Patents by Inventor James N. Weinstein
James N. Weinstein 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: 20020110634Abstract: A method and system for processing at least one rope of aerated confectionery foam. The method includes extruding at least one rope of aerated confectionery foam from an extruder. The rope is conveyed from the extruder to a rotary cutter. An anti-sticking agent, such as powdered starch, is applied to the rope as the rope is conveyed from the extruder to the rotary cutter. Finally, the rope is cut into pieces with the rotary cutter. In one preferred embodiment, the rotary cutter is operated to perform at least 5,000 cuts per minute.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2001Publication date: August 15, 2002Inventors: Philip K. Zietlow, James N. Weinstein, Michael P. Waldherr
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Patent number: 6387421Abstract: An extrudable food product is provided by a food cooker extruder (12) and is mixed with an additive to form a patterned food product, using a pattern forming die (20, 220). The cross-sectional area of the patterned food product is reduced from an inlet end (34) to an outlet end (36) by a factor of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of ≦45° while maintaining the cross-sectional pattern to form a reduced cross-sectional patterned dough, and then is extruded through a die port (13) having an opening equal to the reduced cross-sectional area to form a complexly patterned extrudate. The food product comprising, multiple extrudates are simultaneously formed with the flow rates for each extrudate being adjustable by an adjuster plug (16) including a smooth cylindrical portion (86) extendable into a passageway (14) having a circular cross section of a larger diameter than the cylindrical portion (86).Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 1998Date of Patent: May 14, 2002Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Gregory A. Clanton, Julie L. Holmstrom, Peter A. Huberg, Gerald J. Rudolph, Scott A. Tolson, James N. Weinstein
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Patent number: 6251452Abstract: Apparatus (10) and methods are disclosed where plastic extrudable food product is provided such as by an extruder or pump and is combined with another food product without intermixing to form a complexly patterned food product, such as by a pattern forming die (20). The cross-sectional area of the patterned food product is reduced from an inlet end (34) to an outlet end (36) by a factor of 4:1 to as much as 50:1 at an average convergence angle of 5 to 65° while maintaining the cross-sectional pattern to form a reduced cross-sectional patterned food product, and then is extruded through a die port having an opening equal to the reduced cross-sectional area to form a complexly patterned extrudate.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 1999Date of Patent: June 26, 2001Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: James N. Weinstein, Scott A. Tolson, James R. Borek, Peter A. Huberg, Thomas Jarl, Philip K. Zietlow, Bernhard van Lengerich
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Patent number: 6197355Abstract: A method for processing at least one rope of aerated confectionery foam. The method includes extruding at least one rope of aerated confectionery foam from an extruder. The rope is conveyed from the extruder to a rotary cutter. An anti-sticking agent, such as powdered starch, is applied to the rope as the rope is conveyed from the extruder to the rotary cutter. Finally, the rope is cut into pieces with the rotary cutter. In one preferred embodiment, the rotary cutter is operated to perform at least 5,000 cuts per minute.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1999Date of Patent: March 6, 2001Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Philip K. Zietlow, James N. Weinstein, Michael P. Waldherr
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Patent number: 6189439Abstract: A mechanism (10) includes a slide plate (32) having die openings (38) adapted to hold dies (42a, 42b) and slideable relative to a cooker/extruder (12). Rotary cutters (74, 174) are rotatably mounted relative to and moveable with the dies (42a, 42b). In one preferred form, a motor (76) can be connected and disconnected to the rotary cutter (74) aligned with the cooker/extruder (12) by moving a male coupling (96) within or out of a female coupling (108). In another preferred form, the rotary cutter (174) is mounted to and carried exclusively by a center shaft (180) fixed to the die (42a, 42b) and includes provisions (187, 191) located within a housing (183) for rotating the housing (183) on the center shaft (180). Thus, it is not necessary to shut down the cooker/extruder (12) to service or change the dies (42a, 42b) and/or the rotary cutters (74, 174).Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2000Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventor: James N Weinstein
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Patent number: 6167798Abstract: A mechanism (10) includes a slide plate (32) having die openings (38) adapted to hold dies (42a, 42b) and slideable relative to a cooker/extruder (12). Rotary cutters (74) are rotatably mounted relative to and moveable with the dies (42a, 42b). In one preferred form, a motor (76) can be connected and disconnected to the rotary cutter (74) aligned with the cooker/extruder (12) by a male coupling (96) including an elastomeric band (106) tensioned in a groove (102) formed in an outer peripheral surface (100) and received within the inside surface (116) of a cylindrical body (114) of a female coupling (108). Thus, it is not necessary to shut down the cooker/extruder (12) to service or change the dies (42a, 42b) and/or the rotary cutters (74). An annular wear plate (134) is sandwiched between the slide plate (32) and a frame element (18) having a central aperture (126) into which the barrel (14) of the cooker/extruder (12) is slideably received.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2000Date of Patent: January 2, 2001Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: James N. Weinstein, Thomas G. Cremers, Thomas L. Smith, Steven C. Robie
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Patent number: 6152021Abstract: A mechanism (10) includes a slide plate (32) having die openings (38) adapted to hold dies (42a, 42b) and slideable relative to a cooker/extruder (12). Rotary cutters (74) are rotatably mounted relative to and moveable with the dies (42a, 42b). A motor (76) can be connected and disconnected to the rotary cutter (74) aligned with the cooker/extruder (12) by a male coupling (96) including an elastomeric band (106) tensioned in a groove (102) formed in an outer peripheral surface (100) and received within the inside surface (116) of a cylindrical body (114) of a female coupling (108). The rotary cutters (74) include a plurality of knives (90) mounted to an annular cutter head (82) rotatably mounted upon a center shaft (80) axially extending from each of the dies (42a, 42b). Thus, it is not necessary to shut down the cooker/extruder (12) to service or change the dies (42a, 42b) and/or the rotary cutters (74).Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2000Date of Patent: November 28, 2000Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: James N. Weinstein, Thomas G. Cremers
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Patent number: 6143342Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed where plastic extrudable food product is provided such as by a food cooker extruder and is mixed with a food color to form a complexly patterned food product, such as by a pattern forming die.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 1997Date of Patent: November 7, 2000Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: James N. Weinstein, Scott A. Tolson, Peter A. Huberg
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Patent number: 6143338Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus (10) for making a complexly patterned extrudate. The apparatus (10) includes a food cooker extruder (12) for providing at least one extrudable food product, at least one food color supply (18), a pattern forming die (20) for mixing the food color and extrudate food product to form a complexly patterned food product, a reducing passageway for reducing the cross sectional area of the patterned dough from an inlet end (34) to outlet end (36) of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree. and an extruder exit port at the discharge end of the reducing passageway. The methods comprise the steps of: providing a plastic extrudable food mass; providing at least one color; mixing the food mass and color to form an organized complexly patterned food dough having an initial cross sectional area; reducing the initial cross sectional area by a factor of at least 50:1 with an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 1998Date of Patent: November 7, 2000Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: James N. Weinstein, Scott A. Tolson
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Patent number: 6143339Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus (10) for making a complexly patterned extrudate. The apparatus (10) includes a food cooker extruder (12) for providing at least one extrudable food product, at least one food color supply (18), a pattern forming die (20) for mixing the food color and extrudate food product to form a complexly patterned food product, a reducing passageway for reducing the cross sectional area of the patterned dough from an inlet end (34) to outlet end (36) of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree. and an extruder exit port at the discharge end of the reducing passageway. The methods comprise the steps of: providing a plastic extrudable food mass; providing at least one color; mixing the food mass and color to form an organized complexly patterned food dough having an initial cross sectional area; reducing the initial cross sectional area by a factor of at least 50:1 with an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1999Date of Patent: November 7, 2000Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: James N. Weinstein, Scott A. Tolson
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Patent number: 6004323Abstract: The present invention discloses a nut to be used in a spinal screw and plate assembly to affix the screw and plate assembly to the spinal bone. The nut has a polymer insert that when contacted with a screw allows a bone plate and screw structure to relax over time.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 1997Date of Patent: December 21, 1999Assignee: The University of Iowa Research FoundationInventors: Joon B. Park, Vijay K. Goel, Malcolm H. Pope, James N. Weinstein
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Patent number: 5958485Abstract: A food item is disclosed produced in the preferred form by an apparatus (10) including first and second forming rollers (18, 21) which rotatably abut with an anvil roller (20). The forming rollers (18, 21) each include a periphery forming a continuous forming surface including a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced grooves (24) each formed as a continuous depression arranged in a serpentine and non-intersecting manner. Food (14) is simultaneously fed by a saddle (36, 36') between a continuous strip of support material (16) and a continuous ribbon of film material (66) as they pass between a first abutment nip of the first forming roller (18) and the anvil roller (20). In a preferred form, the saddle (36') is in the form of a block having first and second lower surfaces (118, 120) corresponding to the shape and located adjacent the first forming roller (18) and the anvil roller (20) in their mating side (32).Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 1998Date of Patent: September 28, 1999Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Richard O. Benham, Timothy J. Gluszak, James N. Weinstein, Craig E. Zimmermann
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Patent number: 5919509Abstract: An apparatus (10) for forming a single extrudable food stream such as a cooked cereal dough into a plurality of differently colored and/or flavored dough streams is disclosed including an extruder (12) having screw augers (15) in a main passageway (14) for advancing a plastic food mass, a head or manifold (18) for dividing the plastic food mass into a plurality of substreams such as a branching passageway section in fluid communication with a plurality of sub-divided dough passageways, and a die head (30) having a plurality of die ports (40) for each subpassageway. Each subpassage is separately supplied an additive and has disposed therein a multiplicity of in-line static mixer elements (59) to admix the additive into the substreams of the plastic food mass before passage through the die ports (40). In a preferred form, a portion of the food mass is bled from a first substream and fed to the exit ports (40) of a second substeam to create an extrudate including zones of distinct food mass.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1997Date of Patent: July 6, 1999Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Cremers, James N. Weinstein
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Patent number: 5874120Abstract: In its product aspect, the invention provides ready-to-eat cereals and cereal based snacks fabricated from multiple extrudate strands of cooked cereal dough that have been twisted or braided into ropes immediately after extrusion and severed into pieces. The products exhibit greater bowl life in milk and improved organoleptic attributes particularly those fabricated from doughs having a high fiber content. Methods for preparing such cereal based products are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 1997Date of Patent: February 23, 1999Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: James R. Borek, James N. Weinstein
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Patent number: 5843503Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed where plastic extrudable food product is provided such as by a food cooker extruder and is mixed with an additive to form a patterned food product, such as by a pattern forming die. The cross-sectional area of the patterned food product is reduced from an inlet end to an outlet end by a factor of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of <45.degree. while maintaining the cross-sectional pattern to form a reduced cross-sectional patterned dough, and then is extruded through a die port having an opening equal to the reduced cross-sectional area to form a complexly patterned extrudate.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 1997Date of Patent: December 1, 1998Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Gregory A. Clanton, Julie L. Holmstrom, Peter A. Huberg, Gerald J. Rudolph, Scott A. Tolson, James N. Weinstein
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Patent number: 5827557Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus (10) for making a complexly patterned extrudate. The apparatus (10) includes a food cooker extruder (12) for providing at least one extrudable food product, at least one food color supply (18), a pattern forming die (20) for mixing the food color and extrudate food product to form a complexly patterned food product, a reducing passageway for reducing the cross sectional area of the patterned dough from an inlet end (34) to outlet end (36) of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree. and an extruder exit port at the discharge end of the reducing passageway. The methods comprise the steps of: providing a plastic extrudable food mass; providing at least one color; mixing the food mass and color to form an organized complexly patterned food dough having an initial cross sectional area; reducing the initial cross sectional area by a factor of at least 50:1 with an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 1996Date of Patent: October 27, 1998Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: James N. Weinstein, Scott A. Tolson
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Patent number: 5752364Abstract: Apparatus (10) is disclosed including first and second forming rollers (18, 21) which rotatably abut with an anvil roller (20). The forming rollers (18, 21) each include a periphery forming a continuous forming surface including a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced grooves (24) each formed as a continuous depression arranged in a serpentine and non-intersecting manner. Food (14) is simultaneously fed by a saddle (36, 36') between a continuous strip of support material (16) and a continuous ribbon of film material (66) as they pass between a first abutment nip of the first forming roller (18) and the anvil roller (20). In a preferred form, the saddle (36') is in the form of a block having first and second lower surfaces (118, 120) corresponding to the shape and located adjacent the first forming roller (18) and the anvil roller (20) in their mating side (32).Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1996Date of Patent: May 19, 1998Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Richard O. Benham, Timothy J. Gluszak, James N. Weinstein, Craig E. Zimmermann
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Patent number: 5695805Abstract: In its product aspect, the invention provides ready-to-eat cereals and cereal based snacks fabricated from multiple extrudate strands of cooked cereal dough that have been twisted or braided into ropes immediately after extrusion and severed into pieces. The products exhibit greater bowl life in milk and improved organoleptic attributes particularly those fabricated from doughs having a high fiber content. Methods for preparing such cereal based products are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 1996Date of Patent: December 9, 1997Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: James R. Borek, James N. Weinstein
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Patent number: 5643618Abstract: Apparatus (10) is disclosed where plastic extrudable food product is provided such as by a food cooker extruder (12) and is mixed with a food color to form a complexly patterned food product, such as by a pattern forming die (20). The cross-sectional area of the patterned food product is reduced from an inlet end (34) to an outlet end (36) by a factor of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree. while maintaining the cross-sectional pattern to form a reduced cross-sectional patterned dough, and then is extruded through a die port having an opening equal to the reduced cross-sectional area to form a complexly patterned extrudate. In the preferred form, multiple extrudates are simultaneously formed with the flow rates for each extrudate being adjustable by an adjuster plug (16) including a smooth cylindrical portion (86) extendable into a passageway (14) having a circular cross section of a larger diameter than the cylindrical portion (86).Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 1994Date of Patent: July 1, 1997Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Peter A. Huberg, James N. Weinstein
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Patent number: D380071Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 1996Date of Patent: June 24, 1997Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: James R. Borek, James N. Weinstein