An edible decoration is laser kiss cut from an edible decorating sheet by optically sensing at least one printed edible design on the edible decorating sheet relative to a laser cutting tool coordinate system and driving a laser along a circuit of cutting locations defined in the laser cutting tool coordinate system. The laser beam forms a separation channel by laser ablation of at least a portion of the edible decorating sheet at the cutting locations while leaving intact the non-adhesive releasable backing upon which the edible decorating sheet rests.

An edible decoration is laser kiss cut from an edible decorating sheet by optically sensing at least one printed edible design on the edible decorating sheet relative to a laser cutting tool coordinate system and driving a laser along a circuit of cutting locations defined in the laser cutting tool coordinate system. The laser beam forms a separation channel by laser ablation of at least a portion of the edible decorating sheet at the cutting locations while leaving intact the non-adhesive releasable backing upon which the edible decorating sheet rests.

An assembly line technique is described in which food items with a deposited layer of smear prior to baking can be cut and segregated into small pieces. The food pieces are deposited randomly into an ovenable serving container in such a way as to reduce contact between the smear coated surface(s) of the food pieces. This results in a pull-apart food product that can be rapidly microwave heated in the container and served in the container.

An assembly line technique is described in which food items with a deposited layer of smear prior to baking can be cut and segregated into small pieces. The food pieces are deposited randomly into an ovenable serving container in such a way as to reduce contact between the smear coated surface(s) of the food pieces. This results in a pull-apart food product that can be rapidly microwave heated in the container and served in the container.

A product conveying and coating system includes multiple, sequentially arranged conveyor units, with at least one conveyor unit being an open belt type. A carrier sheet is placed on a first of the conveyor units, a web of coating material in liquid form is deposited on the carrier sheet and spaced ropes of soft and sticky material are deposited on and settle into the web. The carrier sheet, web and ropes are transferred to a second conveyor unit after the coating material of the web solidifies, whereupon the ropes are cut into bar-length pieces. Thereafter, the carrier sheet is removed while the web and pieces are transferred to the open belt conveyor unit and exposed to an enrober. The enrober coats the pieces while melting portions of the web between the pieces in order to form full coated or encapsulated food products with soft and sticky cores.

The present invention relates to an application assembly for applying coating onto confectionary products comprising a housing (5) comprising a product coating void (6) for receiving the confectionery product (9) to be coated, at least one receptacle (8), the receptacle being adapted to receive coating material and comprising a supply hole or holes (11) through which coating material may flow from the housing (5) and into the coating void (6) where it becomes transferred onto the product, and wherein each receptacle comprises one or more applicator members (10) to transfer 16 coating material onto the confectionery product and wherein the supply hole or holes (11) are formed within said receptacles, and wherein the one or more applicator member comprises a cavity (14) to allow accumulated coating material to be collected and stored when a product remains static in the product void. The invention also relates to a method for applying a partial coating to a confection products.

The present invention relates to an application assembly for applying coating onto confectionary products comprising a housing (5) comprising a product coating void (6) for receiving the confectionery product (9) to be coated, at least one receptacle (8), the receptacle being adapted to receive coating material and comprising a supply hole or holes (11) through which coating material may flow from the housing (5) and into the coating void (6) where it becomes transferred onto the product, and wherein each receptacle comprises one or more applicator members (10) to transfer 16 coating material onto the confectionery product and wherein the supply hole or holes (11) are formed within said receptacles, and wherein the one or more applicator member comprises a cavity (14) to allow accumulated coating material to be collected and stored when a product remains static in the product void. The invention also relates to a method for applying a partial coating to a confection products.

An edible decoration is laser kiss cut from an edible decorating sheet by optically sensing at least one printed edible design on the edible decorating sheet relative to a laser cutting tool coordinate system and driving a laser along a circuit of cutting locations defined in the laser cutting tool coordinate system. The laser beam forms a separation channel by laser ablation of at least a portion of the edible decorating sheet at the cutting locations while leaving intact the non-adhesive releasable backing upon which the edible decorating sheet rests.

A waterfall apparatus for viscous food products including a collection bowl. An auger tube extends perpendicular to the bottom surface of the collection bowl. Inside the auger tube is an auger having a spiral flight protruding along the length of the auger. The auger is coupled to a motor which operates to rotate the auger. The spiral flight supports a viscous food product such as melted chocolate received from the collection bowl as the auger rotates, moving the melted chocolate upwardly from the collection bowl to the top end of the auger tube onto a spillway at the top of the waterfall apparatus. The melted chocolate flows from the top end of the auger tube onto the spillway and flows downwardly to the collection bowl, coating one side of one or more removable decorative pattern plate. The spillway is configured to ensure an even flow of chocolate over the entire width of the removable decorative pattern plate.

A cream coating head, an apparatus and a system for applying a pumpable mass onto a carrier body include a detachable coupling system. The coupling system is provided for coupling and decoupling the cream coating head to or from a conveying apparatus.