Systems and methods for manufacturing multi-compartment products containing wet and dry components

• Main Authors: Sarachman Michael John, Dzikowicz Anthony Edward, Mann Jason Everett, Chappell, Jr. Russell Leon, Peterson Scott David, Mishra Dharmendra Kumar, Brannan Michael Robert
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.09.2016
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; CALCULATING; COMPUTING; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HUMAN NECESSITIES; MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGINGARTICLES OR MATERIALS; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; STORING; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES; TRANSPORTING; UNPACKING

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for manufacturing shelf-stable, multi-compartment products. In a general embodiment, a manufacturing system is provided and includes a continuous manufacturing line including a barrier separating a dry food packaging area from a wet food packaging area. The manufacturing line is configured to manufacture a shelf-stable food product including both a dry food product with no artificial preservatives in a first compartment of a tray and a wet food component with no artificial preservatives in a second compartment of the tray.