Method of and apparatus for forming food

Abstract

There is provided a method of and apparatus for forming a food by wrapping an inner material with an outer skin material, and the method of and apparatus for sealing the outer skin material more surely in a state where the inner material is disposed on the outer skin material. The food forming apparatus comprises a first shutter ( 1 ), a second shutter ( 2 ) disposed under the first shutter ( 1 ), and support means ( 6 ) disposed under the second shutter ( 2 ) wherein an operation start timing of the second shutter ( 2 ) subsequent to starting of the operation of the first shutter ( 1 ) is adjusted appropriately, and a position of the support member ( 60 ) is adjusted appropriately, thereby adjusting the amount of collection of the peripheral portion of the curst material (F), thereby wrapping an inner material (G) with the outer skin material (F) in response to the different sizes of the curst material (F) and the inner material (G), thereby surely forming the food.

1 . A food forming method comprising a disposition step for disposing an inner material on an outer skin material, a shutter step for operating a first shutter and a second shutter provided under the first shutter so as to wrap the inner material with the outer skin material.  
     
     
         2 . The food forming method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second shutter starts its operation after the first shutter starts its operation during the shutter step.  
     
     
         3 . The food forming method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first shutter collects a peripheral portion of the outer skin material when it effects a close operation so as to wrap the inner material with the outer skin material, and the second shutter seals the collected peripheral portion of the outer skin material when it effects a close operation during the shutter step.  
     
     
         4 . The food forming method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first shutter operates to collects the peripheral portion of the outer skin material at an area where a plurality of shutter members of the first shutter surround the peripheral portion of the outer skin material, and the second shutter operates to seal the collected peripheral portion of the outer skin material during the shutter step.  
     
     
         5 . The food forming method according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer skin material is formed in a bowl shape during the disposition step.  
     
     
         6 . The food forming method according to  claim 5 , wherein the outer skin material is supplied onto the shutter members of the second shutter and the outer skin material is formed in a bowl shape by recessing a central portion of the outer skin material in a state where the first shutter is opened during the disposition step.  
     
     
         7 . The food forming method according to  claim 6 , wherein the peripheral portion of the outer skin material is held on the shutter members of the second shutter during the disposition step.  
     
     
         8 . The food forming method according to  claim 5 , wherein the outer skin material is supplied to a receiving member disposed over the shutter members of the second shutter, and the outer skin material is formed in a bowl shape by recessing the central portion of the outer skin material in a state where the first shutter is opened during the disposition step.  
     
     
         9 . The food forming method according to  claim 8 , wherein the peripheral portion of the outer skin material is held on the receiving member during the disposition step.  
     
     
         10 . The food forming method according to  claim 7 , wherein the peripheral portion of the outer skin material is partially held during the disposition step.  
     
     
         11 . The food forming method according to  claim 6 , wherein the shutter members of the second shutter are opened and outer skin material forming means is advanced into an opening of the second shutter to recess the central portion of the outer skin material during the disposition step.  
     
     
         12 . The food forming method according to  claim 6 , wherein the shutter members of the second shutter are opened and the outer skin material forming means draws the central portion of the outer skin material through the opening of the second shutter to recess the central portion of the outer skin material during the disposition step.  
     
     
         13 . The food forming method according to  claim 6 , wherein first shutter is operated before the outer skin material is formed in a bowl shape to adjust a position of the outer skin material during the disposition step.  
     
     
         14 . The food forming method according to  claim 5 , wherein the outer skin material is supplied to the shutter members of the first shutter and the central portion of the outer skin material is recessed to form the outer skin material in a bowl shape during the disposition step.  
     
     
         15 . The food forming method according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer skin material is supported at least during the shutter step.  
     
     
         16 - 28 . (Canceled).