Continuous Baking and Compression for Flat Baked Goods

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing flat baked goods, such as pizza bases, with a small diameter struggle to achieve the desired short bite texture due to rapid high-pressure stamping, which is not suitable for smaller diameters and requires separate baking trays and pressing rams.

Innovation Solution

A method involving continuous compression of baked dough pieces using a compression roller and pad, where the dough is rolled out and punched to remove excess dough, then baked and compressed while still warm, eliminating the need for separate trays and pressing rams, and allowing for continuous production with minimal machinery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If rapid high-pressure stamping is used to produce flat baked goods, then the desired short bite texture is achieved, but the method is not suitable for small diameter products and requires separate baking trays and pressing rams

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedough structure qualityVSAvoidproduction line complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the baking and pressing operations into a single continuous process. The dough is baked on a conveyor belt and then immediately pressed by rollers while still warm, eliminating the need for separate baking trays and pressing rams. This merging of operations resolves the contradiction by maintaining dough structure quality while simplifying the production line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuous production where dough moves continuously through the baking oven and then directly into the pressing rollers. This continuous action eliminates interruptions and the need for separate handling equipment, resolving the contradiction between maintaining quality and reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Manufacturing precision

If rapid high-pressure stamping is used to produce flat baked goods, then the desired short bite texture is achieved, but separate baking trays and pressing rams are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedough structure qualityVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous production where dough moves continuously through the baking oven and then directly into the pressing rollers. This continuous action eliminates interruptions and the need for separate handling equipment, resolving the contradiction between maintaining quality and reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Manufacturing precision

If the dough is compressed between the compression roller and pad, then the thickness is reduced by 10-80% and the short bite texture is achieved, but the compression timing and temperature control must be precise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedough structure qualityVSAvoidcompression control precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs compression immediately while the dough is still warm from baking, before it cools and sets. This preliminary action at the optimal temperature ensures the dough is pliable enough for compression to achieve the desired thickness reduction and texture without requiring extremely precise control, resolving the contradiction between quality and measurement precision requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This method produces flat baked goods with a short bite texture without separate trays or pressing rams, enabling continuous production of flat baked goods with small diameters, reducing thickness by 10-80% and achieving the desired dough structure with reduced adhesion issues.

Implementation Method 1

the dough is then continuously compressed between a compression roller and a compression pad spaced apart from the compression roller by a distance corresponding to the gap between the compression roller and the compression pad

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP1964473B1Method and device for continuous production of flat baked goods
Publication Date: 2010.06.30 DR AUGUST OETKER NAHRUNGSMITTEL KG
  • EP1964473B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1964473B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1964473B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

For the continuous production of flat pastry goods, the dough blanks (1) are carried through an oven (21) for baking. The baked dough is compressed between a rotating compressing roller (40) and the surface of a lower roller (31) or conveyor (30).