Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Food :Item Fabricating Apparatus and Methods
BACKGROUND
The present: invention generally relates to apparatus and
methods for fabricating food items, and particularly to
apparatus and methods for fabricating food items including food
of a desired embossed :shape supported on support material.
The sale of: snack-type food products is a highly
competitive business. In addition to the particular food
components, increasingly the novelty and play value of the
product are important in the marketability of any particular
food item. For example, fruit-based snack products such as
FRUIT ROLL-UPS~T"'~ and FRUIT-BY-THE-FOOT~T"'~ fruit products have
found wide market acceptance.
Accordingl~~, it is an object of the present invention to
provide novel ap;paratu:~ and methods for the fabrication of food
items, which in the preferred form are in the form of a
continuous strin~~ of food supported upon a relatively
i
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rigid strip of support material in a non-intersecting
arrangement. The food can be compressed as strings on the
support material without a thin layer of food being present on
the support material and between the desired shape of food.
SUMMARY
The invention provides a method for rotary molding
food comprising: placing a thin, deformable film tightly
against the surface of a roller having molding grooves;
applying food onto said film against said roller; applying
pressure to said food, forcing said food to deform said film
and forcing said film and said food to conform to the shape of
said grooves, whereby said film forms a barrier between said
molding grooves and said food and whereby said food is molded
in the shape of said grooves; removing said film and molded
food from said grooves; and removing said film from said molded
food.
The invention also provides method of fabricating a
food item including a food in a shape supported upon a support
material comprising the steps of: providing a continuous strip
of support material; passing the continuous strip of support
material between a first abutment nip including an anvil
surface and a continuous forming surface movable relative to
the anvil surface, with the forming surface including at least
a first groove having the food shape; simultaneously feeding
food between the first abutment nip with the continuous strip
of support material to compress the food into the groove of the
forming surface; passing the continuous ~~trip of support
material having the food compressed thereon by the first
abutment nip between a second abutment n.i.p including an anvil
surface and a continuous forming surface including at least a
first groove having the food shape, with the groove of the
second abutment nip being in phase with t:he food compressed on
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the continuous strip of support material; and cutting the
continuous strip of support material into segments after
passing through the second abutment nip.
From another aspect, the invention provides food item
comprising, in combination: a support formed of a generally
rigid material and having a length, a width, and an upper
surface; and a continuous string of food having an elongated
length substantially greater than the length and width of the
support and having first and second, opposite, free ends, with
the continuous string of food being removably adhered to the
upper surface of the support in a serpentine and non-
intersecting manner.
The invention also provides food item comprising, in
combination: a support formed of a generally rigid material
and having a length, a width, and an upper surface, with the
upper surface of the support. including an extrusion coated,
nylon-based release coating having a tack: release factor
characterized by a surface energy value i.n the range of 15 to
30 dynes/cm; and food removably adhered t:o the upper surface of
the support.
The invention further provides a rotary molding
apparatus for molding food comprising: a roller with a surface
containing a plurality of molding grooves; a thin, deformable
film positioning means to provide a film adjacent said surface
of said roller; food release means to po~~ition food on said
film adjacent said surface of said roller; pressure applying
means to force said food and said film into said grooves to
mold said food in the shape of said grooves; means to remove
said film and molded food from said grooves; and means to
separate said molded food from said film.
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including at least a first groove having the food shape; a
second abutment nip including an anvil surface and a continuous
forming surface including at least a fir~~t groove having the
food shape; means for providing a continuous strip of support
material; means for simultaneously feeding food between the
first abutment nip with the continuous strip of support
material to compress the food into the gz~oove of the forming
surface and for subsequently passing the continuous strip of
support material having the food compressed thereon by the
first abutment nip between the second abutment nip, with the
groove of the second abutment nip being in phase with the food
compressed on the continuous strip of support material; and
means for cutting the continuous strip of support material into
segments after passing through the second. abutment nip.
In preferred aspects of the present invention, the
first and second abutment nips are formed. by first and second
forming rollers rotatably abutting different portions of the
periphery of an anvil roller. The phase of the continuous
strip of support material and the food compressed thereon can
be adjusted by changing the spacing of an idler roller which
strips the continuous strip of support material and the food
compressed thereon from the first forming roller. A ribbon of
film material is utilized to remove the compressed food from
the grooves of the forming roller, with the ribbon of film
material located intermediate the food and the forming rollers.
