Patent ID: 8091471
Filing Date: 2012-01-10
Classification: A21B,A21C,A21D,B01F

Abstract:
1. A system for continuous production of baked product, comprising: a frame defining a system footprint; a dry ingredient metering unit coupled to the frame, the metering unit configured for discharging a succession of metered volumes of dry ingredient, each volume of dry ingredient being used for the production of a batch of dough for a single unit of the baked product, the metering unit including a liquid metering unit coupled to the frame and having a second outlet for discharging a metered amount of liquid for making the single unit of baked product; a dough mixing unit coupled to the frame and having the dough mixing inlet, a mixing chamber, and a mixing device in the mixing chamber, the mixing chamber being in communication with the dough mixing inlet and the second outlet, the mixing device configured to mix the volume of dry ingredient with the metered amount of liquid to form a batch of dough for the single unit of baked product; a dough transport coupled to the frame and positioned to receive at a receiving portion a succession of the batches of dough discharged from the dough mixing unit and operative to transport the single batches of dough to a discharge portion, wherein the dough transport includes a first conveyor that moves in a first direction and transports the single batches of dough and a second conveyor spaced apart from and positioned above the first conveyor, wherein the second conveyor has an underside bearing surface that moves in a second direction opposite the first direction to bear against and shape the single batches of dough as the single batches of dough move along the first conveyor; an oven conveyor coupled to the frame and having a plurality of dough holders spaced apart from each other, each dough holder configured to contain a single batch of dough, the oven conveyor having a portion adjacent to the discharge portion of the dough transport and configured to sequentially move the dough holders through a position to receive a single batch of dough from the discharge portion of the dough transport; and an oven unit coupled to the frame and having an oven inlet, an oven outlet, a baking portion, a prebaking portion, and a pathway extending through the prebaking and baking portions, at least a portion of the oven conveyor extending through the oven unit along the pathway, the oven unit having a heat diffuser adjacent to the baking portion to shield at least a portion of the prebaking portion and the dough holders from heat applied to the baking portion, the oven conveyor configured to move the dough holders through the baking portion at a rate so the single batches of dough in the dough holders will be sequentially baked to form the baked products when the dough holders exit the oven unit.