tl;dr - airbrush for edibles

Physics Is Hard™, this much I know, so I may be in WIBNI territory here...

We use all manner of varied distribution mechanisms, each a separate tool in its' own right - knives, basters, cake decorators, sprayers, et cetera - in the modest art of food preparation. I propose a standard tool for all manner of foodstuff distribution.

The, um, SUFD (?) would be a 9cm (~3.66in) diameter handle with threads for varying components in the top and bottom. The top socket would accommodate trigger assemblies of varying caliber and delivery nozzles ranging from atomizer to... loving spoonful? (lolwut?)... to nearly unrestricted throughput. The input in the bottom of the handle would accommodate containers of various sizes, to provide payloads of varying volume/pressure/temperature. I'm imagining something powered pneumatically probably, since a CO2 cartridge or compressor could soundly provide enough pressure to push whatever foodstuff through the delivery system.

One knob would regulate throughput volume, the other input pressure. Molten cheese might require a medium nozzle and medium throughput with relatively high pressure, while chunky salsa would indicate the largest delivery spout with high throughput and low pressure. Confectionery glaze might require high pressure and a small nozzle with low throughput, while hot oil might best use the atomizer nozzle and higher pressure still with low throughput.

Perfectly layered salads, nachos, cakes, or anything with multiple components in strata. With a quick squeeze of the trigger, you just prepped a beautiful sandwich in .8 seconds! Nevermind the overspray of tuna salad, just make more sandwiches at once next time.
-- absterge, Aug 11 2015

_22Spravy_22_20-_20The_20Aerosol_20Gravy [hippo, Aug 12 2015]

Cheese_20sputtering_20gun [hippo, Aug 12 2015]

Onion_20Spray [hippo, Aug 12 2015]

I would have thought a single nozzle could be constructed with a kind of iris-like overlapping plates, allowing quick adjustment of orifice size from pinhole to jar-mouth.

How do you quickly change ingredient? Or do you rack-mount a whole array of different ones?

Seems to me the solids (e.g. the bread in your sandwich) are going to be a serious bottleneck in your workflow.
-- pocmloc, Aug 11 2015


[+] (good timing, dinner's on) but it means everything has to be a paste, or at least chopped to a minimum size : no slices of meat or cheese or veggies.
-- FlyingToaster, Aug 11 2015


Think of it as 3D-printing food! I like it. Nozzle cleaning may be difficult but that's a minor detail.
-- sninctown, Aug 11 2015


and a nozzle for PEPTO-BISMOL ...
-- popbottle, Aug 11 2015


Excellent, [absterge]. I'll have a lightly misted mayo blt sandwich por favor.
-- blissmiss, Aug 12 2015


// nearly unrestricted throughput //

... would be ideal for chocolate.
-- 8th of 7, Aug 12 2015


Some prior art... (see links)
-- hippo, Aug 12 2015


If you are making this for just your household meals, you'd spend more time prepping & cleaning the tool than you would save in using the tool.

If you are making large, factory-sized volumes, then those factories already are employing robots/tools/automation widely.
-- sophocles, Aug 12 2015



random, halfbakery