Wrapping apparatus for making handheld food
AssigneeMingsBings Inc.
InventorMing Tsai
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for making a wrapped food product includes a conveyor under continuous motion. A wrapper is positioned over the moving conveyor. The apparatus includes a filling mechanism that conveys a filling from a hopper to a mold and a piston that pushes the filling from the mold to the wrapper. The apparatus also includes a folding mechanism that folds a side of the wrapper over a portion of the filling, and a second plate that folds the other side of the wrapper over another portion of the filling. A stamper is positioned over the conveyor, pressing the folded wrapper onto the filling. A flipping mechanism of the apparatus includes a set of guide plates and a prong that rotates the filling and a portion of the wrapper around the filling on itself.
Claims19
An apparatus for making a wrapped food product, the apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor under continuous motion, wherein a wrapper is positioned over the conveyor;
- a filling mechanism, comprising:
- an extruder, conveying a filling from a hopper to a mold;
- and
- a piston, pushing the filling from the mold to the wrapper;
- a folding mechanism comprising:
- a first plate positioned along a first side of the conveyor, the first plate folding a first side of the wrapper over a first portion of the filling;
- and
- a second plate positioned along a second side of the conveyor, the second plate folding a second side of the wrapper over a second portion of the filling;
- a stamper positioned over the conveyor, pressing the folded wrapper onto the filling;
- and
- a flipping mechanism comprising:
- a set of guide plates, aligning the first side and the second side of the folded wrapper with the conveyor;
- and
- a prong, positioned under the conveyor in a first configuration, rotating the filling and a portion of the wrapper around the filling on itself in a second configuration.
An apparatus for making a wrapped food item having a filling wrapped in an edible wrapper, the apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor that transports a wrapper;
- a filling extruder that positions an edible filling onto the wrapper;
- a first folding mechanism that folds a first side of the wrapper in a direction of the filling;
- a second folding mechanism that folds a second side of the wrapper over a portion of the first side of the wrapper and in the direction of the filling;
- a first stamping mechanism that presses the folded first side of the wrapper and the folded second side of the wrapper against the filling;
- a first flipping mechanism, comprising:
- a first guide plate positioned along a first side of the conveyor;
- a second guide plate positioned along a second side of the conveyor;
- wherein the first guide plate and the second guide plate align a stamped food product;
- and
- a first prong positioned under the conveyor, wherein the first prong pops up from the conveyor to rotate the stamped food product from a leading edge to a trailing edge in a direction opposite movement of the conveyor and retracts from a conveyor surface after rotation;
- a second flipping mechanism, comprising:
- a third guide plate positioned along the first side of the conveyor;
- a fourth guide plate positioned along the second side of the conveyor;
- wherein the third guide plate and the fourth guide plate align the stamped food product;
- and
- a second prong positioned within the conveyor, wherein the second prong pops up from the conveyor to rotate the stamped food product from the leading edge to the trailing edge in the direction opposite the movement of the conveyor and retracts from the conveyor surface after the rotation;
- and
- a second stamping mechanism that presses the leading edge and the trailing edge against the filling.
A method for wrapping a food product, the method comprising:
- extruding, onto a wrapper, a filling having a predetermined shape and positioned on a portion of the wrapper within a conveyor;
- folding, over a first portion of the filling, a first side of the wrapper;
- folding, over a second portion of the filling and over a portion of the folded wrapper, a second side of the wrapper;
- pressing a leading portion of the wrapper and a trailing portion of the wrapper around a height of the filling;
- flipping, via a flipping mechanism and in a direction opposite movement of the conveyor, the filling and the leading portion of the wrapper over the trailing portion of the wrapper, the flipping mechanism preventing stoppage of the food product;
- flipping, in the direction opposite the movement of the conveyor, the filling over the trailing portion of the wrapper and over the leading portion of the wrapper;
- and
- compressing the trailing portion, the leading portion, and the filling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.