AU632073B2

AU632073B2 - Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of confectionery

Info

Publication number: AU632073B2
Application number: AU44561/89A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Laurence Anthony Boyhan; James Halliday; John Peter Van Camp
Original assignee: Cadbury Confectionary Ltd
Current assignee: Mondelez New Zeeland
Priority date: 1988-11-10
Filing date: 1989-11-09
Publication date: 1992-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 2009-11-09
Also published as: AU4456189A

Description

12

B

632073

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1952 Form COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: S Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: o Lapsed: Published: 00 Priority: Related Art: /i j i j i 1 'j $rsli TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: VAN CAMP CHOCOLATE LIMITED FARMHOUSE LANE, GLEN INNES,

AUCKLAND,

NEW ZEALAND

I,

SII

Actual Inventor: Address for Service: GRIFFITH HACK CO., 601 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF CONFECTIONERY The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me:- 0' r k 'ii ~ilC c_ u ~u -1ld This invention relates to apparatus and methods for the manufacture of confectionery in particular boxed chocolates and similarly packaged confectionery.

Confectionery in particular chocolate confectionery such as boxed chocolates and chocolate tablets have been produced utilising various apparatus and methods for example shell moulding and one shot moulding. Particularly with boxed chocolates with both methods considerable logistics problems So arise with maintaining chocolates of different flavours, shapes and other characteristics separate from one another o 6 I but available for packaging to provide a boxed chocolate 000 0 product comprised of various varieties. Traditionally this I 0o0 packaging Is undertaken by hand with in some cases automation being utilised. In addition, particularly with a one shot method and apparatus for manufacture of boxed chocolates some oo °o a limitations as to the range of varieties tends to arise owing o 0 0 oj 0 to the inherent limitations of the apparatus used in .0000 particular the depositors utilised for charging the moulds.

0 oo 6 0 000 It is an intention of this' invention to provide an apparatus oo 0 0 and method for the manufacture of confectionery in particular Sboxed chocolates which it is envisaged will alleviate the aforesaid problems. A further intention is to provide an apparatus and method for the packaging of confectionery in particular boxed chocolates produced in accordance with this -2invention which will alleviate the labour or capital costs involved with known means of packaging boxed chocolates.

000 00 0 0 0 00 0 00 0 00 000 0 00 S000 000 o 0 000 0000 0 0 o o0 oooo 0 0 0 00000 0 0 0 0 0 00 o According to a first aspect of this invention, there is provided an apparatus for the manufacture and packaging of confectionery comprising a plurality of moulds each incorporating a segmented cavity or a plurality of cavities, mould conveyor means oriented to extend from a mould loading station thereof to at least a first ingredient depositor disposed to charge at least some of the cavity segments or cavities of a mould, the conveyor then extending to and through an ingredient conditioning means adapted to substantially solidify the ingredients with thereafter the conveyor means leading to a tray registering station whereat a packaging tray can be disposed in inverted juxtaposition above such a charged mould, means adapted to convey a so associated mould and tray and invert the mould and tray in unison and dislodgement means to dislodge the confectionery from the mould onto the tray.

According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided a method of manufacturing and packaging confectionery comprising the steps of providing a mould incorporating a segmented cavity or a plurality of cavities therein, placing the mould with the cavity(ies) thereof in juxtaposition to an outlet of at least a first depositor to receive at least a part charge of confectionery Ingredients -3therefrom into at least one cavity segment or cavity, thereof, then, if ned be, repeating this charging step with other depositors to charge other of the cavity segments or cavities and thereafter conditioning the confectionery until in a substantially solidified state, providing a packaging tray and registering the tray, in juxtaposition above a charged mould and inverting in unison the mould and tray and dislodging the confectionery from the mould onto the tray, then completing the packaging of the confectionery in the tray.

ooooo S According to a third aspect of this invention, there is o provided an apparatus for the manufacture and packaging of confectionery comprising a plurality of moulds each 00 00 00.0 ooo oo incorporating a plurality of cavities, mould conveyor means oriented to extend from a mould loading station thereof to at least a first ingredient depositor disposed to charge at o 0 least some of the cavities of a mould, the conveyor then 06 o0 extending to and through an ingredient conditioning means adapted to substantially solidify the ingredients with 6 C, 0 0 thereafter the conveyor means leading to a tray registering station whereat a cavity incorporating packaging tray can be 0000 disposed in inverted juxtaposition above such a charged mould, means adapted to convey a so associated mould and tray and invert the mould and tray in unison and dislodgement means to dislodge the confectionery from the mould into the cavities of the tray.

