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United States Patent |
6,136,350
|
Ream
,   et al.
|
October 24, 2000
|
Method for producing printed confectionery products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for printing indicia on confectionery
products such as chewing gum. A mass of confectionery product is formed
into a thin, flat sheet. The sheet may be divided into individual sheets
for cooling. Next, the sheet or sheets of confectionery are passed through
the printing machine to print indicia thereon. Printed confectionery
products and packages thereof are also provided.
Inventors:
|
Ream; Ronald L. (Plano, IL);
Corriveau; Christine L. (Orland Park, IL);
O'Konski; S. Kristine (Sycamore, IL);
Hassler; Donald C. (Naperville, IL);
Mormann; Jeffery C. (Minooka, IL);
Partipilo; Nicholas (Warrenville, IL);
Pawlowski; Rocco A. (Wheaton, IL);
Burin; Ralph R. (Glen Ellyn, IL)
|
Assignee:
|
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company (Chicago, IL)
|
Appl. No.:
|
070985 |
Filed:
|
May 1, 1998 |
Intern'l Class: |
A23G 003/00; A23G 003/28; A23G 003/30 |
Field of Search: |
426/3,5,76,383,660
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3052552 | Sep., 1962 | Koerner et al. | 426/3.
|
3215536 | Nov., 1965 | Simeone et al. | 426/3.
|
3570417 | Mar., 1971 | Herrmann et al.
| |
3884143 | May., 1975 | Ackley | 101/37.
|
4397871 | Aug., 1983 | Meyer et al. | 426/5.
|
4528904 | Jul., 1985 | Ackley | 101/35.
|
4855146 | Aug., 1989 | Murakami et al. | 426/5.
|
4905589 | Mar., 1990 | Ackley | 101/35.
|
5376388 | Dec., 1994 | Meyers | 426/5.
|
5534281 | Jul., 1996 | Pappas et al. | 426/383.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
62-138279 | Jun., 1987 | JP | 426/383.
|
WO81/01232 | May., 1981 | WO | 426/3.
|
WO97/16075 | May., 1997 | WO.
| |
Primary Examiner: Corbin; Arthur L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Shurtz; Steven P.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a continuation of PCT Application Ser. No.
PCT/US96/17461 filed Oct. 28, 1996 designating the United States, now
abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.
08/548,293, filed Nov. 1, 1995, now abandoned, both of which are hereby
incorporated by reference.
Claims
We claim:
1. A method of printing multiple color indicia on confectionery products
comprising:
a) providing a continuous sheet of confectionery product;
b) cutting the continuous sheet of confectionery product into a plurality
of separately divided discrete sheets of confectionery product;
c) cooling the sheets to a temperature and for a time sufficient to temper
and harden the sheets;
d) successively retaining the sheets on a conveyor bed in a fixed position
relative to the conveyor;
e) advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a first printing
position in registration with a first printing device at which a first
color, corresponding to a first portion of the multiple color indicia, is
printed on the sheets of confectionery product;
f) further advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a second
printing position in registration with a second printing device at which a
second color, different from said first color and corresponding to a
second portion of the multiple color indicia, is printed on the sheets of
confectionery product; and
g) removing the multiple colored printed confectionery sheets from the
conveyor bed.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheets have a thickness of
approximately 0.054 inches to about 1 inch.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a continuous sheet
and cutting into discrete sheets is performed on a different machine than
that used to perform the printing step.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of cooling the sheets includes
storing the sheets for approximately 12 hours to about 36 hours prior to
printing.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of removing excess
dusting compound from the sheets prior to printing indicia on the sheets
of confectionery product.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of removing excess
dusting compound from the sheets prior to printing indicia on the sheets
of confectionery product.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein a rotating brush is used to remove excess
dusting compound.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein a plurality of hold down fingers hold
some of the sheets of confectionery product on the conveyor bed while the
sheets are being contacted by the rotating brush.
12. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein at least three colors of edible ink are
printed on the sheets of confectionery product.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the pieces comprise generally flat
pieces of chewing gum formed by scoring a thin, flat sheet having a
thickness of between about 0.054 inches and about 1 inch, the gum pieces
having a rectangular shape with a length of between about 3 and about 5
inches and a width of between about 1.5 and about 2.5 inches.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein the confectionery product is selected
from the group consisting of chewing gum, taffy, gummy candy and
dehydrated fruit based confections.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein the confectionery product comprises
chewing gum.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheets, when printed on, are
generally rectangular, flat sheets of chewing gum having:
a) a thickness of between about 0.054 and about 1 inches;
b) a width of between about 5 and about 20 inches; and
c) a length of between about 1 and about 17 inches.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of removing excess
dusting compound from the sheets prior to printing indicia on the sheets
of confectionery product.
22. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicia is in the form of printing on
a check.
23. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicia is in the form of printing on
a traffic citation.
24. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicia is in the form of printing on
a magic eye puzzle.
25. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicia is in the form of printing on
a sports trading card.
26. The method of claim 1 wherein the confectionery sheets are printed with
multiple printed indicia thereon and are each divisible into smaller
pieces of confectionery, each with an individual, complete printed indicia
thereon.
27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
28. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of removing excess
dusting compound from the sheets prior to printing indicia on the sheets
of confectionery product.
