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:
Apr. 05, 2005
Filed:
Jan. 21, 2003
Kathryn Melissa Dove, Battle Creek, MI (US);
William Douglas Henson, Duncanville, TX (US);
Ponnattu Kurian Joseph, Irving, TX (US);
Donald Joe Tatsch, Tioga, TX (US);
Kathryn Melissa Dove, Battle Creek, MI (US);
William Douglas Henson, Duncanville, TX (US);
Ponnattu Kurian Joseph, Irving, TX (US);
Donald Joe Tatsch, Tioga, TX (US);
Frito-Lay North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Abstract
A mold form fryer utilizing a top conveyor that transports snack pieces through a constant velocity oil stream without the need of a bottom mating mold or conveyor. Herein, the form fryer is provided with a top conveyor disposed above a fryer oil pan positioned longitudinally through the fryer. Uncooked snack pieces are provided to the fryer oil pan by a bottom entrance conveyor. Snack pieces, once in oil within the fryer, meet with molding surfaces on the top conveyor. At the exit portion of the fryer, a bottom exit conveyor receives the cooked snack pieces from the top conveyor. As no continuous bottom conveyor is utilized, the fryer oil pan may be provided with a reduced volume segment situated between the bottom entrance and exit conveyors. Additionally, the molding surfaces may be selected to produce uniformly shaped snack pieces that are either convexly or concavely shaped when viewed upon the bottom exit conveyor.