U.S. patent application number 09/773856 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-09 for cooling tunnel for articles of candy.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sollich KG, Siemensstr.. Invention is credited to Heyde, Hans.
Application Number | 20010011587 09/773856 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7629713 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010011587 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Heyde, Hans |
August 9, 2001 |
Cooling tunnel for articles of candy
Abstract
A cooling tunnel (1) includes a driven conveyor belt (4) being
designed and arranged to support articles of candy (6) and to
convey them through the cooling tunnel (1) in a moving direction
(5). A treating region (11) for articles of candy (6) is surrounded
by an insolating plate (9) and by a cover (10). An upper cooling
unit (13) is arranged in a region above the conveyor belt (4). The
upper cooling unit (13) includes a channel being designed and
arranged for cooling air to flow therethrough. A bottom cooling
unit (12) is arranged in a region below the conveyor belt (4). The
bottom cooling unit (12) includes a cooling plate (14) being
designed and arranged for cooling liquid to flow therethrough. The
cooling plate (14) in the treating region (11) is designed and
arranged to be spaced apart from the insolating plate (9) in a
vertical direction. A free space (16) is formed between the cooling
plate (14) and the insolating plate (9).
Inventors: |
Heyde, Hans; (Wallenhorst,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THOMAS, KAYDEN, HORSTEMEYER & RISLEY, L.L.P.
100 Galleria Parkway, Suite 1750
Atlanta
GA
30339
US
|
Assignee: |
Sollich KG, Siemensstr.
Bad Salzuflen
DE
|
Family ID: |
7629713 |
Appl. No.: |
09/773856 |
Filed: |
February 1, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/120 ;
165/170 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23L 3/361 20130101;
A23G 7/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/120 ;
165/170 |
International
Class: |
F28F 001/00; F24H
003/02; F28F 003/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 3, 2000 |
DE |
100 04 754.8-23 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A cooling tunnel for articles of candy, comprising: a driven
conveyor belt being designed and arranged to support articles of
candy and to convey them through said cooling tunnel in a moving
direction; a treating region for articles of candy, said treating
region being surrounded by an insolating plate and by a cover; an
upper cooling unit being arranged in a region above said conveyor
belt, said upper cooling unit including a channel being designed
and arranged for cooling air to flow therethrough; and a bottom
cooling unit being arranged in a region below said conveyor belt,
said bottom cooling unit including a cooling plate being designed
and arranged for cooling liquid to flow therethrough, said cooling
plate in said treating region being designed and arranged to be
spaced apart from said insolating plate in a vertical direction, a
free space being formed between said cooling plate and said
insolating plate.
2. The cooling tunnel of claim 1, wherein the free space and said
cooling plate each have a height, and wherein the sum of the
heights of the free space and of said cooling plate corresponds to
the sum of the heights of a channel and of a belt supporting sheet
of a prior art cooling tunnel.
3. The cooling tunnel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of
distance elements, said cooling plate in said treating region being
supported on said distance elements.
4. The cooling tunnel of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of
distance elements, said cooling plate in said treating region being
supported on said distance elements.
5. The cooling tunnel of claim 3, wherein the free space has a
width, and wherein said distance elements are arranged to be
distributed over the width of the free space.
6. The cooling tunnel of claim 4, wherein the free space has a
width, and wherein said distance elements are arranged to be
distributed over the width of the free space.
7. The cooling tunnel of claim 1, wherein the free space is
designed as a channel.
8. The cooling tunnel of claim 2, wherein the free space is
designed as a channel.
9. The cooling tunnel of claim 3, wherein the free space is
designed as a channel.
10. The cooling tunnel of claim 7, wherein said channel is designed
as a return conduit of said upper cooling unit.
11. The cooling tunnel of claim 8, wherein said channel is designed
as a return conduit of said upper cooling unit.
12. The cooling tunnel of claim 9, wherein said channel is designed
as a return conduit of said upper cooling unit.
13. The cooling tunnel of claim 10, wherein said channel is
designed to be open in a lateral direction and to be surrounded by
said cover.
14. The cooling tunnel of claim 11, wherein said channel is
designed to be open in a lateral direction and to be surrounded by
said cover.
15. The cooling tunnel of claim 12, wherein said channel is
designed to be open in a lateral direction and to be surrounded by
said cover.
