Patents Assigned to Bühler AG
  • Publication number: 20120213897
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for continuous production of articles including at least two different types from a pasty mass. The mass is introduced into a processor unit by a supply unit, processed in the processor unit and transported further thereby, whereupon an adjunct is added by a metering unit to the mass transported through the processor unit. The mixing of the adjunct introduced to the mass is carried out by a mixing unit with mixing elements located downstream of the processor unit. The mass with provided adjunct is formed by a forming unit into individual articles downstream of the mixing unit. According to the invention, the metering of the adjunct is carried out in a sequence of metering conditions with at least two different metering conditions, wherein the metering unit, for a given metering condition, introduces the adjunct to the mass at a given metering rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Buhler AG
    Inventors: Markus MEYER, Richard SCHÄR, Christian GUTMANN
  • Patent number: 8241693
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing a fat-containing suspension and/or a fat-containing emulsion, in particular a chocolate or a chocolate-like fat composition, by mixing an emulsion formed by means of a reactive emulsifying technique, which emulsion has a disperse aqueous phase and a continuous fat phase, with a fat phase, in particular a cocoa mass. The invention relates, in particular, to a method of producing agave syrup-containing chocolate, wherein an emulsion consisting of cocoa butter or another fat or fat mixture and agave syrup or an aqueous sugar solution is generated and mixed with cocoa mass. According to the invention, the emulsion and later the chocolate are stabilized by emulsification at elevated temperature and evaporating the agave syrup or the sugar solution in the emulsified state. An otherwise customary comminution of the dry materials is therefore no longer necessary since the fineness necessary for sensory properties is set by the emulsifying process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Bühler AG
    Inventors: Peter Braun, Bernd Schmidt, Andreas Ziegler, Erich Staubli
  • Publication number: 20120200000
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device comprising a substantially cylindrical housing (2) in a mixing region (7). Said housing comprises at least one outlet channel (15) having an outlet opening (6) in the mixing region (7) and at least one rotationally supported mixing shaft (4) having at least one discharge element (3) having an effective surface. The discharge element (3) can be guided past the outlet opening (6) when used properly, wherein a projection of the effective surface (8) parallel to the outlet channel axis covers the smallest outlet channel cross section of the outlet opening (6) at least once per revolution of the discharge element (3) by at least 45%, preferably by at least 50%, particularly preferably by at least 55%, and most particularly preferably by at least 60%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: BUHLER AG
    Inventors: Frieder Klein, Kasim Palaz
  • Publication number: 20120148711
    Abstract: An installation for producing cast products includes a tempering machine for at least some of the casting mass, a storage container for the casting mass, a casting machine, and a device for further processing the cast products. At least some of the casting mass is fed to the storage container from the tempering machine, depending on at least one controlling or regulating signal which is based on current and/or expected consumption of casting mass by the casting machine and/or the casting installation. As a result, the installation can be operated at lower cost and extreme fluctuations in the filling level of the storage container can be better prevented, avoiding interruptions in the supply of casting mass to the casting machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: BUHLER AG
    Inventors: Bernhard Bauer, Peter Braun, Peter Rothenbühler
  • Publication number: 20120113742
    Abstract: A shearing/mixing tool (20) is one of several tools that is preferably mounted on a shaft (2). On both sides, the shaft (2) is rotatably mounted on the end walls of a horizontal drum. The tool (20) has at least one opening (25). Preferably, the shearing/mixing tools (1) are shearing/throwing blades (23) which are formed in a sickle-shaped manner at the end of stirring arms and rotate in the drum at an angle from the transverse axis of the shaft axis in such a way that the tip of the sickle or the spoon-shaped end of the blade (23) is the leading part. The shearing/throwing blade is arranged on an arm (22) made from a web plate that is bent in a Y-shaped manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: BUHLER AG
    Inventors: Willy Bräker, Martin Hartsieker, Danijel Dolic, Peter Braum
  • Patent number: 8146749
    Abstract: A plan sifter for sifting or sieving, flour-like or granular products, includes at least one compartment. Each sifting compartment has a dedicated drive, so that the base surface available can be better utilized, and the sifting capacity can be better adjusted to actual needs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Bühler AG
