Method for manufacturing a flexible mold with peripheral stiffner, and mold resulting from same method

Abstract

A food mold includes a food mold body made of a mold body material, having one or more cells with flexible wall, the cells being open on a common access face itself having a peripheral rim extending radially outward from an inner edge, marking the boundary with the cell or cells and to a free outer edge, the peripheral rim being provided with a peripheral stiffening element in the form of a continuous annular reinforcement with, if necessary, one or more intermediate stiffening elements. The peripheral stiffening element is entirely embedded in the mold body material. Around the peripheral stiffening element, the mold body material has no through passages free or blocked between the peripheral stiffening element and the outer surface of the material.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A food mold ( 1 ), comprising:
 a food mold body ( 2 ) made of a mold body material, having one or more a plurality of cells ( 3 ) with flexible wall walls, said one or more plurality of cells ( 3 ) being limited by a bottom ( 3 a) and being open on a common access face ( 4 ), the common access face ( 4 ) itself having a peripheral rim ( 5 ) extending radially outward from an inner edge ( 5 d) marking a boundary with the cell or plurality of cells ( 3 ) and to a free outer edge ( 5 c), the peripheral rim ( 5 ) having a top main face ( 5 a) and being provided with a peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ) in the form of a continuous annular reinforcement ( 100 ), and at least one intermediate stiffening element joining opposing zones of the peripheral stiffening element, wherein:
 the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ) is entirely embedded in the mold body material, 
 the at least one intermediate stiffening element is entirely embedded in the material forming the food mold body between adjacent cells, 
 around the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ), the mold body material has no through passages free or blocked between the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ) and an outer surface of the mold body material, and 
 
 the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ) is edged externally, in at least two opposing gripping zones ( 11 ,  12 ) of the peripheral rim ( 5 ), by a peripheral strip ( 11 a,  12 a) of material forming the food mold body, said peripheral strip ( 11 a,  12 a) producing an increase in width of the gripping zones ( 11 ,  12 ) and exhibiting a greater flexibility than that of the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ). 
 
     
     
       2. The food mold ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the food mold body ( 2 ) is made of a silicone-based material, of food quality, whereas the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ) is made of metal. 
     
     
       3. The food mold ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in the two opposing gripping zones ( 11 ,  12 ) of the peripheral rim ( 5 ), the top main face ( 5 a) of the peripheral rim ( 5 ) is slightly oriented outward, so that it is set back from the common access face ( 4 ), and so that the gripping zones ( 11 ,  12 ) extend slightly obliquely downward. 
     
     
       4. The food mold ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in the two opposing gripping zones ( 11 ,  12 ) of the peripheral rim ( 5 ), the top main face ( 5 a) of the peripheral rim ( 5 ) is slightly oriented inward, so that it extends slightly above the common access face ( 4 ), and so that the gripping zones ( 11 ,  12 ) extend slightly obliquely upward. 
     
     
       5. The food mold ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein it further comprises several cells and at least one intermediate stiffening element ( 101 ,  102 ), joining opposing zones of the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ), and entirely embedded in the material forming the food mold body between adjacent cells. 
     
     
       6. The food mold ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the food mold body ( 2 ) has a rectangular outline, wherein the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ) has two opposite long sides and two opposite short sides, and wherein said at least one intermediate stiffening element ( 101 ,  102 ) joins opposing zones of the two long sides of the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ). 
     
     
       7. The food mold ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the food mold body ( 2 ) has an outline whose length is approximately 60 cm and width is approximately 40 cm, with two intermediate stiffening elements ( 101 ,  102 ) joining respective opposing zones of the two long sides of the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ), the intermediate stiffening elements ( 101 ,  102 ) being parallel to the short sides of the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ) and dividing the common access face ( 4 ) into three transverse strips having mutually similar surface areas. 
     
     
       8. The food mold ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ) has a cross section of square shape, 6 mm×6 mm, made of carbon steel. 
     
     
       9. The food mold ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the food mold body ( 2 ) has an outline whose length is approximately 40 cm and width is approximately 30 cm, with an intermediate stiffening element ( 101 ) joining respective opposing zones of the two long sides of the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ), the intermediate stiffening element ( 101 ) being parallel to the two short sides of the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ) and dividing the common access face ( 4 ) into two transverse strips having mutually similar surface areas. 
     
