Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a frame for receiving and holding a removable board. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    In the manufacture of certain edible products such as bread and the like, dough is placed onto boards that are transported through the different production stages along automated mechanised conveyors. Often the boards, which are sometimes referred to as “peel-boards”, are manufactured from cloth or plastics materials and are pre-sprinkled with a powdery material, such as semolina flour, in order to assist the eventual release of the dough after proving. During transportation, excessive wear is often imparted to the peel-boards through direct contact with the mechanised conveyors and through collisions with other boards on the conveyor system. Such damage reduces the lifespan of the boards and results in the requirement for frequent repair or replacement. 
         [0003]    It is therefore an object of the invention to alleviate the disadvantages associated with the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Accordingly, the present invention provides a dough piece carrier assembly comprising a frame for releasably receiving and holding a dough carrier board, the frame having a plurality of side walls defining an inner space for releasably receiving the board, wherein the side walls encompass peripheral regions of the board so as to protect said regions from wear during use of the board. 
         [0005]    Preferably, the frame comprises means for protecting the underside of a board in use. 
         [0006]    Preferably, the frame comprises a reinforcing means. 
         [0007]    Ideally, the reinforcing means comprises at least one and preferably two cross-members. 
         [0008]    Ideally, the frame is sized to restrict lateral movements of the board within the frame during use of the board. 
         [0009]    Conveniently, the frame comprises means for retaining a board within the inner space of the frame. 
         [0010]    Advantageously, the means for retaining a board includes the at least one, and preferably two cross-members. 
         [0011]    Optionally, the means for retaining a board includes a plurality of protuberances on inner surfaces of the side walls for engaging the board to further restrict movement of the board within the frame. Such protuberances may be formed by depressions made in outer surfaces of the side walls. 
         [0012]    Preferably, the frame is quadrilateral and ideally is rectangular or square shaped. 
         [0013]    The present invention further provides a board sized to be releasably received and held in the frame according to the invention. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the board comprises a peel-board for receiving dough portions thereon and has means for retaining the board within the frame in use. Such retaining means may comprise a lip extending along the perimeter of the board for engaging the side walls of the frame upon placement of the board within the frame. 
         [0015]    Advantageously, the board includes structural reinforcing means such as a plurality of web members. The web members may be formed integrally with the board structure and ideally are on the underside of the board. 
         [0016]    In a preferred embodiment the board has a textured upper surface for receiving the dough portions. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the textured upper surface comprises a series of indents which serve as air-pockets for resisting a tendency for dough to stick to the upper surface of the board, and the indents further serve for receiving particles of loose material which fall from the dough. This facilitates the eventual removal of the dough from the board. 
         [0018]    Ideally, the board lip projects laterally beyond the side walls of the frame so as to facilitate removal of the board from the frame by gripping the projecting portions of the lip. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
         [0019]    The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show, by way of example only, one embodiment of the peel board carrier frame apparatus of the invention. 
           [0020]    In the drawings: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the peel board carrier frame; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2   a  is a plan view of a peel board carrier frame outer member; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2   b  is an end view of a peel board carrier frame outer member; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2   c  is a side elevation of a peel board carrier frame outer member; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3   a  is a plan view of the peel board carrier frame; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3   b  is an end elevation of the peel board carrier frame; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4   a  is a plan view of a peel board carrier frame cross-member; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4   b  is an end view of the peel board carrier frame cross-member; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4   c  is a side elevation of the peel board carrier frame cross-member; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5   a  is a plan view of a peel board; 
           [0031]      FIG. 5   b  is a side elevation of the peel board; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5   c  is a plan view of the peel board underside. 
       
    
    
       [0033]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a peel board carrier frame  1  comprises side members  100 ,  101 , end members  102 ,  103 , a cross-member  104  and bracing members  105 ,  106 . In this example a board received in the frame  1  is a peel board but it will be appreciated that that the frame may equally be employed with other types of board. 
         [0034]    The frame  1  comprises an outer framework and an inner network of reinforcing cross-members. The outer framework comprises the side members  100 ,  101 , spaced apart from and parallel to each other and the end members  102 ,  103 , spaced apart from and parallel to each other so that when arranged as shown in  FIG. 1 , they define a rectangular opening. The outer framework members  100 ,  101   102 ,  103  are formed from elongate stainless steel members having an L-shaped cross section with a vertical in use leg and a horizontal in use leg arranged at right angles to each other. The ends of the horizontal legs of said members are bevelled inwardly at 45-degree angles. The common overall shape of the members  100 ,  101 ,  102  and  103  is shown schematically in  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c . For clarity and simplicity the member shown is labelled  100  only. When positioned together to define frame  1  as shown in  FIG. 3   a , the bevelled ends of the members  100 ,  101 ,  102  and  103  meet to form 90-degree mitre-joint corners  112 . The respective end edges of the vertical legs are also coincident at the corners of the frame  1 . The contacting end edges of the respective members  100 ,  101 ,  102  and  103  are welded together so that the horizontal legs of the members define a continuous inwardly facing ledge. A continuous vertical wall is defined by the connected vertical legs of the outer frame  1 . Other suitable ways are possible for joining the outer members  100 ,  101 ,  102  and  103 , and indeed integral constriction of the outer members defining the outer framework is possible. 
