U.S. patent application number 09/780319 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-25 for compressing and unifying food in aluminum foil molds.
Invention is credited to Garbo, Paul W..
Application Number | 20010033886 09/780319 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23454339 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010033886 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Garbo, Paul W. |
October 25, 2001 |
Compressing and unifying food in aluminum foil molds
Abstract
An aluminum foil mold is placed in a rigid back-up mold with a
cavity matching the contour of the foil mold. Fluid food deposited
in the foil mold is compressed therein by a mold top that is
pressed down against the back-up mold. Heat applied to the back-up
mold and mold top flows to the foil mold and fluid food therein to
effect baking under pressure. Thus, a unified food product is
formed in the foil mold that can protect the food product against
handling damage until it is eaten. A foil mold of novel design is
used to form a food product shaped like an upside-down pizza
shell.
Inventors: |
Garbo, Paul W.; (Freeport,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Paul W. Garbo
48 Lester Avenue
Freeport
NY
11520
US
|
Family ID: |
23454339 |
Appl. No.: |
09/780319 |
Filed: |
February 12, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09780319 |
Feb 12, 2001 |
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09369161 |
Aug 5, 1999 |
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6240836 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
426/505 ;
425/127; 425/394; 426/512; 426/523; 99/349; 99/353; 99/439 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23P 30/10 20160801;
A21C 11/006 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/505 ; 99/349;
99/353; 99/439; 426/512; 426/523; 425/394; 425/127 |
International
Class: |
B21C 003/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for compressing and baking fluid food under
pressure in a preformed, aluminum foil mold to form an edible,
unified product, which comprises a heated back-up mold with a
cavity in which said foil mold can be nested, and a heated mold top
that can be pressed down against said back-up mold while holding
said foil mold with said fluid food deposited therein for a baking
period selected to convert said fluid food into said unified
product.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mold top is connected to a
hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder that alternately presses said mold
top down against the back-up mold and lifts it away therefrom.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the back-up mold and mold top
are made of aluminum, and both have electrical heaters.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cavity in the backup mold
has the shape of a shallow pan, and the mold top has a smaller
pan-shaped protrusion that extends into said cavity with the
surface of said protrusion spaced from the surface of said cavity
when said mold top is pressed down against said back-up mold.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the shallow pan-shaped cavity
in the back-up mold and the pan-shaped protrusion of the mold top
are dimensioned to hold a foil mold to form therein a unified
product shaped like a pizza shell.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the mold top is connected to a
hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder that alternately presses said mold
top down against the back-up mold and lifts it away therefrom.
7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cavity in the backup mold
has the shape of an upside-down pizza shell, and the surface of the
mold top is flat.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the mold top is connected to a
hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder that alternately presses said mold
top down against said back-up mold and lifts it away therefrom.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein small vent holes extend from
the exterior of the back-up mold to the cavity therein.
10. An apparatus for compressing and baking fluid food under
pressure in a preformed, aluminum foil mold to form an edible,
unified product, which comprises a heated two-part, backup mold for
said foil mold, an inner part of said back-up mold being laterally
surrounded by an outer part and one of said parts being movable up
and down while the other of said parts is stationary so that
alternately said two parts form a recess in which said foil mold
can be nested and then said two parts can dislodge said foil mold,
and a heated mold top that can be pressed down against said back-up
mold while said foil mold with fluid food therein is nested in said
recess for a baking period selected to convert said fluid food into
said unified product.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the back-up mold and the mold
top are made of aluminum and both have electrical heaters.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein one part of the backup mold
and the mold top are each connected to a hydraulic or pneumatic
cylinder for the up-and-down movement of each.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the inner part of the back-up
mold and the mold top are each connected to a hydraulic or
pneumatic cylinder for the up-and-down movement of said inner part
and said mold top.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the recess formed by the
two-part back-up mold has the shape of a shallow pan, and the mold
top has a smaller pan-shaped protrusion that extends into said
recess with the surface of said protrusion spaced from the surface
of said recess when said mold top is pressed down against said
back-up mold.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the recess formed by the
two-part back-up mold has the shape of an upside-down pizza shell,
and the mold top has a flat surface.
16. A preformed aluminum foil mold for forming therein a food
product shaped like an upside-down pizza shell, which has the shape
of a circular, shallow pan with a narrow, outward flange, said pan
having a deeper rim portion.
