Title of Invention

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DOSING COMPOSITE VISCOUS FOOD PRODUCTS

Abstract

A method and device for combined dosing of at least two different types of viscous food products in packaging containers, wherein identical or different composite products are dosed simultaneously or sequentially in cells. Said composite products comprise determined quantities of at least two viscous products co-dosed separately in the cells either in simultaneous or sequential mode, notably coaxial, collateral or layered, from one single supply of each viscous product. The method and device allow flexible dosing of composite viscous products in pots containing, if necessary, fragments.

Full Text

Method and device for dosing composite viscous foodstuffs The invention relates to a method and to a device for metering (dosing) composite viscous foodstuffs intc containers. The invention relates more specifically to the combined metering of at least two foodstuffs of different natures into packaging containers. These foodstuffs are intended, in particular, to be stored and distributee in a refrigerated circuit. In this field, it is particularly advantageous to produce, at a high rate, composite foodstuffs which are packaged in groups ir multiple cavities or "multipacks" . It would be desirable to be able to meter composite foodstuffs which differ from one another into multipacks, foi example in a superposed, coaxial and collateral fashion, from one and the same metering head which is both compact and versatile. It would also be desirable for the metered foodstuffs to be able to contain bits. FR-A-2 708 563 discloses a method and a device fo] filling pots with liquid and/or pasty products which are coextruded coaxially, one of the product constituting a centre of cylindrical shape and the other a cylindrical sleeve surrounding the said centre The products are metered under pressure from flexible supply ducts via diaphragm valves to a moving metering device which is moved up and down. In its most compact embodiment depicted in Figure 6 that device comprises a product distribution plate supplied with a first product, the central product through an elbowed lateral duct and with a secon product, the peripheral product, through a vertical central duct. A multiple nozzle is housed in the distribution plate,. the said nozzle having an annular cavity connected by radial ducts of smaller cross section to a blind central ejection duct for the central product, and longitudinal ejection ducts of smaller cross section arranged around the central ejection duct and passing right through the nozzle body. The supply of the second product from the central supply duct to the peripheral longitudinal ejection ducts is controlled by a diaphragm of annular shape in direct contact with the upper face of the nozzle. The known device has certain drawbacks:' , - the metered weights are irregular, undoubtedly due to the annular diaphragm, the annular configuration .of the diaphragm allows the use of the nozzle only in the coaxial format, it is not possible to meter products containing bits. The method and the device according to the invention propose to eliminate the drawbacks of the previously known device. The method according to the invention is characterized in that identical or different composite foodstuffs are metered simultaneously or sequentially into cavities, the said composite foodstuffs comprising determined ' quantities of at least two viscous foodstuffs co-metered separately into the cavities either concomitantly or sequentially,, from bne and the. same supply of each of the said viscous foodstuffs. The device according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises: a foodstuff distribution plate supplied with first foodstuff by a lateral duct and with a seconc foodstuff by a vertical central duct, separate means of opening and closing the supply of the first and of the second foodstuff, these means consisting of pneumatically operated diaphragm valves, and removable and interchangeable nozzles for ejecting the co-metered foodstuffs, which can be inserted into the distribution plate, communicating with the supply ducts and configured to allow simultaneous or sequential metering, and in that the nozzles are not in direct contact with the diaphragms. In the context of the invention, foodstuffs can be metered in different ways depending on the- configuration of the nozzles and nozzle holes. Thus, the nozzles and nozzle holes may, when metering is simultaneous, delimit coaxial or collateral streams of foodstuffs or they define zones representing more complex figures. In the case of sequential metering, the foodstuffs may have superposed zones or layers, The metered foodstuffs may be foodstuffs of the dessert type, creams, sweet or savoury mousses, fermented dairy products, particularly of the yogurt and fromage frais variety. One of the foodstuffs may, for example, be a fromage frais and the other may be a mousse or a preparation based on fruit, vegetables or meat. The two foodstuffs may, for example, be fromage frais with different flavours and/or different colours. Such foodstuffs may, for example, although not exclusively, be of the type described in patent EP-B-0 358 983 or in patent application PCT/EPOO/07121 filed on 24.07.2000. As a preference, the foodstuffs have contrasting flavours and colours and similar textures. Whether they are in the form of a gel, of curds, of an emulsion or of a dispersion, one thing all the foodstuffs that can be metered by tKe method and th6 device of the invention have in common is that their' viscosity is between 5 00 0 and 150 00 mPa,s measured