IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,401,075
Granted Patent B2
US 11,401,075 · App. 15/797,154 · Granted Aug 2, 2022

Packaged yogurt-based food product and method for packaging the yogurt-based food product

Inventors: Rob G Clements (Plymouth, MN); Paul Allen Grube (Jordan, MN); William R Lloyd, III (Chanhassen, MN); John Thomas Lund (Dedham, MA); David L Persells (New Richmond, WI); Terry W Ziegler (St. Louis Park, MN)
Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
B65D25/54A23C9/133B65B3/04B65B39/00B65D85/72A23C2270/05B65B2220/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,401,075
App. No.
15/797,154
Granted
Aug 2, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A yogurt-based food product is packaged in a container, including a bottom wall and a sidewall, by depositing a mix-in in a center of the bottom wall and then driving the mix-in from the center of the bottom wall to the sidewall with a blast of gas. Afterwards, a dairy or plant-based product is deposited in the container. The mix-in is in contact with the bottom wall and the sidewall, and a height of the mix-in is greater at the sidewall than at a center point of the bottom wall.

Claims (21)

1. A method for packaging a food product in a container including a bottom wall and a sidewall, the method comprising:

depositing a mix-in in a center of the bottom wall;

driving the mix-in from the center of the bottom wall to the sidewall with a blast of gas, wherein driving the mix-in from the center of the bottom wall to the sidewall includes causing the mix-in to not cover a center point of the bottom wall; and

depositing a dairy or plant-based product in the container, wherein the mix-in does not cover the center point of the bottom wall when the dairy or plant-based product is deposited in the container.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein driving the mix-in from the center of the bottom wall to the sidewall includes causing the mix-in to contact the sidewall.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein driving the mix-in from the center of the bottom wall to the sidewall includes causing a height of the mix-in to be greater at the sidewall than at a center point of the bottom wall.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein depositing the mix-in in the center of the bottom wall includes causing the mix-in to form a partial sphere.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein driving the mix-in from the center of the bottom wall to the sidewall includes causing the mix-in to form a torus, and the mix-in is in the form of the torus after the dairy or plant-based product is deposited in the container.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein driving the mix-in from the center of the bottom wall to the sidewall includes driving the mix-in outward in all directions simultaneously.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the container is fully or partially transparent or translucent.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the sidewall is transparent or translucent.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mix-in comprises a viscous liquid that clumps in the center of the bottom wall.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the mix-in comprises fruit.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fruit is strawberries, blueberries, cherries, lemons or peaches.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dairy or plant-based product comprises milk.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the dairy or plant-based product further comprises a yogurt culture.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the dairy or plant-based product in the container includes depositing yogurt.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a majority the mix-in which is driven from the center of the bottom wall to the sidewall remains at the sidewall after depositing of the dairy or plant-based product in the container.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mix-in which is driven from the center of the bottom wall to the sidewall remains at the sidewall after depositing of the dairy or plant-based product in the container.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: controlling the blast of gas to avoid splattering of the mix-in over the sidewall.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the mix-in includes depositing coconut in the center of the bottom wall.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2025
From: GENERAL MILLS, INC.
To: MIDWEST YOGURT, INC.
Reel/Frame 071792/0609 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 4, 2018
From: CLEMENTS, ROB G; GRUBE, PAUL ALLEN; LLOYD, WILLIAM R; LUND, JOHN THOMAS; PERSELLS, DAVID L; ZIEGLER, TERRY W
To: GENERAL MILLS, INC.
Reel/Frame 045437/0189 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190127117A1 · May 2, 2019