Patent Application
20100132394
The present invention relates to a system for use in producing form-moulded items of edible ice from a mass of ice, the system comprising a number of mould boxes arranged to form a circle, wherein moulds for receiving the mass of ice are formed between neighbouring mould boxes.
Form-moulded items of edible ice, such as so-called ice lollies, are conventionally produced by filling series of mould cavities with a mass of ice and conveying the mould cavities extending downwards into a freezing bath, typically a cooled brine consisting of an aqueous brine solution at a temperature about −40° C. in a sufficient time for the items of ice to freeze, after which the mould cavities are transferred for further conveying into a warm melting bath for a shorter time period, so that the moulded items of ice let go of the surface of the mould cavities and can be extracted from there. For this production process, it is a condition that the mould cavities are designed so that the formed items of edible ice can be pulled out from the mould cavities.
There is, however, a considerable market for items of ice having a more complex design, the so-called 3D-edible items of ice, which are, for example, designed as figures of persons, making it impossible for the items to be pulled out from a mould cavity. For the production of such items of edible ice, it is known to use mould boxes having an internal cavity for the fluid cooling medium and, optionally, for a heating medium and having formed half a mould in side-faces facing a neighbouring mould box, so that two neighbouring mould boxes, the side-faces of which are pressed against each other, between them form moulds for receiving an ice mass, which is subsequently frozen to an item of edible ice. By separating the two neighbouring mould boxes from each other, it is made possible that the formed item of edible ice can be removed, e.g. by mechanical extraction from the moulds, and, therefore, items of edible ice of a complex design, not allowing the item to be pulled out from a conventional mould cavity, can be produced. Such a system is described in WO 03/099034, wherein the mould boxes are designed as sections of a ring and are arranged to form a closed circle.
In known systems, the mould boxes are arranged, so that they have a certain mutual mobility in the radial direction and are pressed against each other by an elastic ring, which surrounds the outer surface of the mould boxes, so that these are pressed against each other, and the opening between two neighbouring mould boxes for extraction of the moulded items of edible ice is formed by forcing the mould boxes apart, and the mutual mobility of the mould boxes absorbs under the influence of the elastic ring the displacements implied thereby.
It turns out, however, that opening the circle in this way is associated with disadvantages for the forming of certain types of items of edible ice, because, when using easy flowing mass of ice, it can happen that parts of the mass in moulds, which have just been filled and consequently are not yet frozen sufficiently, may flow out through the opposite walls of the mould boxes, and that items of edible ice, which become fragile once they are in a final frozen state, can break when the mould boxes, between which the moulds are formed, move relatively to each other.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a system for producing moulded items of edible ice, which allows for a complexity of the shapes of the items of edible ice without the above-mentioned disadvantages.
Such a system is provided by the present invention, wherein mould boxes are arranged in a circle, wherein a first opening is formed between two neighbouring mould boxes for extraction of one or more created items of edible ice from moulds formed between said two neighbouring mould boxes, e.g. by mechanical extraction of the items of edible ice. In the system, an index control is provided, which is arranged to move the first opening by performing an angular rotation of one of the mould boxes, so that it is moved into the first opening, thereby closing the same, while the neighbouring mould boxes having items of ice in the moulds between them, are not moved. Thereby a new opening for extraction of completed items of edible ice is formed. Thus, it is obtained that the mould boxes do not need to be movable with respect to each other during formation of the first opening, whereby the disadvantages of the prior art are avoided.
The present invention, thus, relates to a system for use in creating form-moulded items of edible ice from a mass of ice, the system comprising
a number of mould boxes arranged to form a circle, wherein moulds for receiving the mass of ice are formed between neighbouring mould boxes, each of the mould boxes comprising an interior cavity for containing a fluid medium and an inlet stub and an outlet stub both connecting to the interior cavity,
supply means for supplying a fluid cooling medium to the inlet stub of each mould box,
discharge means for discharging the fluid cooling medium from the outlet stub of each mould box, and
extraction means for removing the produced items of edible ice,
the mould boxes being arranged, so that a first opening is formed in the circle between two neighbouring mould boxes, and
the system comprising an index control arranged to perform an angular rotation about the axis of the circle between a first of the two neighbouring mould boxes with respect to an adjacent group of a plurality of neighbouring mould boxes for closing the first opening, so that again a first opening is formed between the first mould box and the respective neighbouring mould box, which constitutes a part of the adjacent group, which first opening allows removal of one or more created items of edible ice from moulds formed between the two neighbouring mould boxes by means of the extraction means,
the mould boxes of said group not being substantially displaced with respect to each other during angular rotation and, thus, not being displaced during formation of the first opening between the first mould box and the respective neighbouring mould box.
Typically, the system also comprises a filling device for filling the mass of ice into the formed moulds.
The index control is preferably arranged, so that the mould boxes of said group are not substantially displaced with respect to each other during angular rotation.
It is advantageous that each mould box has substantially the same angular extent in the circle, whereby the index control can be designed in a simple way, the first opening between neighbouring mould boxes being formed in a uniform manner.
It is further advantageous that the magnitude of the angular rotation for the formation of the first opening is substantially equal to the circular angle constituted by a mould box, in that all steps in operating the system by angular rotations of the mould boxes may take place by rotating boxes the angle constituted by an individual mould box.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the number of mould boxes constitutes at the most one less than the number required to form a filled up circle so that, if a single mould box extends over an angle of 4°, the number of mould boxes is 89 at the most, whereby it is not necessary that neighbouring mould boxes in the circle are moveable with respect to each other in order to provide space for the first opening. Similarly, if a single mould box extends over an angle of 6°, the number of mould boxes is 59 at the most.
Further, additional openings can be formed, depending on the arrangement of the system and the number of mould boxes. It is advantageous for operating the system that it further comprises a cleaning device arranged to remove any residues of items of edible ice, which have not been extracted by the extraction means, at least from the opposite faces of the mould boxes between which an opening has been formed, which can be the first opening.
Additionally, the system may comprise feeding means for feeding material into one or more mould halves formed in the opposite faces of mould boxes between which an opening has been formed.
It is a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, that the mould boxes are arranged, so that in addition to the first opening, a second opening is formed in the circle between two neighbouring mould boxes, and that the system comprises an index control arranged to perform an angular rotation about the axis of the circle between a first of the two mould boxes with respect to an adjacent group of one or more neighbouring mould boxes between the first opening and the second opening for closing the second opening, so that again a second opening is formed between the first mould box and the respective neighbouring mould box, which constitutes a part of the adjacent group, the mould boxes of said group not being substantially displaced during angular rotation and, thus, not being displaced during formation of the second opening between the first mould box and the respective neighbouring mould box. In this way, the first and the second openings may be formed simultaneously, whereby operations on the two openings can take place simultaneously and, thereby, make the operation of the system more effective.
The second opening provides the possibility that an automatic cleaning of the opposite faces of the neighbouring mould boxes, a feeding of material to form part of the item of the edible ice, such as a piece of chewing gum or the like, or both, can take place. This could also be done in the first opening, but by providing a second opening, it is possible to heat the mould boxes further than what is needed for loosening the frozen items of edible ice from the moulds, wherein they are formed, so that residues of the mass of ice either melts and runs down by itself or more easily can be removed by a cleaning device. In case of operational failures, where an item of edible ice is not sufficiently loosened for it to be removed by the extraction means, the item of edible ice is broken so that the extraction means cannot remove the whole item of edible ice, or where the item of edible ice is an ice lolly, the stick of which is broken so the extraction means cannot remove the item of edible ice by gripping around the stick, this embodiment of the system can enable the problems to be solved automatically without manual interference by a human operator.
In this embodiment, it is further advantageous that the number of mould boxes constitutes at the most two less than the number required to form a filled up circle so that, if a single mould box extends over an angle of 4°, the number of mould boxes is 88 at the most, whereby it is not necessary that neighbouring mould boxes in the circle are movable with respect to each other in order to create space for the first opening as well as the second opening, so that these can be formed simultaneously. Similarly, if a single mould box extends over an angle of 6°, the number of mould boxes is 58 at the most.
In a preferable embodiment, the mentioned supply means and discharge means comprises flexible connections for the supply stubs and discharge stubs for each of the mould boxes, so that angular rotations are allowed between the mould boxes and a fixed part of the supply means and the discharge means. Preferably, the flexible connections allow an angular rotation between the mould boxes and a fixed part of the supply means and the discharge means of at least half of the circular angle constituted by the formed opening or openings together, the mould boxes either being ahead of or behind the fixed part.
It is advantageous that each of the mould boxes is arranged so that the distal end of the mould box is allowed to be displaced in the radial direction with respect to the axis of the circle during operation of the system, and that the system comprises compression means for affecting each of the mould boxes with a force directed inwards, substantially towards the axis of the circle, the extent of the mould boxes in the radial direction changing partly due to the variation in temperature during operation and, in particular, due to the extension of the mass of ice occurring when it is frozen to an item of edible ice, which implies a little further distance between the neighbouring mould boxes, which distance can be accommodated by the boxes being moveable in the radial direction.
