Patent Description:
Already known to the art it is to coat wafers for foodstuff products with a layer having adhesive properties and then apply on the layer granular material in order to coat the outer surface of the wafer entirely.

The above known modality presents, however, a series of drawbacks.

In the first place, the bond that is formed between the granular material and the layer of coating is weak so that it is possible that the granules come away and get scattered both along the line for production and packaging of the product and inside the package of the packaged product.

The presence of granular material dispersed along the production and packaging line may cause malfunctioning of the line itself. For instance, with reference to lines for the production of hermetically sealed packages, the granular material may reach the sealing means of the line, leading to failure in hermetic closing of the packages thus produced.

With reference to the packaged product, the presence of granular material not attached to the product, but loose inside the package, evidently constitutes a reason for consumer dissatisfaction. <CIT> and <CIT> discloses certain prior art of possible interest as technical background.

The wafer described herein is able to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.

In general, the method described herein presents the characteristics forming the subject matter of Claim <NUM>. The solution described herein moreover regards a wafer according to Claim <NUM>.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the ensuing description with reference to the annexed drawings, which are provided purely by way of non-limiting example and in which:.

In the ensuing description various specific details are illustrated aimed at providing an in-depth understanding of the embodiments. The embodiments may be obtained without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, or materials, etc. In other cases, known structures, materials, or operations are not illustrated or described in detail so that various aspects of the embodiment will not be obscured.

The references used herein are provided merely for convenience and hence do not define the sphere of protection or the scope of the embodiments.

As anticipated above, the wafer described herein is characterized in that it has decorations constituted by granular material integrated in the structure of the wafer. Preferably, the granules are englobed in the thickness of the wafer for a part of their volume.

As compared to the prior art discussed at the start, the wafer described herein hence differs in that it is provided, already in itself, with decorations consisting of granular material so that it is no longer necessary to carry out the operations of the prior art of applying, on the wafer already formed, a coating layer and then positioning thereon the granular material for decoration of the wafer.

The decorations in question, forming part of the wafer, are firmly anchored, and the drawbacks of the prior art discussed above are consequently completely overcome.

Incidentally, it should be noted that the term "wafer" is used in the present description to indicate a layer of any shape, resulting from forming and baking in a baking plate a batter, i.e., a liquid or semiliquid dough, for oven-baked products. This term is not hence to be understood as in any way limiting the nature of the ingredients used for the dough; the "wafer" referred to may in fact be, for example, a wafer, obtained from a conventional wafer batter, or else a wafer of bread obtained according to a leavening process.

The wafer described herein has, in general, a surface from which the aforesaid granular material integrated in its structure projects. In view of the function of decoration of the aforesaid material, the surface in question is evidently to constitute in the end product an outer surface or in any case a surface visible by the consumer during consumption of the product.

<FIG> represent an example of the wafer described herein.

The wafer illustrated in the above figures, designated as a whole by the reference number <NUM>, is shaped like a spherical shell and is provided, on its surface <NUM> (illustrated in the figures), with a granular material <NUM> positioned according to a graphic representation, i.e., a pre-set pattern, which, by way of example in the figures, is a circumference.

According to what has been said above, the material <NUM> is integrated in the structure of the wafer and projects outwards from the surface <NUM>; i.e., the individual granules have parts that extend outside beyond the surrounding regions of the surface <NUM> itself, preferably for an amount of at least <NUM>. As mentioned above, preferably the individual granules are englobed in the thickness of the wafer for a part of their own volume.

The size of the granular material may vary according to the type of material and the specific embodiment of wafer that is to be obtained.

Preferably, the granular material is of larger size than the thickness of the layer of the wafer. By way of example, the wafer may have a thickness comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> and the size of the granular material may be comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>.

In general, the granular material may be obtained from any foodstuff material that can be reduced to granules. The material in question is obtained from cereals, dry fruit, extrusions of semi-finished foodstuff products, candied fruit, dried vegetables and fruit, seeds, cocoa beans etc. It is clearly possible to envisage the combination of different materials. The person skilled in the sector will understand that it is possible to use any foodstuff material capable of withstanding the baking temperatures envisaged in the specific applications;
usual baking temperatures for a wafer dough may range, for example, between <NUM> and <NUM>.