17. The method of compressing and baking fluid food under pressure
in a preformed, aluminum foil mold to form an edible, unified
product, which comprises placing said foil mold in a back-up mold
with a cavity shaped for nesting said foil mold therein, depositing
said fluid food in said foil mold, pressing a mold top down against
said back-up mold, heating said back-up mold and mold top to bake
said fluid food under pressure for a period selected to convert
said fluid food into said unified product, lifting the mold top,
and removing said foil mold with said unified product therein from
said back-up mold.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the preformed, aluminum foil
mold is a circular, shallow pan having a deeper rim portion, and
the fluid food is cooked pieces of pasta admixed with a binding
agent which is converted into a unified product having the shape of
an upside-down pizza shell.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the preformed, aluminum foil
mold is a circular, shallow pan, the mold top has a smaller,
circular pan-shaped protrusion that extends into said foil mold
when said mold top is pressed down against the back-up mold to form
a unified product having the shape of a pizza shell.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the fluid food is cooked pieces
of pasta selected from the class consisting of spaghetti, linguini,
fettuccine and noodles admixed with a binding agent.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to an apparatus and method of molding
fluid foods by compression and baking them under pressure. More
particularly, the invention involves an aluminum foil mold which is
filled with a fluid food that is compressed and baked under
pressure into an edible coherent shape.
[0002] In recent years. U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,900 to Molinari and
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,283,071 and 5,411,752 to Taylor et al have
proposed the formation of coherent products composed of cooked
spaghetti and a binding agent. The methods disclosed in these
patents are not suited for rapid production of coherent food
products in a large-scale operation. The formation of shaped food
products from rice and other cereal grains is illustrated in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 3,711,295; 3,961,087 and 5,137,745 to Zukerman, but none
of these patents suggest any aspect of this invention.
[0003] Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to
provide an apparatus and method for molding and baking fluid food
under pressure into edible unified shapes.
[0004] Another important object is to provide an aluminum foil mold
in which fluid food is converted into a desired shaped product, and
which serves to protect the shaped food product from handling and
shipping damage.
[0005] A further object is to provide apparatus that can be
automated with minimum mechanical movements.
[0006] These and other features and advantages of the invention
will be apparent from the description which follows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In accordance with this invention, the primary mold is
preformed aluminum foil, preferably having a multiplicity of needle
punctures that act as vents for volatiles and steam generated
during the baking of the fluid food under compression in the foil
mold. A secondary or back-up mold having a recess or cavity that
nests with the foil mold serves to prevent distortion of the foil
mold during compression of the food therein and to facilitate the
transfer of heat to the foil mold and its contained food. The
back-up mold which is formed of rigid metal, preferably aluminum,
is heated by gas flames beneath the mold, or by steam or hot liquid
flowing through coils attached to the mold, or by electrical
heaters attached to the mold. Electrical heaters are preferred
because of structural simplicity and easy temperature control.
[0008] With the preformed aluminum foil mold placed in the cavity
of the rigid back-up mold and nested therein, a measured quantity
of the chosen fluid food that will fill the foil mold is deposited
therein, and a mold top is pressed down against the back-up mold so
that the foil mold and its food content are completely enclosed.
Like the back-up mold, the mold top is also heated. Thus, with the
mold top pressed against the back-up mold, heat is rapidly
transmitted to both the top and bottom of the compressed food in
the foil mold. Fluid food may be deposited in the foil mold before
or after it is nested in the back-up mold.
[0009] Temperatures in the range of about 300.degree. F. to
500.degree. F. are usually chosen, depending on the food to be
baked. At such temperatures and with direct contact of the food
with hot metal surfaces, the generation of steam and volatiles is
very rapid. To prevent the build-up of troublesome gas pressure,
the mold top is permitted to pop up slightly for several successive
instants thereby venting gases several times during the baking
period. A needle-punctured foil mold coupled with a back-up mold
that has holes therethrough provides continuous, gentle venting of
gases during the baking period.
[0010] A basic and essential element of this invention is the
preformed, aluminum foil mold that not only makes it possible to
speed up the molding and baking of fluid food into a unified,
shaped product but also protects the shaped product against damage
from handling and shipping. Aluminum foil, as used herein, means
aluminum sheet in the gauges commonly used to make pie pans found
with boxed pies sold in supermarkets. Like such pie pans, the
aluminum foil mold of this invention is cheap enough to be
discarded when it is no longer needed. Tenneco Packaging of Lake
Forest, Ill., offers aluminum foil preforms with "quilted bottoms"
and tiny perforations which are illustrative of a preferred type of
foil mold used pursuant to this invention.
[0011] The foil mold is always concave, usually pan-like but its
bottom need not be flat. In fact, a contoured bottom of the foil
mold has been designed for producing pizza shells with a thickened
rim in the upside-down position. Thus, when such a pizza shell has
been baked, the foil mold is inverted so that the pizza shell falls
out and the flat face of the baked shell becomes its bottom with
the thickened rim of the shell pointing upward. The mold top
usually has a flat face for compressing the fluid food within the
foil mold, when the mold top is pressed against the back-up mold.
However, the face of the mold top may be contoured concavely or
convexly to form a baked food product having a decorative
pattern.
[0012] In most cases, the aluminum foil mold used in this invention
is formed with an outward flange which stabilizes the shape of the
foil mold and which is tightly held between the back-up mold and
the mold top during the baking period. The usual, crimped flange of
an aluminum foil mold allows the escape of gases from the
compressed food undergoing baking in the closed mold. The crimped
flange has tiny, radial creases through which the gases leak out of
the hot mold. The flange of the foil mold may have a "curl" edge.
In such case, the back-up mold and/or the mold top will have a
groove in which the "curl" fits while the mold top is pressed
against the back-up mold. The back-up mold and mold top are most
frequently made of aluminum because of reasonable cost and good
thermal conductivity. Copper is a good alternative metal.
[0013] The term, fluid food, is used herein to embrace loose
granular food particles like boxed stuffing sold in supermarkets,
or pieces of cooked pasta such as linguini admixed with an aqueous
binding agent, or a batter that may contain chopped nuts or whole
grains, or plastic food like mashed potatoes or dough. Pieces of
food introduced in the mold, such as cut linguini, preferably have
a length not exceeding about 3 inches. In short, fluid food means
any food ingredients that are fluent, flowable or deformable and
therefore moldable under compression.
[0014] The mold top which is alternately pressed down against the
back-up mold and lifted away therefrom, can be so moved by a
vertically acting hydraulic or pneumatic piston, the latter being
usually preferred. The deposition of a measured quantity of fluid
food in the foil mold while the mold top is lifted can be performed
manually or by any known metering device that mechanically moves
between the raised mold top and foil mold and quickly moves away
after depositing the fluid food in the foil mold. Known timing
devices are available to provide automatic movement of the mold top
and the metering device to fill the foil mold in a desired sequence
repetitively.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] For further clarification of the invention, the following
description will refer to the appended drawings of which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a vertical view of a simple embodiment of the
apparatus of the invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the bottom part of
the apparatus of FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is an articulated version of the bottom part of the
apparatus shown in FIG. 2;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a vertical section of only the bottom part of the
apparatus of FIG. 1 with a modified top part;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a vertical section of a modified bottom part of
the apparatus of FIG. 1; and
[0021] FIG. 6 is a vertical section of a novel aluminum foil mold
used with the bottom part shown in FIG. 5.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] FIG. 1 shows the molding and baking apparatus of the
invention, the basic parts being bottom or back-up mold 10 anchored
to support member 11, and mold top 12 fastened to the piston rod of
pneumatic cylinder 13 which is suspended from overhead beam 14.
Mold 10 has a cylindrical recess 15 on its upper or molding side,
designed to receive an aluminum foil mold 18 (shown in FIG. 2).
Back-up mold 10 made of aluminum has electrical heating element 16
embedded therein but other types of heaters may be used. Similarly,
mold top 12 made of thermally conductive metal is equipped with
electrical heater 17.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a vertical section of back-up mold 10 of FIG. 1
with an aluminum foil mold 18 set in cavity or recess 15. Recess 15
and foil mold 18 are shaped and dimensioned so that the outer
surface of foil mold 18 contacts the surface of recess 15 as
thoroughly as possible. Such close nesting of foil mold 18 in
recess 15 ensures good heat transfer from back-up mold 10 to foil
mold 18 and prevents distortion of foil mold 18 when food therein
is being baked under compression. Foil mold 18 is formed with an
outward flange 19 that stabilizes the shape of foil mold 18. After
fluid food has been added to foil mold 18 and mold top 12 has been
pushed down by cylinder 13 against back-up mold 10, foil flange 19
is held firmly between mold parts 10, 12. The term nesting or any
variant thereof is used herein to connote a close fitting of the
foil mold in the back-up mold like hand in glove. Some fluid foods
can be deposited in the foil mold before it is nested in the
back-up mold.
[0024] With mold top 12 pressing against back-up mold 10, the fluid
food in foil mold 18 is heated to a desired high temperature, say
450.degree. F., so that moisture and volatiles in the food generate
gas pressure within foil mold 18. Gas pressure cannot be allowed to
rise to a dangerous level. Flange 19 of foil mold 18 is invariably
crimped so that both its top and bottom sides have fine grooves or
creases through which steam and other volatiles can seep and help
reduce the build-up of a dangerous pressure within the closed
mold.
[0025] As previously mentioned, foil mold 18 usually has a
multiplicity of needle punctures or fine perforations that can vent
gases generated by the food that is being baked under compression.
