Slicer carriage tracking arrangement
AssigneePremark FEG L.L.C.
InventorMark Kovacs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for tracking and controlling the food product carriage of a food product slicer is described.
Claims29
A control system and a food product slicer including a rotatable slicing knife and a food product carriage mounted for movement back and forth past the slicing knife, the control system comprising:
- a motor having a rotating output;
- a multi-link drive arrangement connected between the rotating output of the motor and the food product carriage for moving the carriage during motor operation, a pivot link of the multi-link drive arrangement having a stationary axis, the pivot link pivoting back and forth about the stationary axis during motor operation;
- an encoder arrangement associated with the pivot link and including a mask element, a light source and a photo-detector, the mask element including a plurality of window regions distributed thereon, the light source positioned for directing light at the window regions of the mask element sequentially during pivoting movement of the pivot link and the photo-detector positioned to receive light directed at the window regions by the light source, the photo-detector providing output signals responsive to receipt/non-receipt of light emitted by the light source;
- and
- a controller receiving the photo-detector output signals and responsively tracking movement of the food product carriage.
A control system and a food product slicer including a rotatable slicing knife and a food product carriage mounted for movement back and forth past the slicing knife, the control system comprising:
- a motor having a rotating output;
- a multi-link drive arrangement connected between the rotating output of the motor and the food product carriage for moving the carriage during motor operation, a pivot link of the multi-link drive arrangement having a stationary axis, the pivot link pivoting back and forth about the stationary axis during motor operation;
- an encoder arrangement including an arcuate mask element, a light source and a photo-detector, an axis of the arcuate mask element being substantially coincident with the stationary axis, the arcuate mask element including a plurality of openings thereon, the light source positioned to one side of the arcuate mask element and the photo-detector positioned to an opposite side of the arcuate mask element, the mask element operatively coupled for pivoting movement with the pivot link, the photo-detector outputting signals responsive to receipt/non-receipt of light emitted by the light source and passing through the openings in the arcuate mask element.
A control system and a food product slicer including a rotatable slicing knife and a food product carriage mounted for movement back and forth past the slicing knife, the control system comprising:
- a motor having a rotating output;
- a drive arrangement connecting the rotating output to the food product carriage for movement thereof;
- an encoder arrangement including a first part that moves with part of the drive arrangement and a second part that remains stationary during movement of the part of the drive arrangement, one of the first part and the second part providing a signal output responsive to movement of the part of the drive arrangement, wherein the second part is a linear member and the encoder arrangement utilizes Hall effect technology;
- and
- a controller receiving the signal output and responsively tracking movement of the food product carriage.
A control system and a food product slicer including a rotatable slicing knife and a food product carriage mounted for movement back and forth past the slicing knife, the control system comprising:
- a motor having a rotating output;
- a multi-link drive arrangement connected between the rotating output of the motor and the food product carriage for moving the carriage during motor operation, a pivot link of the multi-link drive arrangement having a stationary axis, the pivot link pivoting back and forth about the stationary axis during motor operation;
- an encoder arrangement associated with the pivot link and including a first part that moves back and forth with the pivot link and a second part that remains stationary during movement of the pivot link, one of the first part and the second part producing a signal output responsive to movement of the pivot link;
- and
- a controller receiving the signal output and responsively tracking movement of the food product carriage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.