INJECTION MOLDING SYSTEM FOR A FAT-CONTAINING PRODUCT

Abstract

An injection molding system (1) is described, for at least one fat-containing product in at least one die (9), equipped with at least one injection means (3), the injection means (3) being equipped therein with at least one injection channel (2), the system (1) comprising at least one heating element (5) arranged inside the injection means (3) in parallel with the injection channel (2) and at least one male half-shell (8) of the die (9), connected to at least one lower surface of at least one cooled support means (7).

Claims

1. An injection molding system of at least one fat-containing product in a die, equipped with at least one injection element, the injection element being equipped therein with an injection channel the injection element being fastened to at least one conveying element of the fat-containing product through a heated junction element, the system comprising: at least one heating element arranged inside the injection element to the injection channel; a male half-shell of the die connected to a lower surface of a cooled support element; the system comprising a gas insulating system comprising an element for entering an insulating gas and an adjusting element, each one of the element for entering and the adjusting element being connected to a lower surface of the heated junction element, the gas insulating system being adapted to enable an entry of the insulating gas, through the element for entering, inducing a thermal insulation between the half-shell and the injection element, the gas insulating system being adapted to convey the gas, through the adjusting element, into the transit area, and to make it go out of the transit area, through the through-holes of the cooled support element, inducing a control of the physical conditions of the die.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the male half-shell is equipped with an internal room and with a thermal insulating element, the thermal insulating element being connected to a lower end of the injection channel of the injection element.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the thermal insulating element is fastened to an internal surface of the internal room of the male half-shell.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the male half-shell is adapted to cooperate with a female half-shell of the die delimiting a volume, the volume being adapted to house the fat-containing product injected by the injection element, and to provide a shaped solid of the fat-containing product.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein an upper end of the injection channel of the injection element is linearly coupled with a conductive element of the conveying element through the heated junction element.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the injection element is equipped with a first sealing element adapted to prevent the fat-containing product from leaking next to the linear coupling, between the conductive element and said upper end of the injection channel.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooled support element is equipped with: a central hole adapted to enable an insertion of the injection element into the internal room of the male half-shell, and an insertion of an adjusting element inside a volume delimited by a coupling between the injection element and the male half-shell; a plurality of through-holes arranged in parallel with the injection element.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the heated junction element is in contact with the cooled support element through a second sealing element, said heated junction element and the cooled support element delimiting a transit area.

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

Description

[0016] The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the injection molding system according to the present invention; and

[0018] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the main components of the injection molding system according to the present invention.

[0019] With reference to FIG. 1, it is possible to note that the injection molding system 1, in a die 9, of a fat-containing product, such as for example melted chocolate with or without solid inclusions or other similar one, is equipped with at least one injection means 3, such as for example a duct with variable area, or a nozzle or other suitable one, advantageously converging and with a frustum-of-cone section; the fat-containing product slides at its melted state, from the bigger to the smaller diameter, inside the injection means 3 in at least one injection channel 2 with internal calibrated hole.

[0020] The above mentioned system 1 substantially comprises: [0021] at least one heating element 5 arranged in a cylindrical chamber inside the injection means 3 in parallel with said injection channel 2, the heating element 5, such as, for example, a resistance with armored spark plug, or a high-efficiency resistance of the Masterflow type, or a band-type resistance, advantageously assumes a cylindrical shape and guarantees a homogeneous distribution of heat: it is wholly evident that the heating element 5 can be composed of any other means adapted to reach the above objects. Moreover, the heating element 5 is possibly equipped with at least one thermal regulating element, placed in the distal part of the heating element 5, allowing an accurate detection and regulation of the product temperature; [0022] at least one male half-shell 8 of the die 9, such as for example a suitably shaped punch or other similar one, connected to at least one cooled support means 7, for example through bolt-type junctions or chemical fastening, the half-shell 8 being equipped with at least one internal room, adapted to enable at least one coupling of the injection means 3 with the half-shell 8.

[0023] The half-shell 8 is further equipped with at least one thermal insulating means 10, such as for example a diathermal bush made of insulating material. The thermal insulating means 10 is fastened to at least one internal surface of the internal room of the half-shell 8, and is connected with at least one lower end of the injection channel 2 of the injection means 3, in order to prevent the lower end of the injection means 3 from heating the half-shell 8.

[0024] In particular, the half-shell 8 is adapted to cooperate with at least one female half-shell 9, delimiting at least one volume 16, the volume 16 being adapted to house and contain the fat-containing product injected by the injection means 3, and to impress the desired shape to the product.

[0025] The injection means 3 is fastened to at least one conveying means 17 of the fat-containing product through at least one heated junction means 6 such as, for example, a plane flange, a step, a metallic gasket, a simple or double chamber, allowing a linear coupling between at least one conductive element 19, with which the conveying means 17 are equipped, and at least one upper end of the injection channel 2 of the injection means 3; moreover, the injection means 3 are possibly equipped with at least one first sealing element 4, such as, for example, a static sealing gasket, a toric or square section, made of silicone, or another material, guaranteeing that the fat-containing product does not leak next to the coupling between the conductive element 19 and the upper end of the injection channel 2.

[0026] Moreover, the injection means 3 are coupled with the half-shell 8 by fastening the lower end of the injection channel 2, of the injection means 3, in the bush 10 of the half-shell 8, the coupling between the injection means 3 and the half-shell 8 delimiting a volume 11a adapted to insert the adjusting means 12 of the gas insulating system, into the internal room of the half-shell 8.

[0027] The cooled support means 7, such as for example a flange or a plate, or other suitable one, are equipped with at least one central hole adapted to enable the insertion of the injection means 3 into the internal room of the half-shell 8, and the insertion of the adjusting means 12 inside the volume 11a; moreover, the cooled support means 7 are equipped with at least two through-holes 15, suitably arranged also in parallel with the injection means 3.

[0028] Moreover, the system 1 according to the present invention can comprise at least one gas insulating system, comprising at least one means for entering 11 at least one insulating gas (preferably dry air), such as for example an entry mouth or other similar one, and at least one adjusting means 12, such as for example a baffle or other similar one, the adjusting means 12 being connected to a surface of the heated junction means 6 through mechanical, chemical or other suitable fastening.

[0029] The gas insulating system is adapted to enable the entry of at least one insulating gas, such as for example dry air, through the means for entering 11, between the injection means 3 and the half-shell 8, possibly also inside the volume 11a, inducing the thermal insulation between the half-shell 8, cooled by the cooled support means 7, and the injection means 3, heated by the heating element 5, and afterwards to convey, through the adjusting means 12, the insulating gas in the transit area 13. Afterwards, the insulating gas, through the adjusting means 12, outflows from the area 13 towards the die 9, through one or more through-holes 15, of the cooled support means 7.

[0030] Moreover, the gas insulating system allows regulating and controlling the dew point of the half-shell 8 and of the die 9, till the shaped solid is obtained.

[0031] In addition, the cooled support means 7 and the heated junction means 6 delimit a transit area 13, being mutually connected through at least one second sealing element 14, such as for example a gasket, a toric or square section, made of silicone, or other material, adapted for this purpose.