Abstract:
A system for treating food product includes a tank filled with a treatment solution such as a disinfecting solution; a conveyor system including a conveyor belt disposed and moving through the tank with trays spaced along the conveyor belt which are adapted to receive the food product; and a perforated retainer member to maintain the food product in the solution between adjacent trays for exposure to the solution and to prevent the food product from floating away from the proximity of the conveyor system.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a system used to disinfect food products including, but not limited to, hot dogs, sausage, and bratwurst. More specifically, the invention relates to a system used to disinfect food products with a disinfecting or anti-microbial solution.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     In the field of food processing, it has been difficult to thoroughly clean or disinfect batches of food products quickly, continuously and sufficiently. Previously, food products such as hot dogs, sausage, and bratwurst have been loaded into large vats filled with a treatment solution. However, because the food products are individually loaded into the vat, the food products would be exposed to the solution for different time periods if the food products were thereafter removed in batches. To provide uniform time periods of exposure, another procedure was to load a batch of food products into the solution. However, since various food products are unevenly distributed in the vat, it has been difficult to insure that the batch of food products is completely bathed in the solution for the necessary amount of time.  
         [0003]     Known immersion systems include large horizontally oriented vats to process the food products, and such vats have a large footprint which consumes valuable surface area on the processing or factory floor.  
         [0004]     Therefore, there is a need for a system to be able to completely and continously expose batches of food products for select uniform periods of time to disinfecting solutions for the food products, the system requiring both reduced floor space and user intervention.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     There is accordingly provided in the present invention a system for contacting product with a solution comprising a container for the solution and in which the product is exposed to the solution, a conveyor for conveying the product through the solution in the container, and retaining means disposed at the container for retaining the product in the treatment solution proximate the conveyor, the retaining means comprising a passageway through which the conveyor travels for providing fluid communication of the solution with the product.  
         [0006]     An apparatus is provided for bathing food product in a treatment solution comprising a tank, a treatment solution in the tank, a conveyor disposed for movement through the tank to convey the food product through the treatment solution, a guide assembly coacting with the conveyor to guide movement of said conveyor through said tank, and a retaining member at said tank for providing a passage through said tank for said conveyor, said retaining member retaining said food product in the passage proximate to said conveyor for exposure to the treatment solution.  
         [0007]     A process for treating a food product with a solution is provided comprising providing the food product to be exposed to a solution, conveying the food product on a conveyor to the solution, guiding the food product with the conveyor through the solution, retaining the food product being guided through the solution from being floatably displaced away from proximity to the conveyor during transport through the solution, and removing the food product from the solution with the conveyor.  
         [0008]     A process for treating food product with a solution is provided comprising providing a passage in the solution, moving the food product through the passage, buoyantly displacing the food product in the passage for exposure to the solution, and removing the food product from the solution.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the drawing Figures included, of which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of the product dip conveyor system; and  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a feature of the system shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the product dip conveyor system, hereinafter referred to as the “system”, is indicated generally at  10 . The system  10  includes a housing  12  having a bottom  13  and a plurality of side walls, i.e. a front side wall  14 , a rear side wall  15 , a first side wall  16  and second side wall  17  (“sidewalls  14 - 17 ”). To insure mobility and stability with respect to an underlying surface  11 , such as for example at a factory floor, casters  18  and stabilizers  19  are mounted to the bottom  13 . Once the system  10  is positioned for its intended use, the casters  18  are locked and the stabilizers  19  extended to stabilize the housing  12  at a select location upon the underlying surface  11 .  
         [0013]     A product feed mechanism (not shown) or an “upstream” piece of processing equipment such as a peeler device (not shown) disposed at an exterior of the housing  12  delivers food product  20  (e.g., hot dogs, sausage, bratwurst, etc.) to the system  10  by, for example, a conveyor (not shown) constructed and arranged to transport the food product  20  to the system  10 . The food product  20  may consist instead of the unfinished composition to manufacture the hot dogs, etc.  
         [0014]     The feed mechanism delivers the food product  20  to the housing  12  through a product infeed opening  22  of the sidewall  17 , which is configured to allow the food product  20  to enter the housing  12  without obstruction. An infeed ramp  23  is used to transfer the food product  20  to a conveyor assembly generally indicated at  24  and disposed in the housing  12 .  
