Method of preparation of food product with edible images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9788559-B2
Application number	US-76103107-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2007
Priority date	Jun 16, 2006
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A topical high resolution image of edible ink and having a resolution of at least 100 dots per inch is applied to a top major surface of a length of food ( 14 ) in the form of a thin fruit based paste or confection slurry by a digital imaging printer ( 130 ). The length of food ( 14 ) is at a temperature of at least about 75° C. at the time of application. During application, the food ( 14 ) is supported upon a moveable platform ( 136 ) mounted by parallelogram links ( 138 ) and which is moved parallel to the digital imaging printer ( 130 ) according to a condition of the top major surface upon which the topical high resolution image is applied and detected by detecting provisions ( 144 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of applying a topical image to a food, comprising:
moving a length of food in the form of a thin fruit based paste or confection, with the length of food having a top major surface adapted to receive a first topical high resolution image and an opposed bottom major surface, with the length of food having an original color, with the length of food having a shape and an area;
directly applying the first topical high resolution image on the top major surface of the length of food with a printer arranged spaced from the top major surface by a throwback distance while the length of food is maintained at a temperature of at least about 75° C. (170° F.), with the first topical high resolution image having a resolution of at least 100 dots per inch (“DPI”) in at least one direction at the time of application and including at least one edible ink that is different from the original color of the length of food in color or hue; and
adjustably maintaining the throwback distance substantially constant.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein moving the length of food comprises:
providing a continuous support material; and
depositing food on the continuous support material, with the opposed major bottom surface located intermediate the continuous support material and the top major surface, with the first topical high resolution image directly applied on the top major surface after depositing food on the continuous support surface.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first topical high resolution image has a higher resolution in a second direction which is not parallel to the first direction.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein the higher resolution in the second direction is at least 200 DPI at the time of application.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein applying the first topical high resolution image comprises printing on the top major surface of the length of food with an ink jet printer having at least a first printer head and wherein the edible ink is applied at a temperature exiting the printer head at about 43° to 55° C. (110° to 130° F.).

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the ink jet printer applies the first topical high resolution image including at least two edible inks different in color or hue from each other.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the ink jet printer applies at least a three color ink color system.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the throwback distance from the ink jet printer to the top major surface ranges from about 10-25 mm.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the first topical high resolution image includes maintaining the length of food having the first topical high resolution image at a surface temperature of at least 75° C. for at least 20 seconds to dry the edible ink to provide the length of food having a dried high resolution image.

10. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising:
cooling the length of food having a dried high resolution image to a temperature of about 20° to 27° C. to provide a cooled length of food having the dried high resolution image.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the ink jet printer further comprises a second printer head in sequence with the first printer head wherein each printer head applies an individually colored edible ink.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first printer head applies edible ink selected from the group consisting of cyan, magenta, yellow and black and the second printer head applies a second colored ink.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the top major surface is smooth enough to receive and retain the first topical high resolution image.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the first topical high resolution image applied to the top major surface of the length of food is transferable from the length of food to a moist surface.

15. The method of claim 2 wherein depositing the food comprises:
rotating a first roller in a first direction;
rotating a second roller in a direction opposite to the first direction;
passing the continuous support material over the first roller and between the first and second rollers; and
providing the food intermediate the continuous support material and the second roller.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein providing the food comprises:
providing the food heated to a temperature to become flowable;
wherein rotating the second roller comprises rotating the second roller heated to the temperature of the food; and
wherein the method further comprises cooling the food and support material after the food and support material have been advanced between the first and second rollers.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising a moveable platform, with the length of food being intermediate the printer head and the moveable platform, with the throwback distance being defined between the top major surface of the length of food and the printer head, with the method further comprising detecting the top major surface of the food on the moveable platform; and moving the moveable platform relative to the printer head according to a detected condition of the top major surface of the length of food.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein detecting the top major surface of the length of food comprises providing a photodetector sending a light beam extending parallel to but spaced from the moveable platform.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the moveable platform is mounted by a parallelogram linkage to allow movement of the moveable platform between multiple positions parallel to the printer head, with moving the moveable platform comprising pivoting the parallelogram linkage.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the length of food is supported by and moveable with a platform, said method including moving the platform relative to the printer in response to a spacing of the top major surface of the length of food from the platform.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:
detecting the top major surface of the length of food on the platform; and
controlling movement of the platform relative to the printer.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising: transmitting a light beam in detecting the top major surface.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the light beam is transmitted parallel to but spaced from the platform and perpendicular to a direction of movement of the length of food.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising: maintaining the platform parallel to the printer, independent of the throwback distance.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the platform is mounted on a parallelogram linkage, and wherein maintaining the platform parallel to the printer includes adjusting the parallelogram linkage.

26. The method of claim 24 , further comprising: expanding or contracting an actuator to move the platform relative to the printer.

Assignees

• Smith Donald J
• Gen Mills Inc

Inventors

• Smith Donald J

Classifications

• A23G3/0097 Primary

  Decorating sweetmeats or confectionery · CPC title

• A23G3/28

  Apparatus for decorating sweetmeats or confectionery · CPC title

• B41M5/0047

  by ink-jet printing · CPC title

• B05C11/1018

  responsive to distance of target · CPC title

• B41J2/01

  Ink jet · CPC title