Induction Heated Dough Roller With Segmented Projections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional food dough rolling devices face high energy consumption and issues with dough sticking due to temperature control, leading to frequent cleaning and reduced deformability of the dough, making subsequent shaping difficult.
Innovation Solution
A roller with radially projecting surfaces made of electrically conductive material, heated by an induction heating device on its outer surface, which reduces energy consumption and prevents overheating, allowing for precise temperature control and minimal lubricant use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the roller temperature is increased to prevent dough sticking, then adhesion is reduced, but energy consumption increases and dough deformability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The roller surface is segmented into multiple heating zones with independent temperature control, allowing different sections to operate at optimized temperatures for specific functions (sealing, shaping, preventing adhesion) rather than uniformly heating the entire roller surface
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the roller surface are assigned different thermal properties and temperature settings - some areas are heated to higher temperatures for sealing while other areas maintain lower temperatures for shaping and deformability, achieving localized optimization of temperature distribution
2Productivity
If the roller temperature is increased to achieve rapid surface sealing, then sealing efficiency is improved, but dough deformability for subsequent shaping is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The roller is divided into distinct functional zones: a sealing zone with higher temperature for rapid surface sealing, and subsequent shaping zones with lower temperature to maintain dough deformability for punching and forming operations
Solution Approach 2:
Surface sealing is performed as a preliminary action in the first zone before the dough enters the shaping zones, allowing the dough surface to be sealed while the bulk remains deformable for subsequent operations
3Temperature
If conventional convection heating is used to heat the roller, then the roller surface can be heated, but the heating power cannot be precisely adjusted and the roller may temporarily overheat
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system uses dynamically controllable induction heating elements that can independently adjust power output for each zone in real-time, allowing precise temperature control that adapts to changing process conditions and prevents overheating
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature sensors in each zone provide feedback to the control system, which automatically adjusts the induction heating power to maintain precise temperature setpoints, preventing both overheating and insufficient heating
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 solution significantly reduces energy consumption, minimizes dough sticking, and maintains dough deformability for easier shaping, while ensuring consistent surface heating and preventing adhesions.
Implementation Method 1
a time-varying magnetic field is generated inside the induction heating device, which generates eddy currents in the electrically conductive lateral surface of the roll, which in turn lead to heating of the roll material due to the electrical resistance
Implementation Method 2
generates eddy currents in the electrically conductive lateral surface of the roll, which in turn lead to heating of the roll material due to the electrical resistance
Data Source
AI summary
The device (1) comprises a rotating carrier strip (2) for transporting a flat dough product, and a rotationally driven roller (4) with a heating device (5) pressable against the product present on the carrier strip, where a lateral surface of the roller is formed with projections (9) radially protruding from the lateral surface. A terminal section of the projection of the roller entering in contact with the product is superficially made of an electrically conducting material or is coated with the electrically conducting material. The heating device is formed by an induction heating device. The device (1) comprises a rotating carrier strip (2) for transporting a flat dough product, and a rotationally driven roller (4) with a heating device (5) pressable against the product present on the carrier strip, where a lateral surface of the roller is formed with projections (9) radially protruding from the lateral surface. A terminal section of the projection of the roller entering in contact with the flat product is superficially made of an electrically conducting material or is coated with the electrically conducting material. The heating device is formed by an induction heating device, which extends outside of the roller along a part of its axial length. The electrically conducting material is a ferromagnetic material. The induction heating device extends over the entire axial length of the roller, and is arranged with a distance from the lateral surface of the roller. The carrier strip is guided around a circumferential section of the roller at an angle of 30-120[deg] using guiding rollers arranged at its longitudinal edges. The carrier strip is made of stainless steel. The surfaces of the projections describe the lateral surface of a circular cylinder, and have a circumferential beveled edge. The projections are displaceably arranged to each other. Independent claims are included for: (1) a roller for rolling flat dough product; and (2) a method for rolling flat dough product.