CA2120263A1 - Applicator for dosing a layer of filling on a moving substrate - Google Patents
Applicator for dosing a layer of filling on a moving substrateInfo
- Publication number
- CA2120263A1 CA2120263A1 CA002120263A CA2120263A CA2120263A1 CA 2120263 A1 CA2120263 A1 CA 2120263A1 CA 002120263 A CA002120263 A CA 002120263A CA 2120263 A CA2120263 A CA 2120263A CA 2120263 A1 CA2120263 A1 CA 2120263A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- nozzle
- filling
- substrate
- conveyor
- mould opening
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A21—BAKING; EDIBLE DOUGHS
- A21C—MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING OR PROCESSING DOUGHS; HANDLING BAKED ARTICLES MADE FROM DOUGH
- A21C9/00—Other apparatus for handling dough or dough pieces
- A21C9/06—Apparatus for filling pieces of dough such as doughnuts
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A21—BAKING; EDIBLE DOUGHS
- A21C—MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING OR PROCESSING DOUGHS; HANDLING BAKED ARTICLES MADE FROM DOUGH
- A21C9/00—Other apparatus for handling dough or dough pieces
- A21C9/08—Depositing, arranging and conveying apparatus for handling pieces, e.g. sheets of dough
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C31/00—Handling, e.g. feeding of the material to be shaped, storage of plastics material before moulding; Automation, i.e. automated handling lines in plastics processing plants, e.g. using manipulators or robots
- B29C31/04—Feeding of the material to be moulded, e.g. into a mould cavity
- B29C31/042—Feeding of the material to be moulded, e.g. into a mould cavity using dispensing heads, e.g. extruders, placed over or apart from the moulds
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C39/00—Shaping by casting, i.e. introducing the moulding material into a mould or between confining surfaces without significant moulding pressure; Apparatus therefor
- B29C39/22—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29C39/24—Feeding the material into the mould
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Robotics (AREA)
- Coating Apparatus (AREA)
Abstract
An applicator for dosing a layer of filling onto a substrate travelling on a continuously moving conveyor comprising a conveyor, a nozzle having a mould opening in its lower surface and provided with a means for supplying a filling into the the mould opening, means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically above the conveyor and horizontally in the direction of travel of the conveyor so that in one cycle, a) the nozzle descends so that the border of the mould opening contacts a substrate travelling on the conveyor, b) the filling is fed into the mould opening, c) the nozzle advances downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor with the filling in the mould opening lying on the substrate, d) the nozzle ascends leaving the moulded filling forming a layer on the substrate, and e) the nozzle retracts upstream to its original position.
Description
APPLICATOR
The present invention relates to an applicator for dosing a layer of filling on a continuously moving substrate e.g. a dough.
The accurate automatic moulding and dosing of a thin layer of sauce intermittently onto a sheeted dough travelling on a continuously moving conveyor is difficult to achieve, especially if the sauce is viscous. Filling is often applied by hand but, even by this method, it is still difficult to achieve the desired precision.
We have devised an applicator for dosing a filling which is suitable for any type of pumpable filling independent of the viscosity, and whereby the filling may be applied with high precision with respect to position, shape and thickness.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an applicator for dosing a layer of filling onto a substrate travelling on a continuously moving conveyor comprising a conveyor, a nozzle having a mould opening in its lower surface and provided with a means for supplying a filling into the the mould opening, means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically above the conveyor and horizontally in the direction of travel of the conveyor so that in one cycle, a) the nozzle descends so that the border of the mould opening contacts a substrate travelling on the conveyor, b) the filling is fed into the mould opening, c) the nozzle advances downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor with the filling in the mould opening lying on the substrate, d) the nozzle ascends leaving the moulded filling forming a layer on the substrate, and e) the nozzle retracts upstream to its original position.
The conveyor is conveniently an endless belt and may be adapted to advance continuously or intermittently.
The nozzle advantageously comprises a valve house whose lower surface is a base plate formed within which is a mould opening. The means for supplying a filling to the nozzle and the means for reciprocating the nozzle are conveniently fitted to a valve tap to which the nozzle is slidably fitted so that it may reciprocate horizontally along the valve tap while the nozzle and the valve tap are adapted to reciprocate vertically together.
