Automatic, periodic plate-freezing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for periodic in feeding of boxes containing food items into plate freezers. The invention solves problems relating to handling of boxes, where traditional methods damage the boxes and the ham the food objects within the boxes. The new method and device solve this problem in such an automatic and periodic manner that food items can be frozen in sensitive packing such as thin carton boxes.

1 . A method for freezing food products in boxes, the method comprising:
 a) releasing a whole stack of fully frozen boxes in a plate freezer from a freezing plate,   b) forming a new stack by transporting one or more rows of boxes all the way into the far end of the freezing plate,   c) transporting another row or rows of boxes up against the first row or rows boxes,   d) repeating steps a-c until the plate is full and a whole new stack is formed.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step a) is performed in a single movement and wherein the whole stack of boxes is released of the freezing plate in one movement. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step a) is performed such that one row of boxes is released from the freezing plate at the time and onto an out feeding device. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the one row of boxes released onto the out feeding device is transported away from the freezer before the next row or rows of boxes are transported out of the freezer. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step c) is performed such that more than one row of boxes are transported onto the plate in a single movement. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the unfrozen boxes are transported to the plate freezer by an in-feeding device. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the boxes are carton-boxes. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the transporting in steps a-c involves a pushing means for pushing the boxes onto the plate and off the plate. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the distance each row of boxes is pushed into the freezer is determined by a positioning means. 
     
     
         10 . A device for freezing objects in boxes, the device comprising:
 a freezer chamber,   a plurality of freezing plates,   an in-feeding unit, and   an out-feeding unit,   
       wherein the device comprises spacer means for determining the distance between the freezing plates, and wherein the device further comprises a positioning means for determining the distance a row of boxes is transported into the freezer. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein the freezing plate above the row boxes is positioned in a certain distance from the boxes below the plate. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the distance between the boxes and the freezing plate above the boxes is between 0.02 to 20 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein the in-feeding and the out-feeding units are conveyor belts. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein a positioning means determines the position of a row of boxes. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the positioning means determines the distance each row of boxes is pushed into the freezer.