29. The method of claim 1 wherein the printing is done by a rotogravure
process.
30. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
31. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of removing excess
dusting compound from the sheets prior to printing indicia on the sheets
of confectionery product.
32. The method of claim 1 wherein the printed indicia has a high degree of
resolution.
33. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
34. The method of claim 1 wherein the confectionery comprises chewing gum
and is cooled to a temperature of approximately 51.degree. F. to
56.degree. F. prior to printing.
35. The method of claim 1 wherein the conveyor bed includes recesses and
the confectionery product sheets are carried in said fixed position by the
recesses while the sheets are printed to provide accurate registration of
two or more successive prints on the confectionery product sheets.
36. The method of claim 1 wherein the individual sheets are fed onto the
conveyor bed from a magazine feeder.
37. The method of claim 36 wherein the magazine feeder is positioned at an
incline relative to the conveyor bed.
38. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of cooling the sheets includes
cooling the sheets to a temperature of between about 48 and about
70.degree. F.
39. The method of claim 38 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
40. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of cooling the sheets includes
cooling the sheets to a temperature of below approximately 56.degree. F.
41. The method of claim 40 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of confectionery product after printing.
42. A method of printing multiple color indicia on chewing gum comprising:
a) forming a mass of chewing gum into a continuous sheet;
b) cutting the continuous sheet into a plurality of separately divided
discrete sheets of chewing gum having a thickness of approximately 0.054
inches to about 1 inch;
c) cooling the sheets of chewing gum to a temperature and for a time
sufficient to temper and harden the sheets;
d) feeding the sheets of chewing gum from a magazine feeder onto a moving
conveyor bed, the conveyor bed including recesses;
e) removing excess dusting compound from the sheets of chewing gum on the
conveyor bed using a rotating brush while a plurality of hold down fingers
hold the sheets in the recesses on the conveyor bed;
f) advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a first printing
position in registration with a first printing device at which a first
color, corresponding to a first portion of the multiple color indicia, is
printed on the sheets of chewing gum by a rotogravure process;
g) further advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a second
printing position in registration with a second printing device at which a
second color, different from said first color and corresponding to a
second portion of the multiple color indicia, is printed on the sheets of
chewing gum by a rotogravure process; and
h) removing the multiple colored printed chewing gum sheets from the
conveyor bed.
43. The method of claim 42 wherein the method comprises passing the sheets
of chewing gum through two de-dusting stations.
44. The method of claim 43 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of chewing gum after printing.
45. The method of claim 42 wherein the de-dusting is performed by a brush
which rotates opposite the direction of travel of the chewing gum sheets.
46. The method of claim 42 wherein the recesses have a depth of about 1/16
inch.
47. The method of claim 42 wherein the step of cooling the sheets includes
cooling the sheets to a temperature of between about 48 and about
70.degree. F.
48. The method of claim 47 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of chewing gum after printing.
49. The method of claim 42 wherein the step of cooling the sheets includes
cooling the sheets to a temperature of below approximately 56.degree. F.
50. The method of claim 49 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of chewing gum after printing.
51. The method of claim 42 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of chewing gum after printing.
52. A method of printing multiple color indicia on chewing gum comprising:
a) forming a mass of chewing gum into a continuous sheet;
b) cutting the continuous sheet into a plurality of separately divided
discrete sheets of chewing gum having a thickness of approximately 0.054
inches to about 1 inch;
c) cooling the sheets of chewing gum to a temperature below approximately
56.degree. F. for a time sufficient to temper and harden the sheets;
d) feeding the sheets of chewing gum from a magazine feeder onto a moving
conveyor bed, the magazine feeder being sloped compared to the conveyor
bed and the conveyor bed including recesses having a depth of about 1/16
inch;
e) removing excess dusting compound from the sheets of chewing gum on the
conveyor bed using a rotating brush while a plurality of hold down fingers
hold the sheets in the recesses on the conveyor bed;
f) advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a first printing
position in registration with a first printing device at which a first
color, corresponding to a first portion of the multiple color indicia, is
printed on the sheets of chewing gum by a rotogravure process;
g) further advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a second
printing position in registration with a second printing device at which a
second color, different from said first color and corresponding to a
second portion of the multiple color indicia, is printed on the sheets of
chewing gum by a rotogravure process; and
h) removing the multiple colored printed chewing gum sheets from the
conveyor bed.
53. The method of claim 52 further comprising the step of dividing each
discrete sheet into pieces of chewing gum after printing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of confectionery
products. More specifically, the present invention relates to printing
indicia on confectionery, including chewing gum.
To promote its marketability, confectionery products have been molded,
extruded and otherwise shaped into various forms over the years. For
example, bubble gum has been formed into shapes such as flat sheets,
cylinders, cubes, cigars, shredded chew, and the like. Providing a
confectionery product, such as bubble gum, in novel shapes or forms
enhances the marketability of such a product, particularly with younger
customers.
Likewise, providing bubble gum in unique containers and packages enhances
the marketability of the bubble gum product. In fact, bubble gum products
and containers designed for children now comprise a substantial portion of
the gum industry. Naturally, the more fun and exciting the packaging is
for the bubble gum or other confectionery, the more a younger customer
will want such products.
One unique aspect that has previously not been explored is the printing of
indicia directly on chewing gum or other confectionery products,
particularly to make the products simulate a known article.
Small, hard articles, such as pharmaceutical capsules, tablets and candies,
often are marked with indicia, such as trademarks, lot numbers and the
like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,904 details a printing apparatus for such
purposes, as well as various printing machines that have been utilized in
the past to print indicia on such small, hard articles. U.S. Pat. No.
4,905,589 discloses an apparatus for ink-jet marking of pellet-shaped
articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,052,552 discloses a process of printing on the surface of
confection items such as chewing gum using relief, offset and gravure
printing methods. However, the patent does not specify whether any
indicia, or simply stripes or other continuous areas, can be printed on
the gum, although one of the purposes of the invention is stated to be
printing at high speeds without smudging.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,215,536 discloses an improved ink for printing on chewing
gum, and states that "It has been proposed that various printing designs,
such as numerals, letters, words, phrases, and the like be imprinted on
the surface of the slab gum sticks." This patent discloses the use of a
conventional Harley Proving Press machine, but again does not disclose the
actual printing of any specific indicia. Further, no commercial products
made by such a process are commercially available today. It may be that
these prior proposals were never commercially successful because the
printing operation added a high cost to the product, did not have a good
print quality, or both.
Thus it is believed that no commercial printing of any indicia onto chewing
gum was accomplished heretofore, particularly with any high degree of
resolution, which is difficult but which would make for a more desirable
product. Further, there is no disclosure of printing on confectionery
products with more than one color of ink, with the multiple colors of
printing in register with one another, which would provide even a more
desirable product.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for printing indicia on
chewing gum or other confectionery products, particularly at high
resolution, at a high speed, and in a cost efficient manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for printing indicia
on chewing gum and other confectionery products. The preferred method
includes the following steps. Initially, a sheet of chewing gum is
provided. The sheet is preferably cooled to allow for hardening or
tempering of the chewing gum. Preferably the sheet is divided into
individual sheets that are cooled so that the sheets can be fed to a
printing operation by an indexed printer. Then the chewing gum is passed
through a suitable printing press to print indicia on the sheet of chewing
gum. In a preferred embodiment, the sheet is formed on a machine separate
from that used for printing on the sheets.
The present invention also provides an apparatus for printing indicia on
soft confectionery products such as chewing gum. In an embodiment, the
apparatus includes means for delivering gum sheets to the printing
operation which prints indicia on the sheets of chewing gum.
Moreover, the present invention provides a printed product comprising a
chewing gum piece or other confectionery product with indicia printed
thereon. Pursuant to the present invention, the indicia can be in many
forms and colors. The indicia printed on the chewing gum pieces or other
confectionery pieces comprises an edible ink.
In an embodiment, the confectionery product incorporates at least two
different colors of indicia that are printed on pieces of confectionery.
Preferably the multiple colors are in registration with one another.
In an embodiment, the confectionery is a chewing gum product, such as
bubble gum pieces. The bubble gum may be printed to look like a check
(bank draft), and preferably packaged to simulate a checkbook. Other
embodiments include traffic citations, sports trading cards and even a
"magic eye" puzzle printed on chewing gum.
The present invention offers a practical means for printing indicia on
confectionery products such as chewing gum and provides a printed product,
preferably with a high degree of resolution. The preferred embodiment,
with printed chewing gum pieces that simulate known printed articles, are
fun to look at and chew. Packaging which simulates a holder for the known
articles adds to the play value of the products.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described
in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the presently
preferred embodiments, as well as the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a printed
confectionery product package simulating a checkbook.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the checkbook of FIG. 1 in an open configuration,
showing confectionery with printed indicia thereon.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a slab of confectionery prior to slicing with
printing thereon in the form of five checks.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a printed
confectionery product package simulating a police officer's book of
traffic citations.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the package of FIG. 4 with the flap open.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a printed
confectionery product package simulating a packet of sports trading cards.
FIG. 7 is a view of the package of FIG. 6 with the package open.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment of a printed confectionery
product and package.
FIG. 9 is a side view of a conventional apparatus for creating sheets of
chewing gum.
FIG. 10 is a side view of an embodiment of a printing apparatus of the
present invention.
FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the printing apparatus of FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 12--12 of FIG.
11.
FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 13--13 of FIG.
11.
FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line 14--14 of
FIG. 11.
FIGS. 15 and 16 are enlarged top plan views of the feeding section of the
apparatus of FIGS. 10 and 11, showing two different operational positions
of the equipment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for printing indicia
on chewing gum and other confectionery products, and the resulting printed
products. As used herein, the term chewing gum is broadly used and refers
to all types of chewing gum, such as bubble gum and the like. Other
confectionery products with which the invention may be utilized include
taffy, gummy candy, dehydrated fruit based confections and the like. While
methods and apparatuses may have existed for printing tablets, capsules
and the like, the industry has never developed a commercially acceptable
method or apparatus for printing indicia on soft confectionery products,
particularly sheet chewing gum, that operated at high speed, had good
print quality and was cost effective.
FIGS. 1-8 depict four different products utilizing printed indicia on
confectionery products, in this case chewing gum. For each product, there
is a package containing one or more generally flat, rectangular chewing
gum pieces, each having an edible ink on the gum piece in the form of a
printed indicia simulating a known printed object. Further, the outer
package includes a reference to the object simulated by the chewing gum
having printed indicia thereon. Of course, instead of chewing gum, other
confectionery products could be used.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a product 110 referred to as "Check Book Bubble Gum".
