Apparatus and Method for Curled Extrudate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016100623-A1
Application number	US-201514974264-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Aug 7, 2006
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A shaping assembly for producing a discrete spiral shaped food product includes a die that defines at least one aperture that is centered on an aperture axis. The at least one aperture extends to an aperture exit and allows for the movement of a stream of food mass through the aperture and out the aperture exit. A shaping tool includes at least one slicing blade that is disposed over at least a portion of the aperture exit to slice the stream of food mass into a plurality of food mass portions. A coupling arrangement engages the shaping tool to facilitate rotation of the slicing blade to spin the plurality of food mass portions into a spiral shaped stream of food mass. The slicing blade simultaneously slices and spins the stream of food mass to create the spiral shaped stream of food mass. A crimper is used to cut the spiral shaped stream of food mass into the discrete spiral shaped food products.

First claim

1 - 21 . (canceled)

22 . A method for producing a substantially spiral shaped food product comprising:
defining an aperture centered on an aperture axis and extending to an aperture exit with a die; disposing at least one shaping tool including a plate portion having an outer plate periphery and an inner plate periphery that defines a plate opening over the aperture exit and overlying at least one slicing blade of the shaping tool across the plate opening, the at least one slicing blade fixedly connected to the plate portion on opposing sides of the inner plate periphery and also disposed over at least a portion of the aperture exit and extending axially along the aperture axis; moving a stream of food mass out of the aperture exit; rotating the at least one slicing blade about the aperture axis to slice the stream of food mass along the aperture axis into a plurality of sliced food mass portions; and engaging the shaping tool to a coupling arrangement to rotate the at least one slicing blade and spin the plurality of sliced food mass portions into a spiral shaped stream of food mass, wherein the at least one slicing blade simultaneously slices and spins the stream of food mass to create the spiral shaped stream of food mass.

23 . The method of claim 22 wherein the at least one slicing blade is a plurality of slicing blades.

24 . The method of claim 22 wherein the plate portion is round.

25 . The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of rotating a cutter having a cutting blade about a cutter axis being spaced from the aperture axis to intermittently pass across the aperture during rotation and separate the spiral shaped stream of food mass into a discrete spiral shaped food product.

26 . The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of engaging the shaping tool and the cutter through a planetary coupling arrangement to facilitate reciprocating rotation between the cutting blade and the at least one slicing blade.

27 . The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of concurrently rotating the cutting blade about the cutter axis and the at least one slicing blade about the aperture axis.

28 . The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of varying a speed of rotation of the cutter about the cutter axis and the at least one slicing blade about the aperture axis to vary the degree of the spiral of the spiral shaped stream of food mass.

29 . The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of varying a gear ratio of the planetary coupling arrangement to vary the degree of the spiral of the spiral shaped stream of food mass.

30 . The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of arraying a plurality of apertures about the cutter axis, each of the plurality of apertures being centered on a center axis.

31 . The method of claim 30 wherein the step of disposing the at least one slicing blade is further defined as disposing the at least one slicing blade over at least a portion of an aperture at each of the plurality of apertures.

32 . The method of claim 31 wherein the step of moving a stream of food mass is further defined as moving the stream of food mass out of each of the plurality of apertures and forming a plurality of streams of food mass.

33 . The method of claim 32 wherein the step of rotating the at least one slicing blade is further defined as rotating each of the at least one slicing blades disposed about the center axis of each of the plurality of apertures to shape the plurality of streams of food mass into a plurality of spiral shaped streams of food mass.

34 . The method of claim 33 wherein the step of rotating the cutter is further defined as rotating a plurality of cutters each having at least one cutting blade about a plurality of cutter axes each being spaced from the center axis of each of the plurality of apertures to intermittently pass across each of the plurality of apertures during rotation and separate the plurality of spiral shaped streams of food mass into a plurality of discrete spiral shaped food products.

35 . The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of varying a rate of movement of the stream of food mass out of the aperture exit to vary the degree of the spiral of the spiral shaped stream of food mass.

36 . The method of claim 22 wherein the plate portion includes at least one support portion extending outwardly from the outer plate periphery and defining a support opening for receiving a securing mechanism to secure the plate portion to the shaping tool.

37 . The method of claim 22 wherein the at least one slicing blade extends across the plate opening and has a blade thickness extending axially along the aperture axis for slicing the stream of food mass into the plurality of sliced food mass portions and wherein the at least one slicing blade rotates to spin the plurality of sliced food mass portions into the spiral shaped stream of food mass.

38 . The method of claim 22 wherein the die defines a plurality of apertures arrayed about a spindle axis, each of the apertures being centered on a corresponding aperture axis.

39 . The method of claim 38 further comprising crimping each of the spiral shaped streams of food mass with a crimping apparatus, the crimping apparatus having a plurality of receiving ports, each in communication with an aperture exit of one of the plurality of apertures for receiving the spiral shaped stream of food mass from the corresponding aperture for separating the spiral shaped stream of food mass into a discrete spiral shaped food product.

40 . The method of claim 22 further comprising crimping the spiral shaped stream of food mass with a crimping apparatus to separate the spiral shaped stream of food mass into a discrete spiral shaped food product.

41 . The method of claim 40 wherein the crimping apparatus is spaced from the at least one shaping tool.

Assignees

• Kellog Co

Inventors

• Gimmler Norbert
• Smith Charles A
• Willoughby Chris

Classifications

• A23P30/20 Primary

  Extruding · CPC title

• A23P30/25

  Co-extrusion of different foodstuffs · CPC title

• B29C48/345

  Extrusion nozzles comprising two or more adjacently arranged ports, for simultaneously extruding multiple strands, e.g. for pelletising · CPC title

• B29C2793/009

  after shaping · CPC title

• B29C48/0022

  combined with cutting · CPC title