Canted manually loaded produce dryer
OwnerAlan Heinzen, Erick A. Davidsoninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drying apparatus for use with many kinds of objects, but is particularly suited for use in drying most kinds of produce and vegetables including leaf vegetables. In one embodiment, the dryer includes a canted drum design which provides a number of benefits and advantages over prior art designs. The canted design allows the use of a spin drying method that breaks up clumps of material in the dryer and assists in the even distribution of material, thereby improving load balance. The canted design provides ergonomic advantages to the operator when loading and unloading the dryer, and, the canted design allows easy access to the drive system for maintenance and repairs.
Claims16
A manually loaded dryer comprising:
- a housing,
- a drum enclosed in said housing, said drum comprising an axis of rotation, and said axis of rotation being canted at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees from vertical,
- a basket for holding produce, said basket configured to be received within said drum,
- a drive assembly for rotating said drum
- a control system for operating said drive assembly
- a cover hingeably coupled to said housing, and
- a spring assembly that automatically lifts said cover when said cover has been manually opened beyond a selected angle between 30 and 60 degrees from a plane in which said cover lies when closed.
A manually loaded dryer comprising:
- a housing,
- a drum enclosed in said housing, said drum comprising an axis of rotation, and said axis of rotation being canted at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees from vertical,
- a basket for holding produce, said basket configured to be received within said drum,
- a drive assembly for rotating said drum,
- a control system for operating said drive assembly,
- a cover hingeably coupled to said housing, and
- a proximity switch capable of sensing when said cover is open, and when said cover is closed.
A manually loaded dryer comprising:
- a housing,
- a drum enclosed in said housing, said drum comprising an axis of rotation, and said axis of rotation being canted at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees from vertical,
- a basket for holding produce, said basket configured to be received within said drum,
- a drive assembly for rotating said drum,
- a control system for operating said drive assembly,
- a cover hingeably coupled to said housing, and
- a closure of said cover, automatically actuates a drying cycle.
A method of drying produce, said method comprising the steps:
- (a) providing a drum comprising an axis of rotation, said axis of rotation being canted at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees from vertical;
- (b) loading contents into said drum;
- (c) spinning said drum around said axis of rotation at a first revolutions per minute for a selected period of time to roll said contents in order to separate clumps and to allow said contents to distribute evenly;
- (d) spinning said drum at a second selected revolutions per minute higher than said first revolutions per minute for a second selected period of time cause said contents to improve eveness of distribution of said contents;
- and
- (e) spinning said drum at a third selected revolutions per minute higher than said second revolutions per minute for a second selected period of time to cause fluids on said contents to drain away from said contents.
A manually loaded dryer comprising
- a housing,
- a drum enclosed in said housing, said drum comprising an axis of rotation, and said axis of rotation being canted at approximately 45 degrees from vertical,
- a cover hingeably coupled to said housing, said cover comprising a spring assembly that automatically lifts said cover when said cover has been manually opened beyond 45 degrees from a plane in which said cover lies when closed,
- a basket for holding produce, said basket configured to be received within said drum, said basket comprising a perforated drum,
- a drive assembly for rotating said drum,
- a control system for operating said drive assembly, and
- a proximity switch capable of sensing when said cover is open, and when said cover is closed, said proximity switch in communication with said control system,
- wherein a closure of said cover, automatically actuates a drying cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.