Food item fabricating apparatus and methods
US5752364A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 11, 1996 |
| Grant date | May 19, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 11, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65B9/023
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Apparatus (10) is disclosed including first and second forming rollers (18, 21) which rotatably abut with an anvil roller (20). The forming rollers (18, 21) each include a periphery forming a continuous forming surface including a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced grooves (24) each formed as a continuous depression arranged in a serpentine and non-intersecting manner. Food (14) is simultaneously fed by a saddle (36, 36') between a continuous strip of support material (16) and a continuous ribbon of film material (66) as they pass between a first abutment nip of the first forming roller (18) and the anvil roller (20). In a preferred form, the saddle (36') is in the form of a block having first and second lower surfaces (118, 120) corresponding to the shape and located adjacent the first forming roller (18) and the anvil roller (20) in their mating side (32). A trough (24) is formed in the second lower surface (120) which is supplied by food under pressure flowing through conduits (140, 142, 144, 146, 150, 152). Radially disposed barriers (132) divide the trough (24) into axial portions. Radially disposed dividing walls (136) having lower tapering surfaces (138) and a…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.