APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING STACKS OF FOOD

PRODUCT SLICES

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 the apparatus.

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 sheet of paper, or interleaf, between each slice that can easily manipulated by the user to remove the piece of paper and the slice resting on the paper from the column of cheese. [0003] When interleaf paper is used to separate slices of cheese in a column, it is often advantageous to organize the slices of cheese to form

multiple adjacent vertical columns of cheese slices, with a single sheet of interleaf paper used to separate each layer of cheese in the neighboring columns. This formation of cheese slices provides efficient shipment and storage of the stacks of cheese slices, and reduces packaging costs by separating the cheese slices in the neighboring columns with single sheets of interleaf paper.

[0004] 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. Therefore, the users separate the two columns of cheese slices so that only one column of cheese is used at a time. 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.

[0005] Therefore, a need existed for a structure that can be used to separate multiple slices of food products in neighboring columns and that can allow for easy separation of neighboring columns so that an end user can use only one column of food products at a time.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0006] The present invention provides a system for separating multiple food product slices. The system includes a plurality of overlying food product 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 product slices in each of the first and second columns are separated by a divider that includes a weakened region disposed between the sides of the first and second columns of food product slices. [0007] The present invention also provides a method for separating multiple stacked food product slices. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of food product slices, stacking the plurality of food product slices into at least two columns of food product slices, while placing a divider between each food product slice in each of the at least two columns. The divider includes a weakened region between the columns of food product slices. The method additionally includes the step of separating the at least two columns of food product slices by separating the plurality of dividers along the weakened region of each divider. [0008] Advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention that have been shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its details are capable of modification in various respects. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two parallel columns of food slices showing a perforated interleaf paper in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0010] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the perforated interleaf paper of FIG. 1 ; [0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the two parallel columns of food slices showing the two parallel columns of FIG. 1 being separated; and [0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a roll of perforated interleaf paper in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] As shown in FIGs. 1-3, a plurality of food slices 20 and 40 can be arranged into adjacent columns 30 and 32. Specifically, as best shown in FIG. 1 , columns 30 and 32 may be formed within close proximity to each other with an edge 22 of a first stack 30 arranged in parallel with an edge 42 of a second stack 32. In other embodiments, more than two columns of food slices can be formed in close proximity to the other stacks of food slices, with neighboring edges either parallel to each other or arranged in another manner to limit the space between the columns of food slices.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the system and method described herein can apply to a variety of food products. For example,

process cheese, meat, jelly, condiments, and the like can be arranged in accordance with this invention.

[0014] Each of the multiple food slices 20 and 40 in each column are separated by a divider, such as an interleaf 60. Preferably, interleaf 60 is formed as a sheet of paper, although in other embodiments interleaf 60 can be formed by other materials, such as aluminum foil, thin plastic film, or other materials that are known in the art to be flexible, strong, and provide a moisture barrier. Preferably, a top surface 66 and a bottom surface (not shown) of interleaf 60 each include a non-stick coating, such as a thin coating of wax, to prevent the interleaf 60 from sticking to the food. In other embodiments, interleaf 60 may be formed so that each of its top surface 66 and bottom surface (not shown) inherently do not stick to other objects. [0015] Because food slices 20 and 40 are preferably formed to a uniform thickness, a single sheet of interleaf 60 can be used to separate the food slices located in the same layer in each of the columns 30 and 32. Columns 30 and 32 are placed in close proximity to each other, however the columns 30 and 32 are positioned so they do not touch each other. Thus, a boundary region 64 on the interleaf 60 resides between adjacent columns 30 and 32 of food slices.

[0016] In the illustrated embodiment, each column 30 and 32 of food slices is formed of a plurality of food slices 20 and 40. Accordingly,

multiple interleafs 60 are used to separate the multiple food slices 20 and 40 in the columns 30 and 32.

[0017] After the columns 30 and 32 are formed with interleafs 60 separating each layer of the multiple food slices, the columns of food slices can be easily separated by manipulating the interleaf 60 at the desired position and lifting interleaf 60 from columns 30 and 32. [0018] To facilitate manipulating and separating the columns of food slices, each interleaf 60 is provided with a weakened region 70 formed along the boundary between the columns 30 and 32. The weakened region 70 permits interleaf 60 to be easily torn along weakened region 70.

In some embodiments, weakened region 70 is formed as a series of horizontal cuts through interleaf 60 along weakened region 70. In other embodiments, weakened region 70 can be formed with a plurality of fine holes positioned along length of weakened region 70. Finally, in still other embodiments, weakened region 70 can be formed by manufacturing interleaf 60 with a smaller thickness along weakened region 70. [0019] Referring to FlG. 1 , when interleaf 60 is positioned between each of the plurality of food slices 20 and 40 such that each interleaf 60 extends to each of the neighboring columns 30 and 32, weakened region 70 is positioned along boundary region 64 between columns 30 and 32.

Preferably, each of interleafs 60 are located in the columns 30 and 32 so that each of weakened regions 70 are aligned along the same vertical line, such that a vertical plane 80 extends through the weakened regions.

[0020] When the columns of food slices and interleafs are arranged as described above, columns 30 and 32 can be separated by tearing each interleaf 60 that separates the multiple food slices along each of weakened regions 70. Columns 30 and 32 are separated by tearing each interleaf 60 along weakened regions 70. Because each of the interleafs 60 that are provided to separate the plurality of slices of cheese are formed with a weakened region 70, columns 30 and 32 can be separated by holding each column 30 and 32 and manipulating each of the columns to twist the columns with respect to each other and tear interleafs 60 along their weakened region 70. Alternatively, columns 30 and 32 can be separated by cutting each of the interleafs 60 along the weakened regions 70 with a knife or other cutting tool.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4, for ease of shipment, interleafs 60 can be provided in a roll of material 110. When interleafs 60 are manufactured, the weakened region is formed along the length of interleafs 60, such that weakened region 70 bisects interleaf 60 into two sections 102 and 104 along the length of the interleafs 60. When columns 30 and 32 are formed, the required length of interleaf 60 is unrolled and cut by a manufacturing step known in the art to allow interleaf 60 to be positioned between slices 20 and 40 in each of the columns 30 and 32.

[0022] Thus, it is apparent that there has been described, in accordance with the invention, a system and method for separating stacks of food products that fully provides the advantages set forth above. Although the

invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is not intended that the invention be limited to those embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that variations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the plurality of food slices 20 and 40 can be formed into three or more neighboring columns with each layer of food slices in the multiple columns being separated by a single interleaf 60 that is formed with multiple weakened regions to allow the columns to be easily separated. Additionally, the interleafs 60 can be formed with a non-stick coating that is selectively applied only on the interleaf 60 surface that will contact the food product slices 20 and 40. The boundary region 64, including the weakened region 70, does not receive any coating. In some embodiments depending on the type of non-stick coating used with the interleafs 60, the boundary region 64 of the interleaf 60 is comparatively weaker than the remainder of the interleaf 60 that is covered with the nonstick coating. The relative difference in strength along the surface of the interleaf 60 enhances the ease of separation of the columns of food slices because any force applied to the columns to separate them will be directed toward the weakened region 70 to separate the columns. It is therefore intended to include within the invention all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.