    Inventor: Jürgen Moosmann
  • Publication number: 20120076916
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for drying rice, in which, during the drying process, the grains of rice pass through surface states which have various pairs of values of temperature (T) of the surface and moisture (U) of the surface, the surface of the grains of rice remaining in a viscoelastic state during the drying process, and in which, in a diagram comprising temperature (T) of the surface of the grains of rice and moisture (U) of the surface, a) the temperature (Tv) of the surface of the grains of rice lies no more than 40° C. above the temperature (Tg) on the glass transition curve of the rice at the point of the same moisture of the surface and/or b) the moisture (Uv) of the surface of the grains of rice lies no more than 20% above the moisture on the glass transition curve of the rice at the point of the same temperature of the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: BUHLER AG
    Inventor: Eliana Zamprogna
  • Publication number: 20120035342
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for producing a thermoplastic polyester, having the following steps: a) producing polyester pre-polymer particles; b) crystallizing the polyester pre-polymer particles for producing partially crystalline polyester pre-polymer particles; c) heating the partially crystalline polyester pre-polymer particles to a suitable reaction temperature for producing heated polyester pre-polymer particles; d) reacting the heated polyester pre-polymer particles for producing polyester polymer particles having an intrinsic viscosity between 0.70 and 0.95 dl/g. The reaction in step d) takes place in at least one reactor through which the particles flow by means of gravity. The dwell time in the reactor equals between 6 and 30 hours. The particles are supplied at least to step d) at a mass flow of between 40 and 100 t/h. The present invention is characterized in that a settling rate of the particles in the reactor equals between 2 and 6 m/h.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Buhler AG
    Inventors: Brent Allan Culbert, Mauricio Rodrigues, Andreas Christel, Franz Giger
  • Publication number: 20120002037
    Abstract: A system and method for ground material characterization in a grinding system, in particular for characterizing particles in a ground material stream of ground grain products in a grain grinding system, uses an irradiation section through which at least a part of the ground material stream is fed and with irradiation means for irradiating the particles in the at least one part of the ground material stream with electromagnetic radiation; and a detection section through which the at least one part of the ground material stream is fed and with a detection means for detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted from the particles of the part of the ground material stream fed through the irradiation section. The detection means comprises an imaging system and a color image sensor for imaging the particles onto the color image sensor by way of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: BUHLER AG
    Inventors: Dario Pierri, Martin Heine, Urs Dübendorfer
  • Publication number: 20120000090
    Abstract: By means of the invention, a method and an apparatus (1) for the drying of goods, in particular for the convection drying of pastas, which are introduced from a first treatment zone (2) into a second treatment zone (3), are to be improved to the effect that the drying process has a lower energy consumption than conventional dryers and the surroundings of the dryer (1) are polluted only slightly by waste heat. Furthermore, the dryer (1) is to be designed in a structurally simple and cost-effective way. This object is achieved by means of a method for the drying of goods, in which the temperature in the first treatment zone (2) is on average lower than in the second treatment zone (3), and in which the energy obtained from the exhaust air of the first and/or the second treatment zone (2, 3) in at least one heat exchanger (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) is introduced into the first treatment zone (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: BÜHLER AG
    Inventors: Christian Mühlherr, Kurt Lieberherr
  • Publication number: 20110315024
    Abstract: The invention relates to a casting machine valve (32, 42; 50; 60; 70; 80; 90; 100; 110; 120; 130), a pressure generating means (3, 4, 5, 6, 32, 42) for installation in a casting machine (1), and a casting machine (1) for casting a flowable mass, particularly a liquid mass having suspended solid particles, such as chocolate, wherein cocoa particles and sugar particles are typically suspended in a melted fat mass containing cocoa butter and more or less milk fat. The valve (50; 60; 70; 80; 90; 100; 110; 120) comprises a valve body (51; 61; 71; 81; 91; 101; 111; 121; 131) having a valve opening and at least one valve cap (53; 64; 76; 83; 94; 105; 115; 128; 133) that is associated with the valve opening, is hinged on the valve body, and closes the valve opening in the unpressurized state without preloading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: BÜHLER AG
