Patents by Inventor Craig A. Dowd
Craig A. Dowd 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).
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Publication number: 20230180777Abstract: Methods for inoculating a grain suitable for use in testing methods of reducing bacterial load are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of reducing bacterial load on a grain by using elevated temperature and an organic acid. Also disclosed are methods of tempering a grain at an elevated temperature and reduced time as compared to standard tempering methods.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2023Publication date: June 15, 2023Applicant: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David J. Domingues, Steven R. Pretzel, Yuewei Hu, Craig A. Dowd, James P. Michaels
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Patent number: 11632964Abstract: Methods for inoculating a grain suitable for use in testing methods of reducing bacterial load are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of reducing bacterial load on a grain by using elevated temperature and an organic acid. Also disclosed are methods of tempering a grain at an elevated temperature and reduced time as compared to standard tempering methods.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2018Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David J Domingues, Steven R Pretzel, Yuewei Hu, Craig A Dowd, James P Michaels
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Publication number: 20220295807Abstract: Methods for inoculating a grain suitable for use in testing methods of reducing bacterial load are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of reducing bacterial load on a grain by using elevated temperature and an organic acid. Also disclosed are methods of tempering a grain at an elevated temperature and reduced time as compared to standard tempering methods.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2022Publication date: September 22, 2022Applicant: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David J Domingues, Steven R Pretzel, Yuewei Hu, Craig A Dowd, James P Michaels
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Publication number: 20220104506Abstract: A frozen, ready-to-bake dough product has an expanded dough core and an un-proofed dough veneer. The dough core is proofed before being enveloped by the outer dough veneer to form a dual density dough product having an inner, lower density body portion and an outer, higher density body portion, with the outer body portion constituting more than half of the overall body mass. The dual density dough product is frozen into a ready-to-bake dough product. Upon baking directly from the frozen state, a surface area of the dough product expands less than 60% while a volume of the dough product basically doubles due to expansion of the dough veneer, with the dough veneer establishing a crust for a light and airy inner bread body.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2020Publication date: April 7, 2022Applicant: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Steven J. Cox, David J. Domingues, Craig A. Dowd, James Fudge, Kara M. Hobart
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Publication number: 20210037843Abstract: Methods for inoculating a grain suitable for use in testing methods of reducing bacterial load are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of reducing bacterial load on a grain by using elevated temperature and an organic acid. Also disclosed are methods of tempering a grain at an elevated temperature and reduced time as compared to standard tempering methods.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2018Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David J Domingues, Steven R Pretzel, Yuewei Hu, Craig A Dowd, James P Michaels
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Patent number: 10889403Abstract: A wound package construct includes a first wound strip of package material that establishes an inner liner layer, a second wound strip of material that establishes an intermediate bodystock layer, and a third wound strip of material or cover strip that covers a seam formed by the wound bodystock layer but that does not cover all of the outer surface area of the wound bodystock layer. Therefore, the width of the cover strip is less than the width of the bodystock strip. As a result, the cover strip is not wide enough to cover the entire outer surface of the wound bodystock layer such that, after the cover strip is wrapped to cover the spiral bodystock seam, areas of the bodystock layer remain exposed between the two opposed length-wise edges of the cover strip.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2016Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David J Domingues, Jason Nagy, James T Buccellato, Craig A Dowd, Scott Kackman
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Patent number: 10624356Abstract: A white wheat flour is made from a combination of a first flour stream including at least a non-heat treated low ash and low bran flour stream, and a second flour stream including a heat-treated high ash and high bran flour stream. The white wheat flour preferably exhibits an extensibility in the range of 160-180 for use in making raw dough used in sheeted dough manufacturing systems. Importantly, the specified processing of the invention only results in a change in extensibility of less than 20%. The raw dough composition can be packaged and stored in a refrigerated condition for subsequent use in making biscuits, rolls, croissants or the like. By heating the second flour stream, enzymes in the second flour stream are deactivated, thereby increasing the stability and refrigerated shelf life of the packaged raw dough composition to at least 120 days. In certain embodiments, one or more enzymes are reintroduced into the second flour stream.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2016Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David J Domingues, Elliot Augst, Craig A Dowd, Patrick C Dreese, David H Katzke, James P Michaels, Thorne R Seese
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Publication number: 20190223458Abstract: Described are raw, yeast leavened dough compositions, packaged products containing the dough, and related methods, wherein the density is stable during refrigerated storage and/or the amount or rate of expansion of the dough during refrigerated storage is controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2017Publication date: July 25, 2019Applicant: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David J Domingues, Craig A Dowd, Alison Gray, Scott Kackman, Susan H Messick, Christine O'Connor
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Publication number: 20170265484Abstract: A white wheat flour is made from a combination of a first flour stream including at least a non-heat treated low ash and low bran flour stream, and a second flour stream including a heat-treated high ash and high bran flour stream. The white wheat flour preferably exhibits an extensibility in the range of 160-180 for use in making raw dough used in sheeted dough manufacturing systems. Importantly, the specified processing of the invention only results in a change in extensibility of less than 20%. The raw dough composition can be packaged and stored in a refrigerated condition for subsequent use in making biscuits, rolls, croissants or the like. By heating the second flour stream, enzymes in the second flour stream are deactivated, thereby increasing the stability and refrigerated shelf life of the packaged raw dough composition to at least 120 days. In certain embodiments, one or more enzymes are reintroduced into the second flour stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2016Publication date: September 21, 2017Applicant: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David J Domingues, Elliot Augst, Craig A Dowd, Patrick C Dreese, David H Katzke, James P Michaels, Thorne R Seese
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Patent number: 9683979Abstract: A method for forming a grain composition includes mixing a first grain powder composition with water using a mixing apparatus to form a mixture. Mechanical energy applied to the mixture is calculated from the measured torque. The protein quality is expressed as the measured torque as a function of mechanical energy and is compared to a standard. If the protein quality of the first grain powder composition does not meet the standard, a second grain power composition is formed having a different weight percent of the first source of grain powder than the first grain powder composition.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2015Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Craig A. Dowd, James P. Michaels, Elliot Augst
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Patent number: 9207224Abstract: A method for expressing protein quality of a grain powder includes mixing the grain powder with water using a mixing apparatus to form a mixture. The torque applied to the mixing apparatus by the mixture during mixing is measured as a function of time. Mechanical energy applied to the mixture is calculated from the measured torque. The protein quality is expressed as the measured torque as a function of mechanical energy.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2014Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Craig A. Dowd, James P. Michaels, Elliot Augst
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Patent number: 9095144Abstract: A weighing apparatus comprising a weigh deck, one or more load cells, and two staging bars. The weighing apparatus is configured to be installed in an existing conveyor system having a frame and a conveyor belt so that the weigh deck is generally flush with the frame and the weigh deck and the staging bars are positioned underneath the conveyor belt. The staging bars are positioned to mitigate weight measurement variations produced by the conveyor belt. In many cases, the staging bars are vertically adjustable. One or more weigh bridges can be incorporated into a production line or conveyor system.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2011Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Cara J. Sekerak, Terry G. Reishus, Craig A. Dowd, Craig E. Gustafson
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Patent number: D579768Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2008Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.Inventors: David A. Kirk, Craig A. Dowd, Thomas M. Hockenberry
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Patent number: D584944Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2008Date of Patent: January 20, 2009Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.Inventors: David A. Kirk, Craig A. Dowd, Thomas M. Hockenberry
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Patent number: D590246Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2007Date of Patent: April 14, 2009Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.Inventors: David A. Kirk, Craig A. Dowd, Thomas M. Hockenberry
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Patent number: D660142Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2009Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.Inventors: David A. Kirk, Craig A. Dowd, Thomas M. Hockenberry
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Patent number: D665250Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David A. Kirk, Craig A. Dowd, Thomas M. Hockenberry
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Patent number: D665251Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David A. Kirk, Craig A. Dowd, Thomas M. Hockenberry
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Patent number: D686913Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2012Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David A. Kirk, Craig A. Dowd, Thomas M. Hockenberry
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Patent number: D695103Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2012Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: David A. Kirk, Craig A. Dowd, Thomas M. Hockenberry