Abstract:
A method for producing a chocolate product, which may be filled, with a thin, raised design thereon of multiple colours ( 10   a - d ) employs a plurality of screens ( 63 ) laid over a first mould plate ( 20 ) to enable the different chocolate colours ( 10   a - d ) to be selectively placed in a computer engraved pattern ( 10 ) in the first mould plate ( 120 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    THIS INVENTION relates to an improved chocolate product and a method of producing same.  
           [0003]    In particular, the invention relates to a method of producing a chocolate product having letters and/or other designs (eg., corporate trade mark) formed thereon of a different color, or colors, of chocolate or chocolate-like material than the rest (ie., body) of the chocolate product.  
           [0004]    Throughout the specification, the term “chocolate” is intended to include within its scope chocolate, chocolate-like material and chocolate substitute, eg., carob.  
           [0005]    2. Prior Art  
           [0006]    AU-B-66814/86 (583969) (GARRY JOHN GREEN) disclosed a method of forming a chocolate product having a thin raised design thereon of a different color than the rest of the chocolate product.  
           [0007]    While the method disclosed in that specification enable a design formed in chocolate of one color to be applied to chocolate of a second color with a high degree of accuracy, the method, in practice, has a number of practical limitations.  
           [0008]    In practice, the patterns or designs (eg., up to 36 in number) are engraved in a mould plate. Chocolate of a first color is placed on the mould plate and spread over the plate, eg., with a plastic spatula, to fill the mould cavities and any excess chocolate is wiped off the exposed surface of the mould plate; eg., with tissue paper. A layer of the chocolate of the second color is spread over the mould plate by hand, eg., using a spatula. The mould plate is shaken to remove any air bubbles; and is placed in a cooler, eg., for 10 minutes. When the chocolate is solid, the chocolate product is stripped from the mould plate and is then cut into squares using a knife guided by a template, which is placed over the exposed surface of the chocolate product bearing the design.  
           [0009]    The above method has the following practical problems:  
           [0010]    a) the actual thickness, and any variation in thickness, of the chocolate product formed from the second colored chocolate is dependent solely on the operator&#39;s skill;  
           [0011]    b) cutting of the chocolate products from the solid sheet of chocolate is labourious, as the template must be (aid Qn the sheet to enable, eg., the horizontal cuts, to be made and then rotated through 90 degrees to enable the vertical cuts to be made;  
           [0012]    c) the location of the design on the chocolate products is variable, dependent on the placement of the cutting template on the chocolate sheet; and  
           [0013]    d) the comers of the chocolate products are likely to crack and break as the products are cut from the sheet.  
           [0014]    A rejection rate of 50% is not uncommon. While the chocolate may be melted and re-used, the operator&#39;s time cannot be recycled and so productivity is relatively low.  
           [0015]    To ameleriote the rejection rate of the chocolate products manufactured by the Green method, Intemational Publication WO 97/39636 (=PCT/AU97/00245) (CHOCOLATE MAKERS INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD et al) disclosed a method where the pattern is engraved in a first mould plate, the pattern is filled with a chocolate of a first color, and second mould plate is placed with a mould cavity in registry with the pattern, and the mould cavity is filled with a chocolate of a second color when the chocolate is cooled, the chocolate product is stripped from the mould plates.  
           [0016]    This method markedly reduced the rejection rates and also allowed the chocolate products to have a wide range of shapes/thicknesses.  
           [0017]    However, the method disclosed in WO 97/39636 (CHOCOLATE MAKERS) did not enable a pattern with two or more colors to be formed on the chocolate; and did not allow a pattern, with one or more colors, to be formed on a filled chocolate product, the filling being eg., a fruit-, chocolate-, coffee- or the like flavored cream- or jelly-like filling.  
         SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
         [0018]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a chocolate product having a pattern, in two or more colors, formed on the body of the chocolate product.  
           [0019]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a chocolate product having a pattern, in at least one color, on the body of the chocolate product, wherein the body contains a filling.  
           [0020]    It is a preferred object that the pattern, or patterns, on the chocolate product have a thin raised design, eg., ≦0.5 mm high, with sharply defined shape(s)/border(s).  
           [0021]    It is a further preferred object to provide a method where the bodies of the chocolate products can have a wide range of shapes.  
           [0022]    It is a still further preferred object to provide such a method which, while capable of being effected manually, is readily automated, requires little operation skills and has low rejection rates.  
           [0023]    It is a still further preferred object to provide a chocolate product manufactured by the method.  
           [0024]    Other preferred object will become apparent from the following description.  
           [0025]    In one aspect, the present invention resides in a method of forming a chocolate product having a thin (ie., three-dimensional) raised design thereon of two or more different colors than the rest (or body) of the chocolate product, said method comprising the steps of:  
           [0026]    a) engraving a pattern in a first mould plate, the pattern being a mirror-image of the desired design on the product;  
           [0027]    b) applying a screen to the first mould plate to limit exposure of the engraved pattern only to the portion, or portions, of a first color;  
           [0028]    c) introducing into the portion, or portions, sufficient liquid chocolate of the first color to at least fill the portion or portions;  
           [0029]    d) removing any excess material of the chocolate of the first color from the first mould plate;  
           [0030]    e) respectively repeating steps (b) to (d) respectively for the portion, or portions, of chocolates of second or more colors;  
           [0031]    f) placing a second mould plate in non-slip contact, with the first mould plate, the second mould plate having a mould cavity of selected shape therein in register with the engraved pattern;  
           [0032]    g) introducing liquid chocolate selected for the rest (or body) of the chocolate product into the mould cavity to cover the chocolate of the first and second (and more) colors;  
           [0033]    h) cooling the different colored chocolates in the mould plates to solidify them and bond (or meld) them together; and  
           [0034]    i) removing the resultant chocolate product so formed from the mould plates.  
           [0035]    If the chocolate product is to be a filled chocolate product, the fill material and the liquid chocolate for the rest (or body) of the chocolate product are introduced simultaneously in step (g).  
           [0036]    Where only chocolate of one color is to be provided for the design on a filled chocolate product, step (e) is omitted.  
           [0037]    Preferably, a plurality of identical patterns are engraved in the first mould plate, eg., by computer assisted engraving, the patterns having optional three dimensional features such as shape and height.  
           [0038]    Preferably, a respective mould cavity for each pattern is provided in the second mould plate.  
           [0039]    Preferably, the first and second plates are formed of resilient plastics material, the first mould plate being preferably formed from an engraving plastic laminate and the second mould plate being preferably formed from a silicone rubber or polyurethane.  
           [0040]    The colors of the chocolates deposited in the pattern can be any color, eg., (a) red/white/blue for the “STARS AND STRIPES”, and (b) blue and white for the “FORD” (Registered Trade Mark) oval device and red/blue/yellow/green/black for the “MICROSOFT WINDOWS” label (Registered Trade Mark).  
           [0041]    The mould cavities in the second mould plate preferably have inclined or bevelled side walls to enable the chocolate products to be easily stripped therefrom; and in plan view may be square, triangular, elliptical, circular, heart-shaped, fan-shaped or any other regular or irregular shape.  
           [0042]    In a second aspect, the present invention resides in apparatus to effect this method.  
           [0043]    In a third aspect, the present invention resides in chocolate products manufactured by the method. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0044]    To enable the invention to be fully understood, preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the engraving of the cavities into the first mould plate;  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the one pattern engraved on the first mould plate taken on line  2 - 2  on FIG. 1;  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 3 is a (right) side elevational view of an application station for a colored chocolate into the cavities in the first mould plate;  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof;  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 5 is a front elevational view thereof, the printer being omitted;  
         [0050]    FIGS.  5 ( a ) to  5 ( d ) are schematic drawings showing the steps of screening the pattern for two colours, applying the colours and removing the excess chocolate;  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a mould assembly;  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the mould assembly;  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of the mould assembly;  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a “one-shot depositor” machine; and  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 10 is a sectional side view showing chocolate and filling being deposited in the mould assembly;  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional side view of a cooling tower for the chocolate product;  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 12 is an end elevational view of the cooling tower,  
         [0058]    FIGS.  13 ( a )( b )( c )( d ) are schematic drawings showing the manual colour screening application steps whereby the various screens and colours are manually applied; and  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 14 is the manual alternative to FIG. 10, whereby the chocolate is manually deposited in the mould assembly. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0060]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a pattern  10 , which is a mirror-image of the desired 3-dimensional patent or design to be applied to the chocolate product, is engraved into the first mould plate  20  (or graphics plate), the first mould plate  20  being formed from an engraving plastics laminate.  
         [0061]    In the example illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the final design will have chocolate of four colors (eg., red  10   a /blue  10   b /yellow  10   c /white  10   d ) applied to the chocolate product.  
         [0062]    The proposed design is entered into a computer graphics program in a computer  30  and may be in the form of a rough sketch, detailed drawing, photograph or object. The computer graphic designer can enhance the design to produce a mirror-image which is accurate in detail, suited to the chocolate product, size and shape (“smoothed” on all edges for a quality finish and to ensure good relief from the first mould plate  20  during manufacture).  
         [0063]    By utilising 3-dimensional technology, the computer program is able to accurately design 3-dimensional graphic layouts and photographic imaging with a high degree of accuracy in readiness for transference to the computer-assisted engraver  40 .  
         [0064]    The 3-dimensional graphics, or photo imagery are in the developmental stages of modem engraving machines, which makes the program not only relatively new in standard engraving operations, but totally new in chocolates manufactured with a raised chocolate design.  
         [0065]    Once completed, the design is transferred to the computer-assisted engraver  40  and the chocolate size determines how many times the design  10  can be engraved in a first mould plate, ie., 20 duplicated designs will result in 20 chocolates per plate.  
         [0066]    When the first mould plate  20  has been completed, it is transferred to a first applicator station  50  illustrated in FIGS.  3  to  5 .  
         [0067]    A small bulk chocolate depositor  51  is designed to fit onto the rear of a modified screen printing machine  52  which has a graphic plate table  53 , a nozzle  54  and a cover hood  55 .  
         [0068]    The chocolate depositor  51  has a stainless steel water jacketed tank with high accuracy heating controls for both pure chocolate and compound chocolate. The depositor has a hopper  56  fitted with a stirrer  57  to ensure constant and even viscosity of the colored chocolate prior to deposition.  
         [0069]    An aluminium tooling plate block  58  is provided under the hopper  56  and is fitted with a stainless steel rotary valve/piston combination  59  which is easily removable for cleaning and product changes, ie., for milk to white chocolate colors, or white to red/blue/yellow/green colors.  
         [0070]    The product adjuster  60  controls how much chocolate is deposited into the patterns  10  in the first mould plate  20  (the latter being supported by the graphic plate table  53 ).  
         [0071]    A flexible tube  61  transfers the metered amount of colored chocolate to the deposit nozzle  54  (which is readily interchangeable for different first mould plate  20  layout).  
         [0072]    The deposit nozzle  54  is mounted between two spreader blades  62 , being possible to deposit before each stroke or during each stroke of the spreader blades  62 , whichever gives the best results. The cleaning of the excess color chocolate from the first mould plate is carried out by the spreader blades  62 , preferably formed of silicone, where one is activated downwards to scrape to the left and the other is activated downwards to scrape to the right.  
         [0073]    To apply the different color combinations to the designs  10  on the first mould plate  20 , a screen  63  has been designed to fit over the first mould plate  20  and is attached to the applicator station (below the deposit nozzle  64 ) to only allow access to specific cavities (or portions or zones) of the designs  10  on the first mould plate  20 .  
         [0074]    To enable a second color to be applied to the designs  10  on the first mould plate  20 , the first mould plate  20  is transferred to a second similar applicator station  50  positioned adjacent the first applicator station and the second color is applied. A separate applicator station is required for each different color in the final design.  
         [0075]    [0075]FIG. 5( a ) shows how a screen  63  placed over the first mould plate  20  to enable eg the red colour chocolate to be applied to the design  10 . The screen  63  is placed in registry with the first mould plate and red chocolate is applied by the deposit nozzle  54 . Excess red chocolate is scrapped off by the scraper blade  62 —see FIG. 5( b ).  
         [0076]    At the next applicator station  50 , a screen  63  for a second colour is placed over the first mould plate  20 —see FIG. 5( c ) and the eg blue chocolate is deposited and the excess chocolate scraped off—see FIG. 5( d ).  
         [0077]    The screens  63  placed over the first mould plate  20  in the applicator stations  50  operate in a similar manner to the screens in a conventional screen printing machine.  
         [0078]    When the different color chocolates have been applied to the patterns  10  in the first mould plate  20 , the mould plate must become part of a mould assembly  70 —see FIGS.  5  to  8 . The mould assembly  70  is relatively simple, but it is critical to ensure accuracy of the finished product and comprises three components—a mould cavity plate  80 , the first mould plate  20  and second mould plate  90  to be hereinafter described.  
         [0079]    The mould carry frame  80  is formed of resilient plastic or nylon construction that is designed to carry the first mould plate  20  and the second mould plate  90  through the process as an assembled unit. Locating notches  81  in the base of the mould carry frame accurately position the mould assembly  70  for the remainder of the process. The skeleton-type structure of the mould carry frame base  80  with holes  82  therethrough is to allow any particles that may adhere to the base of the first mould plate  20  to not prevent the plate  20  fitting flat in the frame  80 .  
         [0080]    As illustrated, particularly in FIG. 6, the first mould plate  20  is placed in the mould frame  80  with the chocolate filled graphics facing upwards. The plate  20  is made to fit perfectly within the frame  80  having no lateral movement whatsoever.  
         [0081]    The second mould plate  90  is formed of a pliable silicone rubber compound which will self-adhere to the first mould plate  20  and provide a different sized and shaped cavities to suit the designs  10  on the first mould plate  20 . Both the second mould plate  90  and the first mould plate  20  material are so designed that when placed together, they form a non-slip contact. This, when combined with self-adhesive qualities prevents any chocolate residue ingress between the two mould plates  20 ,  90 . The second mould plate  90  also fits perfectly within the mould carry frame  80 , the cavities  91  in the second mould plate  90  matching the designs  10  in the first mould plate exactly. The completed mould assembly is now placed into the feeder  101  of the one-shot depositor machine  100  illustrated in FIG. 9.  
         [0082]    The feeder  101  is arranged above an index chain  102 , upstream of the head of the depositor plate  103  of the one-shot depositing machine  100 .  
         [0083]    The notches  81  in the base of the mould carry frames  80  are arranged to releasably engage the locking pins  104  on the index chain  102 . The feeder  101  ensures that the mould assemblies  70  are placed squarely on, and locate onto, the index chain  102 .  
         [0084]    The mould assembly  70  is conveyed by the index chain through the one-shot depositing machine  100 . A chain  102  indexes the mould assemblies  70  at predetermined intervals to the one-shot chocolate depositing heads, being two sets of depositing heads, the first set for depositing the centre filling  201  of the chocolate product, and the second set for depositing the shell  202  of the chocolate product in the two heads  105 ,  106  via a lock plate  103 .  
         [0085]    When the mould assembly  90  reaches a position indexed below the block plate  103 , the mould assembly is raised by a mould lift table  107  until it makes contact with the block plate  103 . At this point, the injection process takes place, being a computer controlled process via computer  108  to ensure that deposited amounts of centre fill  201  and shell fill  202  are deposited in the cavities  91  in the second mould plate  90 . (The centre fill  201  and shell fill  202  are deposited via injection nozzles (not shown) in block plate  103 .)  
