US4027400A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fluid removal in food processing, method and apparatus
Assignee: JBS USA LLC
•
Filing: 1975-01-06
•
Granted: 1977-06-07
•
Expires: 1995-01-06
Abstract
Abstract A food processing method and apparatus removes surface and absorbed fluids from individual food items during the commercial processing of continuous supplies or batches thereof. The food items are continuously and simultaneously tumbled and contacted with stream of material having an affinity for either or both of aqueous liquids and oily liquids. A vibration device is associated with an inclined run of the stream of material and accomplishes a tumbling of the individual food items to permit substantially all of their surface area to contact the stream of material. An optional heating member may be positioned in the vicinity of the inclined run to supply heat to the fluid on or within the food pieces. A fluid removal mechanism may be positioned on the apparatus for removing and collecting the fluid from the stream of material.
Inventors
- 👤 David R. Erickson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:25
CPC Classifications
F; F26; F26B; F26B7/00; F26B17/00; F26B17/02; F26B17/04; F26B17/045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
An improved method for removing fluid from commercially processed food items, comprising the steps of: maintaining a substantially continuous stream of absorbent material along an inclined run; supplying food items having a fluid residue at a location above the lower portion of said inclined run; passing said food items along said inclined run; mechanically vibrating said inclined run from below; radiantly heating said food items from above to promote flowability of said fluid residue while simultaneously vibrationally tumbling said food items and contacting substantially the entire surface thereof with said stream of absorbent material; transmitting the fluid residue of increased flowability from said food items to the absorbent material; thereafter transferring said food items to a location below the upper portion of said inclined run; and removing said fluid from the absorbent material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
An improved method for removing fluid from commercially processed food items, comprising the steps of: maintaining a substantially continuous stream of absorbent material along an inclined run; supplying food items having a fluid residue at a location above the lower portion of said inclined run; passing said food items along said inclined run; mechanically vibrating said inclined run from below; radiantly heating said food items from above to promote flowability of said fluid residue while simultaneously vibrationally tumbling said food items and contacting substantially the entire surface thereof with said stream of absorbent material; transmitting the fluid residue of increased flowability from said food items to the absorbent material; thereafter transferring said food items to a location below the upper portion of said inclined run; and removing said fluid from the absorbent material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid is an oily liquid and said absorbent material is selected from the group consisting of cotton fiber, synthetic fiber, natural or synthetic foams, soft canvas, paper, and gauze.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid is an aqueous liquid and said absorbent material is selected from the group consisting of cotton fiber, synthetic fiber, soft canvas, paper, gauze, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride foam and other natural or synthetic foams.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid includes both an oily liquid and an aqueous liquid and said absorbent material is selected from the group consisting of cotton fiber, synthetic fiber, soft canvas, paper, gauze, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride foam and other natural or synthetic foams.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
190 words
An apparatus for removing fluid from commercially processed foods, comprising, in combination, an inclined run, a means for conveying a substantially continuous stream of absorbent material through the inclined run, a means for supplying food items having a fluid residue, said food item supplying means being located above the lower portion of said inclined run, an inclined mechanical vibration means in communication with the underside of said inclined run for vibrating said inclined run to thereby tumble said food items, a fluid flowability promoting means positioned above said inclined run, said fluid flowability promoting means including a radiant heating means for heating and increasing the flowability of said fluid residue, the inclined vibration means being for contacting substantially all of the service area of said food items with the absorbent material and for transmitting said fluid residue of increased flowability from the food onto the absorbent material, a transfer means for receiving the said food items after their having been tumbled along said inclined run, said transfer means being located below the upper portion of said inclined run, and fluid removal means for removing said fluid from the absorbent material.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
190 words
An apparatus for removing fluid from commercially processed foods, comprising, in combination, an inclined run, a means for conveying a substantially continuous stream of absorbent material through the inclined run, a means for supplying food items having a fluid residue, said food item supplying means being located above the lower portion of said inclined run, an inclined mechanical vibration means in communication with the underside of said inclined run for vibrating said inclined run to thereby tumble said food items, a fluid flowability promoting means positioned above said inclined run, said fluid flowability promoting means including a radiant heating means for heating and increasing the flowability of said fluid residue, the inclined vibration means being for contacting substantially all of the service area of said food items with the absorbent material and for transmitting said fluid residue of increased flowability from the food onto the absorbent material, a transfer means for receiving the said food items after their having been tumbled along said inclined run, said transfer means being located below the upper portion of said inclined run, and fluid removal means for removing said fluid from the absorbent material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said fluid removal means includes a plurality of rotatably mounted roller members resiliently connected to each other by a resilient member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein one of said roller members is contacted by a roller scraper member for removing liquid from said roller member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said fluid removal means includes means for passing air or other gas through said conveyed material to remove fluid therefrom.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said stream of absorbent material is an absorbent endless belt positioned along a plurality of rotatably mounted rolls, at least one of which is driven by a drive means for rotating such roll.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said absorbent endless belt is a material selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, synthetic fibers, soft canvas, paper, gauze, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride foam, and other natural or synthetic foams.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said stream of absorbent material is a continuous web that contacts the outer surface of an endless belt substantially throughout the extent of said inclined run, said endless belt being positioned along a plurality of rotatably mounted rolls, at least one of which is driven by a drive means for rotating such roll.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said continuous web is a material selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, synthetic fibers, soft canvas, paper, gauze, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride foam and other natural or synthetic foams.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US617953A
Cited
US1111217A
Cited
US1205117A
Cited
US1259774A
Cited
US1538788A
Cited
US2195371A
Cited
US2209759A
Cited
US2207278A
Cited
US2419876A
Cited
US2575426A
Cited
US2904495A
Cited
US3070899A
Cited
GB920377A
Cited
US3262215A
Cited
US3703963A
Cited
US3613564A
Cited
US3702297A
Cited
US3965581A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-06-06 | 1980-12-06 | 1981-06-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-06-06 | 1984-12-06 | 1985-06-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-06-06 | 1988-12-06 | 1989-06-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |