Patent Application
20080089989
Injector 16 is axially aligned within passageway 14 and has ribs 18, each with a leading edge 20 positioned on the upstream side of injector 16. Flowing food mass 12 first contacts ribs 18 of injector 16 at leading edge 20 of ribs 18, causing food mass 12 to pass around ribs 18. As first food mass 12 passes the downstream side 22 of ribs 18, injector 16 injects a second food mass 24 into the flow stream of first food mass 12. The injected second food mass 24 may be comprised of a food colorant that is of a color that is different in color or in hue than the color of first dough food mass 12 upstream of injector 16. Second food mass 24 need not be limited to a food colorant. Food mass 24 may include a flavor additive, food supplement, any other desired food additive, or a food dough different in color or in hue than the color of first food mass 12.
As depicted in
Food processing device 10 may also optionally include a static mixer assembly 30 positioned in passageway 14 downstream of injector 16. Static mixer assembly 30 is composed of an elongated tubular structure and includes mixer flights 32 as is known in the art. Tubular structure 13a, 13b is jacketed 15 to permit heating or cooling as desired with an appropriate fluid. Inlet 17 and outlet 19 may be provided for fluid flow to permit such heating or cooling. A sufficient number of mixer flights 32 are provided to achieve the desired degree of mixing for a particular product. Static mixer 30 may not be designed with mixer flights 32 that are of a number or configuration that would aggressively mix food mass 26 so as to make unrecognizable the distinct pattern of lines, or planes of second food mass 24 that are interspersed within first food mass 12. Preferably, mixer flights 32 are optionally provided to gently mix food mass 26 without significantly disrupting the border between first food mass 12 and second food mass 24 to an extent that a distinct and detailed pattern of second food mass 24 is no longer present.
Food mass 26, with its distinct pattern intact, continues downstream in passageway 14 to reach cone 36 adjacent the outlet 34 of passageway 14. Cone 36 is integrally formed with a die plate 38 and is positioned with the front tip 40 of cone 36 axially aligned within tubular passageway 14. As shown in
As food mass 26 flows past cone tip 40, it is directed by the surface 44 of cone 36 into annular passageway 46 of die plate 38. Annular passageway 46 is defined on one side by cone surface 44, and on the other side by a surface 48 formed in die plate 38. Surface 48 may be generally parallel to cone surface 44 as shown in
It is noted that for ease of cleaning, the body of die plate 38 may be formed of two or more sections, such as an upstream or front section 54 and a downstream or rear section 56 that includes integrally formed cone 36. Front section 54 and rear section 56 are reversibly secured together by any suitable means, such as by bolts (not shown).
Referring to
Thus, the pathway of the movement of a food mass through food processing device 10 includes entering into passageway 14 at its inlet 28, flowing past fluid injector 16, passage through optional static mixer 30, and continued flowing past cone tip 40 of die plate 38. As food mass 26 flows into annular passageway 46, the shape of food mass 26 is reformed from a circular cross section into an annular cross section. Thereafter, the flow of food mass 26 continues through annular passageway 46 and is divided, or split, into a plurality of sub-streams 76 flowing in a plurality of sub-passageways comprising converging passageways 64. Each of passageways 64 has an outlet 72 adjacent to, and in fluid communication with, an inlet 74 providing entrance into each of final passageways 68. The plurality of sub-streams 76 of food mass 26 exit device 10 at an exit port 70 provided for each of passageways 68. Adjacent exit port 70, a cutter blade (not shown) is provided to cut the exiting extruded food mass into pieces of a desired length. The cutter blade may be of any of the designs known in the art, such as a blade positioned to rotate parallel rear side 60 of die plate 38. The cutter blades may rotate at a speed timed to cut the extrudate into desired length pieces adjacent exit ports 70. As the food pieces encounter ambient temperature and pressure conditions, the food pieces are directly expanded, or puffed, and may rapidly increase in size to form the final food product, such as multicolored cereal food pieces.
In order to ensure maintaining the fine detail of the lines, or other pattern that second food mass 24 provides within food mass 26, device 10 may have additional design considerations. The taper of converging portion 64 may be formed such that it provides a reduction of about 3.5 to 1, or less in the cross sectional area of the flowing third food mass 26 from the point of entrance of passageway 64, as compared to the cross sectional area of food mass 26 as it leaves passageway 64. The cross sectional area reduction may be about 3.5 to 1, or less, along any segment of the pathway of food mass 26 within device 10, including, for example, a segment having its upstream end at cone tip 40 and its downstream end at the plurality of exit ports 70. It is noted that for purposes of comparing the cross sectional area of flow mass 26 that has been split into a plurality of sub-streams 76 to the cross sectional area of food mass 26 prior to splitting, the sum of the cross sectional areas of all sub-streams 76 may be compared to the cross sectional area of flow mass 26 prior to splitting to determine the ratio of the reduction in cross sectional area. Of course, it is to be understood that the reductions in cross sectional areas referred to above need not be limited to 3.5 to 1 or less. The reduction may be, for example, greater than 2.0 to 1 or greater than 3.5 to 1, if desired.
In an alternative embodiment, (not shown) multiple die plates 38 may be utilized to further manipulate sub-streams 76 prior to direct expansion. For example, a second die plate 38 may be positioned adjacent each exit port 70 of an upstream first die plate 38. In such an arrangement, sub-streams 76 of a circular cross sectional shape leave first die plate 38 and are once again reformed into an annular flow stream by annular passageway 46 of second die plate 38, and then are further divided into multiple sub-streams 76 prior to direct expansion upon exiting die ports 70 of the second die plate 38. Hence the second die plates 38 may be identical in configuration and shape to that of the first die plate, except that the second die plates 38 may be reduced in size. In this sense, the upstream die plate 38 can act as a flow dividing passageway without allowing direct expansion at exit ports 70. The final downstream die plate 38 both divides sub-streams 76, and also allows direct expansion at exit ports 70.
Where used in the various figures of the drawing, the same numerals designate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the terms “top,” “bottom,” “first,” “second,” “upper,” “lower,” “height,” “width,” “length,” “end,” “side,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawing and are utilized only to facilitate describing the invention.
Modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concepts thereof. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments nor to the theoretical description disclosed, but is intended to cover all modifications that are within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Moreover, the embodiments described herein are meant to be merely illustrative and not restrictive.
