DK179656B1

DK179656B1 - Device for pressing a food mass to a specified shape

Info

Publication number: DK179656B1
Application number: DKPA201671015A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Horna Marc
Original assignee: BüHLER GMBH
Priority date: 2014-06-27
Filing date: 2015-06-02
Publication date: 2019-03-12
Also published as: DE102014009589B4; WO2015197320A1; DE102014009589A1; DK201671015A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for pressing a food mass into specified shape, in particular a bar or disk shape, comprising at least one roller (12, 14) and at least one scraping element (20, 22) for scraping the food mass from the at least one roller (12, 14). The at least one roller (12, 14) is provided with a specified contour (16, 18) on the outer circumference of the roller. According to the invention, the at least one scraping element is designed such that the movement of the at least one scraping element (20, 22) is controllable via the contour of the at least one roller (16, 18).

Description

Device for pressing a food mass into a specified shape

The present invention relates to a device for pressing a food mass into a specified shape, particularly into a bar or sheet shape.

Such devices are often used to compression-mold dough, fruit pastes, marzipan and persipans, pralines, fatty mixtures and toffees. The individual mixtures can also be provided with pieces of nuts, fruits, or similar additions.

Using such devices, it is possible to mold creamy, soft, or whipped mixtures into a bar shape or sheet shape. The mixture being processed is placed in an unchanging consistency into a funnel of the compression mold. Rollers for grasping the mixture convey It under pressure through the respective bar or sheet nozzle. The mixture is then scraped by means of scraping elements from the rollers without adversely affecting the mixture and its consistency.

Such a device is known, for example, from the document DE 43 14 728 Al. The roller press according to this document comprises a conveying chamber with two rollers that are each connected to a drive shaft via the front walls of a housing. Each of the two rollers is connected via its drive shaft and via its shaft journal to a pair of control curves arranged outside of the conveying chamber to provide common rotation. Each of these control curves has on its outer lateral surface a curve profile formed by axially parallel longitudinal ribs and recesses disposed therebetween. Each of the two rollers has associated with it a scraper bar supported in parallel to it with a circular cylindrical basic shape. A cam is embodied at the two ends of each of the two scraper bars arranged outside of the conveying chamber. Each of these cams is embodied so as to be substantially symmetrical to the scraping profile. The lateral surface and the flank of each of the cams form together an approximately triangular cam profile.

The device according to the abovementioned document has certainly proven its merit in practice, but it has a relatively complex structure. Indeed, it tends to quickly become soiled and is difficult to clean.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for pressing a food mass into a specified shape, particularly into a bar or sheet shape, that has a simpler structure and becomes soiled less quickly and/or is easier to clean.

This object is achieved with a device for pressing a food mass into a specified shape with the features of independent claim 1.

Other embodiments are indicated in the enclosed dependent claims.

The device according to the invention for pressing a food mass into a specified shape, particularly into the form of a bar, carpet or sheet, comprises at least one roller and at least one scraping element for scraping the food mass from the at least one roller. The at least one roller is provided with a specified contour on its outer periphery. The at least one scraping element is embodied such that the movement of the at least one scraping element can be controlled in a self-actuated and automatic manner via the contour of the at least one roller.

The at least one scraping element is embodied such that it is moved and controlled in a self-actuated and automatic manner through the rotation of the at least one roller and the contour on the outer periphery of the at least one roller. The at least one scraping element is embodied such that it keeps itself constantly in contact with the at least one roller in order to be able to scrape the food mass from the at least one roller. To put it another way, the at least one scraping element maintains constant contact with the contour or outer surface of the at least one roller and is thus able to scrape the food mass from the outer periphery of the roller. The at least one scraping element is set into motion by the rotation of the at least one roller as a result of its contour, whereby it passes over the contour of the roller or its outer periphery in order to scrape off the food mass. Since the at least one scraping element is controlled via the rotation of the roller and maintains the contact with the at least one roller, no external drive means are required to drive the at least one scraping element. It need only be appropriately supported in order to simply carry out the movements.

