Patents Assigned to Thomas J. Lipton Co., division of Conopco, Inc.
  • Patent number: 6274187
    Abstract: A stable tea concentrate of about 50% to about 70% tea solids is prepared by aqueous extraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregg Lance Lehmberg, Sheng Xue Ma
  • Patent number: 6270817
    Abstract: A crumb coating composition formed by agglomeration which includes (a) an insoluble powdered first protein at least 80% of which has a particle size of greater than 0.5 mm; and (b) a soluble second protein or a polysaccharide capable of being heat set during crumb manufacture, the final agglomerated crumb coating having an average particle size of about 4 to 15 times the size of the first protein; which is used for coating food products and has beneficial crispness qualities, particularly where the food product is prepared for consumption via microwave heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas James Barnes, Brian Charles Fletcher, Mervyn Roy Goddard, Jamie Carl Martin, Malcolm John McBride, William John Stewart
  • Patent number: 6120825
    Abstract: A method for preparing, handling, storing and dispensing tea at relatively mild temperatures is provided to eliminate or substantially reduce microbial outgrowth. A balance between the tea solids concentration and the storage temperature is achieved whereby the delicate flavor of the tea is not compromised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Charles Cirigliano, Mauro Dominick Mordini, Paul John Rothenberg, Raymond Thomas McKenna
  • Patent number: 6099890
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lard-like product comprising more than 95 wt % of fats, said fats containing 1-75 wt % of lard and 25-99 wt % of other fats, whereby the SAFA content of the fat blend is equal to or less than 35 wt % and the N20 of the fat blend is from 10 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajni Bhatia, Marcelle van der Kommer
  • Patent number: 6096365
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of a black tea extract which includes blending black tea leaves with water which contains another acidic vegetable material, extracting at 70.degree. to 100.degree. F. for a time sufficient to achieve good contact of the tea leaves with the water, afterwards separating the aqueous extract from the solid material and clarifying the extract. The extract may then be used to prepare a final product having good acid stability, good clarity and good color over the shelf life of the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin John Spisak, Gregg Lance Lehmberg
  • Patent number: 6036982
    Abstract: Stable tea concentrates containing xanthan gum are shown. The concentrates are prepared by the use of selected cell wall lysis enzymes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregg Lance Lehmberg, Sheng Xue Ma
  • Patent number: 5897905
    Abstract: Process for the preparation of water continuous emulsions, containing 10 to 60 wt. % of dispersed oil. The emulsion contains protein obtained from egg, milk, vegetables or fruit, but no substantial amounts of polysaccharide thickeners. The process comprises the following steps (not necessarily in the indicated order) a. dispersing or dissolving the protein in either an aqueous phase or an oil phase, b. mixing the aqueous phase and the oil phase so that a coarse emulsion comprising oil droplets results, c. homogenizing the emulsion until the ?D.sub.3,2 ! size of at least 95% of the oil droplets is less than 5 .mu.m, d. acidifying the emulsion until a pH 3.5 to 4.5 is attained, e. adding, under shear conditions, an aqueous electrolyte solution to the emulsion having a temperature of 10.degree. to 55.degree. C. The electrolyte addition causes flocculation of the emulsion. This flocculation increases the viscosity and imparts an attractive texture to the food dressing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Jadwiga Bialek, Bertus Marinus van Bogegom, Nanneke Joke de Fouw, Malcolm Glyn Jones
  • Patent number: 5890408
    Abstract: A web (W) of sheet material intended to form individual tagged packets has surplus portions of a thread (S) extending along its length removed while the web is being advanced. After severing one end of each unwanted thread portion with a rotary cutter (2), the severed end is lifted by a wiper (10), and the lifted end is held away from the web by suction means (20) while it is detached by shearing means (22). The suction means (20) then remove the detached thread portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas William Bailey
  • Patent number: 5874149
    Abstract: A tagged packet carries a tag which is attached to the main body of the packet by a thread. The thread comprises polypropylene so as to be attachable by heat sealing to the body. The body is made up of layers of sheet material also comprising thermoplastic material to allow the body to be closed by heat seals. The thread is secured to the f ace of the body at one edge at the same time as that edge is heat sealed and the heating for the thread seal is applied from the opposite face of the body whereas the adjacent regions of edge seal spaced from the thread has the heating applied through the first face. This arrangement gives closer control of the different conditions required for securing the thread and for sealing together only the sheet material of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey William Vernon, James Goodwin, Andrew Cleall, Thomas William Bailey
  • Patent number: 5865924
    Abstract: A tagged packet carries a tag which is attached to the main body of the packet by a thread. The thread comprises polypropylene so as to be attachable by heat sealing to the body. The body is made up of layers of sheet material also comprising thermoplastic material to allow the body to be closed by heat seals. The thread is secured to the face of the body at one edge at the same time as that edge is heat sealed and the heating for the thread seal is applied from the opposite face of the body whereas the adjacent regions of edge seal spaced from the thread has the heating applied through the first face. This arrangement gives closer control of the different conditions required for securing the thread and for sealing together only the sheet material of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey William Vernon, James Goodwin, Andrew Cleall, Thomas William Bailey
  • Patent number: 5855938
    Abstract: Infusion packets have envelopes of heat-sealable material with a looped thread within the packets to wring moisture from the packet in use. A central part of the thread loop is held in a widened region of one edge seal while the ends of the loop project through the opposite edge seal in which they are movable when the loop is to be contracted. The packets are produced by forming a continuous series of thread loops on one elongate web and placing doses of infusion material on a second elongate web before bringing the webs together with the thread loops and infusion material between them. The two webs are then welded together and the individual packets are separated from the joined webs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael John Cahill, Geoffrey William Vernon
  • Patent number: 5846580
    Abstract: A completely formulated, ready to cook, food product mix is discussed which is entirely in the glassy state and has a single glass transition temperature. An extrusion process for preparing the product is also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: William Conrad Franke, Jacob Paul Jae, Daniel Thomas Sullivan, Maya Parada, Francis John Farrell
  • Patent number: 5817363
    Abstract: Food dressing constituted of an aqueous phase and 0-40 wt. % of fat and/or oil, further containing a non-ionic thickening agent and an electrolyte and having a pH not greater than 4, and which contains also 3-8 wt. % of heat denatured globular protein, which dressing is prepared by a process comprising the stepsa. dissolving a globular protein, a non-ionic thickening agent and an electrolyte in water,b. adjusting the pH to <4 by adding acid,c. heating and slowly stirring the solution so that protein denaturation occurs,d. cooling,e. optionally admixing other ingredients,where, optionally, step d follows step e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Marinus Adriaan Evert Bakker, Petronella Clementia Maria Weisenborn
  • Patent number: 5806392
    Abstract: Shaped articles are cut from a web by correspondingly shaped cutters on a drum cooperating with an anvil drum. The web is engaged by conveyor bands which pass around the cutter and anvil drums and form a continuing conveying path for the web away from the drums. The conveyor bands are clear of the article shapes cut in the web which can thus be positively separated from the web by pusher means to be drawn away from the web by their own conveying means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton, Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew John Cleall, James Goodwin, Geoffrey William Vernon, Peter Ernest Willett
  • Patent number: 5780091
    Abstract: A spiral wound instant pasta solid sauce composite noodle is disclosed which employs selected dusting agents and solid sauce interleaved within the spiral to insure unrolling of the spiral upon subsequent boiling. A method for the preparation of the sauce and the noodle is also disclosed along with a system for packing the noodles in flexible envelopes to reduce breakage of the noodles and to permit inclusion of noodles longer than the flexible package filling aperture and reducing the incidence of perforation of the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: James Vincent Cassetta, Michael Budd, Mauro Dominick Mordini
  • Patent number: 5773062
    Abstract: An aqueous based tea solids containing beverage and a method for its preparation is disclosed. The beverage contains sufficient Natamycin to prevent the outgrowth of yeast and/or mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Charles Cirigliano, Raymond Thomas McKenna, Paul John Rothenberg
  • Patent number: 5738888
    Abstract: An aqueous based beverage is disclosed which also contains sufficient Natamycin and DMDC to prevent spoilage and the outgrowth of pathogenic microbes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Charles Cirigliano, Raymond Thomas McKenna, Paul John Rothenberg
  • Patent number: 5632132
    Abstract: Packets containing a flowable material are provided with a draw-string or thread to squeeze the packet contents. The packet envelope is formed from a doubled-over web which gives the packet a folded-over edge and which encloses an intermediate portion of the thread close to the folded-over edge. The end portions of the web extend from the intermediate portion of the thread to extend through the opposite edge of the packet. The external ends of the thread are secured to a tag which is attached to the outer face of the envelope. The thread intermediate portion is retained close to said one edge by heat seal means. Apparatus is also described for producing the packets in a continuous or semi-continuous manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Jan Kuipers, Simon C. Martin, Geoffrey W. Vernon, Petrus W. Van Der Zon
  • Patent number: 5613828
    Abstract: Successive flat skillets (S) are picked from a stack (12) and fed to a conveyor (2) by a mechanism which has devices gripping adjacent side faces to a fold line of a skillet to open the skillets to their tubular form during the transfer movement. The gripping devices (22,24) pivot on an axis coincident with the skillet fold line to allow the skillet to be opened to its full tubular form without distortion. The mechanism is so arranged that the skillet reservoir stack (12) can be oriented in a plane substantially parallel to the conveyor path for the opened skillets, in order to minimize space requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip G. Haddow, Roderick L. Mitchell, David R. Seaward, Geoffrey W. Vernon
  • Patent number: D394383
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Denys Bradfield