The invention also provides app>aratus for fabricating
a food item including a food in a shape supported upon a
support material comprising, in combination: a first abutment
nip including an anvil surface and a continuous forming surface
5 movable relative to the anvil surface, with the forming surface
The present invention will become clearer in light of
the following detailed description of an illustrative
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1 embodiment of this invention described in connection with
the drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The illustrative embodiment may best be described by
reference to the accompanying drawings where:
Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic, side elevational view
of an apparatus for fabricating a food item according to
the preferred teachings of the present invention, with a
food item being exploded and turned therefrom.
Figure 2 shows a partial, cross-sectional view of the
apparatus of Figure 1 according to section line 2-2 of
Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a partial, cross-sectional view of the
apparatus of Figure 1 according to section line 3-3 of
Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows a diagrammatic, partial, end elevational
view of the strings of food compressed on a sheet of
support material by the apparatus of Figure 1, with the
ribbon of film material and a forming roller shown in
phantom being exploded therefrom.
Figure 5 shows a diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of
the food item formed by the apparatus of Figure 1.
All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the
basic teachings of the present invention only; the
extensions of the Figures with respect to number,
position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to
form the preferred embodiment will be explained or will
be within the skill of the art after the following
teachings of the present invention have been read and
understood. Further, the exact dimensions and
dimensional proportions to conform to specific force,
weight, strength, and similar requirements will likewise
be within the skill of the art after the following
teachings of the present invention have been read and
understood.
Where used in the various figures of the drawings,
the same numerals designate the same or similar parts.
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1 Furthermore, when the terms "first", "second", "lower",
"upper", "end", "axial", "longitudinal", "width"
"height", and similar terms are used herein, it should be
understood that these terms have reference only to the
structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a
person viewing the drawings and are utilized only to
facilitate describing the invention.
DESCRIPTION
An apparatus utilizing methods for fabricating a food
item on a continuous strip of support material according
to the preferred teachings of the present invention is
shown in the drawings and generally designated 10. The
food item generally includes a food 14 of any desired
embossed shape supported on support material 16. In the
preferred form, food 14 is in the form of a continuous
string or rope of material in a nonintersecting arrangement
such as an outwardly expanding spiral race track design as
shown. In the preferred form, food 14 is a fruit-based
material and in the most preferred form is in the form of
a composition including a fruit base such as grape juice
or pear concentrate and a gum system. In the most
preferred form, fruit puree is absent from the composition.
Support material 16 may be formed of any suitable material
such as cardboard which has the necessary strength to
support food 14 without tearing and without bulkiness to
allow compression of food 14 onto support material 16 and
which allows food 14 to be easily separated therefrom for
consumption.
Apparatus 10 generally includes three rollers 18, 20
and 21. In the preferred form, rollers 18, 20 and 21 will
have a tendency to be heated by food 14 and are cooled by
any suitable means, not shown, such as by circulating
water in the most preferred form and less preferably by
pulsating cool water. In the preferred form, roller 18
is cooled to a temperature greater than 90°F (32°C) and
preferably in the order of 120°F (49°C) by circulating warm
water having a temperature in the order of 110°F (43°C).
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1 In the preferred form, rollers 20 and 21 are cooled to a
temperature in the order of 40°F (4°C) by circulating cold
water having a temperature in the order of 36°F (2°C).
The periphery defining a continuous forming surface of
each forming roller 18 and 21 is grooved and specifically
includes a plurality of circumferentially and axially
spaced patterns. Each pattern includes one or more
depressions or grooves 24, with lands 22 located between
grooves 24 in each pattern and also separating the
patterns from each other. The width of depressions or
grooves 24 is generally equal to the desired width of the
strings of food 14 and the height of lands 22 or in other
words the depth of depressions or grooves 24 is generally
equal to the desired thickness of the strings of food 14.
The width of grooves 24 decreases from the peripheries
of rollers 18 and 21 towards the center of rollers 18 and
21, with the side walls forming grooves 24 being non-
parallel and having an angle greater than 15° relative to
each other and in the most preferred form in the order of
20° to 30°. In the most preferred form, the depth of
grooves 24 in roller 21 is slightly greater and in the most
preferred form is 40% greater than the depth of grooves
24 in roller 18. The axial width of lands 22 between the
patterns is generally equal to the desired lateral spacing
between the strings of food 14 and the circumferential
width of lands 22 between the patterns is generally equal
to the desired longitudinal spacing between the strings of
food 14. In the most preferred form, grooves 24 of roller
18 have a width in the order of 0.178 inch (0.452 cm) and
a depth in the order of 0.125 inch (0.318 cm), with the
width of lands 22 between grooves 24 in each pattern
being in the order of 0.058 inch (0.147 cm). Grooves 24
of roller 21 have a width in the order of 0.196 inch
(0.498 cm) and a depth in the order of 0.176 inch
(0.447 cm), with the width of lands 22 between grooves
24 in each pattern being in the order of 0.040 inch
(0.102 cm). The patterns can be of the same or different
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1 configurations, but each pattern on roll 18 has a
corresponding pattern at complementary axial and
cirumferential positions on roller 21.
Anvil roller 20 includes a cylindrical periphery 28
defining a continuous anvil surface which is relatively
smooth in the most preferred form. Rollers 18 and 20 are
rotatably mounted about parallel axes in an abutting
relation, with periphery 28 of roller 20 engaging, rolling
upon and movable relative to lands 22 of roller 18 along
an abutment nip. Likewise, rollers 20 and 21 are
rotatably mounted about parallel axes in an abutting
relation, with periphery 28 of roller 20 engaging, rolling
upon and movable relative to lands 22 of roller 21 along
an abutment nip. The nip pressure between rollers 18 and
20 and rollers 20 and 21 is 1,000-2,000 psi (70-140 kg/cm2)
in the most preferred form and is obtained utilizing
hydraulic pressure to bias rollers 18 and 21 against
roller 20. In the most preferred form, rollers 18, 20 and
21 are generally cylindrical and of equal diameters. The
axes of rollers 18 and 20 are horizontally offset from
each other, with the axis of roller 21 being vertically
offset below the axis of roller 20 and horizontally offset
from the axis of roller 20 on the side opposite roller 18.
The anvil surfaces of the first and second abutment nips
between rollers 18, 20 and 21 are located at different
portions of periphery 28 of roller 20 and at portions
which are less than 180° apart in the most preferred form.
Rollers 18 and 20 are rotated in opposite rotational
directions to define an upper, mating side 32 and a lower,
exit side 34. Similarly, rollers 20 and 21 are rotated in
opposite rotational directions to define a lower, feed
side 33 and an upper, exit side 35. To allow cleaning,
rollers 18 and 21 may be movably mounted relative to and
loaded against roller 20 such as by pivotable mounting to
allow separation of rollers 18 and 21 from roller 20.
Food 14 is filled into upper mating side 32, with a
containment saddle 36 being provided complementary to and
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for holding food. 14 above and evenly feeding material to and
within mating side 32. In the preferred form, saddle 36
includes end pieces 42 extending radially between and engaging
the peripheries of rollers 18 and 20. In the most preferred
form, end pieces 42 extend generally perpendicular to the
rotational axes of rollers 18 and 20.
Food 14 in the most preferred form is extruded from an
extruder 54 in the form of a single extrudiate rope on a
conveyor 56 in the most preferred form at a temperature in the
order of 200°F (93°C). While on conveyor 56, food 14 passes
through an air impingement cooling tunnel 58 to cool the food to
a temperature where food 14 is plastic but not flowable and in
the most preferred form in the order of 160-170°F (71-77°C).
After cooling tunnel 58 and prior to but closely adjacent the
end of conveyor 56, the extrudiate rope of food 14 is cut by a
rotating, helical reel type cutter 62 into small segments of a
few inches or centimeters in length. Due to the helical nature
of the blades of cutte~_ 62, the segments of food 14 are pushed
from a linear relation with the extrudiate rope to prevent the
ends of the segments of food 14 from reattaching to reform a
rope. After cutter 62,, the segments of food 14 are allowed to
fall by gravity into saddle 36, with any segments of food 14
which adhere to conveyor 56 being scraped therefrom such as by a
scraper 64. In the most preferred form, conveyor 56 is
positioned above and parallel to the axes of rollers 18 and 20.
Support material 16 typically is supplied from a roll 44
and is threaded to extend over periphery 28 of roller 20 located
within saddle 36 and mating side 32, and to extend between the
nip of rollers 18 and 20 into exit side 34.
