DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a device used for making homemade pasta, and particularly long, flat pasta, such as noodles and the like.

In the food sector, various types of dry noodles are available on the market, which are packaged in boxes and produced with industrial machines by many companies in Italy.

On the other hand, fresh noodles can be obtained in two ways: either they are purchased from a fresh pasta store or they are made at home.

Machines are known for making fresh noodles, which are provided with two rollers with counter-rotating blades that are fed with a sheet of dough. The blades are disposed in parallel position and are equally spaced so that all noodles have the same width. In addition, the blades are perfectly sharp so that the noodles have perfectly regular contours.

IT9021680A1 discloses such a machine for making fresh pasta, and in particular noodles.

Noodles can also be obtained in an artisanal/homemade way. The sheet of dough is folded over; then the operator manually cuts out the dough in strips with a knife. In such a case, noodles with slightly different widths are obtained.

JP3187263U discloses a device used for making noodles composed of a cutting roller having a shaft in which spacers are arranged between the blades. Such a document does not describe the possibility of using the device to make noodles of different widths. Section [0018] of JP3187263U recites "in the present embodiment, the six cutting blades 2 are arranged at equal intervals by sandwiching the gap adjusting member 3 having the same width with respect to the shaft member 7, and it is possible to cut uniform noodles. "

Only Fig. 12 of JP3187263U shows spacers with the same thickness on the left-hand side, and spacers with lower thickness on the right-hand side. In such a way, noodles with the same width are obtained on the left-hand side, and noodles with the same width are obtained on the right-hand side. A mixing of such noodles would originate a package of noodles with only two sizes, which are not similar to homemade noodles that are all different in size.

CN107743994B discloses a device for making noodles comprising a cutting roller with blades consisting of several sectors. The blades are arranged on the shaft of the roller at the same distance from each other to make noodles with the same width.

CN105341035A discloses a device for making noodles comprising a cutting roller mounted on a fork handle, wherein the blades are arranged on the roller shaft at the same distance from each other in order to obtain noodles with the same width.

CN205667301 U discloses a machine for making fresh pasta that is provided with a motorized cutting roller, wherein the blades are arranged on the roller shaft at the same distance from each other in order to obtain noodles with the same width.

CN106455586B discloses a machine for making fresh noodles that is provided with a motorized cutting roller and a counter roller.

CN103988861 B discloses a machine for making fresh pasta that is provided with a system used for adjusting the thickness of the sheet of dough that comprises a set of pairs of rollers arranged with gradually narrower gaps in order to reduce the thickness of the sheet of dough that passes between the rollers. In such a machine, the axes of the pair of rollers are always perfectly parallel to each other, and therefore it is not possible to vary the thickness along a transverse direction of the sheet of dough. Therefore, such a system does not provide a sheet of dough with non-uniform thickness.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a device for making fresh pasta that is capable of making pasta that looks like artisanal/homemade pasta, in which the strips are different from each other.

Another purpose is to provide such a device for making fresh pasta that is efficient, effective, easy to use, capable of making a large amount of fresh pasta in a short time, and also capable of being used for the industrial production of artisanal/homemade noodles that are dried and sold in a package.

These purposes are achieved in accordance with the invention with the features of the appended independent claim 1 .

Advantageous embodiments of the invention appear from the dependent claims.

Further features of the invention will appear clearer from the following detailed description, which refers to purely illustrative and therefore non-limiting embodiments illustrated in the appended drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a cutting roller of the device for making artisanal/homemade noodles according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a blade of the cutting roller of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a front view of a blade of the cutting roller of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the cutting roller with a drive bar that connects the blades and the spacers to two locking flanges mounted on the shaft, in an initial assembly stage, before tightening the blades and the spacers in package configuration; Fig. 4A is a front view of the cutting roller, just like Fig. 4, wherein the blades and the spacers are tightened in pack configuration between the two locking flanges.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the drive bar, a blade, and a spacer;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the device according to the invention, illustrating a cutting roller and a counter roller;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a separator applied to the cutting roller of the device according to the invention;

Fig. 8 is a front view of the cutting roller with the separator;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the device according to the invention combined with a system used for variably adjusting the thickness of the sheet of dough;

Fig. 9A is a cross-sectional view taken along the sectional plane A-A of Fig. 9, illustrating the system used to adjust the thickness of the sheet of dough;

Fig. 10 is a top view of the noodles obtained with the device according to the invention; and

Fig. 1 1 is a front view of a second embodiment of the device according to the invention.

With the aid of the figures, the device used for making artisanal/homemade noodles according to the invention is described, which is comprehensively shown with reference numeral 100.

Now with reference to Fig. 1 , the device (100) comprises a cutting roller (1 ). The cutting roller (1 ) comprises a shaft (2) on which a plurality of blades (3) of discoidal shape with a cutting edge (30) is mounted. Preferably, each blade has a diameter of 77 mm so that its circumference develops a cutting line of about 25 cm, which corresponds to a national standard length of the noodles. Evidently, blades with different diameters can be used. The blades (3) are arranged on the shaft (2) at different distances so as to generate gaps (I) having different widths (A) in such a way to obtain noodles with different widths, which are similar to handmade noodles. Obviously, the widths of the noodles correspond to the widths (A) of the gaps (I) between the roller blades, which are all different.

The blades (3) are fixed in place on the shaft (2) by means of cylindrical spacers (6) fitted on the shaft and having a different thickness. Otherwise said, the thickness of the spacers (6) is equal to the width (A) of the gaps to be obtained between the blades. Each spacer (6) is arranged between two blades (3).

The blades (3) may be fixed in place on the shaft (2) by interference with the shaft or by means of fixing means other than spacers.

Two locking flanges (4) are fixed on the end sections (20) of the shaft (2), for example with screw means (40), so that the blades (3) and the spacers (6) are closed and compressed in pack configuration.

Fig. 1 shows an example of device (100) wherein the locking flanges (4) compress the spacers (6) and the blades (3) in pack configuration, so that the rotary motion is transmitted from the shaft (2) to the locking flanges (4). The locking flanges (4) transmit the rotary motion to the blades (3) because the spacers (6) and the blades (3) are tightened in pack configuration between the locking flanges (4).

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, advantageously, in order to transmit the motion from the shaft (2) to the blades (3) without having to compress the spacers and the blades excessively between the two locking flanges, the device (100) comprises a driving bar (41 ) that passes through eccentric holes (34, 61 ) of the blades and of the spacers and is inserted into the locking flanges (4) that are fixed to the end sections (20) of the shaft. In view of the above, the blades (3) can rotate integral with the shaft (2). Fig. 4A illustrates three spacers (6) with different thickness arranged between the blades (3) so as to generate three gaps (I) of different width (A).

The two end sections (20) of the shaft are rotatably mounted on supports (5), for example by means of bearings, so that the cutting roller (1 ) can rotate about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation (X). One of the two end sections (20) of the shaft is connected to driving means (M) to drive the shaft into rotation. The driving means (M) can be an electric motor or a manual crank.

In the case where the driving means (M) is an electric motor, said electric motor is connected to the shaft (2) by a transmission (T1 ), such as a belt or gear drive, or otherwise the electric motor can be connected directly to the shaft, for example with a direct-drive system.

Referring to Fig. 2, the blades (3) have a central hole (31 ) in order to be fitted on the shaft (2). The central hole (31 ) has an axis (X1 ). Some blades (3) may have:

- a first circular sector (35) arranged on a plane orthogonal to the axis (X1 ) of the central hole of the blade, and

- a second angular sector with a peripheral portion (32) that is inclined with respect to a plane orthogonal to the axis (X1 ) of the central hole of the blade.

In the case where the diameter of the blade (3) is 77 mm, the peripheral portion (32) can be preferably inclined by an angle (a) of about 3-10°. The inclined peripheral portion (32) can have a radial length equal to about 1/3 of the diameter of the blade.

In this way, the gaps (I) defined by at least one blade with the inclined peripheral portion (32) generate a noodle having a non-constant width; otherwise said, noodles with larger and smaller width are obtained. With reference to Fig. 3, some blades (3) have deformations (33) that are randomly arranged along the cutting edge (30) of the blade. Such deformations (33) can be projections or indentations. The deformations (33) are obtained with appropriate tools, such as pliers. The deformations (33) contribute to create an irregular edge of the noodles.

Referring to Fig. 6, the device (100) comprises a counter roller (7) that rotates in the opposite direction to the cutting roller (1 ), so as to act as a supporting surface for the sheet of dough being cut by the blades (3) of the cutting roller.

The counter roller (7) has a cylindrical body (70) mounted on a rotating shaft (71 ), for instance by means of locking flanges (72). The cylindrical body (70) is made of a shear-resistant material, such as preferably Teflon or other similar materials with food specifications, such as PVC, Derlin, or nylon.

The shaft (71 ) of the counter roller (7) is rotated by the same driving means (M) that operate the shaft (2) of the cutting roller by means of gears. The synchronized movement of the roller and of the counter roller is extremely simple and requires only two gears. Of course, such a synchronized movement can be obtained by other synchronization means.

