Cryogenic freezing tunnel
US4171625A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 2, 1977 |
| Grant date | Oct 23, 1979 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 2, 1997 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25D3/11
- WIPO fieldFood chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A cryogenic food product freezing tunnel comprising a stationary structure including an entrance end housing section, a tunnel housing cover, and an exit end housing section, a conveyor to transport food products through the tunnel housing, a spray header to spray a liquid cryogen onto the food products near the exit end of the tunnel, and an exhaust plenum to exhaust cryogen gas from the entrance end. The base of the tunnel housing is a series of U-shaped modular units arranged end-to-end and suspended from the stationary structure by individual hydraulic elevators, movable between a lowered, open service position and a raised position sealed against the housing cover and the end housing sections. Each end base unit is lowered outwardly and downwardly to its service position and is raised along the same path; the base units are lowered in predetermined sequence, end units before center units, and are raised in the reverse sequence. The base units are held sealed to the stationary structure by constant pressure applied by the elevators, using double-bulb silicone gaskets with bonded polyfluoroethylene coverings. Each base unit includes plural sub-modules joined by shielded external…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.