METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A COMESTIBLE

• US 20170215455A1
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Published: 08/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perfetti Van Melle Benelux BV (Perfetti Van Melle S.P.A.)
• Original Assignee: Intercontinental Great Brand LLC (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buck, Ann E., Jani, Bharat
• Granted Patent: US 10,334,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/2076 Apparatus for coating with powders or granules, e.g. sprinkling
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/2092 Apparatus for coating with atomised liquid, droplet bed, liquid spray
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 4/02 Apparatus specially adapted for manufacture or treatment of chewing gum
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 4/025 for coating or surface-finishing
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 4/18 characterised by shape, structure or physical form, e.g. aerated products

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a comestible is provided including providing at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible. A releasing agent is atomized and expelled from an expelling device. Application of pressure to the releasing agent is unnecessary to achieve the atomizing. The atomized releasing agent is applied to either a surface of the at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible or to a surface of the comestible.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a comestible, the method comprising:

providing at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible;

atomizing said releasing agent and expelling said releasing agent from said expelling device, wherein application of pressure to said releasing agent is unnecessary to achieve said atomizing; and

applying the releasing agent to either a surface of the at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible, or to a surface of the comestible.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including applying vibrations to said releasing agent via said expelling device to achieve said atomizing.

3. The method according to claim 2, where said vibrations are ultrasonic vibrations.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the expelling device is configured to expel an atomized spray of the releasing agent at a velocity less than 35 ft/s.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the expelling device includes an adjacent air jet configured to supply an air stream such that the releasing agent from the expelling device becomes entrained in the air stream.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the air jet is configured to control a shape of atomized releasing agent.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one manufacturing instrument is at least one roller configured to size a comestible.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one manufacturing instrument is a pair of rollers configured to size a comestible.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one manufacturing instrument is selected from one of a forming roller, a pair of forming rollers, a scoring roller, a cutting roller, a roller in a rope sizing system, a roller in a cutting and scoring line, and a guillotine style blade of cut and wrap system.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the releasing agent includes a flavor configured to be transferred to the comestible.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the comestible is a chewing gum.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the expelling device is configured to uniformly distribute the releasing agent over the surface of the at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible, or the surface of the comestible.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the velocity of the releasing agent expelled is between about 0.7 ft/s and about 1.2 ft/s.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the expelling device includes an ultrasonic nozzle.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the releasing agent is expelled from the expelling device as an atomizing spray including a plurality of droplets.

17. The method according to claim 15, where a substantial entirety of the droplets of atomizing spray settle and remain on the surface of either the at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible or the comestible.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the expelling device is configured to uniformly distribute the plurality of droplets of releasing agent.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the expelling device is positioned generally vertically above a horizontal mid-point manufacturing instrument.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one manufacturing instrument is at least one roller configured to size a comestible.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one manufacturing instrument is a pair of rollers configured to size a comestible.

22. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one manufacturing instrument is selected from one of a forming roller, a pair of forming rollers, a scoring roller, a cutting roller, a roller in a rope sizing system, a roller in a cutting and scoring line, and a guillotine style blade of cut and wrap system.

23. The method according to claim 12, wherein the comestible is a chewing gum.

25. The method according to claim 23, where a substantial entirety of the plurality of droplets settle and remain on the surface of either the at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible or the comestible.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one expelling device includes an ultrasonic nozzle.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein the releasing agent is expelled from the expelling device as an atomizing spray including the plurality of uniformly distributed droplets.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the expelling device includes an adjacent air jet configured to supply an air stream such that the spray from the ultrasonic nozzle becomes entrained in the air stream.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the air jet is configured to control a shape of the atomizing spray from the ultrasonic nozzle.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the shape of the atomizing spray from the ultrasonic nozzle is controllable by adjusting a position of the air jet relative to the ultrasonic nozzle.

31. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one manufacturing instrument is at least one roller configured to size a comestible.

32. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one manufacturing instrument is a pair of rollers configured to size a comestible.

33. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one manufacturing instrument is selected from one of a forming roller, a pair of forming rollers, a scoring roller, a cutting roller, a roller in a rope sizing system, a roller in a cutting and scoring line, and a guillotine style blade of cut and wrap system.

34. The method according to claim 23, wherein the comestible is a chewing gum.

35. The method according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of uniformly distributed droplets form a continuous coating over the surface of the at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible, or the surface of the comestible.

36. The method according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of uniformly distributed droplets form a dis-continuous coating over the surface of the at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible, or the surface of the comestible.

13. A method of manufacturing a comestible, the method comprising:

providing at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible;

providing an expelling device configured to expel a releasing agent at a velocity less than 35 ft/s; and

applying the releasing agent to a surface of either the at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible, or to a surface of the comestible.

24. A method of manufacturing a comestible, the method comprising:

providing at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact a comestible;

providing at least one expelling device configured to expel a releasing agent, the releasing agent including a plurality of uniformly distributed droplets,

applying the releasing agent to a surface of either the at least one manufacturing instrument configured to contact the comestible, or to a surface of the comestible.