Abstract:
The variable geometry seasoning tumbler is an adjustable tumbling device that allows for the uniform application of seasoning of snack food product such as potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, and the like. With the adjustable tumbling device, uniform application of seasoning can be achieved while minimizing snack food product breakage. The tumbler has adjustable upper and lower rolls that support a belt that receives and processes the snack food product. The belt has a catenary region wherein snack product is processed in a tumbling bed. By adjusting one or both rolls, the dimensions of the tumbling bed and the inclination of the belt can be easily modified. Thereby, the tumbling parameters can be optimized for each type of snack product being seasoned.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying seasoning to snack food products such as potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for applying seasoning uniformly by having an adjustable configuration that minimizes snack food product breakage during application. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Snack food products, particularly seasoned snacks, are popular snack choices with consumers. For example, potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, and the like are seasoned prior packaging. To season, snack food products are typically seasoned by sprinkling one or more seasonings onto the surface of the snack food products while being tumbled in a drum type tumbler. The seasonings for snacks include salt, barbecue flavoring, sour cream and onion flavor, vinegar flavor, cheese, and others. 
     Seasoning is spread onto the snacks by sprinkling on the surface of the products while being tumbled after they have been cooked. The application and distribution of the seasoning onto the snacks is a factor in product quality. If the seasoning is not distributed evenly onto the snacks, some snacks receive excessive amounts of the desired quantity of seasoning while others receive less than desired amounts of seasoning. Achieving the optimum compromise between uniform seasoning coverage of the snack product along with minimum product breakage requires selection of a tumbler drum with a particular design. Factors involved in the proper selection include length, diameter, lifting flight design, tumbling RPM, and inclination angle. This depends on the size, shape, bulk density, and production rate of the particular snack product being seasoned. Often, a tumbler drum must be used that is not ideal because the drum seasons a variety of different products. This results in a higher than necessary product breakage and sub-optimal seasoning coverage. Basically, the overall quality of the snacks will be poor if the seasoning is not applied evenly or if a significant amount of snack product is broken. In addition to the aesthetic aspects of seasoning distribution, economics suffer if the seasoning is applied inefficiently or if snack product is broken. 
     In FIG. 1, a prior art seasoning applicator  10  is shown for seasoning snack food products  12 . Unseasoned snack food products  12  enters cylindrical tumbling drum  14  at one end through a funnel  18 . The end of the drum  14  through which the snack food products  12  are introduced is elevated with respect to a discharge end  20 . Thereby, snack food products  12  are moved by gravity toward discharge end  20 . As drum  14  is axially rotated, baffles  16 , which extend longitudinally along the interior surface of drum  14 , lift food products  12  to aid in applying the seasoning. A seasoning dispenser  22  has a tube portion  24  that extends into drum  14 . Within tube  24  is an auger  26  that is in communication with seasoning hopper  30 . As auger  26  is spun, seasoning from hopper  30  is carried through tube  24  and exits through apertures  32  which are disposed on a portion of tube  24  that extends into drum  14 . As seasoning is supplied into drum  14 , a seasoning curtain  34  is formed through which snack food products  12  pass through. 
     As shown in the prior art device of FIG. 1, conventional seasoning devices utilize a tumbling drum to assist in apply seasoning onto snack food products. To achieve a uniform amount of seasoning over snack product, the snack product must be tumbled in a tumbler with the proper characteristics, as described above. As it is more economical to use a single production line to make a variety of snack products, not all snack products are seasoned as uniformly as would otherwise be desired. This is because with a variety of snack products having different sizes, shapes, and other characteristics are made with a single production line, one tumbler must be selected that will best season all the different products. The result of this seasoning is often sub-optimal coverage and product breakage. 
     Consequently, a need exists for a tumbling bed device that will assist in providing uniform seasoning coverage onto snack products while minimizing product breakage. An applicator that can be modified to accommodate the different products to be seasoned with a single production line is desired. Thereby, snack products with uniform seasoning coverage can be produced while avoiding product breakage. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An exemplary embodiment of the invention is for a seasoning tumbler for applying seasoning onto snack food products such as potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, and the like. The seasoning tumbler has an adjustable geometry in that a belt suspended between an upper and lower rolls that are each adjustable forms the tumbling bed. The belt extends transversely across a predetermined width wherein a slack portion, catenary portion, is formed in the belt. To support the rolls, support arms are provided at least at one for holding the rolls cantilevered or, alternatively, support arms are provided at each side of the rolls. 
