Conical Drum Breader for Uniform Food Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
The food industry faces challenges in efficiently applying coatings to food products while minimizing space usage and avoiding the need for additional equipment, particularly in automated and continuous processing environments.
Innovation Solution
A conical drum assembly with conical flights and a vibratory frame assembly is used to apply and distribute coatings to food products, utilizing a combination of rotational and vibratory motions to ensure even coating and efficient discharge, while a coating recycle system recovers excess coating for reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional coating equipment is used, then coating application can be achieved, but space consumption increases and equipment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple coating application functions into a single conical drum unit. The conical drum integrates the coating application surface, the conveyance mechanism, and the distribution system into one compact component, eliminating the need for separate coating tanks, conveyors, and distribution devices that would traditionally occupy more space.
Solution Approach 2:
The conical drum assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the coating application surface, the conveyance mechanism for food products, and the distribution system for coating material. This multi-functional design reduces the number of separate equipment components needed, thereby reducing overall space consumption while maintaining coating productivity.
2Manufacturing precision
If additional equipment is added for height adjustments, then coating precision can be improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a vibratory mechanism that dynamically adjusts the position and motion of the conical drum during operation. The vibration allows the drum to oscillate and distribute coating material more uniformly across food products of varying sizes and shapes, achieving consistent coating precision without requiring multiple static height adjustment mechanisms or complex positioning systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The conical drum assembly incorporates a vibratory mechanism that creates controlled oscillations during the coating process. This mechanical vibration helps distribute coating material evenly, prevents clumping, and ensures uniform coating application on irregularly shaped food products, thereby achieving manufacturing precision through vibration rather than through complex mechanical height adjustment equipment.
3Manufacturing precision
If conical drum assembly with vibratory mechanism is used, then coating uniformity is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the conical geometry of the drum, which inherently changes the motion parameters of food products as they move along the conical surface. The changing radius and angle of the conical drum naturally vary the speed and trajectory of products during rotation, creating diverse coating opportunities without requiring additional high-energy vibratory inputs. The vibratory mechanism operates at lower energy levels because the conical geometry already provides significant motion variation for uniform coating.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables efficient, space-saving coating of food products with uniform coating application and reduced equipment needs, improving processing throughput and eliminating the need for additional height adjustments or equipment, thereby enhancing operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a pan assembly mounted to the first vibratory frame side members; one or more springs adapted to mount the pan assembly to the vibratory side members... a pair of motorized vibrators mounted and adapted to impart energy to the vibratory frame side members... wherein the pan assembly is adapted to vibrate having longitudinal and vertical vector components at a predetermined amplitude and frequency
Implementation Method 2
the pan assembly is adapted to vibrate having longitudinal and vertical vector components... wherein the vibratory frame assembly is adapted to operate in a tuned and excited mode
Implementation Method 3
a drum with one or more conical flights, wherein food products and coating are received at a drum intake end, and the coating is further applied to the products using a conical and rotational motion of the drum
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for applying coating to food products including a drum assembly that includes a drum with one or more conical flights, wherein food products and coating are received at a drum intake end, and the coating is further applied to the products using a conical and rotational motion of the drum, and wherein the food products and coating are discharged at a drum discharge end. A method for applying coating to food products including receiving products and coating at an inlet end of a feed assembly, discharging the products and coating from the feed assembly into a drum assembly, applying coating to the products inside the drum assembly using a conical and rotational motion, discharging the coating and products from the drum assembly, and conveying the coating and products using vibratory motion.