Rheon Automatic Machinery Co., Ltd.

Akihiko Kato

Takao Takagi

Hitoshi Kuwabara

Akira Todate

Nobuaki Harada

Noritake Fukuda

A method for forming a food product into a circular shape, wherein both ends of an elongated food product are connected each other and closed, or into a C-shape, wherein both ends of the elongated food product face each other and opened. The method includes (a) fixing one end of the elongated food product to a rotatable core member, (b) pressing the food product toward the core member by moving the core member close to and away from a pressing roller, when the food product is formed into a circular shape by being wound around the core member by rotating the core member, and (c) separating the formed food product and the core member by releasing the food product from the core member, after forming the food productinto a required shape by being wound around the core member.

Method and an apparatus for forming a food product into a circular shape

Forming machines and methods for forming a croissant dough piece in which the lateral end sides can be bent to form and join them, while they contact the upper surface of a transporting conveyor, are provided. In one aspect of the invention, the forming machines include an interception pin, which is arranged above the transporting conveyorsuch that it is vertically movable and it is also movable in the conveying direction of the transporting conveyor. The forming machine also includes a plurality of pressing members, which are arranged above the transporting conveyorsuch that they are vertically movable and are movable in the conveying direction of the transporting conveyorat a velocity faster than that of the interception pin, and they are movable toward and away from each other. When the interception pinintercepts the center portion of the croissant dough piecein the length thereof at the leading side thereof along the conveying direction, the pressing membersbend both sides of the croissant dough pieceabout the interception pinthat is centered thereon to form or join them, while downward components of force are applied to both sides thereof. The circumferential surface of the interception pinejects air when the pressing membersare lifted up and the interception pinis pulled up from the croissant dough piece

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Utsunomiya, Japan

Akihiko Kato