     Snack food products fed onto the belt are tumbled in the catenary portion which is formed on a top portion of the belt. To form the catenary portion, the upper roll is suspended higher and backward from the lower roll. The belt is rotated by motion of the lower roll thereby creating the slack region. By having the entry point of the snack food product onto the belt higher than its departure point, the snack food product will travel along the belt in a downward manner. As snack food product is lifted up along with the belt, the product reaches a point where it is overcome by gravity and falls back toward the lower roll. The snack food product is then captured by the moving belt to repeat this tumbling pattern. To aid the lifting of the product by the belt, flights or cleats can be optionally provide transversely and intermittently across the belt. 
     Advantageously, the geometry of the tumbling region is adjustable to optimize the application of the seasoning depending on the type of product being seasoned. For example, the inclination of the belt is adjusted by adjusting the slope with movement of both rolls. Thereby, the tumbling time can be increased or decreased as needed. To adjust the curvature of the catenary portion, the top roll can be moved either toward or away from the bottom roll. Thereby, the tumbling bed can be made deeper or shallower. With the adjustability of the tumbling bed, multiple types of snack food can be seasoned uniformly with one production line while minimizing product breakage. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a rotating tumbling drum of the prior art applying a curtain of seasoning; 
     FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a variable geometry seasoning tumbler of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the variable geometry seasoning tumbler in FIG. 2 along showing the motion of the tumbling bed of snack food product being seasoned; 
     FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the variable geometry seasoning tumbler in FIG. 2 showing snack food product being processed; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the variable geometry seasoning tumbler in FIG. 2 showing curvature changes of the catenary portion of the belt of the tumbler; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the variable geometry seasoning tumbler in FIG. 2 showing movement of the upper support roll to effect a change in inclination in the tumbling bed; and 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the variable geometry seasoning tumbler in FIG. 2 showing movement of both support arms for both rolls being adjusted to change the inclination of the entire belt. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Seasoned snack food products are produced with a tumbling bed device in accordance with the invention are coated with seasoning. In practice, snack food products, such as potato chips, corn chips, tortilla chips, puffed-extruded cornmeal, or the like, are seasoned prior to being packaged for sale to consumers. With the tumbling bed device made and used in accordance with the invention, seasoning applied to snack food products with a seasoning dispenser are tumbled on the tumbling bed device that can be modified depending on the snack products&#39; parameters. 
     FIG. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention of variable geometry seasoning tumbler  100 . A support base  110  has ascending support arm  120  for upper support roll  140  and ascending support arm  130  for lower support roll  142 . The support rolls  140  and  142  can comprise drum rollers or large diameter sprockets. These rolls  140 ,  142  may be retained by shafts (not shown) that are held cantilevered as shown by support arm  120 ,  130 . Alternatively, rolls  140 ,  142  may be supported at the end, which is shown unattached in FIG. 2, by another set of support arms (not shown). These rolls  140 ,  142  support and retain belt  150  such that belt  150  has a catenary portion  152  and a taut portion  154 . The catenary portion  152  is slack to allow snack food product to be tumbled within this region. On belt  150 , flights  160  are provided along the surface in a transverse pattern for picking up snack food product being tumbled by tumbler  100 . While belt  150  is shown with flights  160 , alternative protrusions such as cleats may be used to aid in tumbling the snack food product. Positioned beneath a portion of belt  150  is conveyor belt  170  for receiving tumbled snack food product from belt  150 . 
     The variable geometry seasoning tumbler  100  can be made from conventional materials such as metal, plastic, and other materials. Particularly, rolls  140 , 142  are generally comprised a durable material that can withstand the rotation and contact with belt  150 . Likewise, belt  150  is generally comprised of a durable material capable of withstanding rotation and contact by rolls  140 ,  142  and contact with snack food product that can have an elevated temperature above ambient. Belt  150  is rotated by rolls  140 ,  142  and is rotated in the direction towards upper roll  140 . Rotation is provided through the rotation of lower roll  142  to create the slack portion of catenary portion  152 . Lower roll  142  can be rotated by a drive mechanism supplied through ascending support arm  130 . By adjusting the speed of rolls  140 ,  142 , the tumbling action, product residence time in the product tumbling bed (region of tumbling) of belt  150 , and the product tumbling bed depth. 
