Rotary mold system for molding three dimensional food products
First Claim
1. A rotary mold system for molding three dimensional food products from a food mass, the rotary mold system comprising:
- a fill plate having an outer surface in contact with a feed source, and an inner surface, said fill plate having a feed inlet through which food mass passes;
a wear plate having an outer surface facing the inner surface of the fill plate;
a cylindrical mold shell with mold shapes, the mold shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, said mold shell rotating between the fill plate and the wear plate, the fill plate in contact with the outer surface of the mold shell, the wear plate in contact with the inner surface of the mold shell;
mold cavities formed when mold shapes are between the fill plate and the wear plate, said mold cavities having a depth corresponding to a thickness of the mold shell, and said mold cavities having a bottom surface formed by the outer surface of the wear plate; and
a vacuum chamber disposed downstream of the feed inlet for removing molded food product from the mold cavity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A rotary molding system for molding food products, mold cavities formed when a mold shell rotates mold shapes disposed along the mold shell into a fill position between a fill plate and a wear plate. Molded food products are removed from mold cavities using knock-out cups, the use of air pressure, or the use of a vacuum source disposed below the mold cavity, without the need to slow the rotation of the mold shell. Knock-out cups may be used with a heating system to reduce accumulation of unwanted materials on the knock-out cups. The rotary molding system can also be used to form products with contoured surfaces. A smart tagging system can be used to ensure that compatible sets of mold shells and knock out cups are being used. A vacuum region may be disposed upstream of the fill position to remove air within the mold cavity prior to filling.
39 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A rotary mold system for molding three dimensional food products from a food mass, the rotary mold system comprising:
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a fill plate having an outer surface in contact with a feed source, and an inner surface, said fill plate having a feed inlet through which food mass passes; a wear plate having an outer surface facing the inner surface of the fill plate; a cylindrical mold shell with mold shapes, the mold shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, said mold shell rotating between the fill plate and the wear plate, the fill plate in contact with the outer surface of the mold shell, the wear plate in contact with the inner surface of the mold shell; mold cavities formed when mold shapes are between the fill plate and the wear plate, said mold cavities having a depth corresponding to a thickness of the mold shell, and said mold cavities having a bottom surface formed by the outer surface of the wear plate; and a vacuum chamber disposed downstream of the feed inlet for removing molded food product from the mold cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A mold system for molding three dimensional food products from a food mass, the mold system comprising:
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a fill plate having an outer surface in contact with a feed source, and an inner surface, said fill plate having a feed inlet through which food mass passes; a wear plate having an outer surface facing the inner surface of the fill plate; a cylindrical mold shell with mold shapes, the mold shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, said mold shell rotating between the fill plate and the wear plate, the fill plate in contact with the outer surface of the mold shell, the wear plate in contact with the inner surface of the mold shell; mold cavities formed when mold shapes are between the fill plate and the wear plate, said mold cavities having a depth corresponding to a thickness of the mold shell, and having the outer surface of the wear plate as the bottom surface of the mold cavity when the mold cavity is in communication with the feed inlet at a fill position; and a vacuum region disposed on the fill plate upstream of the food inlet for removing air from the mold cavities; wherein the mold cavity has a width; and
wherein the vacuum region and the feed inlet are arranged to be spaced apart by at least the width of the mold cavity such that the vacuum region and the feed inlet are not simultaneously in communication with the mold cavity. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A mold system for molding three dimensional food products from a food mass, the mold system comprising:
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a fill plate having an outer surface in contact with a feed source, and an inner surface, said fill plate having a feed inlet through which food mass passes; a wear plate having an outer surface facing the inner surface of the fill plate; a cylindrical mold shell with mold shapes, the mold shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, said mold shell rotating between the fill plate and the wear plate, the fill plate in contact with the outer surface of the mold shell, the wear plate in contact with the inner surface of the mold shell; mold cavities formed when mold shapes are between the fill plate and the wear plate, said mold cavities having a depth corresponding to a thickness of the mold shell, and having the outer surface of the wear plate as the bottom surface of the mold cavity when the mold cavity is in communication with the feed inlet at a fill position; and a vacuum region disposed on the fill plate upstream of the food inlet for removing air from the mold cavities; wherein the mold cavity has a width; and
wherein the vacuum region and the feed inlet are arranged to be spaced apart by less than the width of the mold cavity such that the vacuum region and the feed inlet can be simultaneously in communication with the mold cavity. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification