Device and corresponding method for producing honeycombs for apiculture

• US 10,638,728 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Breat SL
• Original Assignee: Breat SL
• Inventors: Ferrer Vidal, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Wollschlager, Jeffrey M
• Application Number:
  US15/566,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20180116181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 47/04 Artificial honeycombs
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/28 by depositing flowable material on an endless belt
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/44 Articles of indefinite length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/48 Endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/11 comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7254 honeycomb structures
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 24/005 the structure having joined ribs, e.g. honeycomb
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0089 Producing honeycomb structures consisting of porous ceramic ware C04B38/0006
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2091/00 Use of waxes as moulding material

Abstract

A device to form a honeycomb has an upper continuous belt and a lower continuous belt disposed in parallel and carrying opposing cores. The belts act on liquid wax which is injected into an inlet of the device, with both belts moving in opposition. The inlet has in succession: a scraping zone disposed straight with respect to the upper belt; a zone for opening the cores, which has a certain curvature designed to receive a first injection of wax; and a third straight zone for sealing and expelling any excess wax. At an exit of the device, the longest length of the upper belt has multiple groups of magnetic and non-magnetic rollers for a local curving of the belt to progressively release the honeycomb.

Claims

1. A device for producing honeycombs for apiculture, the device comprising:

two parallel continuous strips comprising molding cores, wherein one of the two parallel continuous strips represents an upper strip and the other of the two parallel continuous strips represents a lower strip, the two parallel continuous strips configured to be moveable in opposition for molding a honeycomb from a liquid wax, and wherein the upper strip is longer than the lower strip;

an inlet at a first end of the device comprising, in succession;

a scraping zone arranged perpendicular relative to the upper strip, lower strip, or both;

an opening zone defined by a curvature of the upper and lower strips for receiving an injection of wax; and

a straight zone for ejection of excess wax and cooling the wax to a paste-like consistency,

an intermediate region where both strips are arranged in opposition for receiving from the straight zone the wax cooled to a paste-like consistency to mold the honeycomb, and

an outlet at a second end of the device configured for releasing the molded honeycomb.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the inlet further comprises a thermal blanket following the straight zone.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the thermal blanket is configured to at least partially envelop the intermediate region in order to regulate a temperature of the intermediate region.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the thermal blanket is shaped in order to adopt a curvature of the intermediate region.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the two parallel continuous strips comprise a first and a second roller configured to bring the upper and lower strips in opposition in the intermediate region.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein at the outlet the molding core of the lower strip comprises a third roller configured to bend the lower strip away from the upper strip in order to release the molded honeycomb.

7. A method of producing a continuous honeycomb for apiculture, the method comprising:

providing a device according to claim 1,

injecting wax in the opening zone,

ejecting excess wax and cooling the wax to a paste-like consistency in the straight zone,

molding the honeycomb from the wax cooled to a paste-like consistency in the intermediate region where both strips are arranged in opposition for receiving from the straight zone to mold the honeycomb, and

releasing the molded honeycomb at the outlet in a controlled manner.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising separating the released continuous honeycomb into multiple successive separate pieces.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the continuous molded honeycomb is subjected to an initial step of partial separation from the upper strip prior to being released at the outlet.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising in the intermediate region and the outlet a plurality of adjacently placed magnetic and non-magnetic guide rollers on the side of the upper strip opposite the side facing the lower strip, wherein the upper strip further comprises successive zones of curvature each zone of curvature being defined by at least one magnetic guide roller placed at a level that is higher than the level of the adjacent guide rollers, each zone of curvature being generated by magnetic attraction of the upper strip towards the magnetic roller placed at a level that is higher than the level of the adjacent guide rollers.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the height of the magnetised rollers of each zone of curvature is variable depending on the radius of curvature required to be reached in the corresponding zone in combination with the separation of the adjacent guide rollers wherein the level of the at least one magnetic guide roller is directly related to an extent of curvature of each zone of curvature.