System for depositing food materials in a fluid state onto food products

Abstract

This application discloses a system for depositing food material in a fluid state onto food products. The system includes: a conveyor line (2) for supplying a plurality of food products (100) in a forward direction (K); at least one dispensing unit (10); and a control unit (6) for controlling the dispensing unit (10). The dispensing unit (10) includes a valve device (20) comprising: an opening / closing component (21); a solenoid (24); and a magnetic element (25) operably connected to the opening / closing component and movable between first and second positions. In the first position, the magnetic element closes a corresponding nozzle (11') to prevent the dispensing of fluid food material through the nozzle. In the second position, the nozzle (11') opens a channel for dispensing the fluid food material. This application also discloses a method for depositing food material in a fluid state onto food products.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a technical solution for depositing food materials in a fluid state on food products.

[0002] In particular, the technical solutions described in this application are designed to decorate food products and provide specific features to them. Background Technology

[0003] According to existing technology, the first type of method for decorating food products envisions applying food cream to the surface of the product in order to replicate the desired graphic representation.

[0004] Conversely, the second type of approach envisions performing the printing operation using food-grade inks again on the surface of the product in order to reproduce the desired graphic representation.

[0005] The disadvantages of the known methods of the first type are that they exhibit limited graphic reproduction capabilities in terms of the complexity of the representation and the accuracy and quality of the obtained representation. Furthermore, the volume of material that can be distributed across multiple parts of an identical product is somewhat limited. On the other hand, the resulting decorations are weakly attached to the product, making them easily detachable, for example, in the event of impact or vibration.

[0006] Conversely, the disadvantage of the second type of decoration method described above is the use of substances that contribute little (if not zero) to the sensory characteristics of the food product. Moreover, these substances often contain additives, which may reduce the consumer base interested in the resulting product. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In this paper, the present invention proposes a new technical solution for depositing food materials in a fluid state on food products, which provides a series of advantages over the known methods described above, as will be shown below.

[0008] In particular, the present invention relates to a system for depositing a fluid food material onto food products, the system comprising: a conveyor line for supplying a plurality of food products in a forward direction; at least one dispensing unit for dispensing the fluid food material onto the food products moving along the conveyor line, wherein the dispensing unit includes a plurality of rows of nozzles arranged in a direction transverse to the forward direction; and a control unit for controlling the dispensing unit, wherein the dispensing unit includes a plurality of valve devices associated with nozzles in the plurality of rows of nozzles and designed to control the flow of the fluid food material through the nozzles, the valve devices including: an opening / closing component; a solenoid; and a magnetic element operably connected to the opening / closing component and movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the opening / closing component closes the corresponding nozzle, thereby preventing the dispensing of fluid food material through the nozzle. In the second position, the channel is opened through the nozzle for dispensing the fluid food material. The opening / closing component is driven from the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position by the magnetic element due to the electromagnetic interaction between the magnetic element and the solenoid. The valve device is housed within a seat that extends out into a supply conduit for supplying the fluid food product to the nozzle. The opening / closing component is made of an elastomer that closes the seat relative to the supply conduit, and the elastomer includes an opening / closing portion operatively connected to and moving with the magnetic element.

[0009] The present invention also relates to a method for depositing food material in a fluid state onto food products, comprising the following steps: feeding a plurality of food products along a forward direction on a conveyor line, each food product including at least one cavity for receiving fluid food material; detecting the receiving cavity for receiving fluid food material for each food product using a camera; determining one or more data representing the volume of the receiving cavity of the food product based on data obtained by the camera detection; providing at least one dispensing unit along the conveyor line for dispensing fluid food material, the dispensing unit including multiple rows of nozzles arranged in a direction traversing the forward direction; selecting a set of nozzles from the multiple rows of nozzles according to the previously determined data representing the volume of the receiving cavity, and dispensing fluid food material through the set of nozzles; and dispensing a certain amount of fluid food material in the receiving cavity through the selected set of nozzles, the amount being approximately equal to the volume of the receiving cavity, wherein the fluid food material is dispensed through the selected set of nozzles at corresponding preset times, while the food products on the conveyor line advance below the multiple rows of nozzles. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of non-limiting example only, and in the drawings:

