SPRAY-FORMED CONFECTIONERY PRODUCT, APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract

The present disclosure provides apparatuses, methods, and products, directed to confectionery products containing a melted gum base composition. A dispensing device sprays particles of a molten gum base composition onto an edible substrate. The molten gum base composition solidifies to form the melted gum base composition. The melted gum base composition may contain one or more organoleptic components and may be in layer form, in the shape of an object, or in the shape of a three-dimensional object.

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. 14C is a perspective view of a dispensing device and an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14D is a perspective view of a confectionery product of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14E is a perspective view of a confectionery product of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14F is a perspective view of a chewing gum product.

FIG. 14G is a perspective view of a chewing gum substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14H is a perspective view of chewing gum product 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 an edible product comprising: a dispensing device for spraying a molten gum base composition onto an edible substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dispensing device is selected from the group consisting of an inkjet printing device and a valve-jet spraying device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a transport device for moving the edible substrate proximate to the dispensing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a controller in operative communication with the dispensing device for controlling a spray of the molten gum base composition.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a printing device for printing an edible ink-indicia on a material selected from the group consisting of the edible substrate, the molten gum base composition, and combinations thereof.

6. A confectionery product comprising: an edible substrate; anda melted gum base composition adhered to the edible substrate.

7. The confectionery product of claim 6 wherein the edible substrate is selected from the group consisting of a confectionery, a coated confectionery, a chewing gum, a coated chewing gum, a center-filled chewing gum, a coated center-filled chewing gum, and combinations thereof.

8. The confectionery product of claim 6 wherein the melted gum base composition is selected from the group consisting of an elastomer, a resin, a softener, a wax, and combinations thereof.

9. The confectionery product of claim 6 wherein the melted gum base composition comprises an organoleptic component.

10. The confectionery product of claim 6 comprising an edible ink-indicia located on a material selected from the group consisting of the melted gum base composition, the edible substrate, and combinations thereof.

11. The confectionery product of claim 6 comprising an inkjet edible ink-indicia.

12. The confectionery product of claim 6 comprising a first melted gum base composition on a first portion of the edible substrate and a second melted gum base composition on a second portion of the edible substrate, the first melted gum base composition being different than the second melted gum base composition.

13. The confectionery product of claim 6 wherein the melted gum base composition forms an object on a surface of the edible substrate.

14. The confectionery product of claim 6 wherein the melted gum base composition forms a three-dimensional object on a surface of the edible substrate.

15. A confectionery product comprising: a first layer of an edible substrate; anda second layer of a melted gum base composition adhered to the first layer.

16. The confectionery product of claim 15 wherein the first and second layers are substantially coextensive.

17. The confectionery product of claim 15 comprising a third layer of a melted gum base composition, the third layer adhered to a surface selected from the group consisting of a surface of the second layer and a surface of the edible substrate.

18. The confectionery product of claim 15 wherein the second layer comprises from about 30% to about 100% by weight of the melted gum base composition and from about 0% to about 70% by weight of an organoleptic component.

19. A method for producing a confectionery product comprising: spraying particles of a molten gum base composition onto a surface of an edible substrate; andforming a multiple phase confectionery product.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising forming a layer of the molten gum base composition on the surface.

21. The method of claim 20 comprising forming a second layer of the molten gum base composition on the layer.

22. The method of claim 19 comprising forming, with molten gum base composition, an object on the surface.

23. The method of claim 19 comprising forming, with the molten gum base composition, a three-dimensional object on the surface.

24. The method of claim 19 comprising changing an ingredient of the molten gum base composition during the spraying.

25. The method of claim 19 comprising dispensing an organoleptic component on the edible substrate.

26. The method of claim 25 comprising changing, during the spraying, a component of the organoleptic component.

27. The method of claim 19 comprising spraying a first molten gum base composition on a first portion of the edible substrate and spraying a second molten gum base composition different than the first molten gum base composition on a second portion of the edible substrate.

28. The method of claim 19 comprising dispensing an organoleptic component on a material selected from the group consisting of the molten chewing gum base composition, the edible substrate, and combinations thereof.

29. The method of claim 19 comprising printing an edible ink-indicia on a material selected from the group consisting of the molten gum base composition, the edible substrate, and combinations thereof.

30. A method for producing a chewing gum product comprising: providing a chewing gum substrate having a thickness less than a predetermined thickness;spraying a layer of a molten chewing gum base composition on the chewing gum substrate to form a chewing gum product having the predetermined thickness.

31. The method of claim 30 comprising repeating the spraying to obtain the predetermined thickness.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the predetermined thickness is selected from the group consisting of the thickness of a chewing gum stick, the thickness of a chewing gum tab, and the thickness of a chewing gum pellet.