Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Processes – Treatment or preparation of farinaceous dough – batter – or...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-09
2001-04-10
Yeung, George C. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Processes
Treatment or preparation of farinaceous dough, batter, or...
C099S349000, C099S353000, C099S373000, C099S439000, C425S394000, C426S512000, C426S523000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06214399
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus and method of molding food in particulate or fluid form into edible coherent products. More particularly, the invention involves compressing and baking such food to yield shaped products such as pie shells.
Illustrative of an apparatus and method for molding pieces of food into a unified product is U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,705 to D'Alterio and Garbo. The patent discloses the formation of discrete pieces of cooked food with a binding composition into a desired shape, such as the base or shell of a pizza. Applicant's copending application Ser. No. 09/369,161, filed Aug. 5, 1999, also describes the conversion of food particles into a unified product in an aluminum foil mold.
The aforesaid patent discloses a three-part mold: a fixed ring, a bottom plate slidably fitted in the ring, and a top plate that can be alternately pressed against the ring and lifted therefrom. The copending application also shows a three-part back-up mold for holding a aluminum foil mold in which food particles are compressed and baked. In both cases, the slidable bottom plate fitted in the fixed ring is a thick, heavy metal body that is heated and is reciprocated within a heated fixed ring.
The design of such an apparatus requires careful dimensioning and selection of metals for the fixed ring and bottom plate to ensure proper reciprocation of the bottom plate when both plate and ring are hot, say at 450°F. Moreover, some foods contain juices that during the compression and baking period ooze out and wet the sliding surfaces between the bottom plate and ring. In such cases, the juices become encrusted on the sliding surfaces, thus requiring frequent shut-down of production to permit clean-up of the encrusted surfaces.
Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide a simpler apparatus and method for compacting and heating food particles into edible unified shapes.
Another important object is to provide an apparatus with a reciprocable member that is light and does not require sliding contact with a fixed member.
A further object is to provide apparatus that requires less frequent cleaning and is easier to clean.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, an apparatus for molding and heating food particles into a unified shaped product comprises a heated stationary mold bottom with a cavity or recess for receiving a measured quantity of food particles, a base member in the recess of the mold bottom, and a heated mold top that can be alternately brought down on, and lifted off, the heated mold bottom. The base member in the mold bottom can be moved up to push a unified food product out of the mold bottom and then pulled down to receive food particles for the start of another molding cycle.
When the base member is pulled down against the bottom of the recess in the mold bottom by a piston rod extending through the mold bottom, a desired amount of food particles deposited in the recess can be compressed and baked by bringing the mold top down on the mold bottom. At the end of the baking period, the mold top is moved up away from the mold bottom and the base member is pushed up so that its top face is at least flush with, or above, the top surface of the mold bottom. Thereupon, the thus formed, coherent food product can be simply pushed off the base member onto a chute or conveyor belt.
The base member can then be pulled down against the bottom of the recess in the mold bottom so that another measured amount of food particles can be dropped in the recess to start again the cycle of compressing and cooking the food particles into a unified edible product.
The top face of the base member is preferably flat to facilitate the removal of the coherent food product formed thereon simply by pushing the product horizontally. Of course, the top face may have slight curvature and/or a slightly indented pattern that will not interfere with the removal of the shaped food product therefrom by a horizontal push.
The bottom or molding face of the mold top can be flat, concave or convex. A convex face, e.g., one with a protrusion having a periphery smaller than the periphery of the recess in the mold bottom, will form a unified food product shaped like a shallow pan with a turned-up lip. A mold top with a concave molding face will yield a product shaped like a meringue pie. In short, the molding face of the mold top can have many contours.
While the recess of the mold bottom is usually circular in its simplest embodiment, it may be oval, square, oblong or other desired shape, e.g., heart shape. The base member at the bottom of the recess may cover all or part of the recess bottom.
While the heating of the mold top and mold bottom can be achieved with steam or other heating fluid, or even with gas burners, electrical heaters are preferred for structural simplicity and ease of temperature control. While electrical heating elements can be attached to the exterior portions of the mold top and mold bottom, they are frequently embedded in these mold parts. Aluminum is the preferred metal, but other metals such as stainless steel may be substitutes. When the mold parts are formed of thick aluminum stock, it may be drilled to provide cavities into which electrical heating elements are fitted. Another way of embedding the heating elements is to mill grooves or cavities in the exterior portions of the mold parts so that the heating elements can be laid therein. Regardless of how heating is effected, insulation should cover all exterior portions of both mold parts to reduce heat losses and prevent burns to workers.
There are many types of food particles that can be molded into coherent shaped products. To begin with, the term “particles” as used herein is intended to embrace discrete matter ranging in size from about a grain of rice to a pasta shape such as ziti, preferably not exceeding about 3 inches in length. Chopped meat, fish, vegetables, etc., together with binding agents such as eggs and edible gums are additional examples. Some foods tend to stick to the molding faces. A Teflon coating on the molding faces is often adequate to overcome the problem. Chromium plating is another way of eliminating the stickiness of some foods to the molding faces.
Basically, the vertical movements of the mold top and the base member can be effected manually. However, the simplicity of the movements makes it obvious that various known mechanical means can be used to eliminate manual labor. For example, pneumatic pistons are simple and quick-acting means for achieving the required movements of both parts. Rack and pinion or a motor-driven screw can also produce the piston-like movements of both parts. Through the use of mechanical means actuated electrically, pneumatically, hydraulically or magnetically, the apparatus of the invention is easily automated by a timing device that causes the sequential movements of the mold top and the base member and even means for supplying a measured amount of food particles in the mold bottom as well as means for displacing the molded product from the base member in its raised position. In short, the apparatus of the invention is ideally suitable for large-scale production of molded food products.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5376395 (1994-12-01), Pels
patent: 5960705 (1999-10-01), D'Alterio et al.
patent: 6004602 (1999-12-01), D'Alterio
Garbo Paul W.
Yeung George C.
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