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US 5,840,345 AGranted
Dough transport device
OwnerAjwad Ayashinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a dough transport device having an improved dough pump, an improved manifold for dividing dough, and a rotational cutter for cutting dough into pieces of uniform shape and size. The auger dough pump operates using a auger which is tapered to provide for more efficient control over the transport of the dough. Further, the rotational cutter cooperates with a curved face of each outlet nozzle in the manifold to provide for a curved dough shape upon initial cutting of the extruded dough.
Claims42
A cutting mechanism for cutting dough extruded from an outlet nozzle of a dough transport device comprising:
- a shaft having a center rotational axis;
- a plurality of spokes connected to said shaft and extending perpendicular to said shaft;
- at least one cutting edge attached across said spokes so that said cutting edge is substantially parallel to said center rotational axis and provides an empty space between said cutting edge and said shaft;
- and
- a motor for rotating said shaft in a single direction about said center rotational axis and thereby rotating said cutting edge to allow said cutting edge to repeatedly cut said dough extruded from said outlet nozzle and located in said empty space when being cut.
2 more elements
A pump mechanism for transporting paste material in a paste material transport device comprising:
- a hopper into which said paste material that needs to be transported is initially received, said hopper having a paste material entry area, a paste material transport opening and an auger shaft opening;
- a tunnel having a funnel shaped portion disposed between first and second opening ends, said funnel shaped portion having a predetermined taper and said tunnel being attached to said hopper so that said first opening end aligns with said paste material transport opening of said hopper;
- an auger disposed within said hopper and said tunnel, said auger having a first end extending through said auger shaft opening and a second end, a hopper section of said auger being disposed in said hopper and a tunnel section of said auger being disposed in said funnel shaped portion, said tunnel section of said auger being tapered to correspond to said predetermined taper of said funnel shaped portion of said tunnel, and
- a motor connected to said first end of said auger to allow for rotation of said auger and thereby transport said paste material from said hopper and through said tunnel at a consistent temperature.
1 more element
A dough transport device comprising:
- a hopper into which said dough that needs to be transported is initially received, said hopper including a dough entry area, a dough transport opening and an auger shaft opening;
- a tunnel having a funnel shaped portion disposed between first and second opening ends, said funnel shaped portion having a predetermined taper and said tunnel being attached to said hopper so that said first opening end aligns with said dough transport opening of said hopper;
- an auger disposed within said hopper and said tunnel, said auger having a first end extending through said auger shaft opening and a second end, a hopper section of said auger being disposed in said hopper and a tunnel section of said auger being disposed in said funnel shaped portion, said tunnel section of said auger being tapered to correspond to said predetermined taper of said funnel shaped portion of said tunnel, said auger transporting said dough from said hopper and through said tunnel, including said funnel shaped portion, at a consistent temperature in order to minimize interference with gluten structures of the dough;
- a manifold connected to said tunnel having a first dough input port aligned with said second opening end and a first dough output port so that dough entering said dough input port can be directed to said first dough output port, said first dough output port containing an output nozzle;
- and
- a rotational cutter having a cutting edge which rotates around a central axis of said rotational cutter, said cutting edge cooperating with said output nozzle on said manifold to cut dough extruded from said port, said dough being extruded at said consistent temperature.
3 more elements
A pump mechanism for transporting paste material in a paste material transport device comprising:
- a hopper into which said paste material that needs to be transported is initially received, said hopper having a paste material entry area, a paste material transport opening and an auger shaft opening;
- a tunnel disposed between first and second opening ends, said tunnel being attached to said hopper so that said first opening end aligns with said paste material transport opening of said hopper;
- an auger disposed within said hopper and said tunnel, said auger having a first end extending through said auger shaft opening and a second end, a hopper section of said auger being disposed in said hopper and a tunnel section of said auger being disposed in said tunnel;
- a plate disposed within and on a high pressure side of said hopper, said plate having a curved portion that substantially corresponds to a diameter of said auger to provide a space between a predetermined angular portion of said auger within said hopper and an inner portion of said plate to which said paste material is confined and thereby keeps said paste material under pressure until it enters said tunnel;
- and
- a motor connected to said first end of said auger to allow for rotation of said auger and thereby transport said paste material from said hopper into said tunnel so that nonmoving paste material does not collect within said hopper due to the presence of said plate within said hopper.
3 more elements
A pump mechanism for transporting paste material in a paste material transport device comprising:
- a hopper into which said paste material that needs to be transported is initially received, said hopper having a paste material entry area, a paste material transport opening and an auger shaft opening;
- a tunnel having a funnel shaped portion disposed between first and second opening ends, said funnel shaped portion having a predetermined taper and said tunnel being attached to said hopper so that said first opening end aligns with said paste material transport opening of said hopper;
- an auger disposed within said hopper and said tunnel, said auger having a first end extending through said auger shaft opening and a second end, a hopper section of said auger being disposed in said hopper and a tunnel section of said auger being disposed in said funnel shaped portion, said tunnel section of said auger being tapered to correspond to said predetermined taper of said funnel shaped portion of said tunnel, said auger further including:
- threads at said first end;
- an auger nut which can be secured to said auger using said threads for adjustment of a gap between said auger and said tunnel;
- and
- a locking bolt which cooperates with said auger nut to ensure that said gap is maintained until readjustment of said gap occurs or normal wear causes said gap to increase;
- and
- a motor connected to said first end of said auger to allow for rotation of said auger and thereby transport said paste material from said hopper and through said tunnel.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.