AT11049U1 - USE OF AN INJECTION MOLDING COMPOUND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FOODS OR FOODS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of an injection molding compounder with a co-rotating twin-screw extruder as a mixing and homogenizing unit (10) to which at least food precursors are added and mixed together and homogenized in such a way that the feed material is present at the outlet in a completely mixed, dough-shaped form, and with a closing unit, in which at least one molding tool (74, 76) is arranged or can be arranged, wherein the mixed homogenized dough-like material from the injection unit (42) in one or more cavities of the molding tool (74, 76) can be transferred, for the production of food or semi-finished foods.

Description

Austrian Patent Office AT 11 049 U1 2010-04-15

Description USE OF A SYRINGE COMPOUND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FOODSTUFFS AND FOODS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

The present invention relates to the use of a Spritzgießcompounders for the production of food or semi-finished food products and a system according to the preamble of claim 24th

As a semi-finished food products are still generally to be further processed into a food end product intermediates.

The Spritzgießcompounder, as used herein, consists of at least one extruder, which serves as a mixing and homogenizing unit, a metering unit, in particular an injection unit, which is connected to the extruder and receives from this the mixed and homogenized material and a Closing unit in which at least one molding tool is arranged or can be arranged, wherein the mixed homogenized material from the injection unit in one or more cavities of the mold is convertible.

So far, only plastic moldings are made with the Spritzgießcompounder. In this case, a plastic raw material is fed to the extruder and transferred in the extruder by introducing shear and under the supply of heat in a plastic melt, which can then be further processed by injection molding. However, the extruder does not only perform melting, but already serves in the production of plastic products, the mixing of additional materials in the plastic starting material (compounding ren). In this case, other plastic materials, dye additions, fiber additions, such as glass fibers or natural fibers or other fillers of all kinds can be added. These additional substances are due to the mixing property of the extruder, in particular a concurrent twin-screw extruder incorporated evenly into the plastic matrix, so that there is a homogeneous material or meltdown. Typically, these plastic material melts are processed in the temperature range between 150 and 380 ° C (for example LDPE in the low temperature range and PEEK in the high temperature range).

After the production of the plastic melt, this is from the extruder in an injection unit - often called shot pot - transferred. From the injection unit, the material mixture is injected at high pressure into the cavity of a mold, which is received in a closing unit. In the mold, the thermoplastic material hardens by cooling, so that it can then be removed in a solid state.

A completely different area compared to the processing of plastic material is the food sector, are processed and produced in the food or food semi-finished products for humans and animals. In the large-scale production of foodstuffs or semi-finished foodstuffs, corresponding foodstuff precursors are often processed in a mixing or kneading device into a homogeneous mass or a homogeneous bed, which is then subsequently converted into a product or a semi-finished product in a separate and separate processing step , As far as is known, it is also possible to provide a type of mixer which outputs a material for a product continuously, which is then transferred by division and further processing in a finished product or a semi-finished product.

However, it has proven difficult in some food areas to produce desired three-dimensional shaped food products. In most cases, presses or casting molds are used for this purpose. In molds, a material is filled, which hardens and after curing has a mold corresponding contour. When using presses, a stamp is applied to a product, which is usually located on a flat surface, so that a contour is impressed into the surface of the product. In most cases, however, the back of the product is flat, so that it is difficult to form a 360 ° design in this way.

In the production of hollow chocolate products, such as chocolate cones or chocolate Easter bunnies, it is also known to pour the base material into a hollow mold and then to pivot and rotate the mold. The material accumulates in a certain thickness on the wall of the mold and hardens. After opening the mold, a corresponding product is then formed.

Object of the present invention is to provide a plant in the food industry, which allows the production of three-dimensionally shaped forms in a particularly efficient manner.

This object is achieved by the use mentioned in claim 1.

Tests have been carried out which have shown that the injection molding compounder known per se for the plastics sector can also be used with surprising results in the food industry, in particular for the production of sculptural, three-dimensional products.

When using a Spritzgießcompounders for the production of food or semi-finished food products, the various properties and advantages of such a system can be exploited optimally depending on the process step.

Thus, the extruder, in particular a multi-shaft, preferably a co-rotating twin-screw extruder, now not for melting a plastic matrix, but for mixing and homogenizing added via a feeder materials. For example, a simple funnel, a metering device for one or more materials, a pusher or another mixing or kneading device may be selected as the feed unit, as will be explained later.

The starting material or the mixture of starting materials can be supplied to the extruder already in the catchment area or via further material feed points downstream of the catchment area. For this purpose, the extruder screws are to be designed accordingly. It is also possible to provide not only feed openings in the extruder. It is also possible, as known per se in extruder technology, to form vent openings, so that an undesired water content can be reduced, for example by vacuum degassing.

