Fiber orienting technology for a fill plate

Abstract

An apparatus and method for accelerating food product in order to cause the product to be stretched aligning the fibers of the product.

Claims

1. A fill plate for a food patty molding machine comprising: a multiplicity of orifices in said fill plate; said fill plate being flat; each of said orifices extending from top of said fill plate to bottom of said fill plate; each of said orifices adapted to create a venturi effect on a moldable food product as it passes through said fill plate which results in a product acceleration with a corresponding pressure drop through said orifices.

2. The fill plate of claim 1 wherein said moldable food product comprises meat.

3. The fill plate of claim 2 wherein said fill plate reduces release and mixing of myosin with actin in said meat.

4. The fill plate of claim 2 wherein said fill plate controls orientation of fiber in said meat.

5. The fill plate of claim 2 wherein said acceleration of food product causes said meat to be stretched, aligning fibers of said food product.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an unassembled view of a fill plate and stripper plate of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is an assembled view of a fill plate and stripper plate of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a side view of an embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a top view of an embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is an illustration of a venturi design of the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows an unassembled view of a fill plate 10, stripper plate 12 and a top plate 14.

(7) FIG. 2 shows an assembled view of the fill plate 10, stripper plate 12 and top plate 14, further comprising a stripper plate spacer and hold down 16, a cylindrical section 18 and a curved section 20.

(8) FIG. 3 shows a side view of the patty molding machine having an auger driver motor 30 an auger 32, knockouts 34 and a shear plate drive cylinder 36.

(9) FIG. 4 shows a top view of an embodiment of the present invention, having a stripper plate drive 40, a fill and stripper plate assembly 42, a mold plate 44 and a draw bar 46.

(10) FIG. 5 shows a venturi 100 comprising a diameter 102, angle transition 104, throat length 106 and discharge 108.

(11) The present invention relates to fiber orientation technology. The fiber orientation technology drops pressure across the fill plate, aligns the fibers of meat so that the contraction of the muscle fiber that does take place is in a direction of choice controlling both bite and shrinkage. The fiber orientation technology provides a lower resistance to product flow using a wider opening.

(12) The fiber orientation technology provides a better shear surface for a cleaner cut. The fiber orientation technology aligns the fibers in the fill hole so the shearing action disrupts as few muscle cells as possible. The fiber orientation technology decreases the total area of metal fill plate blocking the meat flow resulting in less direction change to the product which works the meat. The fiber orientation technology pulls the meat fiber through the fill hole instead of pushing using the principles of the venturi/choke plate.

(13) All of these characteristics of fiber orientation technology reduce the release and mixing of myosin with actin, the net effect is a controlled orientation of the fiber, less myosin activity resulting in a better bite/bind and control over the final cook shape.

(14) Spherical geometry in fill or stripper plate creates venturi effects.

(15) The process of the present invention makes a patty cool uniformly and soften the texture/bite of the product.

(16) A food patty molding machine has a mold plate and at least one mold cavity therein. A mold plate drive is connected to the mold plate for driving the mold plate along a given path, and a repetitive cycle, between a fill position and a discharge position. A food pump pumps a moldable food product through a fill passage connecting the food pump to the mold cavity when the mold plate is in the fill position. A fill plate, interposed in the fill passage immediately adjacent to the mold plate has a multiplicity of fill orifices distributed in a predetermined pattern throughout an area aligned with the mold cavity when the mold plate is in fill position. The fill orifices define paths through the fill plate, wherein some of the paths each have a path portion obliquely angled or perpendicular to the fill side of the mold plate. The paths consist of spherical intersections or a curved structure. The side of the fill plate which is in contact with the stripper consists of a spherical hemisphere or curved structure which has a diameter approximately 1.1 to 2.5 times greater than a cylindrical portion which intersect the top of the mold plate perpendicularly or at an angle of less than or equal to about +/75 degrees, or about +/45 degrees in a preferred embodiment as measured from vertical in the longitudinal direction of the mold plate. By a reduction in the cross-sectional area a choked-flow condition is created. By using spherical sections or a curved structure, intersections between cylinder and spheres or curved structures create transitions which can be manufactured whose geometry approaches a venturi style system. It is preferred to have a sharper edge from the edge to the hole. To get a perfect edge it is preferred to sharpen with a grinder.

(17) In a preferred embodiment, the fill plate is chrome coated on the side adjacent to the stripper plate with a material significantly harder than the fill plate material. This is because the stripper plate wears out. The piece is approximately 39 Rockwell C. It becomes approximately 60-65 Rockwell C. The material is applied in a thickness to facilitate a surface which cuts the food product upon movement of a stripper plate. The material goes from about 1/1000.sup.th of an inch to about 10/1000.sup.th of an inch with the chrome. A cutting hemisphere into bottom of plate, with a cylinder.

(18) A stripper plate is interposed in the fill passage immediately adjacent to the fill plate. The stripper plate is movable in a direction transverse to the mold plate, between the fill and discharge locations. The stripper plate has a multiplicity of fill openings aligned one-for-one with the fill orifices in the fill plate when the stripper plate is in fill position. A stripper plate drive is synchronized with the mold plate drive, such that the movement of the stripper plate facilitates the cutting of the meat product, which was pushed through the fill plate by the food pump. The stripper plate drive moves the stripper plate to its discharge position, in each mold cycle, before the mold plate moves appreciably toward the discharge location. The stripper plate drive maintains the stripper plate in the discharge position until the mold plate cavity is displaced beyond the fill orifices.

(19) The fill paths can be in a direction to the front or rear of the machine. All fill paths consist of a hemispherical shape which is intersected by a cylindrical shape at an angle less or equal to about +/75 degrees of vertical, and preferably about +/45 degrees of vertical.

(20) The use of spherical geometry, with cylindrical intersections, and the ratio of the diameter of the sphere divided by the diameter of the cylinder is approximately 1.1 to 2.5 creates conditions to meat flow which maintain improved cell structure.

(21) Using conservation of mass and conservation of energy principles the volume rate of flow must be equal at all points in the systems. (.sub.1A.sub.1V.sub.1)=(.sub.2A.sub.2V.sub.2). Since is a constant, velocity is inversely proportional to cross sectional area. Also, a venturi requires a ramp of some finite distance and a throat which also has a finite distance.

(22) A spherical geometry feeding into a circular cross section which creates a product velocity increased while maintaining more consistent pressure on the meat. A sphere has the following properties: All points on a sphere are the same distance from a fixed point. Contours and plane sections of spheres are circles. Spheres have the same width and girth. Spheres have maximum volume with minimum surface area. These properties allow meat to flow with minimum interruptions. There are no static or dead zones. No matter what angle the cylinder intersects the sphere; the cross section is always a perfect circle. Pressure inside of a sphere is uniform in all directions.

(23) When meat is passed through a circular cross section of a sphere, the fact that pressure is uniform in a sphere creates forces which will be coaxial with the sphere. The reduction in area accelerates the meat through the cylindrical section of the fill plate. The acceleration has been shown empirically to align fibers in the primary direct of flow. Hence, there is fiber orientation.