US 5,839,484 A · Vacuum transfer system and method for food grade product

Abstract

A vacuum transfer method and system for transferring liquid food grade product vacuum transfer system for transferring liquid food grade product into and from a vessel. The vessel has at least one product inlet/outlet. The vacuum transfer system includes a selectively activatable vacuum source. A vacuum transfer unit is in fluid communication with the vacuum source and with the vessel. Valves are operably coupled to the vacuum source and the vacuum transfer unit for selectively (a) pressurizing the tank and (b) drawing a vacuum in the tank, whereby drawing a vacuum by the vacuum source in the vessel acts to draw the liquid food grade product into the vessel through the at least one product inlet/outlet and pressurizing the vessel acts to expel the liquid food grade product from the vessel through the at least one product inlet/outlet.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A method for transferring a liquid food grade product between a first vessel to a second vessel by means of vacuum, the second vessel having a submersible liquid inlet/outlet and an air inlet/outlet, comprising the steps of:

(1) when filling the second vessel;
(a) providing a fluid coupling from the first vessel to the second vessel liquid inlet/outlet;
(b) venting the first vessel to a fluid source;
(c) fluidly unsealing the second vessel at the second vessel liquid inlet/outlet;
(d) drawing a vacuum in the second vessel by means of activation of a vacuum source operably coupled to the second vessel air inlet/outlet and through the fluid coupling, thereby drawing a vacuum in the first vessel;
(e) providing a first vacuum operated check valve means disposed between the vacuum source and the second vessel;
and
(f) providing a second valve means disposed between the vacuum source and the second vessel;
(g) fluidly sealing the second vessel liquid inlet/outlet when a selected volume of food grade product has been transferred to the second vessel;
(h) removing the vacuum from the second vessel after fluidly sealing the second vessel liquid inlet/outlet;
whereby the food grade product is drawn from the first vessel through the fluid coupling and thence through the second vessel submersible liquid inlet/outlet into the second vessel, the food grade product in the first vessel being displaced by fluid from the fluid source the first vacuum operated check valve means and the second valve means acting to isolate the liquid food grade product from the vacuum source.

8 more elements

A vacuum transfer system for transferring liquid food grade product into and from a vessel by means of a vacuum drawn in the vessel by a selectively activatable vacuum source, the vessel having at least one submersible product inlet/outlet comprising:

a vacuum transfer unit being in fluid communication with the vacuum source and with the vessel, having valving means operably coupled to the vacuum source and the vacuum transfer unit for selectively (a) pressurizing the tank under a positive pressure and (b) drawing a vacuum in the tank, said valving means positively isolating the vacuum source from the vessel when the vacuum source is deactivated such that the liquid food grade product is not accessible to the vacuum source, the vacuum transfer unit being disposed in an aperture defined in a wall of the vessel;
whereby drawing a vacuum by the vacuum source in the vessel acts to draw the liquid food grade product into the vessel through the at least one submersible product inlet/outlet and pressurizing the vessel acts to expel the liquid food grade product from the vessel through the at least one submersible product inlet/outlet.

A vehicle for the transportation of liquid food grade product having a chassis supported on a plurality of road engaging wheels and having at least one tank supported on the chassis, the vehicle having a vacuum transfer system for transferring food grade product to and from the at least one tank, the vacuum transfer system comprising:

a selectively activatable vacuum source;
a vacuum transfer unit being in fluid communication with the vacuum source and with the tank and having three interconnected conduits for the conveyance of fluid, each of said three conduits having at least one valve associated therewith for controlling the flow of fluid therethrough, a first of the three interconnected conduits being selectively in flow communication with the selectively activatable vacuum source, a second of the three interconnected conduits being selectively in flow communication with the atmosphere, and a third of the three interconnected conduits being selectively in flow communication with the tank;
and
valving means operably coupled to the vacuum source and the vacuum transfer unit for selectively pressurizing the tank and drawing a vacuum in the tank,
whereby drawing a vacuum by the vacuum source in the tank acts to draw the liquid food grade product into the tank and pressurizing the tank acts to expel the liquid food grade product from the tank.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vacuum transfer system and method for food grade product

Life of this patent

Vacuum transfer system and method for food grade product

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37