Total chewing gum manufacture using high efficiency continuous mixing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of continuously manufacturing chewing gum with integrated manufacture of a chewing gum base, comprising the steps of:
- a) adding at least an elastomer and filler into a high efficiency continuous mixer, and mixing the elastomer and filler together in the continuous mixer;
b) adding at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of fats, oils, waxes, and elastomer plasticizers into the continuous mixer, and mixing said ingredient with the elastomer and filler in the continuous mixer to form a complete gum base; and
c) adding at least one sweetener and at least one flavor into the continuous mixer, and mixing said sweetener and flavor with the gum base ingredients to form a chewing gum product;
d) wherein steps a)-c) are performed using a single high efficiency continuous mixer.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for the total manufacture of chewing gum on a continuous basis without requiring the separate manufacture of chewing gum base. The method uses a continuous high efficiency mixer which is configure for the total manufacture of a wide variety of chewing gum products. By intergrating the manufacture of chewing gum into a single operation, the method of the invention can save time and labor, and improve product consistency.
97 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of continuously manufacturing chewing gum with integrated manufacture of a chewing gum base, comprising the steps of:
-
a) adding at least an elastomer and filler into a high efficiency continuous mixer, and mixing the elastomer and filler together in the continuous mixer; b) adding at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of fats, oils, waxes, and elastomer plasticizers into the continuous mixer, and mixing said ingredient with the elastomer and filler in the continuous mixer to form a complete gum base; and c) adding at least one sweetener and at least one flavor into the continuous mixer, and mixing said sweetener and flavor with the gum base ingredients to form a chewing gum product; d) wherein steps a)-c) are performed using a single high efficiency continuous mixer.
-
-
2. A method of continuously manufacturing chewing gum base and finished chewing gum in the same mixer, comprising the steps of:
-
a) providing a high efficiency continuous mixer having one or more upstream mixing zones for making gum base, and one or more downstream mixing zones for making finished chewing gum; b) adding at least an elastomer into at least one of the one or more upstream mixing zones and at least a filler into at least one of the one or more upstream mixing zones, and mixing the elastomer and the filler together in the one or more upstream mixing zones; c) adding at least one further ingredient selected from the group consisting of fats, oils, waxes, elastomer plasticizers, and combination thereof into at least one of the one or more upstream mixing zones, and mixing the at least one further ingredient with the elastomer and filler; d) using a restriction element to build back pressure in the one or more upstream mixing zones, resulting in substantially homogeneous mixing of the ingredients added in steps b) and c) to form the gum base; e) conveying the gum base into the one or more downstream mixing zones; and f) adding at least one sweetener and at least one flavor into the one or more downstream mixing zones, and mixing the sweetener and flavor with the gum base to form the finished chewing gum; wherein steps b)-f) are performed using a single high efficiency continuous mixer. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of continuously manufacturing chewing gum base and finished chewing gum in the same mixer, comprising the steps of:
-
a) providing a high efficiency continuous mixer having two or more upstream mixing zones for making gum base, and one or more downstream mixing zones for making finished chewing gum; b) adding at least an elastomer and filler into a first of the upstream mixing zones, and mixing them together; c) adding at least polyvinyl acetate into a second of the upstream mixing zones, and mixing it together with the elastomer and filler; d) adding at least one further ingredient selected from the group consisting of fats, oils, waxes, elastomer plasticizers, and combinations thereof into at least one upstream mixing zone, and mixing the at least one further ingredient with the elastomer, filler, and polyvinyl acetate; e) using a restriction element to build back pressure in at least one of the upstream mixing zones, resulting in substantially homogeneous mixing of the ingredients added in steps b)-d) to form the gum base; f) conveying the gum base into the one or more downstream mixing zones; and g) adding at least one sweetener and at least one flavor into a downstream mixing zone, and mixing the sweetener and flavor with the gum base to form the finished chewing gum; wherein steps b)-g) are performed using a single high efficiency continuous mixer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method of continuously manufacturing chewing gum base and finished chewing gum in the same mixer, comprising the steps of:
-
a) providing a high efficiency continuous mixer having at least three upstream mixing zones for making gum base, and one or more downstream mixing zones for making finished chewing gum; b) adding an elastomer, filler, and elastomer plasticizer into a first upstream mixing zone, and mixing them together; c) adding at least polyvinyl acetate into a second upstream mixing zone, and mixing it with the elastomer, filler, and elastomer plasticizer; d) adding at least one further ingredient selected from the group consisting of fats, oils, waxes, emulsifiers, and combinations thereof into a third upstream mixing zone, and mixing the at least one further ingredient with the elastomer, filler, elastomer solvent and polyvinyl acetate; e) using a restriction element to build back pressure in one or more of the upstream mixing zones, resulting in substantially homogeneous mixing of the ingredients added in steps b)-d) to form the gum base; f) conveying the gum base into the one or more downstream mixing zones; and g) adding at least one sweetener and at least one flavor into the one or more downstream mixing zones, and mixing the sweetener and flavor with the gum base to form the finished chewing gum; wherein steps b)-g) are performed using a single high efficiency continuous mixer.
-
Specification