System for depositing foodstuff material in the fluid state on a foodstuff product

A system for depositing foodstuff material in the fluid state on a foodstuff product, comprising:

• a conveying line (2) for feeding a plurality of foodstuff products (100) in a direction of advance (K);
• a dispensing unit (10) for dispensing the fluid foodstuff material on the foodstuff products (100) that advance on the conveying line (2), where the dispensing unit (10) comprises a plurality of rows of nozzles (11) arranged in a direction transverse to the direction of advance (K);
• and
• a control unit (6) for controlling the dispensing unit (10),
• wherein said dispensing unit (10) comprises a plurality of valve devices (20) associated to the nozzles (11′) of the plurality of rows of nozzles (11) and designed to control the flow of the fluid foodstuff material through the nozzles (11′),
• the valve device (20) comprising:
• an open/close member (21);
• a solenoid (24);
• and
• a magnetic element (25) operatively connected to the open/close member (21) and mobile between a first position in which the open/close member (21) closes the respective nozzle (11′), preventing dispensing of the fluid foodstuff material therethrough, and a second position in which a passage is opened through the nozzle (11′) for dispensing of the fluid foodstuff material,
• wherein movement of the open/close member (21) from the first position to the second position or vice versa is driven by the magnetic element (25) as a result of an electromagnetic interaction with said solenoid (24),
• wherein said plurality of rows of nozzles (11) has a matrix configuration that extends in the direction of advance (K) and in a direction (H) orthogonal thereto, and
• wherein said plurality of rows of nozzles (11) comprises series (11A) of rows of nozzles aligned in the direction (H) orthogonal to the direction of advance (K), which follow one another in the direction of advance (K), and wherein each series (11A) of rows of nozzles (1) is offset with respect to the series of rows of nozzles that precedes it, with reference to the direction of advance (K), so that the first nozzle (11′) of each row (11) is substantially aligned, in the direction of advance (K), with the last nozzle of a corresponding row of the series that precedes it, and the last nozzle (11′) of each row (11) is substantially aligned, in the direction of advance (K), with the first nozzle of a corresponding row of the series that precedes it, or vice versa.