Abstract: Apparatus and methods for supplying a gas to a processing chamber are described. The apparatus comprises an inlet line, an outlet line and a fill line in fluid communication an ampoule. The apparatus described, and methods of use, allow a precursor ampoule to be refilled during processing without removing or replacing the ampoule and interrupting the process.

Abstract: A process for application of alcoholic derivative on heat treated pellets for inhibition of particulate emission is provided, and the process includes weighing the amount of heat treated pellets discharged from furnaces, measuring the temperature of the heat treated pellets discharged from furnaces, applying cooling fluid on the heat treated pellets until they reach temperatures below 140° C., and spraying the alcoholic derivative on the heat treated pellets. Also provided is a first device for applying cooling fluid that is capable of calculating a dosage of cooling fluid to be applied to the heat treated pellets, a second device for applying alcoholic derivative that is capable of calculating a dosage of alcoholic derivative to be applied to the heat treated pellets already cooled, and a carrier device that continuously communicates with the first device for applying cooling fluid and with the second device for applying alcoholic derivative.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for diverting a flow of a liquid precursor during flow stabilization and plasma stabilization stages during PECVD processes are effective at eliminating particle defects in PECVD films deposited using a liquid precursor.

Abstract: Provided is a coating apparatus, which has satisfactory operability at a time of installing or exchanging a spray nozzle, is not complicated in structure, and is advantageous in terms of layout. A rotary drum (2) is rotated around an axis (A) inclined with respect to a horizontal line, and has an opening (5) at one end on an inclination upper side. A spray nozzle unit (10) is removably attached to a swing arm (34), and the swing arm (34) can swing with respect to a swing axis (34c). Owing to the swing operation of the swing arm (34), the swing nozzle unit (10) can be moved between the inside and the outside of the rotary drum (2).

Abstract: The buttering device is a double walled vessel having an interior chamber containing liquid butter, a lid, and a handle. The vessel has a height sufficient to admit a corn on the cob and between the outer wall and the inner wall, an hollow annular space for heated water. The lid closes the top of the chamber and extends over the outer wall of the vessel. The lid has a center opening with flaps that admits the end of corn on the cob and the flaps glide upon the corn. Heated water placed in the annular space melts butter added to the chamber. Corn on the cob, inserted through the opening, coats itself in butter. Once buttered, the corn on the cob is withdrawn from the lid where the flaps retain excess butter within the chamber.

Abstract: A system for creating a decorative edible item from a selected image. The system includes at least one image source, such as a scanner and/or a library of stored images, a controller unit and a printer. An edible media is inserted into the printer. The user then selects the image source, such as the scanner for scanning in a photograph reminiscence of a person or event being honored. The size of the printed image is then selected as well as the number of copies to be printed from the image. The print sequence is then activated. The controller unit applies color correction to the digital image and converts the digital image into printer control signals to operate the printer. The printer then prints a rendition of the image with edible inks as the edible media travels through the printer. A high-quality pictorial rendition of the image is thus created. The printed edible media can then be applied onto a product, shipped to a separate location or eaten as is.

Abstract: There is described an apparatus (1) that may be used for providing ice lollies (2) with a coating from a dipping container (4). The coating mix (3) comprises almond flakes (16) and fluid chocolate (10) which is inserted in a third area (38). Displacement bodies (25) are lifted and lowered into first areas (28) while the ice lolly (2) is lowered in a central second area (20). The lowering occurs when the displacement means are completely down whereby a well-defined surface level (23) is achieved by using level plates (21). The movement of the displacement means (25) creates sufficient stirring and flow in flow ducts (36, 43) in order to ensure homogenisation of the coating mix (3) situated in the central second area (20) where the ice lollies (2) are coated.

Abstract: A device for gel-coating seeds includes: a plurality of nozzles into each of which a gelling agent is filled and a seed is charged and held in the gelling agent to form a gel-coated seed; a pair of upper and lower nozzle casings joined with each other through a joint surface; galleries for the gelling agent formed on the junction surface; and passages formed in the lower nozzle casing which extend from the respective galleries to the respective gel-filled portions of the nozzles below the galleries. The nozzles vertically penetrate the upper and lower nozzle casings which may be comprised of a bottom plate and nozzle sleeves. The joint surface is arranged higher than a gel-filled portion of each nozzle.

