Apparatus for Mixing Powdery Baking Ingredients with Water

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (2) for mixing powdery baking ingredients with water. The apparatus (2) comprises a mixing chamber (4) which is inclined at a gradient and is preferably vertical, which has in an upper head region (6) at least one opening (8) for powdery baking ingredients falling into the mixing chamber (4) and in which there is arranged at least one nozzle (10) from which water (12) is ejected at a pressure of at least 30 bar from at least one nozzle opening (14). The nozzle opening (14) is directed at a mechanical obstruction (16) within the mixing chamber (4). Water (12) spraying out of the nozzle opening (14), together with the supplied baking ingredients, impacts the obstruction (16) in an impact region (20). Below the mixing chamber (4) there is arranged a container (24) which is provided with a cover (22) and which is connected, in a dough-conveying manner, to a discharge opening (26) of the mixing chamber (4). The apparatus has a suction device (32) for baking ingredient dust from the container (24), which has a suction opening (34) on the container (24), an inlet opening (36) into the mixing chamber (4) and a recycling duct (38) that connects the suction opening (34) to the inlet opening (36). Thus, the suction opening (34) is arranged in the head region (40) of the container (24) and the inlet opening (36) is arranged above the impact region (20) in the mixing chamber (4).

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. An apparatus for mixing powdery baking ingredients with water, the apparatus comprising: a mixing chamber comprising an head region, the head region comprising an opening through which the powdery baking ingredients enters the mixing chamber, wherein the mixing chamber comprises a section with a downwardly inclined slope and further comprises a discharge opening opposite the head region; a first nozzle arranged inside the mixing chamber; the first nozzle comprising a first nozzle opening and configured to press water as a water jet at a pressure of at least 30 bar from the first nozzle opening into the mixing chamber; the first nozzle opening directed toward a mechanical obstacle inside the mixing chamber, wherein the water jet from the first nozzle and the powdery baking ingredients impact on the obstacle in an impact region of the mixing chamber; a container arranged below the mixing chamber and comprising a cover; the container connected to the discharge opening of the mixing chamber; a suction device comprising a suction opening connected to the container and an inlet opening connected to the mixing chamber; the suction device further comprising a recycling duct connecting the suction opening and the inlet opening with each other, wherein the suction device is configured to convey baking ingredient dust from the container to the mixing chamber; wherein the suction opening is arranged in a head region of the container and wherein the inlet opening is arranged above the impact region of the mixing chamber.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the mechanical obstacle is formed by an inner wall of the mixing chamber.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a second nozzle comprising a second nozzle opening and configured to press water as a water jet at a pressure of at least 30 bar from the second nozzle opening into the mixing chamber, wherein the mechanical obstacle is formed by the water jet pressed from the second nozzle opening, wherein the second nozzle opening of the second nozzle is oriented such that the water jet from the first nozzle opening and the water jet from the second nozzle opening cross each other in the impact region.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first nozzle comprises a nozzle body with a bottom end and with a top end opposite the bottom end, wherein the first nozzle opening is arranged at the bottom end, and wherein the inlet opening of the suction device is arranged below the top end of the nozzle body.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the suction opening is arranged in the cover of the container.

18. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the recycling duct comprises at least two bends, each bend bent at an angle at least 70 degrees.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the angle amounts to 80 degrees to 110 degrees.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the at least two bends are formed by elbows, wherein the elbows are separately openable and arranged so as to be reversibly removable in the recycling duct.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the at least two bends are formed by elbows, wherein the elbows are separately openable.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the at least two bends are formed by elbows, wherein the elbows are arranged so as to be reversibly removable in the recycling duct.

23. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a cross section of the recycling duct tapers in a direction from the suction opening toward the inlet opening.

24. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a supply socket connected to the recycling duct and configured to be regulated by a valve.

25. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a pump configured to pump water through a water supply line into the first nozzle and to generate in an interior of the first nozzle a water pressure of 30 bar to 1,000 bar.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the water pressure amounts to 50 to 200 bar.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the water pressure amounts to 80 bar to 150 bar.

28. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising at least one supply member configured to supply the powdery baking ingredients from a storage to the opening in the head region of the mixing chamber.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising a merging arrangement arranged at the opening in the head region of the mixing chamber, wherein at least one outlet of the at least one supply member opens into the merging arrangement.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising an air supply opening configured to be regulated by a valve and arranged in the merging arrangement, wherein the air supply opening is configured to suck a metered amount of air into the merging arrangement and into the mixing chamber.

Description

[0019] Further details and advantages of the invention result from the dependent claims as well as from the schematically illustrated embodiment described in the following; it is shown in:

[0020] FIG. 1 an apparatus according to the invention in a partially sectioned side illustration.

[0021] The features of the invention explained in the following can be subject matter of invention also individually or in other combinations than described and illustrated. In the following, elements of the invention that are acting in the same way are provided with a uniform reference number, provided that this is expedient.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 2 according to the invention for mixing powdery baking ingredients with water with a vertical mixing chamber in the embodiment which comprises in an upper head region 6 at least one opening 8 for powdery baking ingredients falling into the mixing chamber 4. In the meaning of the invention, the upper head region 6 is understood as the region of the mixing chamber 4 which is positioned in vertical direction above functional elements possibly arranged in the mixing chamber 4.

