Patents by Inventor Christopher E. Fournier

Christopher E. Fournier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Combined food cutting and rounding machine and method of cutting and rounding food
    Patent number: 10207419
    Abstract: A combined food cutting and rounding machine comprises a supply opening through which edible material passes, a stator located adjacent the supply opening and a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator. The stator includes a stator forming channel. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor forming channels and a plurality of blades, at least one of the plurality of blades being located adjacent to each of the plurality of rotor forming channels. The stator forming channel and each of the plurality of rotor forming channels are arcuate in length. The supply opening, stator and rotor are configured such that, during operation as the rotor rotates relative to the stator, edible material exiting the supply opening is cut by one of the plurality of blades and formed into a ball by simultaneous contact with the stator forming channel and one of the plurality of rotor forming channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Zac Harder, Rodney McCalley, Christopher E. Fournier, Ralph A. Stenvik
  • Combined Food Cutting and Rounding Machine and Method of Cutting and Rounding Food
    Publication number: 20170282396
    Abstract: A combined food cutting and rounding machine comprises a supply opening through which edible material passes, a stator located adjacent the supply opening and a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator. The stator includes a stator forming channel. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor forming channels and a plurality of blades, at least one of the plurality of blades being located adjacent to each of the plurality of rotor forming channels. The stator forming channel and each of the plurality of rotor forming channels are arcuate in length. The supply opening, stator and rotor are configured such that, during operation as the rotor rotates relative to the stator, edible material exiting the supply opening is cut by one of the plurality of blades and formed into a ball by simultaneous contact with the stator forming channel and one of the plurality of rotor forming channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Zac Harder, Rodney McCalley, Christopher E. Fournier, Ralph A. Stenvik