Moulding

• US 7,284,973 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stork PMT B. V.
• Original Assignee: Stork PMT B. V.
• Inventors: van den Nieuwelaar, Adrianus Josephes, Janssen, Petrus Christianus Marius, van Esbroeck, Maurice Eduardus Theodorus, van de Eerden, Henricus Franciscus Jacobus Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackey; James P.
• Application Number:
  US10/806,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: 425/89, 425/122, 425/123, 425/134, 425/220, 425/241, 425/357, 425/362, 425/363, 425/576, 425/373, 425/102
• US Class Current: 425/89
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 11/00 Other machines for forming the dough into its final shape before cooking or baking
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 17/0006 Cutting or shaping meat
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 7/0038 Demoulding means
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 7/0046 Containers in which meat is pressed and moulded
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 7/0069 Pressing and moulding by means of a drum
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 13/03 Coating with a layer; Stuffing, laminating, binding, or compressing of original meat pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 30/10 Moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 11/16 using pocketed rollers, e.g. two co-operating pocketed rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/308 in a continuous manner, e.g. for roller presses, screw extrusion presses

Abstract

The invention provides methods and moulding devices for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, in particular from a mass of meat, in particular chicken. The method comprises filling a mould cavity with a portion of the mass under the influence of a filling pressure exerted on the mass and for a filling period via a filling opening associated with the mould cavity, closing the filling opening of the mould cavity and holding the mass in the mould cavity for a fixing period. Then, the mould cavity is opened and the moulded product is removed from the mould cavity. The method uses fixing-pressure-exerting means which are designed to exert a fixing pressure which acts on the mass in the mould cavity after the filled mould cavity has been closed.

Claims

1. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity;

c. a belt positioned adjacent the drum, wherein the belt bears against at least a portion of the first surface of the drum to temporarily close the at least one mold cavity;

d. a film-feed means for feeding a disposable film between the belt and the first surface of the drum so as to substantially prevent contact between mass in the at least one mold cavity and the belt; and

e. a film-uptake means for removing the film from between the belt and the first surface of the drum at a point along the path upstream of discharge of the mass from the at least one mold cavity.

2. The molding device of claim 1, wherein the film-uptake means comprises means for winding the film onto a reel.

3. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity;

c. a belt positioned adjacent the drum, wherein the belt bears against at least a portion of the first surface of the drum to temporarily close the at least one mold cavity; and

d. belt pressure means to exert pressure directed substantially toward the drum on at least a portion of the belt that bears against at least a portion of the first surface of the drum, wherein the belt pressure means comprises controllable air pressure.

4. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity;

c. first film-feed means comprising a supply reel of plastic film for placing the plastic film to cover the walls of the at least one mold cavity before mass is fed into the cavity;

d. closure means for temporarily closing the cavity opening on the first surface of the drum;

e. a connecting passage connecting the at least one mold cavity and the second surface of the drum; and

f. pressure medium feed means arranged along the second surface of the drum for feeding a gaseous or liquid pressure medium into the connecting passage to generate a fixing pressure in the mass when enclosed in the mold cavity by the closure means.

5. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity;

c. a belt positioned adjacent the drum, wherein the belt bears against at least a portion of the first surface of the drum to temporarily close the at least one mold cavity; and

d. belt pressure means to exert pressure directed substantially toward the drum on at least a portion of the belt that bears against at least a portion of the first surface of the drum, wherein the belt pressure means comprises controllable liquid pressure.

6. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity;

c. a belt positioned adjacent the drum, wherein the belt bears against at least a portion of the first surface of the drum to temporarily close the at least one mold cavity; and

d. belt pressure means to exert pressure directed substantially toward the drum on at least a portion of the belt that bears against at least a portion of the first surface of the drum, wherein the belt pressure means comprises a chamber at least partially defined by the belt and a source of pressurized medium in communication with the chamber.

7. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity;

c. a belt positioned adjacent the drum, wherein a first side of the belt bears against at least a portion of the first surface of the drum to temporarily close the at least one mold cavity; and

d. belt pressure means to exert pressure directed substantially toward the drum on at least a portion of the belt that bears against at least a portion of the first surface of the drum, wherein the belt pressure means comprises a tray placed against a second side of the belt and a source of pressurized medium in communication with the tray.

8. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity;

c. a pumping device coupled to the mass-feed component to feed the mass to the mass-feed component, wherein the pumping device comprise a regulator to regulate the filling pressure of the mass;

d. closure means for temporarily closing the cavity opening on the first surface of the drum;

e. a connecting passage connecting the at least one mold cavity and the second surface of the drum; and

f. pressure medium feed means arranged along the second surface of the drum for feeding a gaseous or liquid pressure medium into the connecting passage to generate a fixing pressure in the mass enclosed in the mold cavity by the closure means.

9. A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, comprising:

a. a drum having a first surface, a second surface, and moving along a path and comprising at least one mold cavity defined by mold walls and having a cavity opening positioned along the first surface of the drum;

b. a mass-feed component positioned adjacent the drum for feeding mass into the at least one mold cavity at a filling pressure;

c. an extruder comprising an extruder tube and an associated extruder screw rotatable in the extruder tube, wherein the extruder is adapted to feed mass to the mass-feed component in such a manner that the filling pressure of the mass is regulated;

d. closure means for temporarily closing the cavity opening on the first surface of the drum;

e. a connecting passage connecting the at least one mold cavity and the second surface of the drum; and

f. pressure medium feed means arranged along the second surface of the drum for feeding a gaseous or liquid pressure medium into the connecting passage to generate a fixing pressure in the mass enclosed in the mold cavity by the closure means.