DESCRIPTION

The invention regards an apparatus for extruding fluid or semi-fluid mixtures, preferably of the food type, suitable for producing cookies or for decorating cakes or similar delicacies.

It is known the use of a cookery instrument known by the name "sac a poche", or pastry bag, provided with a body made up of a sort of triangular-shaped bag whose tip ends in a decorative mouth.

This type of instrument is used manually for filling small preparations, such as beignets or croissants, with sauces, flavoured butters or pastry creams. The sac a poche is also used for giving shape to small pastry products such as cookies, meringues or tarts.

The advantage deriving from the use of the aforementioned instrument lies in that the pastry chef or, generally, an operator has a wide degree of freedom of action when preparing the food products thereof. In other words, with the sac a poche the range of possible shapes to be used for obtaining the food products is exclusively limited to the creativity of the pastry chef.

However, the strict manual use of the sac a poche also leads to some known drawbacks outlined below.

A first drawback lies in the fact that the precision of use of such instrument, thus the capacity to dispense the same amount of mixture and the capacity to confer the same shape to the food products part of the same batch, exclusively depends on the skills, experience and ability of the operator.

I.e., the repeatability that can be obtained using the sac a poche strongly depends on the user.

Secondly, the manual use of such instrument clearly requires longer processing times with respect to the use of possible extruding apparatus of the automatic or semi-automatic type.

As a matter of fact, special semi-automatic apparatus for extruding mixtures, referred to as "depositing machines" or "injectors" in the industry, have been recently proposed with the aim of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks, and more precisely to quicken and make the preparation of cookies or other food products more homogeneous. Such apparatus of the prior art are suitable for extruding, through one or more extrusion heads, a fluid or semi-fluid mixture on an underlying work surface with the aim of performing the aforementioned operations, to replace the sac a poche.

In particular, such plurality of extrusion heads is usually permanently coupled to the underlying work surface or, alternatively, it can be slidably connected to the aforementioned work surface so as to enable the heads to translate together along a single displacement direction for a limited stretch.

Thus, though the prior art semi-automatic apparatus for extruding mixtures perform the aforementioned processes in a quicker and more accurate manner with respect to the manual use of the sac a poche, they, disadvantageously, reveal a considerably lower degree of freedom of movement of the extrusion heads thereof with respect to what can be attained with the sac a poche.

In other words, the food products that can be obtained by means of the prior art extruding apparatus may have a limited number of shapes, in particular they may exclusively have straight or circular and semi-circular shapes with fixed diameter.

The aim of the present invention is to overcome all the aforementioned drawbacks.

In particular, one of the objects of the invention is to provide an apparatus for extruding mixtures capable of producing food products such as cookies or meringues or of decorating the same with sauces or pastry creams in a quick, precise and repeatable manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for extruding mixtures capable of enabling to obtain a degree of freedom of movement of the extrusion head/s thereof similar to the one that can be obtained using manual instruments, such as the sac a poche for example.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for extruding mixtures that is robust, fairly resistant to external stresses and oscillations caused by the components thereof.

Still, another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for extruding mixtures capable of enabling performing easy and quick maintenance operations.

Last but not least, an object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for extruding mixtures capable of enabling limiting, if not avoiding, the need for changing formats between one production batch and the subsequent one. The aforementioned objects are attained by providing an apparatus for extruding mixtures according to the main claim.

Further characteristics of the apparatus for extruding mixtures of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

The aforementioned objects and advantages to be outlined hereinafter will be apparent from the description of some preferred embodiments of the invention provided by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 shows an axonometric view of the extrusion apparatus of the invention;

- fig. 2 shows a top view of the extrusion apparatus of the invention of fig. 1 ;

- fig. 3 shows a lateral view of the extrusion apparatus of the invention of fig. 1 ;

- fig. 4 shows - in an axonometric view - the detail of the support framework of the extrusion apparatus of the invention of fig. 1 ;

- fig. 5 shows - in an axonometric view - the detail of the extrusion means of the extrusion apparatus of the invention of fig. 1 ;

- fig. 6 shows - in an exploded axonometric view - the detail of the extrusion means, articulation means and support framework of the extrusion apparatus of the invention of fig. 1 ;

- fig. 7 shows - in an exploded lateral view - the detail of the extrusion means of the extrusion apparatus of the invention of fig. 1 .

The apparatus of the invention for extruding fluid or semi-fluid mixtures, preferably of the food type, is represented in fig. 1 , where it is indicated in its entirety with 1.

As observable in the aforementioned figure, the apparatus 1 comprises a work surface 2 with a substantially longitudinal development. Such work surface 2 is provided with movement means 3 suitable to translate an auxiliary support V resting on the work surface 2 along a first displacement direction X corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the latter.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, represented in figs. 2 and 3, such movement means 3 comprise two conveyor belts 31 and 32, each of which is wound as a closed ring around two pulleys 33 and 34. One of such pulleys 33 is operatively connected to an electric motor 35 suitable to drive it in rotation and, thus, move the relative belt 31 and 32. However, according to different embodiments of the invention, it cannot be ruled out that such movement means 3 may comprise a single conveyor belt or more than two conveyor belts, always arranged parallel to each other.

