METHOD FOR CLEANING AND/ OR EVALUATING A FOOD PRODUCTS MOULD DRUM AND A COMBINATION OF SUCH A FOOD PRODUCTS MOULD DRUM AND A MOULD DRUM CLEANING AND/ OR EVALUATING DEVICE

Abstract

A method for cleaning and/or evaluating a food products mould drum and a combination of such a food products mould drum and a mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device are disclosed. The mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device includes one or more pressure housings arranged against the outside of and over one or more mould cavities and form, together with the mould drum, an outside chamber. The outside chamber includes a chamber port connectable to a pressure line of a fluid circuit, and the mould drum includes a passage port connectable to a return line of the fluid circuit. Cleaning/evaluating occurs by allowing a pressurized fluid stream to enter via the chamber port into mould cavities and then via a wall part porous structure through a passage, and exit via the passage port to the return line of the fluid circuit.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning a food products mould drum having an outer drum surface provided with multiple recessed mould cavities, each mould cavity with a mould cavity wall formed at least in part by a wall part with a porous structure, the mould drum further being provided with one or more passage ports, which are via one or more passages and via the wall part porous structures in fluid communication with the mould cavities; which mould drum has been become soiled in a process of moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials, said process involving rotating the mould drum and feeding the mass to the mould cavities and ejecting formed food products from said mould drum; the method comprising the steps of: arranging one or more housings against the outside of and over one or more mould cavities, so as to form together with the mould drum an outside chamber, the outside chamber having a radiation source; and cleaning the at least one mould cavity in a first phase by exposing the at least one mould cavity to radiation by means of said radiation source.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein use is made of a mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device comprising a pump configured to create a fluid stream in a fluid circuit comprising the mould cavities, the wall part porous structure and the at least one passage; the method comprising the steps of arranging one or more housings against the outside of and over one or more mould cavities; cleaning the at least one mould cavity in a first phase by exposing the at least one mould cavity to radiation in the housing; and cleaning and/or evaluating the at least one mould cavity in a second phase by allowing the fluid stream through the fluid circuit.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the pump is configured to create a pressurized fluid stream in the fluid circuit; and wherein the one or more housings are pressure housings; the method comprising the steps of arranging one or more pressure housings against an outside of and over one or more mould cavities, so as to form together with the mould drum an outside chamber, the outside chamber having a chamber port; connecting the chamber port and the passage port to the fluid circuit; cleaning the at least one mould cavity in a first phase by allowing radiation in the pressure housing; and cleaning and/or evaluating the at least one mould cavity in a second phase by allowing the pressurized fluid stream through the fluid circuit.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein radiation results in local heating of the mould drum.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the mould drum is heated to a pyrolysis temperature.

6. The method according to claim 2, comprising the steps of arranging multiple housings in a circumferential array around the outer drum surface; and rotating the mould drum during cleaning and/or evaluation, allowing distinct phases to be consecutively performed.

7. The method according to claim 3, comprising the steps of arranging multiple housings in a circumferential array around the outer drum surface; and rotating the mould drum during cleaning and/or evaluation, allowing distinct phases to be consecutively performed.

8. A system, comprising: a food products mould drum having an outer drum surface provided with multiple recessed mould cavities, each mould cavity with a mould cavity wall formed at least in part by a wall part porous structure, the mould drum further being provided with one or more passage ports, which are via one or more passages and via the wall part porous structures in fluid communication with the mould cavities; which mould drum has been become soiled in a process of moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials involving rotating the mould drum and feeding the mass to the mould cavities and ejecting formed food products from said mould drum; and one or more housings having a radiation source adapted to be arranged against the outside of and over one or more mould cavities and adapted to form, together with the mould drum, an outside chamber for cleaning the mould cavities by radiation.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device comprising a pump configured to create a fluid stream in a fluid circuit comprising the mould cavities, the wall part porous structure and the at least one passage.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the one or more housings are pressure housings and wherein the pump is configured to create a pressurized fluid stream.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein multiple housings are adapted to be arranged in a circumferential array around the outer drum surface, and wherein the mould drum is rotatable during cleaning and/or evaluation, allowing distinct phases to be consecutively performed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0090] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a possible embodiment of a combination of food products mould drum and mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device;

[0091] FIG. 2 shows the combination of FIG. 1 in cross section, in a first phase;

[0092] FIG. 3 shows the combination of FIG. 1 in cross section, in a second cleaning phase;

[0093] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a fluid circuit according to the invention;

[0094] FIG. 5 shows an alternative mould drum in combination with a cleaning and/or evaluation device in cross section, similar to FIG. 2;

[0095] FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of a combination of food products mould drum and mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device comprising multiple pressure housings;

[0096] FIG. 7 shows yet an alternative embodiment of a combination of food products mould drum and a mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0097] In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the combination of a food products mould drum 1 and a mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device 30 is shown.

[0098] The food products mould drum 1 has a porous outer cylinder 5, with an outer drum surface 2 provided with multiple recessed mould cavities 3. Each mould cavity has a mould cavity wall 4a, 4b, formed at least in part by a wall part with a porous structure. Here, the mould cavity wall 4a is the side wall of the cavity, and the mould cavity wall 4b is the bottom of the mould cavity.

[0099] The food products mould drum 1 further comprises an inner cylinder 6, provided adjacent the porous outer cylinder 5, which is provided with one or more passages 7. These passages 7 are via the wall part porous structures 4a, 4b in communication with the mould cavities 3.

[0100] The shown embodiment of the food products mould drum 1 further comprises two head ends 9a, 9b. In head end 9a, passage ports 8 are provided, which are via the one or more passages 7 and via the wall part porous structures (5) in fluid communication with the mould cavities (3). Accordingly, a fluid is permitted to be supplied to said mould cavities and/or suction can take place via said passage, and forced through the wall part porous structures.

[0101] The food products mould drum 1 has a hollow central axis 10, adapted to be positioned onto a spindle, for example in a production device.

[0102] The food products mould drum 1 is adapted to be used in a process of moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials involving rotating the mould drum and feeding the mass to the mould cavities and ejecting formed food products from said mould drum. During such a production process, in which e.g. hamburgers or chicken nuggets are produced at a large scale, the food products mould drum becomes soiled.

[0103] As known in the art, a mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device 30 may be provided to clean the mould drum and/or determine the soil contamination. Such a mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device comprises a fluid circuit 50, schematically shown in FIG. 4, comprising a pump 51 creating a pressurized fluid stream in a pressure line 52 of the fluid circuit, the circuit further comprising a return line 55. Here, in the pressure line 52 after the pump 51 a filter 53 is provided to clean the fluid. The shown fluid circuit 50 comprises a fluid reservoir 60, which may be pressurized or under atmospheric pressure. Possibly, the fluid is a cleaning fluid.

[0104] In the shown embodiment, according to the present invention, the mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device 30 comprises a pressure housing 31 adapted to be arranged against the outside of and over the mould cavities 31 and adapted to form, together with the mould drum, an outside chamber 32. Here, the pressure housing 31 is embodied as a cylindrical vessel, into which the mould drum can be inserted and fixed via flanges 33, 34, at the respective head ends 9a, 9b of the mould drum. Further, flanges 35 are provided to provide mechanical strength to the pressure housing 31.

[0105] The outside chamber 32 has a chamber port 36 adapted to be in fluid communication with the at least one mould cavity 3. In the embodiments of FIG. 1-4, the chamber port 36 is formed in the pressure housing 31.

[0106] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a chamber port 86 is formed in the head end 79a of the mould drum 70, adjacent the passage ports 78.

[0107] According to the present invention, the chamber port 36 is adapted to be connected to the pressure line 52 of the fluid circuit, and the passage port 8 is adapted to be connected to the return line 55 of the fluid circuit. As such, in a first phase as depicted in FIG. 2, e.g. a cleaning phase, the pressurized fluid stream is allowed to enter via the chamber port 36 into the mould cavities 3 and then via the wall part porous structure 4a, 4b through the at least one passage 7, and exit via the passage port 8 to the return line 55 of the fluid circuit.

[0108] Advantageously, as is shown in FIG. 4, the fluid circuit 50 further comprises a valve assembly 56 in connection with the pressure line 52 and the return line 55, comprising a first valve port 56a adapted to be in fluid connection with the chamber port 36 and a second valve port 56b in fluid connection with the passage port 8.

[0109] Operation of the valve assembly allows the chamber port 36 to be connected to the return line 55 of the fluid circuit; and the passage port 8 to the pressure line 52 of the fluid circuit. In this set up, e.g. cleaning of the at least one mould cavity is possible in a second cleaning phase, as shown in FIG. 3, wherein a cleaning fluid stream is allowed to enter into the at least one passage 7 and flow through the wall part porous structure 5 into the mould cavities 3. Such a second cleaning phase was known in the art, and the presence of a pressure housing is not a prerequisite to perform such a second cleaning phase.

[0110] Advantageously, the valve assembly 56 is operable by a control device, thereby controlling the first phase, e.g. a cleaning phase, and a second cleaning phase. For example, a first and second cleaning phase are alternately carried out.

[0111] In the shown embodiment, a pressure sensor 65 is provided in the pressure housing 31 to determine the pressure in the outside chamber 32. Here, the pressure sensor 65 is connected to the control device 58.

[0112] In FIG. 6 a food products mould drum 100 is shown in a mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device 130. The food products mould drum 100 is similar to drum 1 of the preceding drawings, and has an outer drum surface 102 provided with multiple recessed mould cavities 103, each with a mould cavity wall 104a,104b formed at least in part by a wall part porous structure 105, the mould drum further being provided with one or more passage ports 108, which are via one or more passages 107 and via the wall part porous structures in fluid communication with the mould cavities.

[0113] The mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device 130 has a fluid circuit 150 comprising a pump 151 creating a pressurized fluid stream in a pressure line 152 of the fluid circuit, here provided with a filter 154, the circuit further comprising a return line 153. Here the fluid circuit further comprises a reservoir 158. Advantageously, the fluid circuit 150 further comprises a valve assembly 156 in connection with the pressure line 152 and the return line 153, comprising a first valve port 156a adapted to be in fluid connection with the chamber port 136 and a plurality of second valve ports 156b in fluid connection with the passage ports 108.

[0114] The shown mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device 130 comprises two pressure housings 131 and 141, each arranged in a circumferential array around the outer drum surface against the outside of the mould cavities. A drive 160 is provided to rotate the mould drum 100 during cleaning and/or evaluation, such that distinct phases are consecutively performed. For example, in a first phase the degree of soil contamination is determined, followed by a cleaning phase.

[0115] Pressure housing 131 is arranged over two rows of mould cavities and forms an outside chamber 132, having a chamber port 136 in fluid communication with the mould cavities, and also adapted to be connected to the pressure line 152 of the fluid circuit, such that in a first phase the pressurized fluid stream is allowed to enter via the chamber port 136 into the mould cavities 103 and then via the wall part porous structure 104a, 104b through the at least one passage 107, and exit via the passage port 108 to the return line 153 of the fluid circuit.

[0116] Pressure housing 141 is arranged over the bottom row of mould cavities and forms an outside chamber 142, having a chamber port 148 in fluid communication with the mould cavities, and also adapted to be connected to the pressure line 152 of the fluid circuit, such that in a first phase the pressurized fluid stream is allowed to enter via the chamber port 148 into the mould cavities 103 and then via the wall part porous structure 104a, 104b through the at least one passage 107, and exit via the passage port 108 to the return line 153 of the fluid circuit.

[0117] In addition, pressure housing 141 is provided with a bubble diffuser 143 which is connected to a cleaning gas source 144, here provided with a pump. As such, cleaning in a first cleaning phase occurs by providing the pressurized fluid stream with bubbles.

[0118] Alternatively, it is also conceivable that a pressure housing is arranged against the outside of and over one or more mould cavities to form an outside chamber, having jet nozzles in fluid communication with the at least one mould cavity, adapted to be connected to the pressure line of the fluid circuit, to provide a cleaning fluid jet. Possibly, the passage port is connected to the return line of the fluid circuit. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the pressure housing is provided with a port to remove the fluid, which is e.g. adapted to be connected to the return line of the fluid circuit.

