Patty forming machine for forming heated food patties
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patty forming machines face inefficiencies in forming and heating food patties, particularly in achieving even browning and consistent cooking, as they often require multiple infrared ovens and additional cooking steps, which can complicate the process and increase energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A patty forming machine with a continuous loop of mold plates driven by endless belts, featuring a manifold for supplying food material, upper and lower ovens for heating, a knockout mechanism for ejecting patties, and a wash station for cleaning, which allows for efficient formation, heating, and ejection of food patties while minimizing energy usage and process complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple infrared ovens are used to pre-cook and sear both sides of patties, then even browning and consistent cooking are achieved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the pre-cooking and searing functions into a single infrared oven by utilizing the endless loop mold plate system that presents both sides of each patty to the same heat source sequentially. This merging eliminates the need for separate ovens for each side while maintaining even browning through controlled exposure time and consistent heat application.
Solution Approach 2:
The single infrared oven performs multiple functions: it pre-cooks the patties to internal temperature requirements and simultaneously sears the surfaces for browning. The endless loop mold plate system enables this multi-functionality by positioning both sides of each patty through the same oven zone at different times, allowing one oven to replace what would traditionally require multiple ovens.
2Reliability
If multiple infrared ovens and additional cooking steps are used, then thorough cooking is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The endless loop mold plate system enables continuous cooking operation where patties are constantly moved through the infrared oven without interruption. Both sides of each patty receive heat treatment in a continuous flow, eliminating idle time between cooking sides and maintaining consistent thermal processing. This continuity reduces total energy consumption compared to batch processing with multiple ovens that would have idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary cooking and searing in a single integrated step before final cooking completion. By pre-cooking and searing both sides in the infrared oven while the patties traverse the endless loop, the system reduces the subsequent cooking time and energy required to reach final internal temperatures, thereby reducing total energy consumption.
3Device complexity
If a continuous loop of mold plates with integrated heating is used, then process complexity is reduced, but heating uniformity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The infrared oven provides localized intense heating targeted at the patty surfaces during the searing phase, while the endless loop system controls the residence time and position of each patty to ensure uniform exposure. The mold plates are designed with specific geometries that position patties at optimal distances from the heat source, creating locally optimized heating conditions that achieve uniform browning across all patties in the loop.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic control of the endless loop speed and positioning to adjust heating uniformity. By varying the traverse speed of different sections of the loop and controlling the timing of patty exposure to the infrared oven, the system dynamically balances heating uniformity across multiple patties processed simultaneously, compensating for any positional variations in the continuous loop system.
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 machine effectively forms and heats food patties with even browning and consistent cooking, reducing energy consumption and process complexity by integrating heating and ejection mechanisms within a single, continuous operation.
Implementation Method 1
a first infrared oven that precooks/sears the food patties in the patty form molds from the top
Implementation Method 2
A lower heater plate may be positioned below and extend along a substantial portion of the lower run for supporting the food material in the mold plates traverse along the lower run
Implementation Method 3
A manifold is above a lower run of the loop and supplies moldable food material to the cavity of the mold plates
Data Source
AI summary
A patty forming machine for forming heated food patties includes a plurality of mold plates connected together to form an endless loop and driven for circulation around the loop. Each mold plate has a cavity having open top and bottom ends. A manifold is above a lower run of the loop and supplies moldable food material to the cavity of the mold plates. A breather plate is positioned below the lower run and below the manifold. Upper and lower ovens are positioned downstream of the manifold and above and below a lower run of the loop. A knockout mechanism is mounted downstream of the upper oven. A lower heater plate may be positioned below and extend along a substantial portion of the lower run for supporting the food material in the mold plates traverse along the lower run. A wash station cleans the mold plates.