Patent Application
20110138820
This application does not claim the benefit of any pending patent application.
This application is not referenced in any microfiche appendix.
The present invention is generally directed toward a transportable product cooling apparatus and method. More specifically, the present invention is directed toward a transportable product handling method and apparatus for the post-harvest cooling of perishable fruits and vegetables while sustaining the cold chain.
Fruits and vegetables are living organisms that continue essential chemical and physiological activities after harvest. These activities can include physiological breakdown, physical injury to tissue, invasion by microorganisms, and moisture loss. Additionally, some fruit can suffer damage while being transported hot from the field. Thus, the time between harvest and cooling to remove field heat and slow plant respiration, otherwise known as the “cut-to-cool” interval, is critical for ensuring the quality and safety of the product.
The term “cold chain” refers to the uninterrupted temperature management of perishable products in order to maintain quality and safety from the point of post-harvest cooling through the distribution chain to the final consumer. The cold chain ensures that perishable products are safe and of a pleasant quality at the point of consumption. Failing to keep product at the correct temperatures can result in a variety of negative attributes including, among others, textural degradation, discoloring, bruising, and microbial growth.
Various apparatus and methods to cool perishable products are disclosed in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,211 issued to Gessel discloses the use of a fixed structure, such as a building, to cool, or otherwise known as removing heat, from products. This disclosure, however, has the disadvantage of not being able to rapidly remove the heat from the products, and thus, is not very effective.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,592 issued to Ohling and U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,007 issued to Bianco also disclose permanently fixed cooling buildings having cooling air rooms in a batch processing tunnel cooling systems that employ bi-directional air systems for the purpose of increasing cooling rates and efficiency.
U.S. Pat. Publ. 2007/0017233 applied for by Hawkins also discloses a cooling system having a step-continuous dual-conveyor tunnel cooling system with sequential cooling zones wherein the air flow direction is reversed.
The prior art is not without its disadvantages. A permanent building cold-storage facility has a high capital cost, utility is limited by seasonality and distance to the growing fields, and a large volume of cold air must be maintained at significant energy cost. Ohling and Bianco are “in and out” batch product handling systems that do not anticipate continuous process cooling. The Hawkins system is mechanically complex requiring sophisticated automation to control components including doors, air seals, fans, and zone conveyors. Such complexity and automation increases capital costs, repair and maintenance costs, and risk of system breakdown. Most importantly, none of the prior art anticipates a complete transportable cooling system that can cool produce and deliver such cooled produce directly into over the road refrigerated transportation without breaking the cold chain.
There is a need for an efficient, cost effective, mechanically durable, transportable cooling system that can reduce the cut-to-cool interval while maintaining the cold chain. Such a system can improve food quality and food safety.
The present invention satisfies the need discussed above. The present invention is generally directed toward a transportable product cooling apparatus and method. More specifically, the present invention is directed toward a transportable product handling method and apparatus for the post-harvest cooling of perishable fruits and vegetables while sustaining the cold chain.
One aspect of the present invention provides for a portable cooling system that cools fruits and vegetables and maintains the cold-chain for the product. This aspect discloses one or more portable cooling modules and a portable transition module in combination.
Each of the cooling modules have a length and a width. An entry end allows for the product to be placed into the cooling module wherein it will be cooled. An exit end allows for the cooled product to exit the cooling module and enter uninterrupted into the transition module.
Within the cooling module, a cooling module conveyor apparatus is located in order to move containers of product from said entry end to said exit end. During its travel through the cooling module, the product is subject to cooling air that is produced by a product cooling apparatus.
The transition module is in direct communication with the cooling module and is configured to maintain the cold temperature of the cooled product, thereby keeping intact the cold-chain. In this aspect, a transition module conveyor is in communication with the cooling module conveyor apparatus in order to automatically transfer the product from the cooling modules into the transition module.
The cooling module and transition module are portable. They do not require a fixed base or permanent structure to operate. They can be located next to a field during the harvest of that field and then can be relocated to another field during the harvest of the second field. This allows for a reduction of the “cut-to-cool” time and damage resulting from transportation of hot product. Portability can be provided by incorporating a wheeled chassis into the cooling module and transition module or to allow the cooling module and transition module to be loaded upon a removable structure, such as a dolly or flat bed truck.
One aspect of the portable transition module of the present invention provides for such module to be in communication with one or more cold storage containers. These containers can be permanent, fixed foundation buildings or can be transportable cold storage vehicles. Further, the communication between the portable transition module and the cold storage container is also configured to maintain cold temperature of the cooled product.
Other aspects of the portable transition module include having a non-automated product handling apparatus and a product gas treatment apparatus.