[0119] In addition, pressure housing 141 is provided with an drainage port 146, which can be opened and closed as desired. In case the drainage port 146 is closed, the above-described first cleaning phase is allowed to take place. The drainage port 146 enables a cleaning process wherein there is no fluid stream, and the mould cavities are only soaked in stationary cleaning liquid provided with bubbles. Once finished, the mould drum is allowed to rotate to the next angular position, and the stationary cleaning liquid is allowed to return to the cleaning fluid circuit 150. Hence, pressure housing 141 comprises three ports, which can selectively be opened and closed.

[0120] In addition, drainage port 146 can be used for the drainage of cleaning fluid that has flown from the passages via the porous structure and exits the mould cavities, i.e. the above-described second cleaning phase. In particular the mould cavities 103 about which no pressure housing is arranged, i.e. the cavities between the pressure housing 132 and 142 may be cleaned from the inside to the outside, as a result of which cleaning fluid will, under the influence of gravity, fall in the sink 149, from which it is allowed to exit via drainage port 146 towards the reservoir 158.

[0121] In FIG. 7 yet another combination of food products mould drum 201 and mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device 230 is shown. The food products mould drum 201 is similar to drum 1 and 100 of the preceding drawings, and has an outer drum surface 202 provided with multiple recessed mould cavities 203, each with a mould cavity wall 204a,204b formed at least in part by a wall part porous structure 205, the mould drum further being provided with one or more passage ports 208, which are via one or more passages 207 and via the wall part porous structures 205 in fluid communication with the mould cavities 203. In the shown embodiment, at the opposite end of the passages 107, a secondary passage port 210 is provided.

[0122] The mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device 230 has a fluid circuit 250 comprising a pump 251 creating a pressurized fluid stream in a pressure line 252 of the fluid circuit, here provided with a filter 254, the circuit further comprising a return line 253. Here the fluid circuit further comprises a reservoir 258. Advantageously, the fluid circuit 250 further comprises a valve assembly 256 in connection with the pressure line 252 and the return line 253, comprising a first valve port 256a adapted to be in fluid connection with chamber port 236, a second valve port 256b in fluid connection with the passage ports 208 and a third valve port 256c in fluid connection with secondary passage port 210.

[0123] The shown mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device 230 comprises a pressure housing 231 arranged over the mould cavities and forms an outside chamber 232, having a chamber port 236 in fluid communication with the mould cavities. Chamber port 236 is adapted to be connected to the pressure line 252 of the fluid circuit, such that in a first phase the pressurized fluid stream is allowed to enter via the chamber port 236 into the mould cavities 203 and then via the wall part porous structure 204a, 204b through the at least one passage 207, and exit via the passage port 208 and/or secondary passage port 210 to the return line 253 of the fluid circuit.

[0124] In a second cleaning phase a cleaning fluid stream is allowed to enter into the at least one passage 207, via the passage port 208 and/or secondary passage port 210, while closing the other passage port, and flow through the wall part porous structure 205 into the mould cavities 203, and then exit via the outside chamber 232 and the chamber port 236 to the return line 253 of the fluid circuit.

[0125] In a possible third cleaning phase, cleaning fluid stream is allowed to enter into the at least one passage 207 via the passage port 208 and exit the passage 207 via secondary passage port 210 or vice versa. Possibly the chamber port 236 is closed. Hence, during this cleaning phase the passages 207 are rinsed by pressurized cleaning fluid.

[0126] Possibly, the first phase is a cleaning phase, and the first, second and third cleaning phase are alternately carried out. In a possible cleaning process, primary the passages are rinsed in the above-described third cleaning phase, and subsequently the cavities are cleaned by allowing the pressurized fluid stream to flow from the passages to the outside chamber in the above-described second cleaning phase, and subsequently the cavities are cleaned by allowing the pressurized fluid stream to flow from the outside chamber to the passages in the above-described first cleaning phase. Possibly, the second phase is repeated thereafter, and a sequence of multiple second and first phases is conceivable as well.