Patents by Inventor Thomas A. MacMurray

Thomas A. MacMurray 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).

  • Method of removing outer protective layer from edible materials using laser energy
    Patent number: 4839181
    Abstract: Skin is removed from an edible material by passing the edible material through a skin removal zone of an ablative removal apparatus. In the skin removal zone, skin is ablatively removed by the action of a continuous wave carbon dioxide laser beam which rapidly traverses the skin removal zone in a direction substantially transverse to the edible material movement. The edible material may be skinned regardless of whether it is fresh, frozen, thawed, or cooked. Skin vaporized by the laser light beam generates a gaseous plume which is removed from the skin removal zone by causing a current of air to traverse that zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1989
    Assignee: H. J. Heinz Company
    Inventors: Thomas A. MacMurray, William T. McComis, Anthony A. Boiarski, James R. Proffitt, Glen R. Green