FR2620071A1 - Device for ultrasonic cutting of frozen food products - Google Patents

Device for ultrasonic cutting of frozen food products Download PDF

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Publication number
FR2620071A1
FR2620071A1 FR8712372A FR8712372A FR2620071A1 FR 2620071 A1 FR2620071 A1 FR 2620071A1 FR 8712372 A FR8712372 A FR 8712372A FR 8712372 A FR8712372 A FR 8712372A FR 2620071 A1 FR2620071 A1 FR 2620071A1
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FR
France
Prior art keywords
cutting
sonotrode
portions
product
food products
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
FR8712372A
Other languages
French (fr)
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FR2620071B1 (en
Inventor
Alain Scotto
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mecasonic SA
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Mecasonic SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Mecasonic SA filed Critical Mecasonic SA
Priority to FR8712372A priority Critical patent/FR2620071B1/en
Publication of FR2620071A1 publication Critical patent/FR2620071A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of FR2620071B1 publication Critical patent/FR2620071B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/26—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by irradiation without heating
    • A23L3/30—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by irradiation without heating by treatment with ultrasonic waves
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/36—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
    • A23L3/365—Thawing subsequent to freezing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D7/00—Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
    • B26D7/08—Means for treating work or cutting member to facilitate cutting
    • B26D7/086—Means for treating work or cutting member to facilitate cutting by vibrating, e.g. ultrasonically

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Nutrition Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Forests & Forestry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Nonmetal Cutting Devices (AREA)

Abstract

Device for cutting frozen food products into portions in their mould, in order to allow them to be consumed in individual portions, without requiring complete defrosting, characterised in that it comprises an ultrasound system S, made up in a known manner of a press, a vibrating acoustic unit composed of an emitter, an amplifier 10 and a horn 12, driven by a high-frequency generator and in which the horn is a blade horn, of small thickness and whose length extends beyond the overall diameter of the product 16 in its mould 18, in order to allow cutting of the frozen product and simultaneously of the part of the mould containing the latter, along sectors 20 which correspond to the desired portions 22.

Description

La présente invention est relative à un dispositif de découpe en portions de produits alimentaires congeles dans leur moule et notamment de gateaux, afin de permettre la consommation de tels produits en portions individuelles sans qu'il soit nécessaire d'en provoquer la decongelation totale. The present invention relates to a device for cutting into portions frozen food products in their mold and in particular cakes, in order to allow the consumption of such products in individual portions without it being necessary to cause their total thawing.

L'utilisateur de produits congelés connaît les difficultés qui existent à vouloir découper de tels produits sans les avoir préalablement décongelés. De ce fait, il est pratiquement impossible de séparer de tels produits alimentaires en portions individuelles. La présente invention se propose d'apporter une solution à ce problème. The user of frozen products knows the difficulties which exist in wanting to cut such products without having previously thawed them. Therefore, it is practically impossible to separate such food products into individual portions. The present invention proposes to provide a solution to this problem.

En conséquence, cette invention concerne un dispositif de découpe en portions dans leur moule de produits alimentaires congelés, afin d'en permettre la consommation en portions individuelles sans nécessiter une décongélation totale, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend un système à ultra-sons constitué, commE connu, d'une presse, d'un groupe acoustique vibrant composé d'un émetteur, d'un amplificateur et d'une sonotrode, alimenté par un générateur haute fréquence et dans lequel la sonotrode est une sonotrode-couteau, de faible épaisseur et dont la longueur dépasse le diamétre hors tout du produit dans son moule, afin de permettre un découpage du produit congelé et simultanément de la partie de moule entourant ce dernier, suivant des secteurs qui correspondent aux portions désires. Consequently, this invention relates to a device for cutting portions into their mold of frozen food products, in order to allow consumption thereof in individual portions without requiring total defrosting, characterized in that it comprises an ultrasound system consisting , as known, a press, a vibrating acoustic group composed of a transmitter, an amplifier and a sonotrode, powered by a high frequency generator and in which the sonotrode is a knife sonotrode, of low thickness and whose length exceeds the overall diameter of the product in its mold, in order to allow cutting of the frozen product and simultaneously of the mold part surrounding the latter, according to sectors which correspond to the desired portions.

D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de la présente invention ressortiront de la description faite ci-après en référence aux dessins annexés qui en illustrent un exemple de réalisation et de mise en oeuvre dépourvu de tout caractère limitatif. Sur les dessins
Les figures 1 et 2 sont respectivement des vues en élévation latérale et en bout du dispositif de découpe objet de la présente invention et
Les figures 3 à 5 sont des vues schématiques illustrant le mode de nise en oeuvre du dispositif selon l'invention appliqué au découpage d'un gâteau surgelé en tranches individuelles.Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below with reference to the appended drawings which illustrate an example of embodiment and implementation thereof which is devoid of any limiting character. On the drawings
FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively side and end views of the cutting device which is the subject of the present invention and
Figures 3 to 5 are schematic views illustrating the mode of implementation of the device according to the invention applied to the cutting of a frozen cake into individual slices.

