Dual-Blade Bread Dough Scoring Conveyor for High-Volume Baking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The commercial baking industry faces inefficiencies in bread scoring processes, with manual scoring being time-consuming and costly, and water jet systems being complex and expensive, necessitating a high-volume scoring system that maintains productivity and reduces costs.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor-based scoring system with two scoring apparatuses, one for diagonal and one for longitudinal scoring, using serrated blades and actuators to efficiently score dough pieces, followed by a self-cleaning mechanism to maintain efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual scoring is used, then cost is reduced, but productivity decreases and time is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical scoring with an automated blade system that moves along the conveyor belt. The blade assembly includes multiple blades arranged in a pattern that automatically scores dough pieces as they pass through, eliminating the need for manual intervention and significantly increasing scoring speed while reducing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The scoring system is designed to automatically score dough pieces as they move through the conveyor without requiring operator intervention. The blade assembly self-regulates its position and movement to score multiple dough pieces simultaneously, making the system self-sufficient and high-speed operational.
2Productivity
If water jet scoring is used, then productivity increases, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the high-pressure water jet system and replaces it with a simpler blade-based mechanical scoring system. By removing the complex water delivery infrastructure, pumps, and control systems, the invention achieves high-volume scoring with significantly reduced device complexity and lower operational costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The scoring blades are designed to be replaceable and relatively inexpensive components. Rather than investing in complex, expensive water jet equipment, the system uses affordable blade elements that can be easily replaced when worn, reducing both initial investment and maintenance costs while maintaining high productivity.
3Productivity
If manual scoring is used, then equipment cost is reduced, but scoring volume is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor belt serves multiple functions: it transports the dough pieces through the scoring area and simultaneously positions them for scoring. The blade assembly can score multiple dough pieces at once and can be adjusted to score different patterns. This multi-functionality increases scoring volume without requiring additional specialized equipment, keeping implementation costs low.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the scoring function with the existing conveyor belt system. Instead of adding a separate water jet scoring system, the scoring mechanism is integrated into the conveyor setup, combining transportation and scoring functions into a single unified system. This reduces overall implementation cost while maintaining high scoring volume capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A high volume scoring system for bread dough is provided with a conveyor table that includes a first scoring apparatus and a second scoring apparatus that is located downstream from the first scoring apparatus to permit longitudinal and angled scoring of dough pieces. Trays containing unbaked dough pieces are loaded onto the conveyor and shuttled downstream along the conveyor to selectively align the trays beneath the first or second scoring apparatus depending on whether diagonal or longitudinal score lines are desired on the dough pieces. The first scoring apparatus is configured to make a series of diagonal score lines on the dough pieces positioned beneath the first scoring apparatus using a first series of blades. The system can also convey the trays containing the unbaked dough pieces downstream along the conveyor to align the trays beneath the second scoring apparatus. The second scoring apparatus is configured to make longitudinal score lines on the dough pieces positioned beneath the second scoring apparatus using a second series of blades. Once the dough pieces have been scored, they are conveyed by the system into an oven for baking.