System and method for producing food products containing a filling

A system for producing food products of the type comprising a portion of a first food material containing a filling of a second food material,

• wherein said system comprises one or more filling stations in which said second food material is introduced into said portion of the first food material,
• each filling station comprising:
• a clamping device, configured to retain the portion of the first food material during filling with the second food material, said clamping device comprising an iris diaphragm, including an annular support plate bearing a circumferential array of engagement members simultaneously displaceable by means of an actuator device to define between them a central opening of controllable amplitude, and
• an injector device, configured to introduce a metered amount of the second material within the portion of the first material while said portion is retained within said central aperture of the iris diaphragm by the engagement members of the iris diaphragm,
• said injector device being movable by means of one or more actuator devices between an inoperative position spaced apart from said iris diaphragm and an operative position above said iris diaphragm in which a dispensing nozzle of said injector device is introduced from above within said portion of said first food material retained by said iris diaphragm, and
• an electronic controller for controlling said actuator devices associated with said clamping device and said injector device,
• a gripping member configured to grip said portion of said first material and movable, manually or in an automated manner, to bring said portion into said filling station, by lowering it from above within said central aperture of said iris diaphragm, so as to allow clamping thereof by said iris diaphragm,
• so that when said portion of said first material is clamped within said central aperture of said iris diaphragm, said portion of said first material remains suspended from said iris diaphragm, in a condition in which said portion is ready to receive the filling by said injector device,
• said electronic controller being configured to perform the following operations:
• actuating a clamping of the portion of the first material by said iris diaphragm after said portion has been lowered from above within said central aperture of the iris diaphragm by means of said gripping member,
• actuating a displacement of the injector device to the operative position above said iris diaphragm, after said portion of the first material has been clamped within said iris diaphragm, by means of said iris diaphragm, and controlling the subsequent injection of a metered amount of filling within said portion, by means of said injector device,
• upon completing the injection of the filling, moving the injector device away from the operative position, and controlling a complete closing of the iris diaphragm, so as to completely close the portion of the first food material around the filling material and obtain a finished product which is thus separated from a waste portion which remains above the iris diaphragm, so that the finished product is free to fall over a receiving member placed below the iris diaphragm.