Food winding method

A method of simultaneously winding a plurality of supported strips of food into a plurality of rolled food items, each supported strip having a leading end and a trailing end, the method comprising:

• depositing a plurality of food items onto respective support strips;
• cutting said plurality of supported food strips to predetermined lengths;
• transporting said plurality of supported food strips on a conveyor to respective guides;
• detecting leading ends of respective supported food strips passing a predetermined location on respective guides;
• generating presence signals indicating the location of the leading ends;
• delaying the rotation of motors coupled to slotted spools until leading ends enter respective slots of respective spools;
• transporting said supported food strips on the conveyor such that leading ends enter slots of respective spools;
• activating said motors to rotate said slotted spools a predetermined number of degrees until rolled food items are formed;
• and
• ejecting the rolled food items from said spools.

A method for winding a supported strip of food having a leading end and a trailing end into a rolled food item, comprising:

• providing a supported strip of food having a leading end and a trailing end, a sensor, a motor having a shaft, a spool defining a slot, the slotted spool being attached to the shaft of the motor, a guide, a displaceable member, a plate, and a control circuit in communication with the sensor, the motor and the displaceable member;
• transporting the supported strip of food over the guide and towards the slotted spool;
• detecting a position of the leading end with the sensor, the control circuit being configured to generate a presence signal based on detecting the leading end;
• transporting the supported strip of food until the leading end enters the slot of the spool;
• in response to the presence signal, activating the motor, thereby rotating the shaft which, in turn, rotates the slotted spool, whereby the plate is positioned to permit said spool to rotate and said supported food item to wind around said spool;
• forming the rolled food item around the slotted spool;
• and
• actuating the displaceable member having the plate coupled thereto;
• and
• ejecting the rolled food item from the slotted spool by displacing the plate.

A method of winding one or more supported strips of food having a leading end and a trailing to form a rolled food item, comprising:

• providing an extruder, a cutter, a conveyor, a sensor, a motor having a shaft, a spool defining a slot, the slotted spool being attached to the shaft of the motor, a guide, a displaceable member, a plate, and a control circuit in communication with the sensor, the motor and the displaceable member;
• extruding a layer of food onto a strip of support material, thereby forming a supported strip of extruded food;
• cutting the supported strip of extruded food with a cutter, thereby forming predetermined lengths of supported strips of extruded food, for at least one of the predetermined lengths of supported strips of extruded food,
• transporting the predetermined length on the conveyor and over the guide towards the slotted spool;
• detecting a position of the leading end of the predetermined length with the sensor, the control circuit being configured to generate a presence signal based on detecting the leading end of the predetermined length,
• transporting the predetermined length until the leading end enters the slot,
• in response to the presence signal, activating the motor, thereby rotating the shaft which, in turn, rotates the slotted spool, whereby the plate is positioned to permit said spool to rotate and said predetermined length to wind around said spool,
• forming the rolled food item around the slotted spool,
• actuating the displaceable member having the plate coupled thereto, and
• ejecting the rolled food item from the slotted spool by displacing the plate.