[0011] - Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the system described in this application;

[0012] - Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A top view of part of the system;

[0013] - Figure 3 It indicates Figure 1 A partial perspective view of the system's allocation unit;

[0014] - Figure 4 It indicates Figure 3 The distribution head edge of the distribution unit Figure 3 The cross-sectional view of section IV-IV shown;

[0015] - Figure 5 yes Figure 3 The distribution head edge of the distribution unit Figure 3 The cross-sectional view of section VV shown;

[0016] - Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating the method described in this application according to a preferred embodiment is shown;

[0017] - Figure 7 This diagram illustrates another flowchart of the method described in this application according to a preferred embodiment;

[0018] - Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of two consecutive steps of the method described in this application according to an application example;

[0019] - Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a food product in two consecutive steps of the method described in this application according to an application example;

[0020] - Figure 10 Examples of food products used in the methods described in this application are shown; and

[0021] - Figure 11 Examples of food products obtained by the method described in this application are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0022] In the following description, various specific details are shown to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. Embodiments may be obtained without one or more specific details, or by other methods, components, or materials. In other instances, known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail so as not to obscure the various aspects of the embodiments.

[0023] The reference materials used in this application are provided for convenience only and therefore do not limit the scope or range of protection of the embodiments.

[0024] As described above, the technical solution of this application relates to a system and method for depositing food materials in a fluid state on food products.

[0025] This technical solution is designed for decorating food products, such as oven-baked products, confectionery products, ice cream, etc.

[0026] It should be understood that the teachings provided in this application can be applied to any type of food product, as will become apparent below.

[0027] Typically, the method described in this application includes the following steps:

[0028] - Multiple food products are fed along the forward direction on a conveyor line, each food product including at least one cavity for receiving fluid food material;

[0029] - Use a camera to detect the cavities used to receive food materials in various food products;

[0030] -Based on data obtained from detection by a camera, determine one or more data representing the volume of the receiving cavity of a food product;

[0031] - Provide at least one unit for dispensing fluid food material along the conveyor line, the unit comprising multiple rows of nozzles arranged in a direction transverse to the direction of travel;

[0032] - Based on one or more data representing the previously determined product receiving cavity volume, select a set of nozzles from a multi-row nozzle array, and dispense the fluid food material through this set of nozzles; and

[0033] - A certain amount of fluid food material is dispensed into the receiving cavity of each food product through the selected set of nozzles. This amount is approximately equal to the volume of the receiving cavity.

[0034] The liquid food material is dispensed through nozzles at a predetermined time, while the food product on the conveyor line moves forward under the multi-row nozzles.

[0035] As described above, the method described in this application first envisions the use of food products, each of which is provided with a cavity for receiving fluid food material.

[0036] in this regard, Figure 10 Examples of food products are shown for use in carrying out the methods described in this application, while Figure 11 This indicates the same product at the end of the method.

[0037] The food product example shown (represented by reference numeral 100 in general) includes four cavities 101, in which the method described in this application is designed to produce four decorations.

[0038] Each cavity 101 has a preset volume V given by multiplying the bottom area A of the cavity by the depth P of the cavity itself.

[0039] The area A depends on the shape and extent of the cavity 101, and therefore can certainly be varied from one application to another.

[0040] On the other hand, the depth P of the cavity 101 can be very limited, for example, between 1 mm and 2 mm, because the main function of the cavity 101 is to determine the preset volume to be filled with the fluid food material.

[0041] In other words, cavity 101 provides a reference for the dispensing component in order to dispense the correct amount of fluid food material.

[0042] It should be noted that, for example, due to processing tolerances or different types of products processed simultaneously by the system, the cavities 101 of the products decorated by the system may differ from one another, and the system can adjust its own operation based on the specific characteristics of each product for its optimal features.

[0043] Figures 1 to 4 An example of a system for dispensing fluid food materials as described in this application is illustrated. This system can be used to implement the aforementioned method.