The product includes an outer package 112 simulating a checkbook, which
opens up as shown in FIG. 2. Inside the checkbook 112 are multiple pieces
of chewing gum 116. Each piece 116 is generally flat and rectangular.
Several pieces 116 are wrapped together in one protective plastic pouch
114. Two pouches 114 are included, one in each pocket of the checkbook
112.
The pieces of chewing gum 116 are preferably made by dividing a sheet of
chewing gum 118 (FIG. 3) into the individual pieces, each with an
individual printed indicia thereon. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3,
five checks (bank drafts) are printed on one sheet 118, and then the sheet
is divided between the checks to give five individual pieces of chewing
gum 116. In this way the printing operation is simplified since five
pieces of chewing gum are printed at one time. Also, it is easier to print
on the larger sheet 118 than it would be to print on the individual pieces
116.
Preferably each of the pieces 116 making up sheet 118 and in the package
112 has a different indicia of a similar object printed thereon. Thus one
package contains multiple pieces of chewing gum, but each piece is
different. For example, in the "Check Book Bubble Gum", each piece of gum
116 has indicia 119 printed thereon representing several items found on a
typical bank draft, such as a date, a check number, the payee (entity to
whom the check is made out), a dollar amount (in numerical and written
form) and a signature, as well as other symbols and a border. Preferably
the indicia represents fictional information that is clever and relates to
the type of printed article being simulated. For example, the check number
on gum pieces 116 simulating a check could be "I8it", "UChu" or "UR2CUTE";
the date could be "Justintime 1, 1999"; or "Feb. 30, 1999"; the payee
could be "M. Bezzler"; "M. T. Vault" or "Bo Gus Bucks"; the dollar amount
could be "$1,000,000,000,000,000.00 One Zillion Dollars and 00/100"; the
signature could be "Wally Street"; "Kool Cash" or "Granny Larceny".
FIGS. 4 and 5 depict another product 130 using the present invention,
referred to as "Speeding Ticket Bubble Gum". Product 130 also includes an
outer package 132 which includes a reference 133 to the object simulated
by the printed chewing gum, in this case a police officer's booklet of
traffic citations. The package 132 opens up as shown in FIG. 5 and
contains two plastic protective pouches 134 each including several pieces
of chewing gum 136. Each piece of chewing gum 136 has indicia 139 printed
thereon simulating the printing on a traffic citation. Preferably each
piece 136 will have different printing thereon, again representing
fictional information cleverly related to the simulated traffic ticket.
For example, in addition to an official looking seal and the words
"VIOLATION"; "The People of the State of Confusion vs." and "Speedy Smith"
or "Crash Kelly", the indicia may have boxes, one of which is checked,
with a pretended violation thereafter, such as "Breaking the Sound
Barrier"; "Reckless Driving"; "Otherwise Traveling `Way Too Fast`";
"Impersonating a Crash Test Dummy"; "No Helmet" or "Look Mom . . . `NO
HANDS`". Also, an amount of a fine and the fictional name of a police
officer, such as "Lieutenant Lawful" or "Officer Friendly" can be
included. As with chewing gum pieces 116, gum pieces 136 may be divided
from a larger sheet that includes several different traffic citation types
of printed indicia 139.
FIGS. 6 and 7 depict a product 150 constituting another embodiment of the
invention, referred to as "Wild Pitch Printed Bubble Gum Baseball Cards".
As with the other embodiments, the printed chewing gum pieces 156 are
packaged in an outer package 152 which includes a reference 153 to the
object simulated by the printed chewing gum, which in the case of product
150 is a sports trading card, particularly a baseball trading card.
Several pieces of chewing gum 156, preferably each with a different
indicia 159 printed thereon, are included in the package 152. Optionally a
non-chewing gum trading card can also be included in package 152.
FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention, product 180 referred to
as "Bubble-Prints Magic Eye.TM. Puzzle". In the case of product 180 the
outer package 182 is a plastic wrapper with a reference 183 printed
thereon referring to the Magic Eye.TM. Puzzle simulated by the printed
chewing gum 186. In this embodiment, two colors of opaque ink are used to
print the indicia 189. Magic Eye.TM. is a trademark of N.E. Thing
Enterprises. Magic Eye.TM. puzzles have recently become quite popular, and
are often reproduced in books or on posters. As used herein, the term
"magic eye puzzle" refers to a printed image which, when a person's eyes
are focused on the proper plane, which is different than the plane on
which the image is printed, creates a three dimensional image in the mind
of the person looking at the puzzle. In the preferred embodiment, using
two or more colors of edible ink in proper registration, the indicia 189
on the chewing gum piece 186 constitute a magic eye puzzle.
Referring now to the drawings of the apparatus, FIG. 9 illustrates
generally a process for sheeting chewing gum. In this regard, an apparatus
12 is provided for forming a flat rectangular sheet of a chewing gum.
FIGS. 10-16 illustrate the apparatus 10 of the present invention for
printing indicia on the gum. It should be noted that the sheeting step can
be performed in a separate operation or facility from the printing step.
