Abstract:
A slicer has antimicrobial impregnated surfaces or components integrated into various parts of the slicer to reduce microbe growth.

Description:
[0001]     The present invention is directed to a food product slicer with antimicrobial impregnated surfaces/components.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Food product slicers are widely used to slice various food products, such as meats, cheeses, vegetables, and the like. The slicers typically include a rotating blade, and a reciprocating carriage that brings the food product into contact with the blade to cut a slice off of the food product. When dealing with food processing equipment, it may be desired to reduce the presence of microbes.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     A slicer has antimicrobial impregnated surfaces or components integrated into various parts of the slicer to reduce microbe growth. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]      FIG. 1  is an end view of a slicer illustrating various components that may be impregnated with antimicrobial agents;  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  is a cut-away front view of the slicer of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of the slicer of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0007]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the slicer  10  includes a slicer body  12 , a rotatable disk-like blade or knife  14 , and a carriage  16  that reciprocates along the length of the body  12  to bring the food product (not shown) that is located on the carriage  16  into and out of contact with the blade  14 . Various components of the slicer  10  may be made of antimicrobial impregnated surfaces. By way of example, various component of the carriage  16  and various control knobs may each be made of antimicrobial impregnated material. Components that are contacted by the food product to be sliced, or by the user, or by other machinery or surfaces may be desired to be made of antimicrobial impregnated material. Some of the components that may be made of antimicrobial impregnated material are identified in  FIGS. 1-3 . Some of the components that may be made of antimicrobial impregnated material may include the deflector mount  100 , meat grip  102 , on/off knob  104 , meat grip handle  106 , indexing knob  108 , meat grip hanger cap  110 , gauge plate bottom cover  112 , slide rod assembly knob  114 , lift lever handle  116 , speed control knob  118 , handle and slide rod support  120 , cover retainer, pusher truing rod, hole plug  124 , gauge plate hole plug  126 , ring guard ferrule  128 , knife shaft ring, carriage handles  132 , drip ring  134 , index bezel  136 , support tray knob  138 , lever knob  140 , product deflector, meat grip hanger  144 , sharpener handle  146 , cover disk, sharpener truing arm, dial and scale assembly  152  and transport plug  154 . Each of the components may be made of antimicrobial impregnated material, or may include a top layer of antimicrobial impregnated material located thereon. The antimicrobial agent may work continuously between cleanings to reduce the level or growth of odor and stain causing microorganisms over time.  
         [0008]     The antimicrobial agent can be any of a wide variety of antimicrobial materials such as microbiocides, antimicrobial agents including phytochemicals and phytonutrients, or antibacterial or antifungal chemical additives. The antimicrobial agent can be incorporated into plastic and/or fiberglass resins on the surface of a component, or forming the bulk of the material of the component. For example, the antimicrobial agent may be a microbial agent sold under the trademark MICROBAN® sold by Microban (Americas) of Huntersville, N.C.  
         [0009]     The antimicrobial agent may be incorporated into a fiberglass or plastic resin by a variety of methods, for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,554 to Watterson, III et al., hereby incorporated by reference. For example, the various components of the slicer may be made of antimicrobial fiber reinforced plastic (“FRP”) composites such as FRP composites having antimicrobial compounds or chemicals embedded in a polyester resin-containing composite. The FRP composite may have antimicrobial characteristics that inhibit bacterial, fungal, microbial and other pathogen growth, and the antimicrobial agents, compounds or chemicals may be embedded in the FRP composite during manufacture of the composite. Using a solubilizing agent carrier system, an antimicrobial additive may be incorporated into the amorphous zones of the molecular structure of a polyester resin from which FRP composites are formed, thereby incorporating the antimicrobial agent into the FRP composite. The levels of antimicrobial additive in the FRP composite, incorporated in the manner above, results in substantive controlled migration from the amorphous zones of the molecular structure of the polyester resin to the surface of the FRP composite, until a point of equilibrium is reached. As the surface of the FRP composite is abraded during use as equilibrium is disrupted, additional migration is stimulated, until equilibrium is again reached.  
         [0010]     The FRP composite can be made from a polyester resin composition and a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent that are batch processed and formed into the slicer components. The polyester resin composition may include a polyester resin, fiber reinforcements and a curing catalyst. A polymer resin gel coat, preferably a polyester resin gel coat, may be optionally formed with the polyester resin composition to enhance the surface properties of the FRP composite. The broad spectrum antimicrobial agents associated therewith can inhibit bacterial, fungal, viral and other pathogen growth. Preferably, an antimicrobial agent is associated or incorporated into the polyester resin from which the FRP composite is made. Thus, an effective amount of an antimicrobial substance (e.g., 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol) is incorporated therein. Levels of active ingredients or antimicrobial substances may range from about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of the FRP composite. The antimicrobial agent incorporated into the FRP composite may exhibit controlled migration through the polyester resin composition and polyester resin gel coat despite the highly crystalline structure of the polyester resin.  
         [0011]     Having described the invention in detail and by reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be apparent that modifications and variations thereof are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.