Snack chip having improved dip containment and a grip region

• US 20020172748A1
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Romanach, Benito Alberto, Mishkin, Martin Alfred, Zimmerman, Stephen Paul
• Application Number:
  US09/851,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20020172748A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/560
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 19/19 from powdered or mashed potato products A23L19/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 7/13 Snacks or the like obtained by oil frying of a formed cereal dough

Abstract

The present invention relates to snack pieces having an improved dip containment region for providing improved dip holding containment region. More particularly, the present invention relates to snack pieces having an improved dip containment region for providing improved dip holding containment region with a separate grip region that avoids messy finger contact with the dip by a user. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to snack pieces having an improved dip holding containment region with a grip region that avoids messy finger contact with the dip that is readily communicated and discernible to the user by the shape of the snack piece and a method to make such a snack piece.

Claims

1. ) A uniform snack piece having a dip containment region for containing a dip-condiment, said snack piece comprising:

a) a body curved about a first axis, said curvature of said body forming a dip containment region having an open end and wherein said first axis is not parallel to a side of said body, whereby said curved body restricts a dip held on said snack piece from flowing off said snack piece in at least two directions.

2. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said snack piece having a vertical span and an engagement span that is 90% of said vertical span.

3. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said curved body of said snack piece forms substantially two side walls adjacent to said containment region at said open end, whereby preventing the dip from flowing over said side walls at said open end and off of said snack piece.

4. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said first axis is perpendicular to said open end.

5. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said snack piece is triangular-shaped.

6. ) A snack piece according to claim 5, wherein said snack piece is isosceles shaped.

7. ) A snack piece according to claim 6, wherein said axis is perpendicular to said base of said isosceles triangle.

8. ) A snack piece according to claim 5, wherein said snack piece is equilateral triangle.

9. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said snack piece when held in a tilted position greater than 0°

, said restricted end restricts flow through said restricted end and off of said snack piece.

10. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said snack piece has a length (L) from 30 mm to about 110 mm.

11. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said snack piece has a radius of curvature used to form said snack piece from about 15 mm to about 500 mm.

12. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said snack piece has a vertical taper is between about 0°

to about 45°

.

13. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said snack piece is placed in a nested arrangement with a plurality of said snack piece.

14. ) A snack piece according to claim 13, wherein said snack pieces in said nested arrangement are consistent.

15. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said open end has a width from about 15 mm to about 75 mm.

16. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said restricted end is less than about 75% of the width of said open end.

17. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said curvature of said snack piece has a varying radius of curvature along the length of said snack piece.

18. ) A snack piece according to claim 1, wherein said snack piece is a segment of a right cone.

19. ) A method for making a snack piece according to claim 1 from dough pieces, said method comprising the steps of:

a) forming said dough piece formed into a uniform size, curvature and shape;

b) restraining said dough piece on at least one side of said dough piece to hold said dough piece'"'"'s curvature; and

c) cooking said dough piece on said belt to form said snack piece.

20. ) A method according to claim 19, wherein said dough piece is restrained by placing said dough piece onto a curved belt, wherein said belt has a radius of curvature substantially equivalent to a desired radius of curvature of said snack piece.

21. ) A method according to claim 19, wherein said dough piece is constrained by placing said dough piece onto a mold, wherein said mold has substantially the same size, curvature and shape of said desired snack piece.