Ainsi qu'on le voit sur le dessin, le dispositif de découpe selon la présente invention, désigné dans son ensemble par la référence S, comprend de manière connue une presse (non représentée sur le dessin), un groupe acoustique vibrant constitué d'un émetteur (non représenté), d'un amplificateur 10 et d'uc sonotrode 12 alimentée par un générateur haute fréquence. Il s'agit la d'un système connu sous le nom de machine à ultra-sons.  As can be seen in the drawing, the cutting device according to the present invention, generally designated by the reference S, comprises in a known manner a press (not shown in the drawing), a vibrating acoustic group consisting of a transmitter (not shown), an amplifier 10 and a sonotrode 12 powered by a high frequency generator. It is a system known as an ultrasound machine.

Comme on le voit sur le dessin, la sonotrode 12 est une sonotrode du type couteau de faible épaisseur et dont la longueur dépasse le diametre total du produit 16 congelé dans son moule 18. Ce produit peut etre par exemple un gagea ou similaire. As can be seen in the drawing, the sonotrode 12 is a knife-type sonotrode of small thickness, the length of which exceeds the total diameter of the product 16 frozen in its mold 18. This product may for example be a gagea or the like.

Selon l'invention, l'épaisseur de la sonotrode-couteau 12 est d'environ 2,5 mm, l'angle de coupe de son extrémité 14 en forme de couteau est de préférence de 30 et la hauteur de coupe est comprise entre 80 mm et 120 mm.  According to the invention, the thickness of the knife sonotrode 12 is approximately 2.5 mm, the cutting angle of its knife-shaped end 14 is preferably 30 and the cutting height is between 80 mm and 120 mm.

La fréquence de travail du dispositif de découpe peut hêtre comprise entre 18 KHz et 50 KHz. The working frequency of the cutting device can be between 18 KHz and 50 KHz.

Le fonctionnement de ce dispositif de coupe est le suivant
L'extrémité 14 en forme de couteau de la sonotrode 12 en vibration pénètre selon un mouvement vertical descendant dans le produit congelé 16 posé sur un plan horizontal, en déterminant sur ce produit 16 (par exemple un gateau) des secteurs 20 de dimensions voulues, et simultanément la sonotrode découpe la partie du moule 18 entourant le produit , sans toutefois entâmer le fond du moule, lequel est généralement constitué d'une feuille thermoplastique thermoformée (figures 3 et 4).The operation of this cutting device is as follows
The knife-shaped end 14 of the vibrating sonotrode 12 penetrates in a vertical downward movement into the frozen product 16 placed on a horizontal plane, by determining on this product 16 (for example a cake) sectors 20 of desired dimensions, and simultaneously the sonotrode cuts out the part of the mold 18 surrounding the product, without however damaging the bottom of the mold, which generally consists of a thermoformed thermoplastic sheet (FIGS. 3 and 4).

Cette opération étant terminée, la sonotrode S est extraite du produit, toujours en vibrant, afin de limiter tout dépôt rapide des salissures sur sa lame 12. This operation being completed, the sonotrode S is extracted from the product, still vibrating, in order to limit any rapid deposition of dirt on its blade 12.

Grâce à l'invention, le produit se trouve découpé en parts individuelles alors que le moule 18 coupé sur sa hauteur selon les divisions en parts, permet à l'aide d'une traction exercée sur son bord supérieur et radialement par rapport a celui-ci et vers l'extérieur (figure 5), de dégager vers le haut et vers l'extérieur chaque portion 22 individuellement, sans qu'il soit bien entendu nécessaire de procéder à une décongélation de l'ensemble du produit congelé. Thanks to the invention, the product is cut into individual parts while the mold 18 cut on its height according to the divisions in parts, allows by means of a traction exerted on its upper edge and radially with respect to it. ci and outwards (FIG. 5), to release upwards and outwards each portion 22 individually, without it being of course necessary to defrost all of the frozen product.

Ainsi, l'invention permet effectivement de découper et d'extraire une ou plusieurs portions individuelles d'un produit congelé sans qu'il soit nécessaire de procéder à une décongélation préalable de ce produit, ce qui permet de conserver la partie non découpée du produit sans rupture de la chaîne de froid. Thus, the invention effectively makes it possible to cut and extract one or more individual portions of a frozen product without the need for prior thawing of this product, which makes it possible to preserve the uncut portion of the product. without breaking the cold chain.

I1 demeure bien entendu que la présente invention n'est pas limitée à l'exemple de réalisation décrit et représenté, mais qu'elle en englobe toutes les variantes.  I1 remains of course that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown, but that it encompasses all variants.