With reference now to <FIG>, this is a schematic illustration of an example of method for making a wafer as described above.

The method in question envisages the use of means of a conventional type. In particular, it envisages the use of a wafer baking plate provided with a forming chamber, which is usually constituted by two half-plates that can be coupled together to form the aforesaid chamber, and with means for baking the wafer dough inside the forming chamber of the baking plate, for example an oven or heating elements integrated in the baking plate itself. The baking plate acts as mould that bestows a given shape on the wafer, while this gradually acquires consistency and hardens as a result of baking of the batter. Since they are means widely known to the person skilled in the sector, any more detailed description can be avoided in order not to overburden the present disclosure.

The method in question includes a step <NUM> of preparation of the dough for production of the wafer. This may be a common dough or batter for the production of wafers.

By way of example, the recipe of the dough may comprise the following ingredients (the quantities indicated are expressed in weight percentages with respect to the overall weight of the dough):.

The recipe of the dough may obviously be varied according to the requirements of the specific applications.

Possibly, the method also includes a step <NUM> of preparation of the granular material, in particular when it is a semi-finished product, such as grated meringue.

Hence, the method envisages introducing the granular material into the forming chamber of the baking plate (step <NUM>). In particular, the granular material is positioned in one or more pre-defined regions of the forming chamber to re-produce substantially the same graphic representation that is to be re-produced on the wafer.

In one or more preferred embodiments, the inner surface of the forming chamber on which the surface <NUM> of the wafer will be formed, is delimited, at least in the aforesaid predefined regions, by one or more inserts made of elastic material, for example silicone, for elastically supporting the granular material.

In this way, the forces of pressure to which the granular material could be subjected within the forming chamber are eliminated or at least reduced so as to prevent or limit deformations due to pressing of the granular material.

Alternatively, and once again for the same purpose, on the aforesaid inner surface of the forming chamber one or more cavities are provided for accommodating the granular material in a position at least partially set below the inner surface itself.

<FIG> shows an example of wafer baking plate <NUM> formed by two half-plates <NUM>, <NUM>, a top one and a bottom one, respectively, which comprise respective forming surfaces 21A and 22A and are mobile with respect to one another between an open condition and a closed condition in which the forming surfaces 21A and 22A together delimit a forming chamber <NUM>. The forming surface 22A is designed to form the surface <NUM> of the wafer <NUM> and envisages a ring-shaped elastic insert <NUM>, set in the region of the forming chamber <NUM> where the granular material <NUM> will be placed. The image a) of <FIG> shows the two plates <NUM>, <NUM> in the open condition and the granular material <NUM> laid on the insert <NUM>. Preferably, the granular material <NUM> has a size greater than the height of the forming chamber <NUM> that is to define the thickness of the wafer <NUM> - at least - in the region where the granular material <NUM> is present. The forming surface 21A of the plate <NUM> has an annular portion 21A', which is located in a position opposed to that of the insert <NUM>.

The method at this point envisages introducing into the forming chamber also the wafer dough, which, as it fills the forming chamber, will come into contact with the granular material introduced previously (step <NUM>).

With reference to the example of <FIG>, the image b) of this figure shows the two half-plates <NUM>, <NUM> in the closed condition and the forming chamber <NUM> filled with the wafer dough; it is to be noted that, on account of the larger size of the granular material <NUM> as compared to the height of the forming chamber <NUM>, when the two half-plates <NUM>, <NUM> are closed, the granular material <NUM> is pushed by the portion 21A' of the forming surface 21A of the half-plate <NUM> against the insert <NUM>, penetrating it and subjecting it to deformation by compression, and in this way the granular material <NUM> moves into a position where it projects from what will be the surface <NUM> of the wafer <NUM> formed. Thanks to the elasticity of the insert <NUM>, the forces of pressure that act on the granular material <NUM> are limited, and hence the latter does not undergo any deformation. At the same time, the elastic force of the insert <NUM> that acts on the granular material <NUM> keeps the latter in position inside the forming chamber <NUM>.

