Method and device for producing confectionary products

• US 9,173,418 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TNG Swiss AG
• Original Assignee: KMB Produktions AG
• Inventors: Knobel, Guido
• Primary Examiner(s): Gupta, Yogendra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luk, Emmanuel S
• Application Number:
  US10/519,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20060057265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,562 Days
• Field of Search: 425/547, 425/398, 425/262, 425/408, 425/410, 425/414, 425/416, 425/422, 425/443, 425/407, 425/412, 425/417, 425/405.1, 425/193, 425/195, 425/353, 425/389, 425/394, 425/403, 425/406, 425467-469, 426/512, 426/514, 426/515, 426/660, 426/138, 426/139, 426/279, 426/280, 426/524, 249/79, 993/49, 994/55, 994/58, 995/16, 995/17
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 1/205 Apparatus in which the material is shaped at least partially in a mould, in the hollows of a surface, a drum, an endless band or by drop-by-drop casting or dispensing of the material on a surface, e.g. injection moulding, transfer moulding
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 1/21 Apparatus for moulding hollow products, open shells or other articles having cavities, e.g. open cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/0252 Apparatus in which the material is shaped at least partially in a mould, in the hollows of a surface, a drum, an endless band, or by a drop-by-drop casting or dispensing of the material on a surface, e.g. injection moulding, transfer moulding
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/0263 Moulding apparatus for hollow products, e.g. opened shell
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/2023 the material being shaped at least partially in a mould, in the hollows of a surface, a drum, an endless band or by drop-by-drop casting or dispensing of the materials on a surface or an article being completed

Abstract

A method for producing confectionary products having an outer shell made of a substance that is placed inside a mold into which a temperature-controlled male die is subsequently introduced. The substance is placed under pressure after the male die is introduced.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing consumable products having an outer shell comprising:

a mold containing a consumable chocolate material;

a water-cooled ram having a vertex region and an axial bore communicating with the vertex region;

the water-cooled ram is configured to selectively move into and out of the mold between a first position and a second position for at least partially forming an outer shell from the consumable chocolate material;

a source of gas connected to a tube and the tube is connected to the axial bore; and

the gas from the source communicates through the tube to the axial bore and into the mold for displacing an amount of consumable chocolate material when the water-cooled ram is in the second position.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water-cooled ram has an opening in the vertex region which is covered by a diaphragm.

3. An apparatus for producing consumable products having an outer shell comprising:

a mold containing an edible consumable material;

a water-cooled shaping ram having an axial bore terminating at a vertex end, the water-cooled shaping ram being movable into and out of the mold between a first position and a second position wherein movement of the water-cooled shaping ram from the first position to the second position contacts the vertex end with the edible consumable material to at least partially shape an outer shell from the edible consumable material in the mold; and

a displacement ram within the axial bore of the water-cooled ram, the displacement ram has a terminal end, the displacement ram being movable in the axial bore of the water-cooled shaping ram when the water-cooled shaping ram is in the second position to move the end of the displacement ram to an operational position wherein the terminal end of the displacement ram expels air inclusions in the edible consumable material when the water-cooled shaping ram is in the second position.

4. An apparatus for producing consumable products having an outer shell comprising:

a mold containing an edible consumable material;

a water-cooled ram having a vertex region and comprising an internal space and a shell of rigid material surrounding the internal space, the shell is provided with a passage at the vertex region which communicates the internal space with the mold when the water-cooled ram is located in the mold, said passage is covered by a diaphragm;

the water-cooled ram is configured to selectively move into and out of the mold between a first position and a second position for at least partially forming an outer shell from the edible consumable material;

a source of cooling water under pressure; and

the cooling water under pressure communicates with the internal space of the water-cooled ram for moving the diaphragm between a first operational position wherein the diaphragm is inwardly curved with respect to the vertex region to a second operational position wherein the diaphragm curves outwardly for expanding the diaphragm at the vertex region of the water-cooled ram into the mold for displacing an amount of edible consumable material when the water-cooled ram is in the second position.

5. An apparatus for producing consumable products having an outer shell comprising:

a mold containing an edible consumable material;

a water-cooled shaping ram having an axial bore terminating at a vertex end, the water-cooled shaping ram being movable into and out of the mold between a first position and a second position wherein movement of the water-cooled shaping ram from the first position to the second position contacts the vertex end with the edible consumable material to at least partially shape an outer shell from the edible consumable material in the mold; and

a displacement ram within the axial bore of the water-cooled ram, the displacement ram has a terminal end,

the displacement ram being movable within the axial bore of the water-cooled shaping ram when the water-cooled shaping ram is in the second position for moving the terminal end of the displacement ram from a first position wherein the displacement ram is retracted in the axial bore so as to form a vertex space containing the edible consumable material to an operational position wherein the terminal end of the displacement ram is moved to the vertex end of the water-cooled shaping ram for expelling air inclusions in the edible consumable material when the water-cooled shaping ram is in the second position.