Ishida Co. Limited

Ishida Europe Limited

Adrian M Sunter

Lee Michael Vine

David William Payne

Gary David Tufnell

Robert Bennett

Yasushi Yakushigawa

Andrew Geoffrey Potter

A blending apparatus for coating product in flavouring is provided. The blending apparatus comprises a product dispenser configured to dispense a falling stream of product, a flavouring dispenser configured to dispense a falling stream of flavouring, and a deflection surface. The deflection surface is configured to deflect at least one of the falling stream of product and falling stream of flavouring, thereby bringing the falling stream of product and the falling stream of flavouring together. A method for coating product in flavouring is also provided. The method comprises the steps of dispensing a falling stream of product from a product dispenser, dispensing a falling stream of flavouring from a flavouring dispenser, deflecting the falling stream of product and the falling stream of flavouring using a deflection surface so as to bring the falling stream of product and the falling stream of flavouring together, thereby coating the product in the flavouring.

Apparatus and method for coating product

A method of removing a foreign object from a food piece detects the location of a foreign object in a food piece (); conveys the food piece to a cutting tool (); and operates the cutting tool to cut around the detected location of the foreign object and subsequently to engage and eject the foreign object from the food piece.

Method and apparatus for removing foreign objects from food pieces

Tray packing module

Tray packing quality control module

Tray sealing device

A mixing system includes a portioning device for sequentially supplying batches of a specified quantity of foodstuffs at a supply location. A mixing device includes a number of mixing chambers which can be sequentially aligned with the foodstuff supply location. A dispenser is provided for dispensing measured quantities of an additive at an additive supply location spaced from the foodstuff supply location. The mixing chambers are movable about a closed path so as to be sequentially brought into alignment with the foodstuff supply location and the additive supply location. A control system controls operation of the portion device, mixing device and dispenser. A packaging device is disposed downstream to the supply location and below the mixing device for packaging the batch of foodstuffs in a bag. Each mixing chamber is operable above the packaging device to discharge its contents into the packaging device.

Mixing system

A flavoring system has a portioning device such as a weigher for receiving unflavored food items and sequentially supplying batches of a specified quantity of them, dispenses measured quantities of a flavoring material with a dispenser, applies these measured quantities of flavoring material to the supplied batches and packages the flavored batches of items in a bag. A sensor monitors the discharge of the flavoring material and a sorting device discards packaged products if the sensor detects an abnormality in the discharge of the flavoring material. A plurality of dispensers may be provided for dispensing measured quantities of different flavoring materials.

Flavoring system and method

To easily position and bond together a preceding strip-like film and a succeeding strip-like film and with improved operational performance, pairs of front and rear clamp members (27, 32, 28, 33) are arranged on a running path 10 of a strip-like film (F). A preceding film (F1) clamped by these clamp members is cut by a cutter (49). The rear clamp only is then released, and a portion of the preceding film (F1) backward from a cut position (C) is removed. A succeeding film (F2) is moved forwardly until the succeeding film (F2) comes in contact with the front clamp member (32) whereby the succeeding film (F2) can be positioned with respect to the preceding film (F1). The succeeding film (F2) is clamped again by the rear clamp, electricity is conducted to a heater (45) under this state whereby overlapped portions of the two films (F1, F2) are bonded. Thereafter the two clamps are released and the running of the bonded film is restarted.

Method of connecting strip-like film and connecting device thereof

An apparatus for applying a material to a substrate. A material application station includes a shutter assembly having at least one horizontally extending blade which is rapidly displaceable from a closed configuration in which an outlet path of the shutter assembly is obstructed to an open configuration in which the outlet path is open. While the blade of the shutter assembly is in the closed configuration, a coating material is applied to a first predetermined area on an upper surface of the shutter assembly. A substrate is located beneath the shutter assembly in the outlet path. The blade of the shutter assembly is rapidly opened so that the coating material falls onto the substrate over a second predetermined area on an upper surface of the substrate. The second predetermined area is substantially equal to the first predetermined area. The resulting deposit is of a controlled diameter. A rapid opening of the blade allows the deposit to fall a short distance onto a substrate such as a pizza base.

Apparatus for applying materials to substrates

A method and apparatus for applying a material to a substrate. A material application station includes a shutter assembly having at least one horizontally extending blade which is rapidly displaceable from a closed configuration in which an outlet path of the shutter assembly is obstructed to an open configuration in which the outlet path is open. While the blade of the shutter assembly is in the closed configuration, a coating material is applied to a first predetermined area on an upper surface of the shutter assembly. A substrate is located beneath the shutter assembly in the outlet path. The blade of the shutter assembly is rapidly opened so that the coating material falls onto the substrate over a second predetermined area on an upper surface of the substrate. The second predetermined area is substantially equal to the first predetermined area. The resulting deposit is of a controlled diameter. A rapid opening of the iris blade allows the deposit to fall a short distance onto a substrate such as a pizza base.

Growing community of inventors

Worcestershire, United Kingdom

Adrian M Sunter