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. 10, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 15, 2008
Mark Ervin Malenke, Sun Prairie, WI (US);
Scott Adler, Green Bay, WI (US);
Tod Heleniak, Green Bay, WI (US);
Dave Hess, Green Bay, WI (US);
Mark Ervin Malenke, Sun Prairie, WI (US);
Scott Adler, Green Bay, WI (US);
Tod Heleniak, Green Bay, WI (US);
Dave Hess, Green Bay, WI (US);
Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC, Northfield, IL (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for forming a stack of food products in a storage container, and a method therefor. The apparatus comprises a first gate moveable between an open and a closed position that drops a row of food products onto a second gate moveable between an open and a closed position. The second gate receives multiple rows of food products and once a predetermined number of rows have been received, the second gate opens to release the rows of food products into the storage container below it. As the first gate shifts from the open to the closed position, it can advance, at least in part, a subsequent row of food products onto the first gate for later release onto the second gate. The area defined by the second gate and the first gate is a temporary staging area which can increase in height after receiving subsequent rows of food products.