Mouldable Paste Filling for Chocolate Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chocolate production processes with solid particles face challenges in achieving homogeneous distribution and rigidity, leading to partial fracture lines and broken chocolate during packaging.
Innovation Solution
A method involving filling a mould with mouldable paste in a specific order, using conventional moulds, venting techniques, and active cooling to ensure homogeneous distribution and rigidity of solid particles, preventing breakage during packaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If solid particles are mixed into the chocolate mixture and the mould is filled in one step, then the production process is simple and efficient, but the chocolate develops fracture lines and breaks during packaging due to insufficient rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The filling process is divided into multiple sequential steps: first filling the mould with chocolate mixture, then adding solid particles, and finally filling any remaining spaces with more chocolate mixture. This segmentation allows each layer to be properly compacted and integrated, resulting in sufficient rigidity while maintaining production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The chocolate mixture is placed in the mould first to create a base layer before adding solid particles. This preliminary action ensures that the solid particles are properly supported and distributed, preventing structural weaknesses that would lead to breakage during packaging.
2Ease of manufacture
If solid particles are introduced at certain specific places in the chocolate, then the production process allows for targeted placement, but achieving homogeneous distribution throughout the chocolate mixture becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The mould is subjected to mechanical vibration during the filling process. This vibration causes the solid particles to move and distribute themselves uniformly throughout the chocolate mixture, achieving homogeneous distribution while still allowing for targeted placement in specific regions of the mould.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the chocolate mixture is utilized - it is introduced in a viscous, mouldable state that allows particles to be incorporated and distributed, then the mixture is cooled to achieve final solidification. This parameter change from viscous to solid state ensures homogeneous distribution while maintaining ease of manufacture.
3Loss of time
If the mould is filled with a large amount of chocolate mixture and solid particles in one operation, then the production cycle is short, but the final product lacks firmness and breaks during packaging
Solution Approach 1:
The single filling operation is segmented into multiple filling steps with particle addition in between. Although this extends the process slightly, each step is optimized to be quick, and the overall cycle time remains short while producing firm, break-resistant chocolate bars.
Solution Approach 2:
The chocolate mixture undergoes a phase transition from a warm, viscous state during filling to a cool, solid state during curing. This phase transition, combined with the multi-step filling process, ensures that the final product achieves sufficient firmness to resist breakage during packaging while maintaining an efficient production cycle.
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 method results in a solid final product that does not break during packaging, maintaining strength and integrity, while allowing for conventional manufacturing processes to be used.
Implementation Method 1
set into vibration and hardened under active cooling. The vibration process provides for removal of any air bubbles out of the chocolate mixture and the active cooling provides for a correct solidification and shrinkage of the chocolate
Implementation Method 2
set into vibration and hardened under active cooling. The vibration process provides for removal of any air bubbles out of the chocolate mixture
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to the processing of a mouldable paste with solid particles, in particular in the handling of such a paste into a mould with relief elements. The invention is particularly suitable in the production of a chocolate tablet or bar which contains solid particles: such as almond, hazelnut, caramel, sea salt, and the like.