Transfer mechanism for use with a food processing system

• US 9,060,530 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lyco Manufacturing Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lyco Manufacturing Inc.
• Inventors: Stousland, Glenn W., Zittel, David R., Maupin, Daniel D., Schultz, Steve J., Weisman, Scott K.
• Primary Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US12/174,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20100015311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,533 Days
• Field of Search: 406/92, 406/144, 406/171, 406/194, 406/195, 993/61, 994/43.C
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/001 Details of apparatus, e.g. for transport, for loading or unloading manipulation, pressure feed valves
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/10 General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/00 Parts, details or accessories of cooking-vessels A47J27/00 - A47J33/00 take precedence insofar as these parts, details or accessories are restricted to a particular kind of cooking-vessel provided for in a single one of these groups
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/01 Hydraulic transport of articles B65G51/04 takes precedence; water roundabouts A63G3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/30 Conveying materials in bulk through pipes or tubes by liquid pressure

Abstract

A transfer mechanism for transferring food product from a compartment of a food processing system includes a conduit having a first end portion configured to be in communication with the compartment and a second end portion, a fluid discharge positioned substantially within the conduit between the first end portion and the second end portion, and a pressurized fluid source in communication with the fluid discharge. The pressurized fluid source is operable to propel a fluid through the fluid discharge to move the food product from the first end portion of the conduit toward the second end portion.

Claims

1. A transfer mechanism for transferring food product from a compartment of a food processing system, the transfer mechanism comprising:

a conduit including a first end portion configured to be in communication with the compartment, wherein the first end portion includes an inlet through which food product can pass, and a second end portion;

a fluid discharge positioned substantially within the conduit between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the fluid discharge includes a slot positioned adjacent to the first end portion of the conduit, wherein the slot has a height to focus and pressurize the fluid to create a vacuum near the first end portion; and

a pressurized fluid source in communication with the fluid discharge, the pressurized fluid source and the slot operable to propel a fluid through the slot to move the food product from the first end portion of the conduit toward the second end portion.

2. The transfer mechanism of claim 1, wherein the second end portion of the conduit is positioned substantially above the first end portion.

3. The transfer mechanism of claim 2, wherein the second end portion of the conduit is configured to be positioned above a fluid level in the compartment.

4. The transfer mechanism of claim 3, wherein the first end portion of the conduit is configured to be positioned below the fluid level in the compartment.

5. The transfer mechanism of claim 1, and further comprising a dewatering member in communication with the second end portion of the conduit, wherein the dewatering member receives the food product and the fluid from the conduit and facilitates separating the food product from the fluid.

6. The transfer mechanism of claim 5, and further comprising a convex guide member positioned between the second end portion of the conduit and the dewatering member, wherein the convex guide member directs the food product and the fluid from the conduit into the dewatering member.

7. The transfer mechanism of claim 6, wherein the conduit, the convex guide member, and the dewatering member form a generally inverted V-shape.

8. The transfer mechanism of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the dewatering member is not within the compartment.

9. The transfer mechanism of claim 5, wherein the dewatering member includes a screen.

10. The transfer mechanism of claim 1, wherein the fluid discharge includes a plurality of nozzles having outlets positioned between the first end portion and the second end portion of the conduit.

11. The transfer mechanism of claim 10, wherein the outlets of the plurality of nozzles are staggered between the first end portion and the second end portion of the conduit.

12. The transfer mechanism of claim 1, wherein the fluid discharge also includes a second slot positioned downstream of the first-mentioned slot and between the first end portion and the second end portion of the conduit.

13. The transfer mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first end portion of the conduit has a first width and the second end portion of the conduit has a second width, and wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

14. The transfer mechanism of claim 1, wherein the pressurized fluid source is a pump.

15. The transfer mechanism of claim 1, wherein the transfer mechanism is configured to transfer the food product out of the first compartment.

16. A food processing system comprising:

a first compartment operable to process food product; and

a transfer mechanism operable to transfer the food product from the first compartment, the transfer mechanism including

a conduit having a first end portion in communication with the compartment, wherein the first end portion includes an inlet through which food product can pass, and a second end portion,

a fluid discharge positioned substantially within the conduit between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the fluid discharge includes a slot positioned adjacent to the first end portion of the conduit, wherein the slot has a height to focus and pressurize the fluid to create a vacuum near the first end portion; and

a pressurized fluid source in communication with the fluid discharge, the pressurized fluid source and the slot operable to propel a fluid through the slot to move the food product from the first end portion of the conduit toward the second end portion.

