Method and apparatus for forming a ready-to bake, endless dough ring and method for the manufacture of a baked ring article from such a pre-formed dough ring

• US 20060040032A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neuenkirchener Maschinenfabrik Emil Kemper GmbH
• Original Assignee: Neuenkirchener Maschinenfabrik Emil Kemper GmbH
• Inventors: Peitzmeier, Ulrich, Gerhardt, Ulrich
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/549
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 11/002 the shape being toroid-like, e.g. bagels, doughnuts extruding machines for toroid shaped products A21C11/166
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 13/02 with endless conveyors , e.g. for moving the dough pieces progressively through the prover

Abstract

For forming a ready-to-bake, endless dough ring, a dough piece is first round kneaded in a round-kneading station and then fermented in a fermenting station. In a pressure station, flattening pressure is exerted on two sides of the dough piece for a flat round piece to produce. After a relaxation interval, an inside hole is punched into the relaxed dough piece in a punching station, with a dough ring being obtained. The individual stations of a corresponding dough treatment system are connected to each other by means of a conveyor. Then secondary fermenting of the shaped dough ring takes place, which is followed by baking of a ring article. The result is an efficient method of forming a ready-to-bake, endless dough ring. Producing the baked ring article can be completely automated.

Claims

1. A method of forming a ready-to-bake, endless dough ring, comprising the following steps:

round kneading a dough piece;

fermenting the dough piece;

exerting flattening pressure on both sides of the dough piece for a round dough piece to form, the extension of which transverse to the direction of pressure exceeding the height thereof in the direction of pressure;

allowing the pressed dough piece to relax;

punching an inside hole in the relaxed dough piece for a dough ring to be produced.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of exerting pressure and relaxation take place several times in succession.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein another step of fermenting takes place between the steps of exerting pressure.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein prior to the step of punching, displacement of a central portion of the dough piece outwards takes place such that the thickness of the dough piece, as compared to the rest of the dough piece, is reduced where subsequent punching takes place.

5. A method of producing a baked ring article from a dough ring preformed according to claim 1, comprising the following steps:

secondarily fermenting the punched-out dough ring;

baking the secondarily fermented dough ring for obtaining a baked ring article.

6. An apparatus for forming a ready-to-bake, endless dough ring by a method according to claim 1, comprising

a round-kneading station (6);

a fermenting station (13a, 21;

13a, 21, 44, 45, 49, 50);

a pressure station (18, 27) for flattening pressure being exerted on both sides of the dough piece;

a punching station (32);

a conveyor (7, 9, 15, 17, 24, 26;

7, 9, 15, 17, 24, 26, 40, 43, 47, 52) for dough pieces to be transferred between the stations (6, 13a, 18, 21, 27, 32;

6, 13a, 18, 21, 27, 32, 44, 45, 49, 50).

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, comprising several pressure stations (18, 27) for flattening pressure to be exerted on both sides of the dough piece, the pressure stations (18, 27) being disposed successively on a way of conveyance of the dough piece such that the dough piece travels through the several pressure stations (18, 27).

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a fermenting station (21) on the way of conveyance between the pressure stations (18, 27).

9. An apparatus according to claim 6, comprising a displacement station (29) disposed on the way of conveyance upstream of the punching station (32), the displacement station (29) being embodied such that displacement of a central portion of the dough piece outwards takes place prior to punching such that the thickness of the dough piece is reduced as compared to the rest of the dough piece where subsequent punching takes place.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the displacement station (29) comprises a die, in particular of the type of a stamp and preferably with a convex end.

11. A method according to claim 2, wherein the steps of exerting pressure and relaxation take place two times in succession.

12. A method according to claim 2, wherein the steps of exerting pressure and relaxation take place three times in succession.

13. An apparatus according to claim 7, comprising two pressure stations (18, 27) for flattening pressure to be exerted on both sides of the dough piece, the pressure stations (18, 27) being disposed successively on a way of conveyance of the dough piece such that the dough piece travels through the two pressure stations (18, 27).

14. An apparatus according to claim 7, comprising three pressure stations (18, 27) for flattening pressure to be exerted on both sides of the dough piece, the pressure stations (18, 27) being disposed successively on a way of conveyance of the dough piece such that the dough piece travels through the three pressure stations (18, 27).