         [0015]     The conveyor assembly  24  transports the food product  20  through the system  10  in the direction of arrow  25  by delivering the food product  20  from the infeed ramp  23  to an immersion tank  26 , and thereafter to an outfeed opening  28 . An outfeed ramp  29  is provided adjacent the outfeed opening  28  to direct the food product  20  from the conveyor assembly  24  to a removal mechanism, such as a outfeed conveyor belt  21 . The removal mechanism is configured to remove the food product  20  from the system to a remote location for further processing if necessary.  
         [0016]     During operation of the system  10 , the conveyor assembly  24  transports the food product  20  to be exposed, such as bathed, in a disinfecting or anti-microbial solution (hereinafter “solution”)  27  provided in the immersion tank  26 . The solution  27  disinfects the food product  20  before further processing thereof, and is preferably an anti-microbial liquid. To enhance efficiency, the system  10  can be operated in a continous process. Moreover, operation of the system  10  insures that each batch of the food product  20  is in contact with the solution for a predetermined period of time.  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , to facilitate batch processing of the food product  20 , the conveyor assembly  24  includes a plurality of buckets or trays, also referred to as flights  30 , each of which is formed with at least one and preferably a plurality of slotted apertures  33  therethrough for a purpose describe below. The trays  30  each include a first side  31  and a second side  32  opposite to the first side  31 , and are adapted to carry a batch  34  of the food product  20  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Each tray  30  includes preferably a plurality of fingers  35  which extend from the tray  30 . The fingers  35  support a lip  36  of preferably a polymer material, such as for example ultra high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene. The arrangement of the lip  36  with respect to the corresponding tray  30  is to retain food product on the trays  30  prior to, and during the immersion process. The lip  36  can alternatively be mounted directly to the tray without use of the fingers  35 . Each tray  30  is provided with a myriad of dimples or depressions along the surface at sides  31 ,  32  to reduce adhesion of the food product to the sides  31 ,  32  and facilitate food product removal from the trays  30 .  
         [0018]     The trays  30  may each be removably mounted to a conveyor belt  37  for maintenance, cleaning and repair. The conveyor belt  37  is arranged as a continues loop at the interior of the housing  12 , and consists of a multiplicity of hingedly connected modules. Each tray  30  is releasably attached to a corresponding one of the modules. The modules each include teeth  38  adapted for co-action as discussed below.  
         [0019]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the conveyor belt  37  is guided and driven by a plurality of sprockets which include: a first upper sprocket  41 , a second upper sprocket  42 , an intermediate sprocket  43  and a lower sprocket  44  (“sprockets  41 - 44 ”). Each of the sprockets  41 - 44  include teeth  45  adapted to coact with the teeth  38  of the modules. As such, at least one of the sprockets  41 - 44  drive the conveyor belt  37  within the housing  12 . By way of example, the second upper sprocket  42  is connected to an AC drive gear motor  46  for driving the sprocket  42  and hence, the conveyor belt  37 .  
         [0020]     A guide assembly shown generally at  50  is provided to further direct the movement of the conveyor belt  37 . The guide assembly  50  consists of components disposed for coaction with the immersion tank  26 . The guide assembly  50  consists of a first guide member  51  preferably oriented vertically, a second guide member  52  preferably oriented vertically, and a pair of arcuate-shaped guide members  53 ,  54 . The guide members  53 ,  54  are disposed within the immersion tank  26 . The arcuate shaped guide member  54  is supported by struts  55  at an interior of the immersion tank  26 . All the guide members  51 - 54  are preferably formed of a polymer or material similar to that which is used to manufacture the conveyor belt  27 .  
         [0021]     The first guide member  51  is preferably orientated vertically with respect to the housing  12  to thereby guide the conveyor belt  37  vertically toward the first upper sprocket  41 . The first guide member is disposed external to the immersion tank  26 . The arcuate guide members  53 ,  54  are arranged in the immersion tank  26  at opposed sides of the conveyor belt  37  and are constructed and arranged with sufficient rigidity to direct the conveyor belt  37  in a U-shaped direction within the immersion tank  26 . The conveyor belt  27  moves between the arcuate guide members  53 ,  54  which are disposed at opposed sides of the conveyor belt  27 .  
         [0022]     The arcuate guide members  53 ,  54  preferably do not span the entire width of the conveyor belt  27  so as not to impede movement of the belt with the trays  30  being transported therewith.  
