Portioning device with crimping member, and associated portioning method

A crimping member, for a portioning device for forming casing portions from casings stuffed with food mass, comprising:

• attachment elements on an inner side for attachment to a movable conveyor member,
• a functional area that includes indentations and projections at least partially on the functional area, the functional area being configured to at least partially face a similar functional area located on an opposite crimping member when in a conveying area of the portioning device, the functional areas being configured to press together to form corrugations, creases and/or folds extending substantially parallel to a conveying direction in a constriction region of the casing,
• wherein the indentations and projections are arranged at least partially within a substantially planar portion of a surface defining the functional area, so that when the crimping member is pressed together with the opposite crimping member by movement of the conveyor member, the crimping members create a substantially flat two-dimensional zone between two casing portions defining the constriction region, with the constriction region also including the corrugations, creases and/or folds along the substantially flat two-dimensional zone, and
• wherein the indentations and projections are arranged substantially in a central region of the functional area,
• wherein a length of the indentations and projections on the crimping member differ, and wherein the length is measured in the conveying direction and the length of the indentations and projections increase outwards from the central region.

A method for forming casing portions from elongate casings stuffed with food mass, comprising:

• a food mass is stuffed by a stuffing machine into a casing to be stuffed,
• the stuffed casing is conveyed in a conveying direction by a portioning device,
• wherein the stuffed casing is brought between two drivable, circulating conveyor members and is constricted in a constriction region by two oppositely arranged crimping members each arranged on a conveyor member,
• wherein at least one of the crimping members includes a functional area that is configured to at least partially face a similar functional area located on an opposite crimping member when in the conveying area, the functional areas being pressed together to form corrugations, creases and/or folds,
• wherein the corrugations, creases and/or folds that are formed extend substantially parallel to the conveying direction due to the shape and arrangement of the opposite crimping members in the constriction region of the casing, and
• wherein at least one of the crimping members includes indentations and projections at least partially on the functional area, and wherein the indentations and projections are arranged at least partially within a substantially planar portion of a surface defining the functional area, so that when the functional areas of the crimping members are pressed together by movement of the conveyor members, the crimping members create a substantially flat two-dimensional zone between two casing portions defining the constriction region, with the constriction region also including the corrugations, creases and/or folds along the substantially flat two-dimensional zone.