Method of making centerfilled gum product with candy shell

• US 7,332,186 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2003
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands LLC (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cadbury Adams USA LLC (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Warrington, Richard Mark, Arenas, Demian, Janos, Edward M., Jani, Bharat, Degady, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin; Arthur L.
• Application Number:
  US10/664,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20040037925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 426 3- 6, 426/90, 426/91, 426/134, 426/421, 426/302, 426/305, 426/512, 426/516, 426/307
• US Class Current: 426/3
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/125 with introduction of sticks
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/2015 the material being shaped at least partially by a die; Extrusion of filled or multi-layered cross-sections or plates, optionally with the associated cutting device
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/54 Composite products, e.g. layered, coated, filled
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/563 products with an inedible support, e.g. a stick
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 4/043 for composite chewing gum coating A23G4/025
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 4/20 Composite products, e.g. centre-filled , multi-layer, laminated
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 25/006 packaging of lollipops

Abstract

A three-phase center-filled gum or bubble gum candy lollipop product. An extruded gum or bubble gum material has a semi-liquid center-fill material added to it in a batch forming mechanism simultaneously with the formation of an exterior candy shell. The three-phase rope of material is formed into lollipop candy members in a forming machine and lollipop sticks are inserted into them. The formed lollipop products are then cooled, tumbled and prepared for further processing.

Claims

1. A method of making a three-material lollipop product, said steps comprising:

extruding a rope of gum material from an extruder into a tubular member;

transporting said extruded rope of gum material through said tubular member into a batch forming mechanism;

injecting a center-fill semi-liquid material into said rope of gum material;

continuously molding molten candy material around said tubular member and said gum material in said batch forming mechanism thereby forming a rope of candy coated center-filled gum material;

transporting said rope of candy coated center-filled gum material to a lollipop forming mechanism; and

forming individual lollipop balls from said candy coated center-filled gum material in the lollipop forming mechanism.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of sizing said candy coated gum material in a sizing mechanism prior to forming individual lollipop balls in said lollipop forming mechanism.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of inserting sticks into said lollipop balls to form lollipop products.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising the step of cooling said formed lollipop products.