MULTI-PIPING SPIRAL-PUMP FOR TREATING FOOD ITEMS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for treating and/or transporting food items. The apparatus and method are designed to facilitate treating animals or food items in liquid. The device of the present invention is designed as a spiral pump with two or more channels wound around a horizontal axis. The apparatus of the present invention and the use thereof provides a method to treat living or slaughtered animals or food items in a spiral pump.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transferring and/or treating food items in liquid media, the apparatus comprising: two or more channels 1, each channel further comprising an in-feed end 2 and an out-feed end 3, wherein each channel is formed into a spiral shaped channel having three or more windings 8, a loading structure 4 connected to the in-feed end of each of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1 for loading each first winding 8 of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1 with the food items in liquid media, and means for rotating the spiral shaped channels 1, characterised in that the loading structure 4 is adapted to sequentially and repeatedly feed food items in liquid media into the two or more spiral shaped channels 1.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the in-feed end of each of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1 connects to the loading structure 4 in different locations on the loading structure 4 and wherein the loading structure 4 is rotatable with the two or more spiral shaped channels 1 and in-feeding only occurs when the loading structure is in a certain position or range in a 360° rotation of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the loading structure 4 further comprises guiding means for guiding the food items in liquid media into infeed end of each of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises an out-feed collecting structure 5 for collecting the food items in liquid media from each of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the outfeed collecting structure further comprises means or structure to separate the food items in liquid media and an air/gas phase being feed out of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus further comprises an air/gas-duct 6 for re-directing the air/gas phase back to the loading structure 4.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the loading structure 4 further comprises means for controlling the amount of air/gas and food items in liquid media being fed into each first winding 8 of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for rotating the spiral shaped channels 1 is a motor.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a control means for rotating the two or more spiral shaped channels 1.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein two or more spiral shaped channels 1 are made from hose or pipe like flexible material.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the three or more windings 8 of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1 are wound around or in a horizontally rotating frame/support structure 7.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the three or more windings 8 of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1 are made from metal, such as steel.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the metal spiral shaped channels 1 are the load bearing structure being rotated for transferring and/or treating food items in liquid media.

14. A method for transferring and/or treating food items in liquid media, the method comprising: a) providing a pumping device according, said spiral pump further comprising: two or more spiral shaped channels 1, each channel further comprising an in-feed end 2 and an out-feed end 3, each channel having three or more windings 8, a loading structure 4 connected to the in-feed end of each of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1 for loading each first winding 8 of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1 with the food items in liquid media, and a means for rotating the spiral shaped channels 1, b) rotating the two or more spiral shaped channels 1 to an in-feeding position for a first spiral shaped channel 1 of the apparatus, wherein the inlet for the first spiral shaped channel 1 is aligned with an outlet of the loading structure 4, c) feeding food items in liquid into the first spiral shaped channel 1 of the apparatus and feeding air/gas into the channel, d) sequentially performing steps b) and c) for the number of spiral shaped channels 1 of the apparatus, e) repeating step b to d) while there are food items to be feed into the apparatus.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method further comprises the step of collecting the air/gas and food items in liquid media from each of the two or more spiral shaped channels 1 in an out-feed collecting structure 5.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises the step of separating the food items in liquid media from the air/gas, and wherein the air/gas is re-directed back to the loading structure 4 via an air/gas-duct 6.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0082] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinafter and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

[0083] FIG. 1 is a front view spiral shaped tubing for a pump having one to three tubing wound in parallel.

[0084] FIG. 2 is a drawing of a simple spiral pump with the inlet and the outlet ends threaded through the spiral of the pump.

[0085] FIG. 3 is a front view of a three winding pumping device.

[0086] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of rectangular spirals according to one embodiment of the invention with changing diameter of the tubing.

[0087] FIG. 1 shows windings of a pumping device, where in FIG. 1A a single spiral shaped winding 1a is shown. In FIG. 1B, two parallel windings 1a, 1b are shown wound together in a helix manner. FIG. 1C, shows three parallel windings 1a, 1b and 1c wound together in a helix like manner.

[0088] FIG. 2 outlines some components of a pumping device having a helical wound tubing/channels 1 with an in-feed end 2 and an out-feed end 3. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the helical wound tubing has seven windings 8 wound around and into a cylindrical frame structure 7 rotating around the horizontal central axis of the frame structure 7.

[0089] FIG. 3 shows an arrangement of a pumping device of the present invention with three spiral shaped channels. The pumping apparatus is designed for transferring and/or treating food items in liquid media in three parallel windings 1a, 1b and 1c wound together in a helix like manner. The in-feeding end for each of the three parallel windings 1a, 1b and 1c is connected to a loading structure 4 for loading each first winding of the three parallel wound tubing 1 with food items in liquid media. At the out-feed end of each of the three parallel wound tubing 1a, 1b and 1c is connected to an out-feed collecting structure 5 for collecting the air phase and food items in liquid media from each of the three parallel wound tubing 1. In this embodiment, the outfeed collecting structure has separate outlets for food items in liquid media and the gas phase. The air/gas is re-directed back to the loading structure 4 via an air-duct 6.

[0090] FIG. 4 shows rectangular spirals according to one embodiment of the invention with changing diameter of the tubing. Indents or narrowing portions 9 and wider portions 10 of the tubing are continuously alternated in the formation of the spiral to form the spiral pump. The rectangular shape gives an added effect of changing the streamflow of the liquid in the pump and increases the surface stimulation of the treatment liquid and the interaction with the surface of the tubing and other fish.

[0091] As used herein, including in the claims, singular forms of terms are to be construed as also including the plural form and vice versa, unless the context indicates otherwise. Thus, it should be noted that as used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0092] Throughout the description and claims, the terms “comprise”, “including”, “having”, and “contain” and their variations should be understood as meaning “including but not limited to”, and are not intended to exclude other components.

[0093] The present invention also covers the exact terms, features, values and ranges etc. in case these terms, features, values and ranges etc. are used in conjunction with terms such as about, around, generally, substantially, essentially, at least etc. (i.e., “about 3” shall also cover exactly 3 or “substantially constant” shall also cover exactly constant).

[0094] The term “at least one” should be understood as meaning “one or more”, and therefore includes both embodiments that include one or multiple components. Furthermore, dependent claims that refer to independent claims that describe features with “at least one” have the same meaning, both when the feature is referred to as “the” and “the at least one”.

[0095] It will be appreciated that variations to the foregoing embodiments of the invention can be made while still falling within the scope of the invention. Features disclosed in the specification, unless stated otherwise, can be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose. Thus, unless stated otherwise, each feature disclosed represents one example of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0096] Use of exemplary language, such as “for instance”, “such as”, “for example” and the like, is merely intended to better illustrate the invention and does not indicate a limitation on the scope of the invention unless so claimed. Any steps described in the specification may be performed in any order or simultaneously, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0097] All of the features and/or steps disclosed in the specification can be combined in any combination, except for combinations where at least some of the features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. In particular, preferred features of the invention are applicable to all aspects of the invention and may be used in any combination.