The means for supplying a filling to the nozzle may conveniently be a dosing tube connected to a supply of the filling and a pump for supplying the filling. The pump is preferably adapted to supply a predetermined amount of the filling depending on the shape and depth of the mould opening.
O The means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically and horizontally may advantageously be provided by hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders and associated pistons.
Advantageously, a sensor may be provided on the cylinder for reciprocating the nozzle horizontally to indicate the completion of the moulding. The sensor may be a magnetic sensor which is activated by the piston at the -end of its movement.
The means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically preferably ensures that in the descended position, the nozzle i.e. the base plate surrounding the mould opening contacts the substrate lightly so as not to substantially distort the shape of the substrate, and that in the raised position, the nozzle no longer contacts the filling.
The substrate may be, for instance, a sheeted dough and the filling may be any pumpable fluid such as a sauce.
The shape, thickness and the amount of the filling dosed onto the substrate may be varied easily by replacing the valve house with one having a mould opening with different dimensions and adjusting the pump for the filling, if necessary, to distribute the appropriate amount of filling.
Conveniently, the pumping means for the filling and the reciprocating means for the nozzle are sequence controlled by a computer to enable automatic operation.
The present invention also provides a process for dosing a layer of filling onto a substrate travelling on a continuously moving conveyor which comprises advancing a substrate on a conveyor beneath a nozzle having a mould opening in its lower surface, descending the nozzle so that the border of the mould opening contacts the substrate travelling on the conveyor, feeding a filling into the mould ope~ln~, advancing the nozzle downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor transporting the substrate with the filling in the mould opening lying on the substrate, raising the nozzle to leave the moulded filling forming a layer on the -substrate, and retracting the nozzle upstream to its original position.
The present invention will now be further illustrated by example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the applicator positioned above a conveyor at the start of the dosing operation, Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the applicator at the termination of the dosing operation, Figure 3 represents the valve house and Figure 4 represents the valve tap.
Referring to the drawings, the applicator generally designated 10 is positioned above an endless conveyor belt 11 adapted to run continuously transporting a sheet of Pitte bread 12. The applicator comprises a valve tap 13, and a valve house 14. The valve tap 13 is adapted to reciprocate vertically with the valve house and is provided with an opening 15 and a solid block 16 to which is fixed a dosing tube 17 supplied by a pump (not shown). Fitted to the valve tap 13 is a pneumatic cylinder 18 mounted on a fixed support 19 with a 5 ~ 2 1202 6~
vertically reciprocating piston 20 passing through an opening in the fixed support 19 and a pneumatic cylinder 21 provided with a magnetic sensor 22 mounted on a lug 23 with a horizontally reciprocating piston 24 passing through an opening 25 in the lug 23. The valve house 14 which is slidably mounted on the valve tap 13 and adapted to reciprocate horizontally in the direction of the arrows comprises side walls 26 formed with internal grooves 27 shaped to slide along the valve tap 13, a nozzle consisting of a base plate 28 formed within which is a mould opening 29, and a cross bar 30 fitted with a lug 31 having an opening 32 to which piston 24 is connected. Moulded fillings 33 are shown on the conveyor belt. The operating of the applicator is controlled by a computer (not shown).
In operation, the conveyor belt 11 transporting a sheet of Pitte bread 12 advances continuously to the left in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. At the start of a cycle as shown in Figure 1 the piston 20 descends to lower the whole applicator 10 so that the nozzle consisting of the base plate 28 formed within which is the mould opening 29 contacts the Pitte bread with light pressure. The pump is activated by the computer to supply a predetermined amount of a sauce filler 33 which passes through the dosing tube 17 into the mould opening 29 where it lies on the sheet of Pitte bread 12. As the conveyor belt 11 advances continuously, the piston 24 retracts to the left in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings at the same speed as the conveyor belt causing by means of its connection to the lug 31, the valve house 14 to slide to the left along the valve tap 13 with the nozzle still lightly contacting the Pitte bread 12 while the filling 33 is moulded to the contours of the mould opening 29. When the moulding is completed at the position shown in Figure 2, the sensor 22 is activated by the end of the piston 24 and sends a signal to the computer which activates the piston 20 to ascend to raise the whole applicator 10 to a height sufficient for the nozzle to be lifted clear of the moulded filling 33 and then the piston 24 moves to the right in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings to cause, by means of its connection to the lug 31, the valve house 14 to slide to the right along the valve tap 13 to the position shown in Figure 1 where a new cycle is commenced by the piston 20 descending to lower the whole applicator.
