Conveyor protection system for food processing
First Claim
1. A protection system for a conveyor conveying items, the conveyor having an endless track for defining a predetermined endless travel path for the conveyor elements which traverse the path, the conveyor elements including hangers for the items, the conveyor protection system comprising:
- a shroud for surrounding the endless track and conveyor elements and extending along the track for the entire length of conveyor travel through a loading station, a work station, and unloading station and a return path to the loading station;
positive pressure means for supplying air into the shroud under a pressure greater than that of the air exterior of the shroud to maintain the track and track traversing conveyor elements surrounded by air throughout their entire length of travel through a loading station, a work station, an unloading station, and return path to the loading station;
walls of the shroud for allowing the pressurized air to exit the shroud at a slot through which the hanger elements travel; and
a bacteria removal unit to remove bacteria from the ambient air being supplied by the positive pressure means to supply bacteria-free ambient air in said shroud and about the conveyor elements for the entire length of conveyor travel through a loading station, a work station, and unloading station and a return Path to the loading station.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A protection system for a conveyor for items, such as food items, is provided to keep the conveyor free from bacteria and other contaminants which may accumulate and build-up on the conveyor track and track traversing components. The protection system includes a shroud surrounding the conveyor to which pressurized, bacteria-free air is fed. A preferred bacteria removal unit is a filtration unit to filter bacteria from the ambient air. Herein, a combination filter and blower unit is disclosed which finely filters ambient air, preferably down to 3 microns, and pressurizes the air and blows it into an air manifold connected to the shroud by a series of air ducts. The shroud walls cooperate to form a slot through which the meat hangers can extend and for allowing the clean air in the shroud to be continually flowed therethrough and circulated around the conveyor components. A cleaner, such as a steam cleaner, can be located at a predetermined position along the track between the unloading and loading stations for the meat transported by the conveyor. The protection system herein advantageously keeps the conveyor clean and sanitized during conveyor operations without requiring costly conveyor shutdowns for cleaning and maintenance.
47 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A protection system for a conveyor conveying items, the conveyor having an endless track for defining a predetermined endless travel path for the conveyor elements which traverse the path, the conveyor elements including hangers for the items, the conveyor protection system comprising:
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a shroud for surrounding the endless track and conveyor elements and extending along the track for the entire length of conveyor travel through a loading station, a work station, and unloading station and a return path to the loading station; positive pressure means for supplying air into the shroud under a pressure greater than that of the air exterior of the shroud to maintain the track and track traversing conveyor elements surrounded by air throughout their entire length of travel through a loading station, a work station, an unloading station, and return path to the loading station; walls of the shroud for allowing the pressurized air to exit the shroud at a slot through which the hanger elements travel; and a bacteria removal unit to remove bacteria from the ambient air being supplied by the positive pressure means to supply bacteria-free ambient air in said shroud and about the conveyor elements for the entire length of conveyor travel through a loading station, a work station, and unloading station and a return Path to the loading station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 7)
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5. A protection system for a conveyor conveying items, the conveyor having a track for defining a predetermined travel path for the items and conveyor elements which traverse the path, the conveyor elements including hangers for the items, the conveyor protection system comprising:
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a shroud for surrounding the track and conveyor elements and extending along at least a section of the track in the predetermined path; positive pressure means for supplying air into the shroud under a pressure greater than that of the air exterior of the shroud to maintain the track and track traversing elements surrounded by air; walls of the shroud for allowing the pressurized air to exit the shroud at a slot through which the hanger elements travel; a bacteria removal unit to remove bacteria from the ambient air being supplied by the positive pressure means to supply bacteria-free ambient air in said shroud and about the conveyor elements; the track having a substantially rectangular configuration with substantially parallel longitudinally-extending sections joined at their ends by substantially parallel transversely-extending sections, and the positive pressure means including a blower unit and an air supply manifold extending in the longitudinal direction between the track longitudinally-extending sections and air feeder ducts between the manifold and shroud for feeding the pressurized filtered bacteria-free air from the manifold to the shroud. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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8. In a conveyor having a rail supporting rollers carrying hangers for items which are transported by the rollers and hangers along the rail, a conveyor cleaner for keeping the conveyor free from bacteria and other contaminants, the conveyor cleaner comprising:
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an air filter and blower unit having an inlet and outlet, the unit drawing ambient air though the inlet and finely filtering the ambient air to remove bacteria therefrom and supplying pressurized filtered bacteria-free air to the outlet; an air supply manifold connected to the outlet of the filter and blower unit; a steam cleaner shroud; and a steam cleaner within the steam cleaner shroud for cleaning the rollers and hangers with steam to assist the bacteria-free air in keeping the rail area substantially clean and free from bacteria and other contaminants. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 12)
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11. A protection system for a conveyor conveying items, the conveyor having a track for defining a predetermined travel path for the items and conveyor elements which traverse the path, the conveyor elements including hangers for the items, the conveyor protection system comprising:
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a shroud for surrounding the track and conveyor elements and extending along at least a section of the track in the predetermined path; positive pressure means for supplying air into the shroud under a pressure greater than that of the air exterior of the shroud to maintain the track and track traversing elements surrounded by air; walls of the shroud for allowing the pressurized air to exit the shroud at a slot through which the hanger elements travel; a bacteria removal unit to remove bacteria from the ambient air being supplied by the positive pressure means to supply bacteria-free ambient air in said shroud and about the conveyor elements; the shroud having walls which substantially surround the area around the conveyor rail; air feeder ducts connected between the manifold and walls of the shroud to provide an air flow path therebetween; and the pressure equalizing means comprising an enlarged cross-sectional portion of the manifold proximate the outlet of the filter and blower unit which progressively tapers down to a narrowed cross-sectional portion of the manifold distal from the unit outlet and further including shut-off means for allowing individual feeder ducts to be selectively opened or closed.
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13. A method for maintaining a bacteria-free environment around a track of a conveyor for items, the method comprising:
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providing an endless track and a conveyor traveling through a loading station, a work station, an unloading station, and a return path to the loading station; finely filtering ambient air to remove contaminants, such as bacteria, therefrom; directing the filtered air to predetermined locations along the endless track; maintaining the filtered air in the immediately surrounding vicinity of the track throughout the loading station, work station, unloading station and return path at a pressure higher than that of the ambient air; and continuously flowing the pressurized filtered air through the immediately surrounding vicinity of the track to keep the track in a substantially bacteria-free environment throughout the loading station, work station, unloading station and return path. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification