CZ254494A3 - Process and apparatus for preparing shaped confectioner's products - Google Patents

Abstract

2117999 9320705 PCTABS00027 Partially formed products (2) are placed in molds (8) and a fluid such as air or an edible filler is injected into the partially formed products (2), e.g. by needles 17 ¢Fig. 6!, so as to cause expansion and thereby produce final products (2) having the shape of the molds (8). Each mold (8) may comprise an upper mold part (14) and a lower mold part (11). The lower mold parts (11) may be mounted on a chain conveyor (9, 9b, 9c) ¢Fig. 1! or a rotating cylinder (28) ¢Fig. 12! so that the partially formed products (2) are moved towards and the final products (2) are moved away from a reciprocating assembly (12, 13) which carries the upper mold parts (14). Preferably, the final products (2) are retained in the upper mold parts (14) and then ejected by a blast of air. The invention enables complicated shapes to be formed at high production rates whilst using an economical amount of chocolate or the like.

Description

(57) The method comprises the steps of; forming an intermediate (2) that is plastically deformable and has a smaller size than the desired final residue; placing said intermediate in a mold with a preselected shape; combining the interior of the intermediate with a pressurized fluid source into the interior of the intermediate to form the intermediate into a pre-selected mold shape to form the final product; disconnecting the end product from the pressurized fluid source; removing the finished product from the mold. The apparatus comprises: a plurality of upper (14) and lower (11) mold halves; filling means (21) for filling pressurized fluid into the interior of each intermediate to form shaped articles; and extrusion means for removing molded articles from the molds.

Italy (21) 2544-94 (13) A3 6 (51) A23 G 3/20 A23G 3/30 A23G 1/21

Method and apparatus for producing shaped articles

Technical field

The invention relates to a method for producing confectionery and the like, shaped at least on the outer surface into a pre-selected shape. The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out this method and to formed moldings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Confectionery products such as chewing gums, soft candies, caramels, etc. are mass produced in large quantities per hour. Methods for its production with symmetrical shapes, such as spherical, cylindrical, or elliptical shape, are well known in the art. On the other hand, it is neither possible to obtain them with shapes that would reproduce fancy objects nor it is possible to obtain products having a surface shaped according to a preselected shape, i.e. with a plurality of shaped lines and areas formed in the haut-relief or bas-relief.

The goal. The invention is to solve the above problem by proposing a simple and economical method of industrial production of shaped confectionery products in large quantities per hour.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for carrying out this method of manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a method of making confectionery products comprising the steps of: providing an intermediate that is plastically deformable and has a smaller size than the desired end product; placing said intermediate in a mold with a preselected shape; connecting the interior of the intermediate to a source of pressurized fluid; filling the pressurized fluid into the interior of the intermediate to form the intermediate into a pre-selected mold shape to form the final product; disconnecting the end product from the pressurized fluid source; removing the finished product from the mold.

According to the invention, a confectionery product is thus formed into a pre-selected shape having a plurality of shaped regions and lines on its outer surface.

According to the invention there is also provided an apparatus for producing shaped confectionery products, comprising: a plurality of upper and lower mold halves; delivery means for placing the intermediates in molds; filling means for filling pressurized fluid into the interior of each intermediate to form shaped articles; and extrusion means for removing molded articles from the molds.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial cross-sectional front view of the device of Fig. 1;

Figures 3 to 5 are enlarged side elevations in partial cross-sectional views of the apparatus of Figure 1, showing successive steps of the method of the invention;

Figures 6 to 11 are side and plan views in partial sectional views of details of the apparatus of the invention; and

Figures 12 and 13 are partial cross-sectional side views and elevational views of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The drawings show an apparatus 1 for producing shaped confectionery products reproducing a predetermined shape.