Claims (4)

REYEBDICATIONSREYEBDICATIONS 1- Dispositif de découpe en portions dans leur moule de produits alimentaires congelés, afin d'en permettre la consommation en portion individuelles sans nécessiter une décongélation totale caractérisé en ce qu'ii comprend un système å ultra-sons < S)constitué comme connu d'une presse, d'un groupe acoustique vibrant composé d'un émetteur, d'un amplificateur (10) et d'une sonotrode (12), alimenté par un générateur haute fréquence et dans lequel la sonotrode est une sonotrode couteau, de faible épaisseur et dont la longueur dépasse le diametre hors tout du produit (16) dans son moule (18) afin de permettre un decoupage du produit congelé et simultanément de la partie de moule entourant ce dernier, suivant des secteurs (20) qui correspondent aux portions désirées (22). 1- Device for cutting portions into their molds of frozen food products, in order to allow consumption thereof in individual portions without requiring total thawing, characterized in that it comprises a system ultrasound <S) constituted as known d '' a press, of a vibrating acoustic group composed of a transmitter, an amplifier (10) and a sonotrode (12), powered by a high frequency generator and in which the sonotrode is a knife sonotrode, of low thickness and the length of which exceeds the overall diameter of the product (16) in its mold (18) in order to allow a cutting of the frozen product and simultaneously of the part of mold surrounding the latter, according to sectors (20) which correspond to the portions desired (22). 2- Dispositif de découpe selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la sonotrode-couteau (12) présente une épaisseur de l'ordre de 2,5 mm et une hauteur de coupe d'environ 80 à 120 mm.  2- Cutting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sonotrode-knife (12) has a thickness of about 2.5 mm and a cutting height of about 80 to 120 mm. 3- Dispositif de découpe selon l'une des revendications 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que l'angle de coupe de la partie d'extrémité (14) en forme de couteau de ladite sonotrode (12) est d'environ 30'.  3- Cutting device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the cutting angle of the knife-shaped end portion (14) of said sonotrode (12) is approximately 30 '. 4- Dispositif de decoupe selon l'une quelconque des revendication précédentes, caractérisé en ce que la fréquence de travail du système à ultrasons est comprise entre 18 KHz et 50 KHz.  4- Cutting device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the working frequency of the ultrasonic system is between 18 KHz and 50 KHz.
FR8712372A 1987-09-07 1987-09-07 DEVICE FOR ULTRA-SOUND CUTTING OF FROZEN FOOD PRODUCTS Expired - Fee Related FR2620071B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8712372A FR2620071B1 (en) 1987-09-07 1987-09-07 DEVICE FOR ULTRA-SOUND CUTTING OF FROZEN FOOD PRODUCTS

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8712372A FR2620071B1 (en) 1987-09-07 1987-09-07 DEVICE FOR ULTRA-SOUND CUTTING OF FROZEN FOOD PRODUCTS

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FR2620071A1 true FR2620071A1 (en) 1989-03-10
FR2620071B1 FR2620071B1 (en) 1996-01-12

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0543628A1 (en) * 1991-11-21 1993-05-26 Unilever Plc Food processing
WO1996009919A1 (en) * 1994-09-28 1996-04-04 Unilever Plc Ultrasonic cutting process
EP1043939A1 (en) * 1997-12-31 2000-10-18 Mars Incorporated Ultrasonically activated continuous slitter apparatus and method

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3086288A (en) * 1955-04-20 1963-04-23 Cavitron Ultrasonics Inc Ultrasonically vibrated cutting knives
US3208142A (en) * 1964-03-20 1965-09-28 Osrow Products Company Inc Heated knife
FR2510025A3 (en) * 1981-07-24 1983-01-28 Krups Stiftung Blade for electric knife - has spaced, tapered triangular teeth with points alternating between major blade faces
DE3529686A1 (en) * 1985-08-20 1987-02-26 Fein C & E Cutting device for cutting elastic materials

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3086288A (en) * 1955-04-20 1963-04-23 Cavitron Ultrasonics Inc Ultrasonically vibrated cutting knives
US3208142A (en) * 1964-03-20 1965-09-28 Osrow Products Company Inc Heated knife
FR2510025A3 (en) * 1981-07-24 1983-01-28 Krups Stiftung Blade for electric knife - has spaced, tapered triangular teeth with points alternating between major blade faces
DE3529686A1 (en) * 1985-08-20 1987-02-26 Fein C & E Cutting device for cutting elastic materials

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0543628A1 (en) * 1991-11-21 1993-05-26 Unilever Plc Food processing
WO1996009919A1 (en) * 1994-09-28 1996-04-04 Unilever Plc Ultrasonic cutting process
US5819615A (en) * 1994-09-28 1998-10-13 Unilever Patent Holdings B.V. Cutting process
EP1043939A1 (en) * 1997-12-31 2000-10-18 Mars Incorporated Ultrasonically activated continuous slitter apparatus and method
EP1043939A4 (en) * 1997-12-31 2004-10-06 Mars Inc Ultrasonically activated continuous slitter apparatus and method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2620071B1 (en) 1996-01-12

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