Granted Patent B2

US 6,955,830 · App. 10/309,491 · Granted Oct 18, 2005

Assignee: Townsend Engineering Company

Abstract

Claims (9)

1. A method of injecting fluid into a meat product comprising,

connecting a plurality of hollow fluid injection needles, having sharpened discharge ends, to a source of pressurized liquid;

penetrating the sharpened ends of the needles into the meat product;

vibrating the needles for a period of time while they are within the meat product to enlarge the size of each penetration hole within the meat product, caused by the penetration of the needles, to a size greater than the size of the needles to create at least a partial space around the needles to permit fluid from the needles to migrate into the spaces around the needles to facilitate the dispersion of the fluid into the meat product; and then

withdrawing the needles while discharging fluid into the meat product.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the period of time is as long as the duration of time that the needles are in the meat product.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the needles have a roughened outside surface to facilitate the creation of the enlarged size of the penetration hole.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the needles vibrate laterally with respect to a longitudinal axis of the needles.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising vibrating the needles while they are outside the meat product.

Assignments (8)

Continuity (1)