Foodstuff chilling device

• US 20020152764A1
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGA AB (Linde Plc)
• Original Assignee: AGA AB (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Berghoff, Rudolf Erwin, Popleu, Ulf Christian
• Granted Patent: US 6,640,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/380
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/362 with packages or with shaping in form of blocks or portions
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/375 with direct contact between the food and the chemical, e.g. liquid nitrogen, at cryogenic temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 13/06 with conveyors carrying articles to be cooled through the cooling space
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/04 by conveyors in general B65G

Abstract

The present invention provides food coolers the cooling, in particular deep freezing, of foods produced as moldings (3) comprising a refrigerating space (1) and a conveyor belt (2) for conveying the foods (3) through this refrigerating space (1). The conveyor belt (2) is assigned holding devices (6) for the defined positioning of the moldings (3) on the conveyor belt (2).

Claims

1. A food cooler for the cooling, in particular deep freezing, of essentially flat and/or barlike foods produced as moldings (3), with a refrigerating space (1) and with a conveyor belt (2) for conveying the foods through this refrigerating space (1), the conveyor belt (2) being assigned holding devices (6) for the moldings (3), wherein the holding devices (6) are designed for the defined holding of the moldings (3) on the conveyor belt (2) in a position inclined at at least 45°

to upright.

2. The food cooler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding devices (6) are arranged with a spacing from one another which is smaller than the average extent of a molding (3) to be frozen.

3. The food cooler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding devices (6) are arranged with a spacing from one another which corresponds to the thickness of a molding (3) to be frozen, plus a clearance of at most 5 cm, preferably at most 3 cm, preferably at most 0.5 cm.

4. The food cooler as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holding devices (6) are suitable for supporting the moldings (3) in a region which is at a distance from the lowest point of the moldings which corresponds to 50 to 100%, preferably 60 to 75%, of the molding width or molding height.

5. The food cooler as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the holding devices (6) comprise at least one holding rod (8) which extends approximately parallel to the conveyor belt.

6. The food cooler as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the holding devices (6) are gridlike.

7. The food cooler as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the holding devices (6, 12) have compartments for receiving the food bodies.

8. The food cooler as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a precooling stage (13) for precooling or prefreezing the food bodies (3) is provided.