Claims:1. A soap making apparatus (600) comprising:
at least one mould (100) comprising:
a first mould half (102) and a second mould half (104) that are to form a mould cavity (106) when the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104) are locked with each other, wherein the mould cavity (106) is to receive molten soap (206) and wherein the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104) are separable from each other to eject solidified soap;
a plurality of pairs of magnets (112, 114) for locking the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104) with each other; and
a first neck cutter (402) disposed on the first mould half (102) and a second neck cutter (404) disposed on the second mould half (104) to separate a neck portion (508) of the solidified soap from a remainder (506) of the solidified soap while the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104) are separated from each other; and
a de-moulder (300) to separate the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104) from each other to eject the solidified soap.
2. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the first mould half (102) comprises a first mould casing wall (116) and the second mould half (104) comprises a second mould casing wall (118),
a first magnet (112-1, 114-1) of each pair of magnets (112, 114) is disposed in the first mould casing wall (116), and
a second magnet (112-2, 114-2) of each pair of magnets (112, 114) is disposed in the second mould casing wall (118).
3. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of pairs of magnets (112, 114) is four in number.
4. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mould cavity (106) comprises:
a neck region (110) in which the neck portion (508) of the solidified soap is to be made; and
a soap bar region (108) in which the remainder (506) of the solidified soap is to be made,
wherein the first neck cutter (402) and the second neck cutter (404) are disposed between the neck region (110) and the soap bar region (108) when the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104) are locked with each other.
5. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a neck ejector (502) to separate the solidified soap in the neck region (110) upon its cutting from the remainder (506) of the solidified soap.
6. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a soap bar ejector (504) to eject the remainder (506) of the solidified soap upon its cutting from the solidified soap in the neck region (110).
7. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a conveyor mechanism to move the at least one mould (100).
8. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the conveyor mechanism is to:
move the at least one mould (100) from a filling region, in which the molten soap (206) is introduced in the mould cavity (106), to a cooling region (602), in which a spray nozzle (202, 204) is disposed; and
move the at least one mould (100) from the cooling region (602) to a demoulding region (604), in which the de-moulder (300) is disposed.
9. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 8, wherein, to move the at least one mould (100) from the cooling region (602) to the demoulding region (604), the conveyor mechanism is to invert the at least one mould (100).
10. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one mould (100) is a silicone mould.
11. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one mould (100) comprises:
a first mould holder (120) connected to the first mould casing wall (116); and
a second mould holder (122) connected to the second mould casing wall (118),
wherein the first mould holder (120) and the second mould holder (122) are to be used to hold the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104), respectively.
12. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the de-moulder (300) comprises:
a first arm (302) to be connected to the first mould holder (120);
a second arm (304) to be connected to the second mould holder (122);
a first gear mechanism (310) to drive the first arm (302); and
a second gear mechanism (312) to drive the second arm (304).
13. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the de-moulder (300) comprises:
a first C-clamp (306) connected to the first arm (302), the first C-clamp (306) comprising an opening in which the first mould holder (120) is to fit, to connect the first arm (302) to the first mould holder (120); and
a second C-clamp (308) connected to the second arm (304), the second C-clamp (308) comprising an opening in which the second mould holder (122) is to fit, to connect the second arm (302) to the second mould holder (122).
14. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one mould (100) has an internal thickness in a range of 8-20 mm.
15. The apparatus (600) as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one spray nozzle (202, 204) to spray cooling fluid on at least one of the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104) to solidify the molten soap (206) to form the solidified soap.
16. A method for making soap by an automatic soap making apparatus (600), the method comprising:
filling molten soap (206) in a mould cavity (106) of a mould (100), the mould cavity (106) formed by a first mould half (102) and a second mould half (104) of the mould when the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104) are locked with each other;
cooling the molten soap (206) to solidify the molten soap (206);
demoulding solidified soap from the mould cavity (106) to eject the solidified soap, the demoulding comprising separating the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104) from each other; and
separating a neck portion (508) of the solidified soap from a remainder (506) of the solidified soap while the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104) are being separated from each other.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16, comprising:
conveying, by a conveying mechanism, the mould (100) from a filling region, in which the filling of the molten soap (206) is performed, to a cooling region (602), in which the spraying of the cooling fluid is performed; and
conveying, by the conveying mechanism, the mould (100) from the cooling region (602) to a demoulding region (604), in which the demoulding is performed.
18. The method as claimed in claim 16, comprising:
upon demoulding of the solidified soap, locking the first mould half (102) and the second mould half (104) with each other using a plurality of pairs of magnets (112, 114), wherein a first magnet (112-1, 114-1) of each pair of magnets is disposed in the first mould half (102) and a second magnet (112-2, 114-2) of each pair of magnets (112, 114) is disposed in the second mould half (104).
, Description:AS ATTACHED