WO2025106925A1

WO2025106925A1 - Apparatus for recovery of airborne flavoring material

Info

Publication number: WO2025106925A1
Application number: PCT/US2024/056289
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Blake SVEJKOVSKY; Brian Turley; Gap Yong KIM
Original assignee: Heat and Control Inc
Current assignee: Heat and Control Inc
Priority date: 2023-11-15
Filing date: 2024-11-15
Publication date: 2025-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 2026-05-15

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for mixing a stream of food portions with dispensed flavoring agent, the apparatus including a tumble drum (12) having an inlet (15) at a first end (13), an outlet (16) at the second end (14), and an interior mixing chamber (11) therebetween, the tumble drum being rotatable about an axis (26). The apparatus further includes a feed conveyor (35) having a discharge end (32) disposed proximal to the inlet of the tumble drum to discharge a stream of food portions through the inlet and into the interior mixing chamber. The apparatus further comprising a receiver (37) connectable to a vacuum source and supported proximal to the discharge end of the feed conveyor and one of above and below the discharge end of the feed conveyor to draw air laden with particles of flavoring material from the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum to prevent unwanted exposure of personnel to the airborne particles.

Description

APPARATUS FOR RECOVERY OF AIRBORNE FLAVORING MATERIAL

BACKGROUND

Statement of Related Applications

[0001] This application depends from and claims priority to U.S. provisional application serial no. 63/599,486 filed on November 15, 2023.

Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus adapted for use in applying flavoring materials and flavoring agents to food portions that can recover airborne flavoring material that would otherwise be lost into the environment, and to deposit that recovered flavoring material onto the food portions. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tumble drum and conveyor equipment specially adapted for reducing the escape of airborne dust from the interior mixing chamber of the nimble drum while withdrawing air from an interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum in a manner that promotes deposition of airborne flavoring material onto food portions as they are being introduced into the tumble drum.

Background of the Related Art

[0003] Many prepared foods are subjected to the application of flavoring materials during processing and prior to packaging in airtight enclosures such as, for example, bags. T'hese prepared foods such as, for example, but not by way of limitation, potato chips, are often gently rolled or agitated within the interior chamber of a tumble drum as a flavoring material such as, for example, salt and/or seasoning, is applied and mixed. Proper usage of the tumble drum ensures a favorably uniform application of the flavoring material to the food portions processed therein. The food portions are fed into an inlet of the tumble dram, flavoring material is dispensed over the food portions as the tumble drum rotates, and the food portions mixed with flavoring material are discharged through an outlet of the tumble drum.

[0004] Many flavoring materials generate airborne dust during application, and the dust can foul machinery. Also, personnel present within the processing facility environment may be sensitive to airborne dust generated during the application of the flavoring materials such as seasoning. In some cases, the generation of airborne dust that escapes the tumble drum during application of flavoring materials represents a loss of a vety expensive material, thereby impacting the profitability' of the food processing operation in addition to generating an airborne material to which personnel may be highly sensitive.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0005] One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for mixing a flavoring material into a continuous stream of food portions introduced into the interior mixing chamber of a tumble drum through the inlet, the apparatus comprising a tumble drum having an interior mixing chamber with an inlet at a first end, an outlet at a second end opposite the first end, an interior wall intermediate the inlet and the outlet and generally surrounding the interior mixing chamber, an axis extending through the inlet and the outlet about which the tumble drum can rotate during the mixing of the flavoring material with the stream of food portions, and a receiver supported proximal to the inlet of the tumble drum and one of above and below the discharge end of a conveyor that delivers the stream of unflavored food portions into the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum. In one embodiment, the receiver includes an inlet face through which air laden with dust particles from the flavoring material is drawn from the interior mixing chamber and received into the receiver, the receiver having an outlet fluidically coupled to a vacuum source.

[0006] The vacuum source coupled to the outlet of the receiver may be fluidically coupled to an inlet to an air mover. For example, but not by way of limitation, an electric motor driven squirrel cage-type (centrifugal) air mover can be provided, and the inlet to the air mover can be coupled to the outlet of the receiver using a duct to draw air laden with airborne flavoring material from the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum and through a cascading stream of food portions as they are spilled into the interior mixing chamber or as they are discharged from the interior mixing chamber.