         [0035]    To increase the rigidity of the framework structure an inner network of reinforcing members is provided. The inner framework comprises the transverse cross-member  104 , which lies parallel with, and equidistant from, the frame end members  102 ,  103 . The cross-member  104  extends between and is connected to the side members  100 , 101 . To stiffen the frame  1  along the longitudinal axis, the two shorter bracing members  105 ,  106 , which are of equal length, are connected perpendicularly in relation to the cross-member  104  between the cross-member  104  and the end members  102  and  103  of the outer framework, respectively. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b , the reinforcing members  104 ,  105  and  106  are each formed from initially flat stainless steel sheet that is shaped to create a channel cross-section. The shape of the channel cross-section, which is common to transverse cross-member  104  and the longitudinal bracing members  105  and  106 , is substantially trapezoidal and is shown schematically in  FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b  and  4   c . For clarity and simplicity the member shown is labelled  104  only. The cross-member  104  comprises a flat top portion  111  and two side portions  109 ,  110  which converge towards the top portion  111 . Horizontal lip portions  107  and  108  are provided at the free edges of the side portions  109 ,  110 , respectively. It will be appreciated that the reinforcing members  104 ,  105  and  106  can have any other suitable configuration which enables the reinforcing function of the members. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 3   a , the length of the cross-member  104  is such that, when in position within the outer framework, the opposing ends of the cross-member  104  extend between the inner faces of the vertical legs of the side members  101  and  102 . The respective ends of the cross-member  104  overlap the horizontal legs of side members  101 ,  102 . At the overlapping regions  113 ,  114  ( FIG. 3   a ), the undersides of the lips  107 ,  108  of the cross-member  104  rest upon the upper surface of the horizontal legs of the side members  101  and  102 , with the ends of the cross-member  104  abutting the inner surfaces of the respective vertical legs. Permanent fastening of the cross-member  104  ends to the side members  101 ,  102  is effected by seam welding the lips  107 ,  108  of the cross-member  104  to the upper surfaces of the horizontal legs at the overlapping regions  113 ,  114 . Other suitable ways are possible for securing the cross-member  104  in position. 
         [0038]    The longitudinal bracing members  105 ,  106  each extend from the lips  107 ,  108  respectively of the cross-member  104  to the inner faces of the vertical legs of the end members  102  and  103  of the outer framework, respectively. In this arrangement, as shown in  FIG. 3   a , the ends of the brace members  105 ,  106  overlap the lips  107 ,  108  of the cross-member  104  and the upper surfaces of the horizontal legs of end members  102 ,  103 , respectively. Permanent fastening of the bracing members  105 ,  106  to the cross member  104  and the respective outer frame end members  102 ,  103  is effected by seam welding the overlapping portions. Other ways are possible for securing the bracing members  105 ,  106  in position. 
         [0039]      FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  show a peel board  2 . The peel board is a one-piece injection moulded plastics construction that is manufactured having an upper section  21  that provides a substantially rectangular shaped upper surface  21   a  which is suitable for receiving dough in the manufacture of baked products, and a substantially rectangular and hollow lower section that is defined by a wall  22  extending along the periphery of the underside of the board. The wall  22  in use resides within the rectangular opening defined by the outer framework members  100 ,  101 ,  102  and  103  of the frame  1  when the board  2  is in place. Within the confines of the wall  22 , the interior of the lower section contains a plurality of reinforcing webs  24  integrally moulded with the underside surface of the board  2 . The reinforcing webs  24  project from the underside of the board  2  to a position level with the lower edge of the wall  22 . An exemplary arrangement of webs  24  is shown in  FIG. 5   c . They provide reinforcement to the board structure in all its axes. A load-bearing lip  23  extends around the entire perimeter of the board  2  and projects outwardly and laterally from the upper section  21  beyond the boundaries of the wall  22 . The overall dimensions of the wall  22  are such that when it is placed into position within the frame  1 , a close clearance fit between the wall  22  and the outer members  100 ,  101 ,  102  and  103  is achievable. With the wall  22  of the board  2  placed into the frame  1 , the underside of the lip  23  rests on upper edges of the outer framework members  100 ,  101 ,  102  and  103 . The lip  23  also projects laterally beyond the confines of the outer framework of the frame  2  at a distance that is sufficient to allow easy removal of the board from the frame by gripping the lip  23 . 
         [0040]    The upper, dough receiving, surface  21   a  of the peel-board  2  is provided with a plurality of shallow diamond-shaped indents  25 . Semolina flour that is typically sprinkled onto peel-boards is retained in the indents and assists the removal of dough from the board  2  after proving of the dough. 
         [0041]    The inner faces of the vertical legs of the outer members  100  to  103  of the frame  1  may be provided with a plurality of inwardly projecting protuberances  115  defined by hollow impressions made in their outer surfaces. The protuberances  115  abut the wall  22  of the board  2  when it is placed into position within the frame  1 . By occupying the clearance gap between the outer members  100  to  103  and the wall  22 , the protuberances  115  hold the board  2  more firmly in position in the frame  2  so as to restrict lateral fluctuations of the board  2  within the frame  1  thus reducing wear of the board  2  during use. 
         [0042]    The frame according to the invention affords a strong and robust protection to a peel-board carried by it when the frame and board are passing through various stages of an automated process. Inevitably, the frame will experience some jarring, collisions and other rough treatment as it passes through the factory, but since it is constructed robustly from a strong material, it will not readily be damaged by such exposure, whereas the more fragile peel board retained within the confines of the frame will be protected by the frame elements. This elongates the useful working life of the peel boards. For maintenance and cleaning purposes, the peel board and frame can readily be disassembled. 
         [0043]    It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Technology Category: 1