At the exit of the extruder, the supplied material is present in a completely mixed form, preferably also in a plastic or doughable mass. For this purpose, liquid substances, emulsifiers or other food additives can be added accordingly. If the starting material is completely mixed and homogenized, it is fed cycle by cycle to an injection unit. This injection unit can be in the form of a shot pot, that is, a piston-cylinder unit. Of course, other types of training for such an injection unit are possible.

In the food sector, it could prove to be advantageous and important to realize the first-in / first-out principle in the injector, i. E. to design the injection device so that the first filled material is first transferred into the cavity and the last filled into the injector material is also introduced into the cavity at the end.

Also, it may be interesting to take a material leakage (continuous flushing) along the injection plunger and the buffer memory deliberately accepted or controlled to be avoided so long residence times of a material, which can lead to decomposition and bacterial loads. In this context, a construction for the plasticizing and injection device is preferably to choose that ensures a good cleaning ability, for example, a flushing option with a detergent. Moreover, the individual components (including covers) can be made of stainless steel or other stainless material, a material which has proven itself in excellent manner in the food industry and easy to is clean. In general, special emphasis is placed on hygiene in the food sector. The cleaning options are of great importance. For this reason, it may be important to carry out a certain amount of the parts in stainless steel or with the stainless material. It may also be important to provide special cleaning positions for the individual parts, in which the extruder, the injection device, the mold but also housing parts can be cleaned well.

The injection unit has the function to supply the mixed starting material of one or more cavities in a mold. For this purpose, the material is injected from the injection unit via an injection nozzle in the mold. The molding tool may be formed as a multi-cavity tool, so that it contains a plurality of Kavitätsräumen.

Ideally, the mold, or at least one mold half, formed tempered, so that heating and / or cooling is possible in a suitable or desired manner. The requirements are generally not as high as in the processing of plastic melt. In the present case, even simpler cooling and tempering units should be sufficient.

Also, the closing unit in the food industry usually does not have to withstand the pressures, as is the case in the plastic processing area. It may therefore be possible to dimension the closing units smaller. In some cases it may also be possible to use clamping units as used in polyurethane processing. According to a particularly preferred embodiment may possibly, even a self-locking mold can be used, so that on a closing frame possibly, can be dispensed with altogether.

Also, it is of course in the food industry evtl, not necessary to manufacture the tool from a tool steel. It may also be possible to use plastics for the mold. So it is known from the household sector to use silicone molds for baking.

Otherwise, you can take over applications from the polyurethane processing area. Thus, the Spritzgießcompounder can be integrated into a rotary table or oval system in which a series of clamping units arranged in molds from station to station. A station can be a heating cabinet or an oven in which the products are baked. Another station may be a cleaning device in which the molds are cleaned. Again, a station can be realized in the form of a pre-treatment device, with which, for example, a coating, such as a glaze, or the introduction of materials such as fruits is performed. Of course, other stations such as a removal device, etc. are conceivable. In such a rotary table or oval system, the molds are cyclically filled with inlay, then the food material filled / injected, followed by a heat treatment and / or aftertreatment, then the products are removed and the tool cleaned, after which the cycle can be restarted can.

The mold can be operated at a corresponding operation as an oven, so that the material introduced therein is baked over a certain period of time. If it is necessary to increase the volume, the mold can be driven more or less far during the baking process.

After the required waiting time, the mold can be opened and the products removed.

Of course, it is readily possible to apply other known in the injection molding process in the food industry for the production of food or semi-finished foods. It is thus possible to provide a storage device between the extruder and the injection unit in order to be able to operate the extruder continuously even in the case of a discontinuously operating injection unit. During the injection operation of the injection unit, the material provided by the extruder is temporarily stored in this storage unit and then subsequently transferred again to the injection unit. This storage unit can be provided both separately between the extruder and the injection unit as well as integrated in the extruder.

Of course, it is possible to introduce several different materials successively in the cavity, whereby a multilayer product can be produced in the manner of a multi-component injection molding process. For example, it is possible to form a product with an outer material of the first kind and an inner core material of the second kind.

It is also possible to perform a kind of WIT process (Water Injection Technology) or GIT process (Gas Inject Technology). In this case, for example, after the first partial filling of a cavity with a material component, air could be blown in, whereby the material component is pressed against the wall of the cavity. Thus, hollow objects such as chocolate products could easily be produced. After a cooling time, these products can be removed relatively quickly from a multiple cavity.

