Abstract:
A food processing system circulates a processing medium along a circulation path having first and second segments perpendicular to food product travel along a horizontal conveyor. In another aspect, desired sequencing is provided including reversal of orientation order of return and supply path segments of the circulating processing medium.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY  
         [0001]    The invention relates to a food processing apparatus and method, including cooking and/or chilling, and more particularly to circulation systems and methods.  
           [0002]    In one aspect, a food processing apparatus and method is provided including a circulation system circulating a processing medium along a circulation path having first and second vertical supply and return path segments flowing processing medium vertically across a food product traveling horizontally through a food processing chamber on a horizontal conveyor.  
           [0003]    In another aspect, a food processing apparatus and method is provided for transporting the food product serially sequentially through a plurality of modular compartments each having its own circulation system circulating a processing medium along a circulation path having supply and return path segments. Desired serial sequencing is provided. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]    [0004]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of food processing apparatus in accordance with the invention.  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a portion of FIG. 1.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 3 is like FIG. 1 and shows a further embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 shows food processing apparatus  10  including a food processing chamber  12  for processing a food product  14 , such as meat products, e.g. hot dogs, poultry, fish, or other food products. One or more horizontal conveyors  16 ,  18  transport the food product horizontally forwardly through chamber  12  from entrance  20  to exit  22 . One or more circulation systems  24 ,  26  circulate a processing medium, for example heated air or smoke or chilled air or brine solution or mist, or the like, for which further reference may be had to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,583,454 and 5,253,569, incorporated herein by reference. The processing medium is circulated along a circulation path having first and second vertical segments  28  and  30 , segment  28  being a supply path segment, and segment  30  being a return path segment, such that the processing medium flows vertically across food product  14  traveling horizontally through chamber  12 . The processing medium flows in a first downward vertical direction in first segment  28  and in a second upward vertical direction in second segment  30 , which directions are opposite to each other. Horizontal conveyor belts  16 ,  18  are of an open mesh type to enable vertical air flow therethrough. Chamber  12  has upper and lower walls  32  and  34  respectively spaced above and below the one or more horizontal conveyors  16 ,  18 . The circulation path provided by segments  28 ,  30  begins and ends at one of such walls, preferably upper wall  32 .  
         [0008]    Segments  28  and  30  are horizontally spaced from each other along a direction parallel to the direction of horizontal travel of food product through chamber  12 . A barrier wall  36  extends generally vertically in chamber  12  and has an opening  38  through which the conveyor extends horizontally. Supply path segment  28  is forward of barrier wall  36 , and return path segment  30  is rearward of barrier wall  36 .  
         [0009]    Supply path segment  28  has an entrance  40 , and return path segment  30  has an exit  42 . Supply path entrance  40  and return path exit  42  are horizontally spaced by barrier wall  36  therebetween. Supply path entrance  40  has a plurality of wig-wag dampers  44 , FIG. 2 oscillating about pivot axes  46  which extend along directions parallel to the direction of horizontal travel of food product  14  through chamber  12 . The processing medium enters supply path segment  28  between dampers  44  along channeled flow paths  48  oscillated back and forth as shown at arrows  50  across food product  14 . Flow paths  48  have changing directions during oscillation, some of which directions are oblique relative to both horizontal and vertical. The dampers may be oscillated in any known manner, for example by a motor driven cam  45  connected by a link arm  47  driving link bar  49  in turn driving respective links  51  connected to respective dampers  44  at their respective pivot axes, or any other oscillating mechanism.  
         [0010]    Chamber  12  in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of modular compartments such as  52 ,  54  in series relation, and which may include an intermediate compartment such as  56  therebetween such as a liquid drench compartment, for example if compartment  52  is a heating zone and compartment  54  is a drying zone. Each compartment may be provided with its own exhaust stack such as  58 ,  60 ,  62 . Food product  14  is transported sequentially serially through the compartments. Each compartment has its own circulation system  24 ,  26  circulating a processing medium along a circulation path having first and second segments,  28 ,  30 , and  64 ,  66 , respectively. One of the segments is a supply path segment S, and the other segment is a return path segment R. Compartments  52  and  54  are reversed in R and S sequence relative to each other such that food product  14  is transported sequentially forwardly through the two compartments in the following serial sequence R→S→S→R, namely serially sequentially through return path segment  30  then through supply path segment  28  then through supply path segment  64  then through return path segment  66 .  
         [0011]    Each compartment  52 ,  54  has a blower  68 ,  70 , respectively, each having an output  72 ,  74 , respectively, supplying processing medium to the respective supply path segment S  28 ,  64 , respectively, at positive pressure, and an input  76 ,  78  respectively, returning processing medium from the respective return path segment R  30 ,  66 , at negative pressure. Chamber  12  has the noted upstream entrance  20  and the noted downstream exit  22 . The upstream-most compartment  52  is oriented with its R segment  30  serially upstream of its S segment  28 . The downstream-most compartment  54  is oriented with its R segment  66  serially downstream of its S segment  64 .  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment including four compartments  52 ,  80 ,  82 ,  54  in the following serial sequence R→S→S→R→R→S→S→R, namely return path segment  30 →supply path segment  28 →supply path segment  84 →return path segment  86 →return path segment  90 →supply path segment  88 →supply path segment  64 →return path segment  66 . The noted return path segments at the entrances and exits to the food processing chamber are desired to prevent escape of processing medium from the chamber, i.e. the negative pressure of the return path segment will tend to maintain the processing medium within the chamber.  
         [0013]    It is recognized that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.