FR2978646A1 - COUNTERFORM MOLD FOR FOOD PRODUCT AND METHOD OF MOLDING FOOD ARTICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

Mold for food article comprising at least a first wall (2) and a second wall (3) to be mounted on the first wall (2) for delimiting a molding volume (V) of a food product. The first wall (2) comprises a lower part (2a) by which the mold (1) bears and a zone forming a mold cavity (2b), and the second wall (3), forming a counter-form, comprises a upper portion (3a) surrounding said mold cavity (2b) while leaving an opening (3c) opening in the molding volume (V) and outwardly of the mold (1).

Description

B10-3216EN 1 Counterform mold for foodstuffs and method of molding an article of food

The invention relates generally to the field of food molds, in particular for the domestic manufacture of food items such as cups, plates, glasses, food cones. The invention thus relates, in general, to the production of containers by molding a liquid or pasty food product, for example but not exclusively, chocolate, intended to solidify especially during a change in temperature. In general, the molds making it possible to manufacture food articles having hollow shapes in volume comprise an impression in which a food product is poured, then a counterform is placed in abutment on the impression so as to allow the filling of the space between the imprint and the counterform by the food product. In general, the mold is made of rigid synthetic material in order to maintain the shape of the molded food article. In this regard, reference may be made to WO 97/49296 which describes a U-shaped rigid mold in which a liquid food product is poured before positioning a counterform so that the food product moves and comes to fill the space. between the mold and the counterform. However, the use of a rigid synthetic material does not allow easy demolding of the food item. In addition to this disadvantage, it is difficult to properly dose the food product so that it does not overflow or little food receptacle during the insertion of the counterform.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art and, more particularly to provide a food mold allowing the making of food items in volume, easy to use, and allowing easy demolding of the food item, while ensuring the maintenance in position of the counterform on the food container. The invention therefore relates to a food article mold comprising at least a first wall and a second wall being mounted on the first wall to define a molding volume of a food product. The first wall comprises a lower part through which the mold bears and a zone forming a mold cavity, and the second wall, forming a counter-form, comprises an upper portion surrounding said mold cavity while leaving a hole opening in the molding volume and towards the outside of the mold. Thus, it is easy to properly dose the food product in the molding volume so that it does not overflow or little food receptacle, as well as unmolding the molded food item.

Advantageously, the against-shape comprises a lower portion, forming a flange, bearing on the lower part of the first wall. The thickness of the upper portion of the counter-form may be less than the thickness of the lower portion of the counter-form in order to stiffen the counter-form and to avoid any deformation of the counter-form that may cause a confection erroneous of the food article. The mold further comprises means for joining the against-shape against the first wall.

The junction means are, for example, snap-fastening means.

The mold may include stiffening ribs and side handles to facilitate its grip and prevent the food item from leaving the mold during transport. In addition, the mold is made of synthetic material, in particular silicone, for example, the first wall is made of rigid synthetic material and the counterform is made of flexible synthetic material. According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a method of molding a food article comprising a step of positioning a mold comprising a first wall on a flat surface, a step of mounting a second wall forming a counter-form on a the first wall, in order to define a molding volume of a food product, said first wall comprising a lower part by which the mold bears and a mold cavity forming zone, said second wall, forming a counter-form, comprising a upper portion surrounding the mold cavity while leaving a hole opening in the molding volume and outwardly of the mold, a filling step in the molding volume of a food product, and a demolding step of the mold; molded food article. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description, given solely by way of nonlimiting example, and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. 1 represents a food mold according to the invention; - Figure 2 shows a food mold according to another embodiment of the invention; - Figure 3 shows a food mold according to another embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 4 is a view from above of the food mold according to FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the food-product mold, referenced 1 as a whole, is intended for the molding of cup-type food items. . Note that the invention is not limited to the manufacture of such food items and can be applied to any food item having a volume, such as, for example, plates, glasses, cones ... In the example shown, the mold 1 comprises a plurality of first walls 2 interconnected each having an inverted U shape. Each first wall 2 comprises a bottom portion 2a substantially flat and a top portion 2b of curved shape. The upper part 2b corresponds to a zone forming a mold cavity and can be hollow or solid.

The mold 1 further comprises a plurality of second walls 3 interconnected and forming counter-forms intended to be mounted on the plurality of first walls 2. Each counterform 3 thus delimits with a first wall 2, a volume V of molding a food product.

Each second wall 3 comprises an upper portion 3a surrounding the corresponding molding cavity 2b, a lower portion 3b, substantially flat, forming a flange and bearing on the lower portion 2a of the first corresponding wall 2 and an orifice 3c formed in the upper portion 3a and opening into the mold volume V and to the outside of the mold 1. Alternatively, it could be provided that the lower portion 2a of each first wall 2 is not flat, for example, having a height difference having an upper surface in contact with the lower portion 3b, thus forming a cavity to prevent overflow of the food product at the contact surface between the first and the second wall 2, 3, when inserted through the orifice 3c. The mold 1 is made of synthetic material, for example silicone. The first wall 2 is preferably made of rigid synthetic material, having a Shore D hardness, for example 70 Shore and the second wall 3 is preferably made of flexible synthetic material having a Shore A hardness, for example 40 Shore. The thickness of the upper portion 3a of the counterform 3 is smaller than the thickness of the lower portion 3b of the counterform 3 in order to stiffen the counterform 3 and to avoid any deformation of the counterform 3 that can lead to faulty manufacture of a food item. The mold 1 also comprises junction means 4 making it possible to join the plurality of counterforms 3 with the plurality of first wall 2. More particularly, the connecting means make it possible to join the lower portions 3b of the counterforms 3 with the parts lower 2a of the first walls. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the joining means are studs 4a capable of being inserted into holes 4b, 4c made for this purpose in the lower portions 3b and the lower portions 2a. It will be noted that the invention is not limited to such joining means and can be extended to any joining means for maintaining the against-shape bearing on the first wall.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, in which the same elements bear the same references as in FIG. 1, each lower part 2a and each lower portion 3b have a dovetail shape fitting one into the other. in the other and thus forming a joining means 4 of the two walls 2 and 3.

FIG. 3, in which the same elements bear the same references as in FIG. 1, illustrates another embodiment of a joining means, in particular by clipping a pin 4d made on each lower portion 3b in a hole 4th correspondent in each lower part 2a. FIG. 4 illustrates a view from above of the mold 1 according to FIG. 1. In the example illustrated, the mold 1 comprises two rows of three first walls 2 and second walls 3. A number of first and second lower walls could be provided. greater than six. The first walls 2 being covered by the second walls 3, they are not visible in FIG.

The mold 1, of parallelepipedal general shape, has lateral handles 5 whose thickness is greater than the thickness of the lower portion 2a to facilitate the gripping of the mold 1 and to stiffen it. Each handle 5 comprises a bore 5a to facilitate the attachment of the mold and thus its storage. The mold 1, and in particular the lower part 2a of the first wall 2, comprises stiffening ribs 6, for example a central rib of circular shape and peripheral ribs extending from the central rib towards the lateral handles 5 and towards the edge of the lower part 2a. Note that it is not beyond the scope of the invention when the number of ribs is different from that in the example shown. The steps of making a food article by means of the mold 1 are as follows: In a first step, the first wall 2 of the mold 1 is positioned on a flat surface, and then the second wall 3 forming against -form on the first wall 2, to define a molding volume V of the food product. Thus, the upper portion 3a of the counterform 3 surrounds the mold cavity while leaving an opening 3c opening into the molding volume V and towards the outside of the mold 1, and the lower portion 3b of the counter form 3 bears on the lower part 2a of the first wall 2. The lower portion 3b and the lower part 2a are then joined by junction means 4. Once the positioning steps of the first and second walls 2, 3 are made a filling step of a food product is carried out in the molding volume V through the opening opening 3c. The food product then fills the space between the upper portion 3a and the upper portion 2b in order to conform to the impression zone 2b. Thus, during demolding, it is sufficient to unhook the joining means 4 and remove the plurality of counterform 3 and then remove the molded food item on the cavity area 2b of the first wall 2. Thanks to the The invention described above, can be made home food items, both cups and shapes in volume, thanks to its materials suitable for demolding. The cups can be manufactured, as a non-limiting example, based on chocolate, caramel ... Moreover, such a mold is reusable and easy to use. Indeed, it is easy to properly dose the food product in the molding volume so that it does not overflow or little food receptacle, as well as unmolding the molded food item, thanks to the second walls made of flexible synthetic material.

Claims (9)

REVENDICATIONS1. Mold for food article comprising at least a first wall (2) and a second wall (3) being mounted on the first wall (2) for delimiting a molding volume (V) of a food product, characterized in that the first wall (2) comprises a lower part (2a) by which the mold (1) bears and a zone forming a mold cavity (2b), and in that the second wall (3), forming a counter-form, comprises an upper portion (3a) surrounding said mold cavity (2b) while leaving an opening (3c) opening in the molding volume (V) and to the outside of the mold (1). 2. Mold according to claim 1, characterized in that the against-shape (3) comprises a lower portion (3b), forming a flange, bearing on the lower portion (2a) of the first wall (2). 3. Mold according to claim 2, characterized in that the thickness of the upper portion (3a) of the against-shape (3) is less than the thickness of the lower portion (2b) of the counter-form (3). ). 4. Mold according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises junction means (4) against the form (3) against the first wall (2). 5. Mold according to claim 4, wherein the joining means (4) are snap-fastening means (4d, 4e). 6. Mold according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises stiffening ribs (6). 7. Mold according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises lateral handles (5). 8. Mold according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first wall (2) is made of rigid synthetic material and against-shape (3) is made of flexible synthetic material. 9. A method of molding a food article comprising a step of positioning a mold (1) having a first wall (2) on a flat surface, a step of mounting a second wall (3) forming a counter-form on the first wall (2), in order to define a molding volume (V) of a food product, said first wall (2) comprising a lower part (2a) by which the mold (1) bears and a zone forming a mold cavity (2b), said second wall (3) forming a counter-form, comprising an upper portion (3a) surrounding the mold cavity (2b) while leaving an orifice (3c) opening in the volume of molding (V) and towards the outside of the mold (1), a filling step in the molding volume (V) of a food product, and a step of demolding the molded food article on the molding impression (2b).