[0044] The system shown (represented by reference numeral 1) includes:

[0045] - Conveyor line 2, used to feed multiple food products 100 along the forward direction K;

[0046] - At least one camera 4 for detecting the cavity 101 of the food product 100;

[0047] - At least one dispensing unit 10 for dispensing food materials into the cavity 101 of the food product 100.

[0048] A special reference is made to the distribution unit 10, which includes multiple rows of nozzles 11 arranged along the direction of travel K.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, similar to the illustrated embodiment, the dispensing unit 10 includes a plurality of dispensing heads 12, each dispensing head 12 including a row of nozzles arranged in a direction transverse to the forward direction K.

[0050] The distribution head 12 is arranged according to a matrix structure that extends along the forward direction K and along a direction orthogonal to it, H. Thus, the arrangement of the multi-row nozzles is configured as a series 11A of multiple rows of nozzles 11 aligned along the direction H, with the nozzles following each other along the forward direction K.

[0051] Preferably, the multiple rows of nozzles 11 are oriented in corresponding directions J that are parallel to each other and inclined relative to the forward direction K, preferably at an angle between 3° and 15° relative to the forward direction K, and even more preferably between 7° and 10°. Generally, this angle can be selected according to the desired definition: the smaller the angle, the higher the definition that can be achieved.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, similar to the illustrated embodiment, the multiple rows of nozzles 11 are identical to each other, particularly having an equal number of nozzles 11', which are spaced apart from each other by a distance D1, which is the same for all nozzle rows (see [link to embodiment]). Figure 8 ).

[0053] In a preferred embodiment, similar to the illustrated embodiment, multiple rows of nozzles from the same series are equidistant from each other along direction H by a given distance D2 (see Figure 2 ).

[0054] In a preferred embodiment, similar to the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle series 11A of multiple rows of nozzles following each other along direction K are equidistant from each other by a given distance D3 (see...). Figure 2 ).

[0055] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, similar to the illustrated embodiment, each nozzle series 11A is offset relative to the series preceding it (referring to the forward direction K); in particular, it is shifted along direction H such that the first nozzle of each row of this series (except for the end rows) is substantially aligned along the forward direction K with the last nozzle of the corresponding row of the series preceding it, and the last nozzle of each row of this series is aligned along direction K with the first nozzle of the corresponding row of the series preceding it, and vice versa (see...). Figure 2 ).

[0056] This ensures a constant and uniform distribution of nozzles 11' along direction H across the entire width of the distribution unit 10 within the two consecutive nozzle series 11A.

[0057] In particular, it should be noted that the effective distance along direction H between the nozzles is equal to the distance D1 multiplied by the sine of that angle ( Figure 8 ).

[0058] Preferably, the number of distribution heads can vary depending on the width of the desired representation.

[0059] The above-described nozzle arrangement enables the use of material deposited on the product to achieve a graphic resolution of at least 70 DPI, preferably at least 100 DPI.

[0060] The dispensing unit 10 includes a valve device 20 associated with the nozzle 11' to control the dispensing of fluid food materials through them.

[0061] The valve assembly 20 is pre-arranged for individual and independent control.

[0062] In this way, the liquid food material can be dispensed through each nozzle in a predetermined amount and at a predetermined time, and the predetermined amount and predetermined time can be different from the predetermined amount and predetermined time of other nozzles.

[0063] For example, Figure 6 and 7 The implementation of the method described in this application is illustrated by a block diagram, in order to obtain... Figure 10 Products.

[0064] refer to Figure 6 The method described in this application envisions using a camera 4 to detect the cavity 101 of the food product 100 brought to the dispensing unit 10 via the conveyor line 2 (step 201).

[0065] System 1 includes a control unit 6 configured to process signals received from camera 4 in order to obtain one or more data representing the volume of a single cavity 101 (step 202).

[0066] Preferably, the control unit 6 determines the area A and depth P of the cavity 101 in the plan view.

[0067] For this purpose, the control unit 6 may include a storage unit on which image processing software is stored, which is capable of obtaining data about the volume of cavity 101 (such as the values ​​of A and P mentioned above) based on the images sent by camera 4.

[0068] The software can be any known computer program that is commercially available and suitable for the stated purpose.

[0069] Based on the obtained data A and P, the control unit 6 is configured to select the nozzle of the dispensing unit 10, which will dispense fluid food material into the cavity 101, thereby completely filling it (step 203).

[0070] A selection is made so that the selected nozzle performs the dispensing of fluid food material, while the food product 100 continues to move in direction K without stopping.

[0071] In the first step (step 203'), the control unit 6 determines the first group of nozzles N1 based on the determined area A, the first group of nozzles N1 being located in the corresponding positions within the matrix described above, so that the nozzles can dispense fluid food material as a whole, so as to substantially cover the entire area or region A.

[0072] Therefore, the group of nozzles N1 is selected based on the shape and size of the region or area A.

[0073] It should be noted that the nozzle is controlled to dispense fluid food material, wherein the opening time is determined based on the forward velocity of the food product. The dispensed fluid food material can therefore be schematically represented as a cylinder with a base of area Ai and a height Hi (Figure 9). The base Ai depends on the nozzle's outflow cross-section, while the height Hi depends on the opening time of the dispensing nozzle.

[0074] Therefore, in the above steps, the control unit 6 selects a set of nozzles N1 to deliver a set of food material cylinders that completely cover the bottom of the cavity 101, so that they are arranged side by side on the bottom (image a of FIG9).

[0075] In the subsequent step (step 203''), the control unit 6 checks whether the height Hi of the cylinder is equal to the depth P of the cavity 101.

[0076] Those skilled in the art will understand that this depends on the forward speed of the food product 100 on the conveyor line 2: in fact, the higher the forward speed of the food product 100, the shorter the time that the cavity 101 remains in the correct position relative to the single nozzle (the predetermined position used to dispense the fluid food material within the cavity 101). Incidentally, it should be noted that, given the constant movement of the food product 100, this position will actually be a predetermined outer region.

[0077] Then, the control unit 6 checks whether the speed of the conveyor line 2 is sufficient to transport a cylinder with a height Hi equal to its depth P.

[0078] At that time, the nozzle will be able to deliver a cylindrical food material with a height Hi equal to the depth P, and the set of nozzles N1 will distribute the fluid food material into the cavity 101.

[0079] If not, the control unit 6 continues to determine the second set of nozzles N2 to deliver another set of fluid food material cylinders, which is substantially equal to the set of cylinders to be delivered by the set of nozzles N1. During the dispensing operation, the second set of cylinders positions itself on top of the first set of cylinders, thereby forming a multi-layered structure (image b of FIG9).

[0080] Repeat the above steps until the control unit 6 determines that one set of cylindrical layers associated with the selected multiple sets of nozzles has reached a depth P equal to the height of the cavity 101. It should be noted that the cavity 101 does not necessarily need to be filled up to its own top edge, so that the steps can usually be repeated until the cavity 101 is filled with a predetermined amount of material.

[0081] Once the nozzle required to fill cavity 101 is selected, control unit 6 issues a command to valve device 20 to perform the dispensing of a predetermined amount of material (step 204).

[0082] In the accompanying drawings, the dispensed fluid food materials are generally indicated by reference numeral 102.

[0083] For the selected nozzle, the control unit determines a preset allocation time that can vary from one nozzle to another based on the position of each nozzle within the allocation unit 10 (i.e., more generally, based on its position within a set of multiple rows of nozzles).

[0084] As described above, each nozzle is selected to dispense fluid food material at a given point in the cavity 101. Therefore, during the dispensing operation, it is initiated during a time period in which the cavity 101 is positioned relative to the nozzle in a preset position suitable for dispensing the fluid food material into the cavity 101.

[0085] Taking this overall standard into account, the nozzles of each group N1, N2, etc. can be selected from each dispensing head in a completely variable manner according to the specific requirements and environment of each dispensing operation.

[0086] For example, nozzles in the same group can belong to the same dispensing head or to different dispensing heads. Similarly, two different groups of nozzles can include nozzles from the same dispensing head or nozzles from different dispensing heads.

