Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
`
`The Invention Claimed Is:
`
`A food article slicing machine comprising:
`
`a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the
`
`blade along a cutting path in a cutting plane;
`
`a food article feed apparatus disposed over a food article loading apparatus,
`
`said food article feed apparatus having an upper conveyor assembly with
`
`independently driven endless conveyor belts, each belt connected to a food article
`
`gripper for moving a food article along a food article feed path.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 1, wherein the food article feed path
`
`comprise lanes within a lift tray.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 1, wherein a food article gate disposed
`
`upstream of the slicing station forms a portion of the food article feed path.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 3, wherein the food article loading
`
`apparatus includes a lift tray assembly moveable between a staging position and an
`
`elevated position, said elevated position being a position wherein the food articles
`
`disposed within the lift tray assembly are in the food article feed path;
`
`and wherein the food articles are supported in position along the food article feed
`
`path by at least the food article gate when the lift tray assembly is moved from its
`
`elevated position.
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`Page 20 of 36
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`The food article slicing machine of claim 1, wherein the food article feed path feeds
`
`the food article between a front lower conveyor and upper presser plate upstream of
`
`the slicing station
`
`A food article slicing machine comprising:
`
`a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the
`
`blade along a cutting path in a cutting plane;
`
`a base section supporting a moveable frame, said moveable frame supporting
`
`a food article feed mechanism frame; and
`
`a safety guard system for detecting an intrusion into the machine.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 6 wherein the safety guard system
`
`comprises a laser source.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 7 wherein the laser source projects an arc
`
`shaped beam.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 8 wherein the laser source is oriented such
`
`that the arc is horizontal.
`
`10.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 8 wherein the fan beam is adjustable to
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`produce an arc of up to 360 degrees.
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`Page 21 0f36
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`11.
`
`12.
`
`13.
`
`14.
`
`15.
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`The food article slicing machine of claim 8 wherein the arc covers at least a portion
`
`of the slicing machine.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 8 further comprising a sensor for detecting
`
`an intrusion into the arc.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 12 wherein the sensor communicates an
`
`intrusion to a slicing machine control which halts at least one aspect of machine
`
`operations when an intrusion is sensed.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 13 wherein the area swept out by the arc
`
`shaped beam is horizontal.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 8 wherein the arc shaped beam sweeps out
`
`an area covering a least a portion of the region between the base section of the
`
`slicing machine and the collapsible frame.
`
`16.
`
`A food article slicing machine comprising:
`
`a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the
`
`blade along a cutting path;
`
`a food article feed apparatus moving one or more food articles for
`
`movement along a corresponding food article path intersecting the cutting path; and
`
`a food article loading apparatus having
`
`a lift tray assembly for receiving food articles, and
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`Page 22 of 36
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`a lift tray positioning apparatus for moving the lift tray between a
`
`lowered position where food articles are loaded onto the lift tray, and
`
`a raised position where food articles are moved into a staging
`
`position.
`
`17.
`
`18.
`
`19.
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`The food article slicing machine of claim 16 wherein the lift tray assembly comprises
`
`a frame that supports a moveable food article support tray.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 17 wherein the moveable food article
`
`support tray comprises guard rails that define at least one lane for moving food
`
`article towards the cutting path.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 18 wherein the moveable food article
`
`support tray comprises four guard rails to define three lanes for conveying three
`
`food articles simultaneously towards the cutting path.
`
`20.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 17 wherein the frame comprises an end
`
`plate on the end of the tray closest to the slicing station.
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`20
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`21.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 20 wherein the frame further comprises an
`
`inner frame for supporting the moveable food article support tray, said inner frame
`
`moveable vertically with respect to the frame.
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`Page 23 of 36
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`22.
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`23.
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`The food article slicing machine of claim 21 wherein vertical movement of the inner
`
`frame elevates the moveable food article support tray.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 22 wherein the vertical movement of the
`
`inner frame is actuated by pneumatic cylinders having rods connected to cross
`
`members of the inner frame, and cylinder bodies of the pneumatic cylinders fastened
`
`to cross members of the frame.
`
`24.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 22 wherein the moveable food article
`
`support tray in its elevated position has a tray top surface that is just above the top of
`
`the end plate to allow for longitudinal movement of food article from the moveable
`
`food article support tray over the top of the end plate.
`
`25.
`
`26.
`
`27.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 17 wherein the lift tray positioning
`
`apparatus comprises a lever connected to the frame on a bottom surface of the
`
`frame.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 25 wherein the lever pivots about a shaft
`
`on the end of the frame closest to the slicing station, allowing the frame to be tilted
`
`towards and away from the slicing station.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 26 wherein the lift tray positioning
`
`apparatus comprises an eXtendable cylinder connected to the frame such that
`
`extension of the cylinder causes the lever to pivot about the shaft.
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`Page 24 of 36
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`28.
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`29.
`
`30.
`
`31.
`
`32.
`
`33.
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`The food article slicing machine of claim 27 wherein the cylinder is connected to the
`
`frame by being connected to the lever.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 27 wherein the eXtendable cylinder is a
`
`pneumatic cylinder.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 27 wherein the eXtendable cylinder is a
`
`hydraulic cylinder.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 27 wherein the eXtendable cylinder is
`
`connected to the base section of the slicing apparatus.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 27 wherein the eXtendable cylinder further
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`comprises a rod, the extension of which causes the lever to pivot about the shaft.
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`The food article slicing machine of claim 27 wherein the extension of the eXtendable
`
`cylinder tilts the lift tray assembly towards a staging position.
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`34.
`
`A method of loading food articles for slicing in a food slicing machine having a
`
`slicing blade comprising the steps of:
`
`providing food articles to be loaded;
`
`providing a moveable food article support tray on a lift tray assembly, said lift
`
`tray assembly having an outer frame and an inner frame, said inner frame disposed
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`Page 25 of 36
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`within the outer frame, the inner frame supporting the moveable food article support
`
`tray;
`
`loading food articles onto the moveable food article support tray;
`
`tilting the lift tray assembly into a staging position;
`
`elevating the moveable food article support tray to move the food articles
`
`into a secondary staging position;
`
`gripping the ends of the food articles; and
`
`moving the food articles from the food article support tray towards the
`
`slicing blade.
`
`35. The method of loading food articles of claim 34 wherein the step of tilting the lift
`
`tray assembly comprises the step of:
`
`pivoting the lift tray assembly about a shaft connected to a lever on the
`
`bottom surface of the lift tray assembly.
`
`36. The method of loading food articles of claim 34 wherein the step of loading food
`
`article onto the support tray comprises the step of
`
`moving food articles into individual, adjacent lanes in the support tray, each
`
`lane being part of a food article path.
`
`37. The method of claim 34 wherein the step of tilting the lift tray assembly into a
`
`staging position comprises abutting one end of the food articles against an endplate
`
`of the outer frame.
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`Page 26 of 36
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`38.
`
`The method claim 37 wherein the step of elevating the food article support tray
`
`comprises the step of:
`
`moving the inner frame relative to the outer frame to an elevated position
`
`wherein the surface of the movable food article support tray is just above the top of
`
`the endplate.
`
`39.
`
`The method of claim 38 wherein the step of moving the inner frame relative to the
`
`outer frame comprises the step of :
`
`extending at least one pneumatic cylinder disposed between the inner frame
`
`and outer frame such that extension of the pneumatic cylinders raises the inner
`
`frame and the moveable food article support tray.
`
`40.
`
`The method of claim 36 wherein the step of elevating the food article support tray
`
`comprises the step of
`
`sliding food articles under the force of gravity over the top of the endplate
`
`to allow food articles to come in contact with a food article gate.
`
`41.
`
`The method of claim 40 wherein the step of sliding food articles comprises the step
`
`of:
`
`maintaining at least a portion of the food articles within the food article path
`
`defined by the lanes.
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`42.
`
`43.
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`44.
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`The method of claim 40 wherein the step of gripping the ends of the food articles
`
`occurs when the end opposite the gripped end is in contact with the food article
`
`gate.
`
`The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of identifying the location of the
`
`food article ends.
`
`The method of claim 43 wherein the step of identifying the location of the food
`
`article ends comprises the step of:
`
`using a laser sensor to determine the distance from the laser sensor to the
`
`end of the food article.
`
`45.
`
`The method of claim 34, wherein the step of loading food articles onto the support
`
`tray comprises the step of moving food articles into individual, adjacent lanes in the
`
`support tray, each lane being part of a food article path; and
`
`further comprising the step of using a plurality of laser sensors, one laser
`
`sensor for each food article in a lane, to determine the distance from the laser sensor
`
`to the end of the food article.
`
`46.
`
`The method of claim 41 wherein the step of moving the food articles from the food
`
`article support tray towards the slicing blade comprises the step of
`
`pivoting the food article gate downwards such that the food article gate is
`
`parallel with the top surface of the moveable food article support tray, said food
`
`article gate in its downwards position being part of the food article path.
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`Page 28 of 36
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`47. A food article slicing machine comprising:
`
`a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the
`
`blade along a cutting path;
`
`a food article feed apparatus supporting food articles for movement along
`
`food article paths intersecting the cutting path;
`
`a food article gate for separating the slicing station from the food article feed
`
`apparatus, said food article gate positionable into a closed position, wherein the gate
`
`in a closed position is located transverse to the food article path and is located
`
`between the slicing station and the food article feed apparatus.
`
`48.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 47 wherein the food article feed apparatus
`
`comprises a conveyor belt located upstream of the slicing station, said conveyor belt
`
`for conveying food articles into the cutting path, the gate positionable in a food
`
`article support position, wherein the gate in a food article support position is within
`
`the same plane as the food article path and wherein the food article gate in a food
`
`support position spans at least a portion of the distance from the feed apparatus to
`
`the conveyor belt located upstream of the slicing station.
`
`49.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 48, the gate positionable in a discard
`
`position wherein the gate in the food article support position is moved to be
`
`downwardly inclined from the food article path and spans a least a portion of the
`
`distance from the feed apparatus to a scrap removal conveyor belt located below the
`
`slicing station.
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`Page 29 of 36
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`50.
`
`The article slicing machine of claim 47, the gate further positionable in a discard
`
`position wherein the gate in the discard position is moved to be downwardly inclined
`
`from the food article path and spans a least a portion of the distance from the feed
`
`apparatus to a scrap removal conveyor belt located below the slicing station.
`
`51.
`
`52.
`
`53.
`
`10
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`The food article slicing machine of claim 47 wherein the position of the gate is
`
`adjustable about a pivot aXis to various angular positions.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 51 wherein the pivot aXis is the aXis of an
`
`axel rod fixed to the bottom of the gate, said axel rod is fixedly connected to a lever
`
`for pivoting the gate.
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 52 wherein the position of the food article
`
`gate is adjusted by a linear actuator having an actuator rod pivotally connected to the
`
`15
`
`lever.
`
`54.
`
`A food article end disposal system for a food article slicing machine, comprising:
`
`a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the
`
`blade along a cutting path within a cutting plane;
`
`20
`
`a food article feed apparatus supporting one or more food articles for
`
`movement along food article paths intersecting the cutting path;
`
`a food article gate movable from a feed position to a discard position;
`
`a transport mechanism for conveying the food article ends away from the
`
`slicing machine.
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`Page 30 of36
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`55.
`
`56.
`
`57.
`
`58.
`
`59.
`
`60.
`
`61.
`
`The food article end disposal system of claim 54 wherein the transport mechanism
`
`comprises a conveyor system located beneath the food article path.
`
`The food article end disposal system of claim 55 wherein the conveyor system
`
`comprises a scrap conveyor located below the cutting plane.
`
`The food article end disposal system of claim 56, wherein in the discard position, the
`
`food article gate is downwardly inclined from the plane of the food article path to
`
`allow transfer of food article ends from the feed path upstream of the food article
`
`gate, to the scrap conveyor.
`
`The food article end disposal system of claim 57 wherein the food article ends are
`
`directed to the scrap conveyor by a baffle.
`
`The food article end disposal system of claim 54 wherein in the feed position, the
`
`food article gate forms part of the food article path.
`
`The food article end disposal system of claim 54 wherein in the discard position, the
`
`food article gate diverts the food article ends from the food article path.
`
`The food article end disposal system of claim 60 wherein the food article ends are
`
`diverted to a position below the food article path.
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`62.
`
`63.
`
`64.