16. An apparatus for cooling articles of candy, comprising: a
driven conveyor belt being designed and arranged to convey articles
of candy through said apparatus in a moving direction; an
insolating plate; a cover, said cover and said insolating plate
being designed and arranged to form a region of treatment for
articles of candy; an upper cooling unit being substantially
arranged in a region above said conveyor belt, said upper cooling
unit including a channel for cooling air; and a lower cooling unit
being substantially arranged in a region below said conveyor belt,
said lower cooling unit including a cooling plate for a cooling
fluid, said cooling plate being designed and arranged to be
substantially spaced apart from said insolating plate in a vertical
direction.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a free space is formed
between said cooling plate and said insolating plate.
18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a channel is formed between
said cooling plate and said insolating plate.
19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said conveyor belt is
located at a working height corresponding to a working height of
prior art cooling tunnels including a bottom cooling unit including
a channel for cooling air.
20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the free space and said
cooling plate each have a height, and wherein the sum of the
heights of the free space and of said cooling plate corresponds to
the sum of the heights of a channel and of a belt supporting sheet
of a prior art cooling tunnel.
21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said channel being formed
between said cooling plate and said insolating plate and said
cooling plate each have a height, and wherein the sum of the
heights of said channel and of said cooling plate corresponds to
the sum of the heights of a channel and of a belt supporting sheet
of a prior art cooling tunnel.
22. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of
distance elements, said cooling plate being supported on said
distance elements.
23. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of
distance elements, said cooling plate being supported on said
distance elements.
24. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of
distance elements, said cooling plate being supported on said
distance elements.
25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said channel being formed
between said cooling plate and said insolating plate is designed as
a return conduit of said upper cooling unit.
26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said channel being formed
between said cooling plate and said insolating plate is designed to
be open in a lateral direction and to be surrounded by said cover.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of co-pending German
patent application No. 100 04 754.8 entitled "Kuhltunnel fur
SuBwarenstucke", filed on Feb. 3, 2000.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to a cooling tunnel
for articles of candy. The articles of candy may be articles
including a core being covered by a mass, for example by a
precrystallized chocolate mass. More particularly, the present
invention relates to a cooling tunnel including an upper cooling
unit and a bottom cooling unit. Cooling air is used in the region
of the upper cooling unit. Heat is transferred from the articles of
candy by radiation and/or by convection. Usually, a cooling liquid
is used in the region of the bottom cooling. The cooling liquid is
guided through a cooling plate. A mixture of water and glycol or
another cooling fluid may be used as cooling liquid.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A cooling tunnel is known from German Patent No. 196 07 055.
The known cooling tunnel for articles of candy includes a driven
conveyor belt on which the articles of candy are supported to be
transported through the cooling tunnel in the moving direction of
the conveyor belt. The known cooling tunnel includes a number of
sections corresponding to its length. The known cooling tunnel
includes a treating region for articles of candy. The treating
region is formed by an insolating plate and by a cover or a hood.
An upper cooling unit is located above the conveyor belt, and it
includes a channel through which cooling air flows. The upper
cooling unit at least includes three cooling zones being located
one after the other in the moving direction of the conveyor belt.
The cooling zone being located in the middle region of the cooling
tunnel is designed as an absorption zone. The cooling zone being
located at the end portion of the cooling tunnel is designed as a
convection cooling zone. A bottom cooling unit is located below the
conveyor belt. The bottom cooling unit for the articles of candy
includes a cooling plate through which a cooling liquid flows.
[0004] In known cooling tunnels of this kind, the cooling plate is
directly located on the insolating plate in a way that they
substantially contact each other. Usually, the insolating plate is
made of polyurethane or of a different plastic material. The
cooling plate includes two sheets being interconnected by welding.
The surfaces of the two sheets are also interconnected in a spaced
apart manner. The cooling liquid flows through the interior of the
cooling plate. It is to be understood that the known cooling tunnel
also has a sectional design with respect to the cooling plate.
Since the insulating plates are wider than the cooling plates,
there are slots in each section and at both sides of the insolating
plates and of the cooling plates (as seen in cross section
perpendicular to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt).
The slots are located over the length of the cooling tunnel.
Impurities and humidity may enter small gaps between the insulating
plate and the cooling plate through the lateral slots.
