Apparatus and method for separating stacks of food products slices

Abstract

A system for separating multiple stacked slices of food slices includes a plurality of overlying food slices that are arranged in at least two columns, with a first column having a side adjacent to a side of a second column. Each of the plurality of food slices are separated by a divider that includes a weakened region between the sides of the first and second columns of food slices. A method of separating multiple stacks of food slices includes stacking a plurality of food slices into at least two columns of food slices, placing a divider between each food slice in each of at least two columns, wherein the divider includes a weakened region located between the at least two columns of food slices, and separating the at least two columns of food slices by separating the plurality of dividers along the weakened region of each divider.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates, generally, to food product packaging and, more specifically, to an apparatus to maintain separation between multiple food products, such as slices of cheese, that are stored, shipped, and used with the slices of food products placed in stacks and to a method of using BACKGROUND [0002] Traditionally, many food products, such as cheese, are made and then formed into thin slices to facilitate their use by the end user. Often for ease of storage and shipment, the cheese slices are stacked into vertical columns. A known problem with this arrangement of cheese is that the stacked cheese slices tend to stick together, which makes it difficult for a user, such as a commercial food vendor whose preparation time and efficiency is at a premium, to separate the cheese slices without damaging the slice being removed from the column of cheese or the slices remaining in the column. A solution that has been used in the art is to place a thin shee...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention is a system and method for separating multiple food product slices. The system includes multiple columns of food product slices separated by a divider with a weakened region. The method involves stacking the food product slices, placing a divider between them, and separating the columns by separating the dividers along the weakened region. The technical effect of this invention is the ability to efficiently separate multiple food product slices without damaging them."

Problems solved by technology

A known problem with this arrangement of cheese is that the stacked cheese slices tend to stick together, which makes it difficult for a user, such as a commercial food vendor whose preparation time and efficiency is at a premium, to separate the cheese slices without damaging the slice being removed from the column of cheese or the slices remaining in the column.

Although it is often advantageous to form two neighboring columns of cheese, this arrangement of cheese slices is often problematic for end users of stacked cheese slices.

This is because their facilities or preparation areas are often only designed with enough space to accept one column of cheese.

Often, the end user must cut the multiple interleaf sheets that interconnect the two columns of cheese slices with a knife or with another similar cutting apparatus, which is a time consuming and labor intensive process.

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