Fill Plate Geometry for Food Fiber Alignment and Cook Shape

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current food processing technologies result in products with uneven cook shapes and a tough, rubber-like texture due to excessive pressure and speed causing muscle fibers to contract and bind proteins, leading to uncontrolled protein extraction and binding.

Innovation Solution

The use of a food patty molding machine with a fill plate and stripper plate featuring spherical geometry and curved structures to create a venturi effect, reducing pressure and promoting linear fiber alignment, thereby controlling protein release and fiber orientation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If high pressure and high speed are used in food processing, then protein extraction and binding are enhanced, but fiber orientation is lost and product texture becomes tough and rubber-like

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotein binding strengthVSAvoidfiber orientation and cook shape

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using high pressure to force protein binding, the invention uses low pressure with high-speed rotation to achieve fiber alignment through centrifugal force. The fill plate holes are oriented at specific angles (30-60 degrees) to the direction of motion, causing fibers to align naturally during filling rather than being compressed into place, thereby resolving the contradiction between binding strength and fiber orientation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the pressure parameter from high to low, and compensates by increasing rotational speed. The fill plate rotates at high speed (resulting in peripheral velocity of 1-3 m/s) while maintaining low filling pressure, which allows fibers to align through inertial effects rather than mechanical compression, preserving both binding strength and fiber orientation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If high pressure is applied during filling, then protein extraction is increased, but muscle cells are massaged and squeezed causing uncontrolled contraction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotein extraction quantityVSAvoidmuscle cell structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The fill plate holes are pre-oriented at specific angles (30-60 degrees) to the direction of motion before filling occurs. This preliminary geometric configuration ensures that as meat is filled at low pressure, fibers naturally align along the hole orientation without requiring high-pressure massaging, thus extracting sufficient protein while maintaining muscle cell structural stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If complicated flow pathways are used, then mixing and massaging are enhanced, but fiber alignment is disrupted and odd cook shapes result

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemixing efficiencyVSAvoidfiber alignment and cook shape uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The fill plate is segmented into multiple holes distributed across its surface, each hole oriented at specific angles (30-60 degrees) to the direction of motion. This segmentation allows simultaneous filling of multiple locations with controlled fiber orientation, achieving adequate mixing through distribution while maintaining uniform fiber alignment and preventing odd cook shapes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 results in improved texture and bite quality by aligning fibers during processing, ensuring uniform cooling and softening of the product while minimizing protein extraction and binding, leading to better cook shape control.

Implementation Method 1

The principle has design similarities to a venturi. It is referred to as a choke plate, nozzle, venturi, orifice, or a restriction to flow which results in product acceleration with a corresponding pressure drop through the orifice.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVenturi effect: Venturi Effect

Implementation Method 2

By reducing the cross-sectional area of a tube through which a substance passes, the velocity is increased. When the velocity increases the pressure of the material is reduced.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure drop: Pressure Drop

Implementation Method 3

A venturi allows a smooth transition from a larger orifice to a smaller one. This transition minimizes flow transitions and thereby reduces restrictions in the system.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlow transition:

Data Source

PatentUS8985993B2Fiber orienting technology

Publication Date: 2015.03.24 FORMTEC

AI summary

An apparatus and method for accelerating food product in order to cause the product to be stretched aligning the fibers of the product.