Macerator having automated roller spacing control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9833789-B2
Application number	US-201414268374-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2014
Priority date	Oct 8, 2009
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

The present invention is a processing device, such as a macerator for use in processing various types of food products, that includes an automatic adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of a roller disposed within the macerator. The mechanism includes a controller operably connected to a motor that can move the roller within the macerator to vary the position of the roller with respect to another roller located in the macerator. Inputs to the controller are used to control the operation of the motor to move the roll into a desired configuration associated in a storage medium in the controller with a particular food product to be processed. The input to the controller can also be used to simultaneously adjust the position of other components of other processing devices in a food processing system, such as an injector to remove the need for individually adjust each device in the system. Also, the controller can utilize other devices on the macerator to dynamically adjust the position of the rollers in response to the individual food products being treated in the macerator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of processing a food product, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a first food processing device adapted to receive and process a food product and including a first adjustable component therein, an actuator connected to the first adjustable component, and a controller operably connected to the actuator and to an input device;
b) providing an input to the input device connected to the controller, the input based on the desired processing of the food product;
c) operating the actuator in response to the input provided to adjust the first adjustable component;
d) dynamically sensing at least one physical parameter of the food product being processed; and
e) adjusting the first adjustable component based on the dynamically sensed physical parameter of the food product.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of operating the actuator comprises the steps of:
a) accessing a storage medium connected to the controller to locate a configuration for the first adjustable component associated with the input; and
b) operating the actuator to adjust the first adjustable component to match the configuration for the first adjustable component associated with the input in the storage medium.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:
a) providing a second food processing device adapted to receive and process a food product prior to entering the first food processing device, the second food processing device including a second adjustable component and a motive member operably connected to the second adjustable component and the controller;
b) accessing the storage medium connected to the controller to locate a configuration for the second adjustable component associated with the input simultaneously with accessing the storage medium connected to the controller to locate a configuration for the first adjustable component associated with the input; and
c) operating the motive member to adjust the second adjustable component to match the configuration for the second adjustable component associated with the input in the storage medium.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of operating the motive member simultaneously with operating the actuator to adjust the first adjustable component to match the configuration of the first adjustable component associated with the input in the storage medium.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the input to the input device connected to the controller comprises activating the input device directly on the controller.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the input to the input device connected to the controller comprises sending a wireless signal to the input device.

7. The method of claim 1 ,
a) wherein dynamically sensing at least one physical parameter of the food product comprises determining the height profile of the food product; and
b) further comprising operating the actuator in response to the sensed height profile of the food product to readjust the first adjustable component.

8. A method for adjusting the operational configuration of a macerator, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a macerator having a housing adapted to receive food products therein, a first knife roller rotatably secured to the housing, a second knife roller disposed adjacent the first knife roller and rotatably secured to a movable frame supported within the housing, an adjustment motor connected to the housing and including a movable adjustment member engaged with the frame, and a controller operably connected to the adjustment motor and to an input device;
b) providing an input to the input device connected to the controller;
c) operating the motor in response to the input provided to adjust the position of the frame and the second knife roller with respect to the first knife roller;
d) providing a second input to the input device connected to the controller after operating the motor; and
e) operating the motor in response to the second input provided to readjust the position of the second knife roller with respect to the first knife roller.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of operating the motor comprises the steps of:
a) accessing a storage medium connected to the controller to locate a position of the second knife roller with respect to the first knife roller associated with the input; and
b) operating the motor to move the second knife roller to match the position of the second knife roller with respect to the first knife roller as associated with the input in the storage medium.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of providing the input to the input device connected to the controller comprises activating the input device directly on the controller.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of providing the input to the input device connected to the controller comprises sending a wireless signal to the input device.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein providing a second input to the input device is based on dynamically sensing at least one physical parameter of the food product being processed.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein dynamically sensing the at least one physical parameter of the food product comprises determining the height profile of the food product.

14. A method of processing a food product, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a first food processing device adapted to receive and process a food product and including a first adjustable component therein, a first actuator connected to the first adjustable component, and a controller operably connected to the first actuator and to an input device;
b) providing an input to the input device connected to the controller;
c) operating the first actuator in response to the input provided to adjust the first adjustable component;
d) providing a second food processing device adapted to receive and process a food product prior to entering the first food processing device, the second food processing device processing the food product in a manner different from the process of the first processing device, the second food processing device including a second adjustable component and a second actuator operably connected to the second adjustable component and the controller;
e) accessing a storage medium connected to the controller to locate a configuration for the second adjustable component associated with the input simultaneously with accessing a storage medium connected to the controller to locate a configuration for the first adjustable component associated with the input; and
f) operating the second actuator to adjust the second adjustable component to match the configuration for the second adjustable component associated with the input in the storage medium simultaneously with operating the first actuator to adjust the first adjustable component to match the configuration to the first adjustable component associated with the input in the storage medium.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of operating the first actuator comprises the steps of:
a) accessing a storage medium connected to the controller to locate a configuration for the first adjustable component associated with the input; and
b) operating the first actuator to adjust the first adjustable component to match the configuration for the first adjustable component associated with the input in the storage medium.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of providing input to the input device connected to the controller comprises activating the input device directly on the

Assignees

• John Bean Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Ludwig Ralf
• Timperio Richard

Classifications

• B02C25/00 Primary

  Control arrangements specially adapted for crushing or disintegrating · CPC title

• A22C9/004 Primary

  by massaging · CPC title