Rotating Drum Tortilla Heating for Uniform Toasting Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating systems for thin, flexible bread-like foods such as tortillas lack consistency in toasting and warming, as they fail to maintain continuous contact and even heating, leading to uneven texture and appearance.
Innovation Solution
A heating assembly with a rotatable drum and infeed roller system, where a guide frame and discharge roller ensure continuous contact and heating, combined with radiant heating elements for uniform toasting, allowing the tortilla to bend and maintain contact with the drum surface for consistent heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional heating systems are used for tortillas, then heating can be performed, but heating consistency and contact continuity are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a curved or rounded heating surface instead of a flat traditional heating element. This curvature allows the tortilla to naturally conform to the surface and maintain continuous contact during the heating process, eliminating gaps and ensuring uniform heat distribution across the entire product surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating system incorporates a rotating drum mechanism that dynamically moves the tortilla through the heating zone. This dynamic rotation ensures continuous contact between the product and heating surface, preventing stagnation and achieving consistent heating throughout the heating cycle.
2Manufacturing precision
If tortilla is heated on flat surface, then heating can be performed, but even heating and texture consistency are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The curved heating surface ensures that the tortilla makes continuous contact along its entire bottom surface, eliminating hot and cold spots that occur with flat surfaces. This curvature geometry naturally promotes uniform heat distribution and consistent texture across the heated product.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous heating action through the rotating drum mechanism, ensuring that every portion of the tortilla remains in contact with the heating surface throughout the heating cycle. This continuous thermal action prevents intermittent heating that leads to uneven texture and appearance.
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
The system achieves improved consistency in appearance and texture by maintaining continuous contact and even heating, ensuring uniform warming and toasting of tortillas and similar bread-like foods.
Implementation Method 1
radiant heating elements for uniform toasting
Implementation Method 2
maintain continuous contact and even heating
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are: an assembly and method for thin bread-like food having a housing, rotatable drum, infeed roller for moving food toward drum rotation, and a drum heater. A radiant heater associated with the housing radiates heat towards food on the drum. Food can be directed toward the infeed roller by an infeed platform. The drum can be rotatably supported by a bearing arrangement. An interior drum heater and a thermostat sensor can also be supported by the bearing. A guide can contact food that separates from the drum, to redirect it toward the drum surface. A discharge scraper can separate food from the drum. A discharge roller can direct food from the drum toward a discharge direction. A motor drive assembly can drive drum, infeed roller and discharge roller rotation.