         [0086]    A suck-back system on the injector nozzles within the heads ensure a clean deposit every time.  
         [0087]    Once the position is complete, the mould assembly  70  is lowered and then indexed to a vibrating table  110  where vibration is introduced to settle and flatten the chocolate. The moulding process is now complete, the next stage being to cool the finished product.  
         [0088]    Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the (now filled) mould assembly  70  is passed through an entrance  121  in a cooling tower unit  120  and placed on a stainless steel tray  122  suspended from a transport chain  123 . Mould assemblies are carried through the cooling tower zone  124  which is cooled by an air cooler refrigeration unit  125  which has a recirculating air flow. (The cooling tower zone  124  may be mounted above or below the ceiling of the building to minimise the floor space of the cooling tower unit  120 .) When the chocolates have been cooled, mould assemblies are extracted from the cooling tower via outlet  127 .  
         [0089]    When the mould assembly  20  has been removed from the cooling tower  120 , the completed chocolates are now removed from the assembly through a “de-moulding” step.  
         [0090]    The mould assembly is turned upside down on a bench and by pushing on the back of the mould carry frame  80  onto the first mould plate  20 , the first mould plate  20  and the second mould plate  90  can be easily removed from the mould carry frame  80 . With the second mould plate  90  on the bench, the first mould plate  20  can be gently peeled away while holding the second mould plate  90  down. It is then a simple process to push the completed chocolates out of the second mould plate  90 .  
         [0091]    The chocolate product is then ready for packaging.  
         [0092]    As hereinbefore described, the number of applicator stations  50  required will depend on the number of different colors of chocolate to be deposited in the patterns  10  on the first mould plate  20 . For example, to produce the design of the “stars and stripes” along a milk chocolate background, three applicator stations will be required for the colors red, white and blue, respectively.  
         [0093]    The complete chocolate product can have a solid chocolate body by only operating the chocolate head  105  of the chocolate depositing machine  100 . Alternatively, for a filled chocolate, both heads  105  and  106  are operated.  
         [0094]    The processes hereinbefore described can also be varied from a fully automated process to a manual operation.  
         [0095]    This is achieved without any change to the invention simply by substituting the automated application portions of the process (FIGS. 3, 4,  5 ( a )( b )( c )( d ),  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10  and references to the machinery in these figures with a manual process.  
         [0096]    The basis of the changes are reflected in two areas of the automated process:  
         [0097]    a) where the colour combinations  10 ( a )( b )( c )( d ) are applied by a screening process through a series of applicator stations FIG. 3, the same screen  63  are manually placed onto the mould plate  20  and the colour manually applied to the engraved cavities  10 —see FIGS.  13 ( a )( b )( c )( d )—repeating the process the same as the automated process for each additional colour; and  
         [0098]    b) after all the colours have been applied—as per FIG. 13( a )( b )( c ) and ( d )—the second mould plate  90  is then manually applied (as for FIG. 6). Instead of utilising the “one shot depositor”—see FIGS. 9 and 10—the mould cavities  91  are manually filled with chocolate—see FIG. 14. Excess chocolate is manually wiped away with a hand scraper.  
         [0099]    The cooling and de-moulding steps are the same as the automated process.  
         [0100]    By the present method, it is possible to produce the following combinations:  
         [0101]    a) a chocolate product with a solid chocolate block having thin raised design with two or more colors; or  
         [0102]    b) a chocolate product having a filled chocolate body with a thin raised design having one or more chocolate colors.  
         [0103]    To date, neither option has been possible.  
         [0104]    The use of the screens, in the modified screen printing applicator stations  50  enables the different colored chocolates to be applied to the patterns  10  in the first mould plates  20 . The use of such screens has never before been contemplated and is a significant advance over the prior art.  
         [0105]    Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described and illustrated without departing from the present invention.