General Mills, Inc.

General Mills Cereals, LLC

Ralph A Stenvik

Zac Harder

John J Fenske

Carina Claudia Cammarota

Chad M Kubat

Craig E Gustafson

Rodney McCalley

Thomas G Cremers

James W Finkowski

Zachary Harder

Mark E Arlinghaus

Todd A Rasmussen

Dennis B Usgaard

Bruce D Larson

Roberta M Langenfeld

Michele K Wolf

Shannyn Stuart

Erling J Ringquist

Emil Bogdanov

Lisa Swanson

Karla M Fuentes

Molly Moen

Terry G Reishus

Thomas L Smith

Adam Fiegen

Robert Erickson

Christine M Dosch

Olivia Murch

Anita J Hall

Lily Leung Fee

Emily A Ryks

Lucas C Judlowe

Keegan Withey

Gary O Bendickson

Alexander August Giesige

David Ray Marks

Benjamin Francis Anderson

Zoran Talijan

Darin T Huffman

Grace Tarchichi

Steve J Schoo

Karl M Thorson

Christopher E Fournier

Bryan M Dade

Rodney Mccalley

A quality control apparatus employed in a production line for sticky products in roll form is effectively positioned following a product rolling operation and functions to assure that adjacent rolled products are not conjoined as the products proceed toward a packaging operation. The separating apparatus includes a holding mechanism and a breaking mechanism. During production of the rolled products, the products are directed to the apparatus whereat any conjoined products are automatically separated, with the holding mechanism maintaining a first one of the conjoined products in a first orientation while the breaking mechanism forces a second one of the conjoined products to be reorientated, basically pivoting the second conjoined product relative to the first product, which results in the conjoined products being broken apart. In one form, the apparatus is positioned to separate conjoined products at a transfer region of the products from an upper conveyor to a lower conveyor.

Method and production line for separating conjoined products

Feed roller

A processing system for packaging pieces of product utilizing high-speed sorting includes an infeed conveyor for supplying the pieces of food product and a linear motor sorter is connected to the infeed conveyor. The sorter includes a main conveyor with several lanes for moving the pieces of food product, with one of the lanes being a first lane which receives the pieces of food product. The sorter also has one or more diverters for diverting determined ones of the pieces of food product from the first lane to at least one other lane. The sorter includes a linear motor and carts connected to the linear motor and is configured to move the pieces of food between the lanes.

Processing system for handling pieces of product

A snack bar is produced in accordance with a method employing an extrusion apparatus to include a base or crust, a primary filling provided on the base and a second filling or topping embedded in, yet externally exposed from, the primary filling. The primary and secondary fillings are co-extruded, with an extrusion nozzle for the secondary filling being located directly adjacent an extrusion port for the primary filling. The primary filling is non-flowable, while the secondary filling is preferably flowable. The extrusion nozzle can be repositioned either between or during extrusion operations to alter a repeating pattern for the secondary filling.

Method and apparatus for making co-extruded food product

In a food conveyor system configured to drive a conveyor belt in one direction to direct food material for further processing and drive the conveyor belt in a reverse direction upon the sensing of metal in the food material, the conveyor belt is cleaned by one or more belt cleaners including scrapers which are automatically angularly repositioned upon the changing of the drive direction of the conveyor belt, with the angular movement being limited to acute angles relative to the vertical. The belt cleaners are mounted through linkage assemblies for ease of cleaning and replacement. The food conveyor system also employs one or more chute members for directing the food material, with the one or more chute members being mounted through a quick release connection employing keyhole slots upon flexing of the chute member(s).

Apparatus and method for cleaning bidirectional food conveyor belt

A packaging system includes a first sealer and a gas flusher. The first sealer creates a first seal in packaging material along a direction of travel of the packaging material, thereby forming a packaging loop. The gas flusher flushes ambient air from the packaging loop and includes a mechanically retractable lance that can be selectively repositioned relative to the first sealer. When the mechanically retractable lance is in an operative position, the mechanically retractable lance projects into the packaging loop, with a gas flowing through the mechanically retractable lance into the packaging loop.

Packaging system and method of packaging products

Molded tortilla pocket

A pump feeder includes a hopper, a first mixing paddle, a second mixing paddle, a first auger, a second auger and dual outlets. The hopper receives edible material in the form of a thick, viscous base and mix-ins, and includes an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The first and second mixing paddles are located within the upper chamber and cause movement of the edible material within the upper chamber for both breaking apart and mixing of the edible material. The first and second augers are located within the lower chamber and cause movement of the edible material from a first end of the lower chamber to a second end of the lower chamber. The outlets are located at the second end of the lower chamber and connected to an inlet of a pump which further compresses the mixed edible material for delivery to an extruder die and cutting assembly.

Pump feeder and method of mixing edible material

A waffle sandwich maker includes first and second waffle plates which contact a food product during preparation of the food product. The first waffle plate includes a plurality of protrusions defining a plurality of channels, a female connector having a hole, a male connector having a protrusion and a first spacer extending inward relative to the plurality of protrusions. The pluralities of protrusions and channels create depressions and ridges in the food product. The protrusion of the male connector and the hole of the female connector of the first waffle plate mate with a hole of a female connector and a protrusion of a male connector of the second waffle plate. The first spacer contacts the second waffle plate during preparation of the food product, which includes an outer dough encapsulating a filling, to maintain the first waffle plate spaced at least approximately 0.5 inches from the second waffle plate.

Waffle sandwich maker and method of preparing a food product with the waffle sandwich maker

A particulate sizer includes an infeed for receiving a plurality of particulates, a first roller, and a second roller. The first and second rollers break down the plurality of particulates as the plurality of particulates passes through a gap between the first and second rollers. The width of the gap varies along a length of the first and second rollers. Accordingly, the first and second rollers compress some particulates to a first size and compress other particulates to a second smaller size. In addition, each of the first and second rollers has a textured outer surface for carrying the plurality of particulates through the gap.

Apparatus and method for variable sizing of particulates

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Plymouth, MN, United States of America

Ralph A Stenvik