A continuous ribbon of thin film material 66 is typically
supplied from a roll 68 and is threaded to extend over lands 22
and grooves 24 of the periphery of roller 18 located within
saddle 36 and mating side 32, and to extend between the nip of
rollers 18 and 20 into
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1 exit side 34. Film material 66 in the preferred form is
a plastic material having a low memory and either having
characteristics or suitably coated for ease of removal
from food 14.
Food 14 is initially located in mating side 32
intermediate support material 16 and film material 66
supported by rollers 20 and 18, respectively. It can then
be appreciated that as food 14 and material 16 and 66 are
pulled and simultaneously fed between the abutment nip
between rollers 18 and 20 by the rotation of rollers 18
and 20, food 14 and material 66 advancing between rollers
18 and 20 will be compressed into grooves 24 such that
food 14 will be deposited in the shapes of the pattern
formed by grooves 24 upon support material 16, with the
width and height of the strings of food 14 generally
corresponding to the width and depth of grooves 24.
Depending upon several factors, food 14 and material 66
may not be forced to entirely fill grooves 24 as
diagramatically shown in the drawings, with such a result
clearly being desired at least for consistency in the
amount of food 14 compressed on support 16. Rather, food
14 and material 66 may not be forced into the corners of
grooves 24 such that food 14 at locations spaced from
support 16 will have a more rounded configuration.
It can then be appreciated that if food 14 were fed
into saddle 36 as an extrudiate rope, a tendency may exist
for the rope to coil upon itself as it falls into saddle 36
creating air spaces or gaps which may prevent food 14 from
filling cavities 24. According to the preferred teachings
of the present invention, feeding food 14 in the form of
segments prevents such coiling and the air spaces created
thereby such that consistent filling of cavities 24 is
obtained as the food segments tend to be self-distributing.
Thus, less operator attention and monitoring is required
for apparatus 10 according to the preferred teachings of
the present invention.
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1 It should also be appreciated that if food 14 is fed
to mating side 32 in a too-hot, flowable condition, food
14 may not be able to compress material 66 completely into
grooves 24~resulting in food 14 having a width and depth
substantially less than that of grooves 24. Similarly,
if food 14 is fed to mating side 32 in a too-cold, waxy
condition, food 14 may not be pulled between the abutment
nip between rollers 18 and 20 to fill grooves 24 and thus
also resulting in food 14 having a width and depth
substantially less than that of grooves 24. Likewise,
if rollers 18 and 21 are too hot, material 66 may have
a tendency to rip as it is compressed into grooves 24.
Further, the nip pressure between rollers 18, 20, and 21
is important to push food 14 into grooves 24 and overcome
the stretch resistance of material 66 of being compressed
into grooves 24 and to minimize or prevent flashing by
food passing between the peripheries of rollers 18, 20,
and 21 intermediate grooves 24 and being evidenced by a
thin film on support material 16 between the strings of
food.
Apparatus 10 according to the preferred teachings of
the present invention further includes an idler roller 70
having a smooth periphery and an axial length generally
equal to that of rollers 18, 20 and 21 and the lateral
width of the web support material 16. The diameter of
roller 70 is substantially less than and in the most
preferred form one-fifth the diameter of rollers 18, 20
and 21. The axis of roller 70 is parallel to the axes of
rollers 18, 20 and 21 and vertically offset below the axis
of roller 18 generally equal to the radius of roller 18.
The axis of roller 70 is horizontally offset from the
axis of roller 18 on the side opposite rollers 20 and 21
slightly larger than the radius of roller 18, with at
least the horizontal offset of roller 70 being adjustable.
In exit side 34 after the abutment nip between rollers
18 and 20, support material 16 with food 14 and material
66 sandwiched against roller 18 will extend around
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1 slightly greater than 90° of the periphery of roller 18
to separate support material 16 from roller 20 and then
extend generally tangentially from roller 18. As support
material 16 separates from roller 18, material 66 will
pull food 14 from grooves 24 of roller 18. It can then be
appreciated that material 66 must have sufficient strength
to pull food 14 from grooves 24 without tearing or breaking
but have sufficient stretchability and flexibility to
allow food 14 to be compressed into grooves 24 in the
abutment nip of a volume generally equal to that of
grooves 24. Additionally, film material 66 has a low
resiliency or memory which does not tend to smash food 14
undesirably deforming the shape of food 14 after leaving
forming rollers 18 and 21. Specifically, in the most
Preferred form, the ribbon of film material 66 has a low
tensional strength and particularly in the most preferred
form will stretch 1100 due to the application of a force
of less than one pound (0.4536 kg) utilizing the tensional
properties of thin plastic sheeting test procedure of
ASTM D882. If material 66 had greater tensional strength,
less food 14 would be compressed in grooves 24 and thus
compressed on support material 16. In the most preferred
form, film material 66 is formed of linear low density
polyethylene having a thickness in the order of 0.0005
inches (0.0127 mm). Thicker films tend to have greater
tensional strengths, but films thicker than the preferred
form might work if possessing the relatively low tensional
strength required according to the preferred teachings of
the present invention. The diametric size and positioning
of roller 70 as disclosed is also important in the ability
of material 66 to remove food from grooves 24 of roller 18.