Of course, instead of introducing air, it is also possible to introduce a foodstuff liquid which in the same way presses the material, which has previously been partially filled into the cavity, against the wall of the cavity. The product thus produced is then internally filled with the appropriate liquid / mass or also hollow when the liquid or mass is removed again.

Instead of a gas or a liquid, another component can be introduced into the interior of the first component analogously to the known sandwich method during injection molding. The second component may also be provided with a propellant (e.g., baking powder) to form the product by swelling the propellant.

Should the extruder not a material mixture, but already a dough are supplied, which is poorly conveyed in a hopper, so could be provided in this area, a stuffer or an automatic feeder. The automatic feeding device could in turn also be designed as a mixing and conveying device. Even such devices are known from the prior art for the plastic application.

Of course, closing devices, as known in plastics technology, can be used. Thus, it is possible to arrange a reversing plate, a sandwich plate or an index plate between two platens. It is also possible to provide turntables or sliding tables on the platens.

Of course, several extruder and injectors or even material supply to the cavities of the mold may be present, so that a multi-component processing is readily possible. Moreover, it is of course often useful to associate a handling device of the closing unit, which introduces, for example, before introducing the material from the injection unit into the cavity an insert part in a part of the cavity, the cavity is acted upon by a means or takes a finished product from the cavity. For example, the inserter could be an element of a package or a foodstuff to accompany the product, such as a fruit (e.g., a nut).

The use according to the invention and the method according to the invention are defined in the subclaims.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an inventive use of Spritzgießcompounders is explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings show in Figure 1 a schematic representation of an injection molding compounder for erfindungsge MAESSEN use, 4/12

Austrian Patent Office AT 11 049 U1 2010-04-15 Figure 2 shows a first modified embodiment compared to Figure 1 in a Detaildar position, Figure 3 shows a second modified embodiment of Figure 1 in a detailed view, Figure 4 a 3 shows a modified embodiment according to FIG. 1 in a detailed representation,

In Figure 1, a Spritzgießcompounder is shown schematically, as it is used for the production of a compressed in a dog bone mold food for dogs testweise. The injection molding compounder comprises a mixing unit 10, which in the present case comprises two mixing screws 14 accommodated in a mixing cylinder 12. The mixing unit 10 thus has a great similarity with a co-rotating twin-screw extruder, wherein the screws are designed to be suitable for processing the corresponding material. The pitch and the depth of the screw depend of course on the material to be processed.

The mixing unit has a hopper 16 in the catchment area, via which the food raw material or the food mixture are supplied in a metered manner to the mixing unit 10.

Furthermore, downstream of the hopper 16, a further supply port 18 is shown, can be added via the other food or food additives. Preferably, at such downstream positions, substances which are sensitive to a corresponding mixing treatment are admixed. Substances such as liquids can also be added to the mixture through an injection valve in the cylinder of the extruder. Of course, the mixing screws 14 are to be formed at these positions such that no material can swell out of the feed opening 18. For this purpose, shortly before reaching the feed opening 18, stagnation elements may be arranged, which lead to a reduction in pressure in the region of the further feed opening 18.

The two mixing screws 14 are rotationally driven via a rotary drive, in particular an electric motor 20. At the output end of the mixing unit 10, a material line 22 is provided, which supplies the material mixture produced in the mixing unit 10 to a storage device 24.

The storage device 24 has a storage container 26 in which a piston 28 is movably guided back and forth. This creates a receiving space into which the material from the mixing unit 10 can be introduced via the line 22. The piston 28 is designed to be movable via a drive 30. This drive 3 is presently designed as a hydraulic drive, wherein in two different Wirkräume the drive hydraulic lines 32 'and 32 " lead, which are connected to a switching valve 34. The switching valve 34 is in turn connected to a pump 40 on the one hand and a container 36 on the other hand and can act on the drive 30 depending on the switching position in the desired manner.

Alternatively, the drive may also be electrically powered e.g. be formed with a motor and a spindle nut combination. Of course, other drive options for the memory device 24 are conceivable. From the storage tank 26, a further line 56 leads to the injector 42. In order to prevent a pushing back of the material from the region of the injector 42 into the storage container 26 during the injection process, a shut-off valve 58 is provided in the conduit 56.

The injection device 42 essentially comprises an injection cylinder 44 in which the injection piston 48 is displaceably guided back and forth. The injection piston 48 is acted upon by a drive 50, which in turn is acted upon hydraulically. To this end, 5/12 Austrian Patent Office AT 11 049 U1 2010-04-15 have two hydraulic lines 52 'and 52 " into corresponding pressure chambers of the drive 50. The hydraulic lines 52 'and 52 " On the other hand, they are connected to a further switching valve 54, which also extends to the pump 40 as well as to the container 36. Depending on the switching position of the valve 54, the injection piston 48 can be moved in the desired manner back or forth.

