US 6,156,364 AGranted

Molded pizza crust

AssigneeKraft Foods, Inc.

InventorRonald Louis Meibach

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Abstract

The present invention provides a method of forming proofed dough for baked goods in a predetermined shape, as well as an apparatus for practicing the method. The apparatus includes a closed dough handling system that includes a pressurized dough mixer, a dough transporting device joined to the pressurized dough mixer, and an injection molding device joined to the dough transporting device. The method includes the step of transporting proofed dough from the pressurized dough mixer through the dough transporting device to the injection molding device, wherein the injection molding device fills the injection mold with dough when it is connected to the dough transporting device, thus forming one or more pieces of dough having the predetermined shape within the molds. The injection molds containing the dough may then either be conveyed into an oven to form a baked piece of dough having the predetermined shape, or conveyed into a freezer to form a frozen piece of dough having the predetermined shape.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method of forming proofed dough for baked goods having a predetermined shape, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a closed dough handling system comprising (a) a pressurized dough mixer, (b) an injection molding apparatus having one or more molds wherein each mold has one or more cavities forming the predetermined shape and wherein each mold is removable from the injection molding apparatus, (c) a dough transporting means having an input end and an output end, wherein the input end is attached to the pressurized dough mixer and the output end is attached to the injection molding apparatus, whereby dough from the pressurized dough mixer can be transported by the dough transporting means to the injection molding apparatus and then into the cavities, and (d) an ejecting means for removing the dough-containing molds from the injection molding apparatus;
(2) preparing proofed dough from dough-forming ingredients in the pressurized dough mixer;
(3) transporting the proofed dough from the pressurized dough mixer through the dough transporting means to the injection molding apparatus and into the cavities, whereby the transported dough fills the cavities and forms the predetermined shape in each cavity;
and
(4) ejecting the dough-containing molds from the injection molding apparatus.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.