Electrostatic dispensing of an anti-microbial coating material

A method comprising:

• supplying a material that contains a coating material;
• providing a voltage block configured to be in fluid communication with the material supply such that the voltage block is configured to receive the coating material from the material supply wherein the voltage block comprises a reservoir configured to store at least a portion of the coating material received from the material supply and the voltage block comprises a shuttle coupled to the reservoir and the material supply that comprises the coating material;
• providing a power supply that is configured to electrostatically charge the coating material received by the voltage block to provide an electrostatically charged coating material;
• providing a dispense assembly comprising at least one liquid outlet and an internal fluid pathway that is configured to provide fluid communication between the voltage block and the liquid outlet, the dispense assembly being configured to receive the electrostatically charged coating material from the voltage block and to dispense the electrostatically charged coating material from the at least one liquid outlet onto a food product with a flow rate, determined by a controller, based on a determined property of the food product;
• conveying, by a conveyor, the food product;
• supporting, by a support, the at least one liquid outlet at a position adjacent to the conveyor such that the at least one liquid outlet is configured to dispense the electrostatically charged coating material onto the food product;
• interposing the voltage block between the material supply and the dispense assembly and the voltage block is configured to electrically isolate, by the shuttle, the material supply and the dispense assembly;
• and
• facilitating adjusting of a pump until a flow meter indicates a target flow rate is obtained based on target flow rates associated with the electrostatically charged coating material associated with various properties of the food product.

An electrostatic dispense system, comprising:

• a material supply that contains a coating material;
• a voltage block configured to be in fluid communication with the material supply such that the voltage block is configured to receive the coating material from the material supply;
• a power supply that is configured to electrostatically charge the coating material received by the voltage block to provide an electrostatically charged coating material;
• a dispense assembly comprising at least one liquid outlet and an internal fluid pathway that is configured to provide fluid communication between the voltage block and the liquid outlet, the dispense assembly being configured to receive the electrostatically charged coating material from the voltage block and to dispense the electrostatically charged coating material from the at least one liquid outlet;
• a conveyor through or by which a food product is configured to be conveyed;
• and
• a support that supports the at least one liquid outlet at a position adjacent to the conveyor such that the at least one liquid outlet is configured to dispense the electrostatically charged coating material onto the food product;
• and
• a feeder that feeds the food product through the conveyor,
• wherein the voltage block is interposed between the material supply and the dispense assembly and is configured to electrically isolate the material supply and the dispense assembly;
• and
• wherein the feeder comprises a scale that is configured to determine a weight of the food product fed to the conveyor.