Apparatus for ultrasonic molding
AssigneeMars, Incorporated
InventorRoberto A. Capodieci
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides processes for the preparation of puffed cereal cakes, in particular puffed rice cakes. The processes comprise molding puffed or unpuffed cereal grains under pressure with the application of ultrasound. The ultrasound assists bonding of the cereal grains to form a solid cake. The ultrasound reduces fouling of the mold and increases processing speed. In one aspect, the starting material is prepuffed cereal grains, and these grains are coated with a binder agent and then bonded together at low temperature using ultrasound energy. This permits the formation of puffed cereal cakes with edible inclusions of temperature-sensitive foodstuffs, and also the rapid formation of puffed cereal cakes with shaped or profiled top and/or bottom surfaces.
Claims10
An apparatus for the manufacture of a puffed cereal article, the apparatus comprising:
- a mold comprising a plurality of mold elements, including a reciprocally movable piston element for compressing cereal grains inside the mold,
- an ultrasonic oscillator coupled to at least one of said mold elements to apply ultrasound energy to said compressed cereal grains while said grains are compressed in said mold;
- and
- an assembly for moving said piston element to expand said mold by a predetermined amount while applying said ultrasonic energy to the cereal grains to form the puffed cereal article.
An apparatus for ultrasonically molding edible moldable material including:
- a mold cavity for receiving edible moldable material;
- a horn having a horn surface insertable into said mold cavity;
- a piston driver for inserting said horn surface into said mold cavity;
- and
- an ultrasonic drive assembly for ultrasonically energizing said horn,
- wherein said mold cavity includes:
- a mold table having a mold surface;
- and
- a mold plate of a predetermined thickness positioned on said mold table and having a mold aperture, said mold surface and said mold aperture defining said mold cavity.
An apparatus for ultrasonically molding edible moldable material including:
- a mold cavity for receiving edible moldable material;
- a horn having a horn surface insertable into said mold cavity;
- a piston driver for inserting said horn surface into said mold cavity;
- and
- an ultrasonic drive assembly for ultrasonically energizing said horn,
- wherein said mold cavity is one of a shaped mold cavity or a patterned mold cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.