Patent Application
20070071877
It has been found that the ingestion of frankfurters by small children can be hazardous due to the cylindrical configuration of this product. Thus, if a small child swallows a piece of frankfurter, there is a danger of choking because the circular cross-section closely conforms to the circular cross section of the esophagus and occupies the entire cross section of a small child's esophagus.
The prior art related to specially shaped food products includes the following U.S. Patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,567 B1 to Phillippa Donaire covers an Indigestible Element which has the form of a short cylindrical member which has a pair of cross-drilled holes. The holes are intended to provide air passageways and prevent choking in the event that the item is swallowed the wrong way.
U.S. Pat. No. D489,865 S to Stefano Pavan shows a Snack in the form of an elongated tubular member. The outer surface of the member has hexagonal sides and the member has a longitudinal circular aperture.
U.S. Pat. No. D492,467 S to Bruce T. Pittard, et al. for a Helical Food Product shows an elongated food member with a cruciform cross-section. The food member is twisted along a longitudinal axis thereby forming a helical configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. Des 94,174 to C. H. Vogt for an Encased Meat Loaf shows a meat loaf which has the form of a triangular prism.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,937,095 to A. Zitin for a Food Product and Method of Making the Same shows an elongated cylindrical food member. The food member has a central aperture having a star-shaped cross-section.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 254,396 to Arthur W. Carlson for a Flat Frankfurter shows an elongated flat food member. The food member has a plurality of transversely oriented indentations.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 337,643 to George T. Betz, Jr. for a Spiral Slit Frankfurter shows an elongated food member in which a V-shaped spiral has been cut. The V-shaped spiral forms a thread-like structure while maintaining the generally cylindrical configuration of the outer surface of the member.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 392,435 to Gerardas Johannes Mocking for a Tubular Food Product shows an elongated food member which has a generally square or prismoidal cross-section. The food member has a longitudinal central aperture which is also square or prismoidal in configuration thereby forming a flat walled tubular member.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 401,735 to Jeffrey A. Rom for a Pretzel Wrapped Hot Dog Food Product shows a cylindrical hot dog first food member onto which a second elongated cylindrical food member has been spirally wound. The second food member forms the configuration of a closely wound spring which encases the first food member.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,054,152 to Terry N. Blount, et al. for an Anti-Choking Candy Design shows a spherical candy member. The spherical candy member includes three cross-drilled mutually intersecting cylindrical holes which provide air passageways to prevent choking.
U.S. Pat. No. D437,101 S to Amnar Debbonz for Pasta shows an elongated pasta food member which has a generally cruciform cross-section. The outer ends of the arms of the cruciform are rounded. Adjacent arms of the food member form a V-shaped longitudinal indentation.
Despite the developments of the prior art, there remains a need for a frankfurter configuration which will prevent the danger of choking by small children which currently results from the conventional frankfurter lodging in the child's esophagus and preventing proper air flow.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel frankfurter configuration which prevents choking even when lodged in a child's throat.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel frankfurter configuration which has a generally triangular cross-section.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel frankfurter configuration which has a generally square cross-section.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel frankfurter configuration which has a generally rectangular cross-section.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel frankfurter configuration which has a non-circular cross-section.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel frankfurter configuration which has a generally straight-sided cross-section.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel frankfurter configuration which can be manufactured, in volume, using conventional frankfurter manufacturing equipment resulting in a low unit cost.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly hereinafter.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a frankfurter which is formed to have a triangular cross section rather than the conventional circular cross section. In this manner, gaps will remain between the sides of the triangular cross section frankfurter and the surrounding circular cross section of the esophagus walls. In an alternate embodiment, the frankfurter may have a square cross section which, for the above reasons, provides a smaller but still effective gap between the sides of the frankfurter and the walls of the esophagus.
Additional alternative embodiments of the invention include frankfurters which have rectangular cross-section and other non-circular cross-sectional configurations.
Other important objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with accompanying drawings in which:
With reference to the drawings wherein like reference numbers designate like or corresponding parts throughout, there is shown in
As is best shown in
These air passageways 32, 34, 36 enable a child or an adult who has improperly swallowed the frankfurter 10 to receive air to his or her lungs and provides time for first aid and medical personnel to remove the frankfurter. In addition, because the frankfurter 10 makes only local contact with the wall 30 of the esophagus along the curved wall portions 24, 26, 28 as shown in
In contrast to the present invention, the circular cross-section of conventional frankfurters (which has not been illustrated) can easily make an air-tight seal against the circular wall 30 of the esophagus resulting in choking. Even if first aid or medical personnel immediately attempt to remove a conventional frankfurter from a choking patient, the close fit between the cylindrical surface of a conventional frankfurter and the circular wall 30 of the esophagus creates a sealing relationship making timely removal of a conventional frankfurter extremely difficult.
Adjacent flat surfaces 52 and 54, 54 and 56, 56 and 58, 58 and 52, are joined by curved walls 60, 62, 64, 66 respectively.
Adjacent flat surfaces 102 and 104, 104 and 106, 106 and 108, 108 and 102 are joined by curved walls 110, 112, 114, 116 respectively.
The frankfurters 10, 50, 100, 150, 300 according to the present invention are manufactured using processing steps which include the steps of preparing the frankfurter food stuff material adding desired flavorings and spices followed by grinding mixing.
The novel cross-sectional configuration of the frankfurter 10, 50, 100, 150, 300 according to the present invention is accomplished by forcing the frankfurter foodstuff material through the novel frankfurter extrusion tools 200, 220, 240, 260, 350 shown in
Each of the extrusion tools 200, 220, 240, 260, 350 and 450 includes an aperture 202, 232, 242, 262, 352, 452 shaped in accordance with the cross-section of the frankfurter 10, 50, 100, 150, 300, 400.
The frankfurters 10, 50, 100, 150, 300, 400 may include casings or alternatively, the frankfurters 10, 50, 100, 150, 300, 400 may be skinless.
The foregoing specific embodiments of the present invention as set forth in the specification herein are for illustrative purposes only. Various deviations and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention, without departing from a main theme thereof.