     
       10. The food mold ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ) has a cross section of square shape, 4 mm by 4 mm, made of carbon steel. 
     
     
       11. The food mold ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral stiffening element ( 10 ) is integral with protuberances ( 103 ,  20 ) extending perpendicularly and away from the common access face ( 4 ), beyond the bottom ( 3 a) of the cells ( 3 ), to constitute supporting feet ( 21 ) by which the food mold ( 1 ) can rest on a bearing plane while keeping the bottom ( 3 a) of the cells away from the bearing plane. 
     
     
       12. The food mold of  claim 1 , made by a process comprising:
 providing a peripheral stiffening element in the form of a continuous annular reinforcement and the at least one intermediate stiffening element,   applying a first molding paste on a first face of the peripheral stiffening element and a first face of the at least one intermediate stiffening element,   heating under pressure the peripheral stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element and the first molding paste in a first shaping mold producing an overmolding of the first face of the peripheral stiffening element and the at least one intermediate stiffening element with the first molding paste, then leaving to cool,   turning over the peripheral stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element and the first molding paste and arranging, on the second face of the peripheral stiffening element and the at least one intermediate stiffening element, strips of a second molding paste in a volume equal to that of the wall of the food mold to be produced,   placing the peripheral stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element, the first molding paste, and the second molding paste in a second shaping mold and heating them under pressure to produce the food mold body with the peripheral stiffening element and the at least one intermediate stiffening element entirely embedded in the molding paste, then leaving to cool.   
     
     
       13. The food mold of  claim 12 , wherein the food mold comprises supporting feet, wherein:
 the continuous metal annular reinforcement comprises integral beginnings of metal protuberances,   the first shaping mold comprises housings receiving the beginnings of protuberances, preventing the overmolding thereof by the molding paste during the heating under pressure of the assembly consisting of the peripheral stiffening element and the first molding paste,   the second shaping mold comprises housings receiving the beginnings of protuberances, preventing the overmolding thereof by the molding paste during the heating under pressure of the assembly consisting of the peripheral stiffening element and the first and second molding pastes.   
     
     
       14. The food mold of  claim 13 , wherein, after the mold-stripping of the second shaping mold, complementary metal structures are fixed to the beginnings of protuberances, producing the supporting feet. 
     
     
       15. A food mold comprising:
 a food mold body made of a mold body material and having a plurality of cells with flexible walls, each of the plurality of cells being having a bottom and being open on a common access face, the common access face itself having a peripheral rim extending radially outward from the plurality of cells, the peripheral rim having a top main face and a peripheral stiffening element in the form of a continuous annular reinforcement, at least one intermediate stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element entirely embedded in the mold body material and joining opposing zones of the peripheral stiffening element the peripheral stiffening element having a cross-section with a first width and a second width, wherein the first width is equal to the second width and the first width and the second width are orthogonal to each other, and at least one intermediate stiffening element, wherein:   the peripheral stiffening element is entirely embedded in the mold body material,   around the peripheral stiffening element, the mold body material has no through passages free or blocked between the peripheral stiffening element and an outer surface of the mold body material, and   the peripheral stiffening element edges a strip of the mold body material forming the food mold body in at least two opposing gripping zones of the peripheral rim, said strip producing an increase in width of the at least two gripping zones and exhibiting a greater flexibility than that of the peripheral stiffening element.   
     
     
       16. The food mold of  claim 15 , wherein the mold body material is a silicone-based material and the peripheral stiffening element is made of a metal. 
     
     
       17. The food mold as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the food mold body has a rectangular outline, wherein the peripheral stiffening element has two opposite long sides and two opposite short sides, and wherein said at least one intermediate stiffening element joins opposing zones of the two long sides of the peripheral stiffening element. 
     
     
       18. The food mold as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the food mold body has two intermediate stiffening elements joining respective opposing zones of the two long sides of the peripheral stiffening element. 
     
     
       19. The food mold as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the cross-section of the peripheral stiffening element has a square shape. 
     