`
`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
`
`The food article end disposal system of claim 61 wherein the food article ends are
`
`diverted to a path intersecting the cutting plane at an angle.
`
`The food article end disposal system of claim 54 wherein the food article gate spans
`
`at least a portion of each food article path.
`
`A method of disposing food article ends in a food slicing machine, comprising the
`
`steps of:
`
`retracting a gripper releaseably gripping a food article end from a slicing
`
`10
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`plane;
`
`positioning a food article gate from a feed position to a discard position;
`
`releasing the food article end from the gripper; and
`
`transporting the food article end away from the slicing machine.
`
`15
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`65.
`
`The method of claim 64 wherein the step of retracting a gripper comprises the step
`
`of retreating the gripper along a food article feed path such that the food article end
`
`is upstream of at least a portion of the food article gate in its feed position, said feed
`
`position being a position where the food article gate comprises part of the food
`
`article feed path.
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`66.
`
`The method of claim 64 wherein the step of positioning the food article gate
`
`comprises pivoting the food article gate along a pivoting edge in a downward incline
`
`such that the food article gate is located below the plane of the food article path.
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`Page 32 of 36
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`The method of claim 66 wherein the step of retracting a gripper comprises the step
`
`of retracting the gripper such that it is upstream of the pivoting edge of the food
`
`article gate.
`
`The method of claim 64 wherein in the discard position, the food article gate is tilted
`
`below the food article path.
`
`The method of claim 64 wherein the step of transporting the food article end away
`
`from the slicing machine comprises diverting the food article end from the food
`
`article path by having the released food article end move freely along a portion of the
`
`food article path and the food article gate.
`
`The method of claim 69 wherein the food article gate in the discard position directs
`
`the food article end towards a scrap conveyor located below the cutting plane.
`
`The method of claim 70 wherein a baffle is located along a discard pathway
`
`comprising the food article gate in its discard position, and the scrap conveyer, said
`
`baffle located between the food article gate and the scrap conveyor.
`
`An arrangement for minimizing slack in pneumatic tubing for pneumatically
`
`67.
`
`68.
`
`69.
`
`70.
`
`71.
`
`72.
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`operated grippers in a slicing machine comprising:
`
`a weighted roller moveable along a longitudinal guide slot, said weighted
`
`roller in contact with pneumatic tubing;
`
`a guide frame through which the pneumatic tubing is routed in contact with
`
`the weighted roller.
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`Page 33 of 36
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`73.
`
`74.
`
`75.
`
`The arrangement of claim 72 wherein the pneumatic tubing is routed around the
`
`weighted rollers.
`
`The arrangement of claim 72 wherein at least a portion of the movement of the
`
`weighted roller along the longitudinal guide slot is due to the force of gravity.
`
`The arrangement of claim 74 wherein the movement of the weighted roller due to
`
`the force of gravity is in a direction that reduces slack to the associated pneumatic
`
`10
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`tubing.
`
`76.
`
`A method for minimizing slack in pneumatic air tubes for a pneumatically operated
`
`gripper in a slicing machine comprising the steps of:
`
`routing air tube lines of the gripper to at least one weighted roller such that
`
`the movement of the roller due to the weight of the roller under the force of gravity
`
`15
`
`causes the roller to move in a direction that reduces slack in the air tube lines.
`
`77.
`
`The method of claim 76 wherein the at least one weighted roller is moveable along a
`
`pair of guide slots.
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`78.
`
`The method of claim 77 wherein the guide slots are located on either end of the
`
`weighted roller.
`
`79.
`
`The method of claim 77 wherein the rollers move within a plane parallel to the
`
`direction of travel of the grippers.
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`Page 34 of 36
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`Attorney Doc. No. 2188P1011US
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`80.
`
`81.
`
`82.
`
`83.
`
`The method of claim 78 wherein the rollers and grippers move in opposite parallel
`
`directions.
`
`The method of claim 79 wherein a movement of the gripper in one direction causes
`
`the rollers to move a corresponding distance in the opposite direction.
`
`The method of claim 76 wherein the step of routing comprises guiding air tubes
`
`through at least one stationary frame.
`
`The method of claim 81 wherein the step of routing comprises guiding a pair of air
`
`tubes associated with each gripper through an individual stationary frame.
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`Page 35 of36
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