The apparatus 1 comprises a plurality of lower mold halves 11 and upper mold halves 14, filling means 5 for filling intermediate products 2, i.e., raw confectionery products to be shaped, into lower mold halves 11, and securing means 12 for temporarily connecting the lower and lower halves 11; 14 molds. In addition, the device 1 comprises filling elements 16 for fluid and conduction

21, which are connectable to the interior of intermediates 2 and to a source,.

pressurized fluids (not shown), and extrusion means for removing molded articles from the lower or lower mold halves 11 and 14.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the upper mold halves 14 are fixed, i.e. they can move along their vertical z-z axis, but cannot move laterally. The lower mold halves 11 are movable from their first position corresponding to the filling means 5 to a second position where the upper mold halves 14 are located and vice versa along the closed loop 4.

According to the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5, the lower mold halves 11 are disposed in a plurality of supporting parts 9a which are parallel to each other and which are fastened to a chain conveyor which forms a closed loop

FIG. 2 also shows that the chain conveyor comprises a pair of shafts 9 rotatably mounted on the frame 3. The shafts 9 are connected to the gears 9b by means of which the chain 9c is driven together with the supporting parts 9a fixed to its links. . The frame 3 is also provided with low friction elements F (FIG. 2) which support the supporting parts 9a at least in the forming position.

Each support member 9a carries a plurality of lower halves 11 θ offset from each other (FIG. 11) to have a distance P corresponding to the separation pitch of intermediates 2 in devices (not shown) that produce intermediates 2. These devices are known in the art and are not subject of the invention.

Also fixed to the frame 3 is an element 30 which carries 5 a plurality of locking means 12 which are movable or similar means for supporting the upper mold halves 14. The upper half 14 are offset in the same way as the bottom half-molds 11, the same distance P (see Figure 7), and may range from a closed position in which it cooperates with ^(J lower halves 11 of the mold for forming a closed mold upper open position.

The locking means 12 are supported so as to be displaceable in the zz direction and move in a linear reciprocating motion by a drive means such as a pneumatic cylinder 13. In order to move the locking means 12 axially in the zz direction without rotating about the zz axis, shaft 38 and guide shaft 38a. However, it is also possible to use a pneumatic cylinder with a non-rotating shaft.

Each lower half ¹⁰ H and an upper half-mold 14 is internally shaped in such a way that its inner surface reproduces the corresponding half of the object, so that when attaching to each closed mold 8 reproduces the shape of the entire object and hautreliéfnimi basreliéfními areas and lines.

In the preferred embodiment described herein, the upper mold halves 14 are secured to the securing means 12 together with the liquid filling elements 16, the retaining elements for temporarily retaining the intermediate products 2 in the upper mold halves 14, and the extruding means for removing the molded articles from the upper halves. 14 molds.

6 to 9, the fluid filling elements 16 include a hollow needle 17 which is fixed to the upper mold half 14 and has a b-b axis aligned with the k-k axis of the locking means 12 (FIG. 9). The hollow needle 17 has a free end 18 with a tip 19, preferably tapered, which projects into the upper mold half 14. The intermediate 2 is preferably hollow: in this case, the length of the protruding portion of the hollow needle 17 is greater than the wall thickness of the intermediate 2 (FIGS. 4 and 9).

The opposite end 20 of the hollow needle 17 is connected to a conduit 21 which is connectable to a source of pressurized fluid known in the art, not shown in the drawings, suitable for delivering a fluid at a preset pressure. The pressurized fluid may be air or an edible filler such as syrup and the like.

A cuff 18 is formed around the hollow needle 17 having a sharp edge ²⁵ extending into the upper mold half 14 and projecting therein to a predetermined distance. The purpose of this cuff 18 is to seal the opening formed by the hollow needle 17.

The retention elements 22 include two arms 24 that are opposed 30 and are hinged to the locking means 12. These arms 24 have free front ends 25 that are pointed and rear ends 26.

The arms 24 are tensioned by resilient means, such as springs 27, towards a closed position in which their free front ends 25 project into the closed mold 8 in contact 15 between the lower and upper mold halves 11 and 14 (FIG. 8). The free front ends 25 extend through slits 11a and 14a formed in the lower mold half 11 and in the upper mold half 14.

The rear ends 26 of the arms 24 are provided with protrusions 29 which, by engagement with the element 30, once the locking means has reached its rear position, can open the arms 24 against the action of the springs 27 and thereby release the shaped article.

The extrusion means comprise a plurality of blow-slots 31 positioned within the upper half 14. The axes of the c-c leads 23 to the blow-slots 31 are parallel to the axis b-b of the hollow needle

17 and the blow slits 31 are symmetrically distributed around the hollow needle 17. This ensures optimal extrusion of the shaped articles. The blow slits 31 are connectable to a pressurized air source (not shown) via the inlets 23 and the air duct 32.

In FIG. 7, a preferred arrangement of locking means 12 is shown. According to this embodiment, each locking means 12 carries two upper mold halves 14 offset by a desired distance P. Each locking means 12 has

2 is a substantially rectangular cross-section that does not have two opposing corners. Thus, it is possible to place two adjacent locking means 12 very close to each other (see FIG. 7) and maintain the required mold spacing P on adjacent locking means 12. The ducts 21 and air ducts 32 for each upper mold half 14 are positioned one above the other and each of the two upper mold halves 14 of each locking means 12 are located on opposite sides of the locking means 12.

10 and 11 show a preferred embodiment for stepwise movement of the support members 9a along the chain conveyor. In this case, instead of the known drives acting on one shaft 9, the support parts 9a are moved by a pneumatic piston directly acting on the support parts 9a. Specifically, each support member 9a is provided with an opening 10 on each side adjacent to the frame 3. From outside the frame 3, a piston U / 2 is pneumatically inserted and extended into and out of the opening 10.

Piston U / 2 is mounted on slide H and can -

to move between two positions along the guide tracks M by means of a second pneumatic piston U / 1. As can also be seen in FIG. 11, the piston U / 2 and slide 11 can move from the first position 9a / 1 (i.e., in the position of the support 9a immediately before the shaping position) to the second position 9a / 2 (i.e. to the actual shaping position). ).

During operation, the piston U / 2 is first inserted into the opening 10 of the support member 9a, which is located in the first position 9a / 1. Then, the second pneumatic piston U / 1 is actuated and the support member 9a is moved from the first position 9a / 1 to the second position 9a / 2; the pitch R of this transverse movement can thus be accurately adjusted to obtain correct alignment of the lower mold halves 11 and the upper mold halves 14 in the second position 9a / 2.

As soon as the lower and upper mold halves 11 and 14 are in alignment and joined to form a closed mold 8, the piston U / 2 is pulled out and moved back to the first position 9a / 1, into which another carrier part 9a has already been moved moving the original support member 9a to the second position 9a / 2. The cycle is then repeated.

It should also be noted that by means of this embodiment, the support members 9a can be operated and thereby also be molded at the same speed as the intermediate manufacturing machine 2.

The method according to the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

The intermediates 2 are produced on a known machine, before the apparatus 1 according to the invention. Confectionery products which, according to the prior art, are either suitable for packaging as final products or have to undergo only a few finishing operations, such as coating, are regarded as intermediates. The following description relates to spherical and hollow chewing gums, but, as previously mentioned, the method of the invention can also be used for non-spherical and non-hollow chewing gums and other products such as sweets.

From this known machine (not shown), the intermediates 2 are passed to feed means having a spacing between products equal to the output series of the known machine. That is, the known machine produces a series of, for example, 32 intermediates 2 at 32 different exit positions, and the support members 9a will have 32 lower mold halves 11 mutually offset at the same pitch as the exit positions of the intermediates 2.

The delivery means is a hopper 5 with displaced hoppers 7 through which the intermediates 2 are fed into the corresponding lower halves 11. of the molds on the support part 9a fixed on the chain conveyor.

The support member 9a is then moved by the known means or means described above with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 to the second position 9a / 2 (FIG. 3). The upper mold halves 14 are then seated on the lower mold halves 11 by means of locking means 12 (FIG. 4), thereby forming a closed mold 8, and the hollow needle 17 pierces the intermediate 2. At the same time the cuff 18 slightly squeezes the outer surface of the intermediate 2 an impermeable seal around the hollow needle T7.

The air, syrup or other suitable pressurized fluid is then filled by the hollow needle 17 into the interior of the intermediate 2. This expands the intermediate 2 and presses against the inner surface of the lower and upper mold halves 11 and 14 and adjusts its shape according to the shape of the mold. During this stretching, the intermediate 2 is also pressed against the cuff 18 and the free front ends 25 of the arms 24 (see FIG. 9).

In order to stretch and form, the intermediates 2 are in a plastically deformable state. In the case of chewing gums, this condition is achieved by sufficient heating to satisfactorily deform the intermediates 2 as they exit the prior art known machine.

However, heating and cooling means may be provided upstream of the hopper 5 to optimize the temperature of the intermediates 2.

Thus, at the end of this step, intermediate 2 is secured by arms 24 to the upper half 14. molds and securing means 12.

The pressure of the fluid is dependent on the nature and type of the product (chewing gum, candy and the like). For an average chewing gum with a wall thickness ranging from 2 mm to 6 mm and an initial diameter of 23 to 24 mm and a final diameter of approximately 26 mm, the air pressure is approximately 350 to 400 kPa. Person in

Those skilled in the art will readily determine the appropriate pressure for each product after several tests.

After forming the hollow needle 17 from the pressurized fluid source is disconnected and the locking means 12 are brought into their upper position q ₃ (Figure 5). After shaping, the intermediate products 2 are held by the arms 24 and follow the path 34 (FIGS. 1 and 2) until the locking means 12 have reached their upper position. The protrusions 29 are then compressed and the arms 24 open and release the formed intermediates 2.

Thereafter, compressed air is supplied through the air duct 32 and the inlets 23 to the blow slits 31, and the formed intermediates 2 are forced out of the upper mold halves 14 so that they fall on the conveyor 6, which after cooling is fed to the packaging device (not shown) or ). If the intermediates 2 are chewing gums, they are preferably subjected to a subsequent sugar coating in a known manner, which coating does not interfere with the shaping of the appearance obtained.

It should be noted that the lower mold halves 11 and the support members 9a in the first and second positions 9a / 1 and 9a / 2 and the upper mold halves 14 and the locking means 12 are disposed obliquely with respect to the plane of the first part of the conveyor track 4 while having perpendicular corresponding axis. Due to this oblique fit, the shaped articles, after being formed and released from the upper halves 14 and the corresponding support 9a will be shifted from the second position 9a / 2 to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. and thence to the conveyor 6 along the impact path 35.

The dimensions of the shaped intermediates 2 depend on the dimensions of the original blanks and can vary, for example, from 10 to 40 mm when the articles are spherical, and from 1 to 12 cm if the articles are roughly cylindrical or elliptical. The shapes of the products may vary according to; football, basketball, baseball, cartoon, corn, vegetables, fruit, and the like.

12 and 13 show another possible embodiment of the device according to the invention.

In these drawings, the same reference numerals are used for the same elements as in the preceding drawings of Figures 1 to 11.

In this embodiment, the basic principle is the same as before except that the chain conveyor support parts 9a are mounted on the rotary roller 28.

In addition, another major difference from the prior art lies in the means for administering the intermediates 2 to the lower mold halves 11. In this case (FIG. 12), the intermediates 2 are transferred from a known manufacturing machine (not shown) to a feeder 36 which includes a plurality of displaced channels 37, each aligned with the position of the standing lower mold half 11. In addition, the feeder 36 comprises two retaining arms 39, each cooperating with a plurality of displaced channels 37 to retain the intermediates 2 while the rotary roller 28 rotates from one position to the other. In a preferred embodiment, the retention arms 39 are suspended and pneumatically actuated by preset speed control pistons 40 to lock and unlock the displaced channels 37. Better feeding of the intermediate products 2 is achieved by using a belt conveyor (not shown) in front of the feeder 36 for conveying the intermediate products 2. The belt conveyor will move with steps substantially equal to the diameter of the intermediates 2: the intermediates 2 will therefore be fed into the lower mold halves 11 by the combined action of gravity and the movement of the belt conveyor.

It will be apparent from the above embodiments that the invention provides several advantageous features. By operating at the same speed as the machine producing intermediates 2, it is possible to achieve a very high speed which provides large output quantities, usually above 500 pieces per minute. In addition, the use of the same spacing between products as in the intermediate manufacturing machine 2 saves space.

Another advantageous feature is that the device according to the invention can be placed at the outlet of a known machine producing intermediates 2 without expensive modifications of the known machine.

Another advantage is that the lower and upper halves 11 and 14 and / or the supporting parts 9a can be easily removed from the chain conveyor or the rotary roller 28 to be replaced by different molds for differently shaped products.

¹⁰ Yet another advantage is that it can be obtained more finished products with the same weight as the intermediate second

Last but not least, the advantage is that the final sugar coating, if done, does not obscure the shape lines and ₅ areas on the intermediate 2, but rather enhances them, especially if the color of the coating is different from the color of intermediate 2. In this case coatings which only form a thin coating so that only the haut-relief surfaces are coated.

To achieve this result, the coating syrup is coated on ^M on the walls of the coating molds and is not applied directly to the shaped articles. This prevents the filling of bas-relief lines and areas.

However, even when a thick coating is used, that is, the bas-relief regions are coated with the same color as the rest of the surface, the ha-relief and bas-relief regions are still recognizable and the shaping appearance is maintained. In fact, a greater amount of coating syrup will be applied to the bas-relief lines, thereby creating a more intense color of these lines compared to the haut-relief regions.

Claims (12)

PATENT CLAIMS 1. A process for producing confectionery products, comprising the steps of: forming an intermediate product; 5 is plastically deformable and has a smaller size than the desired end product; placing said intermediate in a mold with a preselected shape; connecting the interior of the intermediate to a source of pressurized fluid; filling the pressurized fluid into the interior of the intermediate to preform the intermediate 10 of a selected mold shape for forming an end product; disconnecting the end product from the pressurized fluid source; removing the finished product from the mold. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that 15 further comprises the steps of: placing the intermediate in the lower mold half in the first position; moving the intermediate and lower mold halves to a second position in which the upper mold halves are located; assembling the upper and lower mold halves; forming the final product; and returning the lower mold half to the 20 of the first position. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that, after formation, the finished product is temporarily secured to the upper mold half. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the lower mold half moves between the first and second positions on the chain conveyor. The method of claim 2, wherein the lower mold half is moved between the first and second positions on the rotary cylinder. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the intermediate product is hollow and the pressurized fluid is air and / or a viscous edible filler. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the end product is chewing gum, and the method additionally comprises sugar coating the end product. A confectionery product, characterized in that it is shaped into a preselected shape and has a plurality of shaped regions and lines on its outer surface. A confectionery product according to claim 8, characterized by 15 wherein the gum is sugar coated. A confectionery product according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that it is hollow. 20 An apparatus for producing shaped confectionery products comprising: a plurality of upper and lower mold halves; delivery means for placing the intermediates in molds; filling means for filling the pressurized fluid into the interior of each intermediate to form 25 shaped articles; and extrusion means for removing molded articles from the molds. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the lower mold halves are displaceable between the first position, 30 in which the feed means are located and a second position in which the upper mold halves are displaceable between the open mold position and the closed mold position in which they touch the lower mold halves. 13. Apparatus according to claim 11 or claim 1, comprising retention means for temporarily retaining the shaped intermediates in the upper or lower mold halves. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the extrusion means, the filling means and the retention means are located on the upper mold halves. Apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the filling means comprise a hollow needle and a sharp-edged cuff projecting into each pair of lower and upper mold halves, the extrusion means comprising a plurality of blown slots positioned substantially 15 parallel to each hollow needle. Device according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the lower mold halves are mounted on a chain conveyor or a rotary roller.