Apparatus and method for shaping a food product
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food shaping molds are inadequate for fully shaping food products around their entire outer surface to achieve a predetermined shape and size, lacking the capability to efficiently separate and compress food mix into uniform portions.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising an open container with multiple chambers and a mould insert, where the mould chamber side walls compress and cut the food mix to form interior mould cavities, allowing for simultaneous shaping and portioning of food products, such as meatballs, by combining separation, cutting, and compression actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If traditional single-action molds are used, then the structure is simple, but the food product cannot be fully shaped around its entire outer surface
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is divided into multiple independent chambers, each capable of shaping food products. This segmentation allows each chamber to form a complete portion around its entire outer surface while the overall structure remains manageable through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple shaping functions are merged into a single apparatus with multiple chambers, enabling simultaneous shaping of multiple food products. The combination of cutting edges and compression surfaces within each chamber achieves full outer surface shaping in one operation
2Productivity
If manual portioning and shaping is done separately, then each action can be performed simply, but it requires multiple steps and more working space
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus combines cutting edges and compression surfaces within the same chamber structure, enabling simultaneous portioning and shaping actions. This merging allows multiple food products to be portioned and shaped in one operation, increasing productivity while maintaining ease of operation through a single integrated motion
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting edges are positioned to create preliminary portions before compression occurs. This preliminary action separates the food mix into individual portions that are then immediately compressed into final shapes, enabling efficient multi-step processing in a single operational cycle
3Reliability
If excess food mix is not separated, then the process is simpler, but health and safety concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The mold chambers are segmented with individual cutting edges that completely separate food portions from excess food mix. This segmentation ensures that each food product is fully enclosed and separated within its chamber, addressing health and safety concerns through complete separation
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting edges extract and remove excess food mix from the chamber openings, separating it from the enclosed food portions. This extraction action ensures that only properly portioned food remains in the chambers for shaping, while excess material is removed, improving reliability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the shaping of multiple food products with complex geometries within a confined space, ensuring neat and uniform portions, addressing health and safety concerns by separating food mix effectively and forming predetermined shapes like spheres or other desired forms.
Implementation Method 1
the side wall of each mould chamber is operable to be pushed into a respective container chamber to compress the food mix therein
Implementation Method 2
the side wall of each mould chamber forms a cutting edge operable during compression to simultaneously and slidingly engage against the side wall of each container chamber to cut into and fully separate food mix
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus (100) and method for shaping a food product comprising: an open container (102) for receiving food mix, the container (102) being divided into a plurality of open container chambers (104) in which each container chamber (104) has a side wall forming an opening for receiving the food mix; a mould insert (114) comprising a plurality of mould chambers (116), each mould chamber (116) having a side wall which cooperates with the side wall of one of the container chambers (104) to define a plurality of interior mould cavities (120) when the container (102) and the mould insert (114) are joined. The side wall of each mould chamber (116) forms a cutting edge operable during compression to simultaneously and slidingly engage against the side wall of each container chamber (104) to cut into and fully separate food mix contained within the interior mould cavity (120) from any excess food mix remaining outside the interior mould cavity (120) to thereby form and shape a food product within each interior mould cavity (120).