Moving head dough press

Abstract

A reciprocating press is configured to press articles while moving in synchronicity with a conveyor belt carrying the articles. The press is driven through a rack and pinion system. The press can be used for pressing any type of article, including, but without limitation, pieces of dough for forming tortillas.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 575,914, filed on Jun. 1, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present application is directed to a press for use with a continuously moving conveyor belt, such as, for example, a press for flattening dough pieces into tortillas on a moving conveyor belt. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] In the field of the manufacture of dough-based food products such as tortillas, a difficulty arises in the portion of the manufacturing process directed to pressing the dough into flat shapes. One cause of such a problem is that bread dough is somewhat elastic. Thus, pressing a ball of such dough into a flat pancake or tortilla-like shape requires a significant amount of work. [0006] One type of device developed for pressing balls of dough into tortilla shapes i...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] An aspect of at least one of the inventions disclosed herein includes the realization that the overall size of a drive mechanism used to reciprocate a platen support relative to a conveyor belt can be greatly reduced through the use of a rack and pinion system. For example, as noted above, several prior art systems for driving a press parallel to the movement of a conveyor belt include numerous devices defining the drivetrain between an actuator, such as an electric motor, and the reciprocating platen support. Generally, a platen press with sufficient strength for pressing a plurality of dough balls into flat tortilla shapes is quite large and heavy. Thus, a drive for moving the platen support reciprocally will have substantial power.

[0011] Such devices can create hazards for a work place. For example, powerful actuators driving chain drives, belt drives, and / or other reciprocating or rotating machinery can cause serious injuries. Such devices are usually covered with protective shielding to prevent human contact therewith. Such shielding thus further contributes to the large overall size of the equipment, thereby occupying a significant amount of floor space. By driving a reciprocating press with a rack and pinion arrangement, however, the total size of the system can be significantly reduced, thereby saving floor space and providing a safer working environment.

[0013] Another aspect of at least one of the inventions disclosed herein includes the realization that a position of an actuator can be made adjustable by mounting the actuator to a rotatable member having a rotational axis and an actuator mounting axis offset from the rotational axis. For example, but without limitation, where the actuator has a rotating output shaft and a gear mounted to the end of the shaft, the actuator can be mounted to the rotatable member such that the rotational axis of the output shaft extends along the actuator mounting axis. Thus, when the rotatable member is rotated about it's rotational axis, the output shaft translates about the rotational axis of the member. This allows the spacing of the output gear to driven gear to be adjusted easily.

[0014] A further advantage is provided where fasteners are providing at a distance from the rotational axis of the rotatable member that is greater than the offset between the actuator mounting axis and the rotational axis of the member. By arranging the fasteners as such, the fasteners have a greater moment arm for resisting rotation of the member as compared to the moment arm defined by the offset of the actuator mounting axis and the rotational axis of the member. As such, the member can be better secured to resist rotation and thus prevent the output gear from moving out of mesh with the driven gear.

[0016] A further aspect of at least one of the inventions disclosed herein includes the realization that where a servomotor is used to reciprocate a press, the drivetrain used to transfer the power output from the servomotor to the movement of the press can be greatly simplified. For example, prior art reciprocating press systems include a large number of moving parts. Additionally, where the reciprocating movement of such systems are provided with electric motors, additional devices are used to provide a braking force for slowing and reversing the direction of movement of the press. For example, one known system in which the reciprocating movement of the press in the direction of an associated conveyor belt is provided by a constant speed electric motor driving an oscillator drive. The oscillator drive has an input shaft and a pivot arm which reciprocates in a direction parallel to the conveyor belt as its input shaft is turned at constant speed. Internal gears transfer power from the input shaft to the pivot arm. The internal gears provide braking force. However, this arrangement requires significant space and shielding to prevent injuries caused by the pivot arm.

Problems solved by technology

Generally, a platen press with sufficient strength for pressing a plurality of dough balls into flat tortilla shapes is quite large and heavy.

Such devices can create hazards for a work place.

For example, powerful actuators driving chain drives, belt drives, and / or other reciprocating or rotating machinery can cause serious injuries.

Such shielding thus further contributes to the large overall size of the equipment, thereby occupying a significant amount of floor space.

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