Product portion enrobing machines and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for enrobing a product portion comprising:
- a) at least one polymer spray head adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce at least one polymer enrobing zone; and
b) a conveyor system adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below at least one polymer enrobing zone to at least one position above at least one polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through one or more polymer enrobing zones a plurality of times at different orientations to enrobe each product portion with polymeric fibers,wherein said conveyor system is adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below a first polymer enrobing zone to at least one position above the first polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through the first polymer enrobing zone a plurality of times.
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Abstract
An apparatus for enrobing a product portion can include at least one polymer spray head adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce at least one polymer enrobing zone and a conveyor system adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below at least one polymer enrobing zone and to at least one position above at least one polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through one or more polymer enrobing zones a plurality times at different orientations to enrobe each product portion with polymeric fibers.
67 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for enrobing a product portion comprising:
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a) at least one polymer spray head adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce at least one polymer enrobing zone; and b) a conveyor system adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below at least one polymer enrobing zone to at least one position above at least one polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through one or more polymer enrobing zones a plurality of times at different orientations to enrobe each product portion with polymeric fibers, wherein said conveyor system is adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below a first polymer enrobing zone to at least one position above the first polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through the first polymer enrobing zone a plurality of times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for enrobing a product portion comprising:
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a) at least one polymer spray head adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce at least one polymer enrobing zone; and b) a conveyor system adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below at least one polymer enrobing zone to at least one position above at least one polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through one or more polymer enrobing zones a plurality of times at different orientations to enrobe each product portion with polymeric fibers, wherein said conveyor system comprises one or more pneumatic conveying tubes.
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10. An apparatus for enrobing a product portion comprising:
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a) at least one polymer spray head adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce at least one polymer enrobing zone; and b) a conveyor system adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below at least one polymer enrobing zone to at least one position above at least one polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through one or more polymer enrobing zones a plurality of times at different orientations to enrobe each product portion with polymeric fibers, wherein said conveyor system comprises a rotary drum positioned around said at least one polymer spray head, said rotary drum being adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below at least one polymer enrobing zone and to at least one position above at least one polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through one or more polymer enrobing zones a plurality of times. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for enrobing a product portion comprising:
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a) at least two polymer spray heads, each polymer spray head being adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce at least one polymer enrobing zone, the at least two polymer spray heads including a first polymer spray head which is adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce a first polymer enrobing zone and a second polymer spray head which is adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce a second polymer enrobing zone, and b) a conveyor system adapted to convey one or more product portions dropped through said first polymer enrobing zone from a position below said first polymer enrobing zone to a position above said second polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through said second polymer enrobing zone at a different orientation than the orientation at which each product portion was dropped through said first polymer enrobing zone. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. An apparatus for enrobing a product portion comprising
a. a polymer spray head adapted to create a flow of polymeric fibers to produce a polymer enrobing zone; - and
b. means for transporting at least one product portion from a position below said polymer enrobing zone to a position above said polymer enrobing zone to repeatedly drop said at least one product portion through said polymer enrobing zone.
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Specification