Patents Assigned to MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
  • Patent number: 12201120
    Abstract: A moveable mould member is configured for use in an installation for moulding food products from a pumpable foodstuff mass. The mould member has a permeable mould body with an outer surface forming at least part of the outer mould member surface, which outer surface of the permeable mould body is fluid tight; mould cavities and a permeable volume defining fine openings opening out at the mould cavities, such that each mould cavity of the permeable mould body is delimited at least in part by a permeable volume. In addition, the mould drum has, for each group of mould cavities from which food products are to be ejected simultaneously, an ejection fluid inlet allowing the entry of pressurized fluid, and one or more channels extending from the associated ejection fluid inlet to the one or more permeable volumes of the group of mould cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Martinus Meulendijks, Thomas Willem Dekker, Erik Hendrikus Werner Peters, Martinus Johannes Willebrordus Van Zoelen, Jacques Le Paih
  • Patent number: 12082591
    Abstract: An installation for moulding of three dimensional products from a mass of pumpable foodstuff material, for example from ground meat. The installation comprises a feed pump and a moulding device with a mobile mould member having multiple mould cavities. A mass feed member is arranged at a fill position relative to the path of the mobile mould member, which mass feed member is connected to an outlet of the feed pump. The member has a housing defining an elongated chamber with a longitudinal axis and having a pair of spaced apart long lateral walls, short end walls, and a bottom wall facing the mould member at the fill position along the path of the mould member. The bottom wall is provided with a discharge mouth formed by one or more discharge openings spanning the path of said mould cavities, so that foodstuff mass flows into each row of mould cavities via said discharge mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B. V.
    Inventors: Albertus Dunnewind, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks, Thomas Willem Dekker, Tihomir Tubic
  • Patent number: 12075789
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and production line for in-line processing of food products. The method comprises the step of co-extruding a food dough into a flow of co-extruded food products having a casing that comprises a protein, or a hybrid casing of a protein and a polymer, wherein the method subsequently comprises the successive steps of: a) subjecting the flow of co-extruded food products to a surface treating step, b) subjecting the flow of food products to a thermal treating step, and c) optionally, subjecting the thermally treated flow of food products to a post-thermal treating step, wherein in step b) the flow of food products is at least subsequently subjected to a first thermal treating step, and a second thermal treating step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventor: Patricia Hoekstra-Suurs
  • Patent number: 12063951
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a set of brine solutions for use in a method for in-line processing of food products, said method comprises the steps of a) co-extruding a food dough into a flow of co-extruded food products having a coating that comprises a protein, or a hybrid coating of a protein and a polymer, and b) subjecting the flow of co-extruded food products to a food product strengthening step, said food product strengthening step comprises the step of subjecting the flow of food products to a first brine solution comprising a salt solubilised in an aqueous medium, and a second brine solution comprising a buffer salt solubilised in an aqueous medium. The present invention further relates to a method for in-line processing of food products using the set of brine solutions of the present invention and a lactate salt comprising brine solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventor: Patricia Hoekstra-Suurs
  • Patent number: 12011007
    Abstract: The production of three-dimensional products from a mass of pumpable fibrous foodstuff material includes feeding the mass into a chamber via an inlet. A perforated plate is stationary arranged at an outlet side and has a multitude of perforations therein between an inlet face and an opposed outlet face. A flow channels assembly include multiple flow channels. Each flow channel receives therein strands of fibrous foodstuff material emerging at an outlet face from a subset of the multitude of perforations. The strands merge into a coherent bundle, in which the strands are arranged against one another in a generally parallel orientation. A production device is arranged at the discharge mouths of the flow channels assembly, which production device is configured and operated to produce three-dimensional products, each product out of a portion of a bundle that is discharged from one of the discharge mouths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Jacques Le Paih, Thomas Willem Dekker, Yohann Pierre, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks, Fabrice Le Pabic
  • Patent number: 11925184
    Abstract: A food-processing system having a metering pump for filling a casing with food material, a linker for forming links in the filled casing and depositing a linked strand on a conveyor, and a plurality of servo motors arranged to drive each of a plurality of driven components of the processing system. The food-processing system being implemented according to a two-step ramp-up method that enables increased control of a first end and a second end of the linked strand using a first speed, and enables faster processing of the linked strand between the ends at a second speed higher than the first speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: MAREL, INC., MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Kenneth Bruce Arnote, Jr., Travis Michael Coblentz, Mattheus Catharina Willems, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks
  • Patent number: 11910812
