Patent Publication Number: US-2023145450-A1

Title: Sheeter with laterally moveable discharge conveyor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS 
     Field of the Inventions 
     The present inventions relate to improvements in high speed production sheeting devices for comestible products (e.g., tortillas and tortilla chips). More specifically, the present inventions relate to sheeting devices with moveable discharge conveyor. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Corn tortillas and tortilla chips are cut from a sheet of corn dough, called “masa,” and then baked and/or fried. In mass production, the sheeting and cutting stages are accomplished by a tortilla sheeter. 
     High production tortilla sheeters feed masa from a hopper between a pair of large, stainless steel rollers which roll the masa into a sheet of substantially uniform thickness. The rollers are spaced apart in production to form a gap, known as a “pinch point gap,” through which the masa passes. The masa adheres to the surface of one of the rollers, known as the exit roller, after passing through the pinch point gap. A third roller then cuts the masa into either tortillas or tortilla chips. The third roller, known as the cutting roller, commonly has either circular shaped (for tortillas) or triangular-shaped (for tortilla chips) cutting guides positioned on the cylindrical external surface of the cutting roller. The cut tortillas or chips then are stripped from the exit roller by a stripper wire and/or a blower, or by a similar device. 
     A discharge conveyor assembly with a powered conveyor is positioned downstream from the cutting roller. The cut tortillas or chips fall onto the conveyor belt of the discharge conveyor. In order to ensure optimal payout of the cut pieces of dough onto the conveyor, the conveyor belt of the discharge conveyor is disposed partly under the cutting roller and runs at a speed approximately equal to the speed of the outer surface of the cutting roller. The discharge end of the discharge conveyor is disposed vertically above a downstream conveyor which can be used, for example, to feed tortillas into an oven. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS 
     An aspect of at least one of the inventions disclosed herein includes the realization that certain routine maintenance procedures employed for operating a dough sheeter includes the need to access components on the downstream side of the sheeter. For example, changing or repairing a stripper wire or accessing the cutting or other rollers. Conventional dough sheeters have a discharge conveyor assembly that is fixed to the discharge end of the sheeter. An aspect of at least one of the inventions disclosed herein includes the realization that the discharge conveyor can be mounted to be laterally translatable so as to allow a user to stand close to the discharge side of the dough sheeter and access those components. 
     Additionally, such a laterally movable discharge conveyor can also improve access to downstream components, such as a transfer conveyor or conveyor for feeding dough into an oven. By including a guide mechanism for moving the discharge conveyor assembly laterally relative to the sheeter, workers can also access downstream devices as well as the downstream end of the discharge conveyor, for performing maintenance procedures. 
     Thus, in accordance with some embodiments a dough sheeting device can comprise a support frame, a discharge conveyor assembly comprising a conveyor frame and a conveyor belt, the discharge conveyor assembly having an intake end, a discharge end, and a central portion between the intake and discharge ends, and a guide assembly supporting the discharge conveyor assembly for movement between a deployed position aligned with the support frame and a retracted position laterally offset from the deployed position. 
     In accordance with other embodiments, a dough sheeting device can comprise a support frame, a rear roller having a first outer surface and supported by the support frame to rotate about a first axis, a front roller having a second outer surface and supported by the support frame to rotate about a second axis spaced from the first axis such that juxtaposed portions of the first and second outer surfaces define a pinch point gap, a cutter roller having an outer cutting surface and supported by the support frame to rotate about a third axis spaced from the second axis such that the outer cutting surface and the second outer surface are sufficiently close to cut dough, a discharge conveyor assembly comprising a conveyor frame, a plurality of rollers supported by the conveyor frame, a drive roller, a drive motor connected to the drive roller and configured to rotate the drive roller, a conveyor belt wrapped around the plurality of rollers and the drive roller, the discharge conveyor assembly having an intake end, a discharge end, and a central portion between the intake and discharge ends, a guide assembly supporting the discharge conveyor assembly for movement between a deployed position and a retracted position. The guide assembly can comprise a base pedestal fixed to the support frame, a primary linear guide assembly comprising a plurality of primary carriage assemblies fixed to the base pedestal, first and second primary guide rails slidingly engaged with the plurality of primary carriage assemblies, and a primary guide frame supported by the first and second primary guide rails, a secondary linear guide assembly comprising a plurality of secondary carriage assemblies fixed to the primary guide frame, first and second secondary guide rails slidingly engaged with the plurality of secondary carriage assemblies, the first and second secondary guide rails supporting the discharge conveyor assembly, wherein the primary and secondary linear guide assemblies are configured to nest with each other when in the retracted position so as to support the discharge conveyor assembly in a position fully offset from the front roller and to extend in a telescoping manner when in the deployed position so as to support the discharge conveyor assembly in a position aligned with the front roller. 
