Patents by Inventor Thomas Leuhrs

Thomas Leuhrs 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).

  • Apparatus and methods for fabricating food items
    Patent number: 8673192
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for fabricating food items include extruding a first hot plastic food mass through multiple passages and co-extruding a second hot plastic food mass through a feed stem received in each of the multiple passages and through nozzles. Each nozzle includes a first portion in communication with the feed stem but not the passage and a second portion in communication with the passage but not the feed stem. The nozzles are rotatable in gearing relation with the drive gear of a servomotor. The co-extruded ropes are conveyed at a linear speed rate less than or equal to the discharge speed from the nozzles, cooled, and cut into individual pieces in the form of peelably separable strands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: James N Weinstein, James M Olive, Peter A Huberg, Laurie Burgess, Thomas Leuhrs, Jennifer M Mcaab
  • Apparatus and methods for fabricating food items
    Patent number: 8465272
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for fabricating food items include extruding a first hot plastic food mass through multiple passages (14) and co-extruding a second hot plastic food mass through a feed stem (22) received in each of the multiple passages (14) and through nozzles (42). Each nozzle (42) includes a first portion (42b) in communication with the feed stem (22) but not the passage (14) and a second portion (42a) in communication with the passage (16) but not the feed stem (22). The nozzles (42) are rotatable in gearing relation with the drive gear (70) of a servomotor (72). The co-extruded ropes are conveyed at a linear speed rate less than or equal to the discharge speed from the nozzles (42), cooled, and cut into individual pieces in the form of peelably separable strands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Weinstein, James M. Olive, Peter A. Huberg, Laurie Burgess, Thomas Leuhrs, Jennifer M. Mcaab
  • APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR FABRICATING FOOD ITEMS
    Publication number: 20100055274
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for fabricating food items include extruding a first hot plastic food mass through multiple passages (14) and co-extruding a second hot plastic food mass through a feed stem (22) received in each of the multiple passages (14) and through nozzles (42). Each nozzle (42) includes a first portion (42b) in communication with the feed stem (22) but not the passage (14) and a second portion (42a) in communication with the passage (16) but not the feed stem (22). The nozzles (42) are rotatable in gearing relation with the drive gear (70) of a servomotor (72). The co-extruded ropes are conveyed at a linear speed rate less than or equal to the discharge speed from the nozzles (42), cooled, and cut into individual pieces in the form of peelably separable strands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: James N. Weinstein, James M. Olive, Peter A. Huberg, Laurie Burgess, Thomas Leuhrs, Jennifer M. Maack