1. A method of making a meat-based food product, comprising:
forming meat into a bulk form;
heating the bulk form to at least approximately 130\xb0 F.;
slicing the heated bulk form into a plurality of slices that have first and second sides spaced apart by a thickness no greater than about 1 mm;
drying the slices in a first drying stage in a first dryer to produce partially dried slices, the first and second sides of the partially dried slices being sufficiently dry to allow the partially dried slices to lay atop one another without substantially adhering to one another;
moving the partially dried slices from the first dryer to a second dryer; and
further drying the partially dried slices in a second drying stage in the second dryer by passing a drying medium through a mass of the partially dried slices in which at least a substantial minority of the partially dried slices at least partially overlie at least one other partially dried slice.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second drying stage produces friable dried slices.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the slices are arranged in a first configuration in the first drying stage and in a different configuration in the second drying stage.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the slices are arranged in a monolayer configuration in the first drying stage.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the slices are dried in the first drying stage by directing air against the first side and against the second side.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the slices are dried at a first drying rate in the first drying stage and the partially dried slices are dried at a slower second drying rate in the second drying stage.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a flavoring agent to the dried slices.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein applying the flavoring agent comprises applying a water-based flavoring slurry to the dried slices after the second drying stage.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second drying stage produces friable dried slices having a moisture content of no greater than about 12%.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the partially dried slices have a moisture content of at least about 25% and the second drying stage produces friable dried slices having a moisture content of no greater than about 12%.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the bulk form comprises at least about 80 weight percent meat.
12. A method of making a crisp meat snack, comprising:
drying slices of a meat-based product in a first drying stage in a first dryer to produce partially dried slices having a moisture content of at least about 25% and having substantially dry, non-tacky opposed faces;
collecting a mass of the partially dried slices in a multi-layered configuration;
moving the partially dried slices from the first dryer to a second dryer; and
further drying the mass of partially dried slices in the multi-layered configuration in a second drying stage in the second dryer to produce crisp slices having a moisture content of no greater than about 12%.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein a majority of the partially dried slices in the multi-layered configuration have a face in contact with a face of at least one other partially dried slice.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first drying stage includes directing air at both faces of the slices.
15. The method of claim 12 wherein the slices are arranged in a monolayer configuration in the first drying stage.
16. The method of claim 12 wherein the slices are dried at a first drying rate in the first drying stage and the partially dried slices are dried at a slower second drying rate in the second drying stage.
17. The method of claim 12, further comprising applying a flavoring agent to the crisp slices.
18. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming the slices of the meat-based product by forming meat into a bulk form, curing the bulk form, and slicing the cured bulk form.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the cured bulk form is sliced in an unfrozen state.
20. The method of claim 12 wherein the meat-based product comprises at least about 80 weight percent meat.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A charge control device comprising:
a charger to perform a constant current charge control to maintain a charge current to an electric double-layer capacitor as a predetermined charge current value for a constant current charge period after a beginning of a charge of the electric double-layer capacitor.
2. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein the constant current charge period is a period until a charge voltage of the electric double-layer capacitor rises to a charge target value.
3. The charge control device according to claim 2, wherein the charger performs a constant voltage charge control to maintain the charge voltage as the charge target value for a constant voltage charge period after a lapse of the constant current charge period.
4. The charge control device according to claim 3, wherein the constant voltage charge period is a period until the charge current drops to a charge completion judgment value.
5. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein the constant current charge period is set repeatedly with the charge current value is decreased.
6. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein the charger resumes a charge of the electric double-layer capacitor, after a completion of the charge of the electrical double-layer capacitor and when the charge voltage drops to a charge resume judgment value.
7. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein the charger comprises:
an output switch connected between a power source terminal and the electric double-layer capacitor, and
a first feedback controller to perform a feedback control for the output switch to equalize a first feedback voltage signal according to the charge current with a first reference voltage value.
8. The charge control device according to claim 7, wherein the charger further comprises:
a second feedback controller to perform a feedback control for the output switch to equalize a second feedback voltage signal according to the charge voltage with a second reference voltage.
9. The charge control device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a voltage detector to compare a charge voltage of the electrical double-layer capacitor with an overvoltage protection value.
10. The charge control device according to claim 9 further comprising:
a control logic portion to stop a charge for the electrical double-layer when an overvoltage state of the charge voltage is detected.
11. The charge control device according to claim 2 further comprising:
a voltage detector to compare the charge voltage of the electrical double-layer capacitor with the charge target value.
12. The charge control device according to claim 6 further comprising:
a voltage detector to compare a charge voltage of the electrical double-layer capacitor with the charge resume judgment value.
13. The charge control device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a voltage detector to compare a charge voltage of the electrical double-layer capacitor with a low voltage protection value.
14. The charge control device according to claim 13 further comprising:
a control logic portion to stop a charge for the electrical double-layer when an low voltage state of the charge voltage is detected.
15. The charge control device according to claim 7, wherein the first feedback controller comprises:
a first feedback current signal generator to generate a first feedback current signal according to the charge current; and
a first feedback voltage signal generator to generate the first feedback voltage signal by performing a currentvoltage conversion for the first feedback current signal.
16. The charge control device according to claim 15, wherein the first feedback voltage signal generator is a resistor to which the first feedback current signal is flowing.
17. The charge control device according to claim 16, wherein the resistance of the resistor is controlled variably on the occasion of the conversion of the charge current value.