[0087] Preferably, multiple sets of nozzles N1, N2, etc. are selected such that during the dispensing operation, the fluid food material will first be dispensed by the nozzles of the first set of N1, and then the food material will be dispensed only by the nozzles of another set of N2; the same division of the dispensing operation is maintained between the set of N2 and the possible other set, etc.

[0088] For example, Figure 8 This indicates the selection of two sets of nozzles N1 and N2 for filling the same area of ​​cavity 101. Each set of nozzles is selected from different dispensing heads, with the nozzles of the second set N2 downstream of the nozzles of set N1 relative to the forward direction K. In this way, the nozzles of the second set N2 dispense the fluid food material only after the nozzles of set N1 have completed their dispensing operation.

[0089] refer to Figure 7In a preferred embodiment, the method described herein envisions dispensing a second fluid food material onto a first fluid food material deposited in cavity 101.

[0090] The second material (indicated by reference numeral 104 in the accompanying drawings) is provided for finishing the decoration of the food product 100 and is thus distributed in order to provide another graphic representation.

[0091] The method described herein envisions controlling the distribution of the second fluid material based on the arrangement characteristics of the first food material already deposited on the food product 100. This ensures that the two manifestations obtained through the first and second food materials, respectively, will be coordinated with each other.

[0092] In particular, in the preferred embodiment ( Figure 1 and 7 The method described in this application includes:

[0093] - The cavity 101 of the food product 100 containing the first fluid food material is detected by the second camera 8;

[0094] -Based on the data obtained from the detection of camera 8, determine the area A1 of the first food material in the cavity 101 in the plan view (step 205).

[0095] - Determine the reference area A2 based on the previously determined area A1 of the first food material in the plan view (step 206).

[0096] - A second dispensing unit 30 for dispensing a second fluid food material is provided along conveyor line 2 (step 207).

[0097] - Select a set of nozzles for the second dispensing unit 30 based on the reference area A2, through which the second fluid food material is dispensed (step 208); and

[0098] - The second fluid material is dispensed onto the product using the selected set of nozzles to cover the area corresponding to reference area A2.

[0099] In this process, the fluid food material is dispensed through the selected nozzle at a corresponding preset time, while the food product 100 on the conveyor line 2 moves forward below the multiple rows of nozzles in the second dispensing unit 30 (step 209).

[0100] As described above, the method described herein envisions controlling the distribution of the second material based on one or more characteristics of the product area covered by the first fluid food material.

[0101] The characteristics considered and the control mode adopted depend on the specific application requirements.

[0102] Referring to the example described here, the second material is designed to create a decoration concentric with the decoration obtained through the first material.

[0103] The control scheme implemented determines a reference area A2 to be covered by distributing a second material onto the first material deposited in the cavity 101. The position and size of the reference area A2 will vary according to the position and size of the area A1 of the first food material in the plan view, such that the reference area A2 will fall at a preset position relative to the area A1 of the first food material in the plan view and be at a given size ratio to it.

[0104] As described above, the analytical characteristics and envisioned control modes of the area A1 of the first food material in the plan view depend on the requirements of the specific application. For example, position, shape, size, etc., can represent some analytical characteristics of the area A1 of the first food material in the plan view, and given position, geometry, proportion, shape, etc., these can be control criteria implemented to determine the reference area A2.

[0105] The second distribution unit 30 can have the same structure as the distribution unit 10, and the nozzle control mode can also substantially correspond to the previously described mode.

[0106] It should be noted, however, that in this case, the operation of distributing the second fluid material is intended to cover only the preset area (equal to the reference area A2), and not to fill the predetermined volume. Therefore, the distribution operation is always intended to activate only a single set of nozzles for depositing a monolayer of material defining the reference area A2.

[0107] On the other hand, it should be noted that the use of cameras 4 and 8 also provides the advantage of enabling the implementation of a method in which the food products to be decorated are supplied to the dispensing unit 10 and the second dispensing unit 30 in a disordered and completely random manner, provided that the system can select the nozzle to dispense the fluid material based on the position of the food products on the conveyor line 2.

[0108] As described above, in order to perform the method described in this application, the valve device 20 associated with the nozzle 11' must be able to be controlled individually and independently of each other.

