# US 9,775,375 B2 · Moulding > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,775,375 B2 - Document ID: US9775375B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/195,408 - Filed: 2016-06-28 - Published: 2016-10-27 - Granted: 2017-10-03 - Earliest claimed: 1998-11-23 - Assignees: Marel Stork Poultry Processing B.V. - Applicants: Marel Stork Poultry Processing B.V. - Inventors: Maurice Eduardus Theodorus Van Esbroeck; Hendricus Franciscus Jacobus Maria Van De Eerden; Petrus Christianus Marius Janssen; Adrianus Josephes Van Den Nieuwelaar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9775375B2 ## CPC - A23P 30/10: Moulding - A21C 11/00: Other machines for forming the dough into its final shape before cooking or baking - A22C 7/0038: {Demoulding means} - A22C 7/0046: {Containers in which meat is pressed and moulded} - A22C 7/0069: {Pressing and moulding by means of a drum} - A22C 17/0006: {Cutting or shaping meat} - A23L 13/03: {Coating with a layer; Stuffing, laminating, binding, or compressing of original meat pieces} - B30B 11/16: using pocketed rollers, e.g. two co-operating pocketed rollers - B30B 15/308: {in a continuous manner, e.g. for roller presses, screw extrusion presses} - A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS - A21C: MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING OR PROCESSING DOUGHS; HANDLING BAKED ARTICLES MADE FROM DOUGH - A22C: PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH (preserving A23B; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs A23J1/00; fish, meat or poultry preparations A23L; disintegrating, e.g. chopping meat, B02C18/00; preparation of proteins C07K1/00) - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - B30B: PRESSES IN GENERAL (producing ultra-high pressure or ultra-high pressure and high temperature to effect modifications of a substance, e.g. for making artificial diamonds B01J3/00 ){(compressing means for refuse receptacles B65F1/1405)} ## Abstract The invention provides methods and systems for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff. The systems include a rotatable drum provided with mold holders that accept removable molds that are filled with the mass of foodstuff to form the three-dimensional products. The method includes use of the system to fill removable molds in filling operations to form the three-dimensional products. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, the molding device comprising: a. a frame; b. a rotatable drum mounted in the frame and rotatable about a horizontal axis in a direction of rotation, the drum having a length and a drum wall forming an outer circumferential surface of the drum, wherein the drum comprises a plurality of mold cavities arranged in a plurality of circumferential rings extending around the drum and located next to one another along the length of the drum, each mold cavity having a cavity opening in the drum wall; c. a mass-feed component positioned at a filling position and bearing against the drum wall for feeding foodstuff mass into at least one mold cavity via the cavity opening of the at least one mold cavity; d. a closure plate positioned adjacent the drum, wherein an external surface of the closure plate bears against at least a portion of the drum wall adjacent the at least one mold cavity to temporarily close the at least one mold cavity; and e. pressure means to exert pressure directed substantially toward the drum on at least a portion of the closure plate that bears against the drum wall, wherein the external surface of the closure plate is provided with a patterned profile such that the profile forms a complementary pattern on an exposed surface of the foodstuff mass within the at least one mold cavity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The molding device of claim 1, wherein the patterned profile comprises at least one of a studded profile, a ribbed profile, and a grid profile. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The molding device of claim 1, wherein the molding device further comprises an air compressor, and wherein the drum is provided with at least one connecting passage that connects the at least one mold cavity to the air compressor, and wherein the molding device is adapted to eject the foodstuff mass from the at least one mold cavity at a removal position by introduction of compressed air into the at least one mold cavity via the connecting passage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The molding device of claim 1, wherein the closure plate is positioned adjacent the drum and downstream of the mass-feed component in the direction of rotation and wherein the external surface of the closure plate bears against the at least a portion of the drum wall to temporarily close the at least one mold cavity while the at least one mold cavity is still in communication with the mass-feed component. ### Claim 5 A molding device for molding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff which is suitable for human consumption, the molding device comprising: a. a frame; b. a rotatable drum mounted in the frame and rotatable about a horizontal axis in a direction of rotation, the drum having a length and a drum wall forming an outer circumferential surface of the drum, wherein the drum comprises a plurality of mold cavities arranged in a plurality of circumferential rings extending around the drum and located next to one another along the length of the drum, each mold cavity having a cavity opening in the drum wall; c. a mass-feed component positioned at a filling position and bearing against the drum wall for feeding foodstuff mass into at least one mold cavity via the cavity opening of the at least one mold cavity; d. a closure plate positioned adjacent the drum and downstream of the mass-feed component in the direction of rotation, wherein an external surface of the closure plate bears against at least a portion of the drum wall adjacent the at least one mold cavity to temporarily close the at least one mold cavity; and e. pressure means to exert pressure directed substantially toward the drum on at least a portion of the closure plate that bears against the drum wall, wherein the external surface of the closure plate is provided with a ribbed profile such that the profile forms a complementary pattern on an exposed surface of the foodstuff mass within the at least one mold cavity; and f. an air compressor, wherein the drum is provided with at least one connecting passage that connects the at least one mold cavity to the air compressor and wherein the molding device is adapted to eject the foodstuff mass from the at least one mold cavity at a removal position by introduction of compressed air into the at least one mold cavity via the connecting passage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The molding device of claim 2, wherein the patterned profile comprises a ribbed profile. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The molding device of claim 1, further comprising a pump device for supplying the foodstuff mass under pressure to the mass-feed component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The molding device of claim 5, wherein the closure plate is positioned adjacent the drum and downstream of the mass-feed component in the direction of rotation and wherein the external surface of the closure plate bears against the at least a portion of the drum wall to temporarily close the at least one mold cavity while the at least one mold cavity is still in communication with the mass-feed component. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The molding device of claim 5, further comprising a pump device for supplying the foodstuff mass under pressure to the mass-feed component.