Patents by Inventor Michael P Waldherr

Michael P Waldherr 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).

  • Publication number: 20180255789
    Abstract: A dumpling producing method includes cutting a mechanically sheeted dough sheet of a unidirectional texture into dumpling wrappers of a pre-defined shape, filling the stuffing into the dumpling sheet, and wrapping the dumpling wrapper along a fold line at an angle of 0 to 20 degrees to the texture orientation of each dumpling wrapper to produce the dumplings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Lee, Muan Zhu, Derong Wang, Gregory C. Vargas, Michael P. Waldherr, Christopher J. Field
  • Patent number: 9980493
    Abstract: The present invention provides a dumpling producing method and a dumpling producing device. The method comprises the following steps: cutting a mechanically sheeted dough sheet of a unidirectional texture into dumpling wrappers of a pre-defined shape, filling the stuffing into the dumpling sheet, and wrapping the dumpling wrapper along a fold line at an angle of 0 to 20 degrees to the texture orientation of each dumpling wrapper to produce the dumplings. The device comprises: a cutting mechanism consisting of a cutting unit and a rotating unit, wherein the rotating unit is configured to cause an angle formed between the texture orientation of the dumping wrapper and the fold line to be within 0 to 20 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Lee, Muan Zhu, Derong Wang, Gregory C. Vargas, Michael P. Waldherr, Christopher J. Field
  • Patent number: 9028240
    Abstract: The present utility model provides a mold set used for dumpling or dumpling-like food product formation comprising a pair of jaws, the closure of which is configured to clamp a dough pad over a filling thereby forming a raw product of the dumpling or dumpling-like food product, wherein the jaws in a closed condition can be driven to simulate the human action of compressing a filling pocket of the dumpling or dumpling-like food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory C. Vargas, Christopher J. Field, Michael P. Waldherr, Muan Zhu, Edward Lee, Derong Wang, Shuiyuan Liang
  • Publication number: 20140106018
    Abstract: The present utility model provides a mold set used for dumpling or dumpling-like food product formation comprising a pair of jaws, the closure of which is configured to clamp a dough pad over a filling thereby forming a raw product of the dumpling or dumpling-like food product, wherein the jaws in a closed condition can be driven to simulate the human action of compressing a filling pocket of the dumpling or dumpling-like food product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: General Mills, Inc
    Inventors: Gregory C. Vargas, Christopher J. Field, Michael P. Waldherr
  • Publication number: 20120219674
    Abstract: The present invention provides a dumpling producing method and a dumpling producing device. The method comprises the following steps: cutting a mechanically sheeted dough sheet of a unidirectional texture into dumpling wrappers of a pre-defined shape, filling the stuffing into the dumpling sheet, and wrapping the dumpling wrapper along a fold line at an angle of 0 to 20 degrees to the texture orientation of each dumpling wrapper to produce the dumplings. The device comprises: a cutting mechanism consisting of a cutting unit and a rotating unit, wherein the rotating unit is configured to cause an angle formed between the texture orientation of the dumping wrapper and the fold line to be within 0 to 20 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Edward Lee, Muan Zhu, Derong Wang, Gregory C. Vargas, Michael P. Waldherr, Christopher J. Field
  • Publication number: 20080305234
    Abstract: A mass-produced flake comprised of an aerated confectionary foam. The marbit flake is mass-produced from a rope of confectionary foam and subjected to processing steps resulting in the marbit flake having a thickness of less than 0.125 inch and/or a length: thickness aspect ratio in the range of 32:5-48:5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL MILLS, INC.
    Inventors: Philip K. Zietlow, James N. Weinstein, Michael P. Waldherr
  • Patent number: 7455873
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip K. Zietlow, James N. Weinstein, Michael P. Waldherr
  • Publication number: 20040247761
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Philip K. Zietlow, James N. Weinstein, Michael P. Waldherr
  • Patent number: 6761550
    Abstract: A system for processing at least one rope of aerated confectionery foam. The system 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: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip K. Zietlow, James N. Weinstein, Michael P. Waldherr
  • Publication number: 20020110634
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventors: Philip K. Zietlow, James N. Weinstein, Michael P. Waldherr
  • Patent number: 6197355
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip K. Zietlow, James N. Weinstein, Michael P. Waldherr
  • Patent number: 6174556
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) for forming open ended, cone-shaped snack products includes a rotary cutter (28) having opposed, counterrotating rollers (30) each formed by multiple cutting discs (36) axially spaced on a mandrel (34) by spacers (38). A dough sheet formed by a sheet forming device (12) is conveyed to a slitting device (24) which slits the dough sheet into multiple pairs of dough strips. The dough strips are conveyed on a conveyer (26) towards the rotary cutter (28). The first dough strips of each pair pass over the end of the conveyor (26), and twisted 90° as they pass over sheaves (44, 56, 60) and pass between stationary guides (42) to the first roller (30) while the second dough strips of each pair pass over the end of the conveyor (26), are twisted 90° as they pass over sheaves (46, 58, 62) and pass between the stationary guides (42) to a second roller (30). The pair of dough strips are drawn under tension through the nip of the rollers (30) in a face to face stacked orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: William C Bornhorst, James M Olive, Niclas M Scher, Steven A Stein, Michael P Waldherr, Lloyd J Zoubek
  • Patent number: 5529799
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of fabricating half products in the field of puffed snack piece fabrication are disclosed including a rotary cutter (16) having an opposed pair of rollers (18). At least one of the rollers (18) of the rotary cutter (16) has cavities (112) arranged in a first, central portion (110) which stamp out first pieces and cavities (118) arranged in second and third, boundary portions (114, 116) for stamping out second pieces from the remaining portions of a continuous dough sheet (14). The first pieces are of the desired shape and size for the half products, and the second pieces are of a size and shape mechanically separable from the first pieces. In first preferred forms, the first pieces have tesselated shapes allowing the cavities (112) in the central portion (110) to be in a tight, juxtapositional pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Bornhorst, Mary K. Cartstensen, Steven A. Stein, Michael P. Waldherr
  • Patent number: 5336076
    Abstract: An apparatus (79) for setting the nip gap between first and second rollers (30, 32) includes nip control blocks (83) movably mounted adjacent the front edges (150) of the end plates (151a, 151b) between which one of the rollers (32) is journaled. In the preferred form, each of the control blocks (83) are threadably received on a shaft (138) and include a slide surface (142) which slides on a shoe (134) mounted on the end plates (151a, 151b) and include an opposite, abutment surface (144) at a minor acute angle to the slide surface (142) and the movement direction of the control blocks (83). Contact surfaces (164) are articulately mounted to the end plates (51a, 51b) between which the other of the rollers (30) is journaled. In the preferred form, the contact surfaces (164) are formed on a thrust knuckle (160) having a semi-spherical surface (162) slideably received in a semi-spherical depression (156) of a thrust socket (154) secured in a recess (146) in the front edges (150) of the end plates (51a, 51b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Waldherr, Michael L. Johnston, James N. Weinstein, Thomas G. Cremers
  • Patent number: 5217739
    Abstract: A single continuous dough sheet (12) is conveyed by a conveyor (20) up an incline to a dough tension and drive system (38). In the system (38), the dough sheet (12) passes around a lower drive roller (40), around an intermediate drive roller (42), and around an upper drive roller (44). The dough sheet (12) extends at a downward angle to an idler roller (80) which directs the dough sheet (12) generally vertically downward in a flat condition. A wishbone pushing element (82) having a rounded V-shape forms the first face of the dough sheet (12) into a generally V-shape having two wings. The wings of the V-shape are then guided by an aligning element (96) such as laterally spaced rollers (98, 100) which roll on the opposite face of the wings to form a folded, two-ply continuous dough sheet (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven A. Stein, William C. Bornhorst, Michael P. Waldherr
  • Patent number: 5092757
    Abstract: A single continuous dough sheet is conveyed by a conveyor up an incline to a dough tension and drive system. In the system, the dough sheet passes around a lower drive roller, around an intermediate drive roller, and around an upper drive roller. The dough sheet extends at a downward angle to an idler roller which directs the dough sheet generally vertically downward in a flat condition. A wishbone pushing element having a rounded V-shape forms the first face of the dough sheet into a generally V-shape having two wings. The wings of the V-shape are then guided by an aligning element such as laterally spaced rollers which roll on the opposite face of the wings to form a folded, two-ply continuous dough sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1992
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven A. Stein, William C. Bornhorst, Michael P. Waldherr
  • Patent number: D515274
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Griebel, Stephen J. Green, Craig E. Gustafson, Michael P. Waldherr