The compression means causes the opposite faces of the neighbouring mould boxes to be pressed together, whereby the formed moulds are tightened. For the present system, it is an advantage that the compression means comprises individual means for each mould box, so that the formation of the openings is not prevented and does not affect the compression force exercised on the boxes.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the extraction means are arranged stationary, and the index control is consequently arranged to perform the angular rotation of the assembled mould boxes, so that the opening aligns with the extraction means. This angular rotation is preferably of a magnitude equal to the circular angle constituted by a mould box. Alternatively, the extraction means and optional filling means for filling mass of ice are movable and can be moved around the arrangement of mould boxes.
An embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the appended figures, in which
The figures are provided as an example of how the present invention can be carried out and should not be interpreted as limiting for the scope of protection as defined in the accompanying claims.
In relation to the mass of ice being filled into the mould cavities 4, a cooling medium, preferably cold brine, is let through the internal cavities of the boxes 1, where the cooling medium flows from the inlet stub 5 through each mould box 1 to the outlet stub 6.
When the ice is sufficiently frozen, support sticks can be inserted into the mass of ice through the openings 3, so that so-called ice lollies are formed.
When the freezing has been completed, there is a shift to a short-duration flow through the internal cavities of the mould boxes 1 with a suitable heating medium, such as hot brine or another medium for the thawing-free of the frozen items of ice, after which the boxes 1 can be separated from each other by formation of the first opening according to the invention. By the thawing-free, the outermost layer of the frozen items of ice will melt again, so that the extraction means for extracting the items of ice from the mould cavities 4 can easily do this without the items of ice being stuck in the mould 4.
If the items of ice are provided with support sticks, these can be gripped with a conventional stick-gripping equipment before formation of the first opening, but otherwise special grippers can be arranged. In this connection, it can be a relevant possibility that a one-sided thawing-free is induced in a first phase, so that the items of ice at the mould opening remain in contact with one and the same box, which then after a gripping of the items is heated for final release of the items of ice. In extreme cases, the items could be released by simply being dropped onto a packaging conveyor. With respect to the handling of the items, it will be an advantage that operation can be carried out in a completely dry environment.
In the example shown, each mould box 10-24 extends over 22.5° of the circle corresponding to 1/16 of the circle; in more realistic embodiments, each mould box extends over 4°. Only 15 mould boxes 10-24 are provided in the circle, however, so that without affecting neighbouring mould boxes to be displaced radially with respect to each other, a first opening A can be formed between two neighbouring mould boxes, thereby permitting the items of ice formed in the mould cavities 4 between the mould boxes to be extracted by a device (extraction means, not shown) which is stationary placed at this position. In the position shown in
Alternatively, the stationary means for extraction of items of edible ice can be arranged, so that the items of edible ice are gripped in advance of the formation of the new opening A between the neighbouring mould boxes 10, 11, e.g. by gripping around support sticks in the items of edible ice, after which opening A is formed and the items of edible ice are removed by the means for extraction. Thereafter, the index control rotates the outer circle 8 and all mould boxes 10-24 one step, i.e. 22.5°, in the direction of rotation of the circle.
Again, empty and cleaned mould cavities 4 are formed between the mould boxes 10, 24, where the opening A was previously formed, and a filling device (not shown) fills these mould cavities 4 with a mass of ice. In the mould boxes 10, 24, the inner cavities are now supplied with cold brine at about −40° C., so that the mass of ice freezes in the mould cavities 4 for the formation of items of edible ice. The flow of brine is maintained until the mould boxes 10, 24 during the operation of the system reach a position immediately before the opening A, where a change is made to flow through the inner cavities of the mould boxes with a hot brine that ensures that the formed items of edible ice can be removed from the mould cavities 4 when the neighbouring mould boxes 10, 24 are separated from each other for formation of the opening A by thawing the outer layer of the items of edible ice, the so-called thawing-free.
When the outer ring 8 has moved one round during operation of the system, the mould boxes 10-24 each will have moved one round and one step the mould boxes 10-24 being moved two positions by the index control while the outer ring 8 moves one position at the pace of the system when they reach the opening A. The inner ring 9, which contrary to the outer ring 8 is connected to the individual mould boxes 10-24 by flexible connections to supply brine to and from the inner cavities of the mould boxes 10-24, must, however, be moved, so that it reaches one round in the same time as the mould boxes 10-24, and, therefore, the inner ring 9 rotates 24° (360° divided by 15 mould boxes) each time the outer ring 8 with the mould boxes 10-24 rotates 22.5°. The flexible connections between the mould boxes 10-24 and the inner ring 9 must be able to absorb at least a relative angular displacement of half a step, i.e. 11.25°, because the mould boxes 10-24 are moved two positions when they reach the opening A.
The faces of the mould boxes 10-24 between which the mould cavities 4 are formed, are pressed against the corresponding faces of the neighbouring mould boxes in order to seal the formed mould cavities 4. However, the mould boxes 10-24 are arranged, so that the distal end of the mould box with respect to the axis of the circle is allowed to be radially displaced during operation of the system, the radial extension of the mould boxes 10-24 being changed partly due to variations in their temperature during operation of the system and, in particular, because of the extension of the mass of ice that takes place when this freezes to an item of edible ice, thereby implying a little larger distance between the neighbouring mould boxes, and this change in distance can be accommodated by the boxes being able to move radially, so that the circumference of the circle can be increased. In order to press the mould boxes 10-24 together, they are provided with individual compression means to affect each individual mould box by a force, which is directed inwards towards the centre of the circle. The fact that the compression means are individual, i.e. that there is a spring for each mould box 10-24 acting between the outer end of the mould box and the outer ring 8, enables the index control to move one mould box 10-24 at a time without affecting the compression forces exposed onto the other mould boxes.
While the mould boxes 21, 22, 23 are located between the angular position for the first opening A and the second opening B, their inner cavities are flowed through by a hot brine ensuring that any portions of the mass of ice which have not been removed by the extraction means melt, e.g. mass of ice being exterior to the mould cavities 4 or portions of formed items of ice that has been broken off that portion which has been removed by the extraction means.
When the extraction and cleaning is completed, the index control of the system moves the mould box 10, which contains the items of edible ice in the mould cavities 4 that are formed at the opposite face of that facing the opening A, one step, i.e. 22.5° in the direction of rotation of the circle as indicated by the arrow, and likewise, the mould box 21 positioned ahead of the second opening B is moved one step in the direction of rotation. Meanwhile, the outer ring 8, the inner ring 9, and the remaining mould boxes 11-20, 22 and 23 are all kept stationary. As shown in
Alternatively, the items of edible ice can be extracted in advance of the index control rotating the outer ring 8 and all mould boxes 10-23 as described above with reference to
Again, empty and cleaned mould cavities are formed between the mould boxes 20, 21, where the opening B was formed previously, and a filling device (not shown) fills these cavities 4 with a mass of ice. The inner cavities in the mould boxes 20, 21 are provided with cold brine at about −40° C., so that the mass of ice freezes in the mould cavities 4 for the formation of items of edible ice. The flow of brine is maintained until the mould boxes 20, 21 during operation of the system reach a position immediately before of the opening A, where a change is made to flow through the inner cavities of the mould boxes with hot brine ensuring that the formed items of edible ice can be removed from the mould cavities 4 when the neighbouring mould boxes 20, 21 are separated from each other for the formation of the opening A by thawing the outer layer of the items of edible ice, the so-called thawing-free.
In this embodiment, the mould boxes 10-23 will each have moved one round and two steps, when the outer ring 8 has moved one round during operation of the system, the mould boxes 10-23 being moved two positions by the index control at the pace of the system, where they reach the opening A, as well as at the pace where they reach the second opening B, while the outer ring 8 moves one step. However, the inner ring 9 must be moved so that it reaches one round at the same time as the mould boxes 10-24, and, therefore, the inner ring 9 is rotated 25.7° (360° divided by 14 mould boxes) each time the outer ring 8 with the mould boxes 10-23 are rotated 22.5°. The flexible connections between the mould boxes 10-23 and the inner ring 9 must be able to accommodate at least a mutual angular displacement of one step, i.e. 22.5°, because the mould boxes 10-23 are moved two positions, when they reach the opening A as well as the second opening B.
For both of the illustrated embodiments, a series of details can be modified by a person skilled in the art without changing the core idea of the invention. The step of rotating individual mould boxes can be carried out, e.g., after the general rotation of the outer ring with all mould boxes takes place instead of before, as described above.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PA 2007 00633 | Apr 2007 | DK | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/DK2008/000158 | 4/28/2008 | WO | 00 | 10/22/2009 |
