Separation panels in food production

A barrier panel to separate food production operations and/or operators in food processing facilities, minimizing contact between the components to minimize bacteria and contaminant harbors, which requires little or no disassembly for cleaning, the upper portion of the panel being translucent or transparent and supported by contact tabs which are rounded to minimize surface area touches.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/237,417 filed Aug. 26, 2021, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Food production areas must be designed to maintain sanitary conditions and for ease of cleaning and maintenance. Food processing and production require extra precautions compared to other manufacturing environments to prevent contaminants. Appropriate wall and floor surfaces must be chosen to facilitate sanitary conditions. In addition, appropriate barriers may be used to isolate products and prevent contaminants in the products.

Also, in areas where production workers are in close contact with one another, there is a desire and a need to separate people as they flow in opposite directions, perform work in areas where tasks must be separated, wear different garments from each other as specified by specific product contact, as well as many other reasons. Such separation of production workers may also prevent cross-contamination of food products as well as the spread of illness between production workers.

To separate production workers, manufacturers may spread out processes or tasks, or may erect barriers between workers. Spreading out processes or tasks requires a larger footprint for manufacturing, longer conveyors and other equipment, and is not usually an economically viable solution. Many manufacturers opt to erect barriers instead. Specific guidelines require such barriers used to create the separation between personnel to be washed and sanitized frequently.

Such barriers may be embodied as panels. Barriers must be easy to sanitize, and are preferably transparent or translucent so that production workers may see the products and processes before and after their stations.

There are several options for materials for such barriers, including: plastic, plexiglass, glass, and stainless steel, each having benefits and drawbacks. Plastic and plexiglass are lightweight, flexible, and shatter-resistant. However, plastic surfaces degrade over time, which creates space for bacterial and other contaminants, and would need to be frequently replaced to maintain the integrity of the panels. Glass is heavy and easily breaks during removal for cleaning. Stainless steel does not have the translucent qualities desirable in manufacturing to see the products and processes before and after each station.

Panels in food production must be cleaned frequently. One concern in food processing and production is space and connection or contact points where contaminants may become trapped and are difficult to clean. It is desirable for panel assemblies to have as few contact points as possible to minimize contamination. It is also beneficial for panel assemblies to be easy to disassemble for panel replacement.

Various panels and panel holders have been manufactured in the past. But none confront the issue of harboring bacteria in design. Existing products hold panels vertically with the use of a gripping device on various edges of the panel. The process of gripping the panel between two surfaces generates an area which harbors bacteria.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The barrier disclosed herein includes a panel designed to minimize bacteria and contaminants, separate workers, and be properly maintained easily.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An invention herein disclosed is a barrier panel to separate food production operations and/or operators in food processing facilities. The panel assembly100minimizes contact between the components to minimize bacteria and contaminant harbors. In addition, the panel assembly100does not need to be disassembled for cleaning. The upper panel portion120may be removed easily, but does not have to be removed for cleaning.

The panel assembly100may be made in various sizes and shapes, depending on the height and width needed for adequate separation.

FIG.1shows the panel assembly100comprises a lower panel portion110and vertical frame members130located at each side of the lower panel portion110. As shown inFIG.2, the lower panel portion includes at least one slot180. The lower panel portion170may include a watershed flange170, which includes the at least one slot180. The watershed flange170may include a plurality of slots180. In one embodiment, the watershed flange170extends perpendicularly out from the top of the lower panel portion110. In another embodiment, the watershed flange170extends at an acute angle with respect to the lower panel portion110such that the watershed flange170slopes downward to easily drain or deflect any material. The watershed flange170may slope downward at both sides.

The separator panel assembly100further includes vertical frame members130located at each side of the lower panel portion110. The lower panel portion110may be welded to each vertical frame member130. The lower panel portion110may also be attached with a fastener such as a screw or bolts, or may be glued to vertical frame members130. In a preferred embodiment, the lower panel portion110will be attached such that all contact points are properly sealed against contaminants, such as by seal welding.

