ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRINTING CUSTOMIZED CHOCOLATE CONFECTIONS
First Claim
1. An additive manufacturing system for printing a chocolate confection, the additive manufacturing system comprising:
- at least one controller configured to receive instructions for printing the chocolate confection, and further configured to relay commands relating to the received instructions;
a platen;
a recirculation loop configured to circulate a flow of a chocolate material, and further configured to maintain a temper of the chocolate material; and
a print head in signal communication with the at least one controller, the print head being configured to receive at least a portion of the chocolate material from the recirculation loop, and further configured to extrude and deposit the chocolate material onto the platen to print at least a portion of the chocolate confection based on the commands from the at least one controller.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An additive manufacturing system for printing a chocolate confection, the system comprising a platen, a recirculation loop configured to circulate a flow of a chocolate material, and further configured to maintain a temper of the chocolate material; and a print head the print head being configured to receive at least a portion of the chocolate material from the recirculation loop, and further configured to extrude and deposit the chocolate material onto the platen to print at least a portion of the chocolate confection based on the commands from a controller.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An additive manufacturing system for printing a chocolate confection, the additive manufacturing system comprising:
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at least one controller configured to receive instructions for printing the chocolate confection, and further configured to relay commands relating to the received instructions; a platen; a recirculation loop configured to circulate a flow of a chocolate material, and further configured to maintain a temper of the chocolate material; and a print head in signal communication with the at least one controller, the print head being configured to receive at least a portion of the chocolate material from the recirculation loop, and further configured to extrude and deposit the chocolate material onto the platen to print at least a portion of the chocolate confection based on the commands from the at least one controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A chocolate extrusion assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the chocolate extrusion assembly comprising:
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a reservoir configured to shear and heat a chocolate material to a temperature ranging from about 82°
F. to about 90°
F. to provide a flowable chocolate material;a pump configured to pump the flowable chocolate material from the reservoir; a print head configured to receive the pumped flowable chocolate material, and further configured to extrude a first portion of the received chocolate material; a heating line configured to heat the pumped flowable chocolate material as the pumped flowable chocolate material flows through the pump to the print head; and a re-melter configured to receive a second portion of flowable chocolate material from the print head and to direct the second portion of flowable chocolate material to the reservoir, wherein the re-melter is further configured to heat the second portion of the flowable chocolate material to fully melt the second portion of the flowable chocolate material. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for printing a chocolate confection, the method comprising:
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shearing and heating a chocolate material in a reservoir to a temperature ranging from about 82°
F. to about 90°
F. to provide a flowable chocolate material;pumping the flowable chocolate material from the reservoir to a print head; heating the pumped flowable chocolate material between the reservoir and the print head; extruding a first portion of the pumped flowable chocolate material from the print head to print at least a portion of the chocolate confection using a layer-based additive manufacturing technique; recirculating a second portion of the flowable chocolate material from the print head; and heating the recirculating second portion of the flowing chocolate material to fully liquefy the second portion of the flowing chocolate material. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification