Auger dip apparatus for applying antimicrobial solution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11980212-B2
Application number	US-202318463943-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2023
Priority date	Apr 26, 2016
Publication date	May 14, 2024
Grant date	May 14, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an auger dip apparatus for the application of antimicrobial solution to raw food. Embodiments of the present disclosure may use an auger as a single moving part to move the food work pieces through the application area for antimicrobial solution. Embodiments of the present disclosure are simple with only one moving auger part to move the food pieces, and the bearing for the moving part, supporting the shaft of the auger, may be configured to be outside of the cabinet with the reservoir of the antimicrobial solution, so that the bearing is not in contact with the antimicrobial solution. This provides for less maintenance and downtime, particularly unscheduled downtime, than a system using more complicated exposed parts. The present disclosure also permits a more compact and lighter configuration for an assembled application unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a cabinet tilted at an angle with an upper end and a lower end and configured to receive work pieces at the lower end and discharge said work pieces at the upper end, the cabinet comprising:
a reservoir in the lower end of the cabinet;
a port within the reservoir; and
a drainage grid disposed within the cabinet above the reservoir; and

an antimicrobial supply comprising an antimicrobial solution and a pump, the antimicrobial supply being in fluid communication with the reservoir and configured to supply the antimicrobial solution through the port to the reservoir using the pump.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the port comprises a nozzle configured to agitate the antimicrobial solution within the reservoir.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the port comprises a nozzle configured to agitate the work pieces within the reservoir.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a recycle tank configured to collect antimicrobial solution draining off of the work pieces and through the drainage grid.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a spray bar configured to receive antimicrobial solution from the recycle tank and positioned to direct said antimicrobial solution onto the drainage grid.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the cabinet further comprises a lid and the spray bar comprises a plurality of ports extending through the lid.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the lid comprises a hopper positioned over the reservoir.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a control panel configured to control the pump.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a photoelectric eye sensor configured to detect and count work pieces entering or exiting the cabinet and to transmit detected work piece counts to the control panel.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the recycle tank comprises a sensor configured to detect characteristics or conditions of the antimicrobial solution in the recycle tank and to communicate said characteristics or conditions to the control panel.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system does not comprise a conveyor belt or a conveyor track.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cabinet further comprises an auger disposed therewithin and configured to move the work pieces from the lower end to the upper end.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a motor positioned outside of the cabinet, wherein a shaft of the auger extends through the reservoir and is coupled to the motor.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a control panel configured to control the motor.

15. A system comprising:
a cabinet comprising:
a first end;
a second end;
a reservoir within the cabinet positioned at the first end;
a port within the reservoir;
a drainage grid disposed within the cabinet between the reservoir and the second end; and
an auger disposed within the cabinet and configured to move the work pieces from the first end to the second end; and

an antimicrobial supply comprising an antimicrobial solution and a pump, the antimicrobial supply being in fluid communication with the reservoir and configured to supply the antimicrobial solution through the port to the reservoir using the pump.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the port comprises a nozzle configured to agitate the antimicrobial solution or the work pieces within the reservoir.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a recycle tank configured to collect antimicrobial solution draining off of the work pieces and through the drainage grid and a spray bar configured to receive antimicrobial solution from the recycle tank and positioned to direct said antimicrobial solution onto the drainage grid.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the cabinet further comprises a lid and the spray bar comprises a plurality of ports extending through the lid; and wherein the lid comprises a hopper positioned over the reservoir.

19. The system of claim 17 , further comprising one or more sensors, the one or more sensors comprising a photoelectric eye sensor configured to detect and count work pieces entering or exiting the cabinet or an antimicrobial sensor positioned within the recycle tank and configured to detect characteristics or conditions of the antimicrobial solution in the recycle tank.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising a control panel configured to control the pump and receive date from the one or more sensors.

Assignees

• Safe Foods Corp

Inventors

• Massey Justin
• Yeaman Tim

Classifications

• A23B2/7295

  Antibiotics · CPC title

• A23B2/792

  Apparatus for preserving using liquids · CPC title

• A23B2/729

  Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes · CPC title

• A23B2/001 Primary

  Details of apparatus, e.g. pressure feed valves or for transport, or loading or unloading manipulation · CPC title

• A23L3/001 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic