Method and apparatus for cutting dough with nested pattern cutters

1. A method of producing individual dough products from a continuous dough sheet, each dough product having a peripheral shape, the method comprising the steps of:

conveying a continuous dough sheet along a travel path relative to a first die cutter to position a first portion of the dough sheet in a first position;

moving the first die cutter toward the first portion of the dough sheet in a first stamping operation;

engaging the first die cutter with the first portion of the dough sheet to cut a first portion of the peripheral shape of at least one individual dough product, while the first portion of the dough sheet continues to move along the travel path and relative to the first die cutter;

moving the first die cutter away from the first portion of the dough sheet;

conveying the continuous dough sheet along the travel path relative to a second die cutter to position the first portion of the dough sheet in a second position;

moving the second die cutter toward the first portion of the dough sheet in a second stamping operation;

engaging the second die cutter with the first portion of the dough sheet to cut a second portion of the peripheral shape of the at least one individual dough product, while the first portion of the dough sheet continues to move along the travel path and relative to the second die cutter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second die cutters are mounted on a single plate to form a unitary die cutter assembly.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of engaging the first die cutter with the dough sheet to cut a first portion of the peripheral shape of at least one individual dough product further includes the second die cutter simultaneously engaging with the dough sheet to cut a second peripheral portion of another dough product that is adjacent to the dough product cut with the first die cutter.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second die cutters are mounted on separate die plates.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cut of the first die cutter provides a first portion of the peripheral shape of a first individual dough product and the cut of the second die cutter completes the peripheral shape of the first individual dough product.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the individual dough products are arranged so that each dough product is immediately adjacent to at least one other dough product to create a row of dough products, and wherein each row of dough products is immediately adjacent to at least one other row of dough products.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the rows of dough products is angled relative to the travel path of the dough sheet.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein each of the row of dough products is oriented at an angle of at least about 10 degrees relative to the travel path of the dough sheet.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the rows of dough products is oriented 180 degrees relative to each adjacent row.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of each peripheral shape cut by the first die cutter in the first stamping operation and the second portion of each peripheral shape cut by the second die cutter in the second stamping operation together provide a complete peripheral shape of each individual dough product.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the complete peripheral shape of each dough product is a pentagonal shape.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein one of the first and second portions of the peripheral shape is a single linear portion.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the other of the first and second portions of the peripheral shape includes multiple connected shape portions.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second stamping operations take place on a first conveyor moving at a first speed, the method further comprising the step of conveying the each of the individual dough products away from the first and second die cutters by a second conveyor that is moving at a second speed, wherein the second speed is different from the first speed.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second speed is faster than the first speed so that the individual dough products tend to separate from each other as the dough products are moved from the first conveyor to the second conveyor.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first die cutter comprises multiple blades arranged to cut greater than 50 percent of the peripheral shape of the at least one individual dough product.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the portion of the peripheral shape cut by the first die cutter is arranged in a semi-open configuration.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first die cutter comprises multiple blade sections extending from a base plate, wherein each of the blade sections is wider at a point adjacent the base plate than at a point furthest from the base plate.

19. A method of producing individual dough products from a continuous dough sheet, each dough product having a peripheral shape, the method comprising the steps of:

conveying a continuous dough sheet along a travel path relative to a first die cutter to position a first portion of the dough sheet in a first position;

pausing the dough sheet in the first position;

moving the first die cutter toward the first portion of the dough sheet in a first stamping operation;

engaging the first die cutter with the first portion of the dough sheet to cut a first portion of the peripheral shape of at least one individual dough product;

moving the first die cutter away from the first portion of the dough sheet;

conveying the continuous dough sheet along the travel path relative to a second die cutter to position the first portion of the dough sheet in a second position;

pausing the dough sheet in the second position;

moving the second die cutter toward the first portion of the dough sheet in a second stamping operation;

engaging the second die cutter with the first portion of the dough sheet to cut a second portion of the peripheral shape of the at least one individual dough product.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first and second die cutters are mounted on a single plate to form a unitary die cutter assembly.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the step of engaging the first die cutter with the dough sheet to cut a first portion of the peripheral shape of at least one individual dough product further includes the second die cutter simultaneously engaging with the dough sheet to cut a second peripheral portion of another dough product that is adjacent to the dough product cut with the first die cutter.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first portion of each peripheral shape cut by the first die cutter in the first stamping operation and the second portion of each peripheral shape cut by the second die cutter in the second stamping operation together provide a complete peripheral shape of each individual dough product.