From the injection cylinder 44, an injection nozzle 60 leads to a molding tool 74, 76. Thus, via the injection nozzle 60, the material received in the injection volume of the injection device 42 can be injected into the cavities of the molding tool. In the present case, the injection nozzle 60 is provided with a further shut-off valve, so that an unintended material outlet from the nozzle can be avoided.

The mold, in which present several cavities are arranged (multi cavity mold), consists of two mold halves 74 and 76. The mold half 74 is fixed to a fixed platen 70 and the mold half 76 to a movable mold mounting plate 72. The movable platen 72 can (with a drive, not shown) are moved back and forth, so that the mold is open and closed. In addition, tempering channels 78, through which the tool can be tempered in a desired manner, are formed in the mold half 76. Thus, it is possible to guide appropriately tempered water through these channels, wherein the connections for the temperature control channels 78 are not shown here in detail.

In the mold half 74 - indicated by dashed lines - the line paths are shown, via which the material is transferred from the injection volume 46 in the various cavities.

The operation of the Spritzgießcompounders for use in the food industry is clear. In the hopper 16 in the filling area, a food mixture for a product to be produced is introduced. This food mixture is intimately mixed and homogenized on the way through the mixing unit and exits in a plastic manner at the end of the mixing unit in the line 22, from which it is transferred to the storage unit 24.

If the valve 58 is closed, the storage unit receives the material and stores this between. Once the valve 58 is opened, the material from the storage unit 24 can be transferred to the injector 42, the piston 48 being retracted with the filling of the injector 42. Is in the injection volume 46 a required amount of material accumulated, the valve 58 is closed and the valve 62 is opened. Then, the material collected in the injection volume 46 is transferred through the channels in the mold half 74 into the cavities of the closed mold. The cavities are kept at a constant level by tempering, so then a baking of the product can take place to a certain extent. Subsequently, the mold is opened, and the products can be removed.

This procedure has already been tested in the production of bone-shaped chews for dogs and has proven to be excellent.

Compared to previous methods could now be realized over the entire 360 ° product scope a desired design. Moreover, the entire manufacturing process can be run with a single plant, wherein at the beginning the starting components are added and at the end when opening the closing unit, the finished product can be removed.

Different modifications of the device described with reference to FIG. 1 are shown in FIGS.

Thus, it is possible to dispense with the memory device 24 of Figure 1. On the one hand, of course, the mixing unit can also be operated discontinuously and cycle by cycle, so that it mixes material only when filling the injector 42 and promotes. If the injection device 42 is in the injection mode, the valve 58 is closed and the mixing unit 10 is stopped. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the possibility of storage in the outlet-side region of the mixing unit of mixing cylinder 80 and mixing screws 82 itself is realized. The mixing screws 82 have at least two different sections of screw flights. The flights in Section A, designated 84, are for normal mixing and homogenization. The screw threads in the section B designated by the reference numeral 86 are made deeper, so that there with back-up valve 58, the material can back up, which then can be converted into the injection device after opening the valve 58. However, this way you can not save a lot of material.

The storage device 94 shown in FIG. 3 is also integrated in the mixing unit of mixing cylinder 90 and twin screws 92. Here, a storage tank 96 is connected to a storage volume in the end region of the extruder with the interior, wherein a piston 98 by a drive 100 back and can Vorverfahren. If the valve 58 is locked, the piston 98 is moved back and the material can be transferred from the extruder to the storage device 94. When the valve 58 is open, the piston 98 is moved downwards, so that the material stored in the storage volume 96 is pressed back into the extruder and transferred from there into the injection device 42.

FIG. 4 shows a detail of a modification on the outlet side of the injection device 42. Namely, in the region of the injection nozzle 60, a feed inlet 108 opens, which in the further course has a valve 106 and is connected to a pump 104. The pump 104 delivers the material from a container 102 and pushes it through the feed line 108 into the injection nozzle 60. In this way, an additional material, which is accommodated in the container 102 in Figure 4, depending on the operation of the pump at a desired time be transformed into creativity. This material may be a gas, a liquid, or other plastic food material, so as desired to produce a product having an additional component of material in the cavity.

Thus, by the use of air as the gas known per se GIT (Gas Injection Technolgy) can be used, whereby the cavity partially filling a material is pressed against the Kavitätswandung, so that a total hollow product can be produced. It is also possible in this way to fill a product with a food liquid or even a viscous mass using a method analogous to WIT (Water Injection Technology).

