Abstract:
A system for coating fruit with a substance utilizing a vat that stores a coating substance which can be applied via a dipping process. A dipping cover having a rim is provided for engaging an upper rim of the vat. A dipping tray carries a plurality of fruit items and includes a plurality of receptacles for carrying the fruit items. The dipping tray has a profile smaller than the interior of the vat allowing the dipping tray to be lowered so that the coating substance contained within the interior of the vat may engage the fruit. The dipping cover is configured for supporting the dipping tray in an elevated position once the fruit has been coated allowing excess coating to be vibrated off the dipped fruit.

Description:
The present invention relates to the industry which prepares fruit arrangements for special occasions and more particularly to a system and method for dipping multiple fruit specimens simultaneously. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The creation of fruit into decorative arrangements has been pioneered by Edible Arrangements Inc. These arrangements are colorful, festive and appealing to the eye. By being comprised of fruit, they are also edible and fun to experience. These arrangements have become extremely popular as a substitute for floral arrangements given for special occasions such as holidays, Valentine&#39;s Day, birthdays and the like. However, these arrangements are more than a “fruit basket” comprising an assembly of fruit, such arrangements have special appearances which mimic flowers such as daisies and the like. These clever designs present an eye appeal which renders the arrangements as fruit representing art. 
     The preparation of the fruit into suitable configurations for assembly into arrangements has become a specialized task. Many hours of creativity has been required in order to develop methods of processing fruit which can be done in a manner which is easily replicated for consistent application among franchisees of such business for maintaining the good will of the business. 
     The popularity of such fruit arrangements places undue burden on the businesses as multiple orders need to be filled. As the arrangements are personally made by hand, such arrangements require extensive amounts of time to prepare. The time required to prepare the fruit arrangements sometimes becomes problematic when exceptionally large volumes of orders for these distinctive bouquets are place on special occasions such as Valentine&#39;s Day and Mother&#39;s Day. On these particular events the craftsman are required to produce exceptionally large volumes of these displays which becomes very time consuming. Hence, a need arises for a system which enables a large volume of particular fruit components of fruit arrangements to be processed in a timely and consistent manner. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide for an apparatus which enables the mass production of a fruit component for a fruit arrangement in a timely and consistent manner. 
     SUMMARY 
     A system for coating fruit with a substance utilizing a vat that stores a coating substance which can be applied via a dipping process. A dipping cover having a rim is provided for engaging an upper rim of the vat. A dipping tray carries a plurality of fruit items and includes a plurality of receptacles for carrying the fruit items. The dipping tray has a profile smaller than the interior of the vat allowing the dipping tray to be lowered so that the coating substance contained within the interior of the vat may engage the fruit. The dipping cover is configured for supporting the dipping tray in an elevated position once the fruit has been coated allowing excess coating to be vibrated off the dipped fruit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are not drawn to scale, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates the apparatuses for utilization in coating a plurality of fruit specimens simultaneously for incorporation into fruit arrangements according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is an exploded view of the apparatuses for utilization in coating a plurality of fruit specimens simultaneously for incorporation into fruit arrangements according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2B  is an illustrative view of a plurality of strawberries positioned on skewers carried by a holding tray in position for placement into the coating apparatus; 
         FIG. 2C  is a sectional view illustrating respective skewers being held in releasable frictional engagement with a holding tray according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a close up view illustrating the holding tray carried by a dipping frame according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates the holding tray presenting a plurality of fruit specimens for coating according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4A  illustrates the dipping frame having an adjustable height for providing different configurations for dipping fruit specimens of different sizes; 
         FIG. 4B  illustrates the dipping frame in position for presenting a first fruit specimen like strawberries into the coating reservoir according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4C  illustrates the dipping frame in position for presenting a second fruit specimen like apples which are larger than strawberries into the coating reservoir according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5A  illustrates a close up view of a locking mechanism of the dipping frame to retain the holding tray in an elevated position according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5B  illustrates the holding tray in position for dipping the fruit specimens; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the holding tray in an elevated, supported position after the fruit specimens have been coated enabling excess coating from the fruit specimens to be agitated off of the fruit specimens according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the components of the coating apparatus according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As required, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. These embodiments are meant to be examples of various ways of implementing the invention and it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in alternative forms. The figures are not to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular elements, while related elements may have been eliminated to prevent obscuring novel aspects. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , a multitude of fruit specimens such as strawberries are processed through the multi-dipping mechanism. Other fruits may include apples, bananas, pineapples, or melons. The multi-dipping system preferably includes a food warmer dipping vat  100  commonly available from Server Products, www.server-products.com, which is designed for warming dipping or coating substances such as chocolate. The dipping vat includes a general housing which defines an interior for storing the dipping coating. An upper rim  102  defines an opening which communicates with and provides access to the interior enabling the fruit to be presented to the dipping coating and removed. 