         [0023]     In construction, each of the arcuate guide members  53 ,  54  can be arranged as strips in registration with edge portions of the conveyor belt  27  to direct the conveyor belt  27  in the U-shaped path within the immersion tank  26 . The struts  55  support the arcuate guide member  54  above the inner surface of the immersion tank  26  so that the solution  27  can completely fill the immersion tank  26 . The second guide member  52  is arranged external to the immersion tank  26  to direct the conveyor belt  37  exiting the immersion tank  26  in a downward vertical direction to the outfeed opening  28 .  
         [0024]     The material used to construct the conveyor belt  27  and the guide members  51 - 54  is preferably of similar or complimentary materials so that the sliding engagement of the conveyor belt  37  with respect to the guide members  51 - 54  will facilitate a smooth, uninterrupted, uniform flow of the conveyor belt  27  throughout the immersion process and the housing  12 .  
         [0025]     The guide assembly  50  also includes a perforated guide  58  which extends into the immersion tank  26  and over the path of the conveyor belt  37  in the tank  26 . The perforated guide  58  functions as a duct with a passageway  40  through which the conveyor belt  37  and trays  30  effectively transport the food product  20  through the immersion tank  26 , as will be further discussed below. The guide  58  is formed with a plurality of apertures  59  therethrough. The apertures  59  permit the solution  27  in the tank  26  to communicate freely to contact the food product  20  deposited on the trays  30 ; yet each aperture  59  is smaller than the individual food product  20  to prevent same from escaping through the apertures  59  to the central area of the tank  26 .  
         [0026]     The housing  12  is constructed with portions that are dispaceable at the infeed  22  and at the outfeed  28  provide access to the conveyor belt  37  and an interior of the housing  12 . An infeed module  60  of the housing  12  is releasably engagable to the remainder of the housing  12  such that the module  60  can be displaced from the housing to move along the support rods  61  away from the housing  12 . The outfeed module  62  is similarly releasably engagable to the remaining portion of the housing  12  and can be displaced from same to move along the support rods  61  away from housing  12  for access to the conveyor belt  37  at the outfeed opening  28  of the housing  12 . The outfeed conveyor belt  21  and the outfeed opening  28  are disposed at a select position at the outfeed module  62 .  
         [0027]     The operation of the product dip conveyor system  10  will hereinafter be described by way of example referring to certain of the trays  30 , indicated as tray  30 A and tray  30 B, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The system  10  and related process provides for accurate uniform residency time of the food product exposed to the solution  27 .  
         [0028]     In operation, the food product  20  enters the housing  12  through the infeed opening  22 . The trays  30  are moved upwardly with the conveyor belt  37  relative to the infeed opening  22  through operation of the motor  46  driving the belt  37 . As the trays  30 A and  30 B pass the infeed opening  22 , they are loaded with food product  20  entering the housing  12 . For example, food product  20  introduced into the housing  12  through the opening  22  slides down the infeed ramp  23  to be loaded onto the trays  30 A and  30 B.  
         [0029]     Because the conveyor belt  37  is maintained, for example, at a constant speed of approximately ten feet per second (10 ft./sec), and the amount of food product  20  entering the housing  12  is maintained at a constant feed rate by the feed mechanism, the amount of food product  20  loaded onto the trays  30 A and  30 B can be uniform and accurately controlled. However, by varying the speed of the conveyor belt  37 , or by varying the amount of food product  20  entering the housing via the feed mechanism, the amount of food product  20  carried by the trays  30 A and  30 B can be selectively adjusted.  
         [0030]     After a batch  34  of food product  20  is loaded onto the first side  31  of each of the trays  30 A and  30 B, each batch  34  is initially moved in an upward direction by the conveyor belt  37 . The conveyor belt  37  and trays  30 A and  30 B are initially directed along the first guide member  51 .  
         [0031]     Upon reaching the first upper sprocket  41 , the trays  30 A,  30 B enter the perforated guide  58 , and the conveyor belt  37  is redirected substantially one-hundred-eighty degrees (180°) downwardly into the immersion tank  26  due to the arrangement of the arcuate guide members  53 ,  54 . The perforated guide  58  extends over the guide members  53 ,  54 ; the apertures  59  of the guide  58  providing fluid communication for the solution  27  in the immersion tank  26  to contact the trays and the batch  34 .  