Moulded fillings 33 are thus dosed consecutively onto the Pitte bread at high speed e.g. 40 cycles per minute, and with great accuracy.
There are thus very few moving parts of the applicator according to this invention and the shape, thickness and amount of filling may be varied easily by replacing the valve house with one having a mould opening with different dimensions.
The present invention relates to an applicator for dosing a layer of filling on a continuously moving substrate e.g. a dough.
The accurate automatic moulding and dosing of a thin layer of sauce intermittently onto a sheeted dough travelling on a continuously moving conveyor is difficult to achieve, especially if the sauce is viscous. Filling is often applied by hand but, even by this method, it is still difficult to achieve the desired precision.
We have devised an applicator for dosing a filling which is suitable for any type of pumpable filling independent of the viscosity, and whereby the filling may be applied with high precision with respect to position, shape and thickness.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an applicator for dosing a layer of filling onto a substrate travelling on a continuously moving conveyor comprising a conveyor, a nozzle having a mould opening in its lower surface and provided with a means for supplying a filling into the the mould opening, means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically above the conveyor and horizontally in the direction of travel of the conveyor so that in one cycle, a) the nozzle descends so that the border of the mould opening contacts a substrate travelling on the conveyor, b) the filling is fed into the mould opening, c) the nozzle advances downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor with the filling in the mould opening lying on the substrate, d) the nozzle ascends leaving the moulded filling forming a layer on the substrate, and e) the nozzle retracts upstream to its original position.
The conveyor is conveniently an endless belt and may be adapted to advance continuously or intermittently.
The nozzle advantageously comprises a valve house whose lower surface is a base plate formed within which is a mould opening. The means for supplying a filling to the nozzle and the means for reciprocating the nozzle are conveniently fitted to a valve tap to which the nozzle is slidably fitted so that it may reciprocate horizontally along the valve tap while the nozzle and the valve tap are adapted to reciprocate vertically together.
The means for supplying a filling to the nozzle may conveniently be a dosing tube connected to a supply of the filling and a pump for supplying the filling. The pump is preferably adapted to supply a predetermined amount of the filling depending on the shape and depth of the mould opening.
O The means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically and horizontally may advantageously be provided by hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders and associated pistons.
Advantageously, a sensor may be provided on the cylinder for reciprocating the nozzle horizontally to indicate the completion of the moulding. The sensor may be a magnetic sensor which is activated by the piston at the -end of its movement.
The means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically preferably ensures that in the descended position, the nozzle i.e. the base plate surrounding the mould opening contacts the substrate lightly so as not to substantially distort the shape of the substrate, and that in the raised position, the nozzle no longer contacts the filling.
The substrate may be, for instance, a sheeted dough and the filling may be any pumpable fluid such as a sauce.
The shape, thickness and the amount of the filling dosed onto the substrate may be varied easily by replacing the valve house with one having a mould opening with different dimensions and adjusting the pump for the filling, if necessary, to distribute the appropriate amount of filling.
Conveniently, the pumping means for the filling and the reciprocating means for the nozzle are sequence controlled by a computer to enable automatic operation.
The present invention also provides a process for dosing a layer of filling onto a substrate travelling on a continuously moving conveyor which comprises advancing a substrate on a conveyor beneath a nozzle having a mould opening in its lower surface, descending the nozzle so that the border of the mould opening contacts the substrate travelling on the conveyor, feeding a filling into the mould ope~ln~, advancing the nozzle downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor transporting the substrate with the filling in the mould opening lying on the substrate, raising the nozzle to leave the moulded filling forming a layer on the -substrate, and retracting the nozzle upstream to its original position.
