Abstract
A tumble drum for recovering at least some flavoring material dispensed onto food portions processed within the tumble drum, the tumble drum having an interior mixing chamber, a first set of apertures in a wall of the tumble drum, a circumferential cavity surrounding the interior mixing chamber, an exterior section in the wall, and a second set of apertures in the exterior section, wherein a receiver coupled to a suction source can engage the exterior section to draw air from within the interior mixing chamber, through the first set of apertures, into the circumferential cavity, through the second set of apertures and into the receiver, and at least some airborne flavoring material is deposited onto food portions through which the air passes on it path. The exterior section may be in an anterior wall surrounding an inlet of the tumble drum or a circumferential portion of the exterior.
Claims
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, an outlet at a second end opposite the first end, a wall surrounding the interior mixing chamber, an axis extending through the inlet and the outlet about which the tumble drum can rotate, a circumferential cavity in fluid communication through a first set of perforations with the interior mixing chamber and in fluid communication with a second set of perforations in an exterior section of the tumble drum; and a receiver supported relative to the axis of the tumble drum, the receiver having an inlet conforming to the shape of at least an angular portion of the exterior section of the tumble drum and an outlet; wherein coupling the outlet of the receiver to a suction source with the inlet of the receiver engaged with at least a portion of the exterior section of the tumble drum draws air from the interior mixing chamber through the first set of perforations, then through the circumferential cavity, then through the second set of perforations to the inlet of the receiver, then through the outlet of the receiver.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of dividers angularly spaced within the circumferential cavity; wherein the plurality of dividers impairs circumferential movement within the circumferential cavity of air drawn from the interior mixing chamber.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the dividers are separated one from the other by an arc exceeding an arc length of the inlet of the receiver.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the suction source is an inlet of an air mover.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: a filter media disposed intermediate the outlet of the receiver and the air mover to capture airborne flavoring material entrained in the air drawn from the interior mixing chamber.
6. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: an adjustable valve disposed intermediate the outlet of the receiver and the air mover; wherein the valve can be adjusted to modulate the volumetric rate of air flow from the interior mixing chamber.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exterior section of the tumble drum includes one of a radially inwardly recessed channel in the exterior section of the tumble drum and a radially inwardly protruding rail on the exterior section of the tumble drum.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an anterior wall of the tumble drum surrounding the inlet and having at least a portion that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the tumble drum; and one of an axially inwardly recessed channel in an anterior wall of the tumble drum surrounding the inlet of the tumble drum and an axially outwardly protruding rail in the anterior wall of the tumble drum surrounding the inlet of the tumble drum.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the inlet conforming to the shape of at least an angular portion of the exterior section of the tumble drum comprises at least one of a protruding face conforming in shape to an angular portion of the axially inwardly recessed channel in the anterior wall of the tumble drum and a recessed face conforming in shape to an angular portion of the axially outwardly protruding rail in the anterior wall of the tumble drum.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inlet conforming to the shape of at least an angular portion of the exterior section of the tumble drum comprises at least one of a protruding face conforming to the shape of an angular portion of the radially inwardly recessed channel in the exterior section of the tumble drum and a recessed face conforming to the shape of an angular portion of the radially outwardly protruding rail on the exterior section of the tumble drum.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is supported to engage at least a portion of the exterior section of the tumble drum proximal a lowermost portion of the exterior section; wherein at least a portion of the air drawn from the interior mixing chamber to the receiver moves through food portions supported within the interior mixing chamber.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the receiver is supported to engage a portion of the exterior section of the tumble drum that is angularly offset from the lowermost portion of the exterior section by between one and 20 degrees in the direction of rotation of the exterior section of the tumble drum as the tumble drum rotates about its axis.
13. A tumble drum for use in processing food portions, comprising: an inlet at a first end; an outlet at a second end opposite the first end; an interior mixing chamber intermediate the first end and the second end, the interior mixing chamber surrounded by a wall having an exterior section; an axis extending through the inlet, the interior mixing chamber and the outlet about which the tumble drum can rotate; an anterior wall at the first end of the tumble drum surrounding the inlet; and a circumferential cavity proximal to the wall and surrounding the interior mixing chamber, the cavity having a first set of circumferentially distributed apertures through which the cavity is in fluid communication with the interior mixing chamber, the cavity further being in fluid communication with a second set of circumferentially distributed apertures in the exterior section of the wall of the tumble drum; wherein a receiver coupled to a suction source can be engaged with the exterior portion to draw air laden with airborne flavoring material from the interior mixing chamber, through the first set of apertures, into the cavity, and through the second set of apertures to the receiver.
14. The tumble drum of claim 13, wherein the receiver is engaged proximal to a lowermost portion of the exterior portion of the tumble drum; and wherein the air drawn from the interior mixing chamber is directed downwardly through food portions moving within the tumble drum as it rotates to deposit at least some of the airborne flavoring material onto the food portions as it is drawn from the interior mixing chamber through the first set of apertures.
15. The tumble drum of claim 13, further comprising: a plurality of angularly spaced dividers disposed within the cavity to impair circumferential movement of air drawn into the cavity from the interior mixing chamber.
16. The tumble drum of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of angularly spaced dividers are angularly separated from an adjacent divider by between 20 and 60 degrees.
17. The tumble drum of claim 13, wherein the exterior section comprises one of a radially recessed circumferential channel in an exterior portion of the tumble drum and a radially protruding circumferential rail in the exterior portion of the tumble drum.
18. The tumble drum of claim 13, wherein the exterior section comprises one of an axially inwardly recessed channel in the anterior wall of the tumble drum and an axially outwardly protruding rail in the anterior wall of the tumble drum.
19. A method of applying an airborne flavoring material to a plurality of food portions, comprising: providing a tumble drum having an inlet at a first end, an outlet at a second end opposite the first end, an interior mixing chamber intermediate the first end and the second end, the interior mixing chamber surrounded by a wall having an exterior section, an axis extending through the inlet, the interior mixing chamber and the outlet about which the tumble drum can rotate, an anterior wall at the first end of the tumble drum surrounding the inlet and a circumferential cavity proximal to the wall and surrounding the interior mixing chamber, the cavity having a first set of circumferentially distributed apertures through which the cavity is in fluid communication with the interior mixing chamber, the cavity further being in fluid communication with a second set of circumferentially distributed apertures in the exterior section of the wall of the tumble drum; providing a receiver having an outlet coupled to an air mover and an inlet adapted for engagement with at least a portion of the exterior section of the tumble drum as the tumble drum rotates about the axis, the receiver disposed proximal a lowermost portion of the exterior section of the tumble drum; rotating the tumble drum about the axis while dispensing a flavoring material onto food portions moving within the tumble drum interior mixing chamber; and operating the air mover to draw air laden with airborne flavoring material downwardly towards the lowermost portion of the tumble drum, through the food portions accumulated within the interior mixing chamber, through the first set of apertures, into the cavity, through the second set of apertures, into the inlet of the receiver and through the outlet of the receiver.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: providing a filter housing having an inlet and an outlet; providing a filter media within the filter housing; fluidically coupling the inlet of the filter housing to the outlet of the receiver; and fluidically coupling the outlet of the filter housing to the air mover; wherein the air drawn from the interior mixing chamber can be filtered through the filter media to remove residual airborne flavoring material.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a receiver of an embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention having an inlet shaped to engage an exterior section of a tumble drum having a radially inwardly recessed channel.
[0029] FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a tumble drum of an embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention having an exterior section with a radially inwardly recessed channel with a second set of circumferentially distributed apertures therein.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view of the tumble drum of FIG. 2 revealing a first set of apertures through which segments of the circumferential cavity that surrounds the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum are in fluid communication with the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum and a second set of apertures in an exterior section of the tumble drum through which the segments of the circumferential cavity can be disposed in fluid communication with a receiver that engages the exterior section of the tumble drum.
[0031] FIG. 4 is the sectional elevation view of FIG. 3 after a receiver, having an inlet shaped to engage the exterior section of the tumble drum, engages the exterior section as the tumble drum rotates about an axis.
[0032] FIG. 5 is a schematic showing a system for depositing at least some of the airborne flavoring material in air drawn from the interior mixing chamber onto food portions within the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum and for capturing residual flavoring material remaining in the air drawn from an interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum and through the bed of food portions.
[0033] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate receiver of an embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention having an inlet shaped to engage an exterior section of a tumble drum having a radially outwardly protruding rail.
[0034] FIG. 7 is an elevation view of a tumble drum of an embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention having an exterior section with a radially outwardly protruding rail with a plurality of circumferentially distributed apertures therein.