-4- Il~mCI-5/1~BBII i iili~ II According to a fourth aspect of this invention there is provided a method of manufacturing and packaging confectionery comprising the steps of providing a mould i incorporating a plurality of cavities therein, placing the i mould with the cavities thereof in juxtaposition to an outlet of at least a first depositor to receive at least a part h charge of confectionery ingredients therefrom into at least one cavity thereof, then, if need be, repeating this charging step with other depositors to charge other of the cavities and thereafter conditioning the confectionery until in a substantially solidified state, providing a cavity Sincorporating packaging tray and registering the tray, with the cavities disposed downwardly, in juxtaposltion with a charged mould and in alignment with the cavities thereof and S inverting in unison the mouldand tray and dislodging the confectionery from the mould into the cavities of the tray, then completing the packaging of the confectionery in the tray 00 0 00 0 provided an apparatus for the manufacture and packaging of chocolate(s) comprising a.piurality of moulds each 0 0 incorporating a segmented cavity or a plurality of individual cavities, mould conveyor means oriented to extend from a mould loading station thereof to at least a first ingredient depositor disposed to charge at least some of the cavities or L cavity segments of a mould, the conveyor then extending to and through an ingredient conditioning means adapted to substantially solidify the ingredients, with thereafter the conveyor leading to a tray registering station whereat a cavity incorporating packaging tray can be disposed in inverted juxtaposition above such a charged mould, means adapted to convey a so associated mould and tray and invert the mould and tray in unison and dislodgement means to dislodge the chocolates from the mould into the cavities of the tray.

000000 0 .0 According to a sixth aspect of this invention there is O n o r S provided a method of manufacturing and packaging chocolate(s) o comprising the steps of providing a mould incorporating a 0000 S segmented cavity or plurality of individual cavities therein, 0000 placin the mould with at least two of the cavities in juxtaposition to an outlet of at least a first depositor to C receive at least a part charge of liquidified chocolate 0° and/or other ingredients therefrom into at least some of the cavities or cavity segments, then, if need be, repeating this a ooc S charging step with other depositors to charge other of the 0 cavities or cavity segments and thereafter conditioning the 0000 0 0 C CC 0 chocolate to a substantially solidified state, providing a' Scavity incorporating packaging tray and registering the tray, with the cavities disposed downwardly, in juxtaposition with a charged mould and in alignment with the cavities thereof -6ii I L T -r i i4 and inverting in unison the mould and tray and dislodging the i chocolates from the mould into the cavities of the tray, then I completing the packaging of the chocolates in the tray.

According to a seventh aspect of this invention, there is provided an apparatus for the manufacture and packaging of individual chocolates comprising a plurality of moulds each incorporating a plurality of cavities at least two of which are of different shapes to one another, mould conveyor means oriented to extend from a mould loading station thereof to a first ingredient depositor disposed to further charge, in similar manner, other of the cavities of a mould, the conveyor then extending to and through an ingredient conditioning means adapted to substantially solidify the ingredients, with thereafter the conveyor leading to a tray registering station whereat an inverted cavity incorporating packaging tray can be placed in juxtaposition above such a ~charged mould, means adapted to convey a so associated mould o and tray and invert the mould and tray in unison and dislodgement means to dislodge the chocolates from the mould into the cavities of the tray.

0 0~ According to an eighth aspect of this invention there is provided a method of manufacturing and packaging individual chocolates comprising the steps of providing a mould incorporating a plurality of cavities therein, at least two of which are of different shapes to one another, placing the mould with at least two of the cavities in juxtaposition to an outlet of at least a first depositor to receive at least a part charge of liquified chocolate and/or other ingredients therefrom, then, if need be, repeating this charging step with other depositors to charge other of the cavities and thereafter condi'ioning the chocolate until in a substantially solidified state, providing a cavity incorporating packaging tray and registering the tray, with the cavities disposed downwardly, in juxtaposition with charged mould and in alignment with the cavities thereof and o inverting in unison the mould and tray and dislodging the o chocolates from the mould into the cavities of the tray, then S completing the packaging of the chocolates in the tray.

0 According to a ninth aspect of this invention there is provided an apparatus for the manufacture of one shot moulded chocolates characterised in that the cavities of each of the o moulds are of at least two different shapes and at least two depositors are provided to operate one after the other, each o to charge certain of the cavities.

0 a o 0 According to a tenth aspect of this invention there is provided an apparatus for the manufacture of one shot moulded chocolates as described in the preceding paragraph wherein at least one depositor is adapted to charge two ingredients simultaneously into a cavity.

-8- According to an eleventh aspect of this invention there is provided a method of manufacturing one shot moulded chocolates characterised in that the cavities of each of the moulds are of at least two different shapes and at least two depositors are provided to operate one after the other, each to charge certain of the cavities.