with a Brookfield viscosity meter at 10°C, 50 rpm/disk 5. Either one of the foodstuffs or both may contain bits, for example bits of vegetables, spices in a savoury version or, in a sweetened version, bits of fresh, dried, candied or pureed fruit, or bits of confectionery such as chocolate. The invention will be better understood from the description given hereinafter, given with reference to the appended drawings which, by way of example, show some embodiments of the device. In these drawings, Figure 1 is a schematic view of a unit for metering and distributing two viscous foodstuffs using a removable ejection nozzle of a first type for coaxial metering, Figure 2 is a detail view in axial section of a multiple metering head with adjacent nozzles for coaxial metering, Figure 3 is a detail view in elevation of a multiple distribution plate with nozzles for coaxial metering. Figure 4 is a detail view in axial section of a multiple metering head with a second configuration of removable ejection nozzles lying adjacent to each other for collateral metering, Figure 5 is a view in elevation of a multiple distribution plate with nozzles for collateral metering, and Figure 6 is a schematic view of two nozzles of different configurations on one and the same metering head with a removable securing means, In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention which is shown in Figure 1, two masses of fermented dairy products of the "petit-suisse" cream cheese variety or one "petit-suisse" and one fruit compote of plastic consistency A and B are conveyed, for example by a single or double Arechimedian screw or by positive-displacement pumps to hoppers, which may be pressurized, and which have not been depicted. Regulated valves, not depicted, allow the metering cylinders, not depicted, to be supplied with masses of foodstuff, and the masses are conveyed by passageways 1 and 2 to the metering head 3. The metering head 3 comprises a vertical nozzle 4 via which the masses A and B are metered into pots 5 carried by an endless conveyor 6 passing step by step under the nozzles 4. In the case of Figure 1, the filling of a pot is concentric and consists of a central portion of mass of type A, surrounded by an annular portion B, both of which are metered by a volume-control mechanism. This mechanism preferably comprises a passageway 1 upstream of the nozzle through which the mass B is conveyed to the nozzle and the passageway 1 may be closed and opened by means of the elastic diaphragm 7 controlled pneumatically by air from the duct 8. In the same way, the passageway 2 upstream of the nozzle serves to convey the mass A and the passageway 2 can be closed or opened via the elastic diaphragm 10 controlled pneumatically by air from the duct 11. The volumetric metering chambers, not depicted, consist of metering pistons and the passageway portions,.1 and 2 located upstream of the diaphragms. The passages comprising the passageway portions 1 and 2 downstream of the diaphragms and the passages 12 and 13 are preferably optimized so as to produce symmetric streams for the masses A and B so as to improve the preciseness of the metering, and are designed to occupy the minimum possible amount of space and give the metering head a compact configuration. As a preference, the metering pistons are operated , individually so as to allow the metering rate to be -adjusted, for example by means of a variator varyirig. the speed of the motor controlling the stroke of the pistons. That may allow the metering of one of the masses to be offset slightly with respect to the other when their respective viscosities are not exactly the same. The pots arrive under the metering head. For correct filling/ without the formation of air pockets, the metering head is preferably mounted on a raising and lowering device embodied by the double-headed arrow 14, by means of which device the nozzles are lowered into the pots when the pots arrive under the metering machine, down to a level near to the .bottom, and fill them as they are being raised. Thus, the connecting tubes between the metering cylinders and the nozzles are flexible. The pots are stationary during filling. They advance by one step once they have been filled. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, coaxial metering may be achieved by means of a distribution plate for filling 12 pots with a configuration of adjacent nozzles in opposition. In this case, the conveyor advances by two steps for each metering of two lots of six pots. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, collateral metering may be achieved by means of a distribution plate for filling 12 pots with a configuration of adjacent nozzles in opposition. In this case, the conveyor' advances by two steps for each metering of two lots of six pots. One considerable advantage of the filling device of the invention is the fact that the nozzles are not in direct contact with the diaphragms, which makes them removable and interchangeable. Another advantage is that the configuration of the metering plates allow nozzles of one type, for example for coaxial metering. to be inserted easily for example in the same metering head with nozzles of a different type, for example for collateral metering, thus allowing foodstuffs to be metered with varying configurations into multipacks. As is apparent from Figure -6, the nozzles for coaxial metering and those for collateral metering can easily be inserted from the bottom upwards into the corresponding housings 15 of the distribution plates and can be held in place by the U-shaped wedges 16 which are inserted laterally into the grooves 17. As a preference, the wedges are