Slicing machines, knife assemblies, and methods for slicing products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10328598-B2
Application number	US-201615275361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2016
Priority date	Sep 24, 2015
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

Methods and equipment suitable for slicing products into lattice-type slices or chips. The methods and equipment utilize a knife assembly that includes a corrugated knife having oppositely-disposed surfaces that terminate at a cutting edge. The knife assembly further includes a knife holder having a registration surface and an oppositely-disposed knife seat configured to mated with a first surface of the corrugated knife, and means for securing the knife to the knife seat of the knife holder. The knife seat comprises a pattern of peaks and valleys complementary to a pattern of peaks and valleys in the first surface of the corrugated knife. The securing means cooperates with the knife holder to inhibit accumulation of solids of products along at least one of the first and second surfaces of the corrugated knife, and/or stabilizes the knife by reducing a cantilevered beam length thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A knife assembly of a slicing machine adapted to slice products, the knife assembly comprising:
a corrugated knife having oppositely-disposed first and second surfaces terminating at a cutting edge, the cutting edge and at least portions of the first and second surfaces adjacent thereto being characterized by a pattern of peaks and valleys;
a knife holder having a registration surface and an oppositely-disposed knife seat mated with the first surface of the corrugated knife, the knife seat comprising a pattern of peaks and valleys complementary to the pattern of peaks and valleys in the first surface of the corrugated knife, the knife holder having a leading edge beyond which the corrugated knife and the cutting edge thereof project; and
means for securing the corrugated knife to the knife seat of the knife holder, the securing means comprising a member contacting the second surface of the corrugated knife, the member having fingers and notches therebetween that define a pattern complementary to the pattern of peaks and valleys in the second surface of the corrugated knife, the fingers engaging the valleys on the second surface of the corrugated knife and protruding beyond the leading edge of the knife holder to reduce a cantilevered beam length of the corrugated knife;
wherein the knife holder and the securing means cooperate to inhibit accumulation of solids of the products along at least one of the first and second surfaces of the corrugated knife.

2. The knife assembly of claim 1 , wherein the corrugated knife is stabilized as a result of the cantilevered beam length of the corrugated knife being reduced by the fingers of the member.

3. The knife assembly of claim 1 wherein the member is a clamp that secures the corrugated knife to the knife seat of the knife holder.

4. The knife assembly of claim 1 , wherein the securing means further comprises a clamp that secures the member and the corrugated knife to the knife seat of the knife holder, and the member is an adapter between the clamp and the corrugated knife.

5. The knife assembly of claim 4 , wherein the fingers substantially or entirely close openings or gaps under an edge of the clamp resulting from the valleys on the second surface of the corrugated knife.

6. The knife assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pattern of peaks and valleys of the corrugated knife is a periodic pattern.

7. The knife assembly of claim 1 , wherein the registration surface of the knife holder comprises a pattern of peaks and valleys complementary to the pattern of peaks and valleys in the first surface of the corrugated knife.

8. The knife assembly of claim 1 , wherein the knife assembly is secured to a segment of a cutting head.

9. The knife assembly of claim 1 , wherein the slicing machine utilizes the knife assembly and at least a second knife assembly to produce slices or chips of a lattice type.

10. A knife assembly comprising:
a corrugated knife having oppositely-disposed first and second surfaces terminating at a cutting edge, the cutting edge and at least portions of the first and second surfaces adjacent thereto being characterized by a pattern of peaks and valleys;
a knife holder having a registration surface and an oppositely-disposed knife seat mated with the first surface of the corrugated knife, the knife seat comprising a pattern of peaks and valleys complementary to the pattern of peaks and valleys in the first surface of the corrugated knife, the knife holder having a leading edge beyond which the corrugated knife and the cutting edge thereof project; and
means for securing the corrugated knife to the knife seat of the knife holder, the securing means comprising a member having fingers and notches therebetween that define a pattern complementary to the pattern of peaks and valleys in the second surface of the corrugated knife, the fingers of the member engaging the valleys on the second surface of the corrugated knife and protruding beyond the leading edge of the knife holder to reduce a cantilevered beam length of the corrugated knife.

11. The knife assembly of claim 10 , wherein the pattern of peaks and valleys of the corrugated knife is a periodic pattern.

12. The knife assembly of claim 10 , wherein the registration surface of the knife holder comprises a pattern of peaks and valleys complementary to the pattern of peaks and valleys in the first surface of the corrugated knife.

13. The knife assembly of claim 10 , wherein the member is a clamp that secures the corrugated knife to the knife seat of the knife holder.

14. The knife assembly of any one claim 10 , wherein the securing means further comprises a clamp that secures the member and the corrugated knife to the knife seat of the knife holder, and the member is an adapter between the clamp and the corrugated knife.

15. The knife assembly of claim 14 , wherein the fingers of the member substantially or entirely close openings or gaps under an edge of the clamp resulting from the valleys on the second surface of the corrugated knife.

16. The knife assembly of claim 10 , wherein the knife assembly is secured to a segment of a cutting head.

17. A method comprising using the knife assembly of claim 10 to produce slices or chips of a lattice type.

18. A knife assembly of a slicing machine adapted to slice products, the knife assembly comprising:
a corrugated knife having oppositely-disposed first and second surfaces terminating at a cutting edge, the cutting edge and at least portions of the first and second surfaces adjacent thereto being characterized by a pattern of peaks and valleys;
a knife holder having a registration surface and an oppositely-disposed knife seat mated with the first surface of the corrugated knife, the knife seat and the registration surface each comprising a pattern of peaks and valleys complementary to the pattern of peaks and valleys in the first surface of the corrugated knife, the knife holder having a leading edge beyond which the corrugated knife and the cutting edge thereof project, the patterns of peaks and valleys of the knife seat and the registration surface causing the leading edge to be sharp and have a substantially constant thickness; and
means for securing the corrugated knife to the knife seat of the knife holder, the securing means having fingers and notches therebetween that contact the second surface of the corrugated knife, distal ends of the fingers defining nearest adjacent extremities of the securing means to the cutting edge of the corrugated knife;
wherein the knife holder and the securing means cooperate to inhibit accumulation of solids of the products along at least one of the first and second surfaces of the corrugated knife.

19. A slicing machine for slicing products, the slicing machine comprising:
a cutting head having an annular shape that defines an axis of the cutting head, the cutting head having at least one knife assembly having a corrugated knife oriented axially at a perimeter of the cutting head and extending radially inward into an interior of the cutting head, the corrugated knife having oppositely-disposed first and second surfaces terminating at a cutting edge, the cutting edge and at least portions of the first and second surfaces adjacent thereto being characterized by a pattern of peaks and valleys; and
an impeller assembly coaxially mounted within the interior of the cutting head for rotation about the axis of the cutting head in a rotational direction relative to the cutting head, the impeller assembly comprising means for delivering p

Assignees

• Urschel Laboratories Inc

Inventors

• King Daniel Wade

Classifications

• B26D7/0691

  by centrifugal force · CPC title

• B26D3/26

  specially adapted for cutting fruit or vegetables, e.g. for onions · CPC title

• B26D7/2614 Primary

  Means for mounting the cutting member · CPC title

• B26D2210/02

  for cutting food products, e.g. food slicers · CPC title