Variable geometry seasoning tumbler
AssigneeRecot, Inc.
InventorRobert James Rooke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The variable geometry seasoning tumbler is an adjustable tumbling device that allows for the uniform application of seasoning of snack food product such as potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, and the like. With the adjustable tumbling device, uniform application of seasoning can be achieved while minimizing snack food product breakage. The tumbler has adjustable upper and lower rolls that support a belt that receives and processes the snack food product. The belt has a catenary region wherein snack product is processed in a tumbling bed. By adjusting one or both rolls, the dimensions of the tumbling bed and the inclination of the belt can be easily modified. Thereby, the tumbling parameters can be optimized for each type of snack product being seasoned.
Claims23
A seasoning assembly for use with seasoning snack food product comprising:
- a tumbler, the tumbler comprising an adjustable upper support roll;
- an adjustable lower support roll;
- a belt suspended between the upper and the lower support rolls for receiving and processing the snack food product, the belt having a top surface and a taut bottom surface;
- and
- a catenary region formed by a slack portion in the top surface of the belt and providing a product bed for tumbling the snack food product;
- and
- a seasoning applicator positioned above the belt of the tumbler to dispense seasoning on snack food product received by the belt.
A seasoning tumbler for use with seasoning snack food product, comprising:
- an adjustable upper support roll;
- an adjustable lower support roll;
- a belt suspended between the upper and the lower support rolls for receiving and processing the snack food product, the belt having a top surface and a taut bottom surface;
- at least one of flights or cleats protruding upwards from the top surface of the belt;
- a catenary region formed by a slack portion in the top surface of the belt creating a tumbling product bed for the processing of the snack food product;
- and
- a seasoning applicator positioned above the belt of the tumbler to dispense seasoning on snack food product received by the belt.
A tumbler for use with tumbling snack food product comprising:
- a positionally adjustable upper support roll;
- a positionally adjustable lower support roll;
- a belt suspended between the upper and the lower support rolls for receiving snack food product, the belt having a top surface and a taut bottom surface;
- and
- an adjustable catenary region formed in the top surface of the belt and providing a product bed for tumbling the snack food product, the catenary region being adjustable by adjustment of a position of the upper support roll with respect to a position of the lower support roll.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.