Method and device for making Souffle pine cakes

Abstract

The invention provides a method and a device for making souffle pine cakes. The method and the device can be used for making the souffle pine cakes which are not easy to collapse. The making device for the Souffle pine cakes is characterized by comprising a baking device and an oven, the baking device comprises a conveying device, a baking tray which is attached to the conveying device and is continuously or intermittently conveyed in a circulating mode, and a heating unit which extends in the conveying direction of the baking tray and heats and bakes dough placed on the baking tray through the baking tray. The turnover unit is located in the middle of the heating units or arranged between the two heating units located on the upstream side and the downstream side in the conveying direction and used for turning over the baked dough, and the removable heat preservation cover covers the upper portion of the dough when the dough is baked and restrains water vapor in the dough from diffusing. The oven is provided with a conveying device used for conveying the dough, the upper surface and the lower surface of the dough are baked by the baking device, and a heating unit used for heating the dough from the upper portion or the lower portion in the conveying process. The oven is used for heating and baking all the surfaces including the side surfaces of the dough baked by the baking device within a preset time after baking.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and device for manufacturing soufflé pancakes, and in particular to a method and device for manufacturing soufflé pancakes that are not easy to collapse. The present invention relates to baking the upper surface and the lower surface of dough placed on a baking tray, and at the same time, during baking, using a removable heat-insulating cover to suppress the diffusion of water vapor in the dough, and heating the baked dough within a predetermined time after baking, so that all surfaces including the side surfaces are evenly baked and heated, thereby ensuring uniform baking and improving shape retention. Background Art

[0002] Muffins are relatively simple to make, requiring only ingredients such as cake mix, eggs, milk and sugar to be mixed, heated on one side in a frying pan or on a baking sheet, and then flipped over to toast the other side. Muffins can be enjoyed with syrup or jam. They can also be made into sandwiches, such as dorayaki, where red bean paste is sandwiched between two muffins, and served in a variety of forms. Therefore, muffins can be made at home or mass-produced in a variety of forms, including the ones described above.

[0003] Patent document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-94053) relates to a sandwich pancake manufacturing device including a pancake baking machine. The document describes a baking machine for making pancake crusts for dorayaki (a Japanese dessert consisting of two pancakes with red bean paste sandwiched between them). In the machine, dough is dropped from a dough dropper onto a baking tray that rotates around a burner. During the transfer, the lower surface of the dough is baked by the baking tray, while the upper surface is lightly baked using an upper flame heater.

[0004] Patent document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. S58-107131) also relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a dorayaki pancake crust. The document describes an apparatus for transferring a certain amount of dough to a baking tray that is driven in a circular manner. The lower surface of the dough is baked by the baking tray, while the upper surface is dried by a drying device to such an extent that its shape can be maintained during the transfer process. Subsequently, the dough is turned over, and the center portion of the dried upper surface is baked using the residual heat of the baking tray.

[0005] Both devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are directed to pancakes for making dorayaki. A common feature of these devices is that the dough used is relatively thin. In order to facilitate the connection of its edges after filling, one of the surfaces is baked until browning because this side is exposed in the finished product. The other side is not exposed, and its discoloration is minimized during baking.

[0006] Among the various methods explored for making waffles, soufflé waffles with a thick and soft texture have been developed and are becoming increasingly popular. Soufflé waffles are made by first beating the egg whites in the ingredients to a meringue-like consistency and then carefully mixing them with other ingredients to avoid defoaming before baking, thereby achieving a soft texture with a high air content. However, after baking, they easily collapse and lose their texture over time, which poses a challenge to mass production. Soufflé waffles are not suitable for sandwiches because they are thick and very soft. Instead, they should be baked on both the top and bottom surfaces until browned to enhance their taste and flavor.

[0007] A method for manufacturing soufflé pancakes involves using a mold during the baking process to ensure its thickness and obtain a fluffy taste. However, using molds for mass production requires a lot of manpower to clean and manage the molds, and the baking time is usually long. Therefore, it is best to be able to achieve mass production without using molds. If soufflé pancakes that are not easy to collapse even after a long time after baking can be mass-produced, it is possible to provide the taste of freshly baked soufflé pancakes in a convenient way for people to enjoy at any time. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a manufacturing method and an apparatus that can mass-produce soufflé pancakes that are not easy to collapse even after a long time after baking without using molds during the baking process.

[0008] Prior art literature Patent Literature Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-94053 Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. S58-107131 Summary of the invention Purpose of the Invention The present invention is proposed in view of the problems existing in the above-mentioned method and device for manufacturing soufflé pancakes. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method and device for manufacturing soufflé pancakes that are not easy to collapse. The purpose is achieved by baking two surfaces of the dough, and at the same time, covering the upper part of the dough placed on the baking tray with a removable heat-insulating cover to inhibit the diffusion of water vapor from the dough, and heating the baked dough within a predetermined time after baking so that all surfaces including the side surfaces are evenly baked and heated, thereby ensuring uniform baking and improving shape retention.

[0009] Features of the invention The soufflé pancake manufacturing device of the present invention comprises a baking device and an oven.

