Moulding

• US 20070224306A1
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stork PMT B. V.
• Original Assignee: Stork PMT B. V.
• Inventors: Janssen, Petrus, van Esbroeck, Maurice, van den Nieuwelaar, Adrianus, van de Eerden, Henricus Franciscus
• Granted Patent: US 7,597,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 425/357
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 11/00 Other machines for forming the dough into its final shape before cooking or baking
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 17/0006 Cutting or shaping meat
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 7/0038 Demoulding means
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 7/0046 Containers in which meat is pressed and moulded
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 7/0069 Pressing and moulding by means of a drum
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 13/03 Coating with a layer; Stuffing, laminating, binding, or compressing of original meat pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 30/10 Moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 11/16 using pocketed rollers, e.g. two co-operating pocketed rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/308 in a continuous manner, e.g. for roller presses, screw extrusion presses

Abstract

The invention provides methods and moulding devices for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, in particular from a mass of meat, in particular chicken. The method comprises filling a mould cavity with a portion of the mass under the influence of a filling pressure exerted on the mass and for a filling period via a filling opening associated with the mould cavity, closing the filling opening of the mould cavity and holding the mass in the mould cavity for a fixing period. Then, the mould cavity is opened and the moulded product is removed from the mould cavity. The method uses fixing-pressure-exerting means which are designed to exert a fixing pressure which acts on the mass in the mould cavity after the filled mould cavity has been closed.

Claims

1-37. -37. (canceled)

38. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. a drum having a direction of rotation and comprising a drum wall having at least one mold cavity extending through the drum wall;

b. a mass-feed component adjacent the drum for feeding and pressing the mass into the at least one mold cavity; and

c. separating means for removing any mass projecting from the at least one mold cavity of the drum.

39. The molding device of claim 38, wherein the at least one mold cavity comprises a first and a second mold cavity and wherein the separation means are arranged on the drum and wherein separate separation means are associated with the first and the second mold cavity.

40. The molding device of claim 38, wherein the separation means are fixed at a separation position along the drum.

41. The molding device of claim 38, wherein the drum comprises a first surface and a second surface and the mold cavity comprises a first opening positioned along the first surface of the drum and a second opening positioned along the second surface of the drum and wherein the mass-feed component comprises at least one compartment having a feed opening adjacent the first opening of the mold cavity to feed mass into the mold cavity, wherein the molding device further comprises a closure component for at least temporarily closing the second opening of the mold cavity.

42. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and a direction of rotation and comprising a drum wall having at least one passage extending through the drum wall, wherein the at least one passage has a first opening positioned along the first surface of the drum and a second opening positioned along the second surface of the drum;

b. at least one molding component positioned on the first surface of the drum and positioned over the first opening of the passage, wherein the molding component comprises a slideable mold; and

c. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the second opening of the at least one passage to feed mass through the passage and into the slideable mold.

43. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum; and

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity.

44. The molding device of claim 43, further comprising a belt positioned adjacent the drum, wherein the belt bears against at least a portion of the first surface of the drum to at least temporarily close the at least one mold cavity.

45. The molding device of claim 43, further comprising:

c. first film-feed means for placing a film to at least partially cover the walls of the at least one mold cavity before mass is fed into the cavity; and

d. second film-feed means for placing a second film over the mass which is fed into the at least one mold cavity.

46. The molding device of claim 45, further comprising a film-welding device for welding the first and second films together.

47. The molding device of claim 43, further comprising:

c. closure means for at least temporarily closing the cavity opening,

wherein the mold cavity is further defined by an adjustable base and has a cavity volume that varies depending on the position of the base, wherein the mold cavity has;

i. a first volume when the base is positioned in a first position before mass is fed into the cavity;

ii. a second volume when the base is positioned in a second position after mass has been fed into the cavity but before the cavity opening has been closed; and

iii. a third volume when the base is positioned in a third position after the cavity opening has been closed by the closure means,

wherein the second volume is greater than the first volume and the third volume.

48. The molding device of claim 43, further comprising:

c. a pump device coupled to the mass-feed component for supplying the mass to the mass-feed component.

49. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity;

c. film-feed means positioned adjacent the drum and upstream of the mass-feed component, wherein the film-feed means is adapted to place a film to cover the at least one mold cavity before mass is fed into the cavity;

d. vacuum means for removing air from the mold cavity covered by the film so that the film comes to lie against the walls of the mold cavity;

e. ejector means for removing the mass from the at least one mold cavity; and

f. a film coating station positioned adjacent the drum between the film-feed means and the mass-feed component to apply a coating to the film.

50. The molding device of claim 49, further comprising aeration means for feeding air into the at least one mold cavity.

51. The molding device of claim 49, further comprising a connecting passage connecting the at least one mold cavity and the second surface of the drum.

52. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. a mold comprising a mold cavity, wherein the mold cavity is at least partially lined with a substantially flexible membrane; and

b. feed means for feeding a pressure medium between the mold and the membrane at a feed position.

