 , the bracket has a groove or slot  38  that aligns with the flats of the shaft  32 . A removable plunger head, indicated generally at  40 , is attached to the mounting bracket  34  by a pair of machine screws  42 . The plunger head  40  can be molded as a single piece, including a base section  44  that has a pair of threaded holes for receiving the screws  42 . Extending downwardly from the base section  44  are a series of product contacting fingers  46  arranged to cooperate with the array of cutting blades located in the apertures  28 . The fingers  46  have product contacting surfaces  48  that are angled inwardly to contact and control the food product to be cut as nearly as possible toward the center of the aperture  28 . 
     In order to removably hold the aforementioned array of cutting blades in the apertures  28 , a cutter blade cup  50  is received in the aperture  28 . The cutter cup  50  has an upper flange  52  that is received in a recess  54  formed around the aperture  28 . The array of cutting blades  56  is disposed in the interior of the cup  50  and can be of any desired configuration. For example, to create wedge sections of fruit, two, three or more blades extending across the diameter of the cup  50  would be spaced radially evenly from one another. To core and create wedge sections of fruit, three, four or more blades extending from a central cylindrical blade would be spaced radially evenly from one another. To create slices, a series of blades would extend across the interior of the cup  50  parallel to one another and spaced any desired distance apart. In order to ensure that the cup  50  is oriented in the proper relationship to the plunger head  40 , the cup  50  includes one or more keys  58  that cooperate with a recess  60  in the aperture  28 . 
     To hold the food product to be cut in position above the cup  50 , a flexible support  62  is secured to the top of the cup  50 . The flexible support  62  includes inwardly extending fingers  64  that are sufficiently rigid to support the product to be cut, such as a citrus fruit. The fingers are sufficiently flexible to yield to the force of the plunger  30  and allow the product to be forced through the support  62 , and into and through the cutter cup  50 . The support  62  is preferably secured to the cup  50  by mating of a ridge formed around the top lip of cup  50  and a groove formed in support  62  and is aligned by pins, formed in cup  50 , and fitting into holes  66 . If desired, the support  62  and the cup  50  can be secured to the table  16  by these same screws passing through the flange  52  and the recess  54  in the aperture  28 . 
     For the purpose of driving the plunger assemblies  30  toward and away from the cutter cups  50 , a cam track following roller assembly  68  is provided at the top of the plunger assembly  30 . For a clearer understanding of the roller assembly  68 , reference will be made to FIGS. 3 and 4, which illustrate the cam track, indicated generally at  70 , in more detail. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cam track taken in the same direction as seen in FIG.  1 . It can be seen that the cam track consists of an annular curved track  72  supported by an internal web  74 . The entire assembly is suspended from the frame  12  by an upper plate  76  that is bolted to plate  26  of the frame  12  (FIG.  4 ). At the lower end of a central post  78  of the cam track  70  is a lower plate  80  that provides support for the upper end of the central rotating axle center rotary shaft  20 . For this purpose, a bearing  82  is secured to the lower plate  80 , and the upper end of the axle center rotary shaft  20  is rotatably received in the bearing  82 . 
     With this arrangement, it can be seen that the cam track  70  will remain stationary with respect to the frame while the table  16  and axle center rotary shaft  20  rotate below it. Since the plunger assembly  30  also rotates with the table  16  and axle center rotary shaft  20 , the roller assembly  68  will cause the plunger assembly to change elevation in accordance with the geometry of the curved cam track  72 . Viewed from directly above, the cam track  72  would appear to be circular and concentric with the axle center rotary shaft  20 . 
     As can be seen in both FIGS. 3 and 4, the actual path of the track  72  is set generally on a plane that is oblique to the axle center rotary shaft  20 , and is therefore referred to as being generally elliptical. When reference is made to the path of the track  72  as being generally elliptical, it must be understood that the preferred path of the track  72  is not actually an ellipse. Rather, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the geometry of the track  72  is arranged to achieve specific motion of the plunger assembly  30 , which will be described in more detail below. 
     The structure of the cam track following roller assembly  68  is best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4. The roller assembly  68  is comprised of an upper roller  84  and lower roller  86  that are secured to the plunger shaft  32  by an inside plate  88  and an outside plate  90 . Both plates  88  and  90  are fastened to the shaft  32  by bolts  92 , but the inside plate  88  extends only up to the lower roller  86 , and the outside plate  90  extends up to secure both the lower and the upper rollers  86  and  84 . This is because if the inside plate  88  extended up to the upper roller  84 , it would interfere with the internal web  74  of the cam track  70 . 
     In order to guide the plunger assemblies  30  toward and away from the cups  50 , and referring again to FIG. 1, the shafts  32  of the plunger assemblies  30  pass through a pair of guide plates  94 . The plunger guide plates  94  are spaced vertically above the table  16  and are secured to the central axle center rotary shaft  20  for synchronous rotation with the table  16 . Each of the guide plates  94  has a series of apertures  96  aligned with the apertures  28  in the table  16 . The table  16  and the plates  94  are keyed to the central axle center rotary shaft  20  by a key  98  that ensures synchronous rotation of the table and plates, and constant alignment of the plungers  30  with the cutter cups  50 . 