It should be noted that the configuration of the baking plate <NUM> will vary according to the needs of the specific applications, in particular according to the shape of the wafer <NUM> and of the decorative pattern to be provided thereon via the granular material <NUM>.

In this connection, <FIG> shows a further example of a baking plate <NUM> for obtaining a wafer <NUM> having an overall-planar conformation provided with a raised central region on which the granular material <NUM> is positioned to form a decorative pattern. In <FIG>, the same reference numbers as those of <FIG> are used for the elements of the baking plate homologous to elements of the baking plate of <FIG>. It will be noted that in this case the elastic insert <NUM> is fitted on the forming surface 21A of the top half-plate <NUM>, whereas the granular material <NUM> is laid on a raised portion 22A' of the forming surface 22A of the bottom half-plate <NUM>. Also in this case, when the two half-plates <NUM>, <NUM> are closed, the granular material <NUM> is pushed against the insert <NUM> - by the raised portion 22A' of the half-plate <NUM> -, penetrating it and subjecting it to deformation by compression, and is brought into a position where it projects from what will be the outer surface of the wafer <NUM> formed.

The method then envisages a step <NUM> of baking of the dough inside the forming chamber of the baking plate. The operating parameters of this step, such as temperature and duration, may be the same as those of the methods for the production of wafers according to the prior art.

At the end of this step, the granular material will be integrated in the structure of the wafer and will be positioned on one of its surfaces according to the aforementioned graphic representation.

It should be noted that it is in any case possible to envisage embodiments of the method alternative to the one illustrated, in which, for example, the granular material is introduced into the forming chamber after the wafer dough.

More in general, what is important for the method described herein is i) that the granular material should be introduced into the forming chamber separately from the dough so that it can be positioned according to the desired graphic representation, and ii) that it should be brought into contact with the dough prior to the baking step or at least before the end of this step, so that it will come to form part of the structure of the wafer.

The wafer thus obtained is in itself provided with a decoration made of granular material, with the advantages discussed previously.

Claim 1:
A method for making a wafer (<NUM>) comprising a surface and granular material (<NUM>) integrated in the structure of said wafer and projecting from said surface (<NUM>), said method comprising:
- preparing a wafer dough (<NUM>);
- introducing said dough into the forming chamber of a baking plate or mould (<NUM>);
- baking said dough within said forming chamber to obtain said wafer at the end of the baking step (<NUM>);
said method being characterized in that it comprises:
- introducing (<NUM>) said granular material into said forming chamber separately from said dough, and bringing said granular material into contact with said dough prior to said baking step (<NUM>) or at least before the end of said baking step, so that, once said step is through, said granular material will be integrated in the structure of said wafer and project from said surface,
wherein said granular material is obtained from one or more of the following products or semi-finished products: cereals, dry fruit, extrusions of semi-finished foodstuff products, candied fruit, dried vegetables and fruit, seeds, cocoa beans, etc.,
wherein said baking plate or mould (<NUM>) comprises a first half-plate or half-mould (<NUM>) and a second half-plate or half-mould (<NUM>) that have respective forming surfaces (21A, 22A) and are mobile with respect to one another between an open condition and a closed condition in which the respective forming surfaces (21A, 22A) of said first and second half-plates or half-moulds (<NUM>, <NUM>) together delimit said forming chamber (<NUM>), said method including:
- in the open condition of said half-plates or half-moulds (<NUM>, <NUM>), laying the granular material (<NUM>) on said first or second forming surface (21A, 22A) according to a pre-set pattern and then dispensing the wafer dough on said first or second forming surface (21A, 22A);
- bringing said half-plates or half-moulds (<NUM>, <NUM>) into the closed condition and, in this condition, baking said wafer dough in said forming chamber (<NUM>), wherein in the closed condition of said first and second half-plates or half-moulds (<NUM>, <NUM>) the granular material is elastically withheld by at least one elastic insert (<NUM>) that defines at least partially the forming surface of said first or second half-plate or half-mould (<NUM>, <NUM>).