# US 2019/0313657 A1 · Anti-microbial application equipment with controls

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- Number: US 2019/0313657 A1
- Document ID: US20190313657A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/453,402
- Filed: 2019-06-26
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-09
- Assignees: Safe Foods Corporation
- Applicants: Safe Foods Corporation
- Inventors: Justin Massey; Tim Yeaman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190313657A1

## CPC

- A23B 4/30: by spraying of liquids
- G01F 23/00: Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
- G01F 23/0015: {with a whistle or other sonorous signal}
- G01N 33/00: Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
- G01V 8/10: Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers (by reflection from the object G01S17/00)
- G05B 15/02: electric
- A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
- A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION

## Abstract

A control system for monitoring an antimicrobial application system may include a controller having a monitoring program including an operations unit and an interface unit. The operations unit may include a sensor module operatively coupled to a plurality of sensors positioned to detect operation data associated with the application system in real-time. An adjustment module may adjust the operation of the application system. An analysis module may analyze real-time operation data and initiate a specified response when the analysis indicates that a trigger event has occurred. The response may include issuing a notification to a notification device or initiating the adjustment module to perform a control operation to modify the operation of the antimicrobial application system. A remote monitoring center may control multiple and remote application systems. Mobile devices and a control panel may be operable to interface with operations of the antimicrobial application system via the control system.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-20. (canceled)

### Claim 21

A control system for monitoring antimicrobial treatment equipment of multiple antimicrobial application systems, the control system comprising:
a multi-plant controller configured to execute a multi-plant monitoring program, the multi-plant monitoring program comprising
a multi-plant interface unit configured to receive real-time operation data from a plurality of antimicrobial application systems each comprising antimicrobial application equipment operatively coupled to the multi-plant controller and controllable by the multi-plant controller, and
a multi-plant operations unit comprising a multi-plant analysis module configured to analyze the real-time operation data and initiate a specified response when the analysis indicates that a trigger event has occurred, wherein the response comprises at least one of issuing a notification to one or more notification devices or initiating a control operation at one or more antimicrobial application equipment to modify an operation thereof.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The control system of claim 21, wherein the multi-plant controller is configured to receive the real-time operation data over a distributed network from a local plant controller associated with each of the plurality of antimicrobial application systems.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The control system of claim 22, wherein multi-plant controller is further configured to transmit control operations to the local plant controller associated with each of the plurality of antimicrobial application systems to initiate the control operations.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The control system of claim 23, wherein the antimicrobial application equipment comprises one or more components of the group comprising:
a rotary screen filter comprising a rotatable, cylindrical body defined by a screen and into which antimicrobial treatment solution is received for filtration of solid components,
a plurality of spray nozzles positioned to direct antimicrobial treatment solution onto work pieces as the work pieces are conveyed through a spray cabinet,
a dip tank for containing antimicrobial treatment solution and a conveyer for conveying work pieces through the antimicrobial treatment solution contained in the dip tank,
a suction box configured to fluidically couple to a dip tank and including a sensor for sensing a level of antimicrobial treatment solution in the dip tank,
a capture unit comprising a series of activated carbon filters to filter antimicrobial component from an antimicrobial treatment solution, and
a capture unit comprising a series of activated carbon filters each including a header having a plurality of arms defining fluid ports for distributing antimicrobial treatment solution over the activated carbon.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The control system of claim 21, wherein the multi-plant interface unit is configured to provide a remote interface to authorized mobile access devices.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The control system of claim 25, wherein the remote interface is operable to allow authorized access devices to define or control operations of the multi-plant controller including at least one of initiating collection of real-time operation data from one or more of the plurality of antimicrobial application systems and initiating a control operation at one or more antimicrobial application equipment to modify an operation thereof using the multi-plant adjustment module.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The control system of claim 26, wherein the multi-plant interface unit comprises multiple access levels providing different functionalities to authorized access devices for each access level.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The control system of claim 27, wherein user mobile access device comprises one of a smart phone, tablet, or other mobile device having a display screen.

### Claim 29

A method of monitoring an antimicrobial application equipment, the method comprising:
collecting operation data from a plurality of sensors;
analyzing the operation data to determine an operational condition;
comparing the operational condition to a set point to identify an administrative state corresponding to the set point; and
applying an administrative decision rule to the administrative state and initiating a response specified by the decision rule when the administrative state corresponds to a trigger event.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the antimicrobial application equipment comprises one or more components of the group comprising:
a rotary screen filter comprising a rotatable, cylindrical body defined by a screen and into which antimicrobial treatment solution is received for filtration of solid components,
a plurality of spray nozzles positioned to direct antimicrobial treatment solution onto work pieces as the work pieces are conveyed through a spray cabinet,
a dip tank for containing antimicrobial treatment solution and a conveyer for conveying work pieces through the antimicrobial treatment solution contained in the dip tank,
a suction box configured to fluidically couple to a dip tank and including a sensor for sensing a level of antimicrobial treatment solution in the dip tank,
a capture unit comprising a series of activated carbon filters to filter antimicrobial component from an antimicrobial treatment solution, and
a capture unit comprising a series of activated carbon filters each including a header having a plurality of arms defining fluid ports for distributing antimicrobial treatment solution over the activated carbon.