Ferrero International has filed a patent for an apparatus that doses and feeds fluid or pasty mixtures, such as chocolate-based mixtures, into molds. The apparatus includes two variable volume cavities that rotate in unison and in a stepwise manner to maintain a constant volume while one cavity is filled and the other is emptied. The apparatus is controlled by a motorized assembly and an electronic control unit. GlobalData’s report on Ferrero International gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Ferrero International, Filled confectionary manufacturing was a key innovation area identified from patents. Ferrero International's grant share as of September 2023 was 71%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
An apparatus for dosing and feeding fluid mixtures
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An apparatus for dosing and feeding a fluid or pasty mixture into molds, particularly a chocolate-based mixture, has been described in a filed patent. The apparatus includes an external body that forms a cylindrical dosing and feeding chamber with an inlet opening for the mixture to flow in and a single outlet opening for the mixture to flow out. Inside the chamber, there is a dosing and feeding device consisting of two variable volume cavities and a motorized assembly. The cavities have opposing inlets and are diametrically opposite to each other with respect to the longitudinal axis of the chamber. The motorized assembly rotates the cavities simultaneously and in a stepwise manner between a receiving position and a sending position, while keeping the volume of the cavities constant. The assembly includes a cylindrical support core, cylindrical sectors, and motorized actuators. An electronic control and command unit synchronizes the motorized actuators.
The patent also describes additional features of the apparatus. The cylindrical sectors are geometrically and dimensionally equal to each other. Each sector is connected to a collar that is coupled to the core, and the sectors are arranged in abutment against each other. The dosing and feeding chamber is delimited by a cylindrical surface, and each sector is delimited by a lateral cylindrical surface that slides against the chamber's surface in a fluid-tight manner. The sectors have flat radial surfaces that partially delimit the cavities and form a dihedral angle of approximately 135°. The core consists of two aligned cylindrical segments that rotate with the respective sectors. Downstream of the single outlet opening, there is a pouring plate that can be removably connected to the external body. The pouring plate includes an inlet storage chamber, outlet storage chambers, and sets of nozzles for dispensing the mixture into molds.
The patent also discloses a method for dosing the fluid or pasty mixture into molds using the described apparatus. The method involves feeding the mixture into the inlet opening, dosing and transferring a predefined volume of the mixture through the outlet opening using the two cavities, rotating the cavities in unison and in a stepwise manner between the inlet and outlet openings while maintaining the volume of the cavities unchanged, filling one cavity with a predefined quantity of mixture while simultaneously emptying the other cavity by varying their volumes, and simultaneously varying the volumes of the cavities by rotating the cylindrical sectors in opposite directions around the longitudinal axis.
Overall, the patent describes an apparatus and method for precise dosing and feeding of fluid or pasty mixtures, particularly chocolate-based mixtures, into molds. The apparatus includes a motorized assembly that allows for controlled rotation and volume variation of the cavities, ensuring accurate and consistent dosing. The method provides a systematic process for filling molds with the mixture, ensuring uniformity and efficiency in the dosing process.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
