Method of making chocolate

Abstract

A method of making chocolate is provided, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a mouthpiece that can contain chocolate; (b) receiving the prepared chocolate into the mouthpiece and installing a temperature sensor and/or a heater into the mouthpiece; (c) connecting the mouthpiece of step (b) with a smokable aerosol product main body to complete the making procedure. The chocolate prepared by this method enables a dual consumption regime of both retail consumption and realistic smoking aerosol experience.

Claims

1. A method of making chocolate, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a mouthpiece that can contain the chocolate; wherein the mouthpiece comprises a mouthpiece main body and a mouth end removably coupled to the mouthpiece main body, wherein the mouthpiece main body has an inner wall, a middle wall and an outer wall arranged in sequence from the inner to the outer wall with enclosing structures, the inner wall structure forming an aerosol channel, the middle wall and inner wall forming a chocolate receiving cavity therebetween surrounding the aerosol channel, and the outer wall and the middle wall forming a heater receiving cavity therebetween surrounding the chocolate receiving cavity; (b) producing a prepared chocolate, wherein the prepared chocolate comprises granulated chocolate beans and a chocolate column, wherein: the granulated chocolate beans are produced by a process comprising: forming a plurality of lines of chocolate on a cooling plate from an arrayed conveying duct; using a cutting-off plate to block the chocolate within the arrayed conveying duct from continuing to fall after the plurality of chocolate lines are formed; dividing the plurality of chocolate lines into chocolate dots using arrayed blades; and cooling the chocolate dots to form the granulated chocolate beans; and the chocolate column is made by a process comprising: making a paper mould with a hollow solid enclosing structure; injecting pulped chocolate into the hollow solid enclosing structure to form a filled mould; conveying the filled mould through a midstream dry ice chamber to cool the pulped chocolate; and collecting the mould containing the cooled chocolate column, wherein the column of chocolate can be removed from the mould in use: (c) receiving the prepared chocolate from step (b) into the chocolate receiving cavity of the mouthpiece and installing a temperature sensor and/or a heater into the mouthpiece; and (d) connecting the mouthpiece of step (c) with a smokable aerosol product main body to complete the making procedure.

2. The method of claim 1, characterized in that, the mouth end has a closed structure which abuts against the inner wall to form an air flow barrier between the chocolate receiving cavity and the aerosol channel, with at least one through hole in communication with the chocolate receiving cavity, when the mouth end is coupled to the mouthpiece main body.

3. The method of claim 1, characterized in that, the chocolate receiving cavity comprises a carrier portion extending between and secured to the inner wall and the middle wall; the carrier portion defining at least one thermometric aperture configured to permit temperature measurement of chocolate within the chocolate receiving activity; and an end of the heater receiving cavity proximate the mouth end has a sealing ring.

4. The method of claim 1, characterized in that, the granulated chocolate bean has a diameter of 1-5 mm and the geometry of the chocolate column matches the geometry of the chocolate receiving cavity, the geometry of the chocolate column being selected from a group consisting of a hollow cylinder, a hollow prism, and a hollow elliptical column, wherein the chocolate column has walls of pre-set thickness, the pre-set thickness being 2-5 mm.

5. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the cooling plates is made of metal; the array blades have a spacing of less than 6 mm between two adjacent blades, each of which has a thickness of 1-3 mm, so that adjacent dots of the chocolate dots can be divided with spatial distances between them; and the surface of the paper mould is in contact with the pulped chocolate.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, step (c) comprises: the chocolate receiving cavity comprises a carrier portion, extending between and secured to the inner wall and the middle wall, the carrier portion defining at least one thermometric aperture; an end of the heater receiving cavity proximate the mouth end has a sealing ring; placing the prepared chocolate into the chocolate receiving cavity such that the carrier portion supports the chocolate, then connecting the mouth end with the mouthpiece main body; mounting the heater into the heater receiving cavity, and/or mounting at least one temperature sensor into the chocolate receiving cavity on the other side opposite to the side of the carrier portion supporting the chocolate, capping at the bottom of the chocolate receiving chamber by a sealing cap and directing signal wires through apertures at the bottom of the sealing cap, and sealing the apertures with sealant.

7. The method of claim 6, characterized in that, the heater is a coil or a microwave radiation device, the temperature sensor is an infrared temperature sensor, the current temperature of the chocolate is calculated by a spectroscopy processor provided in the main body of the smokable aerosol product by receiving the infrared rays emitted by the chocolate in real time to the temperature sensor, a controller provided in the main body of the smokable aerosol product controls the heater to be turned off when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined temperature is 37-60 C., the sealing cap is screwed and the sealant comprises at least one of glass glue, silicone grease and epoxy.

9. The method of claim 7, characterized in that, when no heater is installed in the heater receiving cavity, an alarm is installed in the smokable aerosol product main body to notify a smoker to stop suction to avoid smoke further heating the prepared chocolate.

10. The method of claim 7, characterized in that the inner wall and the middle wall forming one side of the chocolate receiving cavity are provided with paper having a surface configured to facilitate release of the prepared chocolate.

11. The method of claim 9, characterized in that the inner wall and the middle wall forming one side of the chocolate receiving cavity are provided with paper having a surface configured to facilitate release of the prepared chocolate.

12. The method of claim 7, characterized in that, step (d) comprises: installing the temperature sensor and the heater and forming a detachable electrical connection between a signal line from the temperature sensor and a lead-out terminal of a spectrum processor via a pluggable interface, the heater being also electrically connected through a detachable electrical connection between lead-out wires and a controller lead-out terminal via a pluggable interface, connecting the mouthpiece to the smokable aerosol product main body after the electrical connection of the signal wires and heater is completed, the connection between the mouthpiece and the smokable aerosol product main body is achieved by snapping or threading with no more than 3 revolutions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A-1D is a schematic of the process for making chocolate beans according to the first example of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a schematic representation of the upstream multiple passes of chocolate line formation process,

(2) FIG. 1B is a schematic view of the result of chocolate process with multiple passes of chocolate lines completely formed and the flexible chocolate cut off by the cutting-off plate, FIG. 1C is a schematic view of a midstream arrayed blades structure and a cooling plate carrying multiple passes of chocolate lines conveyed below the arrayed blades (the arrayed blade structure is drawn alongside the conveyor belt for clarity), FIG. 1D is a schematic view of an arrayed blades on its way to a downstream cooling zone, after cutting multiple passes of chocolate lines and forming a chocolate lattice.

(3) FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the process for making a chocolate column of the hollow solid enclosing structure of the second example of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the structure of a smokable aerosol product of the third example of the present invention having a mouthpiece that can accommodate chocolate beans prepared as in the first example, or a column of chocolate with hollow solid enclosing structure prepared as in the second example.

(5) FIG. 4A-4D is a schematic view of the installation of a hollow chocolate cylinder, a heater and a temperature sensor, wherein FIG. 4A is a schematic of the process of detaching the mouth end from the mouthpiece main body to place the hollow chocolate cylinder, FIG. 4B is a schematic view of the process of connecting the mouth end to the mouthpiece main body after the hollow chocolate cylinder has been placed in FIG. 4A, FIG. 4C is a schematic view of the results after mounting of the fixed coil and mounting of the lid infrared temperature sensor lead-out signal wire, and FIG. 4D is a schematic top view of the mouthpiece body with orientation indicated by the sealing ring surface B in FIG. 4A, wherein the mouthpiece main body in FIG. 4A-4C is a schematic view of a cross-sectional structure oriented as shown in radial cross-section A of the top view structure in FIG. 4D.

(6) The reference numerals wherein are as follows: 1 smokable aerosol product main body, 2 battery, 3 controller, 4 spectrum processor, 5 aerosol generating substrate generation zone, 6 mouthpiece, 6-1 mouthpiece main body, 6-2 mouth end, 7 inner wall, 8 middle wall, 9 outer wall, 10 aerosol channel, 11 chocolate receiving cavity, 12 heater receiving cavity, 13 closed structure, 14 through hole, 15 thermometry hole, 16 carrier, 17 coil, 18 infrared temperature sensor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Example 1

(7) This example first illustrates the method of making the chocolate beans, as shown in FIG. 1A, cooling plates made of food grade metal plates equidistantly spaced from one another on a conveyor belt are being transported, and the arrayed conveying ducts start to apply the chocolate to the surface of the cooling plate, when the front end of the cooling plate reaches a pre-set position, and the chocolate output from the array conveying ducts forms multiple lines of chocolate on the surface of the cooling plate, as the cooling plate moves.

(8) As in FIG. 1B, when multiple passes of chocolate lines are formed to a pre-set length, a cutting-off plate provided on one side of the arrayed conveying ducts passes through the output port to cut the flow of chocolate. When the flexible chocolate falls again, just touches one end of the next cooling plate, again continues to move to form a second plurality of lines of chocolate, and the flow of chocolate is cut to work in this continuous cycle. Multiple sets of multiple lines of chocolate are formed.

(9) As shown in FIG. 1C, when the cooling plate carrying multiple passes of chocolate lines is transported by the conveyor belt to midstream, after the cooling plate is directly opposed to the arrayed blades with a spacing of 4 mm between two adjacent blades and each blade having a thickness of 2.5 mm, the arrayed blades are pressed down to cut multiple passes of chocolate lines to form a chocolate lattice (as shown in FIG. 1D).

(10) As in FIG. 1D, the chocolate lattice is transported to the downstream cooling zone for cooling and hardening and output to form chocolate beans, which are finally collected and packaged.

Example 2

(11) This example will illustrate the method of making a chocolate column of the hollow solid enclosing structure, as shown in FIG. 2, pre-fabricating a paper mould of a plurality of hollow solid enclosing structures, which is put on a conveyor belt to be conveyed to an injection port, such that the hollow faces the injection port position, injecting the pulped chocolate from the injection port into the hollow. The pulped chocolate supplied at the injection port is cut off when it is about to be full, waiting for the next mould to reach the injection port to continue to open supply. The moulds are then conveyed to a midstream dry ice chamber for cooling, and the cooled moulds exit from the dry ice chamber are continued for downstream collection and packaging. Packaging requires a tearable seal film layer to the top surface of the mold.