Of course, various food components can be mixed together in this way. Thus, instead of the combination of pump 104 and container 102, it is possible to provide a further mixing and injection unit, which then discharges into the nozzle 60, so that different materials are injected into the cavity at different times in the manner of a multi-component injection method can be.

In Figure 5, a switching unit 112 is shown schematically in an injection nozzle 60, which opens the access either from the injector 42 or the additional feed line 110, so that, depending on the requirement for a desired product, the introduction of the injector 42 or on the Infeed 110 into the cavities is possible.

Another modification of the injection molding apparatus of Figure 1 is shown in detail in Figure 6. Here, in the filling area, as an alternative to the funnel, a so-called automatic feeding device is provided, which is realized from a rotating funnel 126 and a rotationally driven worm 128 (drive 130). This automatic feeder also has mixing and kneading function whereby plastic and dough-shaped materials can be fed in a well-defined manner to the mixing unit 120 of mixing cylinders 120 and mixing screws 122. In this apparatus according to FIG. 6, batchwise feeding of a dough into the mixing and filling device 124 is also possible, which is then transferred continuously to the mixing unit 120, 122. 7/12

Claims (20)

Austrian Patent Office AT 11 049 U1 2010-04-15 [0064] Overall, the use of a per se known injection molding compound for the foodstuffs sector makes it possible to produce completely 3D-designed products in a single operation in a simple manner. Claims 1. Use of an injection molding compounder comprising - a co-rotating twin-screw extruder as a mixing and homogenizing unit to which at least food precursors are added, mixed and homogenized, the feed material being in a fully mixed dough-like form at the outlet thereof, - a single injection unit, which is connected to the co-rotating twin-screw extruder and receives from this cycle, the mixed and homogenized dough-shaped material and - a closing unit in which at least one mold is arranged or can be arranged, wherein the mixed homogenized dough-shaped material from the injection unit into one or more cavities of the Forming tool is convertible, for the production of food or semi-finished food products. 2. Use of an injection molding compounder according to claim 1, characterized in that in the end region of the extruder or the extruder downstream of a storage unit for receiving material is provided, in which the mixed and homogenized, dough-shaped material is temporarily stored. 3. Use of an injection molding compounder according to claim 2, characterized in that the storage unit is provided as a separate device between the extruder and the injection unit for temporarily storing the homogenized, dough-shaped material. 4. Use of an injection molding compounder according to claim 2, characterized in that the storage unit is located in front of the exit end of the extruder, and material from the extruder in the storage unit and from the storage unit in the extruder is traceable. 5. Use of an injection molding compounder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that fluidly after the injection unit, an injection nozzle for the transfer of the food material is provided in the tool and that the injection nozzle connected to a device for introducing gas or liquid into the material or connectable. 6. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in terms of flow after the injection unit an injection nozzle for the transfer of the material is provided in the tool and that the injection nozzle is connected to a device for introducing a further mass or connectable. 7. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the injection nozzle is reversible, such that either the material from the injection device or the material from the further device for introducing a gas, a liquid or another mass connected is. 8. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a separate mixing and conveying device for processing dough material is provided in the filling area of the extruder. 9. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a temperature control device for the cavity or the cavities is arranged in the mold. 8/12 Austrian Patent Office AT 11 049 U1 2010-04-15 10. Use of an injection molding compounder according to claim 9, characterized in that with the tempering a cavity temperature of 50 to 150 ° C can be produced. 11. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between the two clamping plates of the closing unit, a turning plate is arranged, so that two molding tools can be arranged in the clamping unit, wherein the injection unit is associated with a molding tool. 12. Use of an injection molding compounder according to claim 11, characterized in that the other mold of the closing unit is associated with a further Materialzuführeinrich device. 13. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that with a handling device an insert part is inserted before filling a cavity in this and / or a finished product is removed with a handling device. 14. Use of an injection molding compounder according to claim 13, characterized in that the insert material is a food material or a packaging material. 15. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of the preceding claims 10 to 14, characterized in that in addition to the tempering of the tool, an electrical surface heating is installed for variothermal operation of the tool together with the mold half. 16. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the co-rotating twin-screw extruder in further filling areas downstream of the first filling area, further food substances are added. 17. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the same direction rotating twin-screw extruder moisture is removed from the material via a degassing. 18. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that first a portion of the cavity is filled with a matrix from the injection device and in a second process step, a gas, a liquid or another food material according to the gas injection principle or the water injection principle is introduced into the cavity. 19. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a liquid is introduced via a nozzle or a diffusible material in the channel region in order to increase the flowability of the processing mass. 20. Use of an injection molding compounder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that injected into an open mold and the mass is then embossed. For this 3 sheets drawings 9/12