Food Item Formation Apparatus with Ejector for Shape Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing uniformly shaped and sized food items, such as cake pops, are inefficient and difficult to perform without deforming the shape, especially for individuals with limited mobility or use of both hands, and are slow to produce large quantities.
Innovation Solution
A food item formation apparatus comprising a cutter with a tubular body and an ejector, where the cutter cuts a food item shape and the ejector slides into the cutter to eject the item without deforming it, allowing for efficient production of multiple items using a single hand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional rolling or molding methods are used to form food items, then the shaping process can be performed with simple tools, but the production speed is very slow and limits the baker's ability to produce large quantities
Solution Approach 1:
The cutter body is designed to automatically eject the formed food item through its own structural features - the tapered portion creates a friction fit that holds the item during formation, then the user simply pulls the cutter body away to eject the item without requiring separate ejection mechanisms or complex operations
Solution Approach 2:
The cutter body is segmented into distinct functional zones: a tapered portion for forming the food item with friction fit, a cylindrical portion for structural support, and a flared portion for user grip. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function efficiently, enabling rapid production
2Manufacturing precision
If complex cake pop dough shapes are cut using traditional cookie cutters, then the cutting action is simple, but it is difficult to remove the shapes from the cutter without deforming the shape
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of trying to push the formed item out of a tight-fitting cutter (which would deform it), the design inverts the approach: the tapered portion creates a friction fit that holds the item during cutting, then the cutter body is simply pulled away to eject the item intact, reversing the traditional ejection direction
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered portion of the cutter body provides a curved, conical surface that creates uniform friction contact around the food item. This curved geometry ensures even pressure distribution during forming and smooth ejection when the cutter is removed, preventing deformation of the item
3Ease of operation
If rolling methods are used to form food items, then no special tools are needed, but the process requires two hands and is difficult for people with limited mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The cutter body performs the forming action automatically when pressed into the food material - the tapered portion creates friction fit that shapes the item without requiring manual manipulation. The user simply presses and pulls, making the process accessible to people with limited hand mobility while maintaining production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the complex manual manipulation steps from the forming process. Instead of requiring the user to roll, mold, or carefully handle the food material with both hands, the cutter body alone performs the shaping through its geometric design, leaving the user with simple press-and-pull actions
Data Source
AI summary
A food item formation apparatus is disclosed and configured for producing a plurality of uniformly shaped and sized food items from a relatively larger volume of food material. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus provides a cutter and an ejector. During use, with a first end of an at least one ejector body of the ejector slidably positioned within a corresponding at least one cutter body of the cutter, a cutting edge of a first end of the at least one cutter body may be pressed into the food material, forming at least one food item having a cutout shape corresponding to the shape of the cutting edge in cross-section, and a second end of the at least one ejector body may be subsequently pushed, causing an ejector surface of the at least one ejector body to eject the food item from the first end of the cutter body.