Consequently, there is the danger of germs occurring in the cooling
tunnel. It is not possible to effectively seal the slots and to
prevent impurities from entering the region between the adjacent
plates. It is rather difficult to clean the slots because they are
hard to be accessed. Due to the fact that cooling tunnels are often
cleaned with water, there is the danger of the cleaning water
entering the small gaps between the cooling plate and the
insolating plate.
[0005] Another cooling tunnel is known from German Patent No. 23 22
918. The known cooling tunnel also includes a plurality of sections
being located one after the other in the moving direction of the
conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is moved and guided through the
cooling tunnel. Articles of candy may be put on the conveyor belt
to be cooled during the movement of the conveyor belt through the
cooling tunnel. The known cooling tunnel includes an upper cooling
unit, meaning a cooling unit being effective in the region above
the plane of the conveyor belt and with which the articles of candy
are being cooled form above. Additionally, the known cooling tunnel
includes a bottom cooling unit being located below the plane being
defined by the conveyor belt. The bottom cooling unit is effective
below the plane of the conveyor belt to cool the lower sides of the
articles of candy through the conveyor belt. The known cooling
tunnel includes an upper cooling unit using cooling air and a
bottom cooling unit also using cooling air.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Briefly described, the present invention relates to a
cooling tunnel for cooling articles of candy. More particularly,
the present invention relates to a cooling tunnel including a
driven conveyor belt being designed and arranged to support
articles of candy and to convey them through the cooling tunnel in
a moving direction. A treating region for articles of candy is
surrounded by an insolating plate and by a cover. An upper cooling
unit is arranged in a region above the conveyor belt. The upper
cooling unit includes a channel being designed and arranged for
cooling air to flow therethrough. A bottom cooling unit is arranged
in a region below the conveyor belt. The bottom cooling unit
includes a cooling plate being designed and arranged for cooling
liquid to flow therethrough. The cooling plate in the treating
region is designed and arranged to be spaced apart from the
insolating plate in a vertical direction. A free space is formed
between the cooling plate and the insolating plate.
[0007] The present invention also relates to an apparatus for
cooling articles of candy. The apparatus includes a driven conveyor
belt being designed and arranged to convey articles of candy
through the apparatus in a moving direction. A cover and an
insolating plate are designed and arranged to form a region of
treatment for articles of candy. An upper cooling unit is
substantially arranged in a region above the conveyor belt. The
upper cooling unit includes a channel for cooling air. A lower
cooling unit is substantially arranged in a region below the
conveyor belt. The lower cooling unit includes a cooling plate for
a cooling fluid. The cooling plate is designed and arranged to be
substantially spaced apart from the insolating plate in a vertical
direction to form a free space or a channel.
[0008] With the novel cooling tunnel, the danger of germs being
generated between the cooling plate and the insolating plate is
substantially reduced. In the novel cooling tunnel, there are no
slots between the cooling plate and the insolating plate. Due to
the vertical distance in combination with the parallel arrangement
of the cooling plate and of the insolating plate, there is a free
space that may be easily accessed after removing or pivoting away
the corresponding cover. The free space is not only located in the
region of the edge portions of the cooling tunnel, but also in the
direction of the width of the cooling tunnel. Such a free space may
be easily and thoroughly cleaned when necessary. Additionally, the
free space may also be used as channel to fulfil additional
functions. With the novel cooling tunnel, it is not necessary to
seal the region between the cooling plate and the insolating
plate.
[0009] With the novel cooling tunnel, the following advantage is
achieved: the conveyor belt may be arranged at a working height
corresponding to the working height of a conveyor belt of a cooling
tunnel using cooling air in the region of the bottom cooling unit.
In other words, two different kinds of cooling tunnels achieve the
same working height no matter which kind of medium is used in the
bottom cooling unit. Consequently, there also is the advantage that
the two kinds of cooling tunnels both include further common
elements. For example, the supporting structures of the two kinds
of cooling tunnels may have the same dimensions. Such an
arrangement provides for advantages with respect to the manufacture
of the cooling tunnel. The novel cooling tunnel may be rearranged
to cool different articles of candy. It is possible to only
rearrange the novel cooling tunnel in some of its sections. For
example, a first section of the cooling tunnel may be operated with
a cooling fluid to attain a great cooling effect in the region of
the bottom cooling unit. A following section may be operated with
cooling air to carefully cool the articles of candy in the region
of the bottom cooling unit.