[0010] The baking device includes a conveying device, a baking tray attached to the conveying device to be circulated and conveyed continuously or intermittently, and a heating unit extending along the conveying direction of the baking tray. The heating unit is configured to heat and bake the dough placed on the baking tray through the baking tray. The baking device also includes a flipping unit, which is arranged at an intermediate position along the heating unit, or between two heating units located on the upstream side and the downstream side along the conveying direction. The flipping unit is used to flip the dough that has been baked on one side. In addition, the baking device is equipped with a removable heat-insulating cover, which covers the upper part of the dough to suppress the diffusion of water vapor in the dough.

[0011] The oven includes a conveying device for conveying the dough whose upper and lower surfaces have been baked by the baking device. The oven is also provided with a heating unit, which is configured to heat the upper and lower surfaces of the dough during conveying. The oven is designed to heat the dough baked by the baking device within a predetermined time after baking, so as to uniformly heat and bake all surfaces of the dough including the side surfaces.

[0012] Preferably, the soufflé pancake manufacturing device includes a spray unit configured to provide moisture to the surface of the dough after baking to prevent drying, wherein the spray unit is arranged at at least one position on the downstream side of the turning unit of the baking device and the upstream side of the heating unit of the oven.

[0013] Preferably, the spray unit includes a first spray unit disposed immediately downstream of the flipping unit and a second spray unit disposed upstream of the heating unit of the oven, and is configured to provide moisture to a baking surface of the dough baked by the baking device.

[0014] Preferably, the conveying device included in the oven is shared with the conveying device of the baking device, and the circulating baking tray first receives the dough dropped thereon by the dough dropping machine at the most upstream position of the baking device, then is conveyed along the heating unit of the baking device and the heating unit of the oven, and finally circulates back to the most upstream position of the baking device.

[0015] Preferably, the conveying device included in the oven and the conveying device of the baking device are arranged separately from each other, and the device also includes a transfer device arranged between the baking device and the oven, so as to transfer the dough baked by the baking device to the oven.

[0016] The manufacturing method of the soufflé pancake of the present invention comprises the following steps: The first baking step is to use a baking device including a conveying device and a heating unit to bake one surface of the dough placed on the baking tray through a baking tray, and at the same time, when the dough is conveyed, the dough is covered with a tunnel-shaped heat-insulating cover for inhibiting the diffusion of water vapor in the dough, wherein the baking tray is attached to the conveying device and is configured to be continuously or intermittently cyclically conveyed; Turning over step: Turn over the dough that has been baked on the surface without covering it with a heat preservation cover; Second baking step: the turned dough is conveyed in a state of being covered with a heat preservation cover, and at the same time, the other side of the dough is baked on a baking tray; and Full surface heating and baking step: within a predetermined time after baking, during the conveying process, the dough on both the upper and lower sides that have been baked is heated and baked by the oven so that all surfaces of the dough including the sides are evenly heated and baked.

[0017] Technical Effects According to the method and device for manufacturing soufflé muffins of the present invention, the upper and lower surfaces of the soufflé muffins are baked in a baking device to give them a fluffy taste. After baking, the muffins are placed in an oven for heating within a predetermined time to ensure that all surfaces, including the sides, are evenly heated and baked. Therefore, compared with soufflé muffins baked only in a baking device, the soufflé muffins heated in the oven are less likely to collapse even after cooling. This enables mass production of soufflé muffins that maintain a fluffy taste. Since the baking device and the oven are used in combination in this way, soufflé muffins that are not easy to collapse after cooling can be manufactured without using a mold, and the baking time can be shortened compared to baking using a mold.

[0018] According to the method and device for manufacturing soufflé pancakes of the present invention, the baked dough is either directly transferred to the oven through the conveying device shared by the baking device and the oven, or is transferred from the baking device to the conveying device of the oven through the transfer device, and then enters the oven. This configuration effectively reduces the time difference between each dough from baking to being sent to the oven, and reduces the inconsistency of the temperature drop of the dough during this period. Therefore, the quality of the dough heated and baked in the oven is always stable and of high quality.

[0019] According to the method and device for manufacturing soufflé pancakes of the present invention, during the baking process in the baking device, a removable heat-insulating cover is used to cover the upper part of the dough, thereby effectively inhibiting the diffusion of water vapor in the dough. Therefore, this arrangement can prevent the dough from drying out during the baking process and ensure that the dough is fully expanded.

[0020] According to the method and device for manufacturing soufflé pancakes of the present invention, a spray unit is provided at least on the downstream side of the flipping unit of the baking device and the upstream side of the heating unit of the oven, so as to add moisture to the surface of the dough after baking to prevent it from drying. By preventing the surface of the dough after baking from drying or cracking, this arrangement helps to manufacture soufflé pancakes that maintain their volume and have a beautiful appearance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of a souffle pancake manufacturing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of a souffle pancake manufacturing device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a use state of a heat preservation cover according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 (a) to Figure 4 (d) is a schematic diagram schematically illustrating an operation of turning over dough in a turning unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a dough conveying state in a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a flow chart showing a method for manufacturing souffle pancakes according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a flow chart showing a method for manufacturing souffle pancakes according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Next, preferred embodiments of the method and apparatus for manufacturing soufflé waffles according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 Schematic diagram showing the overall structure of a device for manufacturing soufflé pancakes according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 According to one embodiment of the present invention, a soufflé pancake manufacturing device 1 includes a baking device 20 and an oven 40 disposed adjacent to the baking device 20 .

