METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CONSUMABLE PRODUCT

Abstract

A method for producing a consumable product (18), in particular a chocolate product, from at least two shell shapes (13, 13.1, 13.2), which are connected to one another, at least in part, along their shell peripheries (12, 12.1, 12.2), wherein a liquid consumable substance (3) is introduced into a mold (2) and then at least one die (4) is plunged into the consumable substance (3) and, by virtue of the consumable substance (3) at least partially solidifying in the mold, a shell shape (13, 13.1, 13.2) is imparted to said consumable substance, and wherein a second die (5) is introduced into the shell shape (13) and, by virtue of said die, a peripheral region of the shell shape is compressed in the upward direction.

Claims

1. A method for producing a consumable product (18), in particular a chocolate product, from at least two shell shapes (13, 13.1, 13.2), which are connected to one another, at least in part, along their shell peripheries (12, 12.1, 12.2), wherein a liquid consumable substance (3) is introduced into a mold (2) and then at least one die (4) is plunged into the consumable substance (3) and, by virtue of the consumable substance (3) at least partially solidifying in the mold, a shell shape (13, 13.1, 13.2) is imparted to said consumable substance, and wherein a second die (5) is introduced into the shell shape (13) and, by virtue of said die, a peripheral region of the shell shape is compressed in the upward direction.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compression (17) takes place along the inner periphery of the shell periphery (12) of the shell shape (13).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a compressed formation (17) is accommodated by a groove (9) formed in a peripheral edge (6) of the die (5).

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first die (4) and/or the second die (5) are/is a cooled die.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dew point of the atmosphere surrounding the die(s) (4, 5) is kept below the temperature of the die(s).

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, during production of the shell shape (13), an excess amount of substance (11) along the mold periphery is separated off from the shell shape (13) by means of the die (4).

7. An apparatus for producing a consumable product (18), in particular a chocolate product, from at least two shell shapes (13, 13.1, 13.2), which are connected to one another, at least in part, along their shell peripheries (12, 12.1, 12.2), wherein the apparatus is configured such that a liquid consumable substrate (3) can be introduced into a mold (2) and then at least one die (4) can be plunged into the consumable substance (3), and wherein, by virtue of the consumable substance (3) at least partially solidifying in the mold, a shell shape (13, 13.1, 13.2) is imparted to said consumable substance, wherein the at least one die (4) has arranged downstream of it a further die (5), with an outer contour which differs from that of the first die (4), and wherein, in the region of the shell peripheries (12), the second die (5) has a larger diameter (d1), or is designed to be wider, than the first die (4).

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein, in the region of the shell peripheries (12), the second die (5) has a rectilinear or conical widening in relation to the first die (4).

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second die (5) has a peripheral edge (6) by way of which it bears on the mold (2), wherein a groove (9) is formed in the peripheral edge (6) in the region of the shell peripheries (12).

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein characterized in that the second die (5) has a peripheral edge (6) by way of which it bears on the mold (2), wherein a groove (9) is formed in the peripheral edge (6) in the region of the shell peripheries (12).

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] Further advantages, features and details of the invention can be gathered from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawing, in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a schematically illustrated side view of a first part of the apparatus according to the invention;

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a schematically illustrated side view of a first use position of the apparatus according to the invention, alongside an enlargement of a sub-region;

[0018] FIG. 3 shows a schematically illustrated side view of a further use position of the first part of the apparatus according to the invention;

[0019] FIG. 4 shows a schematically illustrated perspective view of a further operating step of the method according to the invention;

[0020] FIG. 5 shows a schematic and perspective view of a further method step, which provides an alternative to FIG. 4;

[0021] FIG. 6 shows a schematically illustrated side view of a shell shape produced by the first part of the apparatus according to the invention;

[0022] FIG. 7 shows a schematically illustrated side view of a second part of the apparatus according to the invention;

[0023] FIG. 8 shows a side view of the apparatus according to the invention from FIG. 7 in a use position, alongside an enlarged sub-region;

[0024] FIG. 9 shows a schematically illustrated side view of that part of the apparatus according to the invention which is shown in FIG. 7, this time in a further use position;

[0025] FIG. 10 shows a schematically illustrated side view of part of the apparatus according to the invention produced following the further operating step, and also a sub-region illustrated on an enlarged scale;

[0026] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of two parts of the apparatus according to FIG. 10, which are being swung together;

[0027] FIG. 12 shows a cross section through a chocolate product produced by the method according to the invention, alongside an enlarged sub-region; and

[0028] FIG. 13 shows side views of different embodiments of a second die.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] An apparatus according to the invention for producing a chocolate product has a mold 1, which contains a chocolate substance 3 in a mold cavity 2. Said mold 2 is assigned a first die 4.