[0035] FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation view of the tumble drum of FIG. 7 revealing a first set of apertures intermediate an interior mixing chamber and a circumferential cavity of a tumble drum that surrounds the interior mixing chamber and a second set of apertures in a radially outwardly protruding rail in an exterior section of the tumble drum through which the circumferential cavity is in fluid communication with a receiver that engages the radially outwardly protruding rail on the exterior section of the tumble drum.
[0036] FIG. 9 is the sectional elevation view of FIG. 8 after a receiver, having an inlet adapted for engagement with the radially outwardly protruding rail of the tumble drum, is disposed into engagement with the rail as the tumble drum rotates about an axis.
[0037] FIG. 10 is a sectional elevation view of a tumble drum of another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention revealing a first set of apertures intermediate the interior mixing chamber of the tumble drum and the circumferential cavity and a second set of apertures in an exterior section of the tumble drum having an axially inwardly recessed channel in an anterior wall of the tumble drum through which the cavity can be disposed in fluid communication with a receiver that engages the axially inwardly recessed channel in the exterior section.
[0038] FIG. 11 is an anterior elevation view of the tumble drum of FIG. 10 showing the axially inwardly recessed channel in the anterior wall of the tumble drum. FIG. 11 further reveals a plurality of dividers (in broken lines) disposed within the circumferential cavity of the tumble drum to divide the circumferential cavity into segments and thereby impair circumferential movement of air drawn from the interior mixing chamber within the cavity. It will be understood that FIG. 11 is very similar to the elevation view of the tumble drum of FIG. 14 showing an axially outwardly protruding rail in the anterior wall of the tumble drum.
[0039] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a receiver of an embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention having an inlet adapted for engaging an exterior section in an anterior wall of the tumble drum having an axially inwardly recessed channel like that shown in FIG. 11.
[0040] FIG. 13 is a sectional elevation view of the tumble drum of FIG. 10 with the receiver of FIG. 12 engaged with the exterior section.
[0041] FIG. 14 is an anterior elevation view of the tumble drum of FIG. 13 showing the axially outwardly protruding rail on the anterior wall of the tumble drum. It will be understood that the view of FIG. 14 is very similar to the elevation view of a tumble drum of FIG. 11 showing an axially inwardly recessed channel in the exterior section on the anterior wall of the tumble drum, but without the dividers in the cavity.
[0042] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a receiver having an inlet adapted to engage the axially outwardly protruding rail of the tumble drum of FIGS. 13 and 14. The inlet of the receiver includes a plurality of apertures.
[0043] FIG. 16 is an elevation sectional view of the tumble drum of FIG. 13 with the receiver of FIG. 15 engaging the exterior section having an axially outwardly protruding rail to draw air laden with airborne flavoring material in the interior mixing chamber through food portions within the lowermost portion of the interior mixing chamber.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0044] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a receiver 20 of an embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention having an inlet 22 adapted to engage an exterior section 84 of a tumble drum 10 (not shown) having a radially inwardly recessed channel 80 (see FIG. 2). The inlet 22 of the receiver 20 of FIG. 1 includes a protruding face portion 21, the face portion 21 having a plurality of openings 23 for receiving air drawn from the tumble drum 10 into the inlet 22 of the receiver 20. The receiver 20 further includes an outlet 27 through which air drawn into the inlet 22 of the receiver 20 through the openings 23 can be drawn from the receiver 20 in the direction of arrow 26. The receiver 20 of FIG. 1 further includes a flange portion 24 surrounding the face portion 21, a leading end 28 and a trailing end 29, both the face portion 21 and the flange portion 24 being curved to conform to the exterior section 84 of a tumble drum 10 to be engaged by the receiver 20, as discussed further below. It will be understood after the discussion below that the leading end 28 and the trailing end 29 may switch positions depending on the direction of rotation of the tumble drum 10 about its axis 22 (see FIG. 2).
[0045] FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a tumble drum 10 of an embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention having an exterior section 84 with a radially inwardly recessed channel 80 with a second set of angularly distributed apertures 85 therein (the first set of angularly distributed apertures 82 shown in FIG. 3 and discussed below). The tumble drum 10 of FIG. 2 has in inlet 12 and an outlet 14, a neck 16 for supporting and rotating the tumble drum 10 about an axis 22, and a plurality of angularly distributed stiffening flutes 19 in the wall 26 of the tumble drum 10. The neck 16 includes circumferential ribs 15 for securing the neck 16 to a support (not shown).
[0046] FIG. 3 is a sectional side elevation view of the tumble drum 10 of FIG. 2 revealing a segmented circumferential cavity 24 with cavity segments 24A and 24B in fluid communication with the interior mixing chamber 25 through a first set of apertures 82 and in fluid communication with the radially inwardly recessed channel 80 in the exterior section 84 of the wall 26 of the tumble drum 10 through the second set of apertures 85. The second set of apertures 85 in the exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 10 are disposed within the radially inwardly recessed channel 80 formed in the exterior section 84 that extends circumferentially around the tumble drum 10. A dispenser 52 which may be, for example, but not by way of limitation, a screw-drive dispenser, is supported by support 54 within the interior mixing chamber 25 of the tumble drum 10 to dispense flavoring material (not shown) onto food portions (not shown). In FIG. 3, the first set of apertures 82 and the second set of apertures 85 appear to be about the same size for purposes of illustration. The second set of apertures 85 in the radially inwardly recessed channel 80 of the exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 10 and the first set of apertures 82 intermediate the circumferential cavity 24 and the interior mixing chamber 25 may be, but need not be, of the same in size or. For example, but not by way of limitation, the first set of apertures 82 may be greater in number and smaller in size than the second set of apertures 85 to prevent unwanted food particles or crumbs within the interior mixing chamber 25 from entering the circumferential cavity 24 (including cavity segments 24A and 24B) while still enabling the flow of air laden with flavoring material from the interior mixing chamber 25 into the circumferential cavity 24 and from the circumferential cavity 24 to a receiver 20 (not shownsee FIG. 4) engaged with the exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 10. It will be understood that although FIG. 3 shows the circumferential cavity 24 of the tumble drum 10 to be segmented into cavity segments 24A and 24B, this is optional and is included in FIG. 3 merely for purposes of illustration.
[0047] FIG. 4 is the sectional side elevation view of the tumble drum 10 of FIG. 3 after a receiver 20, adapted to engage the radially inwardly recessed channel 80 of the exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 10, is positioned to engage a lowermost portion of the channel 80 as the tumble drum 10 rotates about an axis 22. The dispenser 52 dispenses flavoring material (not shown) onto the food portions 50 therebelow as the tumble drum 10 rotates about the axis 22 to mix the flavoring material (not shown) with the food portions 50. FIG. 4 illustrates how food portions 50 may accumulate in the lowermost portion of the interior mixing chamber 25 during use. Food portions 50 are added to the interior mixing chamber 25 through the inlet 12 of the tumble drum 10 and are removed at the outlet 14. A receiver 20 engages the radially inwardly recessed channel 80 of the exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 10 and the outlet 27 of the receiver 20 is coupled to a duct 47 through which suction is applied to the receiver 20 to draw air laden with airborne flavoring material (not shown) downwardly within the interior mixing chamber 25 of the tumble drum 10 as illustrated by arrows 61, 62, 63 and 64, towards and then through the bed of food portions 50. It will be understood that as air is withdrawn from the interior mixing chamber 25 to the receiver 20, replacement air will enter the interior mixing chamber 25 through the inlet 12 and the outlet 14 of the tumble drum 10. It will be further understood that by disposing the receiver 20 proximal to the lowermost portion 17 of the interior mixing chamber 25 of the tumble drum 10, any airborne flavoring material (not shown) entrained or floating in the air within the interior mixing chamber 25 will be drawn downwardly and through the bed of accumulated food portions 50, and at least some of the airborne flavoring material will be advantageously deposited onto the food portions 50 thereby preventing the airborne flavoring material from being released into the environment in which the tumble drum 10 operates and thereby wasted.
[0048] FIG. 5 is a schematic showing a system 79 for recovering at least some of the airborne flavoring material from air drawn from an interior mixing cavity 25 of the tumble drum 10 of the apparatus of the present invention and for suppressing the release of flavoring material into the environment surrounding the tumble drum 10. The tumble drum 10 of FIG. 5 is shown in a sectioned view with a bed of food portions 50 therein. The receiver 20 of FIG. 5 engages the exterior section 84 (see FIG. 2-4) of the tumble drum 10 to withdraw air from the interior mixing chamber 25. The withdrawn air laden with flavoring material passes through the bed of food portions 50 in the tumble drum 10 to deposit at least some of the flavoring material therein onto the food portions 50 and, at the same time, to prevent that flavoring material from escaping the tumble drum 10 into the environment in which the tumble drum 10 operates. The withdrawn air moves from the interior mixing chamber 25, through the food portions 50, through the receiver 20 and through the duct 47 to a filter feed duct 75 (shown as single line for illustration purposes) that carries the air and residual flavoring material not deposited on the food portions 50 to a filter housing 71 where residual flavoring material is filtered from the air using, for example, a filtration media cartridge 71A that can be periodically replaced and/or cleaned. The filtered air leaves the filter housing 71 and moves through a valve 72 that can be adjusted to modulate the rate at which air is withdrawn from the interior mixing chamber 25 of the tumble drum 10. Air exiting the valve 72 enters an air mover suction duct 77 that delivers the air to an air mover 73 that discharges the air, for example, outside the facility in which the tumble drum 10 operates. In the system 79 of FIG. 5, the angle 89 of offset of the receiver 20 from the lowermost portion 17 of the exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 10 is between, for example, five degrees and thirty degrees. This angle 89 of offset is provided to draw air from the interior mixing chamber 25 of the tumble drum 10 through the deepest and/or thickest part of the food portions 50 to deposit the maximum amount of flavoring material onto the food portions 50. The deepest and/or thickest part of the food portions 50 is likely to be offset by an angle 89 from the lowermost portion 17 of the tumble drum 10 due to the direction of rotation of the tumble drum 10 as illustrated by arrow 88.
[0049] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate receiver 120 of an embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention having an inlet 122 adapted for engaging an exterior section 84 (not shown in FIG. 6) of a tumble drum 10 (not shown in FIG. 6) having a radially outwardly protruding rail 180 (not shown in FIG. 6see FIGS. 7-9) instead of a radially inwardly recessed channel 80 shown in FIG. 2-4. The inlet 122 of the alternate receiver 120 of FIG. 6 includes a recessed surface 121 having a plurality of apertures 123 for drawing air into the receiver 120 when the receiver 120 is coupled to a suction source such as, for example, an air mover. The alternate receiver 120 of FIG. 6 further includes an outlet 27 through which air moves in the direction of the arrow 26 to the suction source (not shown in FIG. 6). The receiver 120 of FIG. 6 further includes a leading end 28 and a trailing end 29 which, it will be understood, can be switched when the direction of rotation of the tumble drum 10 (not shown) is reversed.
[0050] FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of an alternate tumble drum 10 of an embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention having an inlet 12, an outlet 14, and an exterior section 84 with a radially outwardly protruding rail 180 with a second set of apertures 85, which are circumferentially distributed about the exterior section 84, through which air laden with flavoring material may be withdrawn from the interior mixing chamber 25 (not shown in FIG. 7) of the tumble drum 10 flows to the inlet 122 of the alternate receiver 120 (see FIG. 6) as the tumble drum 10 rotates about its axis 22.
[0051] FIG. 8 is a sectional side elevation view of the tumble drum 10 of FIG. 7 revealing a first set of apertures 82 intermediate the interior mixing chamber 25 and the circumferential cavity 24 of the tumble drum 10 that surrounds the interior mixing cavity 25, the first set of apertures 82 proximal to a radially outwardly protruding rail 180 in an exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 10 having the second set of apertures 85. A dispenser 52 which may be supported within the interior mixing chamber 25 of the tumble drum 10 to dispense flavoring material (not shown) onto food portions (not shown). The tumble drum 10 of FIG. 8 is adapted for enabling the withdrawal of air from the interior mixing chamber 25, through the first set of apertures 82 to the circumferential cavity 24, and from the cavity 24 through the second set of apertures 85 in the radially outwardly protruding rail 180 in the exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 10 when a receiver 120 (not shownsee FIG. 7) is engaged with the rail 180 and coupled to a suction source. Optionally, the circumferential cavity 24 can be segmented into segments 24A and 24B to impair circumferential movement of air within the cavity 24 by disposing dividers (not shownsee FIG. 11) within the circumferential cavity 24 to create cavity segments 24A and 24B.
[0052] FIG. 9 is the side sectional elevation view of FIG. 8 after a receiver 120, adapted for engagement with the radially outwardly protruding rail 180 of the tumble drum 10 of FIG. 8, engages the rail 180 as the tumble drum 10 rotates about an axis 22. A dispenser 52 which may be supported by support 54 within the interior mixing chamber 25 of the tumble drum 10 to dispense flavoring material (not shown) onto food portions 50 (not shown). The withdrawal of air from the interior mixing chamber 25 of the tumble drum 10 of FIG. 9 through the first set of apertures 82 to the circumferential cavity 24, and from the circumferential cavity 24 through the second set of apertures 181 in the radially outwardly protruding rail 180 in the exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 10 to the receiver 120 enables the deposit of flavoring material entrained in the air within the interior mixing chamber 25 onto the food portions 50 (not shown) and reduces the escape of air laden with flavoring material dispensed from the dispenser 52 into the environment surrounding the tumble drum 10.
[0053] It will be understood that, while embodiments of the tumble drum 10 and the receivers 20 and/or 120 illustrated in the appended drawings include a radially inwardly recessed channel 80 (FIGS. 2-4) and a radially outwardly protruding rail 180 (FIGS. 7-9), other embodiments of the exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 10 that is engaged by the receiver 20 and/or 120 may have other shapes and configurations without departing from the spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims appended hereto. Some of these alternative configurations are discussed below, but do not depart from the primary design of the invention illustrated in the discussion above.
[0054] FIG. 10 is a sectional elevation view of an alternative tumble drum 13 of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention revealing a first set of apertures 82 intermediate an interior mixing chamber 25 and an adjacent circumferential cavity 24 that surrounds the interior mixing chamber 25 of the tumble drum 10, the first set of apertures 82 disposing the interior mixing chamber 25 in fluid communication with the circumferential cavity 24, and FIG. 10 further shows a second set of apertures 85 in an axially inwardly recessed channel 280 in the exterior section 84 anterior wall 11 of the tumble drum 120. The second set of apertures 85 in the axially inwardly recessed channel 280 is in fluid communication with the first set of apertures 82 and this structure allows air laden with airborne flavoring material to be drawn from the interior mixing chamber 25 through the first set of apertures 82 into the circumferential cavity 24, and from the circumferential cavity 24 through the second set of apertures 85 of the axially inwardly recessed channel 280 in the exterior section 84 in the anterior wall 11 to a receiver 220 (not shown in FIG. 10). Optionally, the circumferential cavity 24 may include dividers (not shown) that divide the circumferential cavity 24 into a plurality of cavity segments 24A and 24B to impair circumferential movement of the air within the circumferential cavity 24.
[0055] FIG. 11 is an anterior elevation view of the anterior wall 11 of the tumble drum 13 of FIG. 10 showing the axially inwardly recessed channel 280 in the exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 13. The exterior section 84 is disposed in the anterior wall 11 of the tumble drum 13 of FIG. 11. The axially inwardly recessed channel 280 of the anterior wall 11 of the tumble drum 13 of FIG. 10 surrounds the neck 16 of the tumble drum 13. The interior mixing chamber 25 can be seen through the neck 16 that surrounds the inlet 12 of the tumble drum 13. The axially inwardly recessed channel 280 includes a second set of angularly distributed apertures 85 through which air laden with flavoring material can be drawn from the interior mixing chamber 25 of the tumble drum 13, through the circumferential cavity 24 and through the apertures 85 to the receiver 220 (not shown in FIG. 11see FIG. 12).
[0056] FIG. 11 reveals the optional dividers 57 in the circumferential cavity 24 that divide the circumferential cavity 24 into eight cavity segments 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, 24E, 24F, 24G and 2411 to impair circumferential movement of air drawn from the interior mixing chamber 25 through the first set of apertures 82 (not shown) into the circumferential cavity 24. It will be understood that the dividers 57 in the circumferential cavity 24 can vary in number and angular spacing one from the others. In embodiments of the apparatus in which the circumferential cavity 24 extends to an exterior surface 84 that is disposed on the anterior wall 11 of the tumble drum 13, the dividers will extend as shown by dividers 157 shown in FIG. 11. In a preferred embodiment, the optional dividers 57 and, optionally, dividers 157, serve to isolate all but one or two of the cavity segments 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, 24E, 24F, 24G and 2411 from the receiver 20, 120, 220 or 320 shown in FIGS. 1, 6, 12 and 15, respectively, so that a substantial portion of the air is drawn from the interior mixing chamber 25 rather than from outside the tumble drum 13.
[0057] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an alternative receiver 220 that is shaped to engage the axially inwardly recessed channel 280 of the tumble drum 13 of FIGS. 10 and 11 to provide yet another embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention. The receiver 220 of FIG. 12 includes an inlet 222 shaped to engage a portion of the axially inwardly recessed channel 280 of the tumble drum 13 in the anterior portion 11 of the tumble drum 13 of FIGS. 10 and 11. The inlet 222 includes a protruding face portion 221 that can be inserted into the axially inwardly recessed channel 280 of the tumble drum 13, and the inlet 222 of the receiver 220 includes a plurality of apertures 223 through which air flows into the receiver 220. The receiver 220 further includes an outlet 27 for being coupled to a suction source to withdraw air towards the suction source in the direction of arrow 26.
[0058] FIG. 13 is a sectional side elevation view of the tumble drum 13 of FIG. 10 with the receiver 220 of FIG. 12 engaged with the axially inwardly recessed channel 280 disposed in the anterior wall 11 of the tumble drum 13 as the tumble drum 13 rotates about the axis 22. The outlet 27 of the receiver 220 is coupled to a duct 47 through which suction is applied to the receiver 220 to draw air laden with airborne flavoring material (not shown) downwardly, as illustrated by arrows 161, 162, 163 and 164, towards the bed of food portions 50. As air is withdrawn from the interior mixing chamber 25 to the receiver 220, replacement air will enter the interior mixing chamber 25 through the inlet 12 and the outlet 14 of the tumble drum 13. By disposing the receiver 220 proximal to the lowermost portion 17 of the interior mixing chamber 25 of the tumble drum 13 and in the anterior wall 11, any airborne flavoring material entrained in the air within the interior mixing chamber 25 will be drawn downwardly and through the bed of food portions 50, and at least some of the flavoring material will be deposited onto the food portions 50 thereby preventing the flavoring material from being released into the environment in which the tumble drum 13 operates.
[0059] Although the axially inwardly recessed channel 280 of the anterior wall 11 of FIG. 10 is axially inwardly recessed, it will be understood that the tumble drum 13 of FIG. 10 could include an axially outwardly protruding rail (not shown) much like the radially outwardly protruding rail 180 of FIGS. 7-9.
[0060] FIG. 14 is an anterior elevation view of the tumble drum of FIG. 13 showing an axially outwardly protruding rail 380 on the anterior wall 11 of the tumble drum 13. The view of FIG. 14 is very similar to the elevation view of a tumble drum 10 of FIG. 11 showing an axially inwardly recessed channel 280 in the anterior wall 11 of the tumble drum 13. The dividers 57 and 157 and the cavity segments 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, 24E, 24F, 24G and 2411 are not shown in FIG. 14 as they appear the same as in FIG. 11.
[0061] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an alternative receiver 320 having an inlet 322 adapted for engaging the axially outwardly protruding rail 380 of the tumble drum 13 of FIG. 14. The inlet 322 of the receiver 320 includes a recessed face 321 and a plurality of apertures 323 therein for receiving air from the axially outwardly protruding rail 380 of the tumble drum 13. Air is drawn from the receiver through the outlet 27 towards the suction source to which the receiver 320 is coupled and in the direction of the arrow 26.
[0062] FIG. 16 is an elevation sectional view of the tumble drum 13 of FIG. 14 with the receiver 320 of FIG. 15 engaging the exterior section 84 of the tumble drum 13 having the axially outwardly protruding rail 380 to draw air laden with airborne flavoring material in the direction of arrows 161, 162, 163 and 164 from the interior mixing chamber 25 through food portions 50 within the interior mixing chamber 25. The flavoring material dispenser 52 is supported by support 54 within the interior mixing chamber 25. Replacement air to replace the air withdrawn from the interior mixing chamber 25 enters the tumble drum 13 through the inlet 12 and the outlet 14 as food portions 51 mixed with flavoring material (not shown) exits the outlet 14.
[0063] 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.
[0064] 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 performing 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 the 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.
