METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ROTARY MOLDING

• US 20140242231A1
• Filed: 05/08/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Provisur Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Formax Incorporated
• Inventors: Lindee, Scott A., Hansen, David, Lamartino, Salvatore, Bauer, Bruce, Wolcott, Thomas C., Ill, Steve, Wight, E. William
• Granted Patent: US 9,114,553 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/389
• 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: A22C 7/0084 comprising a reciprocating plate
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 7/0092 with worms or other rotary mounted members A22C7/0007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0003 Discharging moulded articles from the mould constructions for removing the articles B29C33/44
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/2725 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/4005 Ejector constructions; Ejector operating mechanisms B29C45/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 11/12 co-operating with moulds on the circumference of a rotating drum

Abstract

A rotary molding system for molding food products, mold cavities formed when a mold shell rotates mold shapes disposed along the mold shell into a fill position between a fill plate and a wear plate. Molded food products are removed from mold cavities using knock-out cups, the use of air pressure, or the use of a vacuum source disposed below the mold cavity, without the need to slow the rotation of the mold shell. Knock-out cups may be used with a heating system to reduce accumulation of unwanted materials on the knock-out cups. The rotary molding system can also be used to form products with contoured surfaces. A smart tagging system can be used to ensure that compatible sets of mold shells and knock out cups are being used. A vacuum region may be disposed upstream of the fill position to remove air within the mold cavity prior to filling.

Claims

1-45. -45. (canceled)

46. A rotary mold system for molding three dimensional food products from a food mass comprising:

a fill plate having an outer surface in contact with a feed source, and an inner surface;

a wear plate having an outer surface facing the inner surface of the fill plate;

a cylindrical mold shell with mold shapes, the mold shell having an inner and outer surface, said mold shell rotating between the fill plate and the wear plate, the fill plate in contact with the outer surface of the mold shell, the wear plate in contact with the inner surface of the mold shell;

mold cavities formed when mold shapes are between the interface plate and the wear plate, said mold cavities having a depth corresponding to the thickness of the mold shell, and said mold cavities having a bottom surface formed by the outer surface of the wear plate; and

a vacuum chamber disposed below the mold cavity for removing molded food product from the mold cavity.

47. The mold system of claim 46 wherein a conveying surface is disposed over the vacuum chamber, the vacuum chamber connected to a vacuum source, the force of vacuum exerted through the conveying surface onto the molded food product to remove the food product from its mold.

48. The mold system of claim 47 wherein the conveying surface is a porous surface.

49. The mold system of claim 47 wherein the conveying surface has at least a portion which is curved;

said curved portion corresponding to the curvature of the rotary mold.

50. The mold system of claim 49 wherein the conveying surface is in contact with a portion of the rotary mold.

51. The mold system of claim 50 wherein the vacuum chamber has a top surface which is perforated to allow negative pressure to pass;

at least a portion of the said perforated top surface is contoured to conform to the curvature of the rotary mold.

52. The mold system of claim 50 wherein the conveying surface is an endless conveyor belt having a driving end and an idle end;

said idle end being supported by an idle roller which is sized and located relative to the vacuum chamber such that the points of contact between the idle roller and the surface of the mold, and between the vacuum chamber and the surface of the mold allows a portion of the conveying surface supported between the idle roller and the vacuum chamber to conform to the curvature of the rotary mold.

53. Method of removing molded food products from a mold cavity on a rotary molding apparatus, comprising the steps of:

providing a conveying surface disposed in moving contact with the rotary mold;

said conveying surface supported by an idle roller and a vacuum chamber disposed below the conveying surface, said conveying surface has a portion that is curved to correspond with the curvature of the rotary mold at the portion the conveying surface makes contact with the surface of the rotary mold;

providing a vacuum within the vacuum chamber to be exerted on the molded food products from a position below the molded food product to remove the food product from its mold cavity.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein the mold cavity has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge rotating first into contact with the vacuum, the vacuum being exerted on the leading edge and gradually over remaining regions of the food product towards the trailing edge of the mold cavity as the rest of the molded food product gradually comes into contact with the vacuum.

55. The method of claim 53 wherein the step of providing a vacuum comprises the step of passing negative pressure from the vacuum chamber through the conveying surface, said conveying surface being porous.

56. The method of claim 53 wherein the step of providing a conveying surface comprises the step of providing a curved conveying surface portion;

and wherein the vacuum chamber has a top surface curved to correspond to the curvature of the rotary mold over which the curved conveying surface portion is disposed.

57. Method of removing molded food products from a mold cavity disposed on the surface of a rotary mold comprising the steps of:

providing a source of negative pressure disposed below the mold product at its eject position;

exerting the negative pressure on the lower surface of the mold product to remove the molded product from its cavity.

59. The method of claim 57 wherein negative pressure is exerted beginning at one end of the food product and gradually towards the rest of the food product as the mold rotates.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the rotation of the mold cavity exposes the mold cavities to a stationary source of negative pressure.

61. The method of claim 57 wherein removed food products are conveyed away from the source of negative pressure and rotary mold.

58. Method of 57 further comprising the step of providing a conveying surface between the molded food product and the source of negative pressure to support molded food product as it is removed.

62. The method of claim 58 wherein a portion of the conveying surface is supported in contact with the rotary mold apparatus by the source of negative pressure.

63-144. -144. (canceled)

145. A mold system for molding three dimensional food products from a food mass comprising:

an fill plate having an outer surface in contact with a feed source, and an inner surface, said fill plate having a feed inlet through which food mass passes;

a wear plate having an outer surface facing the inner surface of the fill plate;

a cylindrical mold shell with mold shapes, the mold shell having an inner and outer surface, said mold shell rotating between the fill plate and the wear plate, the fill plate in contact with the outer surface of the mold shell, the wear plate in contact with the inner surface of the mold shell;

mold cavities formed when mold shapes are between the fill plate and the wear plate, said mold cavities having a depth corresponding to the thickness of the mold shell, and having the outer surface of the wear plate as the bottom surface of the mold cavity when the mold cavity is in communication with the feed inlet at the fill position, said mold cavities having a bottom surface formed by the outer surface of the wear plate; and

a vacuum region disposed on the fill plate upstream of the food inlet for removing air from the mold cavities.

146. The mold system of claim 145 wherein the vacuum region is in communication with a vacuum source.

147. The mold system of claim 146 wherein the vacuum source is a vacuum pump.

148. The mold system of claim 145 wherein the vacuum region is communication with lower pressure regions of the mold system.

149. The mold system of claim 145 wherein the mold cavity has a width;

and wherein the vacuum region and the feed inlet are arranged to be spaced apart by at least the width of the mold cavity such that the vacuum region and the feed inlet are not simultaneously in communication with the mold cavity.

150. The mold system of claim 145 wherein the mold cavity has a width;

and wherein the vacuum region and the feed inlet are arranged to be spaced apart by less than the width of the mold cavity such that the vacuum region and the feed inlet can be simultaneously in communication with the mold cavity.

151-206. -206. (canceled)