         [0032]     During the transition of the conveyor belt  37  and trays  30 A,  30 B over the first upper sprocket  41 , the batch  34  of food product  20  loaded onto the first side  31  of tray  30 B falls under the effect of gravity onto the second side  32  of preceding tray  30 A, for immersion into the solution  27  in the immersion tank  26 . The sides  31 ,  32  of each tray  30  are sized and shaped to catch and support the batch  34  dropped from the next successive or following tray  30 .  
         [0033]     The buoyancy of the food product  20  may cause the batch  34  to rise off the second surface  32  of tray  30 A and float toward the surface of the solution  27 . Although the movement of the trays  30 A and  30 B through the solution  27  would normally cause oscillations of the solution  27 , thereby causing the batch  34  to drift away from the belt  37  and into the center of the immersion tank  26 , the perforated guide  58  maintains the batch  34  in proximity to the belt  37  and between trays  30 A and  30 B. As such, as tray  30 B is moving downwardly along the U-shaped guide, the first side  31  of tray  30 B captures the batch  34  of food product  20 , which had floated off the preceding tray that it had landed on, and carries that batch  34  until the tray  30 B reaches the lower region of the tank  26 .  
         [0034]     The lip  36  contacts or is in close proximity to the perforated guide  58  to prevent batch  34  from escaping its position between adjacent trays  30 , such as trays  30 A,  30 B.  
         [0035]     At the lower region of the immersion tank  26  the conveyor belt  37  and trays  30 A and  30 B transition again substantially one-hundred-eighty degrees (180°) from downward movement to upward movement to exit the tank  26 . After the transition of trays  30 A and  30 B upwardly along the arcuate guide member  53 , the batch  34  of food product  20 , due to its buoyancy, may float in the solution  27 . As the batch  34  is trapped between trays  30 A and  30 B, the batch  34  remains submerged in the solution  27  at a position adjacent to the second side  32  of the preceding tray  30 A. The perforated guide  58  continues to retain the batch  34  in proximity to the conveyor belt  37 .  
         [0036]     After reaching the surface of the solution  27  in the immersion tank  26 , the batch  34  that was submerged adjacent the second surface  32  of tray  30 A floats until being captured by the first side  31  of tray  30 B as tray  30 B emerges from the solution  27 .  
         [0037]     As a result of the movement of trays  30 A and  30 B through the immersion tank  26 , the batch  34  trapped therebetween has been forcibly submerged. Furthermore, because the batch  34  is buoyant during its movement in the submersion tank  26 , the batch  34  is completely immersed and bathed in the solution  26 .  
         [0038]     After exiting the solution  27 , the conveyor belt  37  and trays  30 A and  30 B move over the second upper sprocket  42  and are transitioned substantially one-hundred-eighty degrees (180°) downwardly along the second guide member  52 . The batch  34  is contained between the trays  30 A and  30 B in the solution  27  by the perforated guide  58  until the trays  30 A and  30 B reach the second upper sprocket  42 . Consequently, the batch  34  previously carried by the first side  31  of tray  30 B falls onto the second side  32  of tray  30 A.  
         [0039]     The apertures  33  of the trays  30  permit same to drain more rapidly and such construction reduces the resistance of the tray during movement through the solution, thereby facilitating movement of the trays  30  through the solution  27 . Movement of the trays  30  through the solution  27  forces the solution through the tray apertures  33  to displace the food product  34  which has fallen off the first side  31  of the following tray ( 30 B) to rest on second side  32  of the proceeding tray ( 30 A).  
         [0040]     After reaching the intermediate sprocket  43 , the conveyor belt  37  is redirected or transitioned by the convex-shaped guide member  56  toward the lower sprocket  44  for subsequent loading of the food product  20  at the infeed ramp  23 . The guide member  56  is preferably constructed of a material similar to that which was used to construct the guide members  51 - 54 . Due to the transition of the conveyor belt  37  by the convex-shaped guide member  56 , the batch  34  from the second side  32  of tray  30 A is dropped onto the outfeed conveyor belt  21  for discharge and removal. The dimples  39  at the sides  31 ,  32 , of the trays  30  substantially reduce if not eliminate adhesion of the food product  20  to the sides  31 ,  32 , so as to facilitate removal of the batch  34  from the trays  30 . The outfeed ramp  29  is provided adjacent the outfeed opening  28  to insure that the batch  34  exits the housing  12  through the outfeed opening  28  to the outfeed belt  21 .  
