Patent Application
20230345950
The invention generally pertains to the art of food production and, more specifically, to the production of pre-scored, frozen bread products, particularly sub and steak rolls.
Bakery operators sometimes purchase partially finished food products that are then finished in the bakery before being sold to consumers. For example, bakery operators can purchase frozen bread dough, which they thaw, proof and bake prior to sale. Depending on the desired bread product, the bread dough may be scored after proofing and before baking. Generally, it is preferred that the amount of time and labor required to finish such partially finished food products is kept to a minimum. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide bread dough products, such as frozen sub or steak rolls, which are effectively and efficiently manufactured with scores prior to being frozen and sent to bakery operators or grocery stores for purchase by consumers.
The invention achieves the above goal by providing a method and machinery configured to automatically score dough pieces during formation of the dough pieces from a dough sheet. Specifically, a rotary dough cutter comprises an annular cutter body configured to be rotatably driven, a plurality of arcuate sidewalls extending circumferentially about the cutter body, a plurality of radial divider walls extending across respective sidewalls, and a plurality of interior blades extending radially relative to the body between the sidewalls. The various walls define a plurality of dough cutter molds with, except for various walls of the outermost cutter molds located at terminal ends of the cutter body, each wall forming a common part of adjacent dough cutter molds. Each of the plurality of interior blades is located spaced from and between successive divider walls in a respective one of the plurality of dough cutter molds. With movement of the dough sheet and rotation of the rotary dough cutter, the dough pieces are cut from the dough sheet with the plurality of walls, and the dough pieces are scored with the plurality of interior blades. After being cut and scored, the dough pieces are removed from within the dough cutter molds with the assistance of a fluid ejection system, and then frozen. The fluid ejection system includes a plurality of outlets exposed to each dough cutter mold and a fluid supply system for directing and timing the injection of fluid, such as air, to the outlets in a specified set of dough cutter molds which have just completed cut and scoring operations. In addition, the fluid ejection system includes a flow distribution control assembly for selectively adjusting flow characteristics of the fluid to the various dough cutter molds to assure proper dough product ejection based on parameters of the dough, such as dough density and formulation.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to common parts in the several views.
Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention. Additionally, as used in connection with the present invention, terms such as “parallel” and “perpendicular” do not necessarily require, for example, that the relevant items be perfectly parallel. Instead, these terms include a margin of error of +/−5° (regardless of whether the error is by design or due to inherent manufacturing limitations) so long as the error does not prevent the present invention from functioning as intended.
With initial reference to
Dough sheet 100 passes beneath a rotary dough cutter 120, which is configured to repeatedly cut dough pieces, such as in a form needed to make sub or steak rolls, from dough sheet 100 as dough sheet 100 is transported in direction 105. For example,
Adjustable side plates 140 and 141 are located at opposite ends of rotary dough cutter 120. In the embodiment shown, each side plate 140, 141 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced indicia, such as in the form of notches, generally indicated at 145 for plate 141. The purpose and function of side plates 140 and 141 will be discussed further below. However, at this point, it should simply be noted that shaft 130 and rotary dough cutter 120 are configured to rotate relative to side plates 140 and 141. Also shown in this figure is a fluid supply hose 155 leading to side plate 140 from a pressure regulating controller 160 which receives fluid from a source, preferably a pneumatic source such as in the form of an air compressor (not shown) through a hose 162. Overall, the source, hose 162, pressure regulating controller 160 and fluid supply hose 155 collectively combine to define a fluid supply system as will be detailed further below with reference to air being the supplied fluid although other fluids, preferably in a gaseous state, could be employed. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a corresponding fluid supply system is associated with side plate 141. In general, air under pressure enters rotary dough cutter 120 through side plates 140 and 141 and is timely distributed throughout rotary dough cutter 120 for use in ejecting dough pieces 125 from rotary dough cutter 120 after formation of dough pieces 125 from dough sheet 100, as explained further below.
In addition to walls 205, each dough cutter mold 210 is further defined by a pair of circumferentially spaced, radial divider walls, one of which is labeled 215. More specifically, each divider wall 215 directly interconnects two longitudinally adjacent walls 205 such that an outer periphery of each dough cutter mold 210 is defined by a pair of spaced, parallel walls 205 which are interconnected by a pair of spaced divider walls 215. Walls 205 and 215 act as blades and are configured to cut dough pieces 125 from dough sheet 100, with one dough piece 125 being received in and shaped by each dough cutter mold 210. This cutting action can be performed in various ways, including using sharp blades, blunt edge cutters, perforation forming cutters or the like. Accordingly, in operation, walls 205 and 215 extend all the way through dough sheet 100 and engage conveyor belt 115. Due the structure of dough cutter mold 210 and particularly the configuration of walls 205 and 215, the only dough from dough sheet 100 that could be considered “wasted” during formation of dough pieces 125, i.e., the amount of dough sheet 100 that does not end up as one of dough pieces 125, is outside the terminal ends of sleeve 200 (and perhaps adjacent the corners of molds 210 if rounded). This minimization is accomplished by covering sleeve 200 with dough cutter molds 210 which exhibit a repeated use of a common shape, with minimal, if any, gaps.
Dough cutter molds 210 also include a plurality of interior blades 220 extending radially outward from sleeve 200. Each interior blade 220 is located within a respective dough cutter mold 210 at a position spaced from each of the walls 205 and 215 defining the particular dough cutter mold 210. More specifically, each interior blade 220 includes angled end portions 222 and 223 radially leading from sleeve 200 to an elongated central portion 224 which is radially recessed relative to walls 205. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, each end portion 222, 223 terminates directly adjacent a respective divider wall 215 so as to be cantilevered from sleeve 200, preferably bifurcating a respective dough cutter mold 210. Interior blades 220 are configured to score dough pieces 125 as dough pieces 125 are formed. Although interior blades 220 could be sharp so as to cut into but not all the way through dough sheet 100, in preferred embodiments, interior blades 220 are dull and score dough pieces 125 by only pushing down and deforming the dough, thereby altering the gluten matrix of the dough and weaking the dough piece 125 along the score. While only one interior blade 220 is shown in each dough cutter mold 210, it should be understood that dough cutter molds 210 can include multiple interior blades 220 if desired.
With particular reference to
The enlarged mold view of
After formation of cut and scored dough pieces 125, the dough pieces 125 are preferably frozen, most preferably in an un-proofed state. At this point, it should be noted that “un-proofed” in accordance with the invention means that no substantial or intentional actions are taken to promote proofing. Rather, the dough pieces are, at the very least, frozen shortly after being formed so as to save proofing for later. Thereafter frozen, un-proofed dough piece can be transported to a bakery operator, for example, who thaws, proofs, bakes and sells the resulting bread product. Of course, the dough pieces, frozen or otherwise, could be sold through other avenues, such as delivery to a grocery store for sale directly to a consumer who cooks the dough piece to create the bread product.
As previously indicated, the invention is mainly concerned with the continuous production of sub or steak rolls.
Based on the above, it should be readily apparent that the present invention provides dough products that are continuously cut, scored and forcibly ejected from molds prior to being proofed and frozen (i.e., before being purchased by bakery operators), as well as an apparatus and method for producing the dough products. While certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been set forth, it should be understood that various changes or modifications could be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.
