Food coating device and method
OwnerEsteban Daniel Gonzalezinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A food coating device is provided, comprising a permeable conveyor, a powdered material supply unit, and an air supply unit. The permeable conveyor transports a plurality of food pieces. The powdered material supply unit deposits a powdered material onto the plurality of food pieces. The air supply unit directs a stream of air towards the plurality of food pieces.
Claims16
A coating device for coating a plurality of food pieces with a powdered material, comprising:
- a. a permeable conveyor for transporting the plurality of food pieces;
- b. a powdered material supply unit positioned directly above the permeable conveyor for depositing the powdered material onto the plurality of food pieces;
- c. an air supply unit for directing a stream of air towards the plurality of food pieces, comprising:
- i. a duct,
- ii. a flow conditioner positioned inside the duct,
- iii. a fan positioned upstream of the flow conditioner for generating the stream of air.
A coating device for coating a plurality of food pieces with a powdered material, comprising:
- a. a permeable conveyor for transporting the plurality of food pieces;
- b. a powdered material supply unit positioned directly above the permeable conveyor for depositing the powdered material onto the plurality of food pieces;
- c. an air supply unit positioned below the permeable conveyor for directing a stream of air towards the plurality of food pieces, comprising:
- i. a duct,
- ii. a flow conditioner positioned inside the duct, the flow conditioner comprising a plurality of tubes parallel to each other and parallel to the stream of air,
- iii. a fan positioned upstream of the flow conditioner for generating the stream of air;
- d. a digital camera;
- e. a light source;
- f. a control unit for controlling a speed of the fan using a signal from the digital camera.
A method for coating a plurality of food pieces with a powdered material using a coating device, the coating device comprising a permeable conveyor;
- a powdered material supply unit positioned directly above the permeable conveyor;
- an air supply unit positioned below the permeable conveyor, the air supply unit comprising a duct, a flow conditioner positioned inside the duct, and a fan positioned upstream of the flow conditioner;
- a particle detector;
- a light source;
- a control unit;
- the method comprising:
- a. transporting the plurality of food pieces in the permeable conveyor;
- b. depositing the powdered material onto the plurality of food pieces with the powdered material supply unit;
- c. directing a stream of air towards the food pieces with the air supply unit, wherein the stream of air is generated with the fan;
- d. directing a light from the light source towards the powdered material so that a fraction of the light reaches the particle detector;
- e. receiving a desired range of values of a particle metric;
- f. receiving a signal from the particle detector;
- g. estimating a particle metric value using the signal from the particle detector;
- h. varying a speed of the fan with the control unit using the desired range of values of the particle metric, and the estimated particle metric value using the signal from the particle detector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.