[0023] The manufacturing device 1 of the soufflé muffin according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured to perform the following steps: first, the dough after adding meringue is placed on a circulating baking tray, and the upper and lower outer surfaces are directly baked by the baking device 20, and the muffin is turned over during the baking process to bake the dough into a soufflé muffin; then, within a predetermined time, especially before the baked soufflé muffin cools and collapses, it is sent to the oven 40 for further heating. This additional heating process enables all surfaces of the soufflé muffin, including the sides of the dough, to be evenly heated and baked, while controlling the browning degree of the upper and lower surfaces. Thus, soufflé muffins that are not easy to collapse even after cooling can be mass-produced. Since the temperature of the dough decreases over time from the completion of baking to the delivery of the dough to the oven 40, if the delay before being delivered to the oven 40 for heating is too long, the dough may take longer to reach the temperature required for proper baking. This may result in insufficient heating and baking of the dough as a whole, including the sides. Therefore, the shorter the specified time, the better. Most preferably, the specified time is within 1 minute. However, even if the prescribed time is within 2 minutes, a soufflé pancake that is not likely to collapse after cooling can be reliably produced.

[0024] The baking device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a conveying device 21; a plurality of baking trays 23 connected to the conveying device 21 and continuously or intermittently cyclically conveyed; a heating unit 24 extending along the conveying direction A of the baking trays 23 and indirectly heating the dough 60 placed on the baking trays 23 from below through the baking trays 23 to bake the dough 60; a flipping unit 25 located in the middle of the heating unit 24 and used to flip the dough 60 after one side of the dough 60 is baked; and a removable heat-insulating cover 28 covering the upper part of the dough 60 during the baking process to inhibit the diffusion of water vapor in the dough 60. Depending on the embodiment, the heating unit 24 is not necessarily located below the flipping unit 25. Instead, the heating unit 24 may be composed of two heating units (24-1, 24-2): an upstream heating unit 24-1 located upstream of the flipping unit 25 and baking one surface of the dough 60; and a downstream heating unit 24-2 located downstream of the flipping unit 25 and baking the other surface of the dough 60.

[0025] The dough 60 baked by the baking device 20 is specially prepared for soufflé pancakes, and its main ingredients include, for example, eggs, milk, sugar, flour and salad oil. The eggs are separated into egg whites and egg yolks, and the egg whites are mixed into the dough 60 in the form of meringue in the final stage, so that the dough 60 incorporates more air during baking and becomes more fluffy. The prepared dough 6 is placed on the baking tray 23 by the dough delivery machine 10 arranged near the most upstream part 22 of the baking device 20. In this embodiment, the baking tray 23 is roughly rectangular and is attached to the conveying device 21 so that its longitudinal direction is orthogonal to the conveying direction A, so that multiple doughs 60 can be arranged along the longitudinal direction for baking. Accordingly, the dough delivery machine 10 is equipped with multiple delivery nozzles, which can simultaneously place multiple doughs 60 on the baking tray 23.

[0026] When the baking tray 23 is intermittently conveyed, the dough dispenser 10 does not need to move in the conveying direction A of the baking tray 23. On the other hand, when the baking tray 23 is continuously conveyed, the dough dispenser 10 is configured to move two-dimensionally so that it places the dough 60 while moving in the conveying direction A while being conveyed synchronously with the baking tray 23, and after completing the placement, returns to the upstream side to prepare for the next placement of the dough 60. By configuring the dough dispenser 10 to move two-dimensionally in this way, the conveyance of the dough 60 does not need to be stopped when placing the dough 60, thereby improving the efficiency of mass production.

[0027] When the dough 60 placed on the baking tray 23 is conveyed to a position above the heating unit 24, it is heated from below by the baking tray 23. The baking tray 23 absorbs the heat of the heating unit 24 and the temperature rises, thereby baking the lower surface of the dough. The heating unit 24 includes a plurality of heating elements, such as a gas burner or an infrared heater in a linear shape, which are arranged at predetermined intervals along the conveying direction A of the baking tray 23. Each heating element is arranged to extend in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction A and is arranged to heat the baking tray 23 along the longitudinal direction of the baking tray 23. For example, the heating unit 24 heats and maintains the temperature of the baking tray 23 within a range of 130-170°C. In this embodiment, the heating element groups corresponding to each baking tray 23 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the conveying direction A. The temperature of each heating element can be adjusted individually, so that the temperature rise curve of the baking tray 23 can be accurately controlled to achieve a desired temperature distribution.

[0028] As described above, a plurality of doughs 60 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the baking tray 23. However, the ends of the baking tray 23 in the longitudinal direction are more likely to lose heat to the outside than the center portion. As a result, the degree of baking of the dough 60 placed at the ends in the longitudinal direction is more likely to decrease than that of the dough 60 placed at the center portion. Therefore, the heating element used in the heating unit 24, such as a gas burner or an infrared heater, is preferably capable of varying the calorific value in the longitudinal direction, and the calorific value at the ends of the heating element facing the ends in the longitudinal direction of the baking tray 23 is set higher than the calorific value at the center portion.

[0029] Generally, when manually baking soufflé pancakes, covering the dough 60 with a lid can reduce the loss of water vapor in the dough 60, thereby obtaining a fluffy taste. Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the baking device 20 is equipped with a removable heat-insulating cover 28, which is covered on the upper part of the dough 60 during the baking process to inhibit the diffusion of water vapor in the dough 60, thereby providing a function equivalent to a lid.

