Moulding

• US 20070224305A1
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stork Titan B.V. (Marel HF)
• Original Assignee: Stork Titan B.V. (Marel HF)
• Inventors: Meskendahl, Dirk, van der Eerden, Hendricus Franciscus Jacobus
• Granted Patent: US 7,819,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 425/171
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 7/0038 Demoulding means
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 7/0069 Pressing and moulding by means of a drum
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 30/10 Moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/32 using rotary cleaning members
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/34 rotating about an axis parallel to the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/50 involving cleaning of the cleaning members
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/02 Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/10 with additional treatment of the liquid or of the object being cleaned, e.g. by heat, by electricity or by vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/46 Inspecting cleaned containers for cleanliness

Abstract

A system for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials which are suitable for consumption, in particular human consumption, which system comprises: -a production device having: -a frame, -a mould member provided with at least one mould cavity, the frame supporting the mould member, -mass feed means for feeding the mass to the one or more mould cavities of the mould member, the system furthermore comprising at least one cleaning device for cleaning one or more parts of the production device which come into contact with the mass. The mould member is preferably removable from the frame. Furthermore, the system preferably comprises a storage device for storing a plurality of mould members. It is preferable for each removable mould member to be provided with an identification, the system comprising recognition means for recognizing the identification of a mould member. Furthermore, the system preferably comprises a memory for storing at least one history of a mould member.

Claims

1. System for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials which are suitable for consumption, which system comprises:

a production device having;

a frame,

a mould member provided with at least one mould cavity, the frame supporting the mould member,

mass feed means for feeding the mass to the one or more mould cavities of the mould member,

the mould member comprising a mould drum which is rotatable with respect to the frame about an associated axis of rotation, which mould drum is provided with one or more mould cavities, which mould cavities each have an opening in at least one drum surface, the mass feed means comprising one or more mass feed members disposed along a drum surface,

and the mould drum comprising an outer drum which is made at least partially from material with a porous structure, in such a manner that a mould cavity has a mould cavity wall which is at least partially porous,

and an inner member also being provided, which inner member fits into the outer drum, the inner member, preferably together with the adjoining surface of the outer drum, forming one or more passages which extend from one head-end of the mould drum, so that a medium can be forced through the porous mould cavity wall and/or suction can take place via a passage of this type.

2. System according to claim 1, in which the outer surface of the inner member is provided with grooves which form the passages.

3. System according to claim 1, in which the outer drum is composed of one or more rings of porous material, with the one or more mould cavities being formed by a material-removing machining operation.

4. System according to claim 3, in which the porous structure is sealed in the outermost surface of the outer drum.

5. Mould drum designed and intended for a system for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials which are suitable for consumption, which system comprises:

a production device having;

a frame,

a mould member provided with at least one mould cavity, the frame supporting the mould member,

mass feed means for feeding the mass to the one or more mould cavities of the mould member,

the mould member comprising a mould drum which is rotatable with respect to the frame about an associated axis of rotation, which mould drum is provided with one or more mould cavities, which mould cavities each have an opening in at least one drum surface, the mass feed means comprising one or more mass feed members disposed along a drum surface,

and the mould drum comprising an outer drum which is made at least partially from material with a porous structure, in such a manner that a mould cavity has a mould cavity wall which is at least partially porous,

and an inner member also being provided, which inner member fits into the outer drum, the inner member, preferably together with the adjoining surface of the outer drum, forming one or more passages which extend from one head-end of the mould drum, so that a medium can be forced through the porous mould cavity wall and/or suction can take place via a passage of this type.

6. Mould drum according to claim 5, in which the outer surface of the inner member is provided with grooves which form the passages.

7. Mould drum according to claim 5, in which the outer drum is composed of one or more rings of porous material, with the one or more mould cavities being formed by a material-removing machining operation.

8. Mould drum according to claim 7, in which the porous structure is sealed in the outermost surface of the outer drum.

9-11. -11. (canceled)

12. System for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials which are suitable for consumption, which system comprises:

a production device having;

a frame,

a mould member provided with at least one mould cavity, the frame supporting the mould member,

mass feed means for feeding the mass to the one or more mould cavities of the mould member,

the system furthermore comprising at least one cleaning device for cleaning one or more parts of the production device which come into contact with the mass.

13. System according to claim 12, in which the mould member is removable from the frame.

14. System according to claim 12, in which the mould member is moveable with respect to the frame, the production device being provided with drive means for the mould member.

15. System according to claim 14, in which the mould member comprises a mould drum which is rotatable with respect to the frame about an associated axis of rotation, which mould drum is provided with one or more mould cavities, which mould cavities each have an opening in at least one drum surface, the mass feed means comprising one or more mass feed members arranged along a drum surface.

16. System according to claim 15, in which the frame defines a substantially horizontal axis of rotation for the mould drum.

17. System according to claim 16, in which the frame comprises a fitting spindle which at one end is fixed to the frame, so that the mould drum can be slided onto the fitting spindle.

18. System according to claim 14, in which the mould member comprises a moveable mould plate which can, be slid to and fro, which mould plate is provided with one or more mould cavities, which mould cavities each have an opening in at least one plate surface, the mass feed means comprising one or more mass feed members arranged along a plate surface.

19. System according to claim 12, in which a mould member cleaning device is designed to clean the mould member.

20. System according to claim 19, in which the mould member is removable from the frame and in which the mould member cleaning device is arranged at a distance from the production device.

21. System according to claim 20, in which the system furthermore comprises conveyor means for conveying the mould member between the production device and the mould member cleaning device.

29. System according to claim 13, in which each removable mould member is provided with an identification, and in which the system comprises recognition means for recognizing the identification of a mould member.

37. System according to claim 12, in which a cleaning device is designed to carry out at least one cleaning process substantially automatically.

41. System according to claim 12, in which a cleaning device is designed to treat the one or more parts that are to be cleaned with at least one cleaning liquid.

46. System according to claim 41, in which the mould member is provided with one or more passages which are in communication with each mould cavity of the mould member, and in which the cleaning device can be coupled to the said one or more passages, in such a manner that cleaning liquid can flow through the said passages to the mould cavity.

47. System according to claim 12, in which the mould member is provided with one or more mould cavities each with a mould cavity wall, which is formed at least in part by a wall part with a porous structure.

48. System according to claim 46, in which the mould member is provided with one or more mould cavities each with a mould cavity wall, which is formed at least in part by a wall part with a porous structure, and in which the cleaning device is designed to force cleaning liquid through the wall part with the porous structure into the mould cavity.

49. System according to claim 47, in which the passages leading to each mould cavity each have a feed opening in a surface of the mould member, and in which the cleaning device has a distributor for feeding cleaning liquid to one or more of the passages.

50. System according to claim 15, in which the mould member cleaning device is provided with support means for rotatably supporting the mould drum that is to be cleaned, and in which there are also drive means for driving the mould drum to be cleaned in rotation.

22-28. -28. (canceled)

30-36. -36. (canceled)

38-40. -40. (canceled)

42-45. -45. (canceled)

51-58. -58. (canceled)

59. System for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials which are suitable for consumption, in particular human consumption, which system comprises:

a production device having;

a frame,

a mould member provided with at least one mould cavity, the frame supporting the mould member,

mass feed means for feeding the mass to the one or more mould cavities of the mould member,

in which the mould member is removable from the frame, and

in which the system furthermore comprises a storage device for storing a plurality of mould members.

60. System for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials which are suitable for consumption, in particular human consumption, which system comprises:

a production device having;

a frame,

a mould member provided with at least one mould cavity, the frame supporting the mould member,

mass feed means for feeding the mass to the one or more mould cavities of the mould member,

in which the mould member is removable from the frame, and

in which each removable mould member is provided with an identification, and in which the system comprises recognition means for recognizing the identification of a mould member.

61. System for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials which are suitable for consumption, in particular human consumption, which system comprises:

a production device having;

a frame,

a mould member provided with at least one mould cavity, the frame supporting the mould member,

mass feed means for feeding the mass to the one or more mould cavities of the mould member,

in which the mould member is removeable from the frame, and

in which the system furthermore comprises a memory for storing at least one history of a mould member.

62-65. -65. (canceled)