Variable length gripper assembly for a food slicing machine and method of operating same
AssigneeProvisur Technologies, Inc.
InventorMichael Severns
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gripper for gripping a rear end of the food product includes a jaw mounting body having a pneumatic pathway therethrough, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted thereon, a moving assembly which moves the pair of jaws from an open position to a closed position, a controller, and a contact plate assembly which provides information regarding a pressure spike in the pneumatic pathway to the controller that contact with the rear end of the food product has occurred. Multiple ones of the grippers can be provided as part of a food product slicing machine. A method of using same is also provided.
Claims28
A gripper for gripping a rear end of a food product comprising:
- a jaw mounting body having a pneumatic pathway therethrough;
- a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on the jaw mounting body;
- a moving assembly which is configured to move the pair of jaws from an open position to a closed position;
- a controller;
- and
- a contact plate assembly which provides information regarding a pressure spike in the pneumatic pathway to the controller that contact with the rear end of the food product has occurred.
A method of slicing food products comprising:
- moving at least one support rail having a plurality of grippers mounted thereon, each gripper having jaws thereon;
- engaging a rear end of a first food product with a first one of the grippers thereby causing a pressure spike in a pneumatic line of the first one of the grippers;
- continuing movement of the at least one support rail until a second one of the grippers engages a rear end of a second food product, wherein the first one of the grippers collapses on itself during this movement and a pressure spike in a pneumatic line of the second one of the grippers occurs;
- closing the jaws of both grippers to engage the rear ends of the food product;
- continuing movement of the at least one support rail;
- and
- slicing front ends of the food products.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.