NON-CONTACT PRINTED COMESTIBLE PRODUCTS AND APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME

Abstract

The present disclosure provides apparatuses and methods for non-contact printing on comestible products. The apparatus includes an extruder for extruding a slab of an edible substrate and a non-contact printing device for printing an edible ink on the slab. The apparatus provides versatility as the printing device may be placed anywhere along the apparatus. The printing device may be positioned along the apparatus as desired to operate in cooperation with other components of the apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a printing device of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an edible product of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a printed edible product in a packaging of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an edible product and a packaging of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a printing device printing and an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 13A, 13B, and 13C each are a perspective view of an apparatus dispensing an edible material onto an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 14A and 14B are each a perspective view of an apparatus dispensing an edible material onto an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15A is top perspective view of an event product of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15B is a bottom perspective view of the event product of FIG. 15A.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an event product of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17A is a top perspective view of an event product advertisement of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17B is a bottom perspective view of the event product advertisement of FIG. 17A.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a printing device and an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a confectionery product having an edible ink printed thereon of the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a confectionery product having an edible ink printed thereon of the present disclosure.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a confectionery product printed with an edible ink of the present disclosure.

FIG. 22 is perspective view of a confectionery product printed with an edible ink of the present disclosure.

FIG. 23 is perspective view of a confectionery product printed with an edible ink of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing a product comprising: an extruder for extruding a slab of an edible substrate; anda non-contact printing device for printing an edible ink on the slab.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a component selected from the group consisting of a dusting device, a sizing roller, a cutting device, a cooling device, a curing chamber, a coating device, a packaging device, and combinations thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printing device is located at a position downstream of the extruder and upstream of a dusting device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printing device is located at a position downstream of a dusting device and upstream of a sizing roller.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printing device is located at a position downstream of a sizing roller and upstream of a cutting device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printing device is located at a position downstream of a cutting device and upstream of a cooling device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printing device is located at a position downstream of a cooling device and upstream of a curing chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printing device is located at a position downstream of a curing chamber and upstream from a coating device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printing device is located downstream of a coating device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a first printing device located on a first side of the slab and a second printing device located on a second side of the slab, the first and second printing devices printing the edible ink on opposing sides of the slab.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printing device prints an edible ink-indicia on the slab.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printing device is an ink jet printing device.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the edible ink is selected from the group consisting of an absorbing ink, a solvent-based ink, a wax-based ink, and combinations thereof.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the edible ink is printed at select locations along the slab.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the edible ink further comprises an organoleptic component.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a cutting device for cutting the slab into individual pieces, the printing device printing the edible ink on the individual pieces.

17. A method for producing comestible product comprising: extruding a slab of an edible substrate; andprinting an edible ink onto the slab using a printing device without contacting a surface of the slab with the printing device.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising dispensing an organoleptic component onto the slab.

19. The method of claim 17 comprising cutting the slab into individual confectionery pieces and printing the edible ink on the individual pieces.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising coating the individual confectionery pieces before the printing.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the slab has opposing first and second sides, the method comprising printing the edible ink on the first side and on the second side.

22. The method of claim 17 comprising inkjet printing the edible ink on the slab.

23. The method of claim 17 comprising moving the slab during the printing.

24. A method for producing a comestible product comprising: extruding a rope of a center-filled confectionery material; andprinting an edible ink on the rope.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the printing comprises non-contact printing.

26. The method of claim 24 comprising forming the rope into individual pieces of center-filled confectionery material and printing the edible ink on the individual pieces.

27. The method of claim 24 comprising placing the individual pieces of the center-filled confectionery material into a package, the edible ink being visible through the package.

28. A method for producing a chewing gum product comprising: non-contact printing an edible ink on a slab of chewing gum.

29. The method of claim 28 comprising cutting the slab of chewing gum and individual pieces, the non-contact printing occurring before the cutting.