REDUCED-SIZE APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FOOD COATING AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF

• US 20110097459A1
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vibratory Solutions, Llc
• Original Assignee: Vibratory Solutions, Llc
• Inventors: Bongert, Allen, Renkly, Travis, Karpinsky, James, Bakos, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,635,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/289
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/10 General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/15 Apparatus or processes for coating with liquid or semi-liquid products

Abstract

A reduced-size apparatus for applying food coating that includes a belt assembly for conveying food products, having an input end and an output end, and a recycle assembly, capable of receiving excess coating from the output end of the belt assembly and conveying it to the input end, wherein the recycle assembly includes at least one of a base coating distribution passage and a top coating distribution passage for providing coating for application to a food product situated on the belt assembly.

Claims

1. A reduced-size apparatus for applying food coating comprising:

a belt assembly for conveying food products, having an input end and an output end, and

a recycle assembly, capable of receiving excess coating from adjacent the output end of the belt assembly and conveying it for dispersal at the input end, wherein the recycle assembly includes a base coating distribution passage and a top coating distribution passage for providing a coating for application to a food product situated on the belt assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal recycle assembly center plane is situated between about 55 degrees to about 85 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base coating distribution passage and the top coating distribution passage are adjustably metered to limit the flow of coating therethrough.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further including a feed assembly for receiving coating from the base coating distribution passage.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a top chute is positioned at least partially below and adjacent to the top coating distribution passage, the top chute extending towards the belt assembly for directing coating from the top coating distribution passage to the top of the food product.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further including a discharge chute positioned substantially underneath the belt assembly for receiving coating not adhered to the food product and directing the coating to the recycle assembly, the discharge chute extending from a position adjacent the output end of the belt assembly to adjacent a lower length of the recycle assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the feed assembly further includes a base channel and an auger for transporting and distributing the coating received from the base hopper to the belt assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the feed assembly further includes a base channel and a drag belt for transporting and distributing the coating received from the base hopper to the belt assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the belt assembly further includes a wire belt extending along a ramp portion for receiving coating from the base channel and subsequently receiving food product, thereby providing an application of coating to a bottom portion of the food product.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the wire belt further extends along a substantially horizontal portion where the food product receives coating from the top coating distribution passage via the top chute, thereby providing an application of coating to a top portion of the food product.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the belt assembly further includes one or more rollers for applying pressure at the top surface of the food product and one or more cams positioned about the width of the belt assembly for agitating the food product via the wire belt to persuade excess coating to pass through the wire belt and into the discharge chute.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a longitudinal recycle assembly center plane is situated between about 55 degrees to about 85 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the longitudinal recycle assembly center plane is situated between about 60 degrees to about 70 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus has a length not exceeding about 4 feet.

15. A reduced-size apparatus for applying food coating comprising:

a belt assembly for conveying food products, having an input end and an output end, and

a recycle assembly, capable of receiving a food product coating not adhered to the food products from adjacent the output end of the belt assembly and conveying it for dispersal to the food products at the input end, wherein a center plane through the recycle assembly is situated between about 55 degrees to about 85 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the recycle assembly includes at least one of a base coating distribution passage and a top coating distribution passage for providing coating for application to the food products situated on the belt assembly.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus has a length not exceeding about 4 feet.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a center plane through the recycle assembly is situated between about 60 degrees to about 70 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane.

19. A method of applying food coating comprising:

conveying food products along a belt assembly having an input end and an output end,

coating at least one of a bottom portion of the food products with coating provided to the belt assembly by a base coating distribution passage and a top portion of the food products with coating provided by a top coating distribution passage, wherein the base coating distribution passage and the top coating distribution passage are situated at the input end, and

transporting coating that is not adhered to the food product from adjacent the output end of the belt assembly for dispersal at the input end of the belt assembly, via an augerless recycle assembly having a channel, wherein a longitudinal recycle assembly center plane is situated between about 55 degrees to about 85 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising metering the flow of coating through the base coating distribution passage and the top coating distribution passage.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving coating from the base distribution passage and spreading the coating along the width of the belt assembly.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving coating not adhered to the food products from the belt assembly and directing the coating to the recycle assembly.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the transporting includes moving the coating in the channel using a flighted drag belt, wherein at least a portion of the belt includes one or more passages extending therethrough to assist the flow of coating to the top coating distribution passage.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein a longitudinal recycle assembly center plane is situated between about 60 degrees to about 70 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane.

25. A method of applying food coating comprising:

conveying food products along a belt assembly having an input end and an output end,

coating a bottom portion of the food products with coating provided to the input end of the belt assembly by a first drag belt conveyor that includes a base coating distribution port for dispensing coating onto the belt assembly;

coating a top portion of the food products with coating provided to the input end of the belt assembly by a second drag belt conveyor that includes a top coating distribution passage for dispensing coating onto the food product situated on the belt assembly; and

conveying the coating that is not adhered to the food products, from adjacent the output end of the belt assembly to adjacent the input end of the belt assembly, via the second conveyor, wherein the second conveyor includes a base coating distribution passage for supplying the first conveyor with coating.

26. The method of claim 25, further including positioning a longitudinal recycle assembly center plane between about 55 degrees to about 85 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising monitoring the power draw of a conveyor motor for the second conveyor and initiating a request for the supply of coating housed in the second conveyor to be supplemented.

28. The method of claim 27, further including positioning a longitudinal recycle assembly center plane between about 60 degrees to about 70 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane.