Dual textured food piece fabrication method

• US 5,208,059 A
• Filed: 07/13/1992
• Issued: 05/04/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Original Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Inventors: Nemirow, Michael A., Dubowik, Jon M., Ulrich, Karl T.
• Primary Examiner(s): YEUNG, GEORGE CHAN PUI
• Application Number:
  US07/896,699
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 426/512, 426/514, 426/516, 426/274, 426/281, 426/282, 426/102, 99/450.6, 99/450.7, 425/233
• US Class Current: 426/512
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 11/00 Other machines for forming the dough into its final shape before cooking or baking
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 30/10 Moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/03 characterised by the shape of the extruded material at extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/06 Rod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/288 in solid form, e.g. powder or granules
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/304 specially adapted for bringing together components, e.g. melts within the die

Abstract

An apparatus (10) utilizing the present methods for fabricating dual textured food pieces is disclosed. Specifically, cavities (20) are formed in and defined by the inner surfaces (26) of first and second, circular plates (22,24). The cavities (20) are moved along a circuitous path by rotation of the plates (22,24). During the first portion of the circuitous path, the plates (22,24) abut and are pressed together by being sandwiched between a movable jaw (54) and a stationary jaw (52) and by rollers (38) rolling on the outer surfaces (28) of the plates (22,24). Two adjacent cavities (20) are simultaneously filled by a food injection manifold (42) with first and second food materials which are metered through pumps (72,74) each having two inlets (76,78) and two outlets (80,82). After being filled, the cavities (20) are cooled by an air manifold (44). During the second portion of the circuitous path, the plates (22,24) are separated by a wedge (40) which flexes the second plate (24) away from the first plate (22). The food pieces are allowed to fall by gravity between the separated plates (22,24), with any remaining food pieces being blown out of the cavities (20) by a piccolo tube (48). In the preferred form, the bottom of the cavities (20) are initially filled by the first food material, then the first food material is coextruded with a second food material, with the first food material encircling the second food material, and the first food material is finally extruded to fill the top of the cavities (20). The resulting dual textured food piece includes a hard outer shell portion and a softer inner core portion.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a food piece, comprising the steps of:

providing a first plate having an inner surface;

providing a second plate having an inner surface;

moving the first and second plates along a circuitous path with the circuitous path having a first portion with the inner surfaces of the first and second plates abutting and a second portion with the inner surfaces of the first and second plates being spaced from each other, with at least a first cavity being formed in and defined by the abutting inner surfaces of the first and second plates;

filling the cavity with at least a first food material in the first portion of the circuitous path to harden in the cavity while the first and second plates are in the first portion of the circuitous path; and

removing the hardened food piece from the cavity when the first and second plates are in the second portion of the circuitous path.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the first plate comprises the step of providing the first plate having a circular shape including a center;

wherein the step of providing the second plate comprises the step of providing the second plate having a circular shape including a center; and

wherein the step of moving the first and second plates comprises the step of rotating the first and second plates about an axis extending through the centers of the circular shapes of the first and second circular plates.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the inner surfaces of the first and second plates are vertical in the second portion of the circuitous path;

and wherein the removing step comprises the step of allowing the food piece to fall intermediate the inner surfaces of the first and second plates under gravitational forces.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of supplying moving air in the second portion of the circuitous path to blow the food piece from the cavity.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of cooling the food piece in the cavity in the first portion of the circuitous path.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of providing the first plate comprises the step of providing the first plate having an outer surface opposite to the inner surface;

wherein the step of providing the second plate comprises the step of providing the second plate having an outer surface opposite to the inner surface; and

wherein the cooling step comprises the step of directing cooled air towards the outer surfaces of the first and second plates opposite to the cavity.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the filling step comprises the step of cofilling the cavity with first and second food materials to form a dual textured piece.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of cofilling the cavity comprises the steps of:

initially extruding the first food material to fill the bottom of the cavity;

coextruding the first and second food materials, with the first food material being extruded to encircle the second food material; and

finally extruding the first food material to fill the top of the cavity.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein a second cavity is formed in and defined by the abutting inner surfaces of the first and second plates;

and wherein the step of filling the cavity comprises the step of simultaneously filling the first and second cavities with the food material.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of simultaneously filling the first and second cavities comprises the steps of:

providing a source of food material under pressure;

providing a pump having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet;

providing communication of the food material between the first inlet of the pump and the source of food material;

providing communication of the food material between the second inlet of the pump and the source of food material;

providing communication of the food material between the first outlet of the pump and the first cavity;

providing communication of the food material between the second outlet of the pump and the second cavity; and

intermitently operating the pump to allow passage of the food material from the source of food material to the first and second cavities.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein a second cavity is formed in and defined by the abutting inner surfaces of the first and second plates;

and wherein the step of filling the cavity comprises the step of simultaneously filling the first and second cavities with the food material.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of simultaneously filling the first and second cavities comprises the steps of:

providing a source of food material under pressure;

providing a pump having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet;

providing communication of the food material between the first inlet of the pump and the source of food material;

providing communication of the food material between the second inlet of the pump and the source of food material;

providing communication of the food material between the first outlet of the pump and the first cavity;