     The effect of this rotation of belt  150  is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Tumbling of snack food product  190  occurs generally in the catenary portion  152 . Seasoning  182  is supplied from a seasoning applicator  180  that is positioned above belt  150  so that seasoning  182  will fall onto snack food product  190  as it tumbles in catenary portion  152 . With tortilla chip seasoning, oil is applied to the surface of the chips to promote seasoning adhesion to the surface of the chips. Therefore, oil application equipment (not shown) is generally located toward the entrance of seasoning tumblers. With the instant invention, the oil application equipment would be located about where tortilla chips would be introduced onto belt  150 . Seasoning  182  is applied a shortly thereafter at a location further down belt  150 . This minimizes contamination of the seasoning application equipment with oil. 
     The length of belt  150  wherein snack food product  190  is tumbled is optimally minimized to a length that includes the zones of application of oil, if utilized, and seasoning, and the space between the zones. In instances where no oil is applied, then the length would be minimized to optimally be no longer than about the zone of application for seasoning. Minimizing the time that snack food product  190  is tumbled generally reduces the amount of snack food product breakage. 
     The tumbling motion is exemplified in FIG. 3 wherein snack food product  190  is tumbled in a product bed  162  with an elliptical path. This is similar to tumbling path that would occur in a conventional tumbling drum. Snack food product  190  is supplied from snack food product supply  200  onto belt  150 . Depending on the amount of tumbling time desired, the depositing position of snack food product onto belt  150  can be altered by adjusting the position of supply  200 . The depositing position is shown with arrow  202  and arrow  204  (shown in phantom to show an alternative position on belt  150 ). In addition to the depositing position, tumbling time can be varied by adjusting the rotational speed of belt  150 , changing the inclination of the belt  150 , or by some combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment however, having the ability to introduce the product to the tumbling area of belt  150  farther along its length is desirable to adjust tumbling time independent of other factors to affect seasoning coverage. 
     Once deposited onto belt  150  at product entrance  156 , snack food products  190  are captured by flights  160  that protrude upward from belt  150 . The snack food product then travels upward towards roll  140  until snack food product  190  falls free from flights  160  due to the increasing slope of belt  150  as it travels upward toward roll  140 . Snack food product  190  will then fall back down toward roll  142  and will be picked up again by more flights  160  rotating further down on belt  150  towards the product exit  158  on belt  150 . This process repeats until snack food product  190  reaches the exit on belt  150 . The result of this process is that the bed of tumbling snack food product is cradled and tumbled in the catenary portion  152 . After exiting belt  150 , seasoned snack food product  190  is then deposited onto belt  170  for transport to product packaging or additional processing. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 show different positions of rolls  140 ,  142  to control the radius of curvature of the belt catenary and lateral inclination of the tumbling surface of belt  150 . The radius of the tumbling surface is increased from R 1  to R 2  as shown in FIG. 5 by moving roll  140  backward away from roll  142 . This results in moving belt  150  from position P 1  to position P 2  (shown in phantom). The tumbling region in catenary portion  152  can be adjusted to allow for narrow, deep product bed  162  with close roll spacing between rolls  140  and  142  or to allow for wide, shallow product bed  162  with wide roll spacing between rolls  140  and  142 . With FIG. 6, by moving the roll  140  forward and upward relative to roll  142  will increase the inclination of the tumbling bed  162 . This results in moving belt  150  from position P 1  to position P 2  with snack food product being tumbled more rapidly. Selection of the positioning of rolls  140 ,  142  is dependent on the product being seasoned and the desired seasoning effect. By altering the horizontal and vertical separation between rolls  140 ,  142 , the tumbling action and product bed depth can be controlled. 
     To change the inclination of the entire belt  150 , both rolls  140 ,  142  can be adjusted as shown in FIG.  7 . When both rolls  140 ,  142  are moved downward to increase the slope of tumbling bed  162 , assembly  100  moves from position P 1  to position P 4 . As the slope is increased, the rate of travel of snack food products  190  across belt  150  is increased. This is an additional parameter to control product seasoning. 
     With the above described invention, seasoning can be applied to snack food product with uniform seasoning coverage with minimum product breakage. The seasoning assembly achieves this with its flexible surface of variable curvature that is easily changeable to desirable parameters depending upon the product being tumbled. Another advantage is that the tumbling device of the seasoning assembly is used to tumble product in an open environment as opposed to an internal surface of conventional tumbling drum. This facilitates sanitation of the device and enables use of powder dispensers or coating applicators that are generally too large to fit into the inside of a conventional tumbling drum. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.