Furthermore, it cannot be ruled out that such movement means 3 can be obtained in a manner different from the description above, as long as they enable translating such auxiliary support V along the first displacement direction X.

As regards the aforementioned auxiliary support V, to be considered not belonging to the apparatus 1 of the invention, it usually comprises a flat support, typically a tray V or a baking tin in which the mixtures extruded by the apparatus 1 of the invention are deposited as described hereinafter in detail. Furthermore, the apparatus 1 of the invention comprises a support framework 4 permanently associated, in raised position, to the work surface 2, as observable in fig. 1 .

In particular, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, such support framework 4 is an arc-shaped support framework 4, defined by two lateral uprights 41 between which there is interposed a crosspiece 42, as observable in particular in fig. 4. Such lateral uprights 41 have, in particular, the free ends 411 thereof fixed to the longitudinal edges 21 and 22 of the work surface 2.

However, according to alternative embodiments of the invention, it cannot be ruled out that the support framework 4 can be obtained with a shape different from the arc-shaped one or be fixed to other points of the apparatus 1 of the invention different from the longitudinal edges 21 and 22 of the work surface 2, as long as it is stably arranged in raised position on such work surface 2 and as long as it is capable of supporting extruder means 5 above said work surface 2, as indicated shortly hereinafter.

Actually, as observable in fig. 1 , according to the invention, the apparatus 1 further comprises the aforementioned extruder means 5 suitable to extrude the mixtures towards the work surface 2. The extruder means 5, as observable in the details of figs. 4 and 5, are slidably coupled to the support framework 4 through articulation means 6. In particular, the articulation means 6 are configured to translate the extruder means 5 along a second displacement direction Y substantially orthogonal to the first displacement direction X and lying on a surface ττι parallel to the work surface 2. Furthermore, the articulation means 6 are configured to translate the extruder means 5 along a third displacement direction Z substantially orthogonal to the same first displacement direction X and lying on a surface π ₂ , in turn orthogonal to the work surface 2.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, as observable in fig. 6, the articulation means 6 comprise a first mechanical slide 61 slidably associated to the support framework 4, in particular to the crosspiece 42, so as to enable the translation of the aforementioned first mechanical slide 61 along such second displacement direction Y. Furthermore, the articulation means 6 comprise a second mechanical slide 62 slidably associated to the aforementioned first mechanical slide 61 so that such second mechanical slide 62 is capable of translating along the previously described third displacement direction Z.

According to such preferred embodiment of the apparatus 1 of the invention, the extruder means 5 are permanently fixed to the second mechanical slide 62 and thus they translate according to the latter.

Lastly, the articulation means 6 are provided with electromechanical actuator means 63 operatively associated to the first and the second mechanical slide 61 and 62 and configured to obtain the movement of the latter.

Preferably but not necessarily, such electromechanical actuator means 63 comprise two electric motors 631 and 632 associated to transmission members 633 for respectively moving the first mechanical slide 61 and the second mechanical slide 62 jointly with the extruder means 5.

Lastly, the apparatus 1 of the invention comprises, as observable in fig. 1 , electronic control means 7, preferably an electronic control unit 71 , operatively connected to the movement means 3 and to the articulation means 6 so as to actuate the movement thereof according to pre-set specifications.

In detail, the apparatus 1 of the invention and in particular the aforementioned electronic control means 7 are configured to receive and memorise - in special storage means 72 - data of the CAD type regarding the shape with which to produce a batch of specific food products. In addition, such electronic control means 7 are configured to control the movement of the movement means 3 and the articulation means 6 so as to extrude the mixture through the extruder means 5 and obtain on the aforementioned auxiliary support V such food products according to the aforementioned CAD data. Even more in detail, as a function of the received CAD data, the electronic control means 7 have the ability to perform the movement, simultaneously or at different times, of the movement means 3, of the first mechanical slide 61 and of the second mechanical slide 62, along the aforementioned three displacement directions X, Y and Z, in both displacement directions. Thus, such characteristic advantageously enables obtaining a degree of freedom of movement of the extruder means 5 with respect to the auxiliary support V similar to the one that can be obtained through manual techniques that provide for the use of a sac a poche.

In particular, the translation of the movement means 3 along the first displacement direction X and the first mechanical slide 61 along the aforementioned second displacement direction Y enables extruding the mixture above the auxiliary support V with a degree of freedom such to be able to obtain food products with shapes at will, for example enabling obtaining cookies or decorations representing wordings. The translation of the second mechanical slide 62, and thus of the extruder means 5, along the third displacement direction Z enables extending the food product height-wise, this not being absolutely obtainable with the prior art extrusion apparatus.

