Transfer mold manufacturing device

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of automatically manufacturing a transfer mold for confectionery, and improving productivity.SOLUTION: There is provided a transfer mold manufacturing device that is operated by a worker in which a mold film 102 on which a transfer chocolate is printed is placed on a setting table 110 with a printed side facing up, and presses a start switch 332. Based on a drive control program 312, a drive control device 310 automatically performs each of the following steps: lowering a film holding unit 120 to fix the molding film 102; moving a heater unit 200; heating by a heater 202; raising a mold unit 130; molding by suction; retracting by moving the heater unit 200; lowering the mold unit 130 after de-molding; and raising the film holding unit 120.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a transfer mold for confectionery, and more specifically to an apparatus for manufacturing a transfer mold for confectionery for transferring a pattern onto chocolate. [Background technology]

[0002] One example of a technique for decorating chocolate is the decorated chocolate and its manufacturing method described in Patent Document 1 below. Patent Document 1 discloses softening the surface layer of molded and solidified chocolate, and printing appropriate markings on this softened surface layer using edible water-based ink. Specifically, this is done by using an inkjet printing method to spray edible water-based ink onto the surface layer without contacting the softened surface layer.

[0003] There is also a handmade kit for making patterned chocolates described in Patent Document 2 below. According to Patent Document 2, the kit includes a chocolate pouring mold with a transfer layer made of edible ink already provided on its flat bottom surface, and a partition plate that is fitted into the mold with a height above the transfer layer that exceeds the chocolate pouring level, and that divides the solidified chocolate together with the transfer layer so that it can be separated.

[0004] However, neither of the techniques described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 involves decorating the chocolate itself. Furthermore, the technique described in Patent Document 1 is not suitable for easily making chocolate at home.

[0005] In response to this, Patent Document 3 below discloses a method for manufacturing a transfer mold for confectionery that can be easily produced at home, etc. In this method, a transparent sheet on which a decorative layer is printed with chocolate while being heated is sandwiched between a mold and a fixed plate, and while the mold is heated, a vacuum is applied through suction holes provided in the mold recess, deforming the part where the decorative layer is formed and forming a filling part. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-29064 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3201327 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-088233 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] According to the above-mentioned Patent Document 3, a transfer mold for confectionery can be obtained that can easily produce chocolate at home, etc. However, multiple manufacturing steps are required, and it would be convenient if there was an automatic manufacturing device.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to improve productivity by automatically manufacturing transfer molds for confectionery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention is a transfer mold manufacturing device that forms a filling section for transferring a decorative layer to a molding film having a decorative layer formed on one of its main surfaces, and is characterized by comprising: a setting table for setting the molding film; a heater means for heating the molding film on the setting table; a mold means for molding the molding film heated by the heater means to form the filling section; and a drive control means for automatically and continuously performing the heating operation by the heater means and the molding operation by the mold means.

[0010] According to one main aspect, the apparatus is provided with a film holding means for holding down the forming film set on the setting table, and the drive control means automatically and continuously controls the operation of the heater means and the mold means as well as the operation of the film holding means. According to another aspect, the heating operation of the heater means includes movement of the setting table relative to the forming film and heating by the heater. According to yet another aspect, the forming operation of the mold means includes raising and lowering the mold relative to the forming film on the setting table and suction of the suction chamber. Furthermore, the drive control means executes a drive control program in which operating procedures are preset, thereby continuously performing the heating operation by the heater means and the forming operation by the mold means. The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, once the molding film is set, the heating and molding operations are carried out automatically, so that transfer molds can be produced efficiently and productivity can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an automatic transfer mold manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating main manufacturing steps of the embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating main manufacturing steps of the embodiment. [Figure 5] 3 is a flowchart showing the main manufacturing steps of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples. [Example]

[0014] FIG. 1 shows the overall appearance of the embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the main components. In these figures, an automatic transfer mold (container) manufacturing apparatus 10 includes a film (sheet) setting section 100, a heater unit 200, and a control system 300. The film setting section 100 is located on the right or front side of a table 12, and the heater unit 200 is located on the left or rear side of the table 12. When a molding film 102 is set in the film setting section 100 and the apparatus is driven, the heater unit 200 moves (slides) toward the film setting section 100 to perform a heating process. The heater unit 200 then retracts and removes the deformed molding film (sheet) 102, automatically manufacturing a transfer mold. Support columns 14 are provided at each of the four corners of the table 12, and the entire automatic manufacturing apparatus 10 is covered by a cover case (not shown). The cover case has a window that allows an operator to set the molding film 102.

[0015] The molding film 102 is made of, for example, a polycarbonate resin film or sheet, and is provided with one or more chocolate decoration layers by, for example, screen printing, etc. Details are as shown in the above-mentioned Patent Document 3.

[0016] Of these, the film setting section 100 is equipped with a setting table 110 on which the molding film 102 is set, a film pressing unit 120 that presses the set molding film 102 onto the setting table 110, and a mold unit 130 that molds the molding film 102 into a desired shape.

[0017] The setting table 110 has a rectangular shape with the four corners cut off, and is formed with a mold opening 112 for exposing the mold 132 of the mold unit 130. A partition frame 114 for holding the molding film 102 is appropriately provided in the opening 112. In the example shown, the mold opening 112 is provided with a cross-shaped partition frame 114. The setting table 110 is provided with alignment markers (not shown) at appropriate positions, and by aligning these with the markers (or the shape of the end) on the molding film 102, the molding film 102 can be aligned with the setting table 110.

[0018] Next, the film holding unit 120 has an overall rectangular shape, and is provided with a heating opening 122 at a position corresponding to the mold opening 112 of the setting table 110 described above. The heating opening 122 is also provided with a partition frame 124 corresponding to the partition frame 114 described above. Elevating legs 126 are provided at each of the four corners of the film holding unit 120. These elevator legs 126 fit into guide holes 128 provided on the outside of the setting table 110 described above. In other words, the film holding unit 120 can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction by the elevator legs 126, and when lowered, the heating opening 122 overlaps with the mold opening 112 of the setting table 110, and the partition frames 114, 124 also overlap.

[0019] Next, the mold unit 130 is provided within the table 12 below the setting table 110, and includes a mold 132 that corresponds to the heating opening 122 of the setting table 110 described above. The mold 132 is divided into multiple blocks by slits 134 that correspond to the partition frame 124 described above. The mold 132 includes recesses 136 that serve as molding dies, and a suction hole 138 is provided at the bottom of each recess 136. In the illustrated example, the recesses 136 are heart-shaped, widening slightly toward the top. The mold 132 can be raised and lowered within a suction chamber 140, which is designed to be suctioned under reduced pressure. The mold 132 may be movable within the table 12, or it may be movable and raised and lowered.

[0020] Next, the heater unit 200 includes, for example, far-infrared heaters 202. The heaters 202 are divided into a plurality of blocks corresponding to the mold openings 112 of the setting table 110 described above. The heater unit 200 housing these heaters 202 is movable along rails 210 on the table 12, and is adapted to move (including retreat) onto the molding film 102 before molding. If necessary, the heaters 202 may be raised and lowered.

[0021] Next, the control system 300 will be described. Fig. 2 shows the configuration of the control system 300, which is centered around a drive control device 310 that controls the overall operation of the automatic manufacturing apparatus 10. In addition to the above-mentioned film holding unit 120, mold unit 130, and heater unit 200, a sensor unit 320, an operation unit 330, and a display unit 340 are connected to the drive control device 310.

[0022] Of these, the film holding unit 120 is capable of moving up and down as described above, and the movement of moving up and down is controlled by the drive control device 310. The mold unit 130 is capable of performing the movements of moving up and down, heating, and suction as described above, and these movements are controlled by the drive control device 310. The heater unit 200 is capable of performing the movements of moving up and down, and heating as described above, and these movements are controlled by the drive control device 310.

[0023] Next, the sensor unit 320 is for detecting the temperature of each part and detecting the position of the lifting / lowering or movement, and is appropriately installed in various places as needed. a) When the film holding unit 120 descends, its position is detected, and the descent is stopped when the film for molding 102 is pressed down. b) When the heater unit 200 moves, its position is detected and the heater 202 is stopped when it reaches a position corresponding to the mold opening 112 of the setting table 110. c) When the mold unit 130 is raised, its position is detected, and the mold unit 130 is stopped when it reaches a position where it is fitted into the mold opening 112 of the setting table 110. d) The heating temperature of the molding film 102 by the heater 202 is detected and controlled to a predetermined temperature. When heating is performed by the mold 132, the temperature is detected and controlled. Something like this.

[0024] The operation unit 330 is a group of switches used to issue commands to start a series of operations such as setting the film and replacing the mold forming film. In the illustrated example, a start switch 332 and a stop switch 334 are shown. An emergency stop switch or the like may also be provided. The display unit 340 is used to display necessary information such as the operating status. Both are provided, for example, on the front side of the table 12 as shown in FIG. 1 for convenient operation. The drive control device 310 is configured, for example, by a personal computer, and is configured to perform the following control operations by executing a drive control program 312.

[0025] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5. Figures 3 and 4 show cross sections of the main steps as seen in the direction of the arrows along line #A-#A in Figure 1, and Figure 5 shows a flowchart of the operation procedures of the main steps.

[0026] (1) Film Setting and Fixing Process (Steps S1 to S3): A molding film 102 printed with chocolate for transfer is prepared separately, and an operator sets it on the setting table 110 with the printed side facing up (see FIG. 3(A)). At this time, the operator aligns the print pattern on the molding film 102 with the mold opening 112 and the partition frame 114 on the setting table 110. After alignment, when the operator presses (ON) the start switch 332 on the operation unit 330, the drive control device 310 automatically performs the following operations based on the drive control program 312. First, the film holding unit 120 is lowered by the lifting means, and the molding film 102 is pressed and fixed on the setting table 110. Note that the operator may lower the film holding unit 120 and then press the start switch 332 to perform automatic operation.

[0027] (2) Heater moving and heating step (steps S4 to S5): Next, the heater unit 200 is moved by the moving means toward the setting table 110. At this time, the block of the heater 202 is positioned so as to correspond to the mold opening 112 of the setting table 110 (see FIG. 3(B)). Then, electricity is applied to the heater 202 to heat the molding film 102.

[0028] (3) Mold unit raising and molding process (steps S6 to S7): Meanwhile, the mold 132 of the mold unit 130 is raised by the lifting means toward the set table 110 (see FIG. 3(C)). At this time, the block of the mold 132 is aligned with the mold opening 112 of the set table 110. Then, in the mold unit 130, the suction means applies suction to the suction chamber 140. This deforms the molding film 102, and a mold having a decorative layer on its bottom surface is formed (see FIG. 4(A)).

[0029] (4) Heater retraction, demolding, and mold lowering process (steps S8 to S11): After molding, the heater unit 200 is retracted to its original position on the table 12 by the moving means. The mold unit 130 waits for the mold 132 to be released. After that, the mold unit 130 is lowered and retracted by the lifting means (see FIG. 4(B)).

[0030] (5) Film Removal Process (Steps S12 to S13): Next, the film holding unit 120 is raised by the lifting means. After that, the worker removes the molding film 102 on which the mold has been formed from the set table 110. At this time, the worker presses (turns OFF) the stop switch 334 of the operation unit 330, if necessary. The operations from Steps S1 to S13 above are repeated.

[0031] (6) Die-cutting and packaging process (steps S14 to S15): The molding film 102 on which the molds have been formed is die-cut to an appropriate size by a die-cutting device (press machine) 500 and packaged (see FIG. 4(C)). For example, when eight molds have been formed in one molding film 102, the film is divided into four parts, each containing two molds.

[0032] As described above, according to this embodiment, the processes of setting the molding film 102 on which the decorative layer is printed, followed by fixing, heating, molding, and removal are carried out automatically, so that transfer molds can be manufactured efficiently, thereby improving productivity.

[0033] Other Embodiments The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the following modifications are also included. (1) The shapes and dimensions shown in the above embodiment are merely examples and may be modified as necessary. For example, in the above embodiment, the operation unit 330 and display unit 340 of the control system 300 are disposed on the front side of the setting table 110, but they may also be disposed on the side of the setting table 110. The owner may set the molding film 102 on the setting table 110 from the front side and remove the molding film 102 from the setting table 110 from the side side. (2) In the above embodiment, the heater unit 200 is moved on the table 12, but the heater unit 200 may be placed on the film holding unit 120 and moved by raising and lowering relative to the molding film 102. The raising and lowering of the film holding unit 120 and mold unit 130 and the movement of the heater unit 200 may include a rotational motion. (3) The mold 132 may be heated in addition to the heating by the heater 202. Also, the heater 202 and the mold unit 130 may be heated in advance.

[0034] (4) As with Patent Document 3, the mold may have any shape, including heart, circle, oval, square, star, and other shapes. The pattern of the decorative layer may also be various figures, numbers, letters, symbols, etc., and may have a multi-layered or multi-colored structure. Edible inks other than chocolate may also be used. (5) In the above embodiment, one transfer mold includes two recesses, but this is also an example, and the number of recesses included in one transfer mold can be increased or decreased as appropriate. Furthermore, the shapes of the multiple recesses do not necessarily have to be the same, and they may be different shapes. (6) The molding film 102 in the above-described embodiment does not necessarily have to be colorless and transparent, but may be colored and transparent, or may be translucent. [Industrial Applicability]

[0035] According to the present invention, once the molding film is set, the heating and molding operations are carried out automatically, so that transfer molds can be produced efficiently and productivity can be improved, making it suitable for use as transfer molds for confectionery. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 10: Automatic manufacturing equipment 12: Table 14: Support pillar 100: Film (sheet) setting section 102: Molding film 102A, 102B: Mold 110: Set stand 112: Mold opening 114: Divider frame 120: Film holding unit 122: Heating opening 124: Divider frame 126: Lifting legs 128: Guide hole 130: Mold unit 132: Mold 134: Slit 136: Recess 138: Suction hole 140:Suction chamber 200: Heater unit 202: Heater 210: Rail 300: Control System 310: Drive control device 312: Drive control program 320: Sensor unit 330:Operation unit 332: Start switch 334: Stop switch 340: Display section 500: Die-cutting device (press machine)

Claims

1. A transfer mold manufacturing device that forms a filling section for transferring a decorative layer on a molding film having a decorative layer formed on one main surface thereof, the device comprising: a setting table on which the molding film is set; a heater means for heating the molding film on the setting table; a mold means for molding the molding film heated by the heater means to form the filling portion; a drive control means for automatically and continuously performing the heating operation by the heater means and the molding operation by the mold means; A transfer mold manufacturing apparatus comprising:

2. The film pressing means is provided to press the molding film set on the setting table, 2. The transfer mold manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive control means automatically controls the operation of said heater means and said mold means, as well as the operation of said film pressing means.

3. 2. The transfer mold manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the heating operation of said heater means includes moving said setting table relative to the molding film and heating by said heater.

4. 2. The transfer mold manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the molding operation of said mold means includes raising and lowering the mold relative to the molding film on said set table and suction of a suction chamber.

5. 2. The transfer mold device according to claim 1, wherein the drive control means executes a drive control program in which a predetermined operation procedure is set, thereby successively carrying out a heating operation by the heater means and a molding operation by the mold means.

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