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:
Jul. 26, 2005
Filed:
Feb. 19, 2003
James W. Finkowski, Andover, MN (US);
Mark E. Arlinghaus, Minneapolis, MN (US);
James W. Finkowski, Andover, MN (US);
Mark E. Arlinghaus, Minneapolis, MN (US);
The Pillsbury Company, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for aligning a mark to a plurality of individual pieces of food product to be divided from a sheet of food product before the individual pieces of food product are at least partially divided from the sheet of food product. In an aspect of the invention, the method includes the steps of providing a sheet of food product, transferring the sheet of food product to an intermittently movable conveyor, marking the sheet of food product, feeding the marked sheet of food product to a cutting plate, and dividing, at least partially, the sheet of food product into individual pieces of food product. In another aspect of the present invention, a system for aligning a mark to a plurality of individual pieces of food product to be divided from a sheet of food product before the individual pieces of food product are at least partially divided from the sheet of food product may generally include a supply device, an intermittently movable conveyor, an accumulating zone, a marking head, and at least one cutting plate. Preferably, the supply device can supply a continuous sheet of food product.