According to a twelfth aspect of this invention there is a method of manufacturing one shot moulded chocolates as described in the preceding paragraph wherein at least one of the charging steps in addition to providing a charge of o0 o o. chocolate simultaneously provides a charge of another 0 0 oo ingredient to the same cavities.

According to a thirteenth aspect of this invention there is provided a method of manufacturing one shot moulded chocolates as described in either of the two immediately 'o preceding paragraphs wherein after cooling of the chocolate I to a substantially solidified state providing a cavity incorporating packaging tray and registering the tray with o0 the cavities disposed downwardly onto the mould in alignment with the respective cavities 'thereof and inverting in unison 0 0o 0" 0 the mould and tray and dislodging the chocolates from the mould into the cavities of the tray, and then completing the packaging of the chocolates in the tray.

-9- In further describing the invention reference is made to Jpreferred embodiments. In a first preferred form a one shot moulding technique is utilised in producing confectionery in particular individual chocolates. In an alternative form a shell moulding apparatus and method is utilised. A conveyor of suitable structure is arranged to convey a plurality of j moulds throughout the apparatus. Dependent upon the extent iof production requirements a plurality of identical moulds i| are provided to enable repetitive moulding operations.

A mould is formed with either individual cavities or with one segmented cavity therein. The cavities or cavity segments of a mould may be all identically shaped to one another but in a j preferred embodiment a mould has at least two cavities, and ii preferably a variety of differently shaped cavities, therein.

!i More particularly, where individual cavities are used the cavities of a mould are shaped and arranged therein to correspond to a setting required for a particular boxed chocolate package as more particularly describe hereinafter.

Put another way the mould and a tray of the boxed chocolates Sare preferably substantial replicas of one another or at S least the cavities of a packaging tray are of substantially I similar shapes and setting as within a mould.

Thus a variety of moulds each having a particular setting of cavities therein can be provided to correspond to a variety i of desired boxed chocolate settings. Where a tablet type I product is involved such as by using a segmented cavity mould ia tray may need only have one cavity to accommodate the whole tablet.

i SWith one shot moulding the moulds are conveyed to an 11 ingredient depositor which charges the cavities of a ,i particular mould with required ingredients. Preferably a ~i depositor provides for co-extrusion of ingredients, for i example, a chocolate extruded about a flavouring to charge a i selected cavity. In a preferred embodiment a first chamber i of a depositor contains liquified chocolate of a particular :I consistency, for example milk of dark chocolate.

i SAssociated therewith the depositor includes at least one ,,0o further chamber and preferably a plurality of chambers each containing a particular flavouring, the consistency of the flavourings being essentially the same as one another.

0 A depositor head and charging..apparatus in the form of 0 charging cylinders and associated rams conjoining with Sa; respective passages of a network of passageways is provided.

Each ram operates to draw off a required charge of chocolate or flavouring, as the case may be, and expel such charge into a selective cavity.

-11- In a preferred method a plurality of depositors are provided to operate one after the other, each charging some only of the cavities. Thus a first depositor charges at least some of the cavities of a mould being cavities of substantially the same volumetric capacity with a first type of chocolate with each preferably having the same or a different flavouring simultaneously co-extruded thereinto to form the respective chocolates.

The conveyor means then transports a mould to a second and possibly further depositors operated in similar manner to 0c o S° provide for the charging of other of the cavities for a 0 0 a mould. The second and subsequent depositors are charged with o other ingredients in particular a chocolate of a different consistency together with a required variety of flavourings.

With shell moulding a similar approach is taken with, for example, a first ingredient being charged into all, or just some, cavities with other ingredients charged at other stages.

0 o In this continuous and stage by stage manner a plurality of moulds are charged with the conveying means then transporting 0 0o 0i the moulds to cooling apparatus.

A conditioning apparatus, conventionally with chocolates a refrigeration or similar cooling apparatus of known form is provided to cool the required chocolate within the various -12confectionery comprising the steps of providing a mould incorporating a segmented cavity or a plurality of cavities therein, placing the mould with the cavity(ies) thereof in juxtaposition to an outlet of at least a first depositor to receive at least a part charge of confectionery ingredients therefrom into at least one cavity segment or cavity, thereof, optionally repeating this charging step ./2 cavities to a solidified state in readiness for removal from the moulds and subsequent packaging. Following the cooling stage the conveyor continues to a mould to packaging tray registering stage whereat an inverted tray can be located on a mould. This may be carried out manually or registering means may be provided.

The conveyor is directed through an upwardly and then rearwardly arcuate path to thus return on itself and a tracking plate is provided to follow the path of the conveyor. Beforehand a tray has been positioned on a mould *00000 0 and with inverting of the two in unison the tracking plate 000 o o operates to retain a tray on a mould. A package tray o o o registering means may comprise conveying means arranged to 000ooo0 0:0° extend through the.same inverting path in juxtaposition with 0oo000 the mould conveying means in uimilar manner to the tracking plate. In particular the tray conveyor is disposed adjacently above the mould conveyor at the outset of the 0 00 0o0. inverting path. The arrangement provides that a packaging O tray on the associated coiveyor will register with a mould.

0oooo As aforesaid preferably a packaging tray incorporates a 0 0 setting of cavities being-a replica of a mould, the L, registering providing for alignment of the cavity settings.' It is envisaged that the registering means will include inter-alia upstands such as the walls thereof disposed to locate with associated registering walls provided on a mould.

-13- The associated conveying means of the registering stage are co-ordinated to convey a so related mould and tray along in close juxtaposition with one another. At the conveying means invert the relationship of a mould and an associated tray is also inverted. As appropriate after or toward the end of the Inverting stage dislodgement means, such as beaters, are provided to dislodge the chocolates from a mould the ch'ocolates thus being dislodged into the corresponding cavities of an associated packaging tray. Thereafter a mould can be returned for recharging and a filled tray directed toward appropriate boxing and wrapping apparatus to S complete a required boxed chocolate package.

o o 0 Thus, whilst we have described in the foregoing description, o- preferred forms of our invention, we do not wish to be limited to the positive terms employed herein, since many modifications and alterations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of our o o invention.

Qo0 o0 0 00 0 -14-

Claims

2. Apparatus according to claim i, wherein said packing tray incorporates one or more cavities, the o a dislodgement means acting to dislodge the confectionery from the mould into corresponding cavities of the tray. o 0. S 3. Apparatus according to claim i, wherein each mould incorporates a plurality of cavities at least two of 0 o the cavities being of different shapes to one another.
4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of ingredient depositors are disposed for sequential charging of individual cavities of the mould. L Fr Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said at least one depositor is adapted to charge at least two different ingredients simultaneously into a cavity.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of depositors are provided to operate one after the other, each charging only selected ones of the cavities.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a first depositor charges at least some of the cavities of a mould, being cavities of substantially the same volumetric capacity, with a first ingredients and the conveyor means S 5 then acts to transport the mould to a further depositor which acts to charge at least another of the cavities of the mould with ingredients different to the first depositor. ii 4" Ao u
8. Apparats according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the conditioning means comprises a refrigeration or other cooling apparatus.
9. A method of manufacturing and packaging confectionery comprising the steps of providing a mould incorporating a segmented cavity or a plurality of cavities therein, placing the mould with the cavity(ies) thereof in juxtaposition to an outlet of at least a first depositor to receive at least a part charge of confectionery ingredients therefrom into at least one cavity segment or cavity, thereof, optionally repeating this charging step with other. depositors to charge other of the cavity segments or cavities and thereafter conditioning the confectionery until in a substantially solidified state, providing a packaging tray and registering the tray, in juxtaposition above a charged mould and inverting in unison the mould and tray and dislodging the confectionery from 1 the mould onto the tray, then completing the packaging of Sthe confectionery in the tray. A method according to claim 9, wherein a packaging tray incorporating a plurality of cavities is provided and the tray is registered with the cavities disposed downwardly, in juxtaposition with a charged mould and in alignment with the cavities thereof and in',erting in unison of the mould and tray dislodges confectionery from the mould into the cavities of the tray.
11. A method according to claim .9 or claim wherein the mould is placed with at least two of the cavities in juxtaposition to an outlet of at le6.t a first depositor to receive at least a part charge of a liquified confectionery ingredient and/or other ingredients.
12. A method according to any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein at least two of said plurality oi cavities are of different shapes to one another.
13. A method according to any one of claims 9 to 12.. wherein, in a one shot moulding operation, the cavities of each of the moulds are of at least two different shapes and at least two depositors are provided to operate one after 5 the other, each to charge certain of the cavities.
14. A method according to claim 13, wherein at least ;i one depositor is adapted to charge two ingredients simultaneously into a cavity. no o 15. A method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the cavities of each of the moulds are of at least two different shapes and at least two depositors are a% provided to operate one after the other, each to charge certain of the cavities. .16. A method according to any one of claims 9 to wherein at least one of the charging steps, in addition to providing a che.rge of a first confectionery ingredient, simultaneously provides a charge of another ingredient to S the same cavities. 17 I~
17. Apparatus according to claim 1 substantially as herein described or exemplified.
18. A method according to claim 9 substantially as herein described or exemplified. DATED THIS 22ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER 1992 VAN CAMP CHOCOLATE LIMITED By Its Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK CO Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia j j i i i 11 i i i t i it i ii i i i seies a a 0 a o oe 0 at i a sl a I 16 D a a a D D 1-1-