| Apparatus and method for providing treatment to a continuous supply of food product by impingement -> Monitor Keywords |
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Apparatus and method for providing treatment to a continuous supply of food product by impingementRelated Patent Categories: Food Or Edible Material: Processes, Compositions, And Products, Internal Application Of Nontransitory Fluent Material To Solid Edible By Injecting, Artificial Pore Formation Or External PressureApparatus and method for providing treatment to a continuous supply of food product by impingement description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060165856, Apparatus and method for providing treatment to a continuous supply of food product by impingement. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The invention generally relates to a treatment apparatus for providing treatment to a food product by impingement. In one aspect, the invention relates to a treatment apparatus having a plurality of chambers, one of the chambers defining a treatment zone having an ambient pressure and permitting impingement of a treatment fluid upon a food product such that the food product is treated at the ambient pressure. In another aspect, the invention relates to a treatment apparatus having a plurality of chambers, one of the chambers defining a treatment zone having an ambient pressure and permitting impingement of a treatment fluid upon a food product, in a continuous supply of food product, such that the food product is treated at the ambient pressure. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] The preservation of perishable products has been, and continues to be, the focus of considerable commercial interest. By extending the shelf life of a food product, economic value can be added to that food product. Approaches to this end are many and varied (e.g., tight control of storage conditions, packaging, post and in situ applications of preservatives) and various combinations of these and other techniques are known and in practice to one extent or another. [0005] In the context of one particular group of food products, namely baked goods (e.g., muffins, crumpets, scones, bagels, cookies, breads, etc.), all of the above techniques are in use. For example, baked goods can be placed in frozen or refrigerated storage, covered with anaerobic packaging, and/or supplemented by the addition of preservatives. When such preservatives are used, the preservative can be added to either a batter or a mix from which the baked goods are prepared. Also, the preservative can be applied to finished baked goods. With respect to the finished baked goods, application of a small amount of the preservative can extend the shelf life of the baked goods from a typical 6-8 days to an extended 14-16 days when all other conditions (e.g., packaging, storage conditions, and the like) are equal. These preservatives can include a wide variety of substances (i.e., microbiocidal substances, antimicrobial substances, etc.) such as acetic acid, lactic acid, carbonic acid, mixtures thereof, and the like. [0006] In a typical preservative application process, a conventional treatment apparatus can be employed to administer the preservative. The conventional treatment apparatus essentially contains a movable hood in combination with a base. When in a closed relationship with one another, the hood and the base define a volume. The hood can be manipulated (e.g., raised and lowered) such that the baked goods to be treated can be inserted and removed from the volume. Further, the hood can be equipped with an entry port for receiving a treatment fluid (e.g., a preservative or a mixture containing the preservative such as a vaporized mixture of carbon dioxide and acetic acid). The base can comprise a platen, or in some cases, a platen associated with a movable base conveyor that rides upon the platen. [0007] When the conventional treatment apparatus is in operation, the hood is raised, the baked goods riding on the base conveyor in batches are transported beneath the hood, and the base conveyor is temporarily halted. The hood is then closed over, and sealed against, the platen and/or base conveyor such that a negative pressure (e.g., a vacuum) can be drawn within the volume of the treatment apparatus. After the vacuum is drawn by evacuating atmosphere (e.g., air) from within the sealed apparatus, the treatment fluid can be fed into the treatment apparatus to coat onto and/or penetrate into the external surfaces of the baked goods. The vacuum can promote and/or accelerate absorption of the treatment fluid into the baked goods. [0008] After the baked goods have been treated, excess treatment fluid can be exhausted, the hood of the treatment apparatus can be raised, and the batch of treated baked goods can be removed using the base conveyor. This "treatment cycle", or application of treatment fluid on a batch-by-batch basis, is normally repeated for each succeeding or successive batch and can take approximately twenty-five to thirty (25 to 30) seconds to complete. [0009] Unfortunately, using the conventional treatment apparatus to treat baked goods on a batch-by-batch basis within a vacuum, as described above, can present a significant number of disadvantages. First, since the conventional treatment apparatus requires production of a vacuum during the treatment cycle, vacuum pumps (or other devices for drawing a vacuum) must be associated with the apparatus. These vacuum pumps can be of significant size, can consume vast amounts of energy, can require elaborate and intricate control systems, and can occupy valuable floor space. Each of these factors can add significantly to the cost of treating food products such as baked products. Thus, potential customers and users can be hesitant to purchase or employ such a treatment apparatus for economic and financial reasons. [0010] Also, since baked goods are typically delivered to a treatment apparatus in an indexed array, further difficulties can arise. An indexed array is produced from a continuous supply of baked goods and is normally used and maintained throughout a significant portion of the baked good preparation process. However, the indexed arrays of baked goods are not compatible with the batch-by-batch treatment offered by the conventional treatment apparatus. Therefore, just prior to encountering the treatment apparatus, the baked goods must be assembled into the batches. Only then can the conventional treatment apparatus treat the baked goods as described above. After treatment, the indexed arrays are usually restored to promote further processing, such as packaging. Thus, the batches are disassembled, the baked goods are collated, and then indexed arrays are reformed. Converting arrays to batches, and batches to arrays, can add time delays in the treatment process. Likewise, conversion can require expensive additional equipment. This additional equipment can occupy valuable floor space, present elaborate controls, require an equipment technician or operator, consume large amounts of energy, and the like. Both the time delays and necessary additional equipment can add to the cost of the baked good treatment process. [0011] Additionally, when the conventional treatment apparatus is imbedded within a typical treatment fluid generation system, a buffer tank is required. Buffer tanks typically comprise either heated or vacuum jacketed devices that are capable of receiving, storing, and expelling treatment fluid. Because the batch-by-batch basis of treatment is used with the conventional treatment apparatus, the fluid generation system will produce the treatment fluid faster than the treatment apparatus can apply the treatment fluid. Thus, the buffer tank is employed to accommodate the excess treatment fluid by acting as a reservoir. The buffer tank permits continuous receipt, and periodic discharge, of the treatment fluid. [0012] Unfortunately, buffer tanks are generally at least ten times the volume of the treatment apparatus to inhibit pressure changes during the application of the treatment fluid. Also, buffer tanks can require multiple modulating control valves, pressure regulators, and a control system. Therefore, buffer tanks can cause time delays and additional costs into the typical fluid generation system using a conventional treatment apparatus. [0013] Thus, an apparatus and method for providing treatment to a food product at an ambient pressure would be highly desirable since such an apparatus and method would eliminate the need for a vacuum pump. Likewise, an apparatus and method for providing treatment to a continuous supply of food product would be highly desirable since such an apparatus and method would SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0014] In one aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for applying treatment fluid to a food product. The apparatus comprises a housing, a first chamber in the housing, a second chamber in the housing, a separation means, and a circulation means. [0015] The first chamber is adapted to receive treatment fluid while the second chamber has an entry and an exit for the food product. The second chamber is adapted to receive the food product to which the treatment fluid is to be applied. [0016] The separation means is disposed in the housing to separate the first and second chambers. The separation means has a passage means constructed and arranged in the separation means to provide fluid communication between the first and second chambers and to control the concentration of the treatment fluid introduced into the second chamber. [0017] The circulation means is in communication with the first and second chambers and draws the treatment fluid through the passage means onto the food product and circulates unused treatment fluid to the first chamber. [0018] In another aspect, the invention provides a method of impinging a food product with treatment fluid. The method comprises the steps of providing a treatment fluid at a first zone and a food product to be treated at a second zone and drawing the treatment fluid from the first zone into the second zone through a passageway of select construction. [0019] The treatment fluid is then drawn from the passageway into the second zone as a jet spray. The food product in the second zone is impinged with the jet spray of the treatment fluid. The unused treatment fluid is circulated from the second zone to the first zone. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0020] Embodiments of the invention are disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings and are for illustrative purposes only. The invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction, or the arrangement of the components, illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in other various ways. Like reference numerals are used to indicate like components. [0021] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic flow diagram of one embodiment of a process for preparing a baked food product. Continue reading about Apparatus and method for providing treatment to a continuous supply of food product by impingement... Full patent description for Apparatus and method for providing treatment to a continuous supply of food product by impingement Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Apparatus and method for providing treatment to a continuous supply of food product by impingement patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Apparatus and method for providing treatment to a continuous supply of food product by impingement or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Wine aging method and system Next Patent Application: Bakery product which is protected against spoilage and process for preventing mould spoilage of bakery products Industry Class: Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Apparatus and method for providing treatment to a continuous supply of food product by impingement patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 1.26372 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Tyco , Unilever , Warner-lambert , 3m 174 |
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