Center-Filled Confectionery Rope Sizing and Cutting Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing processes for forming center-filled confectionery products are limited by the need to feed ropes individually into forming apparatuses, leading to inefficiencies and potential leakage due to longitudinal contraction of the rope material, which results in reduced yield and stability issues.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that simultaneously extrude multiple continuous tubular ropes, fill them with confectionery products, and then pass them through a rope sizing apparatus and cutting apparatus, using rollers and a relaxation conveyor to manage contraction and prevent leakage, allowing for simultaneous cutting of individual pieces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple ropes are processed simultaneously to increase yield, then productivity increases, but the rope material tends to longitudinally contract and cause center fill leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the processing of multiple ropes by providing individual sizing and relaxation pathways for each rope through separate roller sets and conveyor sections, allowing simultaneous processing while maintaining control over each rope's dimensional stability to prevent leakage
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus applies preliminary sizing and relaxation actions to each rope before cutting. The sizing rollers adjust the rope dimensions in advance, and the relaxation conveyor allows the rope to stabilize, preventing longitudinal contraction that would cause center fill leakage during subsequent processing
2Productivity
If the rope is extruded and reduced faster to increase efficiency, then productivity increases, but the rope relaxes more and causes center fill leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary sizing through roller mechanisms that adjust rope dimensions during high-speed extrusion, and provides immediate relaxation time on dedicated conveyor sections before cutting, preventing the rope from relaxing excessively even at high processing speeds
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus dynamically adjusts the sizing roller speed and spacing to match the extrusion rate, and controls the relaxation conveyor speed to optimize the balance between processing throughput and allowing sufficient relaxation time to prevent center fill leakage
3Reliability
If the rope is sized and relaxed before cutting to prevent leakage, then reliability improves, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the sizing and relaxation functions into distinct modular sections with separate roller sets and conveyor sections for each rope, allowing independent optimization of each stage while maintaining overall process simplicity through standardized modular components
Solution Approach 2:
The sizing rollers and relaxation conveyor are designed as multi-functional components that simultaneously perform sizing, stabilization, and transport functions across multiple ropes, reducing overall process complexity while ensuring reliable leakage prevention through consistent application to each rope
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 approach increases yield and prevents leakage by managing rope contraction and size reduction before cutting, enhancing the efficiency and stability of center-filled confectionery production.
Implementation Method 1
passing each of said filled ropes through a rope sizing apparatus, said rope sizing apparatus comprising a plurality of pairs of rollers for accommodating a filled rope, and as the filled rope passes through said rope sizing apparatus, the speed of the pairs of rollers increases
Implementation Method 2
The rope, being a rubbery material has a tendency to longitudinally contract after it is extruded, due to natural forces, this is comparable to a relaxation
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention includes a method and apparatus for manufacturing center- filled confectionery products. The method of forming center-filled confectionery products includes the steps of simultaneously extruding a plurality of individual, continuous tubular ropes of a first confectionery product, filling each of the tubular ropes with a second confectionery product, simultaneously feeding the multiple filled ropes into a cutting apparatus, and cutting the multiple-filled ropes in the cutting apparatus. The invention also includes an apparatus for manufacturing center-filled confectionery products, including an extruder for extruding multiple individual tubular ropes, a filling station, and a cutting apparatus.