Liquid Carbonic Corporation

Brian Evan Sink

Gary Dee Lang

Benjamin Zyer

A cryogenic freezer apparatus for food products includes a conveyor within a thermally insulated enclosure. A cryogen injecting unit is located in said enclosure adjacent the opening thereof, and responsive to a cryogen control signal for introducing liquid cryogen in said enclosure. A blower unit in said enclosure directs cryogen vapor away from said enclosure opening toward the interior of said enclosure. The output of said blower unit being controllable by a blower control signal. A sensing unit within said enclosure senses the cooling capacity of the cryogen vapor at the enclosure opening and generates a sensor output signal which is indicative of the amount of cryogen vapor escaping out of said opening. A control unit, coupled to said sensing unit, said injecting unit, and to said blower unit generates a cryogen control signal and a blower control signal in response to the sensor output signal. Cryogen vapor escaping from the enclosure is limited to an amount needed to maintain an air lock, thus preventing air intrusion into the enclosure.

Liquid cryogen freezer with improved vapor balance control

A freezer includes an insulated enclosure for maintaining low temperatures therewithin and a conveyor belt that carries food products throughout the enclosure. The conveyor belt includes a straight-line path section and at least one helical path section and is driven by vertical drive elements carried by a rotating drum about which the conveyor helical path section is located. Upon entering a helical path section from a straight-line path section, the conveyor belt undergoes expansion only, with the inner ends of its transverse rods maintaining a precise spacing which allows smooth interengagement between heads at the inboard ends of the rods and the leading surfaces of the vertical drive elements that are located along the circumference of the rotating drum which defines the curved helical path. Because of the improved arrangement, both an ascending helical path and a descending helical path can be established within a single freezer with both rotating drums simply driven by a single motor.

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Orland Park, IL, United States of America

Brian Evan Sink