[0030] The heat-insulating cover 28 may be configured to cover each baking tray 23 individually; however, this configuration requires a special mechanism for placing and removing the cover for each baking tray 23. Therefore, in an embodiment of the present invention, the heat-insulating cover 28 is formed in a tunnel shape and installed to cover the top of the conveyor 21, corresponding to the position of the heating unit 24. The baking tray 23 is conveyed through the tunnel of the heat-insulating cover 28. In this way, the dough 60 is heated by the heating unit 24 while being conveyed through the tunnel of the heat-insulating cover 28, and the steam generated by the dough 60 during the baking process has a steaming effect.

[0031] The heat preservation cover 28 is installed in a removable manner to facilitate maintenance work such as cleaning. In addition, the heat preservation cover 28 can be replaced by other heat preservation covers of suitable shapes to adapt to the number and size of the dough 60 to be placed on the baking tray 23. Furthermore, when the baking device 20 is used to make food that does not require a steaming effect like soufflé pancakes, the heat preservation cover 28 can be removed to make it suitable for various baked foods. One side of the baked dough 60 requires a predetermined heating time. Therefore, based on the conveying speed, the length of the conveying device 21 should be sufficient to meet the demand for baking time. Accordingly, the length of the heat preservation cover 28 also needs to match the conveying distance during the baking process. The heat preservation cover 28 can be made into a single piece to provide the required length. However, if it is made into a single piece, it will become very heavy and difficult to disassemble. In this embodiment, the heat preservation cover 28 is divided into a plurality of parts along the required length of the conveying direction A of the baking tray 23, and these parts are combined to form a tunnel shape of the required length.

[0032] When the surface temperature of the heat preservation cover 28 rises slowly, for example, when the ambient temperature at the installation location of the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 1 is low, the water vapor generated by the dough 60 condenses when it contacts the heat preservation cover 28, forming water droplets, and drips onto the dough 60, affecting its baking effect. To solve this problem, the top surface of the heat preservation cover 28 can be configured as a double-layer structure, including an inner cover and an outer cover, to reduce sensitivity to external temperature.

[0033] When the lower surface of the dough 60 in contact with the baking tray 23 is baked, the dough 60 is turned over by the turning unit 25. Figure 4 As described in detail, in this embodiment, the flipping unit 25 scoops up the dough 60 from the downstream side of the baking tray 23 conveying direction A by inserting a shovel between the baking tray 23 and the dough 60. Then the dough 60 is flipped over and put back on the baking tray 23 at a more downstream position.

[0034] After the flipping, the surface newly in contact with the baking tray 23 is baked. However, if the previously baked surface becomes dry and cracked during the process, the dough 60 as a whole will stop expanding, resulting in a reduction in volume. Therefore, the present embodiment also provides a spray unit 30 (first spray unit 31), which is configured to replenish moisture from above to the previously baked surface, wherein the surface is the surface that becomes the upper surface of the dough 60 after the dough 60 is flipped by the flipping unit 25. In one embodiment, a water-air mixed spray is used to uniformly replenish moisture to the upper surface of the dough 60. A heating element, such as a gas burner or an infrared heater, may be selectively installed below the baking tray 23, at the locations of the flipping unit 25 and the spray unit 30. However, the heat preservation cover 28 is not installed at these locations.

[0035] After being sprayed by the spray unit 30, the dough 60 is indirectly heated by the heating unit 24 through the baking tray 23 while being conveyed in the tunnel formed by the heat-insulating cover 28, and the surface of the dough 60 in contact with the baking tray 23 is baked. For example, the heating unit 24 also heats the baking tray 23 to maintain its temperature within the range of 130-170°C. When both the upper and lower surfaces of the dough 60 are baked, the dough 60 is fully expanded and baked into a souffle pancake with a fluffy texture. In this state, the dough 60 reaches a quality comparable to that of a freshly baked souffle pancake in a restaurant or cafe. However, in mass production, the souffle pancakes are packaged and distributed and are provided to consumers after a period of time after baking. During this period, the dough 60 cools and collapses.

[0036] Therefore, the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 1 transfers the dough 60 to the oven 40 within a predetermined time after the baking device 20 finishes baking the dough 60. In the oven, the dough is further heated to ensure that all surfaces of the soufflé pancake, including the sides, are evenly baked. By heating and baking all surfaces of the dough again, the overall strength of the dough is improved, ensuring that the soufflé pancake is not easy to collapse even when it cools to ambient temperature after baking.

[0037] Since the dough 60 baked in the baking device 20 is further heated in the oven 40, the embodiment further provides a spray unit 30 (second spray unit 32) between the baking device 20 and the oven 40 to replenish moisture from above the dough 60, thereby preventing the dough 60 from expanding during the heating process and causing surface cracking. In this case, the spray unit 30 (second spray unit 32) also uses a water-air mixture to spray on the upper surface of the dough 60 to uniformly provide moisture so that the dough 60 maintains flexibility.