[0109] Based on the key characteristics of the system described in this application (see...) Figure 4 Each nozzle valve device 20 is equipped with an electrically driven opening / closing component.

[0110] In a preferred embodiment, similar to the illustrated embodiment ( Figure 5 The valve device 20 includes an opening / closing component 21, which is made of a body of elastic material and has a common hollow structure that defines a peripheral edge 21A and a central area (or opening / closing portion 21B).

[0111] An opening / closing component 21 is disposed within a conduit 13 of the dispensing head 12, which supplies food material to the nozzle 11' of the dispensing head.

[0112] The peripheral edge 21A is fixed above the conduit 13, as will be seen in more detail below, while the central region can move within the conduit 13 between a first lowered position and a second raised position. In the first lowered position, the central region closes the nozzle 11' to prevent the fluid food material from being dispensed through the nozzle 11'. In the second raised position, the channel is opened through the nozzle to dispense the fluid food material.

[0113] Due to the elasticity of the body of the opening / closing component 21, the central region is able to move relative to the peripheral edge 21A.

[0114] The valve device 20 also includes a solenoid 24 and a magnetic element 25, which is connected to the central region of the opening / closing component via a rod 26 and is movable in a reference direction T substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the conduit 13 due to electromagnetic interaction with the solenoid 24.

[0115] The solenoid 24 and magnetic element 25 are pre-arranged to drive the central region of the opening / closing component from a lowered position to an raised position, as described above. A spring 27 acts on the magnetic element 25 to return the central region to the lowered position.

[0116] In an alternative embodiment, the solenoid 24, the magnetic element 25, and the spring 27 can be pre-arranged for operation in exactly the opposite manner.

[0117] The control unit 6 is configured to drive the solenoid 24 of the valve device 20 of different nozzles 11' according to optical readings taken by cameras 4 and 8 at a preset time, which varies from one nozzle to another according to the criteria highlighted above.

[0118] In a preferred embodiment, similar to the illustrated embodiment, the valve device 20 is housed within a seat 14 disposed in the dispensing head 12 and extending along the reference direction T until it emerges into the conduit 13 itself.

[0119] The peripheral edge 21A of the opening / closing component 21 is fixed to the opening 16 by the fixing component 15, through which the seat 14 extends into the conduit 13, so that the opening / closing component 21 completely closes the opening 16, thereby separating the seat 14 and the valve device 20 housed therein from the conduit 13.

[0120] It should be understood that the opening / closing component 21 is therefore pre-arranged to operate both as an opening / closing component of the corresponding nozzle 11' and as a sealing element of the seat 14 that accommodates the valve device 20.

[0121] As in Figure 4 As can be seen, the valve devices 20 for different nozzles are installed in the dispensing head 12 in the manner described above, based on the mutual arrangement of the row of nozzles in the conduit 13.

[0122] on the other hand, Figure 3 This illustrates a series of dispensing heads 12 along direction H and a system for supplying food materials to corresponding conduits 13.

[0123] In a preferred embodiment, similar to the illustrated embodiment, the supply system includes a plurality of different and separate chambers 17, each chamber 17 supplying a corresponding subgroup of a series of dispensing heads 12.

[0124] The chamber 17 is supplied in parallel via a series of conduits 18, which are disconnected from the common source 19 of the food materials.

[0125] The above configuration enables the determination of the pressure and rate of fluid food material flow within the conduit 13, which is much less volatile and more constant compared to the case where the conduit 13 of all dispensing heads 12 is supplied by a single chamber. This facilitates the dispensing of fluid food material through a nozzle, which is more precise and constant over time.

[0126] On the other hand, the applicant has noted that during the nozzle-closing step, the thrust exerted on the nozzle by the central region by the magnetic element 25 causes a portion of the central region to enter the nozzle orifice, thereby transmitting a pulse that facilitates the removal of the food material still within the orifice. In this respect, the applicant has been able to experimentally demonstrate that it is preferable to use an elastic material with a hardness below 70 Shore A, more preferably above 50 Shore A, to achieve the aforementioned effect of impacting the material remaining within the nozzle orifice, while preventing premature damage to the material forming the opening / closing component 21. For example, the opening / closing component 21 can be made of silicone.

[0127] The applicant has noted that the aforementioned effects significantly improve the dispensing of fluid food materials, particularly in applications where the amount of material to be dispensed is very small and the material itself has high viscosity. Under these conditions, conventional apparatus operation is quite difficult because the small amount of substance to be dispensed tends to remain inside the nozzle orifice due to the high viscosity of the material.

[0128] In a preferred embodiment, similar to the illustrated embodiment, the central portion may have an attachment 23, which is specifically pre-arranged as an opening for entering the nozzle 11'.

[0129] For example, refer to Figure 2 and 8 The applicant has tested the system using a system that has the following characteristics and operates under the following conditions:

[0130] D1=8mm

[0131] D2=48mm

[0132] D3=250mm

[0133] Nozzle diameter: starting from 0.5mm

[0134]

[0135] Forward speed: 15m / min

[0136] Materials dispensed by the system: chocolate cream (viscosity 1400 mPas, flow limit 2 Pa).

[0137] Graphics resolution: 150 DPI.

[0138] The minimum volume to be allocated is 0.05g, and the allocation time is 5ms.

[0139] Finally, it should be noted that the system described in this application does not necessarily need to be pre-arranged to implement the above method, and therefore it is even possible to perform the normal allocation method without setting up components such as camera 4 or second allocation unit 30, and the system described in this application can be used to perform the normal allocation method, providing the advantages highlighted above in any case.

[0140] Of course, without prejudice to the principles of the invention, the details of the construction and embodiments may vary significantly with respect to what is shown by non-limiting examples in this application, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system for depositing a food material in a fluid state onto a food product, the system comprising: - Conveyor line (2) for supplying multiple food products (100) along the forward direction (K). - At least one dispensing unit (10) for dispensing fluid food material onto a food product (100) advancing on a conveyor line (2), wherein the dispensing unit (10) includes multiple rows of nozzles (11) arranged in a direction lateral to the advancing direction (K); and - A control unit (6) for controlling the distribution unit (10). The dispensing unit (10) includes a plurality of valve devices (20), which are associated with nozzles (11') in the multi-row nozzles (11) and are designed to control the flow of fluid food material through the nozzles (11'). The valve device (20) includes: -Open / close component (21); - Solenoid (24); and - A magnetic element (25), operably connected to the opening / closing component (21) and movable between a first position and a second position, in the first position, the opening / closing component (21) closes the corresponding nozzle (11') to prevent the dispensing of fluid food material through the nozzle, and in the second position, the channel is opened through the nozzle (11') for dispensing the fluid food material. In this process, due to the electromagnetic interaction between the magnetic element and the solenoid (24), the opening / closing component (21) is driven by the magnetic element (25) to move from the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position. The valve device is housed in a seat (14) that extends out into a supply conduit (13) for supplying a fluid food product to a nozzle (11'). The opening / closing component (21) is made of an elastomer that closes the seat (14) relative to the supply conduit (13). The elastomer includes an opening / closing portion (21B) that is operatively connected to and moves with a magnetic element (25).

2. The system of claim 1, wherein: The multi-row nozzle (11) includes multiple rows of nozzles (11) oriented in corresponding directions (J) that are parallel to each other and transverse to the direction of travel (K).

3. The system of claim 2, wherein: The multi-row nozzle (11) is tilted at an angle between 3° and 15° relative to the forward direction (K).

4. The system of claim 3, wherein: The multi-row nozzle (11) is tilted at an angle between 7° and 10° relative to the forward direction (K).

5. The system of any one of claims 1-4, wherein: The multi-row nozzle (11) has a matrix structure extending along the forward direction (K) and in a direction orthogonal to the forward direction (H).