Example 3

(12) This embodiment describes a solution for a mouthpiece reality smoking experience. As shown in FIG. 3, the smokable aerosol product in the present invention having a mouthpiece that can accommodate chocolate beans prepared as in Example 1 or a column of chocolate in a hollow solid enclosing structure prepared as in Example 2, comprises a smokable aerosol product main body 1 in which is provided a battery 2, a controller 3, a spectroscopy processor 4 in electrical connection with the controller 3, and an aerosol-generating substrate generation zone 5, and a mouthpiece 6 in connection with the smokable aerosol product main body 1. The aerosol-generating substrate generation zone 5 is provided with a cartridge, an atomizer, an aerosol transport channel (not shown) in communication with aerosol channel in the mouthpiece.

(13) Based on the mouthpiece 6 in the smokable aerosol product described above, the present embodiment describes a chocolate making method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a mouthpiece that can contain the chocolate; (b) receiving the prepared chocolate into the mouthpiece and installing a temperature sensor and/or a heater into the mouthpiece; (c) connecting the mouthpiece of step (b) with a smokable aerosol product main body to complete the making procedure.

(14) As shown in FIG. 4A, the mouthpiece in step (a) comprises a mouthpiece main body 6-1, a mouth end 6-2 removably coupled to the mouthpiece main body 6-1, wherein the mouthpiece main body 6-1 has an inner wall 7, a middle wall 8 and an outer wall 9 with a surrounding structure disposed in sequence from inside to outside, the surrounding inner wall 7 structurally forming an aerosol channel 10, the middle wall 8 and the inner wall 9 forming a chocolate receiving cavity 11 therebetween surrounding the aerosol channel 10, and the outer wall 9 and the middle wall 8 forming a heater receiving cavity 12 therebetween surrounding the chocolate receiving cavity 11.

(15) The chocolate is a chocolate cylinder of hollow solid enclosing structure in the embodiment 2 that matches the geometry of the chocolate receiving cavity. The chocolate receiving cavity 11 comprises a carrier portion 16, formed in chocolate receiving cavity 11, with 2 thermometric holes 15 secured to the inner wall 7 and the middle wall 8. The top of the heater receiving cavity 12 has a sealing ring. The prepared hollow chocolate cylinder is placed into the chocolate receiving cavity 11 as in direction of the arrows in FIG. 4A, such that the carrier 16 supports the hollow chocolate cylinder.

(16) The mouth end 6-2 having a closed structure 13. When the mouth end 6-2 is connected to the mouthpiece main body 6-1 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4B, the closing structure 13 abuts against the inner wall 7, forming an air flow barrier between the chocolate containment chamber 11 and the aerosol channel 10 (FIG. 4C), with the mouth end 6-2 having 2 through holes 14 in communication with the chocolate containment chamber 11 for discharging chocolate aroma. As shown in FIG. 4C, the closing structure 13 simultaneously acts as a passage for aerosol transmission.

(17) After connecting (snapping or screw connection) the mouth end 6-2 with the mouthpiece main body 6-1 as in FIG. 4B, as also shown in FIG. 4C, mounting the coil 17 into the heater receiving chamber 12. Two infrared temperature sensors 18 are installed into the chocolate containment chamber 11 on the other side opposite to the side of the carrier 16 supporting the chocolate, screwing on the cap closure at the bottom of the chocolate containment chamber 11 by means of a sealing thread, and directing signal lines from fine apertures (not shown in FIG. 4C) at the bottom of the sealing cap, and sealing the fine apertures with sealant (such as at least one of glass glue, silicone grease, epoxy, etc.).

(18) A detachable electrical connection between the signal line and the spectrum processor 4 lead-out terminal (not shown in FIG. 3) via a pluggable interface (neither shown in FIG. 3 nor FIG. 4C) is achieved, and the coil 17 is electrically connected through a pluggable interface (both not shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4C), also through a detachable electrical connection, with the lead-out wires (not shown in FIG. 4C) and the controller 3 lead-out terminals (not shown in FIG. 3), and finally the mouthpiece 6 is snap-connected to the smokable aerosol product main body 1 after electrical connection of the signal wires and coil is completed.

(19) The infrared temperature sensor 18 calculates the current chocolate temperature by the spectrum processor 4 provided in the main body 1 of the smokable aerosol product by receiving infrared rays emitted by the chocolate into the thermometer hole 15 in real time. When the temperature exceeds a pre-set temperature of 50 C., the controller 3 controls the coil 17 to be turned off, i.e., controls the power supply 2 to stop outputting power to the coil 17.

(20) Even when the coil 17 is not installed in the heater receiving chamber 12 in FIG. 4C, since the heat transferred from the smoke will heat and soften the chocolate, the infrared temperature sensor 18 can also measure the chocolate temperature, and at this point an alarm (both not shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4C) will be installed in the smokable aerosol product main body 1 to notice the smoker to stop suction to avoid further heating of the chocolate by the smoke.