An improved seasoning system 10, 11, 13 uniformly coats a food product with the desired amount of seasoning, with the seasoning rate preferably being controlled as a function of the product volume signals from the sensors 26, 34, 108 and 110. The seasoning system preferably utilizes linear motion co
An improved seasoning system 10, 11, 13 uniformly coats a food product with the desired amount of seasoning, with the seasoning rate preferably being controlled as a function of the product volume signals from the sensors 26, 34, 108 and 110. The seasoning system preferably utilizes linear motion conveyors and either a rotating drum 36 or a deflector 98 and a second seasoning unit 112, 114 between linear conveyors 94, 96. Oil may be sprayed onto food products and tumbled in a drum 16 which both rotates and moves in a reciprocating manner with the conveyor tray 14. An improved seasoning tray 123, 144, 148 has a planar floor 122, 138, 162 with an angled discharge edge 124, 137, 182 for uniformly distributing seasoning on the product. The seasoning system minimizes damage to the food product and uniformly coats the product with a desired amount of seasoning.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A seasoning system for coating a food product with seasoning, comprising: one or more moveable seasoning trays each for dispensing seasoning; an input conveyor for supplying food product on which is dropped seasoning from the one or more seasoning trays to coat the food prod
What is claimed is: 1. A seasoning system for coating a food product with seasoning, comprising: one or more moveable seasoning trays each for dispensing seasoning; an input conveyor for supplying food product on which is dropped seasoning from the one or more seasoning trays to coat the food product with seasoning; a sensor for outputting a product feed rate signal in response to food product moving past the sensor; and a seasoning supply unit for applying seasoning to the one or more seasoning trays in response to the product feed rate signal. 2. A seasoning system as defined in claim 1, wherein the seasoning system further comprises: an upper ramp surface for sliding the food product while coating a side of the food product; and a lower ramp surface for sliding the food product while coating an opposing side of the food product. 3. A seasoning system as defined in claim 2, further comprising: an upper seasoning tray for dropping seasoning onto the upper ramp surface; and a lower seasoning tray for dropping seasoning onto the lower ramp surface. 4. A seasoning system as defined in claim 1, wherein the one or more seasoning trays includes at least first and second linearly moveable seasoning trays to move seasoning longitudinally along the seasoning tray; and a drive mechanism for driving the first and second seasoning trays. 5. A seasoning system as defined in claim 4, wherein the first seasoning tray opposes the second seasoning tray such that the first seasoning tray primarily coats one side of the product and the second seasoning tray primarily coats an opposing side of the product. 6. A seasoning system as defined in claim 4, wherein the input conveyor comprises: a linearly moveable product tray driven to move the food product longitudinally along the tray; a drive mechanism for driving the tray. 7. A seasoning system as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a product tray driven to move the food product longitudinally along the product tray; a drive mechanism for driving the product tray; and the drive mechanism moves the product tray linearly in a slow forward/fast backward manner to slide the product along the product tray. 8. A seasoning system as defined in claim 1, further comprising: the seasoning supply unit comprising an auger driven by an auger motor, the auger motor speed being controlled in response to the product feed rate signal. 9. A seasoning system as defined in claim 1, further comprising: the seasoning supply unit including a seasoning tray having an angled discharge edge for uniformly distributing a curtain of seasoning to the product. 10. A seasoning system as defined in claim 9, further comprising: an angled deflector on an upstream portion of the seasoning tray for deflecting product toward both a left side and a right side of the seasoning tray. 11. A seasoning system as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a proportional gate for adjusting the feed rate of product to the product tray in response to the product feed rate signal. 12. A seasoning system as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a tumbler including a rotating drum having an inclined drum axis for tumbling the product and the seasoning. 13. A seasoning system as defined in claim 1, further comprising: an operator input panel for inputting operator selected parameters; and a computer for controlling movement of the product tray and thus the quantity of product moving along the product tray in response to the operator input signals. 14. A seasoning system for coating food product with seasoning, comprising: one or more moveable seasoning trays each for dispensing seasoning; an input conveyor for supplying food product past the one or more seasoning trays to coat the food product with seasoning; the one or more seasoning trays each having an angled discharge edge for uniformly distributing a curtain of seasoning to the product; a first seasoning tray opposes a second seasoning tray such that the first seasoning tray primarily coats one side of the product and the second seasoning tray primarily coats an opposing side of the product; and a drive mechanism for driving each of the one or more seasoning trays. 15. A seasoning system as defined in claim 14, wherein the seasoning unit further comprises: an upper ramp surface for sliding the food product while coating a side of the food product; and a lower ramp surface for sliding the food product while coating an opposing side of the food product. 16. A seasoning system as defined in claim 15, further comprising: an upper seasoning tray for dropping seasoning onto the upper ramp surface; and a lower seasoning tray for dropping seasoning onto the lower ramp surface. 17. A seasoning system as defined in claim 14, wherein the one or more seasoning tray includes at least first and second linearly moveable seasoning trays to move seasoning longitudinally along the seasoning tray; and a drive mechanism for driving the first and second seasoning trays. 18. A seasoning system as defined in claim 14, wherein the input conveyor comprises: a linearly moveable product tray driven to move the food product longitudinally along the tray; a drive mechanism for driving the product tray. 19. A seasoning system as defined in claim 14, further comprising: a proportional gate for adjusting the feed rate of product to the one or more seasoning trays in response to a product feed rate signal. 20. A seasoning system as defined in claim 14, further comprising: a sensor for generating a product feed rate signal in response to food product moving past the sensor. 21. A seasoning for coating a food product with seasoning, comprising: one or more moveable seasoning trays each for dispensing seasoning; an input conveyor for supplying food product on which is dropped seasoning from the one or more seasoning trays to coat the food product with seasoning; a sensor for outputting a product feed rate signal in response to food product moving along the input conveyor; an upper ramp surface for sliding the food product while coating a side of the food product; a lower ramp surface for sliding the food product while coating an opposing side of the food product; an upper seasoning tray for dropping seasoning onto the upper ramp surface; a lower seasoning tray for dropping seasoning onto the lower ramp surface; and a proportional gate for adjusting the feed rate of product to the one or more seasonal trays, in response to the product feed rate signal. 22. A seasoning system as defined in claim 21, wherein the input conveyor comprised: a linearly moveable product tray driven to move the food product longitudinally along the tray; a drive mechanism for driving the tray. 23. A seasoning system as defined in claim 21, further comprising: a product tray driven to move the food product longitudinally along the product tray; a drive mechanism for driving the product tray; and the drive mechanism moves the product tray linearly in a slow forward/fast backward manner to slide the product along the product tray. 24. A seasoning system as defined in claim 21, further comprising: a seasoning supply unit comprising an auger driven by an auger motor, the auger motor speed being controlled in response to the product feed rate signal. 25. A seasoning system as defined in claim 21, further comprising: a seasoning supply unit including a seasoning tray having an angled discharge edge for uniformly distributing a curtain of seasoning to the product. 26. A seasoning system as defined in claim 25, further comprising: an angled deflector on an upstream portion of the seasoning tray for deflecting product toward both a left side and a right side of the seasoning tray. 27. A seasoning system as defined in claim 21, further comprising: an operator input panel for inputting operator selected parameters; and a computer for controlling movement of the product tray and thus the quantity of product moving along the product tray in response to the operator input signals.
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이 특허를 인용한 특허 (5)
Tuchrelo, Robert Richard; Cahoon, Jeffrey Quint, Apparatus for preparing food, particularly fruit.
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