Casingless food production methods, systems, and associated traveling matable mold shells
First Claim
1. A food production system, comprising:
- a plurality of shells arranged in an endless travel path, the shells configured with at least one emulsion entry port and first and second detachably matable shell portions, the shell portions are configured to mate together to provide an enclosed cavity having a predetermined configuration, and to separate to allow access to the interior of the cavity;
a flowable food emulsion source comprising a flow nozzle that is configured to inject emulsion into the shells;
a transport system that is configured to move the plurality of shells along the endless travel path so that each shell is positioned in cooperating alignment with the flowable food emulsion source at least once during each cycle of travel along the endless travel path; and
a processing region operably associated with the endless travel path so that, in operation, the processing region exposes the emulsion in the attached shells to a predetermined condition as the shells travel along a portion of the endless travel path.
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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.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A food production system, comprising:
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a plurality of shells arranged in an endless travel path, the shells configured with at least one emulsion entry port and first and second detachably matable shell portions, the shell portions are configured to mate together to provide an enclosed cavity having a predetermined configuration, and to separate to allow access to the interior of the cavity; a flowable food emulsion source comprising a flow nozzle that is configured to inject emulsion into the shells; a transport system that is configured to move the plurality of shells along the endless travel path so that each shell is positioned in cooperating alignment with the flowable food emulsion source at least once during each cycle of travel along the endless travel path; and a processing region operably associated with the endless travel path so that, in operation, the processing region exposes the emulsion in the attached shells to a predetermined condition as the shells travel along a portion of the endless 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, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A mold assembly for the production of casingless foodstuffs, comprising:
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a first mold portion having a first inner cavity region; a second mold portion having a second inner cavity region, the first and second mold portions being detachably matable so that the first and second inner cavity regions align to define a mold cavity with a predetermined three dimensional foodstuff mold shape; and a transport system operably associated with the first and second mold portions that automatically moves the first and second mold portions in respective endless paths that allows the first and second mold portions to mate and then separate as they travel along their respective endless paths. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. A food production system, comprising:
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a plurality of shells arranged in an endless travel path, the shells configured with at least one emulsion entry port and first and second detachably matable shell portions, the shell portions are configured to mate together to provide art enclosed cavity having a predetermined configuration, and to separate to allow access to the interior of the cavity; and a flowable food emulsion introduced into the shells after the first and second detachably matable shell portions are mated.
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Specification