Spreading device and method for automatically distributing ingredients on top of a dough base

• US 20080072771A1
• Filed: 07/05/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Multipond Wägetechnik GmbH
• Original Assignee: Multipond Wägetechnik GmbH
• Inventors: Marchl, Alois
• Application Number:
  US11/825,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20080072771A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/494
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 9/04 Apparatus for spreading granular material on, or sweeping or coating the surfaces of, pieces or sheets of dough coating baked articles A21C15/002

Abstract

The invention relates to a spreading device and a method for automatically spreading ingredients onto a dough base, assuring an even distribution of the ingredients in an automated process.

A device for spreading ingredients like grated/shredded cheese, ham, sausage, meet, fish, vegetables, etc., on top of a dough base like a pizza base, cake base or the like has a supporting member (100) being arranged above the dough base while in use. The supporting member (100) comprises a provisioning container (160) provided with a shutter, the provisioning container being capable of containing a predetermined amount of ingredients, and at least one rake with teeth (124), which is adapted to spread the ingredients while dropping along an ingredients path.

Claims

1. Device for spreading ingredients like grated/shredded cheese, ham, sausage, meat, fish, vegetables, onto a dough base like a pizza base, cake base or the like,

comprising a supporting member being arranged above the dough base while in use, the supporting member comprising:

a provisioning container provided with an openable shutter and capable of containing a predetermined amount of ingredients, and

at least one rake with teeth, being adapted to spread ingredients while the ingredients drop down along an ingredients dropping path.

2. Device according to claim 1, comprising an ingredients spreading well including the at least one rake.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the teeth of the at least one rake protrude basically horizontal into the ingredients dropping path.

4. Device according to claim 3, comprising a further rake, which is arranged such that the teeth of the further rake are oriented basically orthogonal with respect to the teeth of the at least one rake.

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the teeth of the further rake overlap with the teeth of the at least one rake.

6. Device according to claim 1, comprising a further rake being arranged opposite to the at least one rake in the ingredients spreading well.

7. Device according to claim 6, wherein the teeth of the further rake in the ingredients dropping path are oriented in parallel to the teeth of the at least one rake.

15. Device according to claim 1, wherein the shutter comprises at least one opening flap.

16. Device according to claim 15, wherein the shutter comprises a further opening flap and a synchronizing mechanism, by means of which the opening flaps are synchronously pivotable.

17. Device according to claim 15, wherein the opening flap is oriented horizontally in a closed state.

18. Device according to claim 15, characterized by an opening mechanism, which is adapted to vary the opening speed of the opening flap.

19. Device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting member is a cradle.

20. Device according to claim 19, comprising a frame with at least one track, which is adapted to carry and/or guide the cradle.

21. Device according to claim 19, comprising a servo motor being adapted to move the cradle.

22. Device according to claim 21, comprising a toothed belt, which is adapted to transfer a drive force of the servo motor to the cradle.

23. Device according to claim 1, comprising a conveying belt, being adapted to move a dough base or the like.

24. Device according to claim 1, comprising a combination weigher for dosewise weighing the ingredients.

26. Method for plating a dough base by means of a device according to claim 1, comprising the steps:

opening the provisioning container for giving out ingredients, while the dough base is arranged below the provisioning container,

pivoting-in the at least one rake into the ingredients dropping path, and

pivoting-out the at least one rake out of the ingredients dropping path.

27. Method according to claim 26, wherein the pivoting-in of the at least one rake into the ingredients dropping path is carried out at the time of dropping down of the ingredients.

28. Method according to claim 26, as a method executed prior to the steps according to the claim 26, comprising:

lowering the lowering shield onto the dough base, and

aligning the dough base by the lowering shield.

30. Method according to claim 26, comprising as a previously executed step a detection of the dough base by a sensor.

31. Method according to claim 26, comprising as a previously executed step transporting of a dough base by a conveying belt.

32. Method according to claim 28, comprising as an afterward executed step a raising of the lowering shield.

34. Device according to claim 5, comprising further rakes being arranged opposite to the respective at least one rake and the further rake in the ingredients spreading well.

35. Device according to claim 1, wherein the teeth of the at least one rake are arranged pivotable-in against the dropping direction into the ingredients dropping path.

36. Device according to claim 1, wherein the teeth of the at least one rake are arranged pivotable-out of ingredients dropping path in accordance with the dropping direction.

37. Device according to claim 6, characterized by a pivoting device, by means of which the teeth of the at least one rake and the further rake are pivotable synchronously.

38. Device according to claim 2, wherein the ingredients spreading well comprises a hopper being adapted to center the ingredients to the ingredients dropping well.

39. Device according to claim 2, comprising a lowering shield which is arranged below the ingredients spreading well and which is adapted to center the ingredients while the ingredients drop down onto the dough base arranged therebelow.

40. Device according to claim 39, characterized by a lowering device, which is adapted to lower the lowering shield onto the dough base.

8-14. -14. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

29. Method according to claim 25, containing as a previously executed step a minimization of the relative speed between the dough base and the supporting member.

33. (canceled)