providing communication of the food material between the second outlet of the pump and the second cavity; and

intermitently operating the pump to allow passage of the food material from the source of food material to the first and second cavities.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the first plate comprises the step of providing the first plate having the inner surface and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface;

wherein the step of providing the second plate comprises the step of providing the second plate having the inner surface and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface; and

wherein the step of moving the first and second plates includes the step of pressing against the outer surfaces of the first and second plates during the first portion of the circuitous path.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the pressing step comprises the steps of:

rolling a first roller on the outer surface of the first plate; and

rolling a second roller on the outer surface of the second plate and spaced a distance from the first roller for pressing the first and second plates together.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the pressing step comprises the steps of:

moving the outer surface of the second plate past a stationary jaw;

moving the outer surface of the first plate past a movable jaw; and

moving the movable jaw to sandwich the first and second plates together during the step of filling the cavity and moving the movable jaw away from the first plate to allow movement of the first and second plates relative to the stationary and movable jaws.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of providing the second plate comprises the step of providing the second plate formed of flexible material;

and wherein the moving step comprises the step of flexing the second plate away from the first plate to space the inner surfaces of the first and second plates from each other during the second portion of the circuitous path.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of flexing the second plate comprises the step of wedging the second plate away from the first plate.

18. A method of fabricating a shaped, dual textured food piece, comprising the steps of:

providing at least a first cavity having a shape of the food piece, with the cavity having a bottom and a top;

providing a first, hardenable, food material;

providing a second food material;

initially extruding the first food material to fill the bottom of the cavity;

coextruding the second food material with the first food material into the cavity, with the first food material being extruded to encircle the second food material;

finally extruding the first food material to fill the top of the cavity;

hardening at least the first food material in the cavity to form the food piece; and

removing the food piece from the cavity.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the second food material forms a softer, inner core portion than the hardened, first food material which forms a hard, outer shell portion.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of providing the first, hardenable, food material comprises the step of providing a source of the first, hardenable, food material under pressure;

wherein the steps of extruding the first, hardenable, food material comprises the steps of;

providing communication of the first, hardenable, food material from the source of the first, hardenable, food material to the first inlet of a first pump;

providing communication of the first, hardenable, food material from the outlet of the first pump to the first cavity; and

operating the first pump to allow passage of the first, hardenable, food material from the source of the first, hardenable, food cavity to the first cavity through the first pump; and

wherein the step of providing the second food material comprises the step of;

providing a source of the second food material under pressure; and

wherein the step of extruding the second food material comprises the steps of;

providing communication of the second food material from the source of the second food material to the first inlet of a second pump;

providing communication of the second food material from the outlet of the second pump to the first cavity; and

operating the second pump to allow passage of the second food material from the source of the second food material to the first cavity through the second pump.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of providing at least a second cavity having a shape of the food piece, with the second cavity having a bottom and a top;

with the initially extruding step comprising the step of initially extruding the first, hardenable, food material to simultaneously fill the bottom of the first and second cavities;

wherein the coextruding step comprises the step of coextruding the second food material with the first food material simultaneously into the first and second cavities; and

the finally extruding step comprises the step of finally extruding the first food material to simultaneously fill the tops of the first and second cavities.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of providing the first, hardenable, food material comprises the step of providing a source of the first, hardenable, food material under pressure;

wherein the steps of extruding the first, hardenable, food material comprises the steps of;

providing communication of the first, hardenable, food material from the source of the first, hardenable, food material to the first inlet of a first pump;

providing communication of the first, hardenable, food material from the source of the first, hardenable, food material to the second inlet of the first pump;

providing communication of the first, hardenable, food material from the first outlet of the first pump to the first cavity;

providing communication of the first, hardenable, food material from the second outlet of the first pump to the second cavity; and

operating the first pump to allow simultaneous passage of the first, hardenable, food material from the source of the first, hardenable, food material to the first and second cavities through the first pump; and

wherein the step of providing the second food material comprises the step of;

providing a source of the second food material; and

wherein the step of extruding the second food material comprises the steps of;

providing communication of the second food material from the source of the second food material to the first inlet of a second pump;

providing communication of the second food material from the source of the second food material to the second inlet of the second pump;

providing communication of the second food material from the first outlet of the second pump to the first cavity;

providing communication of the second food material from the second outlet of the second pump to the second cavity; and

operating the second pump to allow passage of the second food material from the source of the second food material to the first and second cavities through the second pump.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of providing a first, hardenable food material comprises the steps of:

providing a food material; and

heating the food material to a temperature to which the food material is flowable; and

wherein the hardening step comprises the step of cooling the cavity to reduce the temperature of the first, hardenable, food material to that required to harden the food material to a solid state.

24. A method of simultaneously fabricating two food pieces, comprising the steps of:

providing at least first and second cavities;

providing a source of food material under pressure;

providing a pump having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet;

providing communication of the food material between the first inlet of the pump and the source of food material;

providing communication of the food material between the second inlet of the pump and the source of food material;

providing communication of the food material between the first outlet of the pump and the first cavity;

providing communication of the food material between the second outlet of the pump and the second cavity; and

intermitently operating the pump to allow passage of the food material from the source of food material to the first and second cavities.