Food Coating and Topping Applicator Apparatus and Methods of Use Thereof

• US 20080283366A1
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vibratory Solutions, Llc
• Original Assignee: Vibratory Solutions, Llc
• Inventors: Rose, Scott, Renkly, Travis, Karpinsky, James, Bakos, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,757,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/763
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/12 Apparatus or processes for applying powders or particles to foodstuffs, e.g. for breading; Such apparatus combined with means for pre-moistening or battering

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for coating, topping, and conveying foods. The apparatus includes a first frame, spring assemblies, a vibrating assembly including an upper pan, a middle pan, a lower pan, and a second frame mounted to the lower pan with the spring assemblies. The second frame is an excited frame and the upper pan, the middle pan, the lower pan are vibrationally connected. The apparatus also includes a vibratory drive unit mounted and adapted to impart energy to the second frame. In addition, the apparatus has a wire conveyor belt assembly including a wire conveyor belt, and a housing that receives the wire conveyor belt. The wire conveyor belt assembly is suspended inside of the vibratory assembly by the first frame such that the wire conveyor belt assembly is isolated from the vibratory assembly.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first frame 300;

spring assemblies 286;

a vibrating assembly 206 including an upper pan 214, a middle pan 324, a lower pan 248, and a second frame 284 mounted to the lower pan 248 with the spring assemblies, the second frame being an excited frame 284 and the upper pan 214, the middle pan 324, the lower pan 248 being vibrationally connected;

a vibratory drive unit 327 mounted and adapted to impart energy to the second frame 284; and

a wire conveyor belt assembly 398 including a wire conveyor belt 326, and a housing 399 that receives the wire conveyor belt 326, the wire conveyor belt assembly 398 being suspended inside of the vibratory assembly 206 by the first frame 300 such that the wire conveyor belt assembly 398 is isolated from the vibratory assembly 206.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a recycle assembly 294 including a recycle hopper 303 mounted to the first frame 300.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper pan includes a transverse distribution means 218.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vibrating assembly 206 comprises:

a distributor subassembly 234 comprising

a distributor 236

channels 242, 244 that connect the distributor 236 to the middle pan 324

a trough 246 that connects the distributor 236 to the upper pan 214.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower pan 248 comprises a scalping screen 328 located in a distal portion of the lower pan, the scalping screen 328 comprising:

sidewalls 338, 340;

front wall 342;

bottom wall 344, wherein the front wall 342 includes an opening 346 therein, wherein the bottom wall 344 includes a series of angled slots 348 formed partially in the bottom wall 344 and partially in the inner walls 352, wherein the front wall 342 is contiguous with a pair of inner walls 352, the intersection of the front wall 342 and the inner walls 352 defining side edges of the opening 346; and

a distribution structure 350 comprising an angled, wall-like structure arising from the bottom wall 344.