[0038] The oven 40 includes a conveying device 44 for conveying the dough 60 with the upper and lower surfaces baked, and a heating unit 41 for heating the upper and lower surfaces of the dough 60 during the conveying process. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the conveyor 44 provided in the oven 40 is shared with the conveyor 21 of the baking device 20, and the conveyor 21 and 44 are integrally configured to form a closed loop. The upstream end of the baking device 20 and the downstream end of the oven 40, which constitute the two ends of the closed loop, are respectively provided with conveyor rollers (not shown in the figure). The circulating baking tray 23 is first loaded with dough 60 by the dough delivery machine 10 at the most upstream part 22 of the baking device 20. Then, the baking tray 23 is conveyed along the heating unit 24 of the baking device 20 and the heating unit 41 of the oven 40, and then rotates at the conveyor roller at the downstream end of the oven 40 and returns to the most upstream part 22 of the baking device 20 again. Therefore, the dough 60 baked in the baking device 20 is directly sent to the oven 40 through the conveyor (21, 44) without being taken away at any position. As a result, the plurality of doughs 60 on the baking tray 23 are sent to the oven 40 with the minimum temperature change caused by the temperature drop, thereby suppressing the difference in the quality of the dough after heating and baking in the oven 40.

[0039] The heating unit 41 is composed of an upper heating unit 42 for heating the upper surface and a lower heating unit 43 for heating the lower surface through the baking tray 23. Each heating unit includes a plurality of heating elements, such as gas burners or infrared heaters, arranged in a straight line and arranged at predetermined intervals along the conveying direction A of the baking tray 23. Each heating element is arranged to extend in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction A and is configured to heat the baking tray 23 and the dough 60 on the baking tray 23 along the longitudinal direction of the baking tray 23. The upper heating unit 42 and the lower heating unit 43 are provided with independent control systems, and the temperature of each unit can be set independently. Since the purpose of heating the oven 40 is to heat and bake all surfaces of the dough including the side surfaces, the temperature should be set to prevent the upper and lower surfaces that have been baked from further browning, while achieving heating and baking of all surfaces including the side surfaces. For example, the lower heater is controlled to keep the ambient temperature below the dough 60 at 100-140°C, and the upper heater is controlled to keep the ambient temperature above the dough 60 at 120-160°C. When the oven 40 completes heating and baking of all surfaces of the dough including the sides, the dough 60 that has been made into soufflé pancakes is taken out of the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 1 by a taking-out device (not shown in the figure).

[0040] exist Figure 1 In the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 1 shown, the conveying device 21 is shared, and the baking device 20 and the oven 40 are arranged adjacent to each other, and the spray unit 30 is located between the two, so that the baked dough 60 can be sent to the oven 40 without cooling. On the other hand, since the conveying devices 21 and 44 are shared, extending the processing time of the baking device 20 or the oven 40 often leads to an increase in the overall length of the device.

[0041] Figure 2 Schematic diagram showing the overall structure of a soufflé pancake manufacturing device according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 According to another embodiment of the present invention, a soufflé pancake manufacturing device 2 and Figure 1 The soufflé pancake making device 1 shown is similar in that it includes a baking device 20 and an oven 40 disposed adjacent to the baking device 20. However, the soufflé pancake making device 2 is different from the soufflé pancake making device 1 in two aspects: the conveying device 45 disposed in the oven 40 is separated from the conveying device 21 of the baking device 20; and a transfer device 50 is disposed between the baking device 20 and the oven 40 for transferring the dough 60 baked by the baking device 20 to the oven 40.

[0042] The baking device 20 of the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 2 is the same as the baking device 20 of the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 1, except that the conveyor 21 is shorter and circulates in the baking device 20 in a closed loop. Therefore, the difference from the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 1 will be described below. The transfer device 50 is integrated with a transfer conveyor belt 51, which is interposed between the baking device 20 and the oven 40, and when the baking tray 23 turns back and changes direction at the most downstream end of the conveyor 21 of the baking device 20, the transfer conveyor belt 51 takes the dough 60 from the baking tray 23 and receives it. The transfer conveyor belt 51 is equipped with a plurality of closed-loop conveyor belts, and transfers the dough 60 received from the conveyor 21 to the conveyor 45 of the oven 40. At this time, even if the conveying speeds of the conveyor 21 of the baking device 20 and the conveyor 45 of the oven 40 are different, the plurality of closed-loop conveyor belts can adjust the conveying speed of the dough 60 and change its conveying interval, thereby eliminating the difference in conveying speed between the conveyors 21 and 45.

[0043] The baked dough 60 is taken off the baking tray 23 by the transfer device 50 and transferred to the conveyor 45 through the transfer conveyor belt 51. Therefore, the conveyor 45 does not need to transfer the baking tray 23, but uses a conveyor belt or other devices that can freely change the conveying interval of the dough 60 to transfer the dough 60. The conveyor 45 forms a conveying path that circulates in the form of a closed loop in the oven 40, and is controlled to operate independently of the conveying speed of the baking device 20.

[0044] Similar to the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 1, the oven 40 is equipped with a heating unit 41 including an upper heating unit 42 and a lower heating unit 43. The oven 40 is also equipped with a spray unit 30 (a second spray unit 32) to replenish moisture from above the dough 60 before the dough 60 conveyed by the conveyor 45 is about to reach the heating unit 41. The spray unit 30 (the second spray unit 32) uses a water-air mixed spray to uniformly replenish moisture to the upper surface of the dough 60 to provide flexibility to the dough 60. The transfer conveyor belt 51 and the conveying portion of the conveyor 45 that is not involved in transfer or spraying are covered by a removable tunnel-shaped heat-insulating cover 28 to prevent the temperature of the dough 60 from dropping and the surface from drying.

[0045] By adopting this structure of the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 2, the conveying speed of the conveying device 21 of the baking device 20 and the conveying device 45 of the oven 40 can be adjusted independently. Therefore, by reducing the conveying speed of the device with a longer processing time, the overall length of the device can be avoided from being unnecessarily increased. In addition, the conveying device 21 of the baking device 20 and the conveying device 45 of the oven 40 are separated, so that the baking device 20 and the oven 40 can be used independently with their respective conveying devices, respectively, which improves the versatility of the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 1. This structure has significant benefits for manufacturers because the life cycle of products has shortened and the variety of products has increased in recent years. On the other hand, since the dough 60 needs to be transferred after being baked by the baking device 20 and before being sent to the oven 40, the time required for sending to the oven 40 is often longer. In this regard, sending the dough 60 to the oven 40 within 2 minutes after baking can minimize its temperature drop and ensure that all surfaces including the sides are evenly heated and baked while maintaining the required fluffiness. Therefore, setting the steps from transferring the dough to sending it to the oven 40 to be completed within 2 minutes can achieve the desired effect. In this case, the dough 60 can still be fed into the oven 40 with a minimum temperature change due to the temperature drop, thereby suppressing quality variation.

[0046] Figure 3 Schematic diagram showing the use state of the heat preservation cover according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 , a plurality of baking trays 23 are sequentially conveyed by the conveying device 21 of the baking device 20 along the conveying direction indicated by the arrow A, and six doughs 60 are placed on each baking tray 23. Here, the number of doughs 60 on the baking tray 23 is six, but the number can be varied, and can be more or less. The heating unit 24 (not shown in the figure) is located below the baking tray 23. The baking tray 23 is heated by the heating unit 24 during the conveying process, the temperature rises, and the lower surface of the dough 60 is heated. Above the baking tray 23 and the dough 60, a heat preservation cover 28 with a substantially U-shaped cross section is installed to form a tunnel shape. Figure 3 Two heat-retaining covers 28 assembled in the conveying direction of the baking tray 23 are shown. They are separated, so that installation and removal operations are convenient. If it is convenient to operate, the heat-retaining cover 28 can also be used as a single piece, or it can also be divided into three or more pieces.

[0047] When the dough 60 is heated by the baking pan 23 and its temperature rises, steam is generated. Since the upper part of the dough 60 is covered by the heat-insulating cover 28, the generated steam is more likely to remain in the tunnel formed by the heat-insulating cover 28. As a result, the dough 60 will obtain a steamed effect, so that the texture of the finished product is more moist. If the height H of the heat-insulating cover 28 is too high, the opening area will also become larger, causing the steam to escape. Therefore, the steam will not remain around the dough 60, resulting in a reduction in the steaming effect. Therefore, considering the expansion of the dough 60, the height H of the heat-insulating cover 28 is preferably set in the range of 50-150 mm. Figure 3 The heat-retaining cover 28 shown has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and its top surface is flat. However, the shape of the heat-retaining cover 28 is not limited to this configuration, and may also be formed into a roof-like shape with a raised central portion, or may be formed into a curved surface with an arched shape. As described above, the top surface may be configured as a double-layer structure including an inner cover and an outer cover, thereby reducing sensitivity to external temperature. Since the amount of steam generated depends on the size and amount of the dough 60 placed on the baking tray 23, the heat-retaining cover 28 may be selectively replaced with a cover of a suitable shape according to these factors.

[0048] Figure 4 (a) to Figure 4 (d) is a schematic diagram schematically showing the operation of turning over dough in a turning unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 (a) to Figure 4 (d) shows the turning process of the dough 60 with one side baked in the turning unit 25 in sequence.

[0049] The flipping unit 25 includes a rotating shaft 26 and a shovel 27 attached to the rotating shaft 26, wherein the shovel 27 rotates together with the rotating shaft 26. The rotating shaft 26 extends along the longitudinal direction of the baking tray 23, which is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the baking tray 23, and is configured to move two-dimensionally in a plane orthogonal to the rotating shaft 26. A plurality of shovels 27 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft 26. The number and installation positions of the shovels 27 are determined according to the number and position of the dough 60 placed on the baking tray 23. That is, the number and installation positions of the shovels 27 correspond to the number and arrangement of the dough delivery nozzles of the dough delivery machine 10. When the dough delivery machine 10 is installed to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the baking tray 23 and delivers the dough 60 in a staggered manner by moving on each baking tray 23, the rotating shaft 26 is also installed to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the baking tray 23 so as to be able to flip the staggered dough 60.

[0050] refer to Figure 4(a) The flipping unit 25 rotates and moves the rotating shaft 26 so that the tip of the shovel 27 contacts the top surface of the baking tray 23 on the downstream side of the dough 60 and waits for the dough 60 to be transferred.

[0051] refer to Figure 4 (b), as the baking tray 23 is conveyed, the dough 60 is gradually peeled off from the baking tray 23 by the stationary shovel 27 , and moves upward to the shovel 27 , and is finally transferred to the shovel 27 .

[0052] Next reference Figure 4 (c), the rotating shaft 26 rotates, driving the shovel 27 to rotate, and turning over the dough 60 on the shovel 27. At this time, if the rotating shaft 26 rotates while being fixed in position, the dough 60 will rotate around the fixed rotating shaft 26 and return to the baking tray 23 under the momentum generated by the centrifugal force. However, since the dough 60 contains a large amount of air and has high flexibility, if it is placed with too much force, the expanded dough 60 is easily flattened.

[0053] To prevent dough 60 from gaining momentum when it returns to baking tray 23, it is preferred to flip dough 60 by rotating around a point as close to its center as possible. Therefore, in one embodiment, during the flipping operation, shaft 26 moves around dough 60, as shown by arrow B, while also rotating around its own axis, thereby ensuring that the center of rotation of dough 60 always remains within dough 60 itself. As baking tray 23 continues to operate, it also moves during the flipping operation. To accommodate this continuous movement, horizontal movement is incorporated into the operation of shaft 26. For example, shaft 26 first moves horizontally to a position to return dough 60 to baking tray 23, and then rotates and moves synchronously with baking tray 23 to flip dough 60.

[0054] refer to Figure 4 (d), the flipping unit 25 gently puts the turned dough 60 back onto the baking tray 23. Then, the flipping unit 25 returns to its initial position, presenting the following Figure 4 (a) is used to turn over the next dough 60 and repeat the process. Figure 4 (a) to Figure 4 (d) If the dough 60 on each baking tray 23 is arranged in a different manner and forms a staggered arrangement as a whole, then the rotating shaft 26 is moved from Figure 4 (d) The state shown returns to Figure 4 In the state shown in (a), it will move axially to adapt to the next group of dough 60 with different arrangements.

[0055] Figure 5 Schematic diagram showing the transfer state of dough in a transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5At the most downstream end of the conveying direction of the baking device 20, the baking tray 23 conveyed by the conveying device 21 changes direction downward along the conveying roller 29 of the conveying device 21. During this change of direction, the dough 60 placed on the baking tray 23 is separated from the baking tray 23 by the transfer device 50. The separated dough 60 is transferred to the transfer conveyor belt 51, and then conveyed by the transfer conveyor belt 51 to the conveying device 45 of the oven 40 so as to be sent into the oven 40.

[0056] In order to transfer the dough 60 from the baking tray 23 to the transfer conveyor belt 51, the end of the transfer conveyor belt 51 is located at the most downstream end of the conveying direction of the baking device 20, that is, the position where the baking tray 23 begins to tilt downward, and the dough 60 is separated from the baking tray 23 by scooping. Figure 5 As shown, a guide mechanism is provided in the area between the position where the baking tray 23 starts to tilt downward and the transfer conveyor belt 51. The guide mechanism includes a guide plate 53 attached to the rotating shaft 52 and rotating together with the rotating shaft 52. The guide mechanism pushes the guide plate 53 toward the baking tray 23 in synchronization with the timing when the dough 60 is transferred, thereby guiding the dough 60 only to the transfer conveyor belt 51.

[0057] The transfer device 50 may be configured to flip the dough 60 while scooping up the dough 60 and transferring it to the transfer conveyor 51, like the flipping unit 25. Figure 5 As shown, the dough 60 is transferred in a sliding manner without being turned over, because placing the dough 60 on the transfer conveyor 51 after turning over makes it more susceptible to the influence of gravity, which may cause the expanded dough 60 to collapse.

[0058] Figure 6 1 is a flow chart showing a method for manufacturing a souffle pancake according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 Shows the corresponding Figure 1 The manufacturing method of the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 1 shown in FIG. Figure 6 In step S600, the dough delivery machine 10 delivers the dough 60 for making soufflé pancakes onto the circulating baking tray 23. The dough delivery machine 10 is equipped with a plurality of nozzles for placing the dough 60, and delivers a plurality of doughs 60 onto the baking tray 23 along the longitudinal direction of the baking tray 23.

[0059] The dough 60 is transferred to the area where the heating unit 24 is located together with the baking tray 23. The heating unit 24 heats the baking tray 23 from below to increase its temperature, thereby baking the surface of the dough 60 in contact with the baking tray 23 (step S610). The area where the heating unit 24 is located is equipped with a tunnel-shaped heat-insulating cover 28. The heat-insulating cover 28 suppresses the diffusion of steam generated by the dough 60 during baking, thereby producing a steaming effect on the dough 60 during baking.

[0060] When one side of the dough 60 is baked, the dough 60 is transferred to the position of the flipping unit 25. The flipping unit 25 scoops up the dough 60 from the baking tray 23 by the shovel 27 to separate it from the baking tray 23, flips the dough 60, and then puts the dough 60 back to the baking tray 23 with the baked side facing up (step S620).

[0061] Next, in step S630, the water-gas mixture is sprayed onto the upwardly facing baked surface of the dough 60 using the spray unit 30 to replenish moisture. The replenishment of moisture can prevent the baked side from cracking when the other side is subsequently baked. The sprayed moistened dough 60 is transferred to the area where the heating unit 24 is located together with the baking tray 23, and is covered by the tunnel-shaped heat-insulating cover 28. In this process, the heating unit 24 heats the baking tray 23 from below, and bakes the other side of the dough 60 that is newly in contact with the baking tray 23 (step S640).

[0062] After the dough 60 on both the upper and lower sides is baked by the baking device 20, it is then transferred to the oven 40. Before being transferred to the oven 40, the spray unit 30 for replenishing moisture to the dough 60 is used again to spray the water-air mixture on the baked surface of the dough 60 facing upward (step S650). Then, the dough 60 on both the upper and lower sides is further heated and baked by the heating unit 41 in the oven 40 (step S660). Finally, the dough 60 on all the surfaces including the side faces that have been heated and baked is taken out of the oven 40 (step S670).

[0063] according to Figure 6 As shown in the flowchart, the dough 60 after baking the upper and lower sides is almost directly transferred from the baking device 20 to the oven 40, and only undergoes the spraying step S650 in the middle. Before the temperature of the dough 60 that has expanded after baking drops to a level that affects the quality of the finished product or causes it to collapse, the oven 40 uniformly heats and bakes all surfaces including the sides within a predetermined time. This process strengthens the structure of the dough in the height direction, ensuring that the soufflé pancakes that are not easy to collapse are manufactured.

[0064] Figure 7 is a flow chart showing a method for manufacturing a soufflé waffle according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 Shows the corresponding Figure 2 The manufacturing method of the soufflé pancake manufacturing device 2 shown. Figure 7 The basic process in, for example, steps S700 to S740, and Figure 6 Similarly, steps S760 to S780 are the same as in Figure 6 There is no difference between steps S650 to S670 in Figure 6 The only difference is that in Figure 7 In the flowchart shown, there is a transfer step from the baking device 20 to the oven 40, namely step S750. That is, after the dough 60 on both the upper and lower sides is baked by the baking device 20, it is transferred to the oven 40 via the transfer device 50. The transfer device 50 includes an integrally formed transfer conveyor belt 51, and the transfer conveyor belt 51 includes a plurality of conveyor belts. Therefore, even if there is a difference in conveying speed between the conveyor device 21 of the baking device 20 and the conveyor device 45 of the oven 40, the difference can be compensated by changing the conveying speed of the plurality of conveyor belts in the transfer conveyor belt 51, thereby adjusting the conveying interval between the dough 60.

[0065] exist Figure 7 In the flowchart shown, by transferring the dough 60 within a predetermined time (in one embodiment, within 2 minutes) in step S750, the dough 60 expanded by the baking device 20 can be evenly heated and baked by the oven 40 on all surfaces including the sides without losing its expansion. This process strengthens the structure of the dough in the height direction, ensuring the production of soufflé pancakes that are not easy to collapse.

[0066] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the technical scope of the present invention.

[0067] Description of Reference Numerals 1, 2: Soufflé pancake manufacturing device 10: Dough dispenser 20: Baking device 21, 44, 45: Transmission device 22: The most upstream part 23: Baking tray 24, 41: Heating unit 25: Turning unit 26, 52: Rotating shaft 27: Shovel 28: Insulation cover 29: Conveyor roller 30: Spray unit 31: First spray unit 32: Second spray unit 40: Oven 42: Upper heating unit 43: Lower heating unit 50: Transfer device 51: Transfer conveyor belt 53: Guide plate 60: Dough.

Claims

1. A soufflé pancake manufacturing device, comprising: A baking device, comprising: Conveyor device; A baking tray attached to the conveyor device and capable of continuous or intermittent cyclic conveyance; a heating unit extending along a conveying direction of the baking tray and configured to heat and bake the dough placed on the baking tray through the baking tray; a flipping unit disposed at an intermediate position along the heating unit, or disposed between two heating units located at an upstream side and a downstream side along the conveying direction, for flipping one side of the baked dough; and a removable heat-insulating cover, which is arranged to cover the upper part of the dough to inhibit the diffusion of water vapor in the dough; and An oven, the oven comprising: a conveying device for conveying the dough baked on both the upper and lower sides by the baking device; and A heating unit for heating the upper and lower surfaces of the dough during the conveying process; The oven heats the dough baked by the baking device within a predetermined time after baking, so as to heat and bake all surfaces of the dough including the sides.

2. The soufflé pancake manufacturing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a spray unit configured to add moisture to the surface of the baked dough to prevent it from drying out, and the spray unit is arranged at least one of the downstream side of the turning unit of the baking device and the upstream side of the heating unit of the oven.

3. The soufflé pancake manufacturing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The spray unit includes a first spray unit disposed immediately downstream of the flipping unit and a second spray unit disposed upstream of the heating unit of the oven, and is configured to provide moisture to a baking surface of the dough baked by the baking device.

4. The soufflé pancake manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveying device in the oven is shared with the conveying device in the baking device, and the baking tray is configured to be circulated and conveyed so that the baking tray first receives the dough placed thereon by the dough dispenser at the most upstream position of the baking device, then is conveyed along the heating unit of the baking device and the heating unit of the oven, and finally circulates back to the most upstream position of the baking device.

5. The soufflé pancake manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveying device in the oven is separated from the conveying device in the baking device, and the device further comprises a transfer device arranged between the baking device and the oven for transferring the dough baked by the baking device to the oven.

6. A method for making soufflé pancakes, comprising: The first baking step is to use a baking device including a conveying device and a heating unit to bake one surface of the dough placed on the baking tray through a baking tray, wherein the dough is covered with a tunnel-shaped heat-insulating cover for inhibiting the diffusion of water vapor in the dough when being conveyed, wherein the baking tray is attached to the conveying device and is configured to be continuously or intermittently cyclically conveyed; Turning over step: turning over one side of the baked dough without being covered with the heat preservation cover; A second baking step: the turned dough is conveyed in a state of being covered with the heat-insulating cover, and at the same time, the other side of the dough is baked by the baking tray; and Full surface heating and baking step: within a predetermined time after baking, during the conveying process, the dough on both the upper and lower sides that have been baked is heated and baked by the oven so that all surfaces of the dough including the sides are evenly heated and baked.

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