Stuffer horn with spray
AssigneeTyson Foods, Inc.
InventorsShaughn M. Benson, Adam Pfeifer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An embodiment of the invention includes a stuffer horn with spray system for elimination or reduction of pathogen contamination. One embodiment of the invention combines a stuffer horn with spray nozzles for the application of a safety intervention solution while the product is being placed into a bag. The stuffer comprises a horn with pivoting top jaw and fixed bottom jaw that funnels product into a bag that is placed over its nose and a cylinder that forces the product through the horn and into the bag. One implementation can include a cylindrical horn having a flexible overlapping side wall adapted to increase or decrease the inner diameter.
Claims20
An apparatus for reduction of pathogens comprising:
- a horn assembly having upper, lower and side walls forming a central horn channel having an open entry end and an open exit end;
- a plurality of liquid spray assemblies positioned about the central horn channel and oriented to emit an inward multi-directional spray pattern into the central horn channel, where said plurality of liquid spray assemblies create a spray zone;
- and
- an plunger rod proximate the entry end of the central horn channel, where said plunger rod is extendable from the entry end of the central horn channel, through the spray zone toward the exit end.
An apparatus for reduction of pathogens comprising:
- a horn assembly having a top horn assembly portion hingedly attached to and closable over an opposed bottom horn assembly portion in a jaw-like manner such that when said top horn assembly portion is closed over said bottom horn assembly portion a central horn channel is formed having an open entry end and an open exit end;
- a plurality of liquid spray assemblies including a top spray assembly adapted and oriented to emit a spray from a top area of the central horn channel downward into the central horn channel, a bottom spray assembly adapted and oriented to emit a spray from a bottom area of the central horn channel upward into the central horn channel, an opposing side spray assemblies adapted and oriented to emit a spray from opposing side areas of the central horn channel laterally into the central horn channel, where said plurality of liquid spray assemblies create a spray zone;
- and
- an actuator cylinder having an extendable plunger rod proximate the entry end of the central horn channel, where said plunger rod is extendable from the entry end of the central horn channel, through the spray zone toward the exit end.
An apparatus for reduction of pathogens comprising:
- a horn assembly having upper, lower and side walls forming a central horn channel having an open entry end and an open exit end;
- a plurality of liquid spray assemblies including a top spray assembly adapted and oriented to emit a spray from a top area of the central horn channel downward into the central horn channel, a bottom spray assembly adapted and oriented to emit a spray from a bottom area of the central horn channel upward into the central horn channel, an opposing side spray assemblies adapted and oriented to emit a spray from opposing side areas of the central horn channel laterally into the central horn channel, where said plurality of liquid spray assemblies create a spray zone;
- and
- an plunger rod proximate the entry end of the central horn channel, where said plunger rod is extendable from the entry end of the central horn channel, through the spray zone toward the exit end.
An method for reduction of pathogens comprising the steps of:
- traversing a product through an open entry end and an open exit end of a central horn channel of a horn assembly having upper, lower and side walls forming said central horn channel by extending a plunger rod from proximate the open entry end of the central horn channel;
- extending the plunger rod and traversing the product from the entry end of the central horn channel, through a spray zone within the central horn channel toward the exit end;
- and
- emitting a topical meat intervention solution spray from a plurality of liquid spray assemblies positioned about the central horn channel and oriented to emit an inward multi-directional spray pattern into the central horn channel, where said plurality of liquid spray assemblies create the spray zone as the product traverses through the spray zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.