The device according to the invention for pressing a food mass requires commensurately fewer components, thereby substantially reducing the danger of soiling and the effort required for cleaning the device. This is an issue particularly against the background of the high and ever-increasing hygiene standards in food production. A device with fewer parts is synonymous with less time and personnel costs for cleaning. Furthermore, by virtue of the simple construction of the device according to the invention, it is easier and cheaper to manufacture as well as to assemble and disassemble.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the at least one scraping element can be controllable and drivable exclusively via the contour of the at least one roller. The at least one scraping element is driven solely via the contour of the at least one roller, and the movement of the at least one scraping element is also controlled via the contour of the at least one roller. Consequently, no drive means are required in or on the device in addition to the at least one roller in order to drive or control the at least one scraping element. As mentioned previously, it is particularly possible to omit external drive elements, whereby the device is easier to seal off, since no drive shafts or the like need to be guided outward to the drive means.

According to one embodiment, the at least one scraping element can be embodied such that it works together with the contour of the at least one roller to control the movement of the at least one scraping element. Through the rotation of the at least one roller, the at least one scraping element is caused to move in a scraping motion. The scraping element is embodied such that it is able to follow the contour of the rotating roller to scrape off the food mass and pass over the contour. Preferably, the at least one scraping element is embodied such that a specified motion pattern of the at least one scraping element can be set through coaction with the contour of the at least one roller. This specified motion pattern is intended to ensure clean scraping-off of the food mass from the at least one roller without substantially influencing or stressing the food mass.

In this context, the at least one scraping element can have at least two noses that follow the contour on the outer periphery of the at least one roller. In this context, the at least two noses can be in constant contact with the contour of the outer periphery of the at least one roller. Through the rotational movement of the at least one roller, the contour travels along the outer periphery of the at least one roller along the at least two noses of the at least one scraping element in order to scrape the food mass from the outer periphery of the at least one roller. This structure of the scraping element also enables the rollers to be driven in two directions. This is not possible in the prior art with the cams and cam disc.

According to a development, the device can have at least one support region that receives the at least one scraping element at least in portions. Preferably, the at least one scraping element can be held in the support region by means of the at least one roller. Expressed differently, the at least one support region and the at least one scraping element are embodied such that no additional fastening means are required

-4for the scraping element, but rather the at least one scraping element can be held by the at least one roller solely by means of its positioning relative to the at least one roller.

The at least one scraping element can be received over its entire longitudinal extension in the at least one support region. The at least one scraping element is thus supported completely within the device or the area of the device that is loaded with the food mass. Since the at least one scraping element is not in contact with external components for support and driving, the device is easier to seal off and to clean in io this variant of the invention. In other words, the at least one scraping element can be received completely in the housing of the device. It is also conceivable for the at least one scraping element to extend in a conveying chamber for the food mass and to be received at least with its ends in front walls of the housing.

is To receive the at least one scraping element, the at least one support region can have at least one recess. The at least one recess can be disposed on a portion of the outer periphery of the at least one scraping element. The at least one scraping element can have the shape of a half-moon or crescent. In that case, the recess of the support region can be embodied such that it is able to receive the convex portion of the half-moon shape.

According to one embodiment, the longitudinal extension of the at least one scraping element can be adapted to the longitudinal extension of the roller. Since the roller contacts the at least one scraping element over the entire longitudinal extension of 25 the scraping element in order to drive and control the scraping element, the wear on the scraping element can be further reduced.

According to one embodiment, the at least one scraping element can be made of a different material than the at least one roller and/or the at least one support region, 30 The front faces of the at least one scraping element can be provided with a lowfriction surface. The low-friction surface on the front faces of the at least one scraping element can be particularly made of plastic. The at least one scraping element can be made of plastic or a non-ferrous metal. Accordingly, besides of plastic, the at least one scraping element can be made of cobalt, copper, nickel, tin or zinc and 35 alloys of these metals, such as brass or bronze, provided that these materials comply with foodstuff regulations.

- 5According to one embodiment, the specified contour can be toothing on the outer periphery of the at least one roller. The spaces between the individual teeth and the angle of the flanks of the teeth and the cross section of the at least one scraping element to be controlled can be coordinated with one another. To put it differently, the toothing and the cross section of the at least one scraping element are coordinated with one another in order to set a specified blockage-free motion pattern of the at least one scraping element and in order to ensure clean scraping-off of the food mass from the at least one roller.

According to one embodiment, the device comprises at least two rollers with which at least one scraping element is associated.

An exemplary embodiment will be described below with reference to the enclosed figures.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of the device according to the invention; and

Figs. 2 to 5 show different states of motion of the scraping element of the device according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a a schematic view of the device 10 for pressing a food mass into a specified shape.

The device 10 comprises two rollers 12 and 14, which are shown in portions in Fig. 1. The rollers 12 and 14 are each provided with a toothing 16 and 18. The rollers 12 and 14 are used to convey a food mass through the conveying region FB. The conveying region FB can be loaded with the food mass via a feed hopper (not shown, but generally known in the prior art and described in the applicant's document DE 43 14 728 C2). The rollers 12 and 14 catch the food mass and convey it through the device 10.

A rod-shaped scraping element 20 and 22 is respectively associated with the rollers 12 and 14. The scraping elements 20 and 22 are held by the support members 24 and 26. The support members 24 and 26 each have a bowl-shaped support region 28 and 30 for receiving the scraping elements 20 and 22. For this purpose, the support regions 28 and 30 have a bowl-shaped recess 32 and 34 in which the scraping elements 20 and 22 are received at least in portions.

- 6The scraping elements 20 and 22 according to this embodiment are half-moon shaped, and each has two rounded noses 20a, 20b and 22a and 22b, respectively, which contact the toothing 16 and 18 of the rollers 12 and 14. A concavely arched portion 20c, which faces toward the toothing 16,18 of the rollers 12 and 14, extends between the noses 20a, 20b and 22a, 20b. The scraping elements 20 and 22 further comprise a portion 20d, 22d whose cross section is circularly and convexly arched and which also extends between the noses 20a, 20b and 22a, 22b and is displaceably received in the recesses 30 and 34.

In Fig. 1, the food mass entering the device 10 in the conveying region FB is conveyed by the rollers 12 and 14 past the scraping element 20 and 22 to the product discharge area AB, as indicated by an arrow P. The regions FB and AB form a conveying chamber for the food mass (not shown) between the two rollers 12 and 14.

During operation, the roller 12 rotates clockwise and the roller 14 rotates counterclockwise, and the scraping elements 20 and 22 are each controlled and driven in an oscillating manner via the toothing 16, 18 on the outer periphery of the rollers 12 and 14.

The toothing 16 and 18 is formed by a plurality of teeth 36 and 38. A respective recess or valley 40, 42 is located between two teeth 36, 38. Tooth flanks 36a, 36b and 38a, 36b extend respectively between a valley 40, 42 in the direction of the tip 36c, 38c of a tooth 36, 38. During the rotational movement of the rollers 12 and 14, the noses 20a, 20b and 22a, 22b of the scraping elements 20 and 22 slide along the contour of the teeth 36, 38 with their tooth flanks 36a, 36b and 38a, 38b, so that the scraping elements 20 and 22 move in a commensurately oscillating manner. The scraping elements 20, 22 and the toothing 16 and 18 of the rollers 12 and 14 are coordinated with one another such that the scraping elements 20, 22 are able to smoothly follow the movement of the toothing 16 and 18 on the outer periphery of the rollers 12 and 14.

The scraping elements 20 and 22 are held in the support region 28, 30 of the holding fixtures 25 and 26 only by the rollers 12 and 14, The support region 28, 30 works together with the rollers 12 and 14 in order to hold the scraping elements 20 and 22 on the support region 28, 30 or in the recess 32, 34 without additional fastening means.

The noses 20a and 22a of the scraping elements 20 and 22 are used to scrape the food mass from the toothing 16, 18 of the rollers 12 and 14. The noses 20b and 22b also follow the toothing 16, 18 on the rollers 12 and 14 and thereby ensure that the noses 20a and 22a are not lifted from the toothing 16, 18 and the contact between the noses 20a and 22a and the toothing 16, 18 is not interrupted.

Figs. 2 to 5 show different states of motion of the roller 14 and scraping element 22.

The noses 22a and 22b of the scraping element rest against the toothing 18 of the roller 14. The roller 14 rotates in the direction of the arrow PW in the counterclockwise direction. Through the rotation of the roller 18 in the direction of the arrow PW, the toothing 18 is moved along the noses 22a and 22b, whereby the scraping element 22 is driven and controlled. The noses 22a and 22b travel along the toothing 18 with their teeth 38. By virtue of its shape with the noses 22a and 22b, the scraping element 22 can itself maintain the contact with the toothing 18 of the roller despite the rotational movement of the roller. The teeth 38 each have a rounded tip 38c and two tooth flanks 38a and 38b. A valley 42 or a recess 42 is located between the teeth 38. The recess 42 is located between two tooth flanks 38a and 38b of neighboring teeth 38.

According to Fig. 2, the nose 22a rests against the tooth flank 38a, and the nose 22b rests against the tooth flank 38b.

If the roller 18 rotates further in the direction of the arrow PW in the counterclockwise direction, the noses 22a and 22b continue to slide along the toothing 18, as is shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, the tooth tip 38c has moved closer to the nose 22a. Likewise, the recess 42 has moved closer to the nose 22b. However, the noses 22a and 22b are still appropriately located on the tooth flanks 38a and 38b.

According to Figs. 2 and 3, the scraping element 22 is moved in the direction of the arrow PAi as a result of the movement of the roller 18 in the direction of the arrow PW. The scraping element 22 pivots or rotates in the direction of the arrow PAi in the recess 34 of the support region 30.

Fig. 4 shows the position of the scraping element 22 in which the direction of motion of the scraping element 22 reverses. The nose 22a is located on the tip 38c of the tooth 38. The nose 22b of the scraping element 22 is located in the recess 42. The roller 14 rotates further in the direction of the arrow PW in the counterclockwise direction. This position of the scraping element 22 constitutes the point of reversal of the direction of motion of the scraping element, as can also be seen from Fig. 5.

According to Fig. 5, the roller 18 has been rotated further in the direction of the arrow PW, and the scraping element 22 is pivoting in the direction of the arrow PA₂,

i.e,, counter to the direction of the arrow PW (Figs. 2 and 3). According to the position according to Fig. 4, the nose 22a rests against the tooth flank 38b, whereas the nose 22b is located on the tooth flank 38a.

io The scraping element 22 is now moved in the context of its oscillating movement in the direction of the arrow PA₂, i.e., counter to the direction of rotation of the roller in the direction of the arrow PW.

The nose 22a serves to scrape the food mass from the toothing 18 of the roller 14. is The nose 22b ensures that the nose 22a always remains in contact with the toothing and can cleanly scrape off the food mass. In other words, the scraping element 22 is embodied with its noses 22a and 22b such that the noses 22a and 22b are able to constantly maintain the contact with the toothing 18 in order to ensure the scraping-off of the food mass.

Claims

P a t e n t k r a v

Device (10) for pressing a food mass into a specified form, especially for a rod or plate form, with at least one roll (12, 14) and at least one scraper element (20, 22) for scraping the food mass of the at least one roller (12, 14), wherein the at least one roller (12, 14) is provided with a specified contour (16, 18) on its outer periphery, wherein the at least one scraper element (20, 22) is formed in such a manner; the movement of the at least one scraper element (20, 22) can be controlled via the contour of the at least one roller (16, 18), wherein the at least one scraper element (20, 22) has at least two noses (20a, 20b, 22a, 22b) following the contour (16, 18) on the outer periphery of the at least one roller (12, 14), wherein at least two noses (20a, 20b, 22a, 22b) are in constant contact with the contour (16, 18) ) of the outer periphery of the at least one roll (12, 14).

Device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one scraper element (20, 22) can be controlled and operated exclusively via the contour (16, 18) of the at least one roller (12, 14).

Device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one scraper element (20, 22) is formed in such a way that it works with the contour (16, 18) of the at least one roller (12, 14). to control the movement of the at least one scraper element (20, 22).

Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the device has at least one supporting region (28, 30) which receives at least one scraper element (20, 22) at least in portions.

Device (10) according to claim 4, wherein the at least one scraper element (20, 22) is held in the supporting region (28, 30) by the at least one roller (12, 14).

Device (10) according to any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein the at least one scraper element (20, 22) is received over its entire length extension in the at least one supporting region (28, 30).

Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one supporting region (28, 30) has at least one recess (32, 34) adapted to a portion of the outer periphery of the at least one. one scraper element (20, 22).

Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the length extension of the at least one scraper element (20, 22) is adapted to the length extension of the roller (12, 14).

Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one scraper element (20, 22) is made of a material other than the at least one roller (12, 14) and / or the at least one supporting region. (28, 30).

Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the faces of the at least one scraper element (20, 22) are provided with a low friction surface, in particular made of plastic.

Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the at least one scraper element (20, 22) is made of plastic or a non-ferrous metal.

Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the specified contour (16, 18) on the outer periphery of the at least one roller is a tooth (16, 18).

Device (10) according to claim 12, wherein the distances between both the individual teeth (36, 38) and the angle of the tooth flanks (36a, 36b, 38a, 38b) of the teeth of the tooth with respect to each other and the cross-section of the at least one scraper element (20, 22) to be controlled are coordinated with each other.

Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the device (10) has at least two rollers (12, 14), with each of which at least one scraper element (20, 22) is associated.