Furthermore, the fact that in the apparatus 1 of the invention the relative movement between the auxiliary support V and the extruder means 5 along the aforementioned first displacement direction X occurs by means of the translation of the auxiliary support V in turn obtained through the movement means 3 advantageously avoids the occurrence of oscillations of the extruder means 5. As a matter of fact, the aforementioned oscillations would most probably occur should this translation on the contrary be carried out by moving the extruder means 5 along the first displacement direction X. In other words, by avoiding moving the extruder means 5 along the first displacement direction X, the apparatus 1 of the invention enables obtaining greater stability and robustness with respect to the alternative solution provided above.

Furthermore, still advantageously, such embodiment of the invention enables simplifying the structure with which the movement of the extruder means 5 is obtained, thus reducing the risk of damaging them and the ensuing need to intervene with maintenance operations.

In particular, as regards such extruder means 5, preferably but not necessarily, as observable in fig. 6 and in the detail of fig. 7, they comprise a hopper 51 for storing the mixtures to be extruded. In particular, such hopper is operatively connected to an extrusion head 52 in turn provided with a displacement pump 521 and an outlet spout 522 for the same mixtures.

Clearly, the outlet spout 522 must be faced towards the work surface 2 on which the auxiliary support V is arranged so as to enable the deposit of the mixture on the latter.

According to different embodiments of the invention, it cannot however be ruled out that the extruder means 5 comprise several extrusion heads 52 operatively connected to the same hopper 51 or, alternatively, each one of which is operatively connected to its own hopper 51.

As regards the hopper 51 , as observable in fig. 7, it can be substantially conical-shaped and it is positioned in the apparatus 1 of the invention with the longitudinal development axis thereof substantially parallel to the aforementioned third displacement direction Z, so as to limit, in this case too, the oscillation thereof when the extruder means 5 are moving.

As regards the displacement pump 521 of the extrusion head 52 instead, it is preferably a gear pump suitable to suction the mixture from the hopper 51 and eject it through the outlet spout 522.

Such gear pump 521 is further configured to rotate in the reverse direction with respect to the extrusion direction so as to avoid the so-called "drop effect" of the mixture.

Lastly, as regards the outlet spout 522, it is preferably of the driven type, capable of rotating around an axis parallel to such third displacement direction Z with the aim of obtaining the extrusion of the mixture with a "coiled" or spiral- like effect.

Such characteristic enables further increasing the degree of freedom of movement of the extruder means 5, thus expanding the possible range of shapes that can be used to define food products obtainable using the apparatus 1 of the invention.

Furthermore, preferably but not necessarily, the outlet spout 522 is of the quick-coupling interchangeable type so as to enable replacement thereof with another new spout.

Such characteristic enables both facilitating maintenance operations should the aforementioned outlet spout 522 be damaged and replacing it with an outlet spout having the outlet hole thereof differently shaped and/or dimensioned so as to extrude mixtures with alternative shapes according to the operator's needs and desires.

Operatively, a pastry chef or, in general, an operator designated to produce pastries or food delicacies in general, proceeds to set the apparatus 1 of the invention by entering on the aforementioned electronic control means 7 the CAD data regarding the product/s of the batch meant to be obtained.

In addition, the pastry chef places, on the work surface 2 of the apparatus 1 of the invention, an auxiliary support V, more precisely a tray V, with dimensions suitable to contain the number of products meant to be produced. Clearly, such auxiliary support V is positioned at one of the heads 23 or 24 of the aforementioned work surface 2 so that the movement means 3 are capable of advancing the auxiliary support V beneath the extruder means 5.

Thereafter, the pastry chef starts the apparatus 1 of the invention, which - as previously mentioned - controls the translation of the auxiliary support V through the movement means 3 and the translation of the extruder means 5 through the movement of the first and the second mechanical slide 61 and 62 along the three displacement directions X, Y and Z, as a function of the aforementioned CAD data stored in the electronic control means 7.

At the end of the aforementioned operations, the apparatus 1 of the invention will arrange the auxiliary support V, on which the finished products lie, in an easily accessible position along the aforementioned work surface 2.

At the end of the production batch, the apparatus 1 of the invention is advantageously potentially ready to perform a different production batch without requiring to actuate complex format change operations.

Thus, in the light of the above, the apparatus for extruding mixtures of the invention attains all the pre-set objects.

In particular, the object of providing an apparatus for extruding mixtures capable of producing food products such as cookies or meringues or of decorating the same with sauces or pastry creams in a quick, precise and repeatable manner, is attained.

Another attained object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for extruding mixtures capable of enabling to obtain a degree of freedom of movement of the extrusion head/s thereof similar to the one that can be obtained using manual instruments, such as the sac a poche for example. A further attained object is to provide an apparatus for extruding mixtures that is robust, fairly resistant to external stresses and oscillations caused by the components thereof.

Still, another attained object is to provide an apparatus for extruding mixtures capable of enabling performing easy and quick maintenance operations.

Last but not least, a further attained object is to provide an apparatus for extruding mixtures capable of enabling limiting, if not avoiding, the need for changing formats between one production batch and the subsequent one.