The separator panel assembly100further comprises an upper panel portion120located above the lower panel portion110and between the vertical frame members130located at each end of the lower panel portion110. The upper panel portion120includes at least one interlock tab190at a lower end of the upper panel portion120. The at least one interlock tab190fits into the at least one slot180of lower panel portion110to connect the upper panel portion120to the lower panel portion110. In one embodiment the upper panel portion120includes a plurality of interlock tabs190to fit into a plurality of slots180in the lower panel portion110. The dimensions of the at least one interlock tab190may be smaller than the dimensions of the at least one slot180such that the at least one interlock tab190is thinner and narrower than the slot180and does not touch any portion of the slot180. The upper panel portion120may be entirely supported by the contact tabs220, as disclosed herein.

The separator panel assembly100further includes at least one stabilizer pin160located at the vertical frame member130, wherein the upper panel portion120is supported in an upright position by the at least one stabilizer pin160. The stabilizer pin160may extend inward from the vertical frame member130toward the upper panel portion120. Each side of the separator panel assembly100may include one stabilizer pin160, wherein the upper panel portion120rests between the two stabilizer pins160, and wherein one of the two stabilizer pins160is in front of the upper panel portion120and the other of the two stabilizer pins160is in back of the upper panel portion120, to support the upper panel portion120in an upright position.

The at least one stabilizer pin160may also include two prongs and a groove between the two prongs, wherein the upper panel portion120is held between the prongs, in the groove. Such a stabilizer pin160may rotate in its vertical frame member130to allow for easy removal of the upper panel portion120for cleaning and replacement.

In one embodiment, the upper panel portion120does not touch any surface at its sides other than at least one stabilizer pin160. A width of the upper panel portion120may be less than a width of the lower panel portion110, such that when the vertical frame members are attached at the lower panel portion110, a gap210exists on one or both sides of the upper panel portion120between the one or both sides of the upper panel portion120and the corresponding vertical frame member(s)130.

The watershed flange170may extend at an angle from one or both sides of the lower panel portion110. The watershed flange170may be angular at its top or may be rounded.

The upper panel portion120of the separator panel assembly may further include a contact tab220located adjacent to or in between interlock tabs190. The contact tab220may be rounded at the corners250with a tip230of the contact tab220. The contact tab220may be resting on a surface at the top of the lower panel portion110and supporting the weight of the upper panel portion120. The contact tab220may have a rounded

The separator panel assembly100may extend over a conveyor. The vertical frame member130may include an angled portion260, wherein the upper panel portion120and the lower panel portion110are also angled to correspond with a shape of the vertical frame member130.

The separator panel assembly100may also include, at the lower panel portion110, a skirt270angled downward and outward at a bottom edge of the lower panel portion110.

The lower panel portion110and the vertical frame members130are made of metal, and in a preferred embodiment, are made of stainless steel. The upper panel portion120may be made of polycarbonate glass, or some other durable translucent material.

The separation panel assembly100may be thoroughly sanitized without disassembly. In one embodiment, the only surface contacts on the separation panel assembly100are the minimized contact between the rounded trip230of the contact tab220and the top of the lower panel portion110and the contact between the upper panel portion120and the stabilizer pin180. Although the separation panel assembly100may be properly sanitized without taking the separation panel assembly100apart, it can also be assembled and disassembled for easy cleaning, maintenance and replacement of the panels. To disassemble the separator panel assembly100, the upper panel portion120may be lifted slightly to disengage the at least one interlock tab190from the at least one slot180of the lower panel portion110. The upper panel portion120can then be pivoted about the stabilizer pins160such that it is angled with respect to the lower panel portion110. The upper panel portion120can then be disengaged from the stabilizer pins160and freed. To reassemble, the upper panel portion120can be positioned between the stabilizer pins160, then aligned with the lower panel portion110and lowered onto the lower panel portion110, such that interlock tabs190engage with slots180and the upper panel portion120is supported by the contact tabs220on the top of the lower panel portion110.