     In accordance with yet additional embodiments, a dough sheeting device can comprise a support frame, a rear roller having a first outer surface and supported by the support frame to rotate about a first axis, a front roller having a second outer surface and supported by the support frame to rotate about a second axis spaced from the first axis such that juxtaposed portions of the first and second outer surfaces define a pinch point gap, a cutter roller having an outer cutting surface and supported by the support frame to rotate about a third axis spaced from the second axis such that the outer cutting surface and the second outer surface are sufficiently close to cut dough, a discharge conveyor assembly comprising a conveyor frame, a plurality of rollers supported by the conveyor frame, a conveyor belt wrapped around the plurality of rollers, the discharge conveyor assembly having an intake end, a discharge end, and a central portion between the intake and discharge ends, a guide assembly supporting the discharge conveyor assembly for movement between a deployed position and a retracted position. The guide assembly can comprise a base fixed to the support frame, a primary linear guide assembly supported on the base and configured to slide laterally relative to the support frame, a secondary linear guide assembly supported on and configured to slide laterally relative to the primary linear guide assembly, the discharge conveyor assembly being supported on the secondary linear guide assembly, wherein the primary and secondary linear guide assemblies are configured to nest with each other when in the retracted position so as to support the discharge conveyor assembly in a position fully offset from the front roller and to extend in a telescoping manner when in the deployed position so as to support the discharge conveyor assembly in a position aligned with the front roller. 
     In accordance with yet additional embodiments, a dough sheeting device can comprise a support frame, a discharge conveyor assembly comprising a conveyor frame and a conveyor belt, the discharge conveyor assembly having an intake end, a discharge end, and a central portion between the intake and discharge ends, and a guide assembly supporting the discharge conveyor assembly for movement between a deployed position aligned with the support frame and a retracted position laterally offset from the deployed position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features of the inventions disclosed herein are described below with reference to the following drawings. The illustrated embodiments of the sheeter are intended to illustrate, but not to limit, the inventions. 
         FIG.  1    is a top, front, and right-side perspective view of an embodiment of a sheeter with the discharge conveyor assembly in the deployed position. 
         FIG.  2    is a top, front, and left-side perspective view of the sheeter of  FIG.  1   , with the discharge conveyor in the retracted position. 
         FIG.  3    is a left-side elevational view of the dough sheeter of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a cutting roller that can be incorporated into the dough sheeter of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic representation of a front, rear, and cutter roller within the sheeter of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic side elevational view of the roller arrangement of  FIG.  5    illustrating an operation of a stripper wire illustrated in  FIG.  5   ; 
         FIG.  7    is a top, front, and right-side perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG.  1   , with certain components removed. 
         FIG.  8    is a top, front, and left-side perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG.  7   , with certain components removed. 
         FIG.  9    is an enlarged perspective view of the discharge conveyor assembly of the embodiment of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  10    is left side elevational view of the discharge conveyor assembly of the embodiment of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  11    is an enlarged perspective view of the discharge conveyor assembly of the embodiment of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  12    is a front elevational view of the discharge conveyor assembly with gear  1 , with additional components removed. 
         FIG.  13    is a top plan view of a guide mechanism that can be used for the embodiment of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  14    is a front, top, and right-side perspective view of the guide mechanism in the deployed position. 
         FIG.  15    is a top, front, and right-side perspective view of the guide mechanism of  FIG.  14   , in an intermediate position. 
         FIG.  16    is another top, front, and right-side perspective view of the guide mechanism of  FIG.  14   , in corresponding to the retracted position. [Reverse the above mentioned extended and retracted positions.] 
         FIG.  17    is a top plan view of the sheeter of  FIG.  1   , with the discharge conveyor in the retracted position and the schematic of a downstream dough handling device with maintenance workers standing between the sheeter and downstream device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The inventions disclosed herein have applicability to sheeters used in conjunction with continuously moving conveyor systems. However, an understanding of the inventions disclosed herein is facilitated with the following description of the application of the principles of the present inventions to dough rolling, and in particular, rolling dough into tortillas and tortilla chips. In some embodiments, the inventions disclosed herein can be used in conjunction with sheeters that have a sheet thickness control system, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,470,599, and 8,740,602, the entire contests of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a tortilla sheeter  10  having a laterally moveable discharge conveyor  100 . The tortilla sheeter  10  is in the configuration for tortilla chip production, and can include various types of electronic thickness control, pinch point gap control, and other related systems and functionality. The inventions disclosed herein have applicability to a variety of different types of food rolling machines and sheeters, however, tortilla sheeters, such as the sheeter  10  the basic understanding of which provides useful context for appreciation of the inventions disclosed herein. 
     With continued reference to  FIG.  1   , the sheeter  10  includes a roller assembly  14  and a support frame assembly  16 . The support frame assembly  16  is in the form of a housing which can include and support various types of devices for operations of the sheeter  10 . The roller drive assembly can include electric motors  18  and an appropriate gear reduction mechanism for driving a shaft of one or both of the rollers. The roller assembly  14  is attached to the support assembly  16 . Additionally, a hopper assembly  22  is supported above the rollers of the roller assembly  14 . 
     The roller drive assembly  14  also includes a generally cylindrical front roller  24  and a generally cylindrical rear roller  26 . The rollers  24 ,  26  can have a slightly roughened surface (obtained, for example, with sandblasting). The rollers  24 ,  26  are rotated in opposite directions and can be driven at the same speed or slightly different speeds, depending on desired performance characteristics. The rollers  24 ,  26  are positioned generally parallel to each other. 
     With reference to  FIG.  4   , the roller assembly  14  can also include a cutting roller  28 . The cutting roller  28  is in the form of a cutting roller designed for tortilla chip manufacturing, and thus includes triangular-shaped recesses and edges for cutting triangular pieces of dough. The cutting roller  28  is also mounted within the roller drive  14 . 
     With reference to  FIGS.  5  and  6   , the rollers  24 ,  26  are mounted parallel to each other to define a pinch point gap  30 . The hopper ( FIG.  1   ) is mounted above the rollers  24 ,  26  so as to support dough, such as masa  32  above the pinch point gap  30 . As such, as the rollers  24 ,  26  are driven in counter-rotating directions, the masa  32  is pulled into the pinch point gap  30 . A thin layer of dough  32  is discharged form the pinch point gap and adhered to an outer surface of the roller  24 . As the sheet of dough  32  moves counter-clockwise along with the roller  24  (as viewed in  FIG.  5   ), it is passed between the cutting roller  28  and the outer surface of the front roller  24 . The cutting roller  28  cuts the dough sheet  32  into desired shapes. In the illustrated prior art device, the dough is cut into triangular shaped pieces of dough for making tortilla chips. Other types of cutting rollers can also be used. 
     The front roller  24  also includes a plurality of grooves, in which bands  34  are disposed. The grooves have an inner surface that has a smaller diameter than the inner surface of the bands  34 . The bands are sufficiently large that they can be pulled approximately parallel or slightly projecting from the outer surface of the roller  24 . 
     A stripper wire  36  is secured to the roller assembly  14  at locations adjacent to both ends of the front roller  24  and downstream from the cutter roller  28 . More specifically, the stripper wire  36  is mounted at the right end of the front roller  24  adjacent to the right-most point of contact  38  and secured at the left end of the roller  24  adjacent to the left-most point of contact  40 . The stripper wire is threaded under the bands  34 . As such, the stripper wire can strip off cut pieces of dough from the outer surface of the front roller  24  yet allow remaining pieces of dough, referred to as “rework”, to remain in contact with the bands  34  and be fed back into the hopper so as to become reworked with the dough  32  above the pinch point gap ( FIG.  6   ). 
     With reference to  FIG.  4   , during operation, the rotation of the roller  24  (counter-clockwise in  FIGS.  4  and  5   ) and the resulting friction between the stripper wire  36  and the outer surface of the roller  24  and the bands  34  (which rotate with the roller  24 ) causes the stripper wire  36  to be pulled in the counterclockwise direction. As such, the stripper wire tends to follow an arched shape around the front roller  24 . For example, as shown in  FIG.  4   , the right-most point of contact  38  of the stripper wire  36  and the outer surface of the front roller  24  is close to the cutter roller  28 . However, towards the center of the front roller  24 , the stripper wire  36  is pulled up to an apex  42  which is at the highest point of contact  42  between the stripper wire  36  and the outer surface of the roller  24 . The stripper wire  36  can break, which requires a user to access the space at the discharge side of the front roller  24  and the stripper wire mount points for appropriate repairs. 
     With continued reference to  FIGS.  4  and  5   , the difference in height between the right-most contact point  38  and the apex  42  causes individually cut pieces of dough  44  to be separated and fall away from the outer surface of the front roller  24  at different heights. For example, triangular pieces of dough discharge from the front roller  24  near the contact point  36  are dropped immediately down onto an output conveyor assembly  100 . At an intermediate contact point  48  between the contact points  36  and  42 , the cut pieces of dough fall a distance  50  from the outer surface of the roller to the output conveyor  46 . Further, at or near the contact point  42 , the cut pieces of dough fall a greater distance  52  which is much greater than the distance  50 , onto the output conveyor  100 . The higher the contact point  42 , the larger the distance  52 . 
     As noted above with reference to  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the discharge conveyor  100  is laterally moveable between a deployed position ( FIG.  1   ) and a retracted position ( FIG.  2   ). 
     With reference to  FIGS.  7 - 9   , the discharge conveyor assembly  100  can include a guide assembly  102  supporting the discharge conveyor assembly  104  for lateral movement. The discharge conveyor assembly  104  can include an intake end  106 , a middle guide portion  108 , and a discharge end portion  110 . In  FIG.  7   , the front roller  24  has been removed, revealing that the intake end  106  is normally disposed below at least a portion of the front roller  24  during use, thereby ensuring that cut pieces of dough fall onto the intake end  106  of the conveyor assembly  104 . 
     The conveyor assembly  104  includes a frame and a plurality of roller guides and a drive roller for driving a conveyor belt  112  during operation. For example, the conveyor assembly  104  can include a right side framing member  114  and a left side frame assembly  116 . Additionally, the right and left side frame assemblies  114 ,  116  can include pivotable portions  118 ,  120 , respectively configured to allow the discharge end  110  to be adjusted upward or downward. A drive motor  122  can be mounted to the right side frame assembly  114  and connected to a drive roller (not shown) engaged with the conveyor belt  112  for driving the conveyor belt in the desired direction and speed. 
     The guide assembly  102  can be configured to allow the conveyor assembly  104  to be translated or moved between the deployed position ( FIG.  1   ) and the retracted position ( FIG.  2   ). In the illustrated embodiment, the guide assembly  102  includes a pedestal portion  130 , a primary slide assembly  132  and a secondary slide assembly  134 . 
     The pedestal portion  130  can include a strut portion  140  and an upper base plate  142 . The strut portion  140  can be attached directly to the frame  16  of the sheeter  10 . As such, the positioning of the discharge conveyor assembly  104  can be positively registered with the support frame  16  and thus with all the components of the sheeter  10 . 
     The primary guide portion  132  can include an arrangement of rails and carriages forming a linear guide assembly. In the illustrated embodiment, four carriages assemblies  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  ( FIG.  13   ) are mounted to the base plate  142 . The carriage assemblies  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  can be commercially available carriage assemblies including an open bore carriage housing and an open bore carriage member such as those used in commercially available linear guide systems. 