Gases leaving foil mold 18 can travel between foil mold 18 and
recess 15, and escape along the interface of foil flange 19 and
back-up mold 10. A few small holes 20 extending laterally through
mold 10 to the bottom of recess 15 facilitate the venting of gases
entering the interface of foil mold 18 with recess 15. Also as
previously described, mold top 17 can be permitted to pop up for
several successive instants when the food in the mold generates
considerable steam.
[0026] Foil mold 18 containing a unified food product at the end of
a chosen baking period can be lifted out of back-up mold 10
manually by getting a pinching grasp of foil rim 19. Many schemes
for facilitating the removal of foil mold 18 and the baked food
therein can be visualized. For example, a hole passing through mold
10 to a spot below foil mold 18 can be used to inject pressurized
air and thus lift mold 18 at least partially out of recess 15.
[0027] In FIG. 3, back-up mold 22 has two parts: a fixed block 23
with a large bore 24 in which block 25 can move up and down like a
piston. Block 25 is mounted on the piston rod of pneumatic cylinder
26 which can push block 25 up so that the top surface of block 25
is flush with, or even above, the top surface of block 23. In
short, a foil mold (not shown) placed in mold 22 as shown in FIG. 3
will be lifted out of mold 22 when block 25 is pushed up by
cylinder 26. Reciprocating block 25 contains electrical heater 27.
Fixed block 23 may also be equipped with a heater 28. The feature
of two-part mold 22 of ejecting the foil mold containing a baked
food product can also be achieved by holding block 25 stationary
and reciprocating block 23.
[0028] The molding face of mold top 12 of FIG. 1 is flat. With
sticky foods the molding face should have a non-stick coating such
as Teflon. FIG. 4 illustrates that the molding face of mold top 30
need not be flat. Specifically, mold top 30 has a protrusion 31
which dips into the recess 32 in back-up mold 33. Protrusion 31 is
dimensioned to leave a desired space between it and the bottom of a
foil mold (not shown) nested in recess 32 as well as all around it.
Thus, the compressed and baked food product of mold top 30 and
back-up mold 33 containing the foil mold has the form of a sheet
with a thicker rim. If recess 32 and protrusion 31 are cylindrical,
the baked food will have the shape of a pizza shell. Recess 32 and
protrusion 31 may be elliptical, square, oblong, etc.
[0029] FIG. 5 shows that back-up mold 35 can have a recess 36 of
any desired shape. The selected recess 36 has rim portion 37 which
is deeper than the central part of recess 36.
[0030] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of preformed aluminum foil mold
38 shaped to nest in back-up mold 35 of FIG. 5. A circular form of
foil mold 38 and a mold top like top 12 of FIG. 1 with a flat
molding face can be used to produce upside-down pizza shells. The
molding face of the mold top need not be flat; it may have a
narrow, cylinderical protrusion that fits in, and dips into, foil
mold 38. The foil mold 38 will protect the pizza shell during
handling and shipment. When the pizza shell is to be garnished with
tomato sauce, cheese and like ingredients, the foil mold 38 is
inverted to release the pizza shell with its flat side down so that
the shell can be trimmed with desired condiments.
[0031] Even foil mold 38 of FIG. 6 or any other foil mold having a
recess that is not simply flat can be used with a two-part backup
mold like mold 22 of FIG. 3 provided the molding face of
reciprocating block 25 has a contour matching that of the foil
mold. Foil mold 38 is ideally suited for producing pizza shells of
all diameters, usually in the range of 6 to 16 inches, on a rapid,
continuous basis. The foil mold facilitates handling of the pizza
shell and protects it against damage during shipment. Foil mold 18
of FIG. 2 when used with mold top 30 of FIG. 4 will also yield a
pizza shell that will be protected until foil mold 18 is removed.
Pizza shells produced in foil molds 18 and in molds 30, 33 of FIG.
4 can be garnished, reheated and served without first removing foil
mold 18. Thus, foil mold 18 can also eliminate the need for a
serving dish.
[0032] Pizza shells produced under compression, either face up or
upside-down, in accordance with this invention are especially
enjoyed by gourmets when formed of cooked spaghetti, linguini,
fettucini and the like with an edible binding agent such as eggs or
egg whites. The cooked pasta and admixed binding agent may also
contain spices, herbs and other ingredients when placed in the foil
mold before being baked under compression to form the unusual pizza
shell. As is well known, a pizza shell has the shape of a pancake
with a thick rim.
[0033] Variations and modifications of the invention will be
apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the
spirit or scope of the invention. For example, two different fluid
foods, such as cooked pasta and rice may be deposited in the foil
mold, side by side as separate gobs, to form, when compressed and
baked, a unified product, having a pasta portion joined to a rice
portion. Also, the back-up mold may have two or more cavities for
the placement of a foil mold in each so that two or more unified
products are formed in each compression and baking cycle.
Accordingly, only such limitations should be imposed on the
invention as are set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *