Chewing Gum Sheet Cooling to Eliminate Powdered Non-Stick Agents
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional manufacturing process of chewing gum sheets requires the use of powdered non-stick agents to prevent sticking to processing equipment, which leads to handling difficulties, increased costs, flavor volatility, and a non-uniform surface, necessitating a method to reduce or eliminate the need for these agents.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the extrusion of a chewing gum slab with a tacky surface, followed by cooling with impingement air and passage through cooled rollers to form a sheet without the use of powdered non-stick agents, utilizing an apparatus that includes an extruder, conveyor, and cooled rollers to maintain the gum's pliability and prevent sticking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a powdered non-stick agent is applied to prevent sticking of tacky gum material to rollers, then the gum material can be processed through calender and scoring rollers, but manufacturing difficulties arise in controlling powdered material in the atmosphere, adding to manufacturing cost, creating difficulties in handling, increasing processing time, increasing volatization of flavors, and creating a porous nonuniform outer surface
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the powdered non-stick agent from the processing system. Instead of applying powder to the gum surface, the patent uses a combination of controlled atmosphere (reduced oxygen environment) and cooling rollers to prevent sticking, thereby removing the source of powdered material contamination and its associated harmful effects
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the rollers from ambient or heated to cooled temperatures. By cooling the rollers to below the melting point of the gum base (specifically mentioned as -10°C to -20°C), the gum material does not stick to the roller surfaces, eliminating the need for powdered non-stick agents while maintaining processing capability
2Reliability
If extensive amounts of rolling compound or powdered non-stick agent are used to prevent sticking, then the gum material can be processed, but processing time increases and flavor volatization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical application of powdered non-stick agents with a thermal field approach. By controlling the temperature of the rollers (cooling them) and the atmosphere (reduced oxygen environment), the system prevents sticking through thermal and atmospheric control rather than mechanical powder application, thereby reducing processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a reduced oxygen atmosphere (inert environment) during processing to prevent oxidation and volatization of flavors. This atmospheric control, combined with cooled rollers, prevents sticking without requiring powdered agents that would increase processing time and cause flavor loss
3Ease of operation
If powdered non-stick agent is applied to the tacky gum surface, then the gum can be handled and processed, but a porous nonuniform outer surface is created
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the powdered non-stick agent entirely from the process, extracting the source of surface porosity and nonuniformity. By using cooled rollers in a controlled atmosphere, the gum surface remains smooth and uniform while still being handleable during processing
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the surface temperature parameter by using cooled rollers. The cooling effect reduces the tackiness of the gum surface temporarily during processing, making it handleable without requiring powdered agents, while preventing the formation of porous or nonuniform surfaces
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 effectively reduces the need for powdered non-stick agents, minimizing manufacturing challenges, costs, and surface irregularities, while maintaining the gum's pliability and preventing adherence to equipment, resulting in a uniform product.
Implementation Method 1
conveying the slab on a moving conveyor with impingement air flow sufficiently to cool the surface of the slab
Implementation Method 2
passing the slab through at least one cooled roller to form a chewing gum sheet
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A chewing gum sheet is formed without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent by extruding a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition onto a moving conveyor; cooling the slab on the conveyor sufficiently to cool the surface of the slab; and passing the slab from the conveyor through at least one cooled roller to form a chewing gum sheet with predetermined dimensions.