IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0044260
(2008-03-07)
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등록번호 |
US-9497988
(2016-11-22)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Loibl, Gregory H.
- Sidebotham, George
- Gutierrez, Michael B.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
19 |
초록
▼
A system of rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids includes a chilling station having a reservoir for holding a cooling medium. The reservoir includes an outlet for removing excess of the cooling medium. A container bay disposed substantially above the reservoir is adapted to receive at least one containe
A system of rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids includes a chilling station having a reservoir for holding a cooling medium. The reservoir includes an outlet for removing excess of the cooling medium. A container bay disposed substantially above the reservoir is adapted to receive at least one container of hot bulk liquid to be cooled. At least one rotator is adapted to rotate the container placed in the container bay substantially around the container's longitudinal axis. A spray jet outlet is disposed substantially above the container bay and in fluid communication with the reservoir. The spray jet outlet is adapted to spray the container with the cooling medium while the roller is rotating the container. The container includes a void volume, preferably at least 5%. The rotator rotates the container at a rate that depends on the size of the container and/or the viscosity of the contents of the container.
대표청구항
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1. A method of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids from a temperature of equal to or greater than 140° F., comprising the steps of: placing a hot bulk food liquid having a viscosity and an initial temperature equal to or greater than 140° F. in a resea
1. A method of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids from a temperature of equal to or greater than 140° F., comprising the steps of: placing a hot bulk food liquid having a viscosity and an initial temperature equal to or greater than 140° F. in a resealable container having a size and an inherent void volume that traps air in contact with the hot bulk food liquid;placing the container in a substantially horizontal orientation;rotating the container substantially about its longitudinal axis; andspraying the surface of the container with a cooling medium while the container is rotating,wherein when a target temperature in the bulk food liquid is reached, bacterial growth in the food liquid is deterred. 2. The method of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 1, further comprising the step of varying the speed of rotation of the container depending on the viscosity of the hot bulk food liquid to be cooled. 3. The method of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 2, wherein the greater the viscosity of the hot bulk food liquid to be cooled, the slower the rotation rate of the container during the rotating step. 4. The method of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 1, wherein said rotating and spraying steps are performed until the hot bulk food liquid is cooled to approximately 5° C. 5. The method of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 1, wherein said rotating and spraying steps are performed until a partial vacuum is created within the container. 6. The method of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate of the cooling medium being sprayed is at least approximately 50 LPM. 7. The method of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a reservoir for the cooling medium, wherein the temperature of the cooling medium at least in the reservoir is approximately 0° C. 8. The method of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 1, further comprising the step of passively positioning the container with respect to a spray jet for the cooling medium by rotating the container against a longitudinally curved convex positioning wall, wherein rotation of the container against the positioning wall keeps the container substantially at the most outward-bowing portion of the positioning wall. 9. A resealable container for deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids having an initial temperature of equal to or greater than 140° F. by way of rotating the container about its longitudinal axis and spraying the container with a cooling medium, the container comprising: a substantially smooth cylindrical housing;a top sealingly attachable to and removable from said housing, said top including an inherent void volume;attachment means for sealingly attaching said top to said housing, a first mating portion of said attachment means being disposed on said housing and a second mating portion of said attachment means being disposed on said top,wherein when said top is attached to said housing, said void volume of said top traps air in contact with the hot bulk food liquid inside said container even if said housing is completely filled prior to attachment of said top. 10. The resealable container for deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 9, wherein said first mating portion comprises a first set of threads disposed on said housing and said second mating portion comprises a second set of threads disposed on said top. 11. The resealable container deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by for rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 10, further comprising a projection disposed on an upper surface of said top, said projection facilitating tightening of said top on said housing. 12. The resealable container for deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 11, further comprising a recess formed on an underside of said housing, said recess adapted to fit atop a raised portion of a fixed container tightening and loosening station to substantially prevent said housing from moving when a user tightens or loosens said top on said housing. 13. The resealable container for deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 12 wherein said recess is substantially the inverse of said projection atop said top, wherein multiple of said containers can thus be stacked with enhanced stability. 14. The resealable container for rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids according to claim 9, said attachment means comprising at least one of i) a bayonet fitting between said top and said housing; or ii) clips disposed on an exterior of said container. 15. The resealable container for deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 9, further comprising a liner disposed within said housing. 16. A method of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids from a temperature equal to or greater than 140° F., comprising the steps of: placing a hot bulk food liquid having a viscosity and a temperature equal to or greater than 140° F. in a resealable container;placing the container in a substantially horizontal orientation;rotating the container substantially about its longitudinal axis; andspraying the surface of the container with a cooling medium while the container is rotating,wherein said rotating step further includes varying the speed of rotation of the container depending on the viscosity of the hot bulk food liquid to be cooled. 17. A method of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 16, wherein the greater the viscosity of the hot bulk food liquid to be cooled, the slower the rotation rate of the container during the rotating step. 18. A system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids from a temperature equal to or greater than 140° F., comprising: a chilling station, comprising: a reservoir for holding a cooling medium, said reservoir including a reservoir outlet for removing excess of said cooling medium;a container bay disposed substantially above said reservoir adapted to receive at least one container of hot bulk food liquid having a viscosity and a temperature equal to or greater than 140° F. to be cooled, said container including a substantially smooth cylindrical container housing and a container top sealingly attachable to and removable from said housing;at least one rotator adapted to rotate said container placed in said container bay substantially around said container's longitudinal axis;a spray jet outlet, disposed substantially above said container bay and in fluid communication with said reservoir, adapted to spray said container with said cooling medium while said rotator is rotating said container; anda fixed container tightening and loosening station having an upward projection matingly engageable with a recess on a bottom of said container adapted to substantially prevent said container housing from moving when a user tightens or loosens said container top on said container housing when said container recess is fitted over said container tightening and loosening station projection. 19. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 18, said reservoir further comprising an inlet for adding additional of said cooling medium. 20. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 19, wherein said cooling medium comprises ice water. 21. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 18, wherein said reservoir outlet comprises a drain and a valve, wherein when said valve is opened, said cooling medium exits said reservoir via said drain. 22. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 21, further comprising a spillway in fluid communication with said reservoir, wherein when a level of said cooling medium reaches a level of said spillway, excess of said cooling medium exits said reservoir via said spillway. 23. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 18, wherein said rotator comprises a roller with which said container is substantially placed in contact. 24. The system of rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids according to claim 23, said rotator further comprising: a block matable with said container recess on said container housing;a rotator recess matable with said projection on said container top; andmeans for moving said block toward and away from said rotator recess so as to secure said container disposed therebetween. 25. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 23, further comprising a longitudinally curved convex container positioning wall disposed within said container bay adapted to position said container optimally with respect to said spray jet outlet. 26. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 25, wherein said positioning wall is laterally adjustable toward and away from said roller via means for adjusting the lateral position of said positioning wall. 27. The system of rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids according to claim 26, wherein said adjusting means comprises a threaded bolt attaching said positioning wall to said container bay, and wherein said positioning wall is continuously adjustable. 28. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 26, wherein said adjusting means comprises a notched bolt having at least two notches interactable with said container bay, and wherein said positioning wall is discretely adjustable depending upon which of said notches is interacting with said container bay. 29. The system of rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids according to claim 18, wherein said rotator comprises at least one of a rotator block or rotator recess dimensioned to mate with a corresponding container recess or container projection formed on said container. 30. The system of rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids according to claim 29, said container further comprising a container projection disposed on an upper surface of said container top, said projection facilitating tightening of said top on said housing, wherein said rotator comprises a recess matable with said projection on said top of said container. 31. The system of rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids according to claim 30, said container further comprising a recess formed on an underside of said container housing, said rotator further comprising a block matable with said recess on said container housing. 32. The system of rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids according to claim 31, wherein said container recess is substantially the inverse of said projection atop said top, wherein multiple of said containers can thus be stacked with enhanced stability. 33. The system of rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids according to claim 29, said container further comprising a recess formed on an underside of said container housing, said rotator further comprising a block matable with said recess on said container housing. 34. The system of rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids according to claim 33, further comprising a container tightening station having a projection matingly engageable with said recess on said container adapted to substantially prevent said container housing from moving when a user tightens said container top on said container housing when said container recess is fitted over said container tightening station projection. 35. The system of rapidly cooling hot bulk liquids according to claim 18, said rotator further comprising a lathe chuck for securing said container during rotation. 36. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 18, wherein said container top comprises an inherent void volume that traps air in contact with the hot bulk food liquid disposed in said container. 37. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 18, said chilling station further comprising a rotation controller in communication with said rotator adapted to control the rate of rotation of said rotator and thus said container. 38. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 37, wherein said rotation controller allows a user to vary the rate of rotation of said rotator depending on the size of said container. 39. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 37, wherein said rotation controller allows a user to vary the rate of rotation of said rotator depending on the viscosity of food liquids contents of said container. 40. The system of deterring bacterial growth in food liquids by rapidly cooling hot bulk food liquids according to claim 39, wherein the higher the viscosity of the food liquids contents of said container, the slower said rotation controller allows said rotator to rotate said container.
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