Dispensing – Processes of dispensing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-21
2001-10-16
Kaufman, Joseph A. (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Processes of dispensing
C222S063000, C222S387000, C222S389000, C222S554000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302296
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not Applicable
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the depositing of food products, in particular to the depositing of confectionery products such as chocolate, caramels, toffees, fudges, high boiled sweets, etc.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The manufacturing of shaped food products, in particular confectionery products, generally comprises a step of depositing into a mold, in order to set the desired shape to the product. The method includes a step of injecting a metered amount of food mass with a piston through a nozzle into a mold. Then, cooling or drying of the deposited mass is carried out until setting the final product is properly achieved.
Various patent documents illustrate the depositing technology for confectionery. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,004,716 and 4,089,438 both relate to a depositor of confectionery material into molds. Other prior art documents can be cited as references related to a similar technical field, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,837,041, British patent application 2,026,378, and French patent application 1,132,821.
However, the above-discussed depositing process, as traditionally applied, particularly for confectionery of high viscosity, suffers from serious drawbacks that have until now remained unresolved. One of the main disadvantages relates to the difficulty in separating a deposited portion of a material from the material remaining in the depositing nozzle. The material tends to stretch out in a long tail that does not easily break under its own weight and gravity. This phenomenon is known as “tailing.” A defect such as this may consequently affect the accuracy of dosing, weight, and/or shape of a final molded product. After depositing, the resulting formation of many strings formed across the molds is not hygienic and thus needs to be removed. Tailing is also aesthetically unpleasing and can cause major quality control inconsistencies. Defects such as these may lead to difficulties in wrapping the product. For instance, when caramel is deposited in a shell-molded chocolate product, the tail may cause a channel through the chocolate cover, which may stick to the packaging. Tailing may also clog the nozzle or block moving parts of the depositing device.
Past attempts to reduce tailing have consisted of physically cutting the tail. For instance, British patent application 2,026,378 proposes to discharge a pulse of steam or compressed air through the nozzle at the time of the separation of the confectionery mass. These solutions have proven to be ineffective, are complicated, or can be costly to implement.
The present invention can overcome the problems associated with the formation of a tail in a mold depositing process of a food mass, in particular, confectionery products, and may alleviate the need for additional mechanical or gas pulsing devices. As a consequence, the present invention allows formation of a regular flat surface on top of the deposit, which has proven to be beneficial for the weight control, final look, and mouthfeel of the product, as well as for ease of wrapping.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a device for depositing a confectionery product into a mold including: a piston member for discharging in a stroke a confectionery mass into the mold; a valve for cutting off the stroke to stop the discharge of the confectionery mass; and a nozzle having an outlet portion of reduced diameter. Advantageously, the piston member can have an operative stroke profile including a velocity that increases during the stroke.
The operative stroke profile can contain distinct velocity periods or can include a continuous increase of the velocity until it reaches a pre-determined boosted velocity.
In a preferred embodiment, the valve may be part of a valve means that can include a high-speed rotary, needle, or slipper valve. Advantageously, the piston member may be part of a pressure means that can be refilled by generating a pressure sufficient to provoke the suction of the confectionery mass into the pressure means until the piston member is positioned for starting its discharge stroke.
The present invention is also directed to a method for depositing a viscous or liquid-like food mass into a mold comprising: applying a pressure stroke of increasing velocity to the food mass in a pressure zone; discharging the food mass from the pressure zone through an outlet of reduced diameter; and stopping the discharge of the food mass through the outlet by a valve actuating at a cut-off motion speed of at least 400 mm/sec.
In a preferred embodiment, the food mass may be discharged through an outlet having a diameter, d, of less than about 2 mm and a length less than about 1.5 mm. In another preferred embodiment, the weight of the food mass can be from about 0.8 grams to 50 grams in each stroke. Preferably, the food mass is a confectionery mass which may advantageously have a viscosity of about 1 to 2500 poise.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2127389 (1938-08-01), Church
patent: 4089438 (1978-05-01), Steels
patent: 4771726 (1988-09-01), Fitch, Jr.
patent: 5452824 (1995-09-01), Danek et al.
patent: 5458275 (1995-10-01), Centea et al.
patent: 5927560 (1999-07-01), Lewis et al.
patent: 2716078 A (1995-08-01), None
patent: 2026378 A (1980-02-01), None
Nelson David Howard
Nelson Roy B.
Kaufman Joseph A.
Nestec S.A.
Winston & Strawn
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