The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 07, 2025
Filed:
Aug. 16, 2023
General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Ralph A. Stenvik, Plymouth, MN (US);
General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
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.