Mixing and grinding edible fat-based slurries and emulsions using a vibratory drum

US7681818B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Kinematics Corporation · US

Inventors

• Roy Peterson · Chattanooga, US
• Stephen E. Beavers · Cleveland, US
• Jonathan Hipps · Mount Olive, US
• Peter T. Kashulines, Jr. · Mountain Lakes, US
• Michael Hill · Huntingdon, US
• Barry Glazier · Harrisburg, US
• Kenneth Weaber · Lancaster, US
• Ronald Layton · Bangor, US
• David Pontzer · Sparta, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 1, 2006
• Grant date: Mar 23, 2010
• Expiry date: Jul 10, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A23G1/12
• WIPO field: Food chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A system, which may be used to perform simultaneous grinding and intimate mixing of edible fat-based slurries or emulsions, may include a cylindrical drum having a central longitudinal axis and a curved inner surface and mounted on springs, and a motor and tuned mass coupled to the cylindrical drum to vibrate the cylindrical drum about a center of vibration that is offset from the central longitudinal axis of the cylindrical drum. The system includes at least one pair of partition plates disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical drum to divide the cylindrical drum into at least two process zones, the partition plates of the at least one pair having matching apertures and moveable relative to each other between alignment and misalignment. The system may be used, for example, in chocolate manufacture.