Patent Number: 
Section: abstract

A product irradiation device includes an enclosure and an irradiator shell disposed in the enclosure. The shell comprises a wall or walls enclosing an irradiation source and a transport channel extending from an inlet port to an outlet port of the shell. The enclosure has an entry opening, communicating with the inlet port, through which products are introduced in succession into the transport channel from external of the enclosure. The enclosure has an exit opening, communicating with the outlet port, through which products discharged in succession from the transport channel are transported to a location external of the enclosure, the exit opening being disposed at a location different from the entry opening. The shell has a non-moving transport surface defined by a surface or surfaces of the wall or walls and upon which the products are advanced in fixed increments through the transport channel past the irradiation source. A plurality of linear actuators are provided in or on the shell for advancing the products through the transport channel. A method of irradiating products includes the steps of introducing products in succession into a transport channel of an irradiator shell, moving the products relative to and upon a non-moving transport surface of the shell such that the products are moved past an irradiation source in the shell and discharging the products in succession through an outlet port of the shell disposed at a location different from the inlet port.