6. The system of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The multi-row nozzles (11) have the same number of nozzles (11'), and the nozzles (11') in each row are spaced apart at equal distances for all rows.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein, The multi-row nozzle (11) includes a series of nozzles (11A) of multiple rows of nozzles aligned in a direction (H) orthogonal to the forward direction (K), the series of nozzles following one another in the forward direction (K), wherein each series of nozzles (11A) of the multi-row nozzles is offset relative to the series of nozzles of the multi-row nozzles preceding it in the reference forward direction (K), such that the first nozzle (11') in the multi-row nozzle (11) is substantially aligned in the forward direction (K) with the last nozzle of the corresponding row of the nozzle series preceding it, and the last nozzle (11') in the multi-row nozzle (11) is substantially aligned in the forward direction (K) with the first nozzle of the corresponding row of the nozzle series preceding it, and vice versa.

8. The system of any one of claims 1-4, comprising: Supply conduits (13) for dispensing fluid food material to nozzles (11') of the multi-row nozzles (11); and a plurality of different and separate chambers (17), the chambers (17) being pre-arranged for dispensing fluid food material to supply conduits (13) of corresponding subgroups of the multi-row nozzles (11), wherein the chambers (17) are supplied in parallel via a series of conduits (18) exiting a common source (19) of food material.

9. The system of any one of claims 1-4, comprising: At least one camera (4) is used to detect food products (100) moving forward on the conveyor line (2), wherein the control unit (6) is configured to control the dispensing unit (10) based on data obtained from the detection of the food products by the camera (4).

10. The system of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The control unit (6) is configured to drive the solenoid (24) of the valve device (20) associated with the nozzle (11') according to data obtained by the camera (4) detecting the food product at a preset time, the preset time varying with the position of the nozzle in the multi-row nozzle (11).

11. A method for depositing food material in a fluid state onto a food product using the system as described in any one of claims 1-10, comprising the following steps: - A plurality of food products (100) are fed along the forward direction (K) on the conveyor line (2), each food product including at least one receiving cavity (101) for receiving fluid food material. -The receiving cavity (101) for receiving fluid food material is detected by camera (4) for each food product (100). -Based on the data obtained by detection through camera (4), determine one or more data representing the volume of the receiving cavity (101) of the food product (100); - At least one dispensing unit (10) for dispensing fluid food material is provided along the conveyor line (2), the dispensing unit comprising multiple rows of nozzles (11) arranged in a direction transverse to the forward direction (K); -Based on one or more data (A, P) previously determined to represent the volume of the receiving cavity (101), select a set of nozzles (N1) from the multi-row nozzles and dispense the fluid food material through the set of nozzles; as well as - A certain amount of fluid food material is dispensed into the receiving cavity (101) through the selected set of nozzles (N1), the amount being approximately equal to the volume of the receiving cavity (101). In this process, the fluid food material is dispensed through the selected set of nozzles (N1) at a corresponding preset time, while the food product on the conveyor line (2) moves forward below the multi-row nozzles (11).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein: Determining one or more data representing the volume of the receiving cavity includes determining the area (A) and depth (P) of the receiving cavity (101) in a plan view; Among them, a set of nozzles is selected, including: - Determine the first set of nozzles (N1) for at least covering the bottom of the receiving cavity (101) based on the determined area (A); and -A plurality of another set of nozzles (N2) are used to fill the entire volume of the receiving cavity (101) based on the determined depth (P) and the speed at which the product moves in the forward direction (K).

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising: - The receiving cavity containing food material previously deposited in the receiving cavity (101) is detected by camera (4); -Based on the data obtained by the camera (4), determine the area (A1) of the food material contained in the receiving cavity in the plan view. - Determine the reference area (A2) based on the previously determined area (A1) of the food material contained in the receiving cavity in the plan view; -A second dispensing unit (30) for dispensing a second fluid food material is provided along the conveyor line (2), the second dispensing unit (30) including a second multi-row nozzle arranged in a direction traversing the forward direction (K); - Select a set of nozzles of the second dispensing unit (30) according to the reference area (A2), and dispense the second fluid food material through the set of nozzles of the second dispensing unit; - The second fluid material is dispensed onto the food product (100) by means of the selected set of nozzles of the second dispensing unit, so as to cover the area corresponding to the reference area (A2). The fluid food material is dispensed at a given time through selected nozzles, while the product on the conveyor line (2) advances below multiple rows of nozzles (11).

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