[0030] In a second part of the apparatus according to the invention, in FIG. 7, the mold 1 is assigned a second die 5. The latter has a peripheral edge 6 for positioning on a surface 7 of the mold 1. A peripheral groove 9 is provided between the peripheral edge 6 and an actual die body 8. However, said groove is not imperative, as is shown in FIG. 13. The embodiment of the second die A corresponds to that of the first die according to FIGS. 1 and 2; the embodiment of the second die B corresponds to that shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. According to the embodiment E, it is also possible for the peripheral edge to be left out altogether, and therefore there is no groove provided either. In this case, the compression is achieved by a lower pressing depth.

[0031] In addition, in the region beneath the groove 9, the die body 8 has a diameter d1, which is slightly larger than a diameter d2 of the first die 4 in this region. In other words, the second die 5 widens slightly in this upper region of the die body 8, which is also located in the region of the shell peripheries which will be described at a later stage in the text.

[0032] The method according to the invention for producing the consumable product, in particular the chocolate product, proceeds as follows:

[0033] According to FIG. 1, a liquid consumable product, in particular liquid chocolate 3, is introduced into the cavity 2 of the mold 1. The die 4 is then plunged into the mold cavity 2 and into the liquid chocolate 3. This die 4 is a cooled die, its temperature being kept above the dew point of the atmosphere surrounding the consumable article. This is described in DE 197 32 036 A1, to which particular reference is made here. This ensures that the die, which is subjected to the action of a cooling liquid at approximately 20 C., does not become covered with moisture. Since the die for example plunges at a cycle rate of approximately 6 cycles per minute into chocolate heated to 28 C. to 32 C., the temperature of the die surface is increased to approximately 0 C. to 2 C., while the dew point of the atmosphere surrounding the consumable article is kept at approximately 15 C. Even if there are fluctuations in the temperature of the cooling liquid, in the extent to which the air is dehumidified, etc., it is thus reliably ensured that the temperature of the die or of the die surface is always kept above the dew point of the atmosphere surrounding the consumable article.

[0034] According to FIG. 2, then, the die 4 comes into contact with a surface 10 of the mold 1 by way of a peripheral edge 6.1. If, when the die 4 plunges into the chocolate substance 3, an excess amount of chocolate substance is forced out of the mold cavity 2, this excess amount 11 is pinched off from the peripheral edge 6.1, as is described in DE 102 21 524 A1, to which reference is likewise made here in full. This results in a shell contour which precisely replicates the interspace between the die 4 and mold cavity 2, closed off by the peripheral edge 6.1. In particular, the resulting shell periphery 12, which corresponds precisely to the course taken by the peripheral edge 6.1, constitutes a relatively smooth termination.

[0035] According to FIG. 3, the die 4 has been moved out of the mold 2, and the chocolate substance has now solidified, at least on its surface or the region of its surface, and thus forms a shell shape 13. The figure also shows the ring 14 of excess substance 11 separated from the shell shape 13.

[0036] According to FIG. 4, then, this ring 14 can be cut off from the surface 10 of the mold 2 by a scraper 15, as is likewise described in DE 102 21 524 A1. As an alternative to this, it is also possible for the excess substance 11 to be rolled off by a roller 16, referred to as a wiper roller. The result, according to FIG. 6, is a precisely contoured shell shape 13.

[0037] The mold 2 with the shell shape 13 is then transported beneath the second die 5 according to FIG. 7. This die 5 is also preferably a cooled die corresponding to DE 197 32 036 and the description relating to the first die.

[0038] According to FIG. 8, the second die 5 is then plunged into the shell shape 13, which has solidified merely at its surface, but is still soft within. However, the widening of the die 5 as a result of the slightly larger diameter d1 in relation to d2 of the die 4 produces, in the upper region of the shell shape 13, a compressed formation 17, which is formed in a manner similar to a peripheral bead. This takes place by virtue of chocolate substance being displaced in the upper region by the widening of the die 5, it being possible for the compressed formation 17 to yield into the groove 9. The corresponding, finished shell shape 13 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

[0039] In order to produce a desired hollow body 18 like that illustrated in FIG. 12, then, two molds 2.1 and 2.2 each with a shell shape 13.1 and 13.2 are swung onto one another, as indicated by the arrow 19 in FIG. 11. The two compressed formations 17 here come into contact with one another and form an inwardly directed kiss mouth 20 made up of two lips. The shell peripheries 12.1 and 12.2, however, lie flat against one another, and a good connection is therefore ensured.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference signs Mold 4 7 Mold cavity 5 8 Chocolate 6 9 substance First die 7 0 Second die 8 1 Peripheral edge 9 2 Surface 0 3 Die body 1 4 Groove 2 5 0 Surface 3 6 1 Excess 4 7 amount/excess substance 2 Shell periphery 5 8 3 Shell shape 6 9 4 Ring 7 5 Scraper 8 6 Roller 9 7 Compressed 0 formation 8 Hollow body 1 9 Arrow 2 0 Kiss mouth 3 1 4 2 5 3 6 4 7 5 8 6 9 7 0 8 1 9 2 0 3 1 4 2 5 3 6