# US 9,873,208 B2 · Wavy shaped potato sticks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,873,208 B2 - Document ID: US9873208B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/361,822 - Filed: 2016-11-28 - Published: 2017-03-16 - Granted: 2018-01-23 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-13 - Assignees: Ballreich Bros., Inc. - Applicants: Ballreich Bros., Inc. - Inventors: Brian K. Reis; Robert W. Reis, II - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9873208B2 ## CPC - B26D 3/26: specially adapted for cutting fruit or vegetables, e.g. for onions - A23L 19/18: Roasted or fried products, e.g. snacks or chips - A23P 30/00: Shaping or working of foodstuffs characterised by the process or apparatus (A23P10/00, A23P20/00 take precedence) - B26D 1/03: with a plurality of cutting members - B26D 3/10: Making cuts of other than simple rectilinear form (cutting-out B26F) - B26D 3/28: Splitting layers from work; Mutually separating layers by cutting (B26D3/30 takes precedence; Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics B29B17/00) - B26D 7/0691: {by centrifugal force} - B26D 2001/006: {the cutting blade having a special shape, e.g. a special outline, serrations} - B26D 2210/02: for cutting food products, e.g. food slicers - Y10S 83/932: Edible - Y10T 83/0586: Effecting diverse or sequential cuts in same cutting step - B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04) - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A grate for use in forming potato stick products having a wavy cross-sectional shape is provided. The grate includes a plurality of alternating convex segments and concave segments extending in a repeating pattern along a length of the grate. A plurality of spaced apart teeth extends from the plurality of convex segments and the plurality of concave segments. A distance between the spaced apart teeth defines a width of the potato stick products. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A blade and grate assembly for use in forming potato stick products having a wavy cross-sectional shape, the blade and grate assembly comprising: a blade holder having a plurality of alternating convex segments and concave segments; a blade nested with the blade holder, the blade having a plurality of alternating convex segments and concave segments with a cutting edge configured to extend beyond the convex segments and concave segments of the blade holder, the cutting edge of the blade further configured to form the wavy cross-sectional shape of the potato sticks; a grate nested with the blade, the grate having a rearward portion and a forward portion, the rearward portion having a plurality of alternating convex segments and concave segments configured to align with the plurality of alternating convex segments and concave segments of the blade, the forward portion of the grate having a plurality of spaced apart teeth, a distance between the spaced apart teeth defining a width of the potato stick products; and a clamp configured to secure the blade and the grate to the blade holder, the clamp having a main body with a first segment having a plurality of alternating convex segments and concave segments extending in a repeating pattern along a longitudinal axis of the main body, wherein the first segment includes a plurality of spaced apart slots formed therein for receiving the plurality of spaced apart teeth of the grate, and the main body further having a second segment for coupling with the blade holder. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The blade and grate assembly of claim 1, wherein the teeth extend from the grate in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis extending a length of the grate, and the teeth extend upwardly through the slots of the clamp. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The blade and grate assembly of claim 2, wherein each of the teeth has a cutting edge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The blade and grate assembly of claim 1, wherein the teeth and the slots are arranged such that the potato stick products have at least one peak and at least one trough. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The blade and grate assembly of claim 4, wherein the cutting edges of the teeth extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis extending a length of the blade. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The blade and grate assembly of claim 1, wherein the potato stick products have a width in a range of from about 0.04 inches to about 0.10 inches. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The blade and grate assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the teeth is bent upwardly at an angle from a projection that extends outwardly from the first segment of the grate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The blade and grate assembly of claim 7, wherein each of the projections has a curvature that is substantially the same as that of an adjacent one of the convex segments and the concave segments of the first segment of the grate from which the projection extends outwardly. ### Claim 9 A method of forming potato sticks having a wavy cross-sectional shape, comprising the steps of: providing a blade and grate assembly including a blade holder having a plurality of alternating convex segments and concave segments, a blade nested with the blade holder, the blade having a plurality of alternating convex segments and concave segments with a cutting edge configured to extend beyond the convex segments and concave segments of the blade holder, the cutting edge of the blade further configured to form the wavy cross-sectional shape of the potato sticks, a grate nested with the blade, the grate having a rearward portion and a forward portion, the rearward portion having a plurality of alternating convex segments and concave segments configured to align with the plurality of alternating convex segments and concave segments of the blade, the forward portion of the grate having a plurality of spaced apart teeth, a distance between the spaced apart teeth defining a width of the potato stick products, and a clamp configured to secure the blade and the grate to the blade holder, the clamp having a main body with a first segment having a plurality of alternating convex segments and concave segments extending in a repeating pattern along a longitudinal axis of the main body, wherein the second segment includes a plurality of spaced apart slots formed therein for receiving the plurality of spaced apart teeth of the grate, and the main body further having a second segment for coupling with the blade holder; and urging one or more potatoes through the nested blade, grate and teeth such that the wavy potato sticks are formed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the blade is nested with the blade holder such that there is no appreciable space between the blade and the blade holder. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the teeth extend from the grate in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis extending a length of the grate, and the teeth extend upwardly through the slots of the clamp. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the cutting edges of the teeth extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis extending a length of the blade. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the potato stick has a least one peak and at least one trough. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, furthering including the step of installing the blade and the grate in a cutting head assembly.