Patents by Inventor Dwight Blickensderfer

Dwight Blickensderfer 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).

  • Patent number: 9521861
    Abstract: A system for automatically forming chunks and spears at high speed from unpeeled fruit items is provided. The fruit is sliced into unpeeled wedges. The unpeeled wedges are conveyed into a plurality of staggered transverse chunking blades, wherein the flesh, but not the peel, is cut sequentially from the center of each wedge outwardly, flattening each wedge. A peel removal knife is located to sever the peel of each wedge from the center outwardly after the transverse chunk cutting blades have cut the flesh. Spears may be formed by deleting some of the transverse chunking blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Atlas Pacific Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Michael A. Hoffman, David C. Bullock, Christopher G. Theis, Christopher A. Hildreth, Tim Vaughan, John P. Keeton, Dwight Blickensderfer
  • Publication number: 20160113320
    Abstract: A system for automatically forming chunks and spears at high speed from unpeeled fruit items is provided. The fruit is sliced into unpeeled wedges. The unpeeled wedges are conveyed into a plurality of staggered transverse chunking blades, wherein the flesh, but not the peel, is cut sequentially from the center of each wedge outwardly, flattening each wedge. A peel removal knife is located to sever the peel of each wedge from the center outwardly after the transverse chunk cutting blades have cut the flesh. Spears may be formed by deleting some of the transverse chunking blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Michael A. Hoffman, David C. Bullock, Christopher G. Theis, Christopher A. Hildreth, Tim Vaughan, John P. Keeton, Dwight Blickensderfer
  • Patent number: 9277765
    Abstract: A system for automatically forming chunks and spears at high speed from unpeeled fruit items is provided. The fruit is sliced into unpeeled wedges. The unpeeled wedges are conveyed into a plurality of staggered transverse chunking blades, wherein the flesh, but not the peel, is cut sequentially from the center of each wedge outwardly, flattening each wedge. A peel removal knife is located to sever the peel of each wedge from the center outwardly after the transverse chunk cutting blades have cut the flesh. Spears may be formed by deleting some of the transverse chunking blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Atlas Pacific Engineering Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Hoffman, David C. Bullock, Christopher G. Theis, Christopher A. Hildreth, Tim Vaughan, John P. Keeton, Dwight Blickensderfer
  • Publication number: 20140065275
    Abstract: A system for automatically forming chunks and spears at high speed from unpeeled fruit items is provided. The fruit is sliced into unpeeled wedges. The unpeeled wedges are conveyed into a plurality of staggered transverse chunking blades, wherein the flesh, but not the peel, is cut sequentially from the center of each wedge outwardly, flattening each wedge. A peel removal knife is located to sever the peel of each wedge from the center outwardly after the transverse chunk cutting blades have cut the flesh. Spears may be formed by deleting some of the transverse chunking blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Michael A. Hoffman, David C. Bullock, Christopher G. Theis, Christopher A. Hildreth, Tim Vaughan, John P. Keeton, Dwight Blickensderfer
  • Patent number: 6125742
    Abstract: An apparatus for coring and seed celling pears, apples, honeydew melons, cantaloupe and other fruits is provided in which a seed celler support tube is utilized to drive a seed celler knife and wherein a coring tube is utilized to rotate said fruit by one or more turning fins mounted on the coring tube. Separate and independent stepper motor drives are provided for the coring tube and the seed celler support tube. During a portion of the peeling process, the turning fin and seed celler knife are rotated at the same speed. In order to sever the seed cell, the seed celler blade is caused to either rotate faster or slower than the turning fin to sever the seed cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Atlas Pacific Engineering Company
    Inventors: Joseph V. Polaco, II, Dwight A. Blickensderfer, Matthew S. Howarth, Barry M. Campbell, Stanley M. Miller, Michael H. Fritz