     The primary guide portion  132  also includes a front side primary frame member  152  and a rear primary frame member  154 . A front side linear guide  156  is rigidly fixed to the front primary frame member  152 . Additionally, a rear side primary guide member  158  is rigidly fixed to the rear primary frame member  154 . Additionally, the carriage assemblies  144 ,  146  are slidably engaged with the front side guide member  156  and the carriage assemblies  148 ,  150  are slidably engaged with the rear side primary linear guide member  158 . As such, the front and rear side primary frame members  156 ,  158  can slide or translate laterally, left and right, relative to the pedestal portion  130 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  9   , a plurality of cross members  160  extend between and rigidly connect the front primary frame member  152  to the rear primary frame member  154 . Additionally, with reference to  FIGS.  10  and  13   , a plurality of secondary carriage assemblies are fixed to the front and rear primary frame members  152 ,  154 . For example, carriage assemblies  170 ,  172  are fixed to the front side primary frame member  152  and carriage assemblies  174 ,  176  are fixed to the rear side primary frame member  152  and carriage assemblies  174 ,  176  are fixed to the rear side primary frame member  154 . 
     The frame members  114  and  116  are mounted to front and rear side secondary guiderails  180 ,  182 . In the illustrated embodiments, the front and rear secondary guiderails  180 ,  182  are secured to spacer members  184 ,  186  and upper support members  188 ,  190 . The frame members  114 ,  116  are secured to the support members  188 ,  190 . 
     With reference to  FIGS.  14 - 16   , the front secondary linear guide member  180  is slidably engaged with the front side secondary carriage assemblies  170 ,  172 . The rear secondary linear guide  182  is slidably engaged with the rear side carriage assemblies  174 ,  176 . The secondary carriage assemblies  170 ,  172 ,  174 ,  176  can be an open bore type of carriage member assembly. The secondary carriage assemblies  170 ,  172 ,  174 ,  176 , along with the front and rear secondary guiderails  180 ,  182 , form the secondary guide assembly  134 . 
       FIG.  14    illustrates the positioning of the primary and secondary guide assemblies  132 ,  134  in the deployed position. In this position, in use, the conveyor assembly  104  is supported, in a cantilevered manner, in the proper position aligned with the front roller  24  and orientated for conveying cut dough pieces away from the front roller  24 . The primary and secondary guide assemblies  132 ,  134  are configured to nest or telescope between the deployed and retracted positions. For example, the secondary guide assembly  134  can retract into the primary guide assembly  132  by the action of the front and rear secondary linear guide members  180 ,  182  sliding along the carriage assemblies  170 ,  172 ,  174 ,  176 , to the position illustrated in  FIG.  15   . Further, the primary guide assembly  132  can also further slide laterally thereby further carrying the secondary guide assembly  134  further in the lateral direction, for example, to the position illustrated in  FIG.  16    or even further such as the position illustrated in  FIG.  2   . 
     With reference to  FIG.  3   , optionally, the sheeter  10  can include a blockable side passage  190  formed in a side plate member of the frame  16 . The passage  90  can be shaped to allow a portion or all of the intake end  106  of the conveyor assembly  104  to pass therethrough during movement in the lateral direction. Additionally, the sheeter  10  can include a blocking member  192  removably engaged to the frame  16  so as to block the passage  190 , selectively. With the blocking member  192  in place, the conveyor assembly  104  cannot be moved out of its deployed position. 
     With reference to  FIG.  17   , with the conveyor assembly  104  moved to the retracted position, workers  200 ,  202  can enter a space directly in front of the sheeter  10 , to thereby provide easer access to the components of the sheeter  10  for maintenance, for example, but without limitation, repairing or replacing a stripper wire, servicing or inspecting the front roller, cleaning, etc. Users  200 ,  202  can also access the discharge end  110  of the conveyor assembly because it is also offset from downstream devices when in the retracted position. Additionally, this also provides users  200 ,  202  with the ability to access areas of a downstream component, for example, an oven feed conveyor device  210 . 
     While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the claimed subject matter in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the described embodiment or embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope defined by the claims, which includes known equivalents and foreseeable equivalents at the time of filing this patent application.