[0010] The dimensions of the novel cooling tunnel may be chosen in
a way that the sum of the heights of the free space and of the
cooling plate corresponds to the sum of the heights of a channel
and of a carrier supporting sheet of a different cooling tunnel
including a bottom cooling unit using cooling air. The free space
has dimensions of a different cooling tunnel taking into account
the height of the cooling plate. In case of cooling tunnels working
with cooling air in the region of the bottom cooling unit, a belt
supporting sheet is used. The belt supporting sheet supports the
conveyor belt and the conveyor belt slides over the belt supporting
sheet, respectively. A cooling channel over which cooling air is
being guided is arranged below the conveyor belt and below the belt
supporting sheet, respectively. In case the novel cooling tunnel
includes a bottom cooling unit working with a cooling fluid, there
is the possibility of changing the arrangement or adapting the
arrangement of the cooling tunnel in an easy way.
[0011] The cooling plate in the region of the section of treatment
may be supported on distance elements or on stilts being
distributed over the width of the free space and of the channel,
respectively, These distance elements provide for the cooling plate
being supported in a spaced apart, parallel, horizontal plane with
respect to the insolating plate without having a substantial
negative effect on the accessibility of the free space. The cooling
plate may be made of a comparatively thin sheet metal. It is
possible to enter the free space with a flushing apparatus or a
different apparatus for applying cleaning water into the free space
to achieve a cleaning effect in the free space. Even in case of
cooling tunnels of different kinds, there is the further advantage
of the conveyor belts being located at the same working height and
of the upper sides of the covers of the different cooling tunnels
being located at the same height. Thus, the corresponding cross
sections being located above and below the conveyor belt have
approximately the same dimensions.
[0012] It is especially advantageous if the channel being located
between the cooling plate and the insolating plate is designed as a
return conduit of the upper cooling unit. Since cooling air is used
in the upper cooling unit, there is the possibility to design a
great free cross section above the conveyor belt in a special way
and to use it, for example, by the arrangement of adjustable flaps,
absorption walls and the like. The entire cross section being
located above the conveyor belt may be used. The channel being
located between the plate and the insolating plate may be used as
return conduit. It is to be understood that the bottom cooling unit
uses a cooling fluid being fed through the cooling plate.
[0013] In combination with the above-mentioned arrangement, it
makes sense to design the channel being located between the cooling
plate and the insolating plate to be laterally open and to be
surrounded by the cover. Due to the open design, the free space and
the channel, respectively, may be freely accessed in a lateral
direction after the cover has been removed or pivoted away in an
upward direction. On the other hand, the free space being designed
as a channel is sealed by ribs or protrusions being arranged in the
region of the covers. Such an arrangement is absolutely sufficient
to guide the air.
[0014] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of
the following drawings and the detailed description. It is intended
that all such additional features and advantages be included herein
within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The invention can be better understood with reference to the
following drawings. The components in the drawings are not
necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly
illustrating the principles of the present invention. In the
drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts
throughout the several views.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a view of a vertical section through a first
exemplary embodiment of a cooling tunnel in its working
position.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a view of a vertical section through the cooling
tunnel of FIG. 1 in its cleaning position.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a view of a detail X of FIG. 1 in an enlarged
scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, FIG. 1
schematically illustrates a cooling tunnel 1 including a frame 2.
The frame 2 is designed as a supporting structure or as a structure
being similar to a table. A conveyor belt 4 is driven by a motor
(not shown) to move through the cooling tunnel 1 in a moving
direction perpendicular to the plane of illustration of FIG. 1. The
conveyor belt 4 is located above a bottom 3. Articles of candy 6
are placed on the conveyor belt 4 to be cooled during the movement
of the conveyor belt 4 through the cooling tunnel 1. The frame 2
includes support elements 7 and transverse bars 8. An insolating
plate 9 is supported on the frame 2. For example, the insolating
plate 9 may be made of polyurethane. The cooling tunnel 1 in its
upper region is closed by a hood or a cover 10. The insolating
plate 9 and the cover 10 define a treating region 11 within the
cooling tunnel 1. The cooling tunnel 1 is separated or divided in
the moving direction 5 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of
illustration of FIG. 1 to include a plurality of sections, segments
or portions. The covers 10 have a length corresponding to a certain
modular design of the cooling tunnel 1. Usually, the covers 10 are
designed to be opened by a pivotal movement and/or they are
designed to be removably supported on the edge portions of the
insolating plate 9. In this way, the treating region 11 of the
cooling tunnel 1 may be easily accessed for cleaning purposes,
maintenance purposes and inspection purposes. The cooling tunnel 1
includes a lower cooling unit or a bottom cooling unit 12 and an
upper cooling unit 13. The bottom cooling unit 12 includes a
cooling plate 14 through which a cooling liquid may stream or flow.
The cooling plate 14 includes two sheets of metal. The edge
portions of the sheets of metal are connected by welding. The two
sheets are partially interconnected over their surfaces in a spaced
apart manner in a way that the cooling liquid being located inside
the cooling plate 14 is being distributed and mixed. For example, a
mixture of water and glycol or a different cooling fluid may be
used as cooling liquid. The conveyor belt 4 with the articles of
candy 6 being located thereon moves over the upper sheet of the
cooling plate 14. The upper sheet of the cooling plate 14 has a
substantially flat design. The articles of candy 6 are being cooled
from below by the bottom cooling unit 12.
[0020] The cooling plate 14 and the insolating plate 9 are arranged
at a vertical distance. The cooling plate 14 may be supported on
distance elements 15. The distance elements 15 are distributed over
the surface, and they support the cooling plate 14. A free space 16
is formed between the insolating plate 9, the cooling plate 14 and
the corresponding cover 10. In case of the cover or hood 10 being
lifted (FIG. 2), the free space 16 may be easily accessed for
cleaning purposes, maintenance purposes and inspection purposes.
However, the free space 16 may also be used as a return conduit for
cooling air of the upper cooling unit 13. In this case, the cooling
tunnel 1 may still be accessed for reasons of cleaning, maintaining
and inspecting the cooling tunnel 1.
[0021] The design and arrangement of the free space 16 may be
chosen in a way that the sum of the heights of the free space 16
and of the cooling plate 14 corresponds to the sum of the heights
of a channel and of a sheet carrying the conveyor belt of a
different cooling tunnel including a bottom cooling unit utilizing
cooling air. It is to be understood that the second mentioned
cooling tunnel is a cooling tunnel of a different kind. The
arrangement of the first cooling tunnel provides a number of
advantages. The working heights of the two cooling tunnels are
identical. This means that the two conveyor belts 4 are located at
the same height. In this way, tunnel modules of the first kind may
be combined with tunnel modules of the second kind to together form
a combined cooling tunnel. Additionally, changing tunnel sections
within an existing cooling tunnel is being simplified. It is
especially easy for the user to clean the cooling tunnel. For the
manufacturer of the cooling tunnel, the production of series is
simplified. For example, all supports 7 for cooling tunnels of
different kinds have the same height. The portion of the treating
region 11 above the cooling plate 14 serves as upper cooling unit
13. This space may be separated by separating walls 17. It is also
possible to arrange separating flaps to direct the cooling air
directly onto the articles of candy 6 to cool the articles by
convection or to remove the heat by radiation by absorption.
[0022] A roller path 18 is arranged below the insolating plate 9 to
transport the lower portion of the conveyor belt 4. It is to be
understood that the tunnel modules may have a length in a range of
approximately 2 m or 3 m. The cooling plates 14 have a continuous
design. This means that each tunnel module only includes one
cooling plate 14. However, each tunnel module includes a plurality
of covers 10 to reduce the weight of each cover 10 and to simplify
the pivotal movement of the covers 10. The covers 10 in their
upwardly pivoted position (FIG. 2) are supported on supports
18.
[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates the structure of the cooling plate 14 in
greater detail. There is an upper sheet 20 on which the conveyor
belt 4 is being guided. The lower sheet 21 of the cooling plate 14
may have a deformed design to have a cross section 22 having the
design of a groove through which cooling fluid flows. The free
space 16 is located below the lower sheet 21.
[0024] Many variations and modifications may be made to the
preferred embodiments of the invention without departing
substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All
such modifications and variations are intended to be included
herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the
following claims.
* * * * *