# US 10,766,642 B2 · Method and apparatus for automatically packaging and dispensing food products > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,642 B2 - Document ID: US10766642B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/945,874 - Filed: 2018-04-05 - Published: 2018-10-11 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-07 - Assignees: F.R. Drake Company - Applicants: F.R. Drake Company - Inventors: Gregg A. Martin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766642B2 ## CPC - B65B 11/105: {the axis of the tube being parallel to the conveying direction} - B65B 5/04: Packaging single articles - B65B 11/02: Wrapping articles or quantities of material, without changing their position during the wrapping operation, e.g. in moulds with hinged folders (by doubling a wrapper and securing its opposed free margins to enclose contents B65B11/48; by disposing contents between two sheets and securing their opposed free margins B65B11/50) - B65B 25/06: Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products - B65B 61/005: {for removing material by cutting} - B65B 63/04: for folding or winding articles, e.g. gloves or stockings - B65B 65/006: {Multiple parallel packaging lines} - F25D 19/00: Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices {or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors} - F25D 25/04: by conveyors (in general B65G) - B65B 9/067: the web advancing continuously (B65B9/08 takes precedence) - B65B 35/24: by endless belts or chains {(B65B35/205 takes precedence)} - B65B 2220/06: Cutting webs along their longitudinal direction - B65B 2220/18: the primary packaging being bags the subsequent secondary packaging being rigid containers, e.g. cardboard box - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) ## Abstract A food product gathering and dispensing system is disclosed. The food product is generally a flat disc shaped article dispensed onto a consumable strip of food product conveyer material. The food product is fed to single, or series related, spools that wind up the consumable conveyer material and food product into a removable roll. The roll is placed into a dispenser pack, optionally subject to further environmental treatment, and refrigeration. The pack is then installed within a refrigerated dispenser system where the food product and consumable material are collectively unwound and separated, as the food product is fed into a processing system, i.e., a cooking device. The consumable conveyer material is collected and separately discarded. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A food product gathering system, comprising: a frame having a dispenser of a consumable conveyer mounted thereon, said consumable conveyer being fed in a single layer along an upward facing surface of a conveyer bed mounted on said frame, and adapted to convey thereon separately supplied individualized food product units toward a folding means for said conveyor, said folding means including a series of successively up-turned opposed finger elements engaging and, initially, lifting respective opposed edges of said conveyor to a vertical position and, thereafter, engaging successive upright legs of E-shaped finger elements, wherein each of said successive legs of E-shaped elements is inclined at progressively smaller angles to the conveyor bed, thereby folding said respective opposed conveyor edges one toward the other so as to form a longitudinally folded conveyor shape and folding said conveyor around said food product so as to form an unsealed tube encapsulating said food product, and at least one spool element configured to wind said folded consumable conveyer, with said food product units, onto said spool. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The food product gathering system as in claim 1, further comprising: an element adapted for pivoting and having at least two mandrels mounted at each respective end of said element, each mandrel adapted to accept a spool thereon and configured to be placed into position one at a time to accept consumable conveyer material containing food product for winding on said spool. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The food gathering system as in claim 2, further comprising: dispenser packs for containing spools loaded with food product units, and a robot for loading empty spools and removing loaded spools from said mandrels and transferring said loaded spools into an empty one of said dispenser pack containers for said spools. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The food gathering system as in claim 1, wherein: the consumable conveyor comprises one of either a plastic film or a coated paper. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The food gathering system of claim 4, wherein: the consumable conveyor is polyethylene film. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system as in claim 1, wherein: said food product are individualized fresh patties of food product. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system as in claim 6, wherein: the consumable conveyor material comprises one of either a food grade plastic film or a coated paper. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system as in claim 7, wherein: the consumable conveyor material is polyethylene film.