         [0041]     A circulation system shown generally at  63  is provided to replenish and maintain the solution  27  in the immersion tank  26 , as the solution  27  may be displaced or depleted by operation of the conveyor assembly  24 . That is, the trays  30  and the food product  20  loaded thereon displace solution  27  when being forcibly submerged in the tank  26  and the circulation system  64  is open sided facing the tank  26 , and is may be provided to effectively maintain the level of the solution  27  in the immersion tank  26  despite such activity. Solution  27  is lost from the tank  26  through the adhesion of the solution  27  to the conveyor belt  37 , trays  30  and food product  20  exiting the tank  26 . Evaporation of the solution  27  may also necessitate replenishment of same.  
         [0042]     As part of the circulation system  63 , the bottom  13  of the housing  12  is sealed to provide a reservoir  64 . The reservoir  64  is open-sided facing the tank  26 , and is configured to hold solution used to replenish the solution  27  in the immersion tank  26  to a select level. The reservoir  64  holds solution which is initially for the system  10 , solution which is supplied from a source (not shown) external to system  10 , and solution which overflows the immersion tank  26  due to displacement therefrom.  
         [0043]     Upon operation of the system  10 , the solution in the reservoir  64  may be at a level indicated generally at  65  (in one embodiment, approximately 9 gallons). However, as the system  10  is operating, the solution is pumped from the reservoir  64  to the immersion tank  26 . As such, any solution  27  displaced by the food product  20  overflows the submersion tank  26 , and is captured in the reservoir  64 . During operation of the system  10 , the solution is at a level  65  in the reservoir  64  and can increase to a level  66  representing for example 9 gallons and 20 gallons, respectively.  
         [0044]     The circulation system  63  includes a circulation pump  67  to supply solution to the immersion tank  26  through circulation line  68 . The circulation line  68  extends from the circulation pump  67  to discharge at a discharge port  70  above the immersion tank  26 . The circulation pump  67  is positioned adjacent the lower proximity of the housing  12 , and fluidly communicates with reservoir  64  through pump line  69 . The circulation pump  67  draws solution from the reservoir  64  through the pump line  69  and moves the solution through the circulation line  68  to replenish the immersion tank  26  with solution  27 .  
         [0045]     The circulation system  63  also includes a level switch  71  for sensing the level of solution  27  in the reservoir  64 . The switch  71  is connected by a signal line  72  to the circulation pump  67  and generates a signal to activate the pump  67  if the level of solution  27  in the reservoir  64  is not sufficient for operation. Thereafter, a supply of solution may be provided via solution input port  73  to the reservoir  64  until the solution reaches level  66  or other desired level.  
         [0046]     A reservoir sump screen or filter  74  is disposed in the pumpline  69  where the line  69  is in fluid communication with the reservoir  64 . The filter  74  screens any unwanted particulate matter from returning to the pump  67  and the immersion tank  26 . Other filter elements may be used at the reservoir  64  to remove fats, oils, greases and other undesirable compositions.  
         [0047]     During operation of system  10 , tension in the conveyor belt  37  is maintained by a belt tensioner generally indicated at  75 . The belt tensioner  75  includes a pneumatic cylinder  76  having a piston or reciprocating arm  77  extending therefrom. A distal end of the piston  77  is connected to the lower sprocket  44 . The piston  77  is activated by the pneumatic cylinder  76  for the piston  77  to move the lower sprocket  44  to correctly tension the conveyor belt  37 .  
         [0048]     A door  78  of the housing  12  provides access to an interior of the housing. One of the sidewalls  14 - 17  may also be constructed with a removable panel (not shown) to provide more direct access to the immersion tank  26 , perforated guide  58  and conveyor belt  37 . A top access port  79  provides access to an interior of the housing  12  above the immersion tank  26 . A drain port  80  is provided in a sidewall of the housing  12 , such as the front sidewall  14 . The drain port  80  is in fluid communication with the immersion tank  26  to drain solution  27  therefrom, or to sample existing solution in the tank  26  to determine efficacy of the solution  27 .  
         [0049]     The features of the system  10  enable the user to strictly control the residence time of the product exposure to the solution  27 . The arrangement of the continuous conveyor belt  37  of the system  10  provides for the housing  12  of the system  10  to occupy a smaller area of the underlying surface  11  of a factory floor.  
         [0050]     It will be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary, and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as described hereinabove and claimed. It should be understood that any embodiments described hereinabove are not only in the alternative, but can also be combined.