Casingless food production methods, systems, and associated traveling matable mold shells
First Claim
1. A method for producing food products, comprising:
- providing a series of shells, the shells having sufficient structural rigidity to define an enclosed cavity space of predetermined substantially constant size and shape;
injecting a quantity of flowable food emulsion into the shells at an injection location along a predetermined travel path;
moving the shells forward along the predetermined travel path with the emulsion in the enclosed cavities;
exposing the emulsion in the shells to predetermined processing conditions that alter the emulsion held in the respective shells to a non-flowable edible food product having the molded shape of their respective shell cavities; and
thenreleasing the non-flowable food products from their respective shells at a second location spaced apart from the injection location along the predetermined travel path;
wherein the shells comprise shell portions that mate together prior to the injecting step to encase the flowable emulsion and separate during the releasing step to release the non-flowable food product, and wherein, when the shell portions are mated together, adjacent shells travel generally in concert and generally aligned with the emulsion therein along at least a portion of the predetermined travel path.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods, and associated devices for casingless production of food products include: (a) providing a series of shells, the shells having sufficient structural rigidity to define an enclosed cavity space of predetermined substantially constant size and shape; (b) injecting a quantity of flowable food emulsion into the shells in serial order; (c) moving the shells forward along a predetermined travel path with the emulsion in the enclosed cavities; (d) exposing the emulsion in the shells to predetermined processing conditions that alter the emulsion held in the respective shells to a non-flowable edible food product having the molded shape of their respective shell cavities; and then (e) releasing the non-flowable food products from their respective shells.
36 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method for producing food products, comprising:
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providing a series of shells, the shells having sufficient structural rigidity to define an enclosed cavity space of predetermined substantially constant size and shape; injecting a quantity of flowable food emulsion into the shells at an injection location along a predetermined travel path; moving the shells forward along the predetermined travel path with the emulsion in the enclosed cavities; exposing the emulsion in the shells to predetermined processing conditions that alter the emulsion held in the respective shells to a non-flowable edible food product having the molded shape of their respective shell cavities; and
thenreleasing the non-flowable food products from their respective shells at a second location spaced apart from the injection location along the predetermined travel path; wherein the shells comprise shell portions that mate together prior to the injecting step to encase the flowable emulsion and separate during the releasing step to release the non-flowable food product, and wherein, when the shell portions are mated together, adjacent shells travel generally in concert and generally aligned with the emulsion therein along at least a portion of the predetermined travel path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A system for producing food products, comprising:
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means for automatically providing a series of discrete shells with alignable releasably matable shell members, the shells having sufficient structural rigidity to define an enclosed cavity space of predetermined substantially constant size and shape, with a plurality of shells being configured to travel generally in concert along at least a portion of a predetermined travel path; means for injecting a quantity of flowable food emulsion into the shells in serial order; means for automatically moving the shells forward along the predetermined travel path with the emulsion in the enclosed cavities; means for exposing the emulsion in the shells to predetermined processing conditions that alter the emulsion held in the respective shells to a non-flowable edible food product having the molded shape of their respective shell cavities; and means for automatically releasing the non-flowable food products from their respective shells after the means for exposing exposes the emulsion to desired processing conditions. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A method for producing food products, comprising:
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providing a series of shells, the shells having cooperating members that mate and provide sufficient structural rigidity to define an enclosed cavity space of predetermined substantially constant size and shape; injecting a quantity of flowable food emulsion into the shells in serial order; moving the shells forward along a predetermined travel path with the emulsion in the enclosed cavities contacting a respective shell inner wall without a deformable reusable support held between the shell and the food emulsion; exposing the emulsion in the shells to predetermined processing conditions that alter the emulsion held in the respective shells to a non-flowable edible food product having the molded shape of their respective shell cavities;
thenreleasing the non-flowable food products from their respective shells at a location that is downstream of where the injecting is carried out along the predetermined travel path. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification