System for spreading a strand of dough along an inner wall of a cylindrical chamber

Abstract

The invention relates to a spreading system (1) for spreading a strand of dough disposed along an inner wall of a cylindrical chamber of circular cross section, comprising the following means: a hollow body (5) extending along a longitudinal axis (X); a hollow spacer (12) which extends along the longitudinal axis, is mounted inside the body (5) and is able to pivot about the longitudinal axis relative to the body; at least one lateral spreading means (16) which spreads the dough laterally, is rotatably coupled to the spacer (12) for rotation about the longitudinal axis and movable laterally relative to the spacer (12); a lateral movement device (24) for moving the lateral spreading means laterally, away from the longitudinal axis; an elastic return device (31) for elastically returning the lateral spreading means toward the longitudinal axis; and a rotation-driving device (38) for rotating the spacer and the at least one lateral spreading means about the longitudinal axis (X).

Description

System for spreading a bead of dough along the inner wall of a cylindrical chamber TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The technical field of the invention is that of spreading a bead of paste along an internal wall of a cylindrical chamber.

[0002] The present invention relates to a system adapted to such a spreading. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Typically, spreading a bead of paste is done manually, either directly with a finger or using a spatula, and in both cases the spreading is neither precise nor uniform. Furthermore, when this spreading must be done along the inner wall of a cylindrical chamber, the chamber's narrowness further complicates the task. This generally results in an unsatisfactory paste spread, wasted material, and the need for additional leveling work.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a solution that allows a bead of paste to be spread precisely and uniformly along the inner wall of a cylindrical chamber. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The invention offers a solution to the problems mentioned above, by providing a system for spreading a bead of dough present along an internal wall of a cylindrical chamber with a circular cross-section, said spreading system comprising the following means: a hollow body extending along a longitudinal axis X; a hollow spacer extending along the longitudinal axis X, mounted inside the body and pivoting about the longitudinal axis X relative to said body; at least one means for lateral spreading of dough, rotationally linked to the spacer about the longitudinal axis X and laterally movable relative to said spacer; a lateral displacement device capable of moving the at least one means for lateral spreading away from the longitudinal axis X; at least one elastic return device capable of moving each lateral spreading means closer to the longitudinal axis X; and a drive device for rotating the spacer and at least one lateral spreading means around the longitudinal axis X.

[0006] This spreading system allows at least one lateral spreading device to be introduced into a cylindrical chamber, positioned away from its lateral walls. By actuating the lateral displacement device, the distance between the lateral spreading device and a bead of dough along an internal wall of the cylindrical chamber can be adjusted. Then, by actuating the rotational drive device, the at least one lateral spreading device is rotated around the longitudinal axis X to spread the dough bead uniformly against the internal wall of the cylindrical chamber. After one or more rotations, the lateral spreading device can be brought closer to the dough using the lateral displacement device, and one or more further rotations can be performed until the desired thickness of the dough is achieved with high precision.Once the dough has been spread, the lateral displacement device can release at least one lateral spreading means, which is then pushed away from the dough by the elastic return device. This allows the lateral spreading means to be extracted from the cylindrical chamber without deforming the dough. This spreading system also allows for precise and uniform spreading of the dough bead without having to handle the part containing the cylindrical chamber in which the dough is spread.

[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, the spreading system comprises two means of lateral spreading, which tends in particular to avoid off-centering of the spreading system relative to the dough cord, while limiting the structural complexity of said spreading system.

[0008] According to another aspect of the invention, in its lower part, the body has a shim and centering piece adapted to bear against a rim bordering an opening in the cylindrical chamber. This shim and centering piece advantageously allows the spreading system to be positioned and shimmed against said rim in order to keep it centered with respect to the wall against which the bead of paste is to be spread, particularly during rotations of the lateral spreading means.

[0009] According to a further aspect of the invention, the shimming and centering piece is bell-shaped and has through-openings for observation, advantageously allowing visual monitoring of the spreading state of the dough without having to remove the spreading system.

[0010] According to one aspect of the invention, the spacer has an upper portion projecting from the body, and the rotational drive device includes a crank attached to said upper portion. This crank provides a simple and practical means for manually driving the spacer and the lateral spreading means by rotation.

[0011] According to another aspect of the invention, a lateral spreading means comprises a roller support equipped with a roller mounted for rotation about a parallel axis A that is parallel to the longitudinal axis X and eccentric with respect to it. A rotating roller is advantageously a very efficient means of spreading a bead of dough by a kind of calendering, allowing this spreading to be carried out more precisely and uniformly than if it were done, for example, by simple crushing or scraping.

[0012] According to a further aspect of the invention, the spacer has an internal thread and the lateral displacement device comprises a threaded rod, which: extends along the longitudinal axis X inside the spacer; is movable along the longitudinal axis X and pivots about the longitudinal axis X; has an external thread complementary to the internal thread of the spacer and engaged with it; has a gripping means in its upper part for manually driving the threaded rod in rotation; and has a spreading wedge in its lower part, which spreading wedge has at least one inclined face in contact with a lateral spreading means for moving it laterally when the threaded rod is moved along the longitudinal axis X.

[0013] The use of a threaded rod equipped with a spacer wedge advantageously allows for very fine and very gradual adjustment of the displacement of the lateral spreading means, while maintaining this spacing.

[0014] According to one aspect of the invention, in its lower part, the spacer is attached to an intermediate piece, with at least one lateral spreading means being mounted laterally in the lower part of said intermediate piece. This intermediate piece notably provides a larger diameter component than the spacer in order to at least partially accommodate the lateral spreading means.

[0015] According to another aspect of the invention, on its underside, the intermediate piece has at least one oblong into which a support piece, attached to a lateral spreading means, is inserted. The elastic return device comprises at least one spring housed in the oblong and pushing said support piece towards the longitudinal axis X. This provides a reliable, robust, and inexpensive means of automatically returning the spreading means towards the longitudinal axis X. Each spring also provides a certain degree of lateral movement flexibility for the spreading means, making it possible, in particular, to improve the uniform spreading of the dough, even when the dough is locally thicker or denser, forming a hard spot that the springs allow to be overcome without tearing the dough.

[0016] According to a further aspect of the invention, the spreading system comprises a base plate attached to the intermediate piece, each lateral spreading means being mounted to slide laterally in a horizontal recess located between said base plate and said intermediate piece and formed in at least one of these two pieces. This arrangement advantageously allows easy access to the horizontal recess by removing the base plate, and guides the lateral sliding of the lateral spreading means between the base plate and the intermediate piece.

[0017] The invention and its various applications will be better understood by reading the following description and examining the accompanying figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0018] The figures are presented for illustrative purposes only and are in no way limiting to the invention.

[0019] [Fig. 1] is a perspective and cross-sectional view of a cylindrical chamber of circular section in which a bead of paste is deposited in the form of a ring along and in the bottom of an internal wall of said cylindrical chamber.

[0020] [Fig. 2] is a view similar to [Fig. 1], where an example of a spreading system according to the invention is positioned resting on the edge of the opening of the cylindrical chamber, with the rotating spreading rollers in the retracted position.

[0021] [Fig. 3] is a view similar to [Fig. 2], where the pebbles are in the position of spreading the paste cord.

[0022] [Fig. 4] is a view similar to [Fig. 3], where the spreading system was removed after spreading the paste cord and retracting the pebbles.

[0023] [Fig. 5] is a vertical cross-sectional view of an example of a spreading system according to the invention, the cutting plane passing through the axis of rotation of the rollers.

[0024] [Fig. 6] is similar to [Fig. 5], where the cutting plane is orthogonal to that of [Fig. 5]. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Unless otherwise specified, the same element appearing on different figures has a unique reference.

[0026] The terms "above", "below", "top", "bottom", etc., will refer to the spreading system according to the invention as represented in the figures, this orientation being substantially that of use of said system.

[0027] The spreading system 1 according to the invention is intended to spread a bead of paste 2 present along an internal wall 3 of a cylindrical chamber 4 of circular cross-section.

[0028] The term "paste cord" refers to a long, thin form of pasty material, for example a ribbon of glue, sealant, sealing paste, abradable material in the process of hardening, etc., whose cross-section is of any shape.

[0029] The paste bead 2 is preferably deposited in the form of a ring along an inner wall 3 of a cylindrical chamber 4, at the bottom thereof. In [Fig. 1], the paste bead 2 has, for example, a square cross-section. The shape of this cross-section can, however, be arbitrary, in particular circular. After spreading by the spreading system 1 according to the invention, the paste bead 2 preferably has a rectangular cross-section (see [Fig. 4]).

[0030] As illustrated in [Fig. 2], [Fig. 3], [Fig. 5], and [Fig. 6], the spreading system 1 according to the invention comprises a hollow body 5 extending along a longitudinal axis X, preferably vertical. The body 5 is preferably cylindrical in shape with a circular cross-section. It may have raised features (not shown) on its external face 6 to improve grip.

[0031] In its lower part, the body 5 may have a shim and centering piece 7 adapted to bear against a rim 8 bordering an opening 9 in the cylindrical chamber 4. It is through this opening 9 that the part of the spreading system 1 located below the shim and centering piece 7 is introduced into the cylindrical chamber 4. The shim and centering piece 7 may be integral with the body 5 or attached to it. In the latter case, the body 5 may have a mounting flange 10 in its lower part, adapted to be fixed to the shim and centering piece 7, for example by screwing. The shim and centering piece 7 may be bell-shaped or dome-shaped. It may have through-holes 11 for observation.

[0032] The spreading system 1 according to the invention also includes a hollow spacer 12 extending along the longitudinal axis X. The spacer 12 is mounted inside the body 5 and pivots about the longitudinal axis X relative to said body 5, for example, by means of ball bearings 13. These ball bearings 13 are, for example, provided at the top and bottom around the spacer 12. The spacer 12 is preferably cylindrical in shape with a circular cross-section. At its lower end, it may have a mounting flange 14 for attaching it to an intermediate part 33 (see below), for example, by screwing. The spacer 12 has an internal thread 15, for example, in its upper part.

[0033] The spreading system 1 according to the invention also includes at least one lateral spreading means 16 for the dough, preferably two. Each means The spreading position is rotationally linked to the spacer 12 around the longitudinal axis X and laterally mobile relative to said spacer 12 between a retracted position located closer to the longitudinal axis X and a plurality of spreading positions located further away from the longitudinal axis X.

[0034] According to a preferred embodiment, a lateral spreading means 16 comprises a roller support 17 equipped with a roller 18 rotatably mounted about a parallel axis A that is parallel to and eccentric with respect to the longitudinal axis X. As illustrated in the figures, each support 17 may, for example, be in the form of a horizontal U-shaped piece, inside which a roller 18 is rotatably mounted. Each horizontal U-shaped piece may be in two parts, for example, assembled by screwing.

[0035] According to another embodiment not shown, a lateral spreading means 16 may for example include a skate, a scraper or a spatula.

[0036] Each roller 18 preferably has a thickness substantially equal to that of the paste bead 2 in its final, spread state. Its lower face 19 may have a recess 20 allowing the roller 18 to be positioned as close as possible to the bottom of the cylindrical chamber 4 without the lower part of the support 17 obstructing it. The upper face 21 of each roller 18 may have a chamfer 22, the inclination of which allows the thickness of said roller 18 to be adjusted. The lateral face 23 of each roller 18 may have undulations or striations, preferably horizontal, to prevent the roller 18 from sticking to the paste bead 2.

[0037] The spreading system 1 according to the invention further includes a lateral displacement device 24 capable of moving at least one lateral spreading means 16 away from the longitudinal axis X.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, the lateral displacement device 24 comprises a threaded rod 25 extending along the longitudinal axis X inside the spacer 12 and movable along the longitudinal axis X and pivotable about the longitudinal axis X. The threaded rod 25 has an external thread 26, for example in its upper portion, which is complementary to and engaged with the internal thread 15 of the spacer 12. The threaded rod 25 preferably has an upper portion projecting outside the body 5 and the spacer 12, and the free end of this upper portion is equipped with a gripping means 27, for example in the form of a cross nut or a knurled knob, to manually drive the threaded rod 25 into rotation.

[0039] The threaded rod 25 preferably has a lower portion projecting out of the body 5 and the spacer 12, and the free end of this lower portion is equipped with a spacer wedge 28, for example in the form of a triangular prism, a cone or a truncated cone, having at least one inclined face 29 in contact with a lateral spreading means 16 for moving it laterally when the threaded rod 25 is moved along the longitudinal axis X. This spacer wedge 28 is preferably mounted for rotation about the longitudinal axis X on the lower end of the threaded rod 25.

[0040] Preferably, the wider part of the spreader wedge 28 is at the top, while its narrower part is at the bottom. In this case, when the threaded rod 25 is screwed or unscrewed downwards, the spreader wedge 28 laterally pushes back the lateral spreading means 16 with which it is in contact. Of course, if the wedge is oriented with its wider part at the bottom, the spreader wedge 28 laterally pushes back the lateral spreading means 16 when the threaded rod 25 is screwed or unscrewed upwards.

[0041] Preferably, the lateral face 30 of the lateral spreading means 16 which is in contact with an inclined face 29 of the spreading wedge 28 is also inclined, and substantially parallel to the inclined face 29 of the spreading wedge 28.

[0042] By rotating the threaded rod 25 using the gripping means 27, each lateral spreading means 16 can be moved away from the longitudinal axis X according to a plurality of spreading positions.

[0043] The spreading system 1 according to the invention also includes at least one elastic return device 31 capable of moving a lateral spreading means 16 towards the longitudinal axis X in order to return it to the retracted position, allowing in particular its insertion into a cylindrical chamber 4. Each lateral spreading means 16 is preferably equipped with an elastic return device 31. Each elastic return device 31 preferably includes at least one spring 32, preferably two, which push a lateral spreading means 16 towards the longitudinal axis X.

[0044] According to a preferred embodiment, in the lower part, the spacer 12 is fixed to an intermediate piece 33, at least one lateral spreading means 16 being mounted laterally in the lower part of said intermediate piece 33. On the underside, the intermediate piece 33 may have at least an oblong 34 into which a support piece 35 fits, fixed to a lateral spreading means 16, the springs 32 each being housed in an oblong 34.

[0045] According to this preferred embodiment, the spreading system 1 may also include a base plate 36 located beneath and attached to the intermediate piece 33. Each lateral spreading means 16 may be mounted to slide laterally in a horizontal recess 37 located between said base plate 36 and the intermediate piece 33. This recess 37 is, for example, formed in at least one of these two pieces 33, 36, preferably in the intermediate piece 33.

[0046] On the upper face, the base plate 36 may have at least one oblong 34' into which a support piece 35' fits, attached to a lateral spreading means 16, a spring 32' being housed in each oblong 34'.

[0047] Thus, each lateral spreading means 16 can include an upper support piece 35 and a lower support piece 35', each received in an oblong 34, 34' and pushed towards the longitudinal axis X by a spring 32, 32'.

[0048] Finally, the spreading system 1 according to the invention includes a rotating drive device 38 capable of driving the spacer 12 and at least one lateral spreading means 16 with rotation around the longitudinal axis X.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, the spacer 12 has an upper portion projecting outward from the body 5, and the rotating drive device 38 includes a crank 39 fixed to said upper portion. The crank 39 may include a pivoting handle 40 mounted at the free end of a horizontal arm 41, the other end of which is fixed to the upper portion of the spacer 12 and, for example, immobilized vertically between the ball bearings 13 located in the upper part of the spacer 12 and a slotted nut 42 screwed around the upper end of the spacer 12. The pivoting handle 40 preferably pivots about a second parallel axis B that is parallel to the longitudinal axis X and eccentric with respect to it.

[0050] Although described through a number of examples, variants and embodiments, the spreading system 1 according to the invention includes various variants, modifications and improvements which will be obvious to a person skilled in the art, it being understood that these variants, modifications and improvements form part of the scope of the invention.

Claims

DEMANDS

1. Spreading system (1) of a bead of paste (2) present along an internal wall (3) of a cylindrical chamber (4) of circular cross-section, characterized in that it comprises the following means: - a hollow body (5) extending along a longitudinal axis (X); - a hollow spacer (12) extending along the longitudinal axis (X), mounted inside the body (5) and pivoting around the longitudinal axis (X) relative to said body (5); - at least one means for lateral spreading (16) of dough, rotationally linked to the spacer (12) around the longitudinal axis (X) and laterally movable relative to said spacer (12); - a lateral displacement device (24) capable of moving at least one lateral spreading means (16) away from the longitudinal axis (X); - at least one elastic return device (31) capable of moving each lateral spreading means (16) closer to the longitudinal axis (X); and - a rotation drive device (38) of the spacer (12) and at least one means of lateral spreading (16) around the longitudinal axis (X).

2. Spreading system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two lateral spreading means (16).

3. Spreading system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the lower part, the body (5) has a shimming and centering piece (7) suitable for being placed against a rim (8) bordering an opening (9) of the cylindrical chamber (4).

4. Spreading system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the shimming and centering piece (7) is bell-shaped and has through observation openings (11). [Claims] Spreading system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spacer (12) has an upper portion projecting outward from the body (5), and in that the device rotation drive (38) includes a crank (39) attached to said upper part. [Claims] Spreading system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lateral spreading means (16) comprises a support (17) for a roller equipped with a roller (18) mounted rotatably about a parallel axis (A) which is parallel to the longitudinal axis (X) and eccentric with respect to it.

7. Spreading system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spacer (12) has an internal thread (15) and in that the lateral displacement device (24) comprises a threaded rod (25), which: - extends along the longitudinal axis (X) inside the spacer (12); - is mobile along the longitudinal axis (X) and pivots around the longitudinal axis (X); - has an external thread (26) which is complementary to and engaged with the internal thread (15) of the spacer (12); - includes a gripping means (27) at the top for manually rotating the threaded rod (25); and - includes a spacing wedge (28) in the lower part, which spacing wedge (28) has at least one inclined face (29) in contact with a lateral spreading means (16) to move it laterally when the threaded rod (25) is moved along the longitudinal axis (X). [Claims] Spreading system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the lower part, the spacer (12) is attached to an intermediate piece (33), at least one lateral spreading means (16) being mounted laterally movable in the lower part of said intermediate piece (33). [Claims] Spreading system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that on its underside, the intermediate piece (33) has at least one oblong (34) into which a support piece (35) fits, attached to a lateral spreading means (16), the elastic return device (31) comprising at least one spring (32) housed in the oblong (34) and pushing said support piece (35) towards the longitudinal axis (X).

10. Spreading system (1) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that it comprises a base plate (36) attached to the intermediate piece (33), each lateral spreading means (16) being mounted to slide laterally in a horizontal housing (37) located between said base plate (36) and said intermediate piece (33), said housing (37) being formed in at least one of these two pieces (33, 36).

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