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing food products by means of co-extrusion, wherein at least two casing material components are mixed to make a viscous gelling solution. This viscous gelling solution is subsequently co-extruded whereby the gelling solution is forming the external layer of an extruded strand of food dough. The invention also relates to a viscous gelling solution obtainable by such method as well as a system for co-extrusion of food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Martinus Meulendijks, Johannes Marinus Quirinus Kools
  • Patent number: 11771097
    Abstract: An installation for moulding of three dimensional products from a mass of pumpable foodstuff material includes a pump having at least one pump chamber, a pump drive, and a moulding device including a mould drum, a mould member drive for moving the mould drum along a path, and a mass feed member. The mass feed member has a chamber with an inlet, a discharge mouth facing the mould member at the fill position along the path of the mould drum, an orificed grinder body and multiple mobile grinder members each arranged at one of the distinct positions of the mold cavities and cooperating with the grinding face of the orificed grinder body. The installation is advantageously employed for the manufacture of meat products from a pumpable meat mass for the manufacture of meat patties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Geert Johannes Lok, Mathias Marcellus Kuijpers, Thomas Willem Dekker, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks
  • Patent number: 11647759
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a closed processing system for treating elongated food products, comprising: a housing bounding a process space, a transport path for displacing the elongated food products through the process space, at least one airflow generator for generating an airflow in the process space, and at least one detector for detecting process conditions in the process space, wherein the detector includes at least one pressure sensor for detecting the relative airflow pressure in the process space compared to the ambient air pressure and wherein the system is arranged to control the process conditions by adjusting the at least one airflow generator based on the detected process conditions. The present invention further relates to a method for treating elongated food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Bernardus Wilheimus Franciscus Leferink, Eric Henricus Johannes Aben, Hendrikus Cornelis Koos Van Doorn, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks
  • Publication number: 20220354136
    Abstract: An installation for moulding of three dimensional products from a mass of pumpable foodstuff material, for example from ground meat. The installation comprises a feed pump and a moulding device with a mobile mould member having multiple mould cavities. A mass feed member is arranged at a fill position relative to the path of the mobile mould member, which mass feed member is connected to an outlet of the feed pump. The member has a housing defining an elongated chamber with a longitudinal axis and having a pair of spaced apart long lateral walls, short end walls, and a bottom wall facing the mould member at the fill position along the path of the mould member. The bottom wall is provided with a discharge mouth formed by one or more discharge openings spanning the path of said mould cavities, so that foodstuff mass flows into each row of mould cavities via said discharge mouth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Albertus DUNNEWIND, Johannes Martinus MEULENDIJKS, Thomas Willem DEKKER, Tihomir TUBIC
  • Patent number: 11412745
    Abstract: An installation for moulding of three dimensional products from a mass of pumpable foodstuff material, for example from ground meat. The installation comprises a feed pump and a moulding device with a mobile mould member having multiple mould cavities. A mass feed member is arranged at a fill position relative to the path of the mobile mould member, which mass feed member is connected to an outlet of the feed pump. The member has a housing defining an elongated chamber with a longitudinal axis and having a pair of spaced apart long lateral walls, short end walls, and a bottom wall facing the mould member at the fill position along the path of the mould member. The bottom wall is provided with a discharge mouth formed by one or more discharge openings spanning the path of said mould cavities, so that foodstuff mass flows into each row of mould cavities via said discharge mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Albertus Dunnewind, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks, Thomas Willem Dekker, Tihomir Tubic
  • Patent number: 11406125
    Abstract: A moulding installation and method for moulding food products from a pumpable foodstuff mass are described. A revolving mould drum is provided with multiple mould cavities and a mass feed member is arranged at a fill position to transfer foodstuff mass into passing mould cavities. The foodstuff mass forms a food product in the mould cavity. A pressurized air food product ejection system includes air ducts in the mould drum that extend to the cavities and at least a portion of the surface delimiting a mould cavity is air permeable. The ejection system further includes a pressurized air source to feed pressurized air at a regulated ejection air pressure thereof to the air ducts. A controller is adapted to input at least one target parameter related to filling of the mould cavities with the foodstuff mass via the mouth of the mass feed member. The controller is adapted to automatically set an ejection air pressure by the pressurized air source on the basis of the inputted target parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Albertus Dunnewind, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks, Thomas Willem Dekker, Tihomir Tubic
  • Patent number: 11317634
    Abstract: An interchangeable hook-and-bracket system for a manufacturing process is disclosed. The interchangeable hook-and-bracket system may be configured to cooperate with a vertical conveying system of a food-processing system. Interchangeable hooks of the conveyor system may comprise hook portions and bracket portions that may be configured to releasably attach to one another. The bracket portions may be made substantially of a structurally robust material such as a metal and may be non-releasably attached to the conveyor system, and the hook portions may be made substantially of a flexible material such as a polymer-based material. More than one hook portion may correspond to a bracket portion, each hook portion having a configuration corresponding to a particular product, casing, throughput, and/or process condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Brent M. Veldkamp, Tim Weers, Mattheus Catharina Willems, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks
  • Patent number: 11317636
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a closed processing system for treating elongated food products comprising a housing bounding a process space, a transport path for displacing the elongated food products through the process space, at least one airflow generator for generating an airflow in the process space, at least one airflow conditioner for conditioning the generated airflow, and at least one detector for detecting process conditions in the process space, wherein the detected process conditions include at least the relative humidity and wherein the system is arranged to control the process conditions by adjusting the at least one airflow generator and/or at least one airflow conditioner based on the detected relative humidity. The present invention further relates to a method for treating elongated food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Bernardus Wilhelmus Franciscus Leferink, Eric Henricus Johannes Aben, Hendrikus Cornelis Koos Van Doorn, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks
  • Patent number: 11246317
    Abstract: A moulding device and a method for moulding food products from a mass of foodstuff which can be transferred by pumping are provided. The device includes a stationary frame with a revolving moulding drum assembly having a peripheral surface in which mould cavities are provided, and a mass feed device including a shoe member with a filling mouth adjoining the peripheral surface of the moulding drum assembly in order to fill said cavities with the foodstuff as they move past. In operation, the pressurized mass of foodstuff introduced into a mould cavity causes an outward force onto said shoe member. A non-revolving component is provided, concentrically supported by the moulding drum assembly, including the shoe member and an interconnected moulding drum assembly engaging counterforce element to counteract the entire outward force exerted by the pressurized foodstuff on the shoe member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Franciscus Quirinus Fredrik Verouden, Dirk Meskendahl, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks, Wilhelmus Johannes Jacobus Maria Van Der Straaten
  • Patent number: 11224229
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing sausage products by means of co-extrusion, wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a food dough (6); providing a viscous casing mass material (8); and producing by means of co-extrusion a sausage strand (2) with the extrusion of a centre of food dough at least partially provided by layered casing mass material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Marel Further Processing B.V.
    Inventors: Adrianus Josephes Van De Nieuwelaar, Marcus Bernhard Hubert Bontjer, Léon Marie Francois Spierts, Leonie Petronella Wilhelmina Maria Boons
  • Patent number: 11191280
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing sausage products by means of co-extrusion, wherein the method comprises the following steps of: A) providing a food dough; B) providing a viscous paste; C) producing by means of co-extrusion a sausage strand with a core of the food dough enclosed by a casing of the paste; D) subdividing the sausage strand into sausage products; and E) guiding the sausage through a fixing bath, whereby the cohesion of the sausage increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Adrianus Josephes Van De Nieuwelaar, Marcus Bernhard Hubert Bontjer, Martinus Wilhelmus Johannus Kuijpers, Frederik Franciscus Leondardus Ankersmit
  • Patent number: 11096411
    Abstract: An apparatus for coating a food product with a batter, includes a frame having a conveyor belt mounted on a rotatably driveable belt support member. The coating apparatus has a batter pump for pumping batter from a batter container towards an upper applicator positioned over the conveyor belt to form a stream of batter flow from the applicator to the conveyor belt to provide batter to an upper surface of the food product. The front roller is positioned at the food product entry section to provide a layer of batter on the conveyor belt at the entry section by a thrust on the batter towards the entry section by the front roller and/or the conveyor belt. The coating apparatus comprises a batter overflow device positioned at the entry section and is mounted between the transport run and the return run of the conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Eric Henricus Johannus Carolus Aben, Thomas Willem Dekker, Martinus Johannes Willebrordus Van Zoelen, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks
  • Patent number: 11076627
    Abstract: An in-line coating machine adapted to coat food products with a particulate coating material has a food products conveyor; a coating device; an excess coating material separation station; an excess coating material recovery conveyor; and a particulate coating material elevator device. An elevator device fill assembly along the recovery conveyor is configured to fill the elevator device with recovered excess coating material. An adjustable discharge opening device controls a discharge opening in the recovered excess coating material bed support. An adjustable upper layer diverter device engages an upper layer of the recovered excess coating material bed passing over the recovered excess coating material bed support and diverts at least a portion of the upper layer at an adjustable rate into the particulate coating material elevator device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Martinus Meulendijks, Wilhelmus Johannes Jacobus Maria Van Der Straaten, Martinus Johannes Willebrordus Van Zoelen, Mathias Marcellus Kuijpers
  • Patent number: D988846
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignees: MAREL FURTHER PROCESSING B.V., MAREL, INC.
    Inventors: Brent M. Veldkamp, Tim Weers, Mattheus Catharina Willems, Johannes Martinus Meulendijks