Waffle Shaped Body With Thin Separating Webs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of waffles and waffle-like baked goods often results in a closed, smooth surface and a porous internal structure, leading to issues such as crumbling, rapid absorption of liquids, and reduced protective functions when coated, due to the open, large-pored edges created during processing, which are aesthetically unattractive and technologically unfavorable.
Innovation Solution
A waffle shaped body and baking plate device design where the baked products are connected via a thin separating web that is less than half the thickness of the baked product, allowing for efficient production and minimizing the open-pored surface exposure by using a baking plate device with gap sections that form a mold with smaller gap thickness than product thickness, enabling the baked products to be separated without damaging the closed outer surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If waffles are baked in hollow molds with evaporation openings to achieve high water content (55-66%), then a porous internal structure is formed, but the edges become open and large-pored which leads to increased crumbling and rapid absorption of liquids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different structural characteristics in different regions of the waffle. The separating webs have a specific thickness (0.5-2 mm) that is optimized for maintaining structural integrity at edges, while the core areas can have greater thickness for the desired porous structure. This regional differentiation allows the waffle to have both high water content in the interior and sufficient structural strength at the edges.
2Ease of operation
If separating cuts are made to divide baked products, then individual portions are obtained, but the open-pored structure is exposed leading to rapid absorption of liquid components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the waffle structure with optimized separating webs before any cutting or portioning takes place. The separating webs are designed with specific thickness (0.5-2 mm) and structural characteristics during the baking process itself, so that when subsequent separating cuts are made, the edges already have the necessary structural integrity to resist rapid liquid absorption.
3Ease of manufacture
If homogeneous waffle thickness is used throughout, then production is simplified, but the edges have excessive open-pored surface area which reduces protective function of coatings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by specifying that separating webs have a thickness of 0.5-2 mm, which is different from the typical homogeneous thickness used throughout the entire waffle. This localized variation in thickness allows the edges (separating webs) to have reduced open-pored surface area and improved structural properties, while the rest of the waffle can maintain homogeneous thickness for production simplicity.
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
This design reduces the open-pored surface area, maintaining the crispy, brittle texture and enhancing the protective function of coatings by minimizing moisture ingress and maintaining the closed outer surface integrity during processing and use.
Implementation Method 1
a largely open and porous structure due to extensive water vapor loosening
Implementation Method 2
the baking pan is filled, caking occurs immediately and a largely closed-looking baked skin is formed, while the inside of the waffle has a particularly open and porous structure due to extensive water vapor loosening
Implementation Method 3
baked under pressure
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for producing a shaped waffle body (2) and to a shaped waffle body, in particular a baked intermediate product, made of a baking mass which is baked under pressure and contains 55-70% water in the unbaked state, wherein - the shaped waffle body (2) comprises multiple baked products (15) which are arranged next to one another along a main plane (7) and which have a baked product thickness (16), - the shaped waffle body (2) comprises a baked connection (17), by means of which the baked products (15) are connected together, and - the baked connection (17) forms a respective separation web (18) with a separation web thickness (19) in the regions directly surrounding the baked products (15), wherein the separation web thickness (19) is less than the baked product thickness (16), and each of the separation webs (18) extends away from the baked product (15) transversely to the main plane (7).