     As can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plunger shaft  32  is preferably hexagonal in cross section, and each of the apertures  96  in the guide plates  94  is provided with a group of roller bearings  100 . The roller bearings are arranged to bear against surfaces of the shafts  32  to keep the plungers  30  in alignment with the cups  50 . FIG. 5 illustrates the detail of the roller bearings  100  and shows that they are secured to the plate  94  by screws  102  after they have been carefully positioned by set screws  104 . 
     In operation, referring again to FIG. 1, food products to be cut into desired shapes by the apparatus  10  are received at a loading station, indicated generally at  106 . The food products are received on the flexible support  62  for transport to a cutting station, indicated generally at  108 . As a cutting cup  50  passes through the loading station  106 , an operator places a piece of product to be cut, such as a whole citrus fruit, on the flexible support  62  covering the cup  50 . As the table proceeds in its rotary motion, the cam following rollers  84  and  86  follow the curved track  72  and force the plunger assembly  30  downwardly toward the cutter cup  50 . More specifically, in order to facilitate loading of product onto the flexible support  62  and cutter cup  50 , the annular track  72  is arranged to hold the plunger assembly  30  at or near its greatest distance from the cup  50  while the cup passes through the loading station  106 . After clearing the loading station  106 , the track  72  resumes its generally elliptical path until it approaches the cutting station  108 . At the cutting station  108 , the cam track  72  takes a pronounced dip downwardly as at  110  in order to cause the fingers  46  to accelerate the product being cut through and out of the cutter cup  50 . After passing through the cutting station  108 , the cam track  72  resumes its generally elliptical path to return the plunger assembly  30  to its position spaced above the cutter cup  50  to receive another product at the loading station  106 . It will be noted that the cam track  72  is shown as being symmetrical on its path to and from the cutting station. While this is the preferred form of the track  72 , it is not necessary to achieve the desired results of the present invention. 
     In order to enhance safe operation of the apparatus  10 , a safety ledge  112  can be provided on the cam track  70 . As best seen in FIG. 4, the safety ledge protrudes beneath the inside plate  88  and bolts  92  of the cam track following roller assembly  68  while the plunger assembly passes through the loading station  106 . The ledge  112  is secured to the cam track  70  by being bolted to the lower plate  80  and by a spacer and pair of bolts  114  extending from the internal web  74 . With this arrangement, should the outside plate  90  or upper roller  84  of the cam track following roller assembly  68  fail while the plunger assembly  30  is passing through the loading station  106 , the ledge  112  would catch the inside plate  88  and bolts  92  and prevent the plunger assembly  30  from falling toward the cutter cup  50  at a time when the operator is likely to have his hand between the plunger and the cup. To further enhance the safe operation of the apparatus  10 , contact switches (not shown) can be located along the inside of vertical frame members  116 , or at any other suitable position defining the loading station  106 . If the operator or any object touches either of these switches, the apparatus  10  will come to an immediate stop. 
     To remove finished cut product from the apparatus  10 , as best illustrated in FIG. 6, a catching tank  118  and conveyor  120  are provided. Cut product is ejected from the bottom of the cutter cup  50  at the cutting station  108  and falls into the tank  118 , which may, if desired, contain a water bath and may or may not include some treatment material. The removal conveyor  120  then transfers the cut product from the bath away from the apparatus  10  for packaging or further processing. If desired, an automatic feeder (not shown) can be provided at the loading station  106  to automatically provide product to the loading station for cutting by the apparatus  10 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the rotary table  16  is formed of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and the plunger guide plates  94  are formed of stainless steel. Although any desired number of cutter cups  50  can be arranged on the table  16 , with eight cups as shown, a rotational speed of between about 7 to 11 revolutions per minute is preferred. For this purpose, the apparatus is preferably provided with a control so that the operator can adjust the rotational speed of the apparatus from about 4 to 15 R.P.M. If automatic supply of product is used, the rotational speed could be much higher. 
     Although the apparatus has been discussed as being intended for use in sectionizing or slicing citrus fruit, it will be understood that the present invention would be suitable for cutting many other food products such as apples or pears. If desired, the apparatus  10  could be used to cut product that has already been subjected to some processing, such as pitted stone fruit or fruit halves. In addition, the apparatus of the present invention is moveable on the locking casters  14 , occupies minimal space, and because the cups and plunger heads are removable, the apparatus is easy to clean and service. 
     Various modifications and changes may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purpose of example, and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined in the following claims. 
     The words used in this specification to describe the present invention are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition, structure, material, or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material, or acts for performing substantially the same finction in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. 
     In addition to the equivalents of the claimed elements, obvious substitutions now or later known to one of ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. 
     The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the invention.