made of a material which has undergone a surface hardening treatment, for example "kolsterizing" (Hardiff method) which allows them to slide in the grooves 17 formed in the metal of the nozzle holder distribution plate without oxidizing while at the same time maintaining a seal. Of course,, any equivalent mechanical means of removable attachment could be used, for example a snap-fastening means. The pots may be of any shape and size, for example, square, rectangular, frustoconical, cylindrical with circular or oval cross section or, for example, in the shape of a stylized heart. They may be opaque or preferably transparent to show the contrasting layers of the different masses. The fill volume may preferably be from 2 0 to 2 00 cm3, As a preference, the pots are multipacks and are thermoformed, filled and sealed with lids continuously using form-fill-seal equipment. We claim: 1. Method for the combined metering of at least two viscous foodstuffs of different natures into packaging containers, characterized in that identical or different composite food stuffs are metered simultaneously or sequentially into cavities, the said composite foodstuffs comprising determined quantities separately into the cavities either concomitantly or sequentially, particularly coaxially, collaterally or . in a superposed fashion, from one and the same supply of each of the said viscous foodstuffs. 2. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein coaxially arranged composite foodstuffs and collaterally arranged foodstuffs are metered simultaneously into multiple cavities in equipment of the form-film-seal type. 3. method as claimed in claim 1 or 2. wherein either one of the viscous foodstuffs or alternatively both, contains bits, particularly bits of vegetables, spices in a savoury version or, in a sweetened versions, bits of fresh, dried, candies or pureed fruits or bits of confectionery such as chocolate. 4. Device for the combined metering of at least two viscous food stuffs of different natures into packing containers characterized in that it comprises: - a foodstuff distribution plate supplies with a first foodstuff by a lateral duct and with a second foodstuff by a vertical central duct, separate means of opening and closing the supply of the first and of the second foodstuff, these means consisting of pneumatically operated diaphragm valves, and removable and interchangeable nozzles for ejecting the co-metered foodstuffs, which can be inserted into the distribution plate, communicating with the supply ducts and configured to allow simultaneous or sequential metering and in that the nozzles are not in direct contact with the diaphragms. 5. Device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the configuration of the passges for the foodstuffs or both to contain bits, particularly of vegetables, spices in a savoury version or in a sweetened , bits of fresh, dried, candied or pureed fruit or bits of confectionery such as chocolate. 6. Device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the metering takes place in volumetric metering chambers consisting of cylinders closed by metering pistons and the passageway portions situated upstream of the diaphragms. 7. Device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the passages comprising the passageway portions downstream of the diaphragms and the passages in the nozzle bodies are optimized so as to produce symmetric streams for the masses so as to improve the preciseness of the metering, and in that they are designed to occupy the minimum possible amount of space and give the metering head a compact configuration. 8. Device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the metering pistons are operated individually so as to allow the metering rate to be adjusted, giving slightly delayed filling with one of the masses with respect to the other so that filling can be performed collaterally with masses which do not have exactly the same viscosity. 9. Device as claimed in claim 4, wherein for appropriate filling head is mounted on a raising and lowering device via which the nozzles are lowered into the pots to a level near to the bottom and the pots are filled as the nozzles are raised. 10.Device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the nozzles for coaxial metering and those for collateral metering can easily be inserted from the bottom upwards into the corresponding housings in the distribution plates and in that they can held in place by elements inserted into the corresponding housings. 11. Device as claimed in claim 8, wherein, the nozzles are held in position by us shaped wedges inserted laterally into the proves and in that the wedges are made of a material which has undergone a surface hardening treatment, which allows them to slide in the proves formed in the metal of the nozzle holder distribution plate without oxidizing while at the same time maintaining a seal. 12. Composite viscous foodstuffs packaged in a mullipack, characterized in that one and the same multipack contains composite foodstuffs of different configurations, coaxial, collateral or superposed.

Documents:

1023-chenp-2003 abstract duplicate.pdf

1023-chenp-2003 claims duplicate.pdf

1023-chenp-2003 description (complete) duplicate.pdf

1023-chenp-2003 drawings duplicate.pdf

1023-chenp-2003-abstract.pdf

1023-chenp-2003-claims.pdf

1023-chenp-2003-correspondnece-others.pdf

1023-chenp-2003-correspondnece-po.pdf

1023-chenp-2003-description(complete).pdf

1023-chenp-2003-drawings.pdf

1023-chenp-2003-form 1.pdf

1023-chenp-2003-form 13.pdf

1023-chenp-2003-form 26.pdf

1023-chenp-2003-form 3.pdf

1023-chenp-2003-form 5.pdf

1023-chenp-2003-pct.pdf