System and method for solid freeform fabrication of edible food

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9723866-B2
Application number	US-201213542114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2012
Priority date	Aug 11, 2004
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating edible foodstuffs.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for solid freeform fabrication of edible food comprising:
a software-operated system controller;
a machine driven gantry configured to be controlled by the system controller;
a sealed, soft-shelled packet configured to contain edible food; and
a material deposition tool head comprising a flow path, wherein the tool head is coupled to the machine driven gantry, and wherein the tool head comprises or is connected to a displacement mechanism comprising a pressurized fluid outlet and a pressure inlet line, and being capable of being pressurized to deform the soft-shelled packet and dispense the edible food into the flow path to be deposited by the material deposition tool head in a pattern controlled by system controller to fabricate an edible food on a build surface.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the material deposition tool head is detachable from the machine driven gantry.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool head comprises or is connected to a displacement mechanism configured to receive an accordion shaped, sealed, soft-shelled packet.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool head comprises a displacement mechanism configured to receive the sealed, soft-shelled packet comprising edible food.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool head is connected to a displacement mechanism configured to receive the sealed, soft-shelled packet comprising edible food.

6. A system for solid freeform fabrication of edible food comprising:
a software-operated system controller;
a machine driven gantry configured to be controlled by the system controller; and
a material deposition tool head comprising a flow path, wherein the tool head is coupled to the machine driven gantry, and wherein the tool head comprises or is connected to a displacement mechanism configured to receive a sealed, soft-shelled packet comprising edible food, the displacement mechanism comprising (i) a first roller and (ii) a flat surface or a second roller, wherein the flat surface or the second roller is positioned opposite the first roller, and wherein the displacement mechanism is capable of dispensing edible food from the soft-shelled packet into the flow path as the soft-shelled packet is pressed between the first roller and the flat surface or the second roller such that the edible food is deposited by the material deposition tool head in a pattern controlled by the system controller to fabricate an edible food on a build surface.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the tool head comprises or is connected to a displacement mechanism configured to receive a substantially flat, sealed, soft-shelled packet.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the material deposition tool head is detachable from the machine driven gantry.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the tool head comprises a displacement mechanism configured to receive a sealed, soft-shelled packet comprising edible food.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the tool head is connected to a displacement mechanism configured to receive a sealed, soft-shelled packet comprising edible food.

Assignees

• Lipson Hod
• Lipton Jeffrey I
• Univ Cornell

Inventors

• Lipson Hod
• Lipton Jeffrey I

Classifications

• A23P20/20 Primary

  Making of laminated, multi-layered, stuffed or hollow foodstuffs, e.g. by wrapping in preformed edible dough sheets or in edible food containers · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29C64/118

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B29C64/209

  Heads; Nozzles · CPC title