In such a case, a first transmission (T1 ) transfers the motion from the driving means (M) to the shaft (2) of the cutting roller, and a second transmission (T2) transfers the motion from the driving means (M) to the shaft (71 ) of the counter roller. Synchronization means (S) synchronize the rotation of the shaft (2) of the cutting roller with the rotation of the shaft (71 ) of the counter roller.

Referring to Fig. 7, a sheet of dough (P) is inserted into the device (100) by means of a supporting surface (B1 ) that is slightly inclined downward, that is to say toward the blades (3) of the cutting roller. Then the sheet of dough (P) passes through the cutting roller (1 ) and through the counter roller (7) and is cut into noodles (T), which are discharged outside the device via a slide (B2) consisting of an inclined plane.

A separator (8) detaches the noodles (T) from the blades (3) of the cutting roller and pushes them toward an outlet of the device, making them slide on the slide (B2) that deposits them outside the device.

Referring to Fig. 8, the separator (8) is shaped like a comb with a plurality of prongs (81 ) that enter the gaps (I) between two blades (3) of the cutting roller. The separator (8) is made of a hard and smooth material, such as steel or Teflon, because the noodles must slide on the separator, without encountering any friction.

With reference to Fig. 9, the device (100) may comprise a thickness adjustment system (9) suitable for varying the thickness of the sheet of dough (P) fed to the cutting roller (1 ). Such a thickness variation occurs along a transverse axis of the sheet of dough (P), so that noodles with different thickness are obtained.

Referring also to Fig. 9A, the thickness adjustment system (9) comprises two counter-rotating cylinders (90; 91 ) arranged upstream the cutting roller (1 ). The cylinders (90; 91 ) can be made of stainless steel or other material specific to the food industry. The cylinders (90; 91 ) are arranged in such a way to obtain an uneven thickness of the sheet of dough (P) along a transverse axis of the sheet of dough, thus optimally simulating a sheet of dough made manually with a rolling pin. This is made possible by a slight misalignment of one cylinder with respect to the other. Otherwise said, the axis of the first cylinder (90) is not parallel to the axis of the second cylinder (91 ).

The bearings of the cylinder (90) are mounted on two slides (93) that are slidingly mounted on the sides (92) of the machine. In this way, the bearings of the first cylinder (90) can slide relative to the fixed structure of the machine. The slides (93) can be adjusted in position by means of adjusting means (94), such as screws, so as to vary both the distance between the two cylinders (90, 91 ) and the inclination of the axis of the first cylinder (90), allowing the inclination of the axis of the first cylinder (90) to be adjusted in an extremely precise way.

In addition to determining a variable thickness of the sheet of dough, the rotation of the two cylinders (90, 91 ) and the adjustment of the distance between the two cylinders and of the inclination of the first cylinder by means of slides (93) allow to select the thickness range to be obtained. Without such an adjustment, the production of noodles would become standard, with a minimum thickness and a maximum thickness that are repeated constantly.

In this way, the rotation of the cylinders (90, 91 ) by means of gears in synchronism with the rotation of the cutting roller (1 ) and of the counter roller (7), produces a lamination on the sheet of dough (P) with a thickness that go from thin (0.7-1 mm) to thick (1 .5-2 mm).

Fig. 10 shows the noodles (T) obtained with the device (100) according to the invention. Such a device (100) allows to obtain noodles (T) with different widths and dissimilarities and imperfections from a sheet of dough (P) in such a way to make each individual noodle a unique noodle. Thus, the noodles are similar to handmade noodles and evidently the dissimilarities in the noodles (T) that are obtained with a single operation using the device (100) of the invention are impossible to be obtained by hand.

With reference to Fig. 1 1 , the device (100) may provide for the cutting roller (1 ) to be revolvingly mounted on supports (5) connected to a handle (50), for example, by means of a fork (51 ). Otherwise said, the end sections (20) of the shaft are revolvingly mounted on the supports (5) of the fork (51 ). In this way, the device (100) can operate as a pasta cutter. In such a case, by passing the device (100) with energy and pressure over a sheet of dough lying on a supporting surface, the cutting roller (1 ) rotates by friction and cuts the sheet of dough, thereby obtaining the same noodles made by the device (100) in the form of machine for the production of fresh pasta.

Equivalent variations and modifications may be made to the present embodiments of the invention, which are within the reach of a person skilled in the art, which nevertheless fall within the scope of the invention as expressed by the appended claims.