[0007] One embodiment of the apparatus may further include a filter disposed intermediate the outlet of the receiver and the air mover. The filter may be, in one embodiment, a porous filter media disposed intermediate the outlet of the receiver and an inlet to the air mover to capture airborne flavoring material, entrained in the air drawn, from the interior mixing chamber. In another embodiment, the filter may be a cyclonic separator that spins the air drawn from the interior mixing chamber and through the receiver within a spin chamber to centrifugally separate the solid particles that make up the airborne dust from the less dense air. In another embodiment, the air drawn from the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum into the receiver may be discharged to an area outside the facility in which the tumble drum is operated in order to prevent exposure of personnel and equipment in a faciiuy to the dust-laden air

[0008] One embodiment of the apparatus may further include an adjustable valve disposed intermediate the outlet of the receiver and an inlet to the air mover. The valve can be adjusted to modulate the volumetric rate at which air is drawn from the interior mixing chamber.

[0009] Embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention comprise a strategically positioned receiver fhudlcally coupled to a source of suction to draw air laden with dust resulting from the dispensation of a powdered flavoring agent from the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum. In one embodiment, the dust-laden air is drawn through the stream of unflavored food portions as they are being discharged from the discharge end of a feed conveyor that mo ves the stream of unflavored food portions through the inlet of the tumble drum and into the interior mixing chamber. The introduction of the stream of unflavored food portions results from the forward motion of the stream of food portions imparted by the feed conveyor and the downward pull of gravity on those moving food portions as they are discharged from the discharge end of" the conveyor and onto the interior wall that surrounds the interior mixing chamber The unflavored stream of food portions that are discharged from the discharge end of the feed conveyor are in this manner coated with particles of the flavoring agent that is added to the food portions residing in the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum by a flavoring agent dispenser arm that protrudes into the interior mixing chamber either through the outlet of the tumble drum or through the inlet of the tumble drum, or both.

[0010] In one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, an interior baffle is supported within the interior mixing chamber at a position that is intermediate the discharge end of the feed conveyor and the outlet, preferably proximal to the discharge end of the feed conveyor and above the discharge end of the feed conveyor. The interior baffle may be positioned within the interior mixing chamber to deflect the flow of dust- laden air drawn from the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum to move either above the interior baffle and then downwardly towards a receiver supported underneath and proximal to the discharge end of the feed conveyor or below the interior baffle and then upwardly towards a receiver supported above and proximal to the discharge end of the feed conveyor. The interior baffle can, in this mariner, direct dust-laden air currents through a cascading stream of unflavored food portions as they are spilled from the feed conveyor into the interior mixing chamber, and thereby provide more favorable and prolonged contact between the dust-laden air drawn from the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum into the receiver and the unflavored stream of food portions being introduced into the interior mixing chamber. This strategic mixing of the dust-laden air drawn from the interior mixing chamber and the incoming stream of unflavored food portions being discharged from the discharge end of the feed conveyor promotes adhesion of the flavoring agent dust particles entrained in the air drawn from the interior mixing chamber to the unflavored food portions, and enables both the capturing of the flavoring material onto the food portions and the prevention of dust-laden escaping the interior mixing chamber and entering the facility in which the apparatus is operated

[0011] In one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the dispensing arm of the flavoring agent dispenser may be inserted into the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum through the outlet of the tumble drum. For example, but not by way of limitation, a flavoring material, which may be a powderized flavoring agent, may be dispensed onto food portions residing within the interior mixing chamber using an elongate dispenser arm protruding from a flavoring agent storage hopper and extending through the outlet of the tumble drum into the interior mixing chamber. The flavoring agent storage hopper and dispenser arm may include a screw augur to move powderized flavoring agent at a controlled mass flow rate from the flavoring agent hopper, positioned outside die tumble drum and adjacent to the outlet of the tumble drum, and through the elongate dispensing arm. As the screw augur moves the powderized flavoring agent from the hopper to the dispensing arm, the flavoring agent is dispensed from the dispenser arm into the interior mixing chamber and onto the bed of food portions residing in the interior mixing chamber. In one embodiment, the dispenser arm is positioned off-center from the axis of rotation of the tumble drum to dispense flavoring agent onto the ascending side of the interior wall that surrounds the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum where food portions accumulate as the tumble drum rotates about its axis.