In an embodiment, the means 12 for forming a flat rectangular sheet is a
conventional chewing gum rolling machine. For example, a suitable rolling
machine 12 that may be utilized in the present invention can be purchased
from the Gimpel Manufacturing Company, W.L.S. of West Germany. Naturally,
other machines with the ability to roll or extrude a sheet of chewing gum
can also be used.
The conventional rolling machine 12 includes an extruder 14 into which a
mass of the chewing gum is put. A series of rollers 16 act on the mass of
chewing gum to form a relatively thin, flat continuous sheet 20. The
rolling machine 12 also includes a dusting apparatus 17 for dusting the
sheet 20 in order to reduce any adhesiveness. Typically, starch may be
utilized as the dusting compound. However, in order to improve the print
quality of the resulting printed gum product, only a minimal amount of
starch or dusting compound should be utilized.
The rollers 16 size the thin, flat sheet 20 to a few thousandths of an inch
larger than the desired configuration size. In an embodiment, the rollers
16 size the thin, flat sheet to a thickness ranging from approximately
0.054 inches to about 1.00 inches. In an embodiment, the resulting flat
sheet has a thickness of approximately 0.058 inches to about 0.062 inches,
with an ideal thickness of 0.060 inches. Sizing the thin, flat sheet 20 to
the desired thickness allows for the subsequent printing of such sheets.
After the rolling machine 12 forms the chewing gum into a thin, flat sheet
20, the sheet 20 could be printed on in a continuous fashion, but more
preferably it is cut across its width by a rotating blade 18 to form
individual sheets 21. These sheets are then scored by a set of rotating
knives 19 into smaller sheets 22. The sheets 22 which are actually printed
on will preferably be about five to about 20 inches wide, more preferably
about eight to about 14 inches wide, and most preferably about 10 inches
wide. The sheets will preferably be about one inch to about 17 inches
long, more preferably about two to about seven inches long, and most
preferably about 41/2 inches long. As used above, the term "length" refers
to the dimension in the direction of travel through the printing
operation, and the term "width" is the dimension perpendicular thereto. Of
course, after the printing operation the sheets 22 may be further divided.
The terms "length" and "width" when describing dimensions of sheets or
pieces of chewing gum may therefore use the conventional terminology where
"length" refers to the longest side, regardless of its orientation with
respect to the direction of travel of the gum sheet or piece.
In an embodiment, gum scores are made at approximately 41/4 inch intervals
across a 17 inch wide and 10 inch long sheet, producing a sheet 22 which
is 10 inches by 41/2 inches. In another embodiment, the sheets 22 are
about 10 inches by 27/8 inches. Thereafter, the sheets of chewing gum are
stacked, stored and cooled to a sufficient temperature and for a
sufficient time to allow for tempering/hardening of the chewing gum for
automatic feeding of the gum sheets to the printing operation, as well as
for the printing operation itself.
Any type of cooling tunnel or cooling device that effectively cools the
sheets 22 of chewing gum to a temperature of approximately 48.degree. F.
to 70.degree. F. can be utilized in the present invention. In an
embodiment, the sheets 22 of chewing gum are cooled to a temperature
ranging from approximately 48.degree. F. to 56.degree. F. In a preferred
embodiment, the chewing gum is cooled to approximately 51.degree. F. to
about 55.degree. F. prior to printing.
The ideal temperature for the sheets 22 depends upon the formulation of the
chewing gum. Naturally, the formulation of the chewing gum affects the
tackiness and ultimate printing of such gum. If the gum were to be printed
on as one continuous sheet, adequate cooling would be carried out between
the sheet forming equipment and the printing operation. If the gum is cut
into individual sheets 22, the chewing gum is preferably cooled and stored
for a period of time prior to printing indicia on such gum. In an
embodiment, the chewing gum is stored for a time of approximately 12 hours
to about 36 hours. In an embodiment, the chewing gum is stored for
approximately 18 to 30 hours, with the most ideal time being 24 hours.
In a preferred embodiment, the gum that is to be printed is bubble gum.
Notably, the specific formulation of the bubble gum is not critical to the
performance of the present invention. In general, the bubble gum
formulation should be of sufficient texture so as to promote printing of
indicia on same. Also, the formulation for the bubble gum, including the
amount and type of dusting compound, should be selected so as to avoid
adhesion of the bubble gum to itself.
An example of a preferred bubble gum formulation is as follows:
______________________________________
Ingredients Percent (by wt.)
______________________________________
Powdered Sugar 65.69
Gum Base 20.79
Corn Syrup 8.79
Glycerine 3.23
Lecithin 0.71
Flavoring 0.75
Color In Dispersing Agent
0.04
______________________________________
After the cooling and storing steps, the sheets 22 of gum then have indicia
printed thereon. FIGS. 10-16 illustrate the means for printing indicia,
namely printing machine 24 of the apparatus 10. As one skilled in the art
would recognize, a variety of printing machines could be modified,
pursuant to the concepts described herein, to perform the printing of
indicia on the chewing gum. Thus, while the present description will
reference an example of a suitable printing machine 24, the inventors
intend such other embodiments to fall within the scope of the present
invention.
Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, the printing machine 24 includes a
magazine feeder 26 for use when individual sheets 22 are printed on. The
magazine feeder 26 feeds the chewing gum sheets 22 into the printing
machine 24. In an embodiment, the magazine feeder 26 is a bottom discharge
magazine slab feeder for feeding the gum. The sheets 22 of gum can be
manually loaded on the magazine feeder 26. In a preferred embodiment, the
magazine feeder 26 is capable of stacking gum up to 12 inches high.
The magazine feeder is set up on a slope or incline, as shown in FIG. 10,
with the angle of slope being adjustable. The preferred magazine feeder 26
is shown in detail in FIGS. 15 and 16. Preferably, it uses a Thompson
style pusher that uses a push plate 71 with a machined end connected to
two 5/8 inch diameter guide shafts 72 and a pneumatic cylinder 73. The gum
sheets 22 are placed in a magazine 75. It may be preferable to use a
magazine 75 with cutouts in the front and back walls to allow the operator
to hold gum with both hands while loading a stack of gum sheets 22 into
the magazine 75. Filler may be placed along the side walls of the magazine
75 if the inside dimensions of the magazine 75 are greater than the width
and length of the gum sheets 22. The push plate 71 is narrow enough to
slide between the sides of the magazine 75. The front and back sides of
the magazine are open at the bottom. The push plate 71 is approximately
the same thickness as a sheet of gum 22, and initially (FIG. 15) rests
against the edge of the bottom sheet. As the cylinder 73 extends, it
pushes on the back end of push plate 71, forcing the front edge of push
plate against the bottom sheet of gum 22 in magazine 75. This pushes the
gum sheet 22 out onto conveyor bed 28 (FIG. 16). The guide shafts 72 help
to keep the push plate 71 square to the magazine 75. A stop 76 on the back
of one of guide shafts 72 limits the distance of travel of the push plate
71. Thereafter the cylinder 73 retracts, the gum sheets 22 in magazine 75
fall down as the push plate 71 pulls out from under them, and the cycle is
ready to be repeated.
The push plate 71 is preferably machined so that it has a flange which
connects to the end member 77 attached across the ends of cylinder 73 and
guide shafts 72. It has been found that when the push plate had a flange
that was made by simply bending up the end of push plate 71, the push
plate began to crack at the bend due to the large number and high speed of
the repetitions the push plate 71 executes.
After being fed into the machine 24, the sheets 22 of chewing gum are moved
in a spaced apart fashion by way of a conveyor bed 28 through the printing
machine 24. As best seen in FIGS. 12-14, the conveyor bed 28 is made of
individual slats 52. Some of these slats have been machined so that the
slats 28 provide a plurality of evenly spaced depressions or recesses 54
in the bed 28. The pneumatic cylinder 73 is preferably timed to eject a
gum sheet 22 each time one of these recesses 54 come up to the top of the
conveyor bed 28. If gum or other confectionery were printed on directly
from the sheet forming equipment, it may still be advisable to cut it into
sheets and use depressions 54 on the conveyor bed to transfer individual
sheets 22 through the equipment. Alternatively, the continuous sheet 20
could be carried by the bed 28 through the printing equipment and the
depression 54 would then not be used. These recesses have a width and
length slightly larger than the width and length of the sheet of gum 22 to
be printed on apparatus 24. The depth of the recesses 54 is preferably the
same as the thickness of the sheet of gum 22.
The conveyor bed 28 has a optimum length to promote product handling and
permit de-dusting of the sheets 22 of chewing gum necessary for printing.
In an embodiment, the conveyor bed 28 is approximately 100 to about 140
inches in length. The conveyor bed 28 is driven by suitable means, such as
a drive wheel which engages chain links connected to slats 52. The
printing rates are a function of product size, shape, consistency, and
lubricity. In an embodiment, the line speed of the conveyor bed 28 is
approximately 400 to about 700 inches per minute.
To promote quality printing, the printing machine 24 also includes two
de-dusting stations 30a and 30b (referred to generically with reference
number 30). The de-dusting stations 30 remove excess dusting compound,
such as cornstarch, powdered sugar or other dusting agents, from the
sheets 22. The cross section of a preferred de-dusting station 30 is shown
in FIG. 13. The de-dusting station 30 preferably includes a chamber cover
60 connected to flexible pipe 61 which in turn is connected to a source of
vacuum (not shown), a brush 62, a compressed air pipe 63 and a plurality
of hold down fingers 64 secured by a holder 67. The brush 62 is powered by
a suitable motor 65 (FIG. 11) which rotates the brush in a direction
opposite to the direction of travel of conveyor bed 28. Preferably the
brush bearing system uses angular/sealed bearings. Grease fittings are
also preferably included in the conveyor bed 28 and other parts of the
equipment since it operates in a dust laden atmosphere. Hold down fingers
64 hold the gum sheet 22 into the recess 54 as it passes under the brush
62, thus preventing the brush from picking up the leading edge of sheet
22. The slope on the magazine feeder 26 is adjusted so that the gum is
ejected at an angle so that it goes into the recess 54 under the fingers
64.
Compressed air blown through pipe 63 helps direct starch brushed off the
gum sheet 22 up the pipe 61 to a dust collection system (not shown). Upon
leaving the de-dusting station 30, the gum sheets 22 are against the back
edge of the recess 54. Because of this consistent positioning, the sheets
22 are more easily printed on in an accurate fashion down stream of the
de-dusting operation.
