Patents by Inventor Thomas Willem Dekker

Thomas Willem Dekker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9433238
    Abstract: A mass-distributing device for supplying a mass of foodstuff starting materials suitable for consumption, in particular a meat mass, to one or more mold cavities of a molding member for molding three-dimensional products from the mass is provided. The device comprises a housing, which has an open side which can be turned towards the molding member, in which a flexible abutment element for the housing to abut the molding member is arranged. In the housing, a through-passage for the mass extends from an introduction opening in the housing to a discharge, which discharge opens at the open side of the housing. Pressure means are provided in order to position the flexible abutment element under pressure against the plane of the molding member comprising one or more mold cavities, the pressure means being designed to set contact pressures in separate zones of the flexible abutment element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: MAREL TOWNSEND FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Hendricus Franciscus Jacobus Maria Van Der Eerden, Dirk Meskendahl, Thomas Willem Dekker
  • Publication number: 20150250226
    Abstract: A mass-distributing device for supplying a mass of foodstuff starting materials suitable for consumption, in particular a meat mass, to one or more mould cavities of a moulding member for moulding three-dimensional products from the mass is provided. The device comprises a housing, which has an open side which can be turned towards the moulding member, in which a flexible abutment element for the housing to abut the moulding member is arranged. In the housing, a through-passage for the mass extends from an introduction opening in the housing to a discharge, which discharge opens at the open side of the housing. Pressure means are provided in order to position the flexible abutment element under pressure against the plane of the moulding member comprising one or more mould cavities, the pressure means being designed to set contact pressures in separate zones of the flexible abutment element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: MAREL TOWNSEND FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Hendricus Franciscus Jacobus Maria VAN DER EERDEN, Dirk MESKENDAHL, Thomas Willem DEKKER
  • Publication number: 20150208674
    Abstract: In a method for moulding food patties from a food product comprising a food mass (5) having a substantially coherent structure formed by particles of the food product that are loosely connected to each other, for example ground meat, the food product is first supplied to a supply hopper (3). Food product is moved in the supply hopper to at least one discharge opening (8) of the supply hopper, from which it is discharged. The food product that has been discharged from the discharge opening of the supply hopper is fed into at least one pump chamber (12) of a positive displacement pump system. Subsequently, the food product in the pump chamber is positively displaced to an outlet opening of the pump chamber by the positive displacement pump system (20). The food product is discharged from the outlet opening of the pump chamber, and then fed into a moulding device having a plurality of mould cavities for moulding the food patties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Martinus Johannes Willebrordus Van Zoelen, Thomas Willem Dekker, Franciscus Quirinus Fredrik Verouden, Sigebertus Johannes Jacobus Jozef Meggelaars
  • Patent number: 9044029
    Abstract: According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a mass-distributing device (18) for supplying a mass of foodstuff starting materials suitable for consumption, in particular a meat mass, to one or more mold cavities (44) of a molding member (16) for molding three-dimensional products (46) from said mass. The device (18) comprises a housing (30), which has an open side (38) which can be turned towards the molding member, in which a flexible abutment element (40) for the housing to abut the molding member is arranged. In the housing (30), a through-passage (34) for said mass extends from an introduction opening (32) in the housing (30) to a discharge (36), which discharge opens at the open side (38) of the housing (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Marel Townsend Further Processing B.V.
    Inventors: Hendricus Franciscus Jacobus Maria Van Der Eerden, Dirk Meskendahl, Thomas Willem Dekker
  • Publication number: 20150044335
    Abstract: In a method for moulding food products from a pumpable foodstuff mass, use is made of a moulding device with a mould drum provided with mould cavities having a fill opening for the introduction of foodstuff mass. A mass feed member transfers mass into passing mould cavities. A pump is connected to the inlet of the mass feed member. Product removal takes place downstream of the fill position. The operation of the pump and the rotation of the mould drum are controlled in combination with the design of the mould cavities pattern on the drum and of the mouth of the mass feed member such that in the method all mould cavity filling events during a revolution of the mould drum are performed in sequential order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Johannes Martinus Meulendijks, Thomas Willem Dekker, Martinus Johannes Willebrordus VAN Zoelen, Jeroen Robert Willemsen
  • Publication number: 20140141135
    Abstract: A moulding device (10) for moulding three-dimensional products (76) from a mass of foodstuff comprises a moulding roller (16) and a filling device (18). The moulding roller (16) has a moulding surface with at least one mould cavity (44) which is delimited by a mould cavity (44) opening. The filling device (18) has a dispensing mouth (36) and a pump. The dispensing mouth (36) and the mould cavity (44) opening each have, viewed in the direction of the movement path, a front edge and a rear edge which is situated at a fixed distance thereof. A position-determining device determines the position of the front edge of the mould cavity (44) opening with respect to the front edge of the dispensing mouth during the movement of the mould cavity (44) opening and the dispensing mouth (36) with respect to each other. A control unit controls the pump on the basis of the position-determining device during the movement of the mould cavity (44) opening and the dispensing mouth (36) with respect to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventors: Hendrikus Cornelis Koos van Doom, Jeroen Robert Willemsen, Thomas Willem Dekker, Leon Spierts, Albertus Dunnewind, Martinus Johannes Willebrordus van Zoelen
  • Publication number: 20120177786
    Abstract: A moulding device for moulding three dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff starting material suitable for consumption, includes a moulding member having a moulding surface provided with at least one mould cavity delimited by a bottom and a peripheral wall defining a cavity opening in the moulding surface. The mould cavity has a cavity height defined between the bottom and the cavity opening. The moulding member can be moved along a movement path from a fill position for filling the mass into the mould cavity to a product release position for releasing a moulded product from the mould cavity and from the product release position to the fill position. A mass distribution device is arranged at the fill position along the movement path of the moulding member for filling the mass into the mould cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: MAREL TOWNSEND FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Hendricus Franciscus Jacobus Maria Van Der Eerden, Dirk Meskendahl, Thomas Willem Dekker, Franciscus Quirinus Fredrik Verouden
  • Publication number: 20120015065
    Abstract: According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a mass-distributing device (18) for supplying a mass of foodstuff starting materials suitable for consumption, in particular a meat mass, to one or more mould cavities (44) of a moulding member (16) for moulding three-dimensional products (46) from said mass. The device (18) comprises a housing (30), which has an open side (38) which can be turned towards the moulding member, in which a flexible abutment element (40) for the housing to abut the moulding member is arranged. In the housing (30), a through-passage (34) for said mass extends from an introduction opening (32) in the housing (30) to a discharge (36), which discharge opens at the open side (38) of the housing (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: MAREL TOWNSEND FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Hendricus Franciscus Jacobus Maria Van Der Eerden, Dirk Meskendahl, Thomas Willem Dekker