Flowable solids dispensing apparatus and method of use

• US 20030113420A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kellogg North America (Kellogg Company)
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Fiteny, Mark Joseph, Martin, Jeffrey Wes
• Granted Patent: US 7,275,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/289
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 15/002 Apparatus for spreading granular material on, or sweeping or coating the surface of baked articles of pieces of dough A21C9/04; for confectionary A23G3/28
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 9/04 Apparatus for spreading granular material on, or sweeping or coating the surfaces of, pieces or sheets of dough coating baked articles A21C15/002

Abstract

An apparatus and method for depositing flowable solids onto articles located on a moving conveyor. A flowable solid is placed on a vibrating trough and dispensed to an article on the moving conveyor through a slot in the trough. A third planar surface placed beneath the slot receives the flowable solid from the slot and provides an even dispersing pattern of the flowable solid onto the articles.

Claims

1. A flowable solids dispensing apparatus comprising:

a first surface disposed about an axis;

a second surface disposed about said axis, said surface being disposed below said first surface;

wherein said first surface and said second surface form a slot therebetween;

wherein said first and second surface form an angle therebetween; and

;

wherein a flowable solid progresses from said first surface to said second surface through said slot.

2. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second surface has at least one opening disposed thereon.

3. The dispensing apparatus of claim 2 wherein said at least one opening is selected from the group consisting of elongate slots, polygonal shapes, circles, concave curves, convex curves, screens, meshes, and combinations thereof.

4. The dispensing apparatus of claim 2 wherein said opening disposed upon said second surface has a height to width ratio greater than 1.

5. The dispensing apparatus of claim 2 wherein said flowable solid material discharges from said at least one opening onto a food product disposed or passing under said flowable solids dispensing apparatus.

6. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said angle is an acute included angle.

7. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one vibrator, wherein said at least one vibrator vibrates said apparatus.

8. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a trough, said trough comprising a third surface substantially parallel to said axis, wherein said flowable solid progresses from said third surface to said first surface.

9. The dispensing apparatus of claim 8 wherein said third surface has at least one edge coextensive with said first surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said at least one edge is angularly disposed away from said axis.

11. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a receptacle for storing said flowable solid and dispensing said flowable solid upon said apparatus.

12. A flowable solids dispensing apparatus comprising:

(a) a first surface disposed about an axis and,

(b) at least two second surfaces disposed about said axis, both of said least two second surfaces being disposed below said first surface;

wherein said first surface and both of said second surfaces form at least one slot therebetween;

wherein said first and second surface form an acute included angle therebetween; and

;

wherein a flowable solid progresses from said first surface to at least one of said second surfaces through said at least one slot.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising least one barrier disposed upon said first surface wherein said barrier divides said first surface into at least two portions.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

at least one vibrator;

wherein said at least one vibrator is capable of vibrating said apparatus to progress a flowable solids material along said first surface.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said flowable solid progresses from at least one of said second surfaces onto a food product disposed under said at least one of second surfaces.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said first surface further comprises a weir, wherein said weir prevents spillover of said flowable solids material from said first surface.

17. A method of applying a flowable solid to a substrate comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying first surface disposed about an axis;

(b) supplying a second surface disposed beneath said first surface and forming an angle therebetween, wherein said first surface and said second surface form a slot therebetween;

(c) disposing a substrate upon a conveyor proximate to said second surface, said conveyor having an axis substantially parallel to said axis of said first and second surface;

(d) supplying a flowable solid to said first surface;

(e) vibrating said first surface with a vibrator wherein said vibrator progresses said flowable solid substantially along said first surface;

(f) substantially disposing said flowable solid from said slot disposed on said first surface to said second surface; and

,

(g) substantially disposing said flowable solid from said second surface to said substrate.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein prior to step (a), supplying a trough, said trough comprising a third surface, wherein said flowable solid progresses from said third surface to said first surface.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said flowable solid forms a substantially continuous and uniform pattern upon said substrate.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of potato chips, nacho chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, breads, cookies, cakes, pies, doughnuts, extruded snacks, baked snacks, fried snacks, candies, other food items, and combinations thereof.