It is preferred to use two de-dusting stations 30 to remove sufficient
starch to leave as clean of a gum surface as possible. Since the hold down
fingers 64 block access of the brush 62 to the gum surface directly under
the fingers 64, as shown in FIG. 11, the fingers 64a of the first
de-dusting station 30a are offset compared to the fingers 64b of the
second de-dusting station 30b. In this manner starch not removed in the
first de-dusting station because it was covered by hold down fingers 64a
is brushed off by the second de-dusting station.
Preferably after leaving the de-dusting stations 30, the gum sheets
encounter a guide rail 69 that pushes the gum sheets to the side of the
recess 54 so that they are properly aligned for printing. The sheets 22
are next moved along through two printing devices 32, each printing a
different color ink onto the gum sheets 22 on the moving conveyor bed 28.
Of course, if only one color printing is desired, either a machine 24 with
one printing device 32 could be used, or the second device 32 could be
moved up out of the way. On the other hand, to allow for the printing of
three or more colors, three or more printing devices 32 can be
incorporated into the printing machine 24 of the apparatus 10 and the
printing registered.
The indicia that is printed onto the chewing gum comprises an edible ink. A
variety of such edible inks, in a variety of colors, may be utilized
pursuant to the present invention. By way of example, and not limitation,
a suitable confectionery ink that may be utilized is Confectionery
Ink.RTM. CI-10529, Blue available from Colorcon of West Point, Pa.
Suitable inks may contain food grade shellac, ethanol, propylene glycol,
n-butyl alcohol, titanium dioxide, isopropyl alcohol, lecithin and
coloring agent, such as FD&C Red #40 lake or FD&C Blue #2 and #1 lakes.
Any variety of suitable printing device that can effectively print indicia
on a sheet of chewing gum can be utilized in the present invention.
Preferably, a suitable rotogravure printing device is utilized. Such a
device is available from Ackley Machine Corporation, Morristown, N.J. The
description of a suitable printing device is set forth in U.S. Pat. No.
4,528,904 entitled: "INK RESERVOIR REMOVING AND INSERTING STRUCTURE FOR
ARTICLE MARKING APPARATUS", the disclosure of which is incorporated herein
by reference.
As best seen in FIG. 14, the printing devices 32 each include various
components and assemblies normally provided in such equipment. For
example, the printing device includes a design roller 34 and a rubber
roller 36. A doctor blade 38 serves to remove excess ink from the design
roller 34.
The quality of the printing on the surface of the confectionery may best be
evaluated by comparing it to the quality of printing on a sheet of paper,
measured in dots per inch (dpi). The printing on the confectionery product
is preferably comparable to a print resolution of at least about 200 dpi,
and more preferably comparable to a print resolution of at least about 300
dpi, and most preferably comparable to a print resolution of about 400 dpi
or better. In other words, to be considered as having a high resolution of
print quality, the printing on the final product should appear comparable
in quality to a document printed with a print resolution of at least about
200 dpi.
The quality of the printed indicia on the confectionery will be a function
of the quality of the engraving on the design roller 34, as well as other
factors, such as how well the confectionery is dedusted, how good of an
image transfer there is between the design roller 34 and the rubber roller
36, as well as onto the confectionery itself, and how clean the rollers 34
and 36 are kept of dusting compound. It is preferred to use an engraving
on the design roller having a resolution of 400 dpi or better.
In an embodiment, the printing machine 24 includes an electronic doctor
blade safety system (not shown) to prevent accidental ink spills caused by
one of the following: 1) loss of doctor blade pressure; 2) inadvertent
raising of the doctor blade holder while the machine is running; 3)
attempting to start the machine with the doctor blade in the "up"
position.
To further promote quality printing of indicia on the sheets 22 of chewing
gum, the printing device 32 has a lateral adjustment system (not shown).
The lateral adjustment system allows the operator of the apparatus 10 to
center the printing, from side to side, while the printing machine 24 is
running. Similarly, the printing machine 24 includes a circumferential
printing register (not shown). This printing register will allow the
operator to center the printing, front to back, while the printing machine
24 is running.
In an embodiment, the printing device 32 is a lift up printing device. Such
a device is available from Ackley Machine Corporation, Morristown, N.J.
The lift up ability offers a multitude of advantages. For example, the use
of such a device allows easy removal of an ink pan 39 from the front of
the printing machine 24, thereby reducing the possibilities of ink spills.
The lift up device allows the operator to lift the entire printing device
32 away from the conveyor bed 28 without losing print registration. In
addition, the lift up device facilitates cleaning of the printing device
32, as well as easy removal of the ink pan. The lift up device also
eliminates the need for readjusting the rubber roller 36 to the design
roller 34 impression after changing the height of the rubber roller 36
compared to the product being printed.
In an embodiment, the printing machine 24 preferably has a variable speed
drive system installed to include a totally enclosed, permanent magnet
motor for a more reliable system. The printing machine 24 may include an
ink recirculation and viscosity control system available from Ackley
Machine Corporation to monitor and maintain the proper ink consistency for
the best print quality.
