General Mills, Inc.

Rene K Smethers

Craig E Zimmermann

Timothy J Gluszak

Richard O Benham

Robert C Dechaine

Sheryl S Brunken

Apparatus ( ) is disclosed including first and second forming rollers ( ) which rotatably abut with an anvil roller ( ). The forming rollers ( ) each include a periphery forming a continuous forming surface including a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced grooves ( ) each formed as a continuous depression arranged in a serpentine and non-intersecting manner. Food ( ) is simultaneously fed between a continuous strip of support material ( ) and a continuous ribbon of film material ( ) as they pass between a first abutment nip of the first forming roller ( ) and the anvil roller ( ). After extending partially around the periphery of the first forming roller ( ), the materials ( ) and the food therebetween pass around an adjustable idler roller ( ) to between a second abutment nip of the second forming roller ( ) and the anvil roller ( ). The food ( ) compressed upon the support material ( ) by the first abutment nip is in phase with the grooves ( ) of the second abutment nip. The film material ( ) removes the food ( ) from the grooves ( ) and can be discarded after passing through the second abutment nip and prior to the support material ( ) being cut to longitudinal lengths and widths between the embossed shapes of food ( ).

Food item fabricating methods

Apparatus (,) is disclosed including first and second forming rollers (,) which rotatably abut with an anvil roller (,). The forming rollers (,) each include a periphery forming a continuous forming surface including a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced grooves (,) each formed as a continuous depression arranged in a serpentine and non-intersecting manner. Food (,) is simultaneously fed between a continuous strip of support material (,) and a continuous ribbon of film material (,) as they pass between a first abutment nip of the first forming roller (,) and the anvil roller (,). After extending partially around the periphery of the first forming roller (,), the materials (,) and the food therebetween pass around an adjustable idler roller (,) to between a second abutment nip of the second forming roller (,) and the anvil roller (,). The food (,) compressed upon the support material (,) by the first abutment nip is in phase with the grooves (,) of the second abutment nip. The film material (,) removes the food (,) from the grooves (,) and can be discarded after passing through the second abutment nip and prior to the support material (,) being cut to longitudinal lengths and widths between the embossed shapes of food (,).

Food item fabricating method

Apparatus (10) is disclosed including first and second forming rollers (18, 21) which rotatably abut with an anvil roller (20). The forming rollers (18, 21) each include a periphery forming a continuous forming surface including a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced grooves (24) each formed as a continuous depression arranged in a serpentine and non-intersecting manner. Food (14) is simultaneously fed between a continuous strip of support material (16) and a continuous ribbon of film material (66) as they pass between a first abutment nip of the first forming roller (18) and the anvil roller (20). After extending partially around the periphery of the first forming roller (18), the materials (16, 66) and the food therebetween pass around an adjustable idler roller (70) to between a second abutment nip of the second forming roller (21) and the anvil roller (20). The food (14) compressed upon the support material (16) by the first abutment nip is in phase with the grooves (24) of the second abutment nip. The film material (66) removes the food (14) from the grooves (24) and can be discarded after passing through the second abutment nip and prior to the support material (16) being cut to longitudinal lengths and widths between the embossed shapes of food (14).

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Crystal, MN, United States of America

Rene K Smethers