[0023] In the mixing chamber 4, at least one nozzle 10 is arranged from which water, illustrated in the invention as dotted lines 12, is pressed through at least one nozzle opening 14 under a pressure of at least 30 bar. The nozzle opening 14 in this context is directed toward a mechanical obstacle 16 inside the mixing chamber 4. This mechanical obstacle 16 is formed in the embodiment by the inner wall 18 of the mixing chamber 4. Water 12 which is sprayed from the nozzle opening 14 impinges together with the supplied baking ingredients onto the obstacle 16 in an impact region 20. As a result of the impact, the water mixes with the baking ingredients and, at the same time, the water is kneaded into the baking ingredients so that a dough is produced.

[0024] Below the mixing chamber 4, a container 24 provided with a cover 22 is arranged which is connected in a dough-conveying manner with a discharge opening 26 of the mixing chamber 4. In the embodiment, the connection is realized by means of a bell-shaped cover 28 that is arranged between container cover 22 and mixing chamber 4 and into which a lower end of the mixing chamber 4 projects through an opening 30 of the bell-shaped cover 28 in the upper region, wherein the bell-shaped cover 28 in addition is placed about an opening 31 in the container cover 22. The path to the exterior of the apparatus 2 is blocked in this way for powdery baking ingredients.

[0025] The apparatus 2 comprises a suction device 32 for baking ingredient dust from the container 24. The suction device 32 comprises a suction opening 34 at the container 24, an inlet opening 36 into the mixing chamber 4, and a recycling duct 38 which connects the suction opening 34 and the inlet opening 36 to each other. The suction opening 34 is arranged in this context in the head region 40 of the container 24 and the inlet opening 36 above the impact region 20 in the mixing chamber 4. The head region 40 of the container 24 in the meaning of the invention is understood as the region above the dough positioned on the bottom of the container 24 and thus the head space located thereabove inside the container 24.

[0026] The nozzle 10 in the interior of the mixing chamber 4 comprises a nozzle body 42 with a bottom end 44 at which the nozzle opening 14 is arranged and an oppositely positioned top end 46. The inlet opening 36 is arranged in the mixing chamber 4 below the top end 46 of the nozzle body. Baking ingredient dust exiting from the inlet opening 36 during operation as well as small dough particles therefore do not deposit from above on nozzle body 42.

[0027] The recycling duct 38 comprises in the embodiment three bends of at least 70 degrees, respectively, in particular of 80 to 110 degrees. The bends are formed by elbows 48. The elbows 48 can be separately opened and are moreover arranged in the recycling duct 38 so as to be reversibly removable.

[0028] The cross section of the recycling duct 38 tapers from the suction opening 34 to the inlet opening 36. The tapering in this embodiment is not continuous but is realized in steps. However, the tapering can also be realized continuously. At the recycling duct 38, a supply socket 50 is arranged which can be regulated by a valve and through which further baking ingredients or gases and media influencing the baking process can be added in a targeted fashion. Metering is realized by means of the valve. The apparatus 2 comprises in addition a pump 52 that pumps the water 12 via a water line 54 into the nozzle 10 and, in the interior of the nozzle 12, builds up a water pressure of 30 to 1,000 bar, preferably of 50 to 200 bar, and particularly preferred of 80 to 150 bar. The apparatus 2 comprises at least one supply member, illustrated by the arrow 56, that is embodied to supply baking ingredients from a storage directly or indirectly to the opening 8 in the head region 6 of the mixing chamber 4. The opening 8 in the head region 6 of the mixing chamber 4 is provided with a merging arrangement 58 which is formed by a funnel in the embodiment. The outlet of the supply member 56 opens in the merging arrangement 58. In addition, in the merging arrangement 58 an air supply opening 60 is arranged which can be regulated by a valve and through which air can be sucked in a metered fashion into the merging arrangement 58 and therethrough into the mixing chamber 4.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0029] 2 apparatus [0030] 4 mixing chamber [0031] 6 upper head region [0032] 8 opening [0033] 10 nozzle [0034] 12 water [0035] 14 nozzle opening [0036] 16 mechanical obstacle [0037] 18 inner wall of the mixing chamber [0038] 20 impact region [0039] 22 cover [0040] 24 container [0041] 26 discharge opening [0042] 28 bell-shaped cover [0043] 30 opening of the bell-shaped cover [0044] 31 opening in the container [0045] 32 suction device [0046] 34 suction opening [0047] 36 inlet opening [0048] 38 recycling duct [0049] 40 head region of the container [0050] 42 nozzle body [0051] 44 bottom end of the nozzle body [0052] 46 top end of the nozzle body [0053] 48 elbow [0054] 50 supply socket [0055] 52 pump [0056] 54 water conduit [0057] 56 supply member [0058] 58 merging arrangement [0059] 60 air supply opening