Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Processes – Molding – casting – or shaping
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-13
2001-10-16
Yeung, George C. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Processes
Molding, casting, or shaping
C425S446000, C425S453000, C426S660000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06303171
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a method for producing thin pieces of chocolate, in particular slices of chocolate, whereby the chocolate is melted and is provided in the shape of flat, thin pieces on a conveying device and is made to stiffen thereupon.
“Chocolate” is understood here in the broadest sense. Both bitter chocolate and milk chocolate or even white chocolate and so-called fantasy chocolate are included.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
According to a known method, chocolate is melted, provided on an endless conveyor belt in the shape of thin slices and finally cooled down until the slices have stiffened.
It is clear that, as the slices are provided on a conveyor belt, they will have a flat side after they-have stiffened and will have a flat look as a whole.
Nowadays, however, many snacks and such are made in eye-catching shapes, and it is interesting from a commercial point of view to this with chocolate as well.
It is not possible, however, to apply the same methods to chocolate as are used for snacks, which are baked.
One possibility of giving the thin pieces of chocolate a special shape would consist of shaping the pieces manually one after the other, right before they have completely stiffened.
It is clear that such a method is very labour-intensive and is not suitable for industrial production.
Another method consists in using moulds and shaping the thin pieces of chocolate in an analogous manner as the chocolate coverings of pralines, but this also is time-consuming.
Leading the slices over a cylinder provided with grooves is not feasible, as it is not possible in the case of chocolate to precisely determine the exact transition from deformable to sufficiently stiff, and the slices would moreover stick to the cylinder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention aims a method for producing a thin piece of chocolate which does not have said disadvantages and which makes it possible to produce the piece in a nonflat shape in a fast and simple manner.
This aim is reached according to the invention in that the flat, thin pieces of chocolate are put one after the other on at least one endless, flexible conveyor belt of the conveying device, whereby said conveyor belt is subsequently bent crosswise so that it forms a trough before the pieces have stiffened, and the conveyor belt is kept in this bent position until the pieces lying in said trough and which are bent along with the conveyor belt have sufficiently stiffened so as to keep their bent shape.
The thus obtained pieces of chocolate are bent. They can have any shape whatsoever, but usually they are round.
The invention also concerns a device which is particularly suitable for applying the method according to the invention.
The invention thus concerns a device for producing thin pieces of chocolate, characterized in that it contains at least one endless, flexible conveyor belt, means for driving this conveyor belt, a distributing mechanism for forming thin pieces of chocolate from melted chocolate and for putting these one after the other on the above-mentioned conveyor belt, and a bending device to force the conveyor belt to bend crosswise.
The bending device may include a trough which is directed with its opening towards the conveyor belt, and which is preferably erected above the conveyor belt.
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“Continuous cake mfg. device . . .”, F. Masuda, XP-002162163 and JP 63 219332A, Sep. 1988, Database WPI, Section Ch, Week 198842, Derwent Publications Ltd., London, GB; Class D11, AN 1988-297694.
Van Dyck Jan
Van Dyck Kris
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Yeung George C.
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