Patents Assigned to NESTECS S.A.
  • Cutting device
    Patent number: 5228372
    Abstract: An ultrasonic cutting device includes an ultrasonic vibrating device and an elongated cutting blade. The ultrasonic vibrating device generates vibrations along a longitudinal axis and includes two or more parallel support members extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of vibrations. The elongated cutting blade, positioned in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of vibrations, is connected at each of its respective ends to adjacent support members, at anti-nodes of the support members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Martin Harrop, Francis F. H. Rawson
  • Process for flavoring a soluble coffee powder
    Patent number: 5229153
    Abstract: Aromas, carbon dioxide and water obtained from roasted coffee are condensed into a frost. An oil is mixed with the frost and subjected to sublimate the carbon dioxide from the oil and frost mixture, and then the mixture is melted to obtain an oil phase and an aqueous phase. The oil phase is separated from the aqueous phase, and the aqueous phase is contacted with an oil to transfer aromas to the oil which then is incorporated into a soluble coffee powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Maurice Blanc
  • Ultrasonic cutting apparatus
    Patent number: 5226343
    Abstract: Materials are cut by ultrasonically vibrating a cutting blade transverse to the plane of passage of the blade through the material and passing the vibrated blade through the material. An ultrasonic cutting device combines one or more cutting blades with an ultrasonic vibrating de ice which vibrates the blades transverse to the planes of passage of the blades through the material when the cutting device is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Francis F. H. Rawson
  • Automatic cutting of meat and fish into portions
    Patent number: 5226334
    Abstract: Articles of meat or fish are transported on three successively positioned conveyor belts wherein at least a part of the first conveyor belt forms a load-bearing platform of a weighing machine. A cutting device is positioned for cutting the transported articles into portions between the second and third successive conveyor belts. The cutting device is actuated by a computer which is preprogrammed with a predetermined cut portion weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Giuliano Pegoraro
  • Recovery of aroma gases
    Patent number: 5222364
    Abstract: Coffee aroma gases are conveyed to a cryogenic collector in which liquid nitrogen is sprayed directly into the aroma gas stream to rapidly condense the aroma gas and form finely divided particles of coffee aroma frost suspended in a stream of nitrogen gas, while minimizing contact of the cooled gas with the walls of the collector. The suspension of aroma frost particles in gaseous nitrogen is passed through a tubular porous filter to remove the aroma frost particles which collect on the outer surface of the tubular filter, with the nitrogen gas passing through the porous filter and being exhausted from the collector. The porous filter is periodically back pulsed to dislodge aroma frost particles collected on the outer surface of the tubular filter, with the particles being recovered for incorporation in soluble coffee products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Lawrence G. Carns, James Tuot
  • Production of evaporated milk product without stabilizing salts
    Patent number: 5223299
    Abstract: Evaporated milk which is stable in storage without the addition of stabilizing salts is prepared by homogenizing a milk product, heat-treating the homogenized milk, evaporatively concentrating the milk, heat-treating the concentrate, homogenizing the heat-treated concentrate and then sterilizing the heat-treated concentrate. Alternatively, a lactic product containing phospholipids derived from milk is mixed with a milk product, the mixture is heat-treated, the heat-treated mixture is evaporatively concentrated, the concentrate is heat-treated, the heat-treated concentrate is homogenized, and then the homogenized heat-treated concentrate is sterilized. Further, alternatively, the milk product is first heat-treated and then evaporatively concentrated, a lactic product containing phospholipids derived from milk is mixed with the concentrate, the mixture is heat-treated, then homogenized and then sterilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Ernesto Dalan, Markus A. Henggeler
  • Preparation of sauce
    Patent number: 5221550
    Abstract: Reduction sauces are prepared by first preheating ingredients of a reduction sauce and then feeding the preheated ingredients to and through a scraped surface heat exchanger operating at substantially atmospheric pressure and having a scraper speed of below 200 RPM which heats the ingredients to a temperature for evaporating at least some of the ingredients for concentrating the ingredients and developing a reduction sauce flavor during the residence time of the ingredients in the heat exchanger. The evaporated vapors are separated and removed from the concentrated heated reduction sauce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Nigel B. Freeman
  • Apparatus for preparation of a flavoring agent
    Patent number: 5216945
    Abstract: An apparatus for mixing, plasticizing, reacting and extruding ingredients combines a mixing unit for mixing powder-form ingredients and liquid ingredients into a paste-like mixture, a kneading and heating unit for plasticizing the mixture, a heating tube for reacting the plasticized mixture, and an extrusion die opening into a chamber which is maintained under reduced pressure by a pump. Pressure for propelling the plasticized mixture may be provided by a positive pump or by closely spaced flights of a screw extruder positioned before the heating tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Sven Heyland, Karl Rolli, David Roschli, Jaak J. Sihver
  • Production of kappa-caseino-glycomacropeptide
    Patent number: 5216129
    Abstract: Kappa-caseino-glycomacropeptide (CGMP) is industrially produced from a whey product concentrated in proteins partly freed from lactose by selective precipitation of the residual whey proteins with ethanol from the supernatant collected after separation of the flocculate obtained by heat treatment in acidic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Rafael Berrocal, Jean-Richard Neeser
  • Process for preparing emulsifying agents
    Patent number: 5213968
    Abstract: Emulsifying agents are prepared by sequentially treating a biological material with a protease and with a lipase. The enzymatically treated biological material may be pasteurized during or following the enzymatic treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Edward R. Castle, Steven S.-Y. Kwon, Dharam V. Vadehra
  • Process for the preparation of a powdered extract of valerian roots
    Patent number: 5211948
    Abstract: An aqueous extract of valerian roots is concentrated to concentrate the extract and to eliminate odors which are volatile and which are produced by degradation products of valepotriates. An alcohol or acetone is added to the concentrated valerian extract to precipitate insoluble solids from the concentrated extract. The precipitated solids are separated from the extract, after which the extract is mixed with a carbohydrate and then dried to obtain a powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Leon Cerise, Peter D. Leathwood, Tito L. Lunder
  • Process for the production of flavoured pastas
    Patent number: 5211977
    Abstract: Dried pastas having a flavoring agent incorporated therein in an amount of at least 3% by weight are prepared by first mixing a ground starchy product, a starch, an emulsifier, a gelling agent, a flavoring agent, and softened water. The mixture then is extrusion-cooked and extruded to provide an extrusion-cooked, shaped pasta. The cooked, shaped pasta is contacted with an aqueous calcium solution and then dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Thomas W. Hauser, Jurg Lechthaler
  • Preparation of cheese flavorant compositions
    Patent number: 5211972
    Abstract: Cheese flavorant compositions are prepared by mixing a lipolyzed cream prepared from a heavy cream, a lipolyzed cheese prepared from a hard, ripened cheese, and a proteolyzed cheese prepared from a hard, ripened cheese.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Zdenek Kratky, Dharam V. Vadehra
  • Apparatus for pasteurizing and precooking pizza bases
    Patent number: 5207151
    Abstract: An apparatus for pasteurizing and precooking pizza bases includes a conveyor belt having an upstream end and a downstream end, a plurality of vitroceramic plates attached to the conveyor belt, and a microwave tunnel positioned for heating vitroceramic plates conveyed through the microwave tunnel. Downstream of the microwave tunnel, pizza bases are delivered to the heated vitro- ceramic plates and they transported in contact with the heated plates to pasteurize and precook the pizza bases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Toai Le Viet, Eberhard Raetz
  • Machine for forming a dough product
    Patent number: 5204125
    Abstract: A dough-based product is formed by a machine which has a reciprocable punch die and cutter fitted to the die positioned above an upper run of a conveyor, the die having a centrally disposed die surface which extends to a peripheral die surface channel positioned adjacent the cutter. The machine also has at least one set of a plurality of rollers, which are positioned beneath the conveyor upper run and arranged on a rotatable disc so that the at least one set forms a spiral configuration so that when the punch die reciprocates towards a dough product transported by the upper run, the dough product is pressed, formed and cut by the punch die and cutter, in cooperation with the rollers, into pieces having a thickened rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Hans K. Larsen
  • Removal of free water for packaging cooked meat
    Patent number: 5202143
    Abstract: Free, unbound water is removed from cooked meat by contacting the meat with a water-absorbing material. The treated cooked meat, from which water and the water-absorbing material are removed, is then packaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Svein A. Berg, Jonas P. Halden
  • Apparatus for the manufacture of extruded cakes
    Patent number: 5198245
    Abstract: An apparatus for the production of extruded cakes of a paste-form material has an extrusion die nozzle which has combs having toothed profiles pivotally mounted in the lateral and upper portions of the extrusion passage of the extrusion nozzle and to which an alternating rotational movement is imparted to pivot and reciprocate the combs about eccentric axes relative to a central axis of the passage which is in a form of an arch. In operation, due to the configuration of the parts, their positioning and their movement, articles are extruded which have a surface which imitates the bark of a tree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Alain Daouse
  • Cutting coextruded thermoplastic food products
    Patent number: 5198257
    Abstract: Extrusion cooked coextruded food products having a cereal-based outer envelope in a thermoplastic state are cut by passing the product between two parallel counter-rotating cylinder surfaces which define male and female impression elements configured and positioned so that upon rotation, the impression elements of one surface converge with the elements of the other surface in a male to female relation for cutting the product into discrete pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Ernst Heck, Jean Horisberger
  • Apparatus for extracting cartridges containing coffee
    Patent number: 5197374
    Abstract: A device for extraction of coffee contained in a cartridge has a sealing member, an injector member, a cartridge holder member and a tightening ring member. The sealing member has a surface which has a size sufficient to overlay and cover a surface of a cartridge containing coffee to be extracted. The injector member extends through the sealing member and sealing member surface and has outlets disposed for directing water ejected from the injector at an ascending angle with respect to the sealing member surface. The holder member has a first portion for enveloping and containing sides of a cartridge for supporting a cartridge, for enabling positioning a cartridge surface adjacent the sealing member surface and for enabling fluid-tight sealing of an edge of the cartridge surface to the sealing member surface. The holder also has a base having openings for enabling extracted coffee to flow out of the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Olivier Fond
  • Preparation of antibacterial compositions from glycopeptides
    Patent number: 5198352
    Abstract: Antibacterially active compositions are prepared from a proteolytic enzymatic digestate of glycopeptides obtained from a protein isolate enriched with soya glycoprotein 7S or with bean glycoprotein II. The glycopeptide digestate is treated with endo-.beta.-N-acetylglucosaminidase H to obtain oligosaccharide compositions which then also may be treated with exo-.alpha.-mannosidase to obtain further oligosaccharide compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Richard Neeser, Pierre Wursch