Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Processes – Treatment or preparation of farinaceous dough – batter – or...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-24
2001-07-03
Yeung, George C. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Processes
Treatment or preparation of farinaceous dough, batter, or...
C426S512000, C426S523000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254915
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the production of edible, at least partially or completely decomposable thin molded structures, such as cups, plates, fastfood packaging, trays, flat sheets and the like.
The present invention relates primarily to a method for the production of such molded structures, whereby a carbohydrate-based baking material is applied to the lower part of a multiple-section mold, preferably a two-section mold, the baking material is baked in the mold and the resulting product is conditioned if required.
The present invention further relates to device for producing foamed, thin-walled molded structures, such as cups, plates, fast-food packaging, trays, flat sheets and the like from baking materials which expand during the baking process.
Besides starches and modified starches and flours, cellulose products can also be considered as carbohydrates.
STATE OF THE ART
The known methods for the production of the mentioned molded structures are based on the baking of the baking materials in heated baking molds, which through the configuration of their baking surfaces in contact with the baking material determine the shape of the finished product and with the mutual distance between the baking surfaces determine the wall thickness of the finished product.
In principle these are the steps of this process:
1. Heating the baking material during the introduction of a precisely dosed amount of baking material into the open mold and during the closing of the mold, whereby a mechanical dough distribution is performed by the upper section of the baking mold.
2. Start of the steam development due to the evaporation of the water contained in the baking material as soon as the boiling point is reached at the contact surfaces between the baking material and the hot baking surfaces of the baking mold.
3. Filling out the baking mold (or the inner baking space of the baking mold defined by the baking surfaces of the baking mold) with baking material, due to the steam force resulting from the steam development. After approximately 5 to 20 seconds, mostly approximately 10 to 15 seconds, a pressure maximum is reached in the baking mold, after which the interior pressure in the baking mold drops quickly within a further 10 to 45 seconds, under optimal baking conditions of the baking material, within 10 to 35 seconds.
4. Parallel thereto the starch components of the baking material are extensively transformed into paste. The steam development causes the formation of the porous structure inside the baking material, especially since the material is still soft and of undefined shape. In the finished product 5 layers can be differentiated, when examining cross sections under the microscope or in an electronic microscope, to which the following types of structure zones can be assigned:
(a) An outer crust of a thickness of approximately 25 to 50 microns, at the contact surfaces between the molded structure and the hot baking surfaces of the baking mold located inside and outside (respectively on the upper side and the underside) of the molded body and composed of very small pores.
(b) An intermediate layer of approximately 300-600 microns in thickness on both areas inwardly adjacent to the outer crust of the molded structure and composed of medium-sized flat pores.
(c) A core layer of the molded structure with large, mostly spherical pores with low density and with good thermal insulation.
5. After the removal of the main amount of water from the baking material, the temperature in the molded structure goes up, starting with the outer crust, increasing to the temperature of the respective baking surface. However the fixation of the structure inside the baking material (transition from the soft state of the baking material to the hard, glass-like state) takes place only when the water has evaporated extensively. This happens first in the outer crust of the molded structure, and only towards the end of the baking time does it occur in the center of the molded structure.
6. Only when the center is also sufficiently heated and the residual water has been removed to the point that a glazing point of the baking material was surpassed, can the baking mold be opened, without the risk of steam residual inflating the molded body and modifying its laminated structure.
From this description results that the intake of sufficient heat energy in the central area of the molded structure, in order to promote here the baking process and the elimination of water—this is delayed by the insulating effect of the intermediate layers—is the decisive factor determining the total baking time.
The patent literature mentions a short-term whipping process after the introduction of a dosed amount of baking material into the opened baking mold, for the quick, even distribution of the baking material within the mold and for a certain initial steam elimination from the baking material.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,511 describes a process for producing pita pockets with a mold core and a therefrom separated baking core in order to achieve the specific structure of this baked item. Here the position of the core inserts is temporarily not fixed during molding and baking, whereby a “floating” of the core inserts in the baking material becomes possible, combined with an increase of the distance between the baking surfaces during baking. This probably lengthens the baking time.
The application WO 95/00023 relates to the manufacture of compressed pockets through a short-term strong compression of the dough in the initial baking phase. Before and especially after this compression impact, a comparatively bigger distance (2 to 3 times the final wall thickness) of the mold parts is observed, obviously in order to facilitate steam elimination in spite of the compression, and this position of the mold parts is maintained for the most of the baking time (lt. indication 100-110 sec.). Only in the end phase (indication 60 sec) is the dough compressed again and the baking finished. Here too, as results from the wide distance between the baking surfaces in the intermediate phase and the indications for the baking time —more than 160 -170 sec), normal to longer baking times are required.
The mentioned molded bodies are usually produced in baking ovens extending over a long stretch, wherein baking tongs equipped with a baking mold are interconnected to form an endless chain and which within the respective baking oven travel a closed motion path. During one revolution of the baking tong chain in the baking oven, each baking tong passes a pouring station, where the baking material is introduced into an opened baking mold of the opened baking tong. After the pouring station, the baking mold and the baking tong are closed and locked, and the baking tong is transported through a baking space, wherein the baking tong is heated from the outside, while inside the baking mold the baking process takes its course. Subsequently the baking tong reaches a discharge station, where the baking tong is unlocked and the baked molded body is discharged from the opened mold of the baking tong and is removed from the baking oven. The conditioning of the baked molded bodies, if necessary, takes place outside the baking oven.
In the known baking oven, baking tongs are used for the production of foamed, thin-walled molded bodies, whereby respectively one or more baking molds are received in the baking tongs, whose inner baking space, defined by the baking surfaces of the respective baking mold, can no longer be changed after the locking of the baking mold and the baking tongs. In a known baking tong, the baking mold consists of two mold halves each received in its own tong part between a lateral hinge segment and a lateral end segment, which are separated by a main mold separation plane and are provided with baking surfaces on the interfacing frontal sides. When the baking tong is closed, the baking surfaces of the two mold halves face each other at a distance and define at least one inner baking space wherein the respective molded body i
Haas Franz
Haas Johann
Sachsenhofer Johann
Dubno Herbert
Franz Haas Waffelmaschinen-Industrie Aktiengesellschaft
Yeung George C.
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