NZ727476B2 - Product cooling apparatuses - Google Patents
Product cooling apparatuses Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- NZ727476B2 NZ727476B2 NZ727476A NZ72747615A NZ727476B2 NZ 727476 B2 NZ727476 B2 NZ 727476B2 NZ 727476 A NZ727476 A NZ 727476A NZ 72747615 A NZ72747615 A NZ 72747615A NZ 727476 B2 NZ727476 B2 NZ 727476B2
- Authority
- NZ
- New Zealand
- Prior art keywords
- product
- product outlet
- air
- outlet
- pet food
- Prior art date
Links
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 56
- 235000013305 food Nutrition 0.000 claims abstract description 74
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 abstract description 6
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 abstract description 4
- 239000003570 air Substances 0.000 description 90
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 4
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000006011 modification reaction Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000008188 pellet Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000009825 accumulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012080 ambient air Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003467 diminishing Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003925 fat Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23K—FODDER
- A23K40/00—Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs
- A23K40/20—Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs by moulding, e.g. making cakes or briquettes
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23K—FODDER
- A23K40/00—Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs
- A23K40/25—Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs by extrusion
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23K—FODDER
- A23K50/00—Feeding-stuffs specially adapted for particular animals
- A23K50/40—Feeding-stuffs specially adapted for particular animals for carnivorous animals, e.g. cats or dogs
- A23K50/42—Dry feed
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
- B29C48/03—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor characterised by the shape of the extruded material at extrusion
- B29C48/04—Particle-shaped
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
- B29C48/03—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor characterised by the shape of the extruded material at extrusion
- B29C48/06—Rod-shaped
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
- B29C48/25—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29C48/88—Thermal treatment of the stream of extruded material, e.g. cooling
- B29C48/911—Cooling
- B29C48/9135—Cooling of flat articles, e.g. using specially adapted supporting means
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D1/00—Devices using naturally cold air or cold water
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D13/00—Stationary devices, e.g. cold-rooms
- F25D13/06—Stationary devices, e.g. cold-rooms with conveyors carrying articles to be cooled through the cooling space
- F25D13/067—Stationary devices, e.g. cold-rooms with conveyors carrying articles to be cooled through the cooling space with circulation of gaseous cooling fluid
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D17/00—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces
- F25D17/04—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection
- F25D17/06—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection by forced circulation
- F25D17/08—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection by forced circulation using ducts
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D25/00—Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled
- F25D25/04—Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled by conveyors
Abstract
Coolers for cooling pet food products and methods regarding same are presented. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a cooler comprising a chamber having product inlet, a product outlet and an air outlet, and at least one air duct having an exit opening so constructed and arranged for providing airflow into the product outlet. The present invention is configured to minimize the mechanical components required within the cooler, improve the cooling efficiency, decrease the potential of food contamination, while also reducing the need for cleaning between production runs. oviding airflow into the product outlet. The present invention is configured to minimize the mechanical components required within the cooler, improve the cooling efficiency, decrease the potential of food contamination, while also reducing the need for cleaning between production runs.
Description
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TITLE
“PRODUCT COOLING APPARATUSES ”
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates generally to pet food technologies. More
specifically, the present invention relates product cooling apparatuses and methods of
using same.
There are a number of conventional coolers for cooling extruded pet
food products. For example, a typical cooler has a cooling compartment that receives
bulk pet food to be cooled. There are usually a number of pivotable bars or slats
below an outlet at the bottom of the compartment for collecting the pet food. The
mechanical bars or slats are designed to allow the passage of cooling air through and
around the pet food accumulated on the slats. The slats can be rotated in one position
to form a floor collecting the pet food for cooling and another position to allow the
passage of the pet food into a collection hopper. The cooling capability of this type of
cooler is limited relative to it’s total volume due to the fact that by the nature of it’s
design, an empty collection hopper must be provided below the slats in order to collect
cooled product, and this space provides no cooling function. Further, the slats tend to
collect a residual of fine product material that remains even when the slats are rotated,
which can lead to contamination problems. The mechanical slats also require a
substantial effort and safety precautions to clean between production runs and as the
moving parts are pneumatically or hydraulically driven through linkages, maintenance
can be costly.
Another cooler design set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,482 for cooling
extruded feed products includes a cooling chamber with an outer wall surrounding the
inner chamber. This forms a cooling air circulating chamber right outside the inner
cooling chamber. Apertures are formed in a wall between the air circulating chamber
and the cooling chamber thereby allowing cooling air to flow into the cooling chamber
through the apertures. Air flow exits near the top as pet food product is dropped from
a product inlet in the top of the cooling chamber. The product exits at the bottom of
the cooling chamber. Nevertheless, there are a number of problems that arise from this
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design. First, small pet food products such as pellets and fines or coating materials
(e.g. fats) thereof may plug the apertures thereby reducing the efficiency of the cooling
process. Sanitation issues also arise with particulates from the pet food falling through
the apertures and remaining in the exterior air circulating chamber. Further, since the
cooling air apertures extend up the side wall of the cooling chamber, not all cooling air
contacts all material in the cooling chamber, limiting cooling efficiency.
Therefore, there is a need to provide improved coolers that allow for
flexibility in design for alternate capacities and rates for cooling pet food products.
SUMMARY
The present invention relates generally to pet food technologies. More
specifically, the present invention relates to coolers designed for cooling pet food and
methods of using same.
According to a first aspect of the the present invention, there is
provided a cooler comprising:
a chamber having product inlet, a product outlet wherein the product
outlet is in the shape of a rectangle having a length and a width, the length being
greater than the width and an air outlet; and
at least one air duct having an exit opening so constructed and arranged
for providing airflow into the product outlet, wherein the cooler further comprises:
a conveyer positioned below the product outlet, and
at least one panel addition,
the at least one panel addition being attached to the air duct and to the
conveyor,
the panel addition and the conveyor forming an air plenum for directing
airflow from the air duct to the product outlet, the air plenum being isolated from the
external atmosphere.
In an embodiment, air from the air duct provides the only airflow into
the product outlet.
In an embodiment, the cooler comprises at least one panel addition
attached to the air duct for directing airflow from the exit opening of the air duct to the
product outlet of the chamber.
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In an embodiment, the cooler comprises a conveyer positioned below
the product outlet.
In an embodiment, the cooler comprises at least one panel addition,
wherein the panel addition is attached to the air duct and the conveyor, and wherein
the panel addition and the conveyor form an air plenum for directing airflow from the
air duct to the product outlet of the chamber.
In an embodiment, the air plenum is isolated from the external
atmosphere.
In an embodiment, the conveyer is a type selected from the group
consisting screw, drag, electromechanical vibrating and combinations thereof.
In an embodiment, the air duct is attached to the chamber.
In an embodiment, air flows in a direction from the exit opening of the
air duct through the product outlet to the air outlet of the chamber.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a cooler
comprising a chamber having a ceiling and a plurality of walls. Lower portions of the
walls of the chamber form a product outlet. There is also a product inlet in the
chamber and air outlet in the chamber. The cooler also comprises one or more air
ducts having an exit opening are so constructed and arranged for providing airflow into
the product outlet.
In an embodiment, the lower portions of the walls of the chamber form
a product outlet in the shape of a rectangle having a length and a width, the length
being greater than the width.
In an embodiment, the air duct is so constructed and arranged for
providing airflow along the entire length and width of the product outlet into the
product outlet.
In an embodiment, at least one of the lower portions of the walls angles
inwardly to the product outlet.
In an alternative embodiment, the present invention provides a pet food
product cooler comprising a chamber comprising a product inlet, a product outlet and
an air inlet; at least one air duct having an exit opening so constructed and arranged for
providing airflow into the product outlet; and a conveyor positioned below the product
outlet. The air duct and the conveyor form an air plenum for directing airflow from
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the air duct to the product outlet of the chamber, the air plenum being isolated from the
external atmosphere.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for
manufacturing a pet food product, the method comprising:
transferring the pet food product to a cooling chamber having a product inlet, a
product outlet wherein the product outlet is in the shape of a rectangle having a length
and a width, an air outlet and a conveyor positioned below the product outlet, wherein
the pet food product is deposited in the cooling chamber through the product inlet and
accumulates in the chamber and on the conveyor through the product outlet;
directing airflow from at least one air duct to the product outlet through an air
plenum formed by the conveyor and at least one panel addition attached to said air
duct and to said conveyor, wherein the air plenum is isolated from the external
atmosphere;
providing airflow to the product outlet of the cooling chamber from an exit
opening of said at least one air duct while the pet food product is settling on the
conveyor, wherein the airflow travels through the pet food product exiting the product
outlet and through the pet food product accumulated in the chamber; and
removing the pet food product that has settled on the conveyor after the pet
food product has been sufficiently cooled.
An advantage of the present invention is to provide a cooler that is
capable of cooling pet food at a high rate while maintaining the desired retention time
within the cooler.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a pet food
cooler apparatus that requires less maintenance than conventional coolers.
Yet Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a pet food
cooler apparatus that requires less cleaning effort between production runs.
Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide a cooler
that is simple to operate does not require mechanical or hydraulic slats for operation.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a cooler that is
capable of handling coated pet food and particulates thereof without contamination
issues.
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Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide a cooler
that is capable of cooling coated pet food and particulates thereof without having a
reduced efficiency in the cooling rate.
Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be
apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cooler in one embodiment of the
present invention.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the cooler in another embodiment of the present
invention.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the cooler illustrating the direction of the airflow
in an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates generally to pet food technologies. More
specifically, the present invention relates to engineered coolers or cooler apparatuses
that cool pet food products and methods of using same. The pet food products can be,
for example, any suitable pet food product that require cooling or temperature
adjustment such as extruded pet foods, coated pet foods, pellets, kibbles, etc.
In an embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, the cooler 2 comprises a hopper,
container or chamber 4 having product inlet, a product outlet and an air outlet. The
cooler also comprises one or more air ducts having an exit opening so constructed and
arranged for providing airflow into the product outlet.
In an embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1-2, the cooler 2 comprises a
chamber 4 having a plurality of walls 14. Lower portions 16 of the walls 14 form a
product outlet 22. A product inlet 24 in the chamber 4 and an air outlet 26 are also in
the chamber 4. It should be appreciated that the product inlet 24 and the air outlet 26
can be located at any suitable position in the chamber 4. For example, in the
embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, the air outlet 26 is located in a ceiling 12 of the
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chamber 4, and the product inlet 24 is also located in the ceiling 12, such that pet food
product enters and cooling air exits at the top of the cooler 2
Any suitable fan, blower or exhaust system can be positioned at the air
outlet 26 of the chamber 4. The exhaust system, for example, induces a negative
pressure in the chamber 4, which draws air out of the chamber.
In another embodiment, at least one lower portion 16 of the walls 14
angles inwardly or tapers to the product outlet 22. For example, as illustrated in Figs.
1-2, two opposing lower portions 16 taper to form a narrower product outlet 22. This
cooler design provides greater flexibility and control over the volume of pet food
product that enters the chamber 4 and passes through the product outlet 22.
The cooler 2 further comprises one or more air ducts 32 having an exit
opening 34 so constructed and arranged for providing airflow into the product outlet
22. The direction of the airflow through the air ducts 32 is represented in Fig. 1, for
example, by the large arrows. For example, the exit opening 34 can be located on the
bottom side of the air ducts 32 and directed toward the product outlet 22 of the
chamber 4. Preferably, the air ducts 32 are so constructed and arranged for providing
airflow into the product outlet 22 along the entire length of the product outlet 22. In an
embodiment, two or more air ducts can be part of a single air duct that splits and
surrounds the chamber 4. The air ducts can be connected to one or more sources that
are capable of providing any suitable type of air depending on the desired
specifications for the final pet food products. For example, air can have any suitable
moisture level or temperature. The air can be ambient air or cooled air.
In an embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, the product outlet 22 is in the
shape of a rectangle having a length and a width, the length being greater than the
width. Moreover, in this design, the air duct 32 can be so constructed and arranged for
providing airflow along the entire length and width of the product outlet 22 and into
the product outlet 22. This provides an elongated product discharge area from the
chamber 4 and allows a greater volume of pet food to be cooled as it passes through
the product outlet 22. In an embodiment, the air ducts 32 can be attached to the walls
14 at any suitable location along the chamber 4.
In another embodiment, the cooler 2 further comprises one or more
panel additions 42 attached to the air duct 32 for directing airflow from the exit
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opening 34 of the air duct 32 to the product outlet 22 of the chamber 4. For example,
in the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 1-3, the exit openings 34 of the air ducts 32 is
located on the bottom, and the panel additions 42 enclose the exit openings 34 to direct
the airflow along the entire length of the product outlet 22. It should be appreciated
that the air ducts 32 and panel additions 42 can comprise a single unit (e.g. air ducts 32
extending all the way to the product outlet 22) for achieving the same objective, for
example, of providing air solely to the product outlet 22 of the chamber 4.
In another embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2-3, the cooler 2 further
comprises a conveyer 52 positioned below the product outlet 22. Typically, the
conveyor 52 is covered as it extends out from under the chamber 4 to prevent
contamination of the food and to maintain the pet food at a specified moisture and
temperature level. The conveyor 52 takes the cooled pet food product 72 from the
cooling chamber 4 to a desired location such as a storage or bagging room for further
processing. The conveyer 52 can be any suitable type of conveyor for removing pet
food from the cooler 2 after the pet food has been cooled. For example, the conveyor
52 can be any suitable type of conveyor such as a screw, drag or electromechanical
vibrating conveyor.
Extruded or heated pet food products 72 are placed in the cooling
chamber 4 via the product inlet 24 and accumulate in the bottom of the chamber 4 as
they settle and flow into the conveyor 52. During this time airflow is directed through
the product outlet 22. The accumulation of pet food product 72 within the cooling
chamber 4 can be monitored and controlled by intermittent or variable speed operation
of the product feed and/or the conveyor 52. The flow rate of the pet food product 72 is
controlled accordingly to allow them to remain in the cooling chamber 4 long enough
to achieve the desired cooling.
The conveyor 52 not only collects the pet food product 72 falling
through the product outlet 22 but also assists in directing the airflow from the air ducts
32 into the product outlet 22. For example, the cooler 2 can comprise one or more
panel additions 42 that are attached to the air duct 32 and the conveyor 52. The panel
addition 42 and the conveyor 52 form an enclosure or air plenum 56 for directing
airflow from the air duct 32 to the product outlet 22 of the chamber 4. Similarly, the
air duct 32 and the conveyor 52 can form the air plenum 56 for directing airflow from
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the air duct 32 to the product outlet 22 of the chamber 4. In this manner, the air
plenum 56 can be isolated from the external atmosphere thereby allowing only air
entering from the air ducts 32 to reach the product outlet 22 of the chamber 4. For
example, this provides control over the temperature and humidity of the cooling air,
which will vary according to the desired final temperature and moisture levels of the
pet food products.
As illustrated in Fig. 3, air flows in a direction from the exit opening 34
of the air duct 32 through the product outlet 22 to the air outlet 26 of the chamber 4. In
this manner, the air cools the pet food product 72 exiting the product outlet 22 and
cools the pet food product 72 remaining in the chamber 4. As a result, the pet food
product 72 is constantly exposed to the cooling air from the moment it enters the
chamber 4 all the way to entering the conveyor 52 through the product outlet 22.
Moreover, the cooling air can contact all of the material in the cooling chamber. This
design provides a greater cooling efficiency and cools pet food at a rate significantly
greater than current cooler technologies. The design of the cooler 2 further minimizes,
for example, elements that can be clogged by particulates or fines of the pet food
product and areas of dead space where pet food products accumulate and are difficult
to remove, which can result in spoiling and contamination issues.
By way of example and not limitation, the following examples are
illustrative of various embodiments of the present invention. Examples of typical
airflow and temperatures for the cooler 2 are as follows:
Airflow: 10,000-18,000 CFM
Air temperature in: 10-105 F
Air temperature out: 50-110 F
Temperature of the product in: 105-120 F
Temperature of the product out: 50-100 F
The typical minimum cooling retention time for the cooler 2 is 12-15
minutes. The typical density of the pet food product that is cooled is 22-28 lbs/ft .
The volume of the pet food that can be cooled using the cooler 2 of the present
invention ranges from 73 pounds/minute to about 1000 pounds/minute, which can
yield up to 60,000 pounds/hour.
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The final cooling rates will depend on variables such as, for example,
pet food product size and density, initial temperature of the product, temperature and
moisture levels of the cooling air, air flow rate, product feed rate and conveyor speeds.
It should be appreciated that the dimensions of the chamber such as height, width and
length and volume capacity of the chamber 4 can vary depending on the space
available. Nevertheless, the chamber 4 can have any suitable height, width, length and
volume capacity in conjunction with the features previously discussed.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for
manufacturing a pet food product 72. The method comprises the step of transferring
the pet food product 72 to a cooling chamber 4 having a product inlet 24, a product
outlet 22, an air outlet 26 and a conveyor 52 positioned below the product outlet 22.
The pet food product 72 is deposited in the chamber through the product inlet 24 and
accumulates in the chamber 4 and on the conveyor 52 through the product outlet.
Airflow is provided to the product outlet 22 of the cooling chamber while the pet food
product 72 is settling on the conveyor 52. The airflow travels through the pet food
product 72 exiting the product outlet 22 and through the pet food product 72
accumulated in the chamber, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The pet food product
72 that has settled on the conveyor 52 is removed after the product 72 has been
sufficiently cooled.
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the
presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in
the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit
and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended
advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by
the appended claims.
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Claims (10)
1. A cooler comprising: a chamber having product inlet, a product outlet wherein the product outlet is in the shape of a rectangle having a length and a width, the length being greater than the width and an air outlet; and at least one air duct having an exit opening so constructed and arranged for providing airflow into the product outlet, wherein the cooler further comprises: a conveyer positioned below the product outlet, and at least one panel addition, the at least one panel addition being attached to the air duct and to the conveyor, the panel addition and the conveyor forming an air plenum for directing airflow from the air duct to the product outlet, the air plenum being isolated from the external atmosphere.
2. The cooler according to claim 1, wherein air from the air duct provides the only airflow into the product outlet.
3. The cooler according to claims 1 and 2, wherein the conveyer is a type selected from the group consisting screw, drag, electromechanical vibrating and combinations thereof.
4. The cooler according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air duct is attached to the chamber.
5. The cooler according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein air flows in a direction from the exit opening of the air duct through the product outlet to the air outlet of the chamber.
6. A cooler according to claim any one of the preceding claims, wherein: 698671/D/4 MARKED UP the chamber has a plurality of walls, lower portions of the walls forming the product outlet.
7. The cooler according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air duct is so constructed and arranged for providing airflow along the entire length, and width of the product outlet into the product outlet.
8. The cooler according to claims 6 and 7, wherein at least one of the lower portions of the walls angles inwardly to the product outlet.
9. A cooler according to claim 8, wherein two opposing lower portions of the walls taper inwardly to the product outlet.
10. A method for manufacturing a pet food product, the method comprising: transferring the pet food product to a cooling chamber having a product inlet, a product outlet wherein the product outlet is in the shape of a rectangle having a length and a width, an air outlet and a conveyor positioned below the product outlet, wherein the pet food product is deposited in the cooling chamber through the product inlet and accumulates in the cooling chamber and on the conveyor through the product outlet; directing airflow from at least one air duct to the product outlet through an air plenum formed by the conveyor and at least one panel addition attached to said air duct and to said conveyor, wherein the air plenum is isolated from the external atmosphere; providing airflow to the product outlet of the cooling chamber from an exit opening of said at least one air duct while the pet food product is settling on the conveyor, wherein the airflow travels through the pet food product exiting the product outlet and through the pet food product accumulated in the chamber; and removing the pet food product that has settled on the conveyor after the pet food product has been sufficiently cooled. 698671/D/4 MARKED UP 698671/D/4 MARKED UP 698671/D/4 MARKED UP 698671/D/4
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201462026409P | 2014-07-18 | 2014-07-18 | |
US62/026,409 | 2014-07-18 | ||
PCT/IB2015/055446 WO2016030780A1 (en) | 2014-07-18 | 2015-07-17 | Product cooling apparatuses |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
NZ727476A NZ727476A (en) | 2021-11-26 |
NZ727476B2 true NZ727476B2 (en) | 2022-03-01 |
Family
ID=
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