[0012] In one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, an outlet barrier is supported within the outlet of the tumble drum, the outlet barrier having a cutout portion proximal to a lowermost portion of the outlet barrier to provide a passageway for flavored food portions mixed with flavoring agent to spill from the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum onto, for example, but not limited to, a discharge conveyor that moves the stream of flavored food portions to a downstream location such as, but not by way of limitation, a bagging or packaging station. The outlet barrier may further include a port through which the elongate dispensing arm is inserted and extended into the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum. In one embodiment, the port in the outlet barrier is correspondingly shaped to fit closely around a portion of the elongate dispensing atm to minimize the clearance around the dispensing arm during operation of the dispensing arm and dispensation of the flavoring agent into the interior mixing chamber. In one embodiment, the port may include a spring-biased door that biases the door to a closed position and closes the port upon withdrawal of the dispensing arm from the port. The spring-biased door may be hinged to the outlet barrier and pivotally moved to an open position upon insertion of the dispensing arm.

[0013] Other embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention will become apparent as a result of the description of an embodiment that follows. The invention is limited only by the claims appended hereto. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, including the tumble drum rotatably supported on a tumble drum stand and a feed conveyor with a discharge end introduced into the inlet of the tumble drum, the embodiment shown without the flavoring agent dispenser.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the outlet of the tumble drum of the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 as a stream of flavored food portions is discharged from a cutout in the outlet barrier supported within the outlet of the tumble drum.

[0016] FIG 3 is a partial sectional perspective view of the inlet of the tumble drum of the apparatus of FIG. 1, without the flavoring agent dispenser, showing the discharge end of the feed conveyor providing a stream of food portions being discharged from the discharge end of the feed conveyor through the inlet and into the interior mi xing chamber of the tumble drum.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the inlet of the tumble drum of an apparatus of the present invention without the stream of food portions to better reveal the interaction between the discharge end of the feed conveyor that delivers the stream of food portions into the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum through the tumble drum inlet.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the discharge end of the feed conveyor of the apparatus of the present invention and a receiver supported underneath and proximal to the discharge end of the feed conveyor.

[0019] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the intake face of the receiver supported underneath and proximal to the discharge end of the feed conveyor of FIG. 5.

[0020] FIG. 7 is a partially sectional side elevation view of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention including a tumble drum rotatable about its axis, a feed conveyor having a discharge end introduced into an inlet of the tumble drum, an interior barrier supported within the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum and proximal to the discharge end of the feed conveyor, and a flavoring agent dispenser having an elongate dispensing arm inserted through a port in an outlet barrier supported within an outlet of the tumble drum, the dispensing arm dispensing powderized flavoring agent onto food portions residing within the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum.

[0021] FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional side elevation view of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing a tumble drum with an interior mixing chamber, an inlet and an outlet, a dispensing arm inserted through a port in an outlet barrier supported within the outlet of the tumble drum and dispensing powderized flavoring material onto food portions residing in the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum, the discharge end of a feed conveyor introduced into the inlet of the tumble drum to deliver a stream of food portions into the interior mixing chamber, and an interior barrier supported within the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum and proximal to the discharge end of the feed conveyor to deflect the current flow of dust- laden air drawn from the interior mixing chamber into a receiver supported underneath and proximal to the discharge end of the feed conveyor.

[0022] FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional side elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing a tumble drum with an interior mixing chamber, an inlet and an outlet, a dispensing arm inserted through a port in an outlet barrier supported within the outlet of the tumble drum and dispensing powderized flavoring material onto food portions residing in the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum, the discharge end of a feed conveyor introduced into the inlet of the tumble drum to deliver a stream of food portions into the interior mixing chamber, and an. interior barrier supported within the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum and proximal to the discharge end of the feed conveyor to deflect the current flow of dust- laden air drawn from the interior mixing chamber into a receiver supported above and proximal to the discharge end of the feed conveyor.

