System and method for separating a cluster of interconnected food products

A system for separating a cluster of interconnected food products, the system comprising:

• a first conveyor in communication with a controller, the first conveyer comprising a discharge end and a first permeable conveyor belt, the first conveyor being configured to respond to commands received from the controller, and being configured to convey at a first speed, to decelerate from the first speed to a second speed, to convey at the second speed, and to accelerate from the second speed to a third speed selected from the group consisting of the first speed and another speed greater than the second speed;
• a second conveyor in series with the first conveyor and in communication with the controller, the second conveyor comprising an intake end and a second permeable conveyor belt, the second conveyor being configured to respond to commands received from the controller, and being configured to convey at the first speed, to accelerate from the first speed to a fourth speed, to convey at the fourth speed, and to decelerate from the fourth speed to a fifth speed selected from the group consisting of the first speed and another speed less than the fourth speed;
• a suction subsystem comprising an intake portion proximate to the discharge end and the intake end, the suction subsystem being configured, arranged and disposed to generate suction through the first permeable conveyor belt at a first region proximate to the discharge end and to generate suction through the second permeable conveyor belt at a second region proximate to the intake end;
• a sensor in communication with the controller, the sensor being configured, arranged and disposed to sense a leading edge of a cluster of interconnected food products as the cluster of interconnected food products is being conveyed by the system and send a corresponding signal to the controller;
• and
• the controller being configured to receive the corresponding signal from the sensor and, in response to the received corresponding signal, command the first conveyor to decelerate from first speed to second speed and the second conveyor to substantially simultaneously accelerate from the first speed to the fourth speed to separate, along a plane substantially perpendicular to and between the first region and the second region, the cluster of interconnected food products into a first portion and a second portion as the cluster of interconnected food products is being conveyed over the first region and the second region.

A method of separating a cluster of interconnected food products, the method comprising:

• providing a first conveyor comprising a discharge end and a first permeable conveyor belt, the first conveyor being configured to operate at a first speed and to decelerate from the first speed;
• providing a second conveyor in series with the first conveyor, the second conveyor comprising an intake end and a second permeable conveyor belt, the second conveyor being configured to operate at a speed substantially equal to the first speed and to accelerate from the first speed;
• providing a suction subsystem comprising an intake portion proximate to the discharge end of the first conveyor and the intake end of the second conveyor, the suction subsystem being configured, arranged and disposed to generate suction through the first permeable conveyor belt at a first region proximate to the discharge end and to generate suction through the second permeable conveyor belt at a second region proximate to the intake end;
• operating the first conveyor at a first speed;
• operating the second conveyor at a speed substantially equal to the first speed;
• operating the suction subsystem to generate suction through the first region and the second region;
• providing a cluster of interconnected food products, the cluster of interconnected food products comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion adjoining the second portion;
• conveying the cluster of interconnected food products until the first portion overlies the first region and the second portion overlies the second region;
• and
• decelerating the first conveyor and substantially simultaneously accelerating the second conveyor to apply tensional forces to the cluster of interconnected food products along a first plane of separation between the first portion and the second portion, the tensional forces being sufficient to separate the cluster of interconnected food products along the first plane of separation, thereby yielding a first discrete portion and a second discrete portion.