One aspect of the product cooling apparatus of the present invention provides for the creation of cooling air flow across and through the product in one or more different directions. Various alternatives for the product cooling apparatus can include vacuum cooler apparatus, a hydro-vacuum cooler apparatus, and a hydro cooler apparatus.
One aspect of the cooling module of the present invention provides for having two or more sequential cooling zones, each having a product cooling apparatus adapted to create a cooling air flow across and through said product in one or more directions relative to said product. By having multiple cooling zones, the cooling air flow can be uniform, that is all air is flowing in the same direction, or can be bi-directional, that is air flow can be in opposite directions alternating between the sequential cooling zones.
One aspect of the two or more sequential cooling zones of the present invention provides for variable dimensions for each cooling zone, that is, the dimension of the cooling zones can be non-uniform. Further, each cooling zone can be equipped to provide non-uniform cooling air flow in the form of non-uniform temperature and non-uniform flow rate.
Further features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying drawings and upon reading the following description of the preferred embodiment.
Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments contained herein. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in a variety of ways. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
Cooling module 20 has a length 22, a width 24 and a height 26. An entry end 28 having an entry way 29 allows for the product 34 to be placed into the cooling module 20 wherein it will be cooled. An exit end 30 having an exit way 31 allows for the cooled product 34 to exit the cooling module 20 and enter uninterrupted into the transition module 50.
Within the cooling module 20, a cooling module conveyor apparatus 32 moves containers of product 34 from the entry end 28 to the exit end 30. Further, a product cooling apparatus 40 providing cooling air to the product 34 as product 34 moves along the cooling module conveyor apparatus 32. Additionally, cooling module 20 is divided into multiple, sequential cooling zones 92, 94 and 96.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that the fan in combination with the evaporator coil is illustrative of one type of apparatus to cool product 34 and is not meant to be limiting.
As illustrated in
Additionally, cooling module 130 is divided into multiple, sequential cooling zones 150, 152, 154 and 156. The direction of air flow 134 within each cooling zone can be uniform with respect to the air flow of the other cooling zones or can bi-directional, alternating direction from cooling zone to cooling zone. In order to maximize the thermodynamic conditions as product 34 cools, this embodiment 130 provides for the size of each cooling zone 150, 152, 154 and 156 to be non-uniform in order to accommodate a different amount of product 34 per cooling zone. As illustrated in
Further, product cooling apparatus 140 located within each cooling zone and is illustrated to include a fan 144 in combination with an evaporator coil 146. Product cooling apparatus 140 provides air flow at variable velocity and temperature relative to the air flow velocities and temperatures within the remaining cooling zones. For example, air flow 136 located within cooling zone 150 may be of a greater velocity than air flow 134 located within cooling zone 154.
As illustrated in
Each side pressure door 210 includes a side curved door panel 212 pivotally secured to a side wall 202 of cooling module 200 by a side pivot hinge 216. Side curved door panel 212 can be constructed from various metals, including stainless steel and rolled into a parabolic curve. Side curved door panel 212 is also dimensioned to be taller than the containers of product 34, preferably substantially floor to ceiling in height. Side pivot hinge 216 allows for the automatic adjustment of the various sizes of containers of product 34 and the side to side movement of product 34 as it travels through cooling module 200. A side door spring 214 is secured to side curved door panel 212 and the side wall of cooling module 200. Tension pressure is provided upon side door portion 212 causing a substantially air tight connection between product 34 and side pressure door 210.
Top pressure door 220 is similar to side pressure door 210 in that is includes a top curved door panel 222 pivotally secured to the top 204 of cooling module 200 by a top pivot hinge 226. Top curved door panel 222 can also be constructed from various metals, including stainless steel and rolled into a parabolic curve. It is dimensioned to be slightly narrower than the container of product 34 so that the container can fit between the side pressure doors 210. Top pivot hinge 226 allows for the automatic adjustment for various heights of the containers of product 34. A top door spring 224 is secured to top curved door panel 222 and the side wall of cooling module 200. Tension pressure is provided upon top curved door panel 222 causing a substantially air tight connection between product 34 and side pressure door 210.
As illustrated in
Other embodiments of transition module 50 can include various features such as having an apparatus to provide product gas treatment to aid extending the shelf life or the ripening of the fruit.
Transition module 50 is also in communication with one or more cold storage containers 60. These cold storage containers can be permanent, fixed foundation buildings or transportable cold storage vehicles. After product 34 has been received into transition module 50, it can automatically or manually be moved into cold storage container 60.
Due to the continued controlled environment from the time product 34 enters cooling module 20, to its transition into transition module 50 and finally into cold storage container 60, the cold chain of the product 34 is maintained.
Both cooling module 20 and transition module 50 are portable. While embodiment 20 illustrates both cooling module 20 being secured to a trailer apparatus 56 (
An example of the operation of this embodiment 10, as illustrated in
While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claims or including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.
