Static Mixer for Rapid Confectionery Blending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing molded confectionery products, such as chocolate, face challenges in uniformly blending fat-containing masses with water carriers without significant viscosity increase, leading to handling issues and a coarse texture.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus using a static mixer within a mixing nozzle to blend a fat-containing confectionery mass and a water carrier within 60 seconds or less, minimizing viscosity increase and enabling efficient deposition, with options for screw-shaped and cross-flow mixing elements and check valves to prevent backflow and mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If water carrier is added to confectionery mass, then heat stability is improved, but viscosity increases rapidly making handling and molding difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the 'Skipping (Rushing through)' principle by minimizing the time span for blending and molding operations to 60 seconds or less. This rapid processing allows the blend to be molded before viscosity increase becomes problematic, effectively skipping through the harmful high-viscosity state that would otherwise make handling difficult.
2Stability of the object's composition
If water carrier is added to confectionery mass, then heat stability is improved, but the blend develops coarse and sandy sensation in the mouth
Solution Approach 1:
By completing the blending and molding process within 60 seconds or less, the patent rushes through the blending stage before coarse texture can develop. This time constraint prevents the formation of large water droplets that would create the unwanted sandy sensation in the finished product.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical mixers with a static mixer that uses controlled flow dynamics and turbulence to achieve uniform blending. This substitution creates finer, more uniform water distribution in the confectionery mass, preventing coarse texture formation while maintaining heat stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If blending time is extended to achieve uniform mixture, then homogeneity is improved, but viscosity increases making molding difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves uniform blending in 60 seconds or less by using a static mixer designed for rapid mixing. This approach rushes through the blending process quickly enough to maintain low viscosity while still achieving the necessary homogeneity for uniform product quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the mixing function from a separate, extended blending process and integrates it into a compact static mixer within the deposition system. This extraction allows blending to occur inline and rapidly, preventing viscosity buildup while ensuring uniform distribution of the water carrier.
4Ease of operation
If rapid mixing is used to minimize viscosity increase, then handling ease is improved, but blending uniformity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical mixers with a static mixer that utilizes controlled turbulence and flow patterns. This substitution achieves rapid mixing (60 seconds or less) while maintaining excellent uniformity, as the static mixer design ensures thorough blending without requiring extended processing time that would increase viscosity.
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 allows for a homogeneous blend with minimal viscosity increase, easier handling, and improved product quality, enabling high water content and increased production efficiency by completing the blending and molding process in under 35 seconds.
Implementation Method 1
blending the fat-containing confectionery mass and the water carrier by the static mixer to a substantially homogeneous blend
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of producing a molded confectionery product, comprising the steps of transferring a fat-containing confectionery mass and a water carrier, blending the fat-containing confectionery mass and the water carrier in a mixer (23, 24) to a substantially homogeneous blended mass, and depositing the blended mass in at least one mould (4) or onto a conveyor belt. The present invention is characterized in that the above steps are performed within 60 seconds or less. The apparatus for producing a molded confectionery product of the present invention comprises channels (11, 12) for transferring of a fat-containing confectionery mass and a water carrier, a mixer (23, 24) for blending the fat-containing confectionery mass and the water carrier to a substantially homogeneous blended mass, and at least one mixing nozzle (2) for depositing of the blended mass.