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US 8,012,522 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for vacuum forming contoured edible pieces
AssigneeMars, Incorporated
InventorRichard D. Ornelaz, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The described apparatus and method enable the production of thin edible products having complex contoured shapes that cannot be made using conventional molding technology. In particular, chocolates having detailed surface topology can be made utilizing a pliable substrate and a vacuum mold. The process may be made substantially continuous.
Claims13
A method of forming a contoured edible piece comprising the steps of:
- forming a chocolate starting blank having a tempered chocolate layer on a pliable substrate, wherein the layer has a variable thickness;
- aligning the chocolate starting blank with a vacuum forming mold having a contour;
- applying a pressure differential to the vacuum mold such that the pliable substrate and the layer of chocolate conform to the vacuum mold contour to form a contoured chocolate edible piece having a surface contour;
- and removing the contoured chocolate edible piece from the vacuum mold;
- wherein the variable thickness of the chocolate starting blank provides a contoured chocolate edible piece having a substantially uniform wall thickness throughout the entire contoured edible piece.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.