The sheets 22 depicted in FIG. 11 are the magic eye puzzle product 180
which are not further cut or divided. However, if the sheets 22 are to be
cut into smaller pieces, the conveyor bed 28 moves the sheets 22 through
the scoring device 40 (shown in FIG. 10 but left off of FIG. 11 for the
sake of clarity). The scoring device 40 engages the sheets 22 of chewing
gum as they travel beneath it. When a scoring device is used, the conveyor
bed 28 is preferably grooved (not shown) to accept the knife points of the
scoring device. In an embodiment, the scoring device 40 cuts the sheets 22
into pieces that are approximately 3 to about 5 inches long and
approximately 1.5 to about 2.5 inches wide, resulting in a rectangular
shaped product.
The cut up pieces then slide onto an extended conveyor belt 42. The
extended conveyor belt 42 ensures that the indicia printed on the chewing
gum adequately dries. Preferably a fan blows air on the printed gum pieces
to help dry the ink. The extended conveyor belt 42 preferably has a length
of approximately 80 to about 120 inches. From there the pieces, such as
pieces 116 printed to simulate checks, are inspected, stacked and further
packaged.
As an example, the printed check gum 116 is approximately 41/4 inches by
about 2 inches. The thickness of the printed check gum 116 is
approximately 0.058 to about 0.062 inches.
The recesses 54 are preferably 1/16 inch deep. This depth has been found
superior to recesses only 1/32 inch deep. As shown in FIG. 14, the rubber
roller 36 has a plurality of raised surfaces 37 which contact the gum and
transfers the print image. The raised surfaces are sized and placed, and
roller 36 is rotated, so that the raised surfaces match the recesses 54 in
the conveyor bed 28. The raised surface is preferably slightly larger than
the gum, which is slightly smaller than the recess. For example, the
recess 54 may be 43/4 inches long (in the direction of conveyor bed
travel), with the gum being 41/4 inches long and the raised areas 41/2
circumferential inches long. Preferably the printing is carried out at
least 80 impressions per minute and more preferably 120 impressions per
minute.
Naturally, as one skilled would contemplate, a variety of different shapes
and sizes of printed chewing gum can be made pursuant to the present
invention. By way of example, other suitable products could be comic
books, puzzles, name placecards and educational facts, to name just a few.
The inventors intend that all such additional embodiments fall within the
scope of the present invention.
Further improvements may be made to the equipment. For example, starch
sometimes fall through spaces between the slats 52 in the conveyor bed 28.
A vacuum system inside the apparatus 24 could be used to remove some of
that starch. The vacuum would also help hold the gum sheets 22 onto the
conveyor bed 28. Also, in the de-dusting stations 30, the amount of air
flow taken away by the vacuum system may have to be limited to avoid
having he gum sheets 22 picked up by the air flow. If vacuum were applied
underneath the bed 28 in the area of the de-dusting stations 30, high air
flow rates into the upper vacuum system could be used. Alternatively, a
de-dusting operation could be carried out in a separate room or on a
separate machine as long as the gum was quickly printed thereafter. While
the sheet forming apparatus 12 is conventional and not by itself part of
the present invention, it may also be improved to include additional
rollers, dusting stations and a metal detector not shown in FIG. 9.
Specific examples of other confectionery items that can be printed on in
accordance with the present invention include gummy candy, such as gelatin
gummy jellies made as follows:
______________________________________
Gelatin (200 Bloom) 8 lb.
Water 11.5 lb.
Sorbitol 2.5 lb.
Sugar 30 lb.
Corn syrup (42 D.E.) 40 lb.
Water 7.5 lb.
______________________________________
The gelatin, first amount of water and sorbitol are mixed together, and
then the sugar, corn syrup and second amount of water are added. The
mixture is warmed to 180.degree. F. in a predissolving tank. Thereafter,
the material is continuously processed through a Terbraak static cooker at
260.degree. F. for 20 seconds. A vacuum is drawn in the discharge chamber,
continuously cooling the mixture to 140.degree. F. After color and flavor
are added, the material is deposited in dry moulding starch at about 77%
d.s. and allowed to dry for about 24-48 hours in a 120.degree.-130.degree.
F. curing room. Thereafter, the gummy candy is demoulded, dedusted and
printed on as described above with respect to the chewing gum.
Another confection that can be printed on is a taffy confection referred to
as chewy fruit caramels, made as follows:
______________________________________
Sugar 44 lb.
Water 14 lb.
Glucose (38 D.E.)
66 lb.
Fat 3 lb.
Lecithin 30 gr.
Dextrin 8 lb.
Water 8 lb.
Whipping Agent 7 oz.
Water 10 oz.
Glucose (38 D.E.)
27 oz.
______________________________________
The first five ingredients are mixed and brought to a boil. The dextrin and
second amount of water are mixed together and then added to the other
ingredients. The mixture is boiled while stirring to
246.degree.-248.degree. F. (119.degree.-120.degree. C.) and put on a
cooling table. The whipping agent and the third amount of water are mixed,
and then mixed with the second amount of glucose. This material is mixed
with the warm batch on the cooling table. Color and flavor are added, and
the material is pulled for approximately five minutes and passed through a
sheet forming machine. Thereafter, it is printed on as discussed above.
A dehydrated fruit based confectionery such as a sweetened dehydrated fruit
leather derived from fruit purees could also be printed on as described
above.
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the
presently preferred embodiments described herein can be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without
diminishing its attendant advantages. It is therefore intended that such
changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.
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