It is also believed that, the sudden pressure differential
between above the nip abutment where food 14 is under
pressure as it is compressed into grooves 24 and below the
nip abutment where food 14 is not under pressure as it
passes the nip abutment tends to pop or remove the food
from grooves 24 of roller 18.
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1 Food 14 and material 16 and 66 extends around over 180°
of roller 70 such that it is inverted and extends towards
rollers 20 and 21, with material 66 holding food 14
against the lower surface of material 16. Material 16
engages periphery 28 of roller 20 generally at a point
vertically below the axis of roller 20 and extends on
periphery 28 for generally 90° into feed side 33 and
passes between the abutment nip between rollers 20 and 21.
When entering the abutment nip, material 66 and food 14
enters grooves 24 of roller 21, with grooves 24 further
compressing food 14 into the shape of the particular
pattern. It was found that compressing food 14 between a
single pair of rollers 18 and 20 results in a thin film of
food being present upon support material 16 between lands
22 and periphery 28 and between the desired shape of food
14 formed by grooves 24. Compressing food 14 between a
second pair of rollers 20 and 21 results in food 14 being
in the desired shape of food 14 formed by grooves 24 and
generally without food being present upon support material
16 in the form of thin film or flashing between lands 22
and periphery 28.
It can be appreciated that food 14 and material 16
and 66 should enter mating side 33 of rollers 20 and 21
generally in phase with grooves 24 of roller 21. It can
then be appreciated that roller 70 can be moved to adjust
the phase of food 14 and material 16 and 66 to match that
of grooves 24 of roller 21, with adjustment being
dependent upon several factors including the stretch-
ability of material 16, the tension placed upon material
16 and like factors.
After the abutment nip between rollers 20 and 21,
support material 16 with food 14 and material 66 sandwiched
against roller 21 extends through exit side 35 and slightly
greater than 270° of the periphery of roller 21. Apparatus
10 in the most preferred form further includes a pair of
counter rotating rollers 74 and 75 having vertically
spaced, parallel axes parallel to and spaced from the axes
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1 of rollers 18, 20, 21 and 70. In the most preferred form,
roller 75 is a steel roller including a smooth periphery
and roller 74 is a rubber coated steel roller including
a plurality of lands which roll on material 66 and 16
laterally intermediate the strings of food 14 on material
16, with the depths of the grooves between the lands
being at least equal to or greater than the height of
food 14 on support material 16. Support material 16
with food 14 and material 66 thereon extends from the
periphery of roller 21 horizontally below rollers 18, 20,
21 and 70 due to the vertical offset of roller 21 below
rollers 18 and 20 and between the abutment nip of rollers
74 and 75 for pulling upon support material 16. Material
66 extends generally tangentially from roller 74 to a
rotated take-up roll 76 at an acute angle in the order
of 45° from support material 16 and food 14 extending
generally horizontally from rollers 74 and 76. After
material 66 has been removed, support material 16 is cut
into segments such as by one or more pairs of cutting
rollers 78 and 79 to longitudinal lengths and widths
between the embossed shapes of food 14. In the most
preferred form, support material 16 in addition to being
cut to width is perforated at 80 to form flaps having a
height generally equal to food 14 which can be folded
upward. After cutting to longitudinal lengths by rollers
78 and 79, the individual food items are transferred to a
vacuum conveyor 72 for further processing. For example,
after cutting and folding, the individual food item can
be suitably packaged in a wrapper 82 shown in phantom in
Figure 5 and placed in cartons including the desired
number of food items.