17. The food processing system of claim 16, wherein the first compartment is operable to at least one of cook and cool the food product.

18. The food processing system of claim 16, wherein the transfer mechanism transfers the food product from the first compartment out of the food processing system.

19. The food processing system of claim 16, and further comprising a second compartment operable to process the food product, wherein the second end portion of the conduit is in communication with the second compartment to transfer the food product from the first compartment to the second compartment.

20. The food processing system of claim 19, and further comprising a second transfer mechanism operable to transfer the food product from the second compartment, the second transfer mechanism including

a second conduit having a third end portion in communication with the second compartment, wherein the third end portion includes a second inlet through which food product can pass, and a fourth end portion,

a second fluid discharge positioned substantially within the second conduit between the third end portion and the fourth end portion, and

a second pressurized fluid source in communication with the second fluid discharge, the second pressurized fluid source operable to propel a fluid through the second fluid discharge to move the food product from the third end portion of the second conduit toward the fourth end portion.

21. The food processing system of claim 20, wherein the second transfer mechanism transfers the food product from the second compartment out of the food processing system.

22. The food processing system of claim 19, wherein the first compartment is operable to cook the food product and the second compartment is operable to cool the food product.

23. The food processing system of claim 16, wherein the second end portion of the conduit is positioned substantially above the first end portion.

24. The food processing system of claim 23, wherein the second end portion of the conduit is positioned above a fluid level in the first compartment.

25. The food processing system of claim 24, wherein the first end portion of the conduit is positioned below the fluid level in the first compartment.

26. The food processing system of claim 16, wherein the transfer mechanism further includes a dewatering member in communication with the second end portion of the conduit, and wherein the dewatering member receives the food product and the fluid from the conduit and facilitates separating the food product from the fluid.

27. The food processing system of claim 26, wherein the transfer mechanism further includes a convex guide member positioned between the second end portion of the conduit and the dewatering member, wherein the convex guide member directs the food product and the fluid from the conduit into the dewatering member, and wherein the conduit, the convex guide member, and the dewatering member form a generally inverted V-shape.

28. The food processing system of claim 16, wherein the fluid discharge includes a plurality of nozzles having outlets positioned between the first end portion and the second end portion of the conduit.

29. The food processing system of claim 28, wherein the outlets of the plurality of nozzles are staggered between the first end portion and the second end portion of the conduit.

30. The food processing system of claim 16, wherein the fluid discharge includes a slot positioned adjacent to the first end portion of the conduit.

31. The food processing system of claim 16, wherein the pressurized fluid source is a pump.

32. A transfer mechanism for transferring food product from a compartment of a food processing system, the transfer mechanism comprising:

a conduit including an inlet portion configured to be in communication with the compartment and an outlet portion, the inlet portion configured to be positioned below a fluid level in the compartment and the outlet portion configured to be positioned above a fluid level in the compartment, wherein the third end portion includes an inlet through which food product can pass;

a fluid discharge positioned substantially within the conduit between the inlet portion and the outlet portion, wherein the fluid discharge includes a slot positioned adjacent to the first end portion of the conduit;

a pump in communication with the fluid discharge, the pump operable to propel a fluid through the slot, wherein the slot has a height to focus and pressurize the fluid to create a vacuum near the first end portion, to move the food product from the inlet portion of the conduit toward the outlet portion;

a convex guide member coupled to and in communication with the outlet portion of the conduit; and

a dewatering member coupled to and in communication with the convex guide member opposite the conduit, the dewatering member operable to receive the food product and the fluid from the conduit to facilitate separating the food product from the fluid.

33. The transfer mechanism of claim 32, wherein the conduit, the convex guide member, and the dewatering member form a generally inverted V-shape.

34. The transfer mechanism of claim 32, wherein the fluid discharge includes a plurality of nozzles having outlets positioned between the inlet portion and the outlet portion of the conduit.

35. The transfer mechanism of claim 34, wherein the outlets of the plurality of nozzles are staggered between the inlet portion and the outlet portion of the conduit.

36. The transfer mechanism of claim 32, wherein the fluid discharge includes a slot positioned adjacent to the inlet portion of the conduit.

37. The transfer mechanism of claim 32, wherein the transfer mechanism is configured to transfer the food product out of the first compartment.