Abstract: A device for gel-coating seeds having a structure in which a gelling agent is filled into a nozzle, and seeds are charged into and held in the gelling agent to form gel-coated seeds which are then allowed to fall.

Abstract: The continuous batch seed coating system of this invention includes a coating unit, liquid and dry treatment metering systems, a seed metering system, and a PLC controller. The coating unit includes a substantially unitary bowl, which is rotated to cyclically rotate seed being treated. The bowl is rotated within an enclosure, then evacuated after being treated. A peristaltic pump and a hopper-auger unit provide liquid and dry seed treatment formulations to the coating unit. The automated seed metering system pre-weighs seed to be conveyed into the coating unit. The PLC controller controls the retention time in the coating unit, the amounts and timing of seed treatment formulations, conveys seed to the coating unit, and optionally sounds alarms when one of the treatment formulations is not available or when seed is not present in the seed metering system.

Abstract: A convertible, combination batter-mixer and -applicator machine combines mixing and applying functions in one machine as well as affords conversion among at least three modes of use. In a first mode, the batter is preferably handled by mixing up one batch at a time from materials whose input quantities are specified in terms of defined weight-ratios, and then the batch is used up completely until depleted. In a second mode, the batter is preferably handled by mixing up one batch at a time from materials whose input quantities are adjusted in order to meet a defined-viscosity, and then the batch is used up completely until depleted. The third mode involves re-circulating the batter stock and calls for continuous re-stocking of batter by mixing in the input materials at varying intervals to the existing stock and in input quantities that are adjusted in order to meet the defined-viscosity.

Abstract: A convertible, combination batter-mixer and -applicator machine combines mixing and applying functions in one machine as well as affords conversion among at least three modes of use. In a first mode, the batter is preferably handled by mixing up one batch at a time from materials whose input quantities are specified in terms of defined weight-ratios, and then the batch is used up completely until depleted. In a second mode, the batter is preferably handled by mixing up one batch at a time from materials whose input quantities are adjusted in order to meet a defined-viscosity, and then the batch is used up completely until depleted. The third mode involves re-circulating the batter stock and calls for continuous re-stocking of batter by mixing in the input materials at varying intervals to the existing stock and in input quantities that are adjusted in order to meet the defined-viscosity.

Abstract: According to the invention, a coating is carried out with a chocolate composition (C, 6) measured out with high gravimetric precision, and a 100% natural preparation of vegetable additives in an alcohol base (A, 3, 4, 5) is atomized. The combination of the alcohol-based preparation with the coating layer causes a surface reaction (R) which, with the evaporation of the alcohol, forms a glossy to semi-glossy and slightly resistant structure. The range for the application of the coating (C, 6) is 29-39° C.; the finished product is not greasy to the touch; there is a substantially improved preservation of its appearance and shelf life.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating food products with sauce while simultaneously deep freezing them comprises a rotatable drum (10) in a horizontal position, on the inner wall surface of which a driving plate is disposed and which has an opening (16) at an end face.

Abstract: A hollow needle catches each seed in a seed vessel by suction, and a nozzle section receives the seed to form a gel film. An air blow-out nozzle opens toward the tip of the hollow needle. The mechanism includes an air cylinder for elevating the seed vessel, a lowering pipe line and a lifting pipe line each connected to the cylinder, a cylinder operating solenoid valve by way of which the pipe lines communicates with an air pressure source, and a branch pipe line communicating the lowering pipe line with the air blow-out nozzle. Further, air blows out from the air blow-out nozzle as synchronizing with the descent of the seed vessel.

Abstract: The covered seed hardening apparatus of this invention has a construction suited for performing simultaneous parallel processes of hardening the gelling agent of seeds. The seeds covered with the gelling agent are dropped from the valves (73b) of the gel covering section (7) into the liquid hardener in the front half of the feed liquid tank (111a) on the reaction tank (111b) side of the flow regulating barrage (111g) in the hardening tank (111) of the gel hardening section (11). The covered seeds immersed in the hardener are moved through the hardener in the guide direction Y by the guide paddles (113b) after the guide paddles (113b) dip into the hardener in the reaction tank (111b) on the feed liquid tank (111a) side until the guide paddles (113b) move to a point in the reaction tank (111b) near the inclined surface (111m) of the hardner stopping barrage (111k) and come out of the hardener.

Abstract: The gel-covering apparatus has an inexpensive configuration that can supply the gelling agent to the seed covering portions under uniform pressure when performing simultaneously a plurality of same processes of covering the seeds with gelling agent. The gelling agent is supplied and filled into the closed spaces (73m) formed between the eight passages (73c) and the plungers (73h) in the nozzle block (73). The eight pressurizing air cylinders (77) connected to the eight gel supply passages (73B) communicating with the spaces (73m) are operated to pressurize the gelling agent in the spaces (73m) through the gel passages (75a) to cause the plungers (73h) in respective passages (73c) to move up, opening the valves (73b) at the lower ends of the passages (73c).

Abstract: In a working nozzle for a gel coating apparatus, a nozzle plunger (15) has, in addition to a valve portion (15b), located at its lower end, for opening or shutting the small-diameter portion of a plunger insertion hole (4), a flange (16) which is located above the valve portion and can be brought into contact with or separated from an edge of the small-diameter hole portion (5). This prevents leakage of gel during shutting of the small diameter. The nozzle plunger has also a gel accommodating groove (17) provided on the outer periphery of said valve portion and adjoining to a lower surface of the flange, thereby permitting the sharp cutting of the gel when the valve shuts. The nozzle plunger has a step (25) provided at the lower end of its inner periphery and having a larger diameter than larger than the inner diameter of the valve portion, thus preventing stagnancy of seeds within the nozzle plunger.

Abstract: In the bottom of a seed vessel containing seeds is provided a throughhole through which a seed supply rod is longitudinally movably passed. The supply rod is connected to an actuator to be movably driven. When the supply rod is moved upwardly, it carries a small number of seeds on the top surface thereof to bring the seeds close to a suction tip so that the suction tip sucks one seed therefrom. Since the suction tip sucks one seed from the limited number of seeds on top of the supply rod, it becomes unlikely that a plurality of seeds sucked into the suction tip interfere with each other to cause the suction tip to make errors in sucking seeds.

Abstract: In a seed supply mechanism for seed coating/processing apparatus, a seed stirring mechanism is provided. A case within which seeds ape accommodated is provided with an opening into which a seed sucking nozzle is inserted and an air jet nozzle. The air jet nozzle for the seed stirring mechanism is connected to an air pressure source through an exchanging valve by a hose The seed sucking nozzle sucks a seed floating by air jetted from the air jet nozzle. Thus, only one seed can be surely sucked when the sucking operation is once carried out.

Abstract: A gel-coating apparatus for seeds comprising: a nozzle portion for forming and cutting a gel coating film by opening and closing operation of a cutting plunger; a seed storing vessel moving upward and downward; an arm having a rotation shaft at the center thereof and a hollow needle at both ends thereof; a seed supply portion having pipes for communicating the needles with a negative pressure source and a positive pressure source by way of electromagnetic valves; a curing vessel provided below the nozzle portion; and a control section for synchronously operating the movement of the curing vessel, the nozzle portion, the seed storing vessel, the arm, and the seed supply portion.

Abstract: Particles are enrobed or coated by introducing, to a spinning cup having an outwardly upwardly extending inner surface with an upper edge, a liquid coating material and particles of greater density than the coating material. The coating material and particles are introduced inboard of the peripheral surface, perferably in separate streams. The speed of rotation of the spinning cup is controlled to cause the coating material to climb up the surface but to stop short of the upper edge, and at the same time to cause the particles to travel through the coating material, be enrobed with the coating liquid, climb out of the liquid coating material, and be ejected over the upper edge. The spinning cup is symmetrical about a central vertical axis. It has a peripheral surface sloping outwardly upwardly, which surface can be stepped outwardly upwardly, and a control device is provided for controlling the speed of rotation of the spinning cup.

Abstract: A corn buttering device for applying a coating of butter or butter substitute to an ear of corn comprising a pan for containing a heated liquid and a receptacle mounted in the pan for containing liquid butter. The pan is provided with a cover which has a recessed upper surface for receiving and supporting an ear of corn therein. The recess in the cover is provided with an elongate slot which communicates with the butter receptacle when the cover is moved downwardly to tilt the receptacle and cause butter to pour through the recess slot and contact an ear of corn. The recess slot is normally closed by a movable wall member which is displaced from the slot during downward movement of the cover on the pan. The cover containing an ear of corn therein is maintained in an upper position on the pan until manually displaced to a lowermost position for applying butter to the corn.