An apparatus is disclosed that includes a printer cartridge having a cartridge barrel for containing print material, an extruder having a nozzle and a lever arm, the lever arm including a plunger, the plunger having an inlet port, and a pneumatic system including a pneumatic piston, a solenoid valve and a Y-connector, wherein the pneumatic piston is configured to receive pressurized air from (1) the Y-connector to lower the lever arm to align the inlet port with an entry point of the extruder enabling print material to flow into the extruder through the inlet port, and (2) the solenoid valve to raise the lever arm to misalign the inlet port and the entry point to prevent additional print material to flow into the extruder. The apparatus further includes a build platform, and a plurality of rods and screws for guiding the extruder to dispense print material on the build platform.

An apparatus is disclosed that includes a printer cartridge having a cartridge barrel for containing print material, an extruder having a nozzle and a lever arm, the lever arm including a plunger, the plunger having an inlet port, and a pneumatic system including a pneumatic piston, a solenoid valve and a Y-connector, wherein the pneumatic piston is configured to receive pressurized air from (1) the Y-connector to lower the lever arm to align the inlet port with an entry point of the extruder enabling print material to flow into the extruder through the inlet port, and (2) the solenoid valve to raise the lever arm to misalign the inlet port and the entry point to prevent additional print material to flow into the extruder. The apparatus further includes a build platform, and a plurality of rods and screws for guiding the extruder to dispense print material on the build platform.

A chocolate processing system, including: a chamber, defining a rotation axis, the chamber including a first and second portion cooperatively defining a chamber lumen, the first and second portion actuatably separable at a seam, and a precursor inlet; a precursor dispenser, including an actuatable compartment coupled to the precursor inlet of the chamber; a reducer, arranged within the chamber lumen; a rotationally actuatable processing shaft, intersecting the chamber lumen; an agitator coupled to the processing shaft and extending into the chamber lumen; a motor including a drive shaft, the drive shaft coupled to the processing shaft and the chamber; a temperature control system including a transfer surface, the transfer surface thermally connectable to the chamber; and a mold, defining a mold lumen, the mold circumferentially arranged about the chamber at a seam.

A chocolate processing system, including: a chamber, defining a rotation axis, the chamber including a first and second portion cooperatively defining a chamber lumen, the first and second portion actuatably separable at a seam, and a precursor inlet; a precursor dispenser, including an actuatable compartment coupled to the precursor inlet of the chamber; a reducer, arranged within the chamber lumen; a rotationally actuatable processing shaft, intersecting the chamber lumen; an agitator coupled to the processing shaft and extending into the chamber lumen; a motor including a drive shaft, the drive shaft coupled to the processing shaft and the chamber; a temperature control system including a transfer surface, the transfer surface thermally connectable to the chamber; and a mold, defining a mold lumen, the mold circumferentially arranged about the chamber at a seam.

Proposed is a self-optimizing, adaptive industrial chocolate production system (1), and method thereof. The system comprising a chocolate mass processing line (11) with at least dosing means (2), one or more mixers (3), one or more refiners (4), one or more conches (5), and liquefying and tempering means (6). Appropriate inter-dependent operational parameters of the various devices (2/3/4/5/6) are measured by real-time measuring devices and transmitted to a controller device 12. The measured inter-dependent operational parameters are mutually optimized and dynamically adjusted providing an optimal operation at least in terms of the characteristics of the end chocolate mass 7 and/or throughputs of the chocolate production line 11 and/or other operation conditions as energy consumption.

A unit (1) for dosing a confectionery mass includes a base body (2), a dosing chamber (26) for containing a confectionery mass and a rotary piston (3) being reversingly driven to alternatingly fill the dosing chamber (26) with confectionery mass and to remove confectionery mass from the dosing chamber (26). The rotary piston (3) has a filling cycle for filling the dosing chamber (26) with confectionery mass during which it is rotatingly driven in a first direction of rotation (28). The rotary piston (3) has a removing cycle for removing the confectionery mass from the dosing chamber (26) during which it is rotatingly driven in a second direction of rotation (29) being opposite to the first direction of rotation (28). The filling cycle and the removing cycle form one complete working cycle.

The present invention relates to a method of preventing, inhibiting or mitigating bloom in a filled chocolate product, said method comprising: a) An inline heating step comprising at least one of heating the chocolate shell at a heating temperature of at least 25° C., heating the center-filled chocolate shell at a heating temperature of at least 25° C. and heating the filled chocolate product at a heating temperature of at least 25° C. and said method comprising at least of b) A shell cooling step comprising cooling said chocolate shell at a cooling temperature below 20° C., c) A filling cooling step comprising cooling said center-filled chocolate shell at a cooling temperature below 20° C., d) A final cooling step comprising cooling said filled chocolate product at a cooling temperature below 20° C., said inline heating step being comprised in at least one of step b)-d) or being arranged between step b) and c) or between steps c) and d). The invention further relates to products obtained by said method, and a system for obtaining such product.

The present invention relates to a method of preventing, inhibiting or mitigating bloom in a filled chocolate product, said method comprising: a) An inline heating step comprising at least one of heating the chocolate shell at a heating temperature of at least 25° C., heating the center-filled chocolate shell at a heating temperature of at least 25° C. and heating the filled chocolate product at a heating temperature of at least 25° C. and said method comprising at least of b) A shell cooling step comprising cooling said chocolate shell at a cooling temperature below 20° C., c) A filling cooling step comprising cooling said center-filled chocolate shell at a cooling temperature below 20° C., d) A final cooling step comprising cooling said filled chocolate product at a cooling temperature below 20° C., said inline heating step being comprised in at least one of step b)-d) or being arranged between step b) and c) or between steps c) and d). The invention further relates to products obtained by said method, and a system for obtaining such product.

Disclosed is a method for processing cocoa beans or nibs comprising the steps of: (a) adding water to cocoa beans or nibs to form a suspension; (b) wet grinding said suspension; (c) subjecting said suspension to a heat treatment at a temperature of 70° C. or less; (d) separating the suspension into: a water phase (heavy phase), a fat phase (light phase) comprising cocoa butter, and a solid phase comprising cocoa powder and fluid components; (e) continuously separating the fluid components from the solid phase obtained in step (d) to obtain cocoa aroma and cocoa powder by supplying a flow of said solid phase to a mixing device; wherein the mixing device comprises: a cylindrical, tubular body with a horizontal axis having an inlet opening for the solid phase, an outlet opening for the dried solid phase and an optional outlet opening for a vapor phase comprising cocoa aroma; end plates closing the tubular body at its opposite ends; a coaxial jacket heating or cooling the internal wall of the tubular body to a temperature of from 55° C. to 150° C.; and a bladed rotor, which is supported for rotation in the tubular body, its blades being arranged as a helix and oriented for centrifuging the solid phase and simultaneously transporting it towards the outlet opening.

The present application provides a system or kit for printing tempered chocolate. The system includes a first heated vessel for maintaining chocolate therein untempered, and a second heated vessel in fluid communication with the first heated vessel for maintaining chocolate therein within the range of about 84 degrees Fahrenheit and about 92 degrees Fahrenheit and tempered with about 0.5% to about 3% type V crystals. The system further includes a syringe pump configured to pump tempered chocolate and a nozzle. The system further includes a three-way valve for selectively coupling the syringe pump and the second vessel, or the nozzle and the syringe pump, in fluid communication to direct the tempered chocolate from the second vessel through the nozzle. The system further includes a control system for controlling the system such that the chocolate flowing from the nozzle includes greater than about 3% type V crystals.