     
       20. The food mold of  claim 15 , made by a process comprising:
 providing a peripheral stiffening element in the form of a continuous annular reinforcement, the peripheral stiffening element having a cross-section with a first width and a second width, wherein the first width is equal to the second width and the first width and the second width are orthogonal to each other, and providing at least one stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element joining opposing zones of the peripheral stiffening element,   applying a first molding paste on a first face of the peripheral stiffening element and on a first face of the at least one intermediate stiffening element,   heating under pressure the peripheral stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element and the first molding paste in a first shaping mold producing an overmolding of the first face of the peripheral stiffening element and the first face of the at least one intermediate stiffening element with the first molding paste,   cooling the peripheral stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element and the first molding paste,   turning over the peripheral stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element and the first molding paste and arranging, on a second face of the peripheral stiffening element and a second face of the at least one intermediate stiffening element, strips of a second molding paste in a volume equal to that of the wall of the food mold to be produced,   placing the peripheral stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element, the first molding paste, and the second molding paste in a second shaping mold and heating them under pressure to produce a food mold body with the peripheral stiffening element entirely embedded in the molding paste, and   cooling the food mold body.   
     
     
       21. A food mold comprising:
 an elongated food mold body having two opposite long sides and two opposite short sides, the food mold body made of a mold body material and having a plurality of cells with flexible walls, the plurality of cells being open on a common access face, the common access face having a peripheral rim extending radially outward from the plurality of cells, the peripheral rim having a peripheral stiffening element in the form of a continuous annular reinforcement and a flexible strip between the peripheral stiffening element and the plurality of cells, and at least one intermediate stiffening element wherein:   the width of the flexible strip on the two opposite short sides is greater than the width of the flexible strip on the two opposite long sides,   the peripheral stiffening element is entirely embedded in the mold body material,   around the peripheral stiffening element, the mold body material has no through passages free or blocked between the peripheral stiffening element and the outer surface of the mold body material, and   the at least one intermediate stiffening element is entirely embedded in the mold body material and joining opposing zones of the peripheral stiffening element.   
     
     
       22. The food mold of  claim 21 , wherein the mold body material is a silicone-based material and the peripheral stiffening element is made of a metal. 
     
     
       23. The food mold of  claim 21 , wherein the food mold body has a rectangular outline, and wherein said at least one intermediate stiffening element joins opposing zones of two long sides of the peripheral stiffening element. 
     
     
       24. The food mold of  claim 21 , wherein the food mold body has two intermediate stiffening elements joining respective opposing zones of the two long sides of the peripheral stiffening element. 
     
     
       25. The food mold of  claim 21 , wherein the peripheral stiffening element has a cross-section with a first width and a second width, wherein the first width is equal to the second width and the first width and the second width are orthogonal to each other. 
     
     
       26. The food mold of  claim 25 , wherein the cross-section of the peripheral stiffening element has a square shape. 
     
     
       27. The food mold of  claim 21 , made by a process comprising:
 providing a peripheral stiffening element in the form of a continuous annular reinforcement, the peripheral stiffening element having a cross-section with a first width and a second width, wherein the first width is equal to the second width and the first width and the second width are orthogonal to each other, and providing at least one stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element joining opposing zones of the peripheral stiffening element,   applying a first molding paste on a first face of the peripheral stiffening element and on a first face of the at least one intermediate stiffening element,   heating under pressure the peripheral stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element and the first molding paste in a first shaping mold producing an overmolding of the first face of the peripheral stiffening element and the first face of the at least one intermediate stiffening element with the first molding paste,   cooling the peripheral stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element and the first molding paste,   turning over the peripheral stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element and the first molding paste and arranging on a second face of the peripheral stiffening element and a second face of the at least one intermediate stiffening element, strips of a second molding paste in a volume equal to that of the wall of the food mold to be produced,   placing the peripheral stiffening element, the at least one intermediate stiffening element, the first molding paste, and the second molding paste in a second shaping mold and heating them under pressure to produce a food mold body with the peripheral stiffening element entirely embedded in the molding paste, and   cooling the food mold body.