     As shown in FIGS.  1  and  2 A- 2 C, the multi-dipping system utilizes a dipping tray  104  which has a plurality of holes  106  configured in an array for receiving skewers  108 . The array is designed to enable the fruit specimens to have spacing between then allowing the coating to pass onto all sides of the respective fruit specimens. In the embodiment shown, seven rows of five holes are presented allowing for thirty-five pieces of fruit to be simultaneously coated. The dipping try  104  preferably includes an elevated platform  110  which carries the respective holes. The platform is carried by a first and second pedestal  112  located on opposing sides of the platform. The pedestal may be a singular leg or as shown in the drawings a configuration which includes two legs positioned on corners of the platform and connected with a base support. A space is defined underneath the raised platform and the base of the respective legs which provides for clearance of the skewers when the fruit specimens are positioned within the holes. The skewers are utilized as a mechanism for transitioning the fruit from the dipping tray and for incorporation into a respective fruit arrangement. In this manner the length of the skewers it greater than the height of the legs enabling a portion of the skewers to be present above the platform providing for a gripping surface to remove the skewers and also separation of the fruit from the platform should the entire fruit be desired fully coated. 
     As shown in close-up in  FIG. 2C  grommets  120  are positioned within the respective holes to provide a frictional surface for retaining the respective skewers in position when placed within the respective holes. As shown in  FIG. 2B  the dipping tray is positioned on the ground with the legs engaging the ground when the fruit specimens are positioned in the tray prior to being dipped into the dipping station. As shown in  FIG. 2A , the dipping tray is inverted for presenting the respective fruit specimens into the dipping vat for being covered by the dipping substance. In this dipping configuration the grommets secure the skewers in place enabling the respective fruit specimens to be presented “head first” into the dipping vat. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A ,  3 A and  3 B, a dipping collar  130  is adapted for being attached to the upper rim of the dipping vat. The dipping collar has a lip  132  and downwardly extending sidewalls  134  which preferably contact the respective sidewalls of the vat providing for a secure “cap” of the dipping vat. The lip  132  defines a central opening for communicating with the interior of the dipping vat enabling fruit to pass through the profile created by the cap and into the interior of the dipping vat for engaging the coating substance. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A ,  3 A and  3 B the dipping collar includes a plurality of upwardly extending dipping tray supports  140 . Preferably dipping tray supports  140  are positioned in the proximity of the corners of the dipping vat. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A ,  3 A,  3 B,  4 A and  8 , dipping tray  104  is preferably carried by a retention rack  150  during the dipping process. Retention rack  150  includes a plurality of offset horizontal wire arms  152  which are attached to perpendicularly oriented side arms  154  which preferably are bent upwards to a height greater than the height of the fruit specimens carried by the dipping tray and legs of the dipping tray. In this manner the retention rack may carry the dipping tray in a manner such that when the dipping tray is in position for dipping within the respective vat, the upside down fruit specimens are positioned above the wire arms of the retention rack enabling the dipping substance to pass over the wire arms of the retention rack and be deposited on the respective fruit specimens. In one embodiment, the dipping tray includes a plurality of tabs  160  which extend from the base of the respective legs in a general horizontal direction. The retention rack preferably includes a plurality of seats  162  disposed at an upper end of the retention rack for receiving the tabs  160  of the dipping tray. In this manner the dipping tray may be carried in an elevated position above the horizontal arms of the retention rack enabling the horizontal arms to function as a safety catcher and catch any fruit specimen which may inadvertently come loose from the dipping tray during the dipping process. The combination of the retention rack and dipping tray forms a dipping assembly. Additionally, the retention rack includes a plurality of handles  172  enabling for the easy movement of the dipping assembly when the dipping tray is carried by the retention rack. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B and  8 , the upwardly dipping tray supports  140  of dipping collar  130  include a retaining member  170  for retaining dipping tray  114  in an elevated position above the interior of the dipping vat. In the preferred embodiment the retaining member  170  is a notch formed within the upwardly extending leg for receiving either a portion of the retention member or an appendage  176  carried by the retention rack. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5B , the retention rack carrying the dipping tray is removed from the respective retaining member  170  and is lowered for presenting the fruit into the coating substance in a dipping manner. In one embodiment, the respective dipping tray supports  140  include a central channel  175  enabling the passing of the retention rack from an elevated retained position to a lowered position suitable for presenting the respective fruit specimens to the coating substance. As shown in  FIG. 8 , an alternative embodiment includes the retention rack  150  having a length which is shorter than the interior space  180  defined by the dipping collar so the retention rack  150  is offset from the respective edges of the dipping collar. This offset enables the retention rack  150  to be removed from the respective retaining member  170  in a lateral direction while still being presented over the interior of the dipping vat for lowering. Upon removal from the coating substance the appendages  176  of the retention rack would be positioned on the respective retaining member  170 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A,  3 B,  4 B,  5 B,  6 ,  7  and  8  an electronic vibrating device  190  is utilized for vibrating the dipping collar and subsequently the retention rack and the dipping tray  140 . The vibrating device preferably is a shaker which oscillates providing for sufficient vibration to shake access coating from the respective dipped fruit while the fruit is suspended above the dipping vat after the fruit has been dipped and is covered with the respective coating. The vibrating device  190  includes an Off/On control so that it is operable only when desired which is when the fruit is initially coated and suspended above the dipping vat. The vibrating device will vibrate the respective fruit skewers and fruit providing for a clean process for removing access coating from the fruit. The retention rack ensures that should the vibration disengaged any respective skewer from its respective frictional engagement with the holes in the dipping tray, the fruit will be caught by the arms of the wire rack above the dipping substance thereby still ensuring a “clean” coated product. 
     Once the required time for vibrating the components and fruit has passed the vibrations are ceased and the dipping tray is lifted from the retention rack and flipped over so that the legs of the dipping tray rest on a surface as shown in  FIG. 1 . In this manner the coating layer is allowed to cool and harden on the respective fruit. The skewers are preferably longer than the respective legs of the dipping tray so they may also engage the surface when the legs of the dipping tray rest on the surface and also include an additional length which elevates the dipped fruit above the tray&#39;s platform providing access to the skewer and removal from the dipping tray once the coating substance has cooled. 
     Accordingly, it may be seen that an advantageous system for dipping a multitude of fruit specimens simultaneously may be had in an efficient and clean manner according to the present invention. A dipping tray is provided which has openings defined within a horizontal platform in an array in both a lateral and longitudinal arrangements enabling a plurality of fruit specimens being carried by skewers or the like to be received within the array for subsequent dipping. The skewers are maintained in frictional engagement with the openings enabling for the easy removal of the fruit from the dipping station by removal of the respective skewers. A dipping cover engages the upper portion of a dipping vat which contains a coating substance which the fruit will be dipped into. The dipping cover includes an elevated support for retaining the dipping tray in an elevated position. When dipping is desired the dipping tray is lowered into the dipping vat and removed and positioned onto the elevated supports of the dipping cover which maintains the dipped fruit over the interior of the dipping vat. In this position the dipping tray is agitated to shake off any excess coating and the dipping tray is positioned in a manner such that the excess coating is deposited back into the interior of the dipping vat eliminating waste and maintaining a clean station. Once the excess coating has been removed, the dipping tray is flipped over and positioned onto a surface until the coating is cooled.