    Inventors: Boris Ouriev, Hannjo Boden, Bernhard Bauer, Leo Bühler, Andreas Diener
  • Publication number: 20110278383
    Abstract: The process according to the invention for producing flour, in particular whole grain flour, from cereal, in particular from wheat, comprises a plurality of steps. In a first step, there follows the removal of an outer layer of at least one grain, in particular a cereal grain, wherein some of the endosperm is also removed. The removed outer layer comprises 5% by weight to 40% by weight of the grain, based on the grain before the removal, preferably 15% by weight to 30% by weight, particularly preferably 18% by weight to 28% by weight, and very particularly preferably 20% by weight to 25% by weight. These removed parts of the grain are comminuted, in particular during the removal of the outer layer. Then there follows conveying the comminuted removed outer layer and the grain into a milling device and milling the comminuted removed outer layer and the grain, in particular a mixture thereof, in the milling device to form flour, in particular whole grain flour.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: Bühler AG
    Inventors: Walter Eugster, Stephen Weinmann
  • Publication number: 20110259800
    Abstract: The invention relates to a screen for a screening machine for screening a product into two fractions. To avoid detrimental effects to the quality of the product due to damage at the screen mesh of a screen (9), the screen is provided with a metal layer, in particular in the manner of a conduction path, wherein the electrical resistance of said layer is measured and wherein changes in the resistance indicate damages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: BüHLER AG
    Inventors: Andreas Meile, Christof Kaufmann
  • Publication number: 20110241332
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to be able to arrange or secure an elastic nozzle in a device, especially a casting machine, using simple design measures while allowing the nozzle to be quickly replaced in the device using simple mounting steps. Said aim is achieved by a connection piece (1) which is particularly suitable for securing an elastic nozzle (3) in a casting machine. The connection piece (1) preferably has a hollow cylindrical shape and includes a securing mechanism (4), especially a thread, at one end. A clamping unit (2) is connected to the connection piece (1). The connection piece (1) and/or the clamping unit (2) has/have a receptacle for the nozzle (3), and the nozzle (3) is connected to the connection piece (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: BUHLER AG
    Inventors: Hannjo Boden, Bernhard Bauer
  • Patent number: 8029843
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of aleurone from bran, in particular, wheat bran, for the extraction of aleuronic cells in particular from wheat grain, whereby the mainly aleurone-containing aleuronic components are separated from the mainly non-aleurone-containing non-aleuronic components in the bran and the aleurone-containing components are then isolated. The separation can be achieved by biochemical/enzymatic means and/or by mechanical-abrasive means. The subsequent isolation and extraction can be achieved by wet and/or dry separating methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Buhler AG
    Inventors: Arturo Bohm, Carlo Bogoni, Raimund Behrens, Thomas Otto
  • Publication number: 20110206799
    Abstract: An agglomerated feed includes grain particles having an average size in the range of 0.8 mm to 2.5 mm. The agglomerated particles have an average size in the range of 1.0 mm to 5.5 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: BUHLER AG
    Inventors: Andrea Hermsmeyer, Patrick Harteneck, Stefan Vontobel
  • Publication number: 20110186661
    Abstract: The apparatus according to the invention relates to a grinding arrangement (1) for producing flour from cereal, the latter in particular being bread wheat, durum wheat, maize or buck wheat. The grinding arrangement is characterized by at least one grinding mechanism (2) which is designed in particular as a stock-bed roller mill (16). The grinding mechanism has at least one feed opening (3) and at least one dispensing opening (4). The grinding arrangement comprises at least one separating stage (5) for separating ground products into finer ground product and coarser ground product, and a return arrangement (8) for returning at least some of the coarser ground product into the feed opening of the grinding mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: BÜHLER AG
    Inventors: Arturo Bohm, Kurt Grauer, Urs Dübendorfer
  • Patent number: D649173
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Buhler AG
    Inventors: Gordon Bruce, Hui-Ling Hsu
  • Patent number: D651622
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Buhler AG
    Inventor: Marco Tobler
  • Patent number: D666638
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Bühler AG
    Inventor: Marco Tobler