Patents by Inventor Ryan D. Gifford

Ryan D. Gifford 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: 20230345950
    Abstract: A plurality of dough pieces are produced using a rotary dough cutter comprises an annular cutter body configured to be rotatably driven, a plurality of arcuate sidewalls extending circumferentially about the cutter body, a plurality of radial divider walls extending across respective sidewalls, and a plurality of interior blades extending radially relative to the body between the sidewalls. The plurality of walls define a plurality of dough cutter molds. During conveying of a sheet of dough to the rotary dough cutter, the plurality of dough pieces are cut by the plurality of walls and scored with the plurality of interior blades. After being cut and scored, the dough pieces are removed from within the dough cutter molds with the assistance of a sequentially timed, regulated and adjustable fluid ejection system, and then frozen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Crosby, Ryan D. Gifford, Todd A. Rasmussen, Jeffrey David Reinke, Geoffrey P. Suski, Kara M. Hobart
  • Publication number: 20210244035
    Abstract: A plurality of dough pieces are produced using a rotary dough cutter including a shaft, a plurality of walls extending radially outward from the shaft and a plurality of interior blades extending radially outward from the shaft. The plurality of walls define a plurality of dough cutter molds. The plurality of dough cutter molds include a first dough cutter mold and a second dough cutter mold. A first wall of the plurality of walls defines part of both the first dough cutter mold and the second dough cutter mold. Each of the plurality of interior blades is located in one of the plurality of dough cutter molds. The plurality of dough pieces are cut from a dough sheet with the plurality of walls. The plurality of dough pieces are scored with the plurality of interior blades. After scoring, the plurality of dough pieces are proofed and then frozen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Applicant: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Crosby, Peter A. Huberg, Kara M. Hobart, Ryan D Gifford, Paul Henderson, James M. O'Donnell
  • Publication number: 20210235741
    Abstract: Filled roll dough products, such as pizza rolls, are made with an outer dough shell with an internal filling material. Versus a conventional pizza roll, pizza rolls in accordance with the invention employs a filling material having a lower viscosity upon heating due to the removal of a majority of a viscosity altering additive (e.g., methyl cellulose) used in a conventional filling and an outer dough shell formed with spaced internal ridges which increase the structural integrity of the outer shell while not at all changing the external appearance. While removal of the viscosity altering additive from the filling material increases a blow-out rate for the product, the inclusion of the ridges decreases the blow-out rate to the extent that either a reduction or no significant change in product blow-rates is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Cassee Malia Cain, Ryan D. Gifford, Lindsey Golinski, James N. Weinstein, Aaron P. Wlaschin, Louis W. Woehrmann
  • Patent number: 11013238
    Abstract: A plurality of dough pieces are produced using a rotary dough cutter including a shaft, a plurality of walls extending radially outward from the shaft and a plurality of interior blades extending radially outward from the shaft. The plurality of walls define a plurality of dough cutter molds. The plurality of dough cutter molds include a first dough cutter mold and a second dough cutter mold. A first wall of the plurality of walls defines part of both the first dough cutter mold and the second dough cutter mold. Each of the plurality of interior blades is located in one of the plurality of dough cutter molds. The plurality of dough pieces are cut from a dough sheet with the plurality of walls. The plurality of dough pieces are scored with the plurality of interior blades. After scoring, the plurality of dough pieces are proofed and then frozen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Crosby, Peter A Huberg, Kara M Hobart, Ryan D Gifford, Paul Henderson, James M O'Donnell
  • Publication number: 20190357549
    Abstract: A plurality of dough pieces are produced using a rotary dough cutter including a shaft, a plurality of walls extending radially outward from the shaft and a plurality of interior blades extending radially outward from the shaft. The plurality of walls define a plurality of dough cutter molds. The plurality of dough cutter molds include a first dough cutter mold and a second dough cutter mold. A first wall of the plurality of walls defines part of both the first dough cutter mold and the second dough cutter mold. Each of the plurality of interior blades is located in one of the plurality of dough cutter molds. The plurality of dough pieces are cut from a dough sheet with the plurality of walls. The plurality of dough pieces are scored with the plurality of interior blades. After scoring, the plurality of dough pieces are proofed and then frozen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicant: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Crosby, Peter A. Huberg, Kara M. Hobart, Ryan D. Gifford, Paul Henderson, James M. O'Donnell
  • Patent number: D784650
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger G. Fuentes, Ryan D. Gifford, Kevin P. Simon, James N. Weinstein, Louis W. Woehrmann