Rick W Bajema

US Patent:

D458729, Jun 18, 2002

Filed:

Aug 14, 2001

Appl. No.:

29/146689

Inventors:

Rick Wendell Bajema - Plano TX
Marie Louise Kawas - Plano TX

Assignee:

Recot, Inc. - Pleasanton CA

International Classification:

0101

US Classification:

D 1120

US Patent:

6540911, Apr 1, 2003

Filed:

Aug 31, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/653547

Inventors:

Rick W. Bajema - Plano TX

Assignee:

Recot, Inc. - Pleasanton CA

International Classification:

B01D 35027

US Classification:

210154, 210155, 210156, 210162, 210409, 209156

Abstract:

A dewatering system for separating a stream of liquid from the items traveling therein. The dewatering system includes a primary grid which catches the stream of liquid from a flume or other device. The liquid stream, but not the solid items, passes through the primary grid and is caught by a baffle which smoothly redirects the liquid. The baffle is arranged with respect to the primary grid so that the surface of the stream flow through the grid is substantially tangential to a leading portion of the baffle.

US Patent:

6966765, Nov 22, 2005

Filed:

Nov 9, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/990943

Inventors:

Rick Wendell Bajema - Plano TX, US

Assignee:

Frito-Lay, North America, Inc. - Plano TX

International Classification:

B29C047/24

US Classification:

425170, 425381, 425467, 425468, 4253823, 425169

Abstract:

A rotating circular die for mounting on an extruder. The die incorporates an inner component comprising a cone with support independent of the outer component and extruder, thereby permitting forward and backward adjustment of the inner component in relation to the outer component during actual processing. Independent support for the inner cone eliminates the sanitary and microbial concerns that are present when die assemblies are housed within the extruder. The inner cone is self-centering to provide extrudate of uniform thickness and capable of imparting rotational shearing stresses on the extrudate to provide for starch alignment. The rotation of the inner component considered with the positional adjustability produces uniform extrudate as well as minimizes production downtime by reducing clogging and backup risks and providing for easy clean up.

US Patent:

7137325, Nov 21, 2006

Filed:

Nov 5, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/701529

Inventors:

Rick Wendell Bajema - Plano TX, US
Keith Robert Johnson - Highland Village TX, US
Gregory Paul Matocha - Richardson TX, US

Assignee:

Frito-Lay North America, Inc. - Plano TX

International Classification:

B26D 3/28
B26D 5/20
B26D 5/28
B26D 7/06

US Classification:

83 42, 83 76, 83369, 83402

Abstract:

A novel food processing system for dividing a flow of food items into a plurality of streams, gently and quickly transporting the food items along a flume of fluid propelled by eductors to several slicers, transversely slicing the food items at a controlled rate to maximize yield, washing the slices, transporting the slices and controllably distributing the slices onto a conveyor for further processing. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the food processing system comprises an oversized-product separator, a segmented cutter, a mass-flow/spreading conveyor, a diverter stage, an eductor stage, a dewatering stage, a starch removal stage, a slicer infeed conveyor, at least one transverse slicer, and a slice spreader. In a preferred embodiment, cutting losses are decreased by minimizing slicing speeds.

US Patent:

7658133, Feb 9, 2010

Filed:

Apr 5, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/696961

Inventors:

Michael S. Jacko - Chesterton IN, US
Daniel Wade King - Valparaiso IN, US
Rick Wendell Bajema - Plano TX, US
Annette Stiers Jones - Dallas TX, US
David Ray Warren - Plano TX, US

Assignee:

Urschel Laboratories, Inc. - Valparaiso IN
Frito-Lay North America, Inc. - Plano TX

International Classification:

B26D 1/03

US Classification:

83403, 83858, 83932

Abstract:

A cutting apparatus having an annular-shaped cutting head and an impeller assembly coaxially mounted for rotation within the cutting head to deliver food products radially outward toward the cutting head. The cutting head has at least one knife extending radially inward toward the impeller assembly. The impeller assembly is equipped with paddles, each having a radially outer extremity adjacent the impeller assembly, a radially inner extremity, and a face therebetween facing the rotational direction of the impeller assembly. According to preferred aspects of the invention, removable posts radially extend from the radially outer extremity of each paddle, and/or the face of each paddle has grooves transverse to a radial of the impeller assembly.

US Patent:

8161856, Apr 24, 2012

Filed:

Apr 5, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/696924

Inventors:

Michael S. Jacko - Chesterton IN, US
Daniel Wade King - Valparaiso IN, US
Rick Wendell Bajema - Plano TX, US
Annette Stiers Jones - Dallas TX, US
David Ray Warren - Plano TX, US

Assignee:

Urschel Laboratories, Inc. - Valparaiso IN
Frito-Lay North America, Inc. - Plano TX

International Classification:

B26D 1/03

US Classification:

83403, 83932

Abstract:

A cutting apparatus having an annular-shaped cutting head and an impeller assembly coaxially mounted for rotation within the cutting head to deliver food products radially outward toward the cutting head. The cutting head has at least one knife extending radially inward toward the impeller assembly. The knife has a cutting edge at a radially innermost extremity and a radially outer face that defines a trajectory plane for slices removed from the products by the cutting edge. The knife is clamped to the cutting head with a clamping feature that provides clearance for slices when traveling the trajectory plane of the knife.

US Patent:

8646470, Feb 11, 2014

Filed:

Jul 31, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/831082

Inventors:

Rick Wendell Bajema - Plano TX, US
Keith Robert Johnson - Blackdown, GB

Assignee:

Frito-Lay North America, Inc. - Plano TX

International Classification:

B08B 3/12

US Classification:

134182

Abstract:

The present invention discloses a washer for washing produce such as potatoes. In one aspect, a debris removal section removes debris, such as rocks, and a sloped serpentine flume is used to gravity feed the produce through a serpentine flow path to remove the surface dirt and loosen any embedded dirt. The produce can be optionally routed to a spray washer to remove embedded dirt.

US Patent:

20140020571, Jan 23, 2014

Filed:

Jul 18, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/552353

Inventors:

Rick Wendell Bajema - Plano TX, US
Christopher E. Graham - Sandy Hook CT, US
Joseph Halligan - Sacramento CA, US
James L. Pfister - Mechanicsburg PA, US
Joseph Furmansky - Canandaigua PA, US
Steven A. Von Rhedey - Dresden NY, US
Steven P. Von Rhedey - Hammondsport NY, US

Assignee:

The Concentrate Manufacturing Company of Ireland - Hamilton

International Classification:

A23N 5/00

US Classification:

99569

Abstract:

Aspects of the present invention relate to a system configured for separating a nut or other hard component from soft matter connected to the hard component. The system includes first and second rotary modules. The first rotary module includes a cylindrical first chamber defined by an inner surface and a first rotary assembly within the first chamber. The second rotary module is in communication with the first rotary module such that the first rotary module feeds the hard component and the pulp into the second rotary module. The second rotary module includes a cylindrical screen defining a cylindrical second chamber and a second rotary assembly disposed within the second chamber. The system may further include an infeed assembly for feeding the material into the first rotary module, and/or a discharge portion for discharging the hard component through an exit port after separation by the second rotary module.