Ultrasonically activated continuous slitter apparatus and method
AssigneeMars, Incorporated
InventorRoberto A. Capodieci
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus (30) and method for ultrasonically energized slitting of a slab of confectionary material wherein a slitting tool (33a) incorporates a plurality of slitting knives (37a) spaced apart in accordance with the desired width of the product, which strips are further processed by transverse cutting and/or molding or other processing steps such as chocolate enrobing to provide improved confectionary products.
Claims29
A method of forming individual strips of confectionery product, said method including the steps of:
- providing an ultrasonic slitting tool, having at least a pair of cutting edges, said cutting edges being spaced apart a given distance equal to the width of a strip to be formed therewith;
- and
- contacting a confectionery product with said ultrasound slitting tool to form at least one strip of confectionary product, wherein the cutting edges of said slitting tool are oriented at an approximate angle of 40 degrees to 60 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane of said confectionary product.
An apparatus for slitting a confectionery product, said apparatus comprising:
- an input conveyor for supplying confectionery stock;
- and
- an ultrasonic slitting tool which includes an ultrasonic horn having at least a pair of parallel cutting edges spaced apart a distance equal to the width of a strip of confectionary product to be formed, said cutting edges being positioned to contact said confectionary stock as said confectionary stock is supplied to said ultrasonic slitting tool by said input conveyor, wherein each of said cutting edges is oriented at an approximate angle of 40° to 60° with respect to the plane of said input conveyor.
An apparatus for conveying confectionary stock including an input conveyor for supplying confectionary stock, said apparatus including:
- an infeed belt gripping applied confectionery material and supplying said confectionery material to an ultrasonic processing station, said belt including at least one physical structure differing in vertical extent from the surface of said infeed belt.
A system for ultrasonically slitting confectionary material including:
- an ultrasonic slitting tool for slitting confectionary material, said ultrasonic slitting tool having a plurality of cutting edges, each of said cutting edges oriented at an angle other than perpendicular with respect to said confectionary material.
A system for ultrasonically slitting confectionary material including:
- an ultrasonic slitting tool having a plurality of cutting edges, wherein the amplitude of vibration over a plurality of said cutting edges is uniform.
A method of conveying confectionary stock including the steps of:
- forming an infeed belt with at least one physical structure differing in vertical extent from the surface of said infeed belt;
- gripping applied confectionery material with said infeed belt;
- and
- supplying said confectionery material to an ultrasonic processing station.
A method of ultrasonically slitting confectionary material including the steps of:
- orienting a plurality of cutting edges of a slitting tool at an angle other than perpendicular with respect to an input conveyor supporting confectionary material;
- and
- slitting said confectionary material using said slitting tool.
A method of ultrasonically slitting confectionary material using an ultrasonic slitting tool having a plurality of cutting edges, said method including the step of:
- uniformly applying an amplitude of vibration over said cutting edges;
- and
- slitting said confectionary material with said ultrasonic slitting tool wherein the amplitude of vibration over said plurality of said cutting edges is uniform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.