The food items fabricated with apparatus 10 according
to the methods of the preferred teachings of the present
invention generally include support 16 formed of a
generally rigid material and specifically 12 or 14 point
cardboard of a size of 6.8 inch (17.3 cm) by 2.3 inch
(5.8 cm) in the most preferred form. The continuous
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1 string of food 14 has first and second, opposite, free
ends having an elongated length between the ends
substantially greater than the length and width of support
16 and specifically in the order of 54 inches (137 cm).
Thus, food 14 has a range density of 3-4 linear inch per
square inch (1.2-1.6 linear centimeter per square
centimeter) and in the most preferred form in the order
of 3.3 linear inch per square inch (1.3 linear centimeter
per square centimeter) of support 16. The continuous
string of food 14 is removably adhered to the planar upper
surface of support 16 in a serpentine and non-intersecting
manner. Thus, a consumer can gradually peel the
continuous string of food 14 from support 16 while the
unpeeled portions remain adhered to support 16 to enhance
the play value of the food item. Furthermore, the
arrangement of the continuous string of food 14 on
support 16 can be varied both in general appearance such
as between an outwardly expanding spiral race track design
as diagrammatically shown in Figure 1, an eyeglass design,
or other design and/or in the manner that the particular
design changes as the continuous string of food 14 is
peeled from support 16 and thus increasing the novelty
of the food item.
The upper surface of support 16 should include a
suitable coating such that food 14 adheres thereto during
fabrication, packaging, storage, and other handling but
can be generally readily removed therefrom when pulled and
without fracturing or otherwise breaking the continuous
nature of the string of food 14. In the most preferred
form, support 16 includes an extrusion coated, nylon based
release coating having a tack release factor characterized
by a very low surface energy value. If the surface energy
value of support 16 is too high in the order of 30 dynes/cm,
the continuous string of food 14 can not be readily removed
from support 16. On the other hand, if the surface energy
value of support 16 is too low in the order of 15 dynes/cm
such as used for the support material in the FRUIT-BY-THE-
FOOT"' fruit products, the continuous string of food 14
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1 tends to come off all in one piece rather than in a manner
allowing the continuous string of food to be gradually
peeled from support 16 according to the preferred teachings
of the present invention. Thus, in the most preferred form,
the surface energy value of the release coating should be
in the range of 15 to 30 dynes/cm, particularly in the
order of 20-25 dynes/cm and in the most preferred form in
the order of 23-25 dynes/cm. Additionally, the coverage
factor must be high and specifically the release coating
to should cover at least 90% and preferably greater than or
equal to 95% and for best results approximately 100% of
the surface area of the upper surface of support 16. Food
14 tends to adhere to paper fibers forming support 16
which are not coated by the release coating making removal
of those portions difficult.
In the most preferred form, a gram of food 14 is
formed into 3 to 10 centimeters and in the most preferred
form in the order of 6.5 centimeters of length of string
of food 14. If the weight versus length ratio is too
low, the string of food 14 will tend to tear as it is
pulled from support 16 and if too high will tend to pull
off as a single piece from support 16. It can then be
appreciated that the weight versus length ratio is
related to the width of food 14 at support 16 and the
thickness or height of food 14 in a direction generally
perpendicular to support 16, with the width and height of
food 14 in the string being generally equal in the most
preferred form and in the order of 3-4 millimeters and in
the most preferred form about 3.2 millimeters.
The use of three rollers 18, 20 and 21 to form the
first and second abutment nips according to the preferred
teachings of the present invention is believed to be
advantageous over forming the first and second abutments
from first and second pairs of rollers. Specifically, the
number of parts required in apparatus 10 is reduced thus
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1 reducing capital and operating costs as well as reduction
in the overall size of apparatus 10. Further, lateral
tracking, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the
movement of materials 16 and 66, is believed to be easier
to obtain when a single anvil roller 20 is utilized.
It is believed that fabrication of the food item
according to the preferred teachings of the present
invention is advantageous over other fabrication
techniques such as injection molding including at least
due to continuous fabrication reasons resulting in reduced
costs and greater capacities.
Likewise, although it is believed that the arrangement
of food 14 as a continuous string in a serpentine and non-
intersecting manner is advantageous at least due to the
novelty and play value of the product, food 14 can have
other arrangements such as but not limited to a continuous
string in an intersecting manner or other shapes according
to the preferred teachings of the present invention.
Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be
embodied in other specific forms without departing from
the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of
which forms have been indicated, the embodiments
described herein are to be considered in all respects
illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the
invention is to be indicated by the appended claims,
rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes
which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of
the claims are intended to be embraced therein.