[0023] FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the tumble drum showing an interior barrier supported within the interior mixing chamber to deflect current flow of dust-laden air within the interior mixing chamber to promote more favorable contact of the dust-laden air with unflavored food portions being discharged from the discharge end of the feed conveyor into the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] FIG, 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the apparatus 10 of the present invention, including the tumble drum 12 rotatably supported on a tumble drum stand 19 and a feed conveyor 35 with a discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 introduced into the inlet 15 (not shown in FIG. I) at the first end 13 of the tumble drum 12, the embodiment shown without the flavoring agent dispenser to better reveal the outlet barrier 17. The tumble drum 12 shown in FIG. 1 may be a cylindrical vessel formed of corrugated sheet metal with radially inwardly protruding flites (not shown in FIG. 1) to disturb and agitate the food portions residing within the interior mixing chamber (not shown) of the tumble drum 12 and the flavoring agents (not shown] deposited therein. The tumble drum 12 of FIG. I is shown as being rotatably supported on a movable stand 19 by rotation bearings 21 and 23 coupled intermediate the stand 19 and the tumble drum 12. A drive motor 27 is coupled intermediate the stand 19 and the tumble drum 12 and operable to rotate the tumble drum 12 about a downwardly canted axis 26 during mixing operations. The tumble drum 12 includes a first end 13 having an inlet 15 (not shown in FIG. 1) and a second end 14 having an outlet 16 in which an outlet barrier 1.7 is supported. The outlet barrier 17 includes a port 18 that is off-set from the axis 26 and a cut-out 22 proximal to a lowermost point 20 of the outlet 16. The tumble drum 12 of FIG. 1 is shown immediately adjacent to a discharge end 32 of a feed conveyor 35 that, when in operation, delivers a stream of unflavored food portions ( not shown) into and through the inlet 15 at the first end 13 of the tumble drum 12, as will be shown in more detail in FIGs. 3 and 4 discussed below. The feed conveyor 35 is supplied with a stream of food portions (not shown) by another conveyor, a chute, a ramp, or other feed apparatus suitable for moving a stream of food portions to the inlet .15 of the tumble drum 12. The type of feed conveyor 35 shown in FIG. 1 is a differential impulse conveyor powered by a differential impulse driver 36. Preferably, the feed conveyor 35 is adjustable to enable control of the rate at which the stream of food portions arc fed into the inlet 15 of the tumble drum 12 [0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the outlet 16 at the second end 14 of the tumble drum 12 of the embodiment of the apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 as a stream of flavored food portions 40 spills from the outlet 16 through the cut-out 22 in the outlet barrier 17. The outlet barrier 17 is shown in FIG. 2 in the dosed position to reduce the extent to which a irborne particles of flavoring agent may escape the interior mixing chamber 11, a small part of which is visible through the cut-out 22 in the outlet barrier 17. The flavored stream of food portions 40 emerging from the cut-out 22 of the outlet barrier 17 are shown in FIG. 2 as being deposited onto a discharge conveyor 50 that can be operated to convey the stream of flavored food portions 40 to, for example, a weighing and bagging area or to a subsequent food processing apparatus. The port 18 of the outlet barrier 17, that is positioned and shaped to receive a dispenser arm (not shown) of a distal flavoring material dispenser (not shown), is shown as empty to better reveal the structure, positioning and components of the outlet barrier 17. The penetration 18 of the outlet barrier 17 supported within the outlet 16 is disposed off-center to strategically position the dispenser arm (not shown) that, once inserted through the port 18, protrudes through the port 18 above the ascending side (not shown) of the interior wall 34 (not shown - see FIG. 3) that surrounds the interior mixing chamber 1.1. This position maximizes the mixing of the flavoring material dispensed onto the stream of food portions 40 because the food portions accumulate off-center due to the direction of rotation of the tumble drum 12 about its axis 26 of rotation as indicated by the arrow 45. The outlet barrier 17 of the apparatus 10 of FIG. 2 is supported within the outlet 16 by a pair of pivotable supports 24 and 25 mounted one diametrically opposed to the other on the second end 14 of the tumble drum 12.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a partially sectional perspective view of the inlet 15 at the first end 13 of the tumble drum 12 of the apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 without the flavoring agent dispensing arm 30 (see FIGs. 7-9) and a portion of the tumble drum 12 removed to better reveal the structure, position and components of the inlet 15 being fed by the feed conveyor 35 and the pathway of the spillage of the stream of unflavored food portions 61 as they are discharged from the discharge end 32 of the conveyor 35 past a spillage zone 47 into the interior mixing chamber 11 of the tumble drum 12. The spillage zone 47 is immediately adjacent to and underneath the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 and intermediate the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 and the landing area 36 of the interior wall 34 of the tumble drum 12, FIG. 3 illustrates the location and position of the air receiver 37 supported underneath and adjacent to the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35. The receiver 37 is tluidically coupled to a vacuum source 49 (not shown) through a receiver duct 38 and a downcomer 39. The air and airborne flavoring material particles drawn into the air receiver 37 are moved through the receiver duct 38 and the downcomer 39 towards the vacuum source (not shown). Airborne particles of flavoring material are drawn from the interior mixing chamber 11. by the suction on the receiver 37 along the current paths illustrated by arrows 48 and from the air above the feed conveyor 35 along the paths shown by arrows 31. The flow paths 48 through which air is drawn to the air receiver 37 may be adjusted by control of the rate at which air is drawn into the receiver 37 by the vacuum source, by the clearance disposed intermediate the outlet barrier 17 (not shown in FIG. 3) supported within the outlet 16 of the tumble drum 12, by the size of the cut-out 22 in the outlet barrier 17 (not shown), and by the positioning and size of the interior barrier 28 (not shown - see FIGs, 7-9) supported within the interior mixing chamber 11 and other features.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the inlet 1.5 at the first end 13 of the tumble drum 12 without the stream of food portions to better reveal the structure, positioning and components of the feed conveyor 35 that delivers the stream of food portions 61 (not shown) into the interior mixing chamber 11 ( not shown) of the tumble drum 12, which is shown as rotating as indicated by arrow 33) through the tumble drum inlet 15. An inlet barrier 28 providing sufficient clearance for the movement of the stream of food portions (not shown in FIG. 4) to be conveyed to and through the inlet 15 of the tumble drum 12 through which the discharge end 32 (partially obscured by the inlet barrier 28) of the feed conveyor 35 protrudes.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 along with the receiver 37 supported underneath and proximal to the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35. The tumble drum .12 has been removed to better reveal the structure, position and components of the feed conveyor 35, receiver 37, inlet barrier 28 with its lower end 41. The receiver 37 shown in FIG. 5 includes a downwardly extending receiver baffle 46 disposed on the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35. The receiver baffle 46 causes air being withdrawn from the interior mixing chamber 11 ( not shown) of the tumble drum 12 to the receiver 37 be drawn downwardly and below the receiver baffle 46 and then to make a dramatic turn to the face (not shown) of the receiver 37 through which dust-laden air is drawn (intake face location indicated by arrow 57) into the receiver 37. The receiver baffle 46 may include various shapes and sizes to modify the air flow currents emerging from the interior mixing chamber 11 of the tumble drum 12 to the receiver 37. The receiver baffle 37 of FIG. 5 is shown as being affixed to the receiver 37 but. in other embodiments, it may be pivotably coupled to the receiver 37 to enable easier entry into the inlet 15 of the tumble drum 12. in still other embodiments, the receiver baffle 46 may be statically supported from the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35. In still other embodiments, the receiver baffle 46 may be supported by a linkage to either of the receiver 37 or the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 in a manner that enables the receiver baffle 46 to be deployed to the downwardly extending position after the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 is inserted into or partially into the inlet 15 of the tumble drum 12. The receiver baffle 46 promotes impingement and adherence of airborne particles of flavoring material onto the unflavored food portions 61 being spilled from the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 by accelerating the particles downwardly towards the spillage zone 47 and onto the stream of unflavored food portions 61 (not shown in FIG. 5 — see FIG. 3). The top side 52 of the receiver 37 of FIG. 5 may canted in the direction of arrow 53 to promote the spillage of unflavored food portions 61 discharged from the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 towards the ascending side of the interior mixing chamber 11 of the tumble drum 12 as discussed above in connection with FIGs. 2 and 4.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the intake face 57 of the receiver 37 supported underneath and proximal to the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35. The receiver baffle 46 is removed in FIG. 6 to belter reveal the structure and position of the intake face 57 of the air receiver 37. The intake face 57 of the embodiment of the apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG, 6 includes a plurality of slots 53 through which air and airborne particles of flavoring agent are drawn into the intake face 57 of the receiver 37. The intake face 57 of the embodiment of the apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 6 is downwardly disposed to thereby require the incoming dust-laden air withdrawn by the receiver 37 from the interior mixing chamber 11 of the tumble drum 1.2 (not shown ) to dramatically change direction prior to entering the intake face 57. The denser particles of flavoring agent will continue downwardly and onto the stream of food portions being discharged from the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 32 while the less dense air is drawn into the recei ver 37.

[0030] FIG. 7 is a sectional side elevation view of a rotatable tumble drum 1.2, a discharge end 32 of a feed conveyor 35, a discharge conveyor 58 to receive a stream of flavored food portions 42 being discharged from the outlet 16 of the tumble drum 12, anti a flavoring agent dispensing assembly 51 having an elongate dispensing arm 54 extending from the flavoring agent dispensing assembly 51 into the interior mixing chamber 11 of the tumble drum 12 to dispense powderized flavoring agent using a controllably rotating screw augur 55, The stand 19 (see FIG. 1) that rotatably supports the tumble drum 12, the receiver duct 38 and the downcomer 39 are omitted from FIG. 7 for clarity. The flavoring agent dispensing assembly 51 includes a hopper 59 in which a charge of powderized flavoring agent (not shown) is stored and from which the flavoring agent is removed to the dispensing arm 54 by operation of the screw augur 55. FIG. 7 also includes an interior baffle 60 supported within the interior mixing chamber 11 and proximal to the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35. The interior baffle 60 comprises a barrier through which dust-laden air currents 48 will not pass, and thereby deflects the dust- laden air currents to direct the dust-laden air currents into a strategically advantageous mixing with the stream of unflavored food portions 61 being discharged from the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 into the interior mixing chamber 11 to move underneath the interior baffle 60, The interior baffle 60 shown in FIG. 7 is supported by resiliently flexible brackets 62 from the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35, The resiliently flexible brackets 62 may be bent and deformed to facilitate entry of the receiver baffle 60 through the inlet 15 and into the interior mixing chamber 11 of the tumble drum 12.

[0031] FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional side elevation view of an embodiment of the apparatus 10 of the present invention showing a tumble drum 12 with an interior mixing, chamber 11, an inlet 15 at a first end 13 of the tumble drum 12 and an outlet 15 at the second end 14 of the tumble dram 12, a dispensing arm 54 supported by brackets 56 and inserted through a port 18 in an outlet barrier 17 supported within the outlet 16 of the tumble drum 12 and positioned to dispense powderized flavoring material onto unflavored food portions 40 residing in the interior mixing chamber .1.1 of the tumble drum 12, the discharge end 32 of a feed conveyor 35 introduced into the inlet .15 of the tumble drum 12 to deliver a stream of food portions 40 into the interior mixing chamber 11, and an interior barrier 60 supported within the interior mixing chamber 11 of the tumble drum 12 and proximal to the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 to deflect the current flow 48 of dust-laden air drawn from the interior mixing chamber .11 into a receiver 37 (not shown in FIG. 8 - see FIGs. 3 and 5-7) supported underneath and proximal to the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35. The stand 19 .is also omitted from FIG. 8. The interior barrier 60 of FIG. 8 is shown as being supported by brackets 66 closer to the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 in the interior mixing chamber

11 than the interior barrier 60 of FIG. 7 to dispose the upper portion 64 of the interior barrier 60 nearer to the inlet 15 and to thereby deflect more of the air currents 48 of dust- laden air downwardly and underneath the interior barrier 60 to engage the cascading stream of food portions 40 spilling from the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 and to thereafter flow counter-currently through the stream of food portions 40 falling towards the landing area 36. This counter-current flow promotes adherence of the particles of flavoring agent, i.e. dust particles, to the unflavored stream of food portions 40 entering the interior mixing chamber 11 and thereby improves recovery of airborne flavoring agent particles.

[0032] FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional side elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the apparatus 10 of the present invention showing a tumble drum 12 with an interior mixing chamber 11, an inlet 15 at a first end 13 and an outlet 16 at a second end .14, a dispensing arm 54 inserted through a port 18 in an outlet barrier 17 supported within the outlet 16 of the tumble drum 12 and dispensing powderized flavoring material onto food portions 40 residing in the interior mixing chamber 1.1 of the tumble drum 12, the discharge end 32 of a feed conveyor 35 introduced into the inlet 15 of the tumble drum

12 to deliver a stream of food portions 40 into the interior mixing chamber 11, and an interior barrier 60 having a lower end 63 and an upper end 64 supported within the interior mixing chamber 11 of the tumble drum 12 and proximal to the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35 to deflect the current flow 48 of dust-laden air drawn from the interior mixing chamber 11 into a receiver 37 that is supported above and proximal to the discharge end 32 of the feed conveyor 35. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the lower end 63 of the interior baffle 60 is canted to accommodate movement of the stream of food portions 40 from the landing area 36 location at which the stream of food portions 40 discharged from the feed conveyor 35 lands. This canted portion further promotes free movement of current flow 48 of dust-laden air counter-currently through the cascading stream of food portions 40 being discharged from the feed conveyor 35.

[0033] FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the tumble drum 12 showing an interior barrier 60 supported within the interior mixing chamber 11 of the tumble drum 12 to deflect current flow of dust- laden air w ithin the interior mixing chamber 11 to promote more favorable contact of the dust-laden air with unflavored food portions (not shown) being discharged from the discharge end of the feed conveyor (not shown) into the interior mixing chamber 11 of the tumble drum 12.

[0034] It will be understood that although embodiments of the apparatus 10 of the present invention have been disclosed in the context of dispensing and mixing of powderized flavoring agent with a stream of food portions 40, the benefits obtainable from the use of the disclosed embodiments are equally obtainable using equipment to apply liquid flavoring agents or other materials. The use of the word “forward,” as that word is used herein, means to wards the outlet 16 of the tumble drum 1.2.

[0035] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The terms “preferably,” “preferred,” “prefer,” “optionally,” “may,” and similar terms are used to indicate that an item, condition or step being referred to is an optional (not required) feature of the invention.

[0036] The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or steps plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for perforating the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in tire form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application., and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for mixing a flavoring material with food portions, comprising: a tumble drum having an interior mixing chamber with an inlet at a first end to receive a stream of food portions from a discharge end of a feed conveyor into the interior mixing chamber, an outlet at a second end opposite the first end from which a stream of flavored food portions emerge from the interior mixing chamber., an interior wall surrounding the interior mixing chamber intermediate the inlet and the outlet, and an axis extending through the inlet and the outlet of the tumble drum about which the tumble drum can rotate; a motor to drive the tumble drum to rotate about its axis; a flavoring agent dispenser to dispense a flavoring agent, into the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum to be mixed by rotation of the tumble drum with the stream of food port ions disch arged from the discharge end of the feed con veyor; and a receiver to recei ve air drawn from the ulterior mixing chamber of the tumble drum and an outlet connectable to a source of vacuum, the receiver being supported proximal to the inlet of the tumble drum and proximal to the discharge end of the conveyor, and positioned to draw air laden with particles of flavoring material from the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum and through a cascading section of the stream of food portions intermediate the discharge end of the con veyor and a landing area of the interior wall surrounding the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum as the stream of food portions are being introduced into the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum from the feed conveyor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is supported proximal to and above the discharge end of the feed conveyor,

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is supported proximal to and underneath the discharge end of the feed conveyor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an interior barrier supported within the interior mixing chamber, intermediate the inlet of the tumble drum and the outlet of the tumble drum, and proximal to the inlet of the tumble drum; wherein the interior barrier strategically deflects currents of air laden with particles of the flavoring agent and moving within the interior mixing chamber to promote favorable mixing of the air laden with particles of flavoring agent with a cascading section of the stream of food portions discharged from the discharge end of the feed conveyor.

5, The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the interior barrier includes an upper end and a lower end, and the interior barrier is supported with the upper end proximal to the interior wall of the tumble drum to promote movement of the particle laden air in the interior mixing chamber downwardly and around the lower end of the interior barrier where it is drawn upwardly and counter-currently through the cascading section of the stream of food portions intermediate the landing area and the discharge end of the feed conveyor.

6. The appara tus of claim 1, further comprising: an outlet barrier supported within the outlet of the tumble drum to obstruct the flow of air laden with particles of flavoring agent from the interior mixing chamber through the outlet, the outlet barrier having a cut-out portion proximal to the lowermost portion of the outlet barrier.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: a port in the outlet barrier through which a flavoring agent dispensing arm can be inserted to enable the dispensation of flavoring agent onto food portions residing in the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the port includes a spring-biased door that is spring- biased towards a closed position to close the port and is movable against a biasing force of a spring to an open position to receive the dispensing arm.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the outlet barrier is supported by brackets disposed intermediate the outlet barrier and the dispensing arm that is inserted through the port.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a plurality of angularly-spaced flites on the interior wall of the tumble drum to engage and agitate the food portions residing in the interior mixing chamber to promote mixing of the food portions with the dispensed flavoring agent.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a face that is downwardly disposed.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the outlet barrier is pivotably supported within the outlet of the tumble drum.