The present invention will now be further illustrated by example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the applicator positioned above a conveyor at the start of the dosing operation, Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the applicator at the termination of the dosing operation, Figure 3 represents the valve house and Figure 4 represents the valve tap.
Referring to the drawings, the applicator generally designated 10 is positioned above an endless conveyor belt 11 adapted to run continuously transporting a sheet of Pitte bread 12. The applicator comprises a valve tap 13, and a valve house 14. The valve tap 13 is adapted to reciprocate vertically with the valve house and is provided with an opening 15 and a solid block 16 to which is fixed a dosing tube 17 supplied by a pump (not shown). Fitted to the valve tap 13 is a pneumatic cylinder 18 mounted on a fixed support 19 with a 5 ~ 2 1202 6~
vertically reciprocating piston 20 passing through an opening in the fixed support 19 and a pneumatic cylinder 21 provided with a magnetic sensor 22 mounted on a lug 23 with a horizontally reciprocating piston 24 passing through an opening 25 in the lug 23. The valve house 14 which is slidably mounted on the valve tap 13 and adapted to reciprocate horizontally in the direction of the arrows comprises side walls 26 formed with internal grooves 27 shaped to slide along the valve tap 13, a nozzle consisting of a base plate 28 formed within which is a mould opening 29, and a cross bar 30 fitted with a lug 31 having an opening 32 to which piston 24 is connected. Moulded fillings 33 are shown on the conveyor belt. The operating of the applicator is controlled by a computer (not shown).
In operation, the conveyor belt 11 transporting a sheet of Pitte bread 12 advances continuously to the left in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. At the start of a cycle as shown in Figure 1 the piston 20 descends to lower the whole applicator 10 so that the nozzle consisting of the base plate 28 formed within which is the mould opening 29 contacts the Pitte bread with light pressure. The pump is activated by the computer to supply a predetermined amount of a sauce filler 33 which passes through the dosing tube 17 into the mould opening 29 where it lies on the sheet of Pitte bread 12. As the conveyor belt 11 advances continuously, the piston 24 retracts to the left in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings at the same speed as the conveyor belt causing by means of its connection to the lug 31, the valve house 14 to slide to the left along the valve tap 13 with the nozzle still lightly contacting the Pitte bread 12 while the filling 33 is moulded to the contours of the mould opening 29. When the moulding is completed at the position shown in Figure 2, the sensor 22 is activated by the end of the piston 24 and sends a signal to the computer which activates the piston 20 to ascend to raise the whole applicator 10 to a height sufficient for the nozzle to be lifted clear of the moulded filling 33 and then the piston 24 moves to the right in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings to cause, by means of its connection to the lug 31, the valve house 14 to slide to the right along the valve tap 13 to the position shown in Figure 1 where a new cycle is commenced by the piston 20 descending to lower the whole applicator.
Moulded fillings 33 are thus dosed consecutively onto the Pitte bread at high speed e.g. 40 cycles per minute, and with great accuracy.
There are thus very few moving parts of the applicator according to this invention and the shape, thickness and amount of filling may be varied easily by replacing the valve house with one having a mould opening with different dimensions.
Claims (10)
1. An applicator for dosing a layer of filling onto a substrate travelling on a continuously moving conveyor comprising a conveyor, a nozzle having a mould opening in its lower surface and provided with a means for supplying a filling into the the mould opening, means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically above the conveyor and horizontally in the direction of travel of the conveyor so that in one cycle, a) the nozzle descends so that the border of the mould opening contacts a substrate travelling on the conveyor, b) the filling is fed into the mould opening, c) the nozzle advances downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor with the filling in the mould opening lying on the substrate, d) the nozzle ascends leaving the moulded filling forming a layer on the substrate, and e) the nozzle retracts upstream to its original position.
2. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein the nozzle comprises a valve house whose lower surface is a base plate formed within which is a mould opening.
3. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein the means for supplying a filling to the nozzle and the means for reciprocating the nozzle are fitted to a valve tap to which the nozzle is slidably fitted so that it may reciprocate horizontally along the valve tap while the nozzle and the valve tap are adapted to reciprocate vertically together.
4. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein the means for supplying the filling to the nozzle is a dosing tube connected to a supply of the filling and a pump for supplying the filling.
5. An applicator according to claim 4 wherein the pump is adapted to supply a predetermined amount of the filling.
6. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein the means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically and horizontally is provided by pneumatic cylinders.
7. An applicator according to claim 6 wherein a sensor to indicate the completion of the moulding is provided on the cylinder for reciprocating the nozzzle horizontally.
8. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein the means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically ensures that in the descended position, the nozzle contacts the substrate lightly so as not to substantially distort the shape of the substrate.
9. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein the means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically ensures that in the raised position, the nozzle no longer contacts the filling.
10. A process for dosing a layer of filling onto a substrate travelling on a continuously moving conveyor which comprises advancing a substrate on a conveyor beneath a nozzle having a mould opening in its lower surface, descending the nozzle so that the border of the mould opening contacts the substrate travelling on the conveyor, feeding a filling into the mould opening, advancing the nozzle downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor transporting the substrate with the filling in the mould opening lying on the substrate, raising the nozzle to leave the moulded filling forming a layer on the substrate, and retracting the nozzle upstream to its original position.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002120263A CA2120263A1 (en) | 1994-03-30 | 1994-03-30 | Applicator for dosing a layer of filling on a moving substrate |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002120263A CA2120263A1 (en) | 1994-03-30 | 1994-03-30 | Applicator for dosing a layer of filling on a moving substrate |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2120263A1 true CA2120263A1 (en) | 1995-10-01 |
Family
ID=4153269
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002120263A Abandoned CA2120263A1 (en) | 1994-03-30 | 1994-03-30 | Applicator for dosing a layer of filling on a moving substrate |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2120263A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN114988144A (en) * | 2022-06-17 | 2022-09-02 | 安徽恒元食品机械有限公司 | Reciprocating type material scattering mechanism based on spill sesame machine |
-
1994
- 1994-03-30 CA CA002120263A patent/CA2120263A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN114988144A (en) * | 2022-06-17 | 2022-09-02 | 安徽恒元食品机械有限公司 | Reciprocating type material scattering mechanism based on spill sesame machine |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| EP0617895B1 (en) | Applicator | |
| US4062386A (en) | Method and apparatus for the dosing of dense pasty substances | |
| CN204722131U (en) | A kind of egg tart skin machine for automatic working | |
| CN204722137U (en) | A kind of blanking device of egg tart skin machine for automatic working | |
| US4196160A (en) | Method and apparatus for forming foam cushions | |
| IL264755B1 (en) | Improved extrusion process and associated device | |
| CN211222495U (en) | Mechanical integration carton printing machine | |
| CA2120263A1 (en) | Applicator for dosing a layer of filling on a moving substrate | |
| EP0659527B1 (en) | Method and plant for forming tiles of uniform compaction and thickness, and tiles obtained thereby | |
| CN204722139U (en) | A kind of material pressing device of egg tart skin machine for automatic working | |
| US4756170A (en) | Applicator for crease-setting composition | |
| KR840000625B1 (en) | Apparatus for attaching a top stop to slide fastener chain | |
| KR100288312B1 (en) | Tampon printing method | |
| US2679811A (en) | Dispensing apparatus for viscous material | |
| JP2900278B2 (en) | Method and apparatus for molding powder rubber composition block | |
| JPH0443033Y2 (en) | ||
| US3618565A (en) | Apparatus for dipping intracutaneous injectors | |
| US3976417A (en) | Apparatus for the production of ceramic plates with ornamental shapes | |
| CN212702748U (en) | A point gum machine structure for air knife wiped film device | |
| JPH054897Y2 (en) | ||
| CN219880308U (en) | Plastic form oiling equipment | |
| CN212852309U (en) | Filling device | |
| EP0995562A1 (en) | A device for forming ceramic products such as tiles and the like, by powder pressing | |
| GB1471347A (en) | Apparatus for the deposition of confectionery into moulds | |
| GB1174908A (en) | Improvements in and relating to Manufacture of Articles of Food |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |