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US 2021/0274803 A1Published application
Chewing gum manufacture
AssigneeWm. Wrigley Jr. Company
InventorsMartin R. CERVENKA, Dennis W. RYBOLT, Scott G. BROWN, Mariano V. ARTIAGA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A chewing gum sheet is formed without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent by extruding a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition onto a moving conveyor; cooling the slab on the conveyor sufficiently to cool the surface of the slab; and passing the slab from the conveyor through at least one cooled roller to form a chewing gum sheet with predetermined dimensions.
Claims20
An apparatus for producing a chewing gum sheet without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent, the apparatus comprising:
- a. an extruder for extruding a chewing gum mass into a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition;
- b. a conveyor for receiving the chewing gum slab;
- c. an impingement air flow system for cooling the chewing gum slab upon the conveyor, wherein the cooled chewing gum slab comprises a center having a center temperature and wherein the surface temperature of the cooled chewing gum slab is less than the center temperature, thereby creating a temperature differential, wherein the temperature differential is between about 4° F. to 19° F.;
- d. a forming unit, wherein the temperature differential is maintained through passing the forming unit;
- and
- e. at least one cooled calender roller with less than or equal to 0.18 weight % non-stick agent based on the slab weight for receiving the cooled chewing gum slab from the conveyor and forming a chewing gum sheet with predetermined dimensions, wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, and wherein the environmental air around the at least one cooled calender roller has a dew point above the temperature of the at least one cooled calender roller.
3 more elements
A system for producing chewing gum pieces without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent, the system comprising:
- a. a mixer for producing a chewing gum mass;
- b. an extruder for extruding the chewing gum mass into a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition;
- c. an impingement air flow system for cooling the chewing gum slab, wherein the cooled chewing gum slab comprises a center having a center temperature, wherein the surface temperature of the cooled chewing gum slab is less than the center temperature, thereby creating a temperature differential, and wherein the temperature differential is between about 4° F. to 19° F.;
- d. a cooled forming and scoring unit for manipulating the slab into a chewing gum sheet with lateral and/or longitudinal scores, wherein the cooled forming and scoring unit comprises at least one cooled calender roller with less than or equal to 0.18 weight % non-stick agent based on the slab weight, wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, wherein the environmental air around the at least one cooled calender roller has a dew point above the temperature of the at least one cooled calender roller, and wherein the temperature differential is maintained through passing the cooled forming and scoring unit;
- and
- e. a cooled conveying system for receiving the chewing gum sheet and cooling the surface of the chewing gum.
3 more elements
An apparatus for producing a chewing gum sheet without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent, the apparatus comprising:
- a. an extruder for extruding a chewing gum mass into a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition;
- b. a conveyor for receiving the chewing gum slab;
- c. an impingement air flow system for cooling the chewing gum slab upon the conveyor;
- d. at least one cooled calender roller for receiving the chewing gum slab from the conveyor and forming a chewing gum sheet with predetermined dimensions, wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, wherein the environmental air around the at least one cooled calender roller has a dew point above the temperature of the at least one cooled calender roller, and wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is maintained at a temperature of from 5° F. to 32° F.;
- and
- e. at least one scoring roller with 0.18 weight % non-stick agent based on the slab weight.
3 more elements
A system for producing chewing gum pieces without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent, the system comprising:
- a. a mixer for producing a chewing gum mass;
- b. an extruder for extruding the chewing gum mass into a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition;
- c. a cooled forming and scoring unit for manipulating the slab into a chewing gum sheet with lateral and/or longitudinal scores, wherein the cooled forming and scoring unit comprises at least one cooled calender roller for forming the chewing gum sheet and at least one scoring roller with 0.18 weight % non-stick agent based on the slab weight, wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, wherein the environmental air around the at least one cooled calender roller has a dew point above the temperature of the at least one cooled calender roller, wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is maintained at a temperature of from 5° F. to 32° F., and wherein the at least one cooled calender roller has a temperature below freezing temperature, and wherein ice is on the at least one cooled calender roller;
- and
- d. a cooled conveying system for receiving the chewing gum sheet and cooling the surface of the chewing gum.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.