Patents by Inventor Todd W. Craig
Todd W. Craig 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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Patent number: 7923048Abstract: Making a pizza crust includes forming a mass of dough into a substantially flattened shape to define an inner crust bordered by an outer crust extending around the inner crust. The outer crust is divided into a plurality of segments without cutting the inner crust by pressing a plurality of cutting fins of a cutting ring through the outer crust to form the plurality of segments. Each of the plurality of segments defines a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first side facing the inner crust, and a second side facing opposite the inner crust. Each of the plurality of segments is turned such that the second end is moved away from the inner crust.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2006Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Pizza Hut, Inc.Inventors: Peter G. Graham, Todd W. Craig, Carrie L. Goff
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Patent number: 7914836Abstract: A pizza includes a dough member and at least one topping disposed on the dough member. The dough member defines a substantially flattened shape and includes a central portion and a border portion. The central portion defines a perimeter. The border portion extends about the perimeter of the central portion. The border portion of the dough member is divided into a plurality of dough segments, each dough segment being turned relative to the perimeter of the central portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2006Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: Pizza Hut, Inc.Inventors: Peter G. Graham, Todd W. Craig, Carrie L. Goff
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Patent number: 7823489Abstract: A system and/or method for making a pizza pie having an outer cheese portion comprises a cutting tool and/or a cutting guide to enable formation of at least one opening at an outer crust region of a pizza pie to cause an inner cheese portion embedded within the outer crust to flow through the at least one opening, thereby forming the outer cheese portion at the upper surface of the outer crust. A cutting tool of the system comprises a rotatable disc with notches in its cutting surface to enable formation of the at least one opening in the outer crust. A cutting guide of the system comprises a generally disc shaped member with a support surface at its outer edge for supporting and guiding application of a cutting device against an outer crust region of a pizza dough.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2009Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Assignee: Pizza Hut, Inc.Inventors: Todd W. Craig, Peter G. Graham, Jennifer T. Nguyen
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Patent number: 7726236Abstract: A sandwich maker includes a base and a perforating member. The base includes a base cavity into which a portion of a sheet of dough can be positioned, the base cavity including a plurality of slots positioned in a spaced fashion therein and extending through the base cavity. The perforating member is separably coupled to the base external to the base cavity and moveable between a normally retracted position and an extended position, wherein the perforating member includes a plurality of teeth spaced along the perforating member such that each tooth of the plurality of teeth aligns with a corresponding slot of the plurality of slots, and wherein each tooth is configured to extend into the base cavity via the corresponding slot when the perforating member is in the extended position so as to cut slits in the portion of the sheet of dough positioned within the base cavity.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2007Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Pizza Hut, Inc.Inventors: Peter G. Graham, Todd W. Craig
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Patent number: 7677879Abstract: An apparatus for docking dough includes a base member, a plurality of protrusions extending from a lower surface of the base member, and a handle secured to an upper surface of the base member. The base member is not flat, but rather has a curvature that enables the apparatus to be rocked from side to side when placed on a surface. Thus, in use, the apparatus is first placed on and manually pressed into a dough, such as an uncooked pizza dough. Then, the apparatus is rocked from side to side by the user to dock the dough, ensuring that dimples or divots are made throughout the dough.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2008Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: Pizza Hut, Inc.Inventors: Todd W. Craig, Stephen D. Voels, Maria V. Brister
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Patent number: 7610837Abstract: A system and/or method for making a pizza pie having an outer cheese portion comprises a cutting tool and/or a cutting guide to enable formation of at least one opening at an outer crust region of a pizza pie to cause an inner cheese portion embedded within the outer crust to flow through the at least one opening, thereby forming the outer cheese portion at the upper surface of the outer crust. A cutting tool of the system comprises a rotatable disc with notches in its cutting surface to enable formation of the at least one opening in the outer crust. A cutting guide of the system comprises a generally disc shaped member with a support surface at its outer edge for supporting and guiding application of a cutting device against an outer crust region of a pizza dough.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2005Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Assignee: Pizza Hut, Inc.Inventors: Todd W. Craig, Peter G. Graham, Jennifer T. Nguyen
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Publication number: 20080196598Abstract: A sandwich maker including a base and a perforating member. The base includes a base cavity into which a portion of a sheet of dough can positioned, the base cavity including a plurality of slots positioned in a spaced fashion therein and extending through the base cavity. The perforating member is separably coupled to the base external to the base cavity and moveable between a normally retracted position and an extended position, wherein the perforating member includes a plurality of teeth spaced along the perforating member such that each tooth of the plurality of teeth aligns with a corresponding slot of the plurality of slots, and wherein each tooth is configured to extend into the base cavity via the corresponding slot when the perforating member is in the extended position so as to cut slits in the portion of the sheet of dough positioned within the base cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2007Publication date: August 21, 2008Inventors: Peter G. Graham, Todd W. Craig
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Publication number: 20080196597Abstract: A sandwich maker including a base and a perforating member. The base includes a base cavity into which a portion of a sheet of dough can positioned, the base cavity including a plurality of slots positioned in a spaced fashion therein and extending through the base cavity. The perforating member is separably coupled to the base external to the base cavity and moveable between a normally retracted position and an extended position, wherein the perforating member includes a plurality of teeth spaced along the perforating member such that each tooth of the plurality of teeth aligns with a corresponding slot of the plurality of slots, and wherein each tooth is configured to extend into the base cavity via the corresponding slot when the perforating member is in the extended position so as to cut slits in the portion of the sheet of dough positioned within the base cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2007Publication date: August 21, 2008Applicant: PIZZA HUT, INC.Inventors: Peter G. Graham, Todd W. Craig
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Publication number: 20040253348Abstract: A shield for a food product in a baking environment is constructed for manual placement into close association with a pan for supporting the food product. The shield has a shape generally corresponding to the pan and includes a first region defining a plurality of first apertures extending through the shield, a sidewall bordering the first region, and a ledge bordering the sidewall and at least partially defining a plurality of second apertures extending through the shield. The plurality of second apertures extends across the border between the ledge and the sidewall such that a portion of each second aperture is defined in the ledge and another portion of each second aperture is defined in the sidewall. The ledge is constructed for support by a rim of the pan, and the plurality of second apertures is constructed to allow airflow away from the food product outwardly through the shield.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2004Publication date: December 16, 2004Inventors: Steven J. Woodward, Todd W. Craig, Steven A. Amigh, Andre Holman
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Patent number: D455617Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2000Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Pizza Hut, Inc.Inventors: Todd W. Craig, Carrie L. Goff, Kathy A. Nelson
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Patent number: D536578Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2006Date of Patent: February 13, 2007Assignee: Pizza Hut, Inc.Inventors: Peter G. Graham, Todd W. Craig, Steven Amigh
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Patent number: D548426Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2006Date of Patent: August 14, 2007Assignee: Pizza Hut, Inc.Inventors: Peter G. Graham, Todd W. Craig, Carrie L. Goff