53. The molding device of claim 52, wherein the flexibility of the membrane is variable and wherein a part of the membrane which lies in the vicinity of the feed position is less flexible than the remainder of the membrane.

54. A molding device according to claim 52, wherein positioning means are provided for positioning a rigid, preferably edible, body on the flexible membrane in the vicinity of the feed position.

55. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. a mold comprising a mold cavity defined by side walls and a base and having a cavity opening, wherein the base comprises a piston; and

b. pressure medium feed means having outlet nozzles arranged in the base of the mold cavity for supplying pressure to the base to move the piston.

56. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption and has a viscosity comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity;

c. a pump device coupled to the mass-feed component for supplying the mass to the mass-feed component; and

d. additive feed means for feeding additives to the pump device to alter the viscosity of the mass.

57. The molding device of claim 56, further comprising:

e. closure means for temporarily closing the cavity opening.

58. The molding device of claim 56, wherein a plurality of pump devices are coupled to the mass-feed component for supplying different types of masses to the mass-feed component.

59. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. a mold moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by walls and a base, wherein the mold cavity has a cavity volume;

b. a first mass-feed component positioned along the path for feeding a first mass into the at least one mold cavity; and

c. a second mass-feed component positioned along the path downstream of the first mass-feed component for feeding a second mass into the at least one mold cavity.

60. The molding device of claim 59, wherein the position of the base of the at least one mold cavity is adjustable by the device to vary the volume of the mold cavity, wherein the device moves the base into:

i. a first position when the mold cavity is located along the path at the position of the first mass-feed component, wherein the mold cavity has a first volume when the base is in the first position; and

ii. a second position when the mold cavity is located along the path at the position of the second mass-feed component, wherein the mold cavity has a second volume that is greater than the first volume when the base is in the second position.

61. The molding device of claim 59, further comprising:

d. a hollow-forming component positioned along the path between the first mass-feed component and the second mass-feed component, wherein the hollow-forming component forms a hollow in the mass which has been fed into the mold cavity by the first mass-feed component; and

e. a filling-introducing component positioned along the path between the hollow-forming component and the second mass-feed component for introducing a filling into the hollow.

62. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. a stationary central tube for receiving a mass of foodstuff and having a tube opening through which the mass exits the tube;

b. a rotating ring positioned around the tube;

c. at least one chamber formed between the tube and the ring and having an outlet passage through which the mass exits the chamber;

d. closure means for closing the outlet passage; and

e. separating means for separating at least a portion of the mass exiting the outlet passage.

63. The molding device of claim 62, wherein the closure means and the separating means are positioned on the ring.

64. The molding device of claim 63, wherein the closure means comprises a stationary outer casing positioned around the ring, wherein the outer casing comprises a casing opening.

65. The molding device of claim 64, wherein the mass exits the chamber when the casing opening is at least partially aligned with the outlet passage.

66. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. at least one mold cavity having at least one opening;

b. at least one mass-feed component for at least partially filling the at least one mold cavity with a portion of a mass of foodstuff via the at least one opening for a filling period;

c. closure means for at least temporarily closing the at least one cavity opening to retain the mass in the closed mold cavity for a fixing period,

wherein the device is capable of exerting on the mass a filling pressure during at least part of the filling period and a fixing pressure during at least part of the fixing period, wherein the fixing pressure is capable of being varied during at least part of the fixing period.

67. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. at least one mold cavity having at least one opening;

b. at least one mass-feed component for filling the at least one mold cavity with a portion of a mass of foodstuff via the at least one opening; and

c. closure means for at least temporarily closing the at least one cavity opening,

wherein the at least one mold cavity further comprises an adjustable base and has a cavity volume that varies depending on the position of the base, wherein the at least one mold cavity has;

i. a first volume when the base is positioned in a first position before mass is fed into the cavity;

ii. a second volume when the base is positioned in a second position after mass has been fed into the cavity but before the cavity opening has been closed; and

iii. a third volume when the base is positioned in a third position after the cavity opening has been closed,

wherein the second volume is greater than the first volume and the third volume.

68. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum; and

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity; and

c. a closed-loop elastic belt comprising plastic and capable of restoring its shape, wherein the belt bears against the first surface of the drum from a position upstream of the mass-feed component until at least removal of the mass from the at least one mold cavity.

69. The molding device of claim 68, wherein removal of the mass from the at least one mold cavity occurs at a lowermost point along the path.

70. A molding device for molding three-dimensional meat products from a meat mass suitable for human consumption comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a meat mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding the meat mass into the at least one mold cavity;

c. a pump device coupled to the meat mass-feed component for supplying the meat mass to the mass-feed component; and

d. additive feed means for feeding additives to the meat mass in the pump device.

71. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff suitable for human consumption and having a viscosity comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity;

c. an extruder coupled to the mass-feed component for supplying mass to the mass-feed component, wherein the extruder comprises an extruder tube and an associated extruder screw rotatable in the extruder tube; and

d. additive feed means connected to the extruder tube.