Heat-treatment device capable of receiving loose products
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65B-055/14
A23L-003/10
A61L-002/00
A61L-002/04
B01L-007/02
B01J-003/04
B65B-055/18
출원번호
US-0381025
(2013-03-08)
등록번호
US-9856046
(2018-01-02)
우선권정보
FR-12 52401 (2012-03-16)
국제출원번호
PCT/FR2013/050488
(2013-03-08)
국제공개번호
WO2013/135998
(2013-09-19)
발명자
/ 주소
Ranchon, Denis
출원인 / 주소
LAGARDE
대리인 / 주소
Ladas & Parry LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
1
초록▼
A heat-treatment device for heat treating packaged products that are available in bulk, and to a method of using the device. The device includes: a chamber; a tank for containing a fluid of a density such that the packaged products float when they are poured in bulk into the fluid, the tank presenti
A heat-treatment device for heat treating packaged products that are available in bulk, and to a method of using the device. The device includes: a chamber; a tank for containing a fluid of a density such that the packaged products float when they are poured in bulk into the fluid, the tank presenting an evacuation compartment for evacuating floating products, the evacuation compartment including a hatch that is suitable for being submerged and then opened so as to evacuate a portion of the fluid including the floating products; fluid supply means for filling the tank and for regulating the level of fluid in the tank; submersion means; recovery means; and reception means.
대표청구항▼
1. A heat-treatment device for heat treating products that are packaged and available in bulk, said device comprising a chamber for putting under pressure and for performing such heat treatment, said device comprising: a tank for containing a fluid of a density such that the products float when pour
1. A heat-treatment device for heat treating products that are packaged and available in bulk, said device comprising a chamber for putting under pressure and for performing such heat treatment, said device comprising: a tank for containing a fluid of a density such that the products float when poured in bulk into the fluid, the tank presenting evacuation means for evacuating products which are floating, the evacuation means including an evacuation compartment comprising an evacuation hatch that is suitable for being submerged and then opened so as to evacuate, from the evacuation compartment, a portion of the fluid including the products which are floating;fluid supply means for filling the tank and for regulating the level of fluid in the tank;mechanical submersion means that act at the top surface of the fluid present in the tank so as to submerge the products in the fluid;recovery means for recovering the products contained within the fluid that is evacuated from the tank when opening the evacuation hatch; andreception means for receiving the fluid that pours out when opening the evacuation hatch. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said tank is removable and can be inserted into and removed from said chamber via at least one door of said chamber. 3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said tank is suitable for co-operating with movement means comprising rails and/or slideways on which said tank is placed. 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said evacuation compartment is an upper compartment, and wherein said evacuation compartment has a wall that forms or includes said evacuation hatch of the evacuation compartment, said evacuation hatch being openable, by pivoting or sliding. 5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the evacuation compartment constitutes an overhanging structure that extends from one longitudinal end of the tank. 6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said evacuation compartment includes a floor that extends horizontally over a main floor of the tank, beyond and away from the top of a lower vertical transverse wall of said tank towards an outlet door of the chamber, said lower vertical transverse wall of the tank defining a bottom portion of the tank that lies below and upstream from said evacuation compartment. 7. The device according to claim 4, wherein said evacuation hatch is placed at a vertical transverse wall of said evacuation compartment at an end of the tank that is arranged facing an outlet of the chamber. 8. The device according to claim 4, wherein the fluid supply means comprises fluid inlets that are situated at a longitudinal end of the tank, remote from the evacuation compartment and that inject fluid for directing the products towards the evacuation compartment. 9. The device according to claim 4, wherein the device includes a control means for controlling the opening of said evacuation hatch as a function of the water level in the tank and the evacuation compartment, and/or of the evacuation speed of the products. 10. A device according to claim 4, wherein said evacuation compartment is configured so that the quantity of products inside said evacuation compartment facing the evacuation hatch can be less than the total quantity of products contained in the tank. 11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical submersion means comprises at least one perforated plate, or at least one grid that is suitable for being raised and lowered between an out-of-fluid position and a submerged position, in which submerged position, the products trapped below on of the at least one plate or on of the at least one grid may be submerged, below said evacuation hatch. 12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the recovery means for recovering the products contained within the fluid that is evacuated from the tank when opening said evacuation hatch comprises a sloping ramp or chute and that extends outside said tank from just below said evacuation hatch, and the recovery means is associated with dehumidification or drying means for dehumidifying or drying the products that are evacuated onto said ramp or chute. 13. The device according to claim 1, wherein said tank includes a means that forms an openable second bottom wall that is arranged above a first bottom wall, said second bottom wall being suitable for adopting: a closed position that prevents products which are non-floating or portions of products which are non-floating of a preceding batch that lie on the first bottom wall from mixing with products which are floating of a following batch to be heat treated that is submerged in the fluid above the second bottom wall, the products which are non-floating which are of said following batch being deposited on said second bottom wall in the closed position; andan open position that makes it possible to allow the products which are non-floating that previously lay on said second bottom wall to drop onto said first bottom wall. 14. The device according to claim 13, wherein said means that form the second bottom wall comprise two pivotable flaps that are hinge mounted on two opposite longitudinal side walls of said tank, above said first bottom wall, said first bottom wall including a second evacuation hatch, said flaps being suitable for floating so that: when the fluid level is situated below edges of the flaps fitted with hinges fastened to said longitudinal side walls, said flaps are in said open position; andwhen the fluid level is situated above the edges of the flaps fitted with hinges fastened to said longitudinal side walls, said flaps are in said closed position. 15. A heat-treatment method for heat treating products that are packaged and available in bulk, said method using a chamber for putting the products under pressure, with a device according to claim 1, said method comprising the following steps: a) filling the tank placed in the chamber with fluid;b) filling the tank with a batch of products in bulk, said fluid being of a density such that the products float when they are poured in bulk into said tank, the tank presenting the evacuation means for evacuating products which are floating, said evacuation means including the evacuation hatch that is suitable for being submerged;c) submerging the products mechanically;d) closing the chamber;e) proceeding with heat treatment within the chamber by heating the fluid within said tank and putting the inside of the chamber under pressure;f) allowing said products to float upwards;g) opening the evacuation hatch for evacuating floating products;h) supplying said tank with fluid and causing the fluid and/or the products to flow so as to control an evacuation of the fluid and of the products via the evacuation hatch;i) recovering said products contained within the fluid that is evacuated outside the tank; andj) recovering the poured out fluid. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein: said tank presents an evacuation compartment for evacuating the floating products and includes the evacuation hatch that is suitable for being submerged, with fluid up to a first level that is situated below said evacuation hatch;in step b), the products are poured in bulk into the tank;in step b), adding fluid into the tank up to a second level enabling the evacuation compartment and the evacuation hatch to be submerged; andin step h), supplying said tank with said fluid and causing the fluid and/or the products to flow so as to control the evacuation of the fluid and of the products via the evacuation hatch, by controlling the fluid level within the tank while the products are being evacuated. 17. The method according to claim 15, wherein: products which are non-floating are deposited on a means that forms a second bottom wall when in a closed position, which second bottom wall is arranged above a first bottom wall, said second bottom wall being suitable for adopting:a closed position that prevents products which are non-floating, or portions of products which are non-floating, of a preceding batch that lie on the first bottom wall from mixing with products which are floating of a following batch to be heat treated that is submerged in the fluid above the second bottom wall, the products which are non-floating of said following batch being deposited on said second bottom wall in the closed position; andan open position that makes it possible to allow the products which are non-floating that previously lay on said second bottom wall to drop onto said first bottom wall; andafter all of the products which are floating have been evacuated via said evacuation hatch, said second bottom wall is opened so as to deposit, on said first bottom wall, the products which are non-floating that previously lay on said second bottom wall.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (1)
Mencacci Samuel A. (San Jose CA) Strasser Jurgen H. (Mountain View CA) Mansfield Tom (San Jose CA), Retort system.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.