Apparatus for production of snack food pellets

US10772348B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Frito-Lay North America, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Samuel Asiedu Asante · Allen, US
• Rudolph L. Bazaldua · Midlothian, US
• Sonny Beckman · Kankakee, US
• Ajay Rajeshwar Bhaskar · Allen, US
• Bhima Geera · Kankakee, US
• Lori Glanz · Plano, US
• Nick Ladin · Kankakee, US
• V. N. Mallikarjuna Rao · Wilmington, US
• David L. Sanchez · Plano, US
• William Yang · Frisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 11, 2018
• Grant date: Sep 15, 2020
• Expiry date: Jul 14, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A23V2300/38
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus for separating a ribbon of uncooked embossed dough into separated pieces patterned/shaped like the embossed pattern. The apparatus includes a pair of spaced apart rollers for receiving a ribbon of dough there between. One of rollers has a pattern embossed on its surface to emboss the ribbon of dough with the pattern. The surface embossing and the spacing between the rollers maintains the structural integrity of the embossed ribbon of dough. The apparatus has a two spaced apart rotating arms to receive the embossed dough ribbon there between. A plurality of spaced apart fingers extend outward along the length of each of the arms and are configured to tear the dough, without sticking, into dough pieces reflecting shapes embossed in the dough ribbon. The dough pieces can be dried, and patterned shaped pieces are separated out for expansion to three dimensions by cooking.