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:
Feb. 19, 2013
Filed:
Sep. 19, 2006
Terry L. Holmes, Monona, WI (US);
Orestes Rivero, Skokie, IL (US);
Terry L. Holmes, Monona, WI (US);
Orestes Rivero, Skokie, IL (US);
Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC, Northfield, IL (US);
Abstract
A method and system are provided for forming sliced cheese directly from a quantity of cheese, without the need to thermally process the cheese. In general, cheese slices are formed from a quantity of cheese in which at least one discrete cheese piece is introduced into an elongated chamber having a longitudinal interior surface and housing a conveyor. Resulting cheese mass is transported forwardly and longitudinally of the chamber via the conveyor to a discharge outlet of the chamber and into a funnel. The cheese mass is extruded at a temperature of less than about 50° F. as a plurality of cheese extrudate sheets through a plurality of elongated orifices of a die plate which receive cheese mass exiting from the outlet of the funnel. The cheese extrudate sheets are cut along their lengths to provide discrete cheese slices.