Method and apparatus for applying dry toppings to baked goods
AssigneeUnited States Bakery, Inc.
InventorsBill Zimmerman, Kim Arnold, Keith Sammons, Jim Hampton, Clyde Carson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The method for applying dry toppings to baked goods includes the steps of pre-treating a surface of the baked goods, after baking, with an adhesive substance such as a pregelatinized wheat starch suspended in a solution and thereafter applying the dry toppings to the treated surface. Such an application has been shown to decrease wastage of such items as sesame seed topping from as much as 50% to as little as 5%.
Claims22
A method for applying toppings to baked goods comprising the steps of:
- applying a starch-based solution onto a surface of the baked goods after baking to form a treated surface;
- and
- applying toppings onto the treated surface of the baked goods.
An apparatus for applying dried toppings to baked goods of a type emerging from an oven along a conveyor belt, the apparatus comprising:
- a source of starch-based solution;
- a source of dry topping material;
- a spray station having a spray chamber and a spray station conveyor passing through the spray chamber, the spray chamber including at least one nozzle coupled to the starch-based solution and arranged for spraying the solution toward the spray station conveyor, the spray station conveyor arranged for receiving baked goods from the conveyor belt and moving the baked goods through the spray chamber;
- and
- a topping station having a dry topping dispenser and a dispenser conveyor in communication with the spray station conveyor passing underneath the dispenser for applying dry topping material to a surface of the baked goods.
An apparatus for transporting granulated material comprising:
- an elongate hollow wand having a proximal end and a distal end;
- vibration means attached adjacent the proximal end of the wand for imparting vibrational forces to the wand;
- and
- vacuum means coupled to the proximal end of the wand for imparting a vacuum force at the distal end of the wand and thereby drawing material adjacent the distal end of the rod up through the rod to the proximal end.
A method for transporting granulated material out of a container, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an wand having a wall defining an elongated hollow interior and a wand tip located at a distal end of the hollow interior;
- placing the distal end of the elongated hollow wand into the container containing the granulated material such that the wand tip is located adjacent the granulated material;
- applying a vibrational force to a wall of the wand and conducting the vibrational force through the wand and to the granulated material;
- and
- applying a vacuum force to the hollow interior of the wand and communicating the vacuum force to the wand tip thereby pulling the granulated material adjacent the wand tip up through the hollow interior to a proximal end of the wand.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.