Patent · US Active

System and method for breaking sheets of frozen pizza into individual pieces

US10368551B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by

19References

21Claims

0Family size

Assignee

General Mills, Inc. · US

Inventors

Robert Erickson · Minneapolis, US
Lily Leung Fee · Sauk Centre, US
Anita J Hall · Bloomington, US
Darin T. Huffman · Minneapolis, US
Rodney McCalley · Carver, US
Terry G. Reishus · Broomfield, US
Steve J. Schoo · Maple Grove, US
Ralph A Stenvik · Plymouth, US

Key dates

Filing date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jan 30, 2037

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY10T225/325
WIPO fieldFood chemistry
WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A system and a method include breaking a sheet of frozen pizza into individual pieces for packaging. In an embodiment, the frozen pizza sheet includes five individual pieces separated by frangible lines. The breaking process includes a first step, wherein two end pieces are broken off by a first breaking mechanism, and a second step, wherein two additional end pieces are broken off a remainder of the frozen pizza sheet by a second breaking mechanism arranged downstream of the first breaking mechanism. In preferred embodiments, each breaking mechanism includes multiple holding wheels and multiple camming wheel rotatably mounted on a common driven axle.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.