Apparatus and method for separating stacks of food products slices

Abstract

A system for separating multiple stacked slices of food slices includes a plurality of overlying food slices that are arranged in at least two columns, with a first column having a side adjacent to a side of a second column. Each of the plurality of food slices are separated by a divider that includes a weakened region between the sides of the first and second columns of food slices. A method of separating multiple stacks of food slices includes stacking a plurality of food slices into at least two columns of food slices, placing a divider between each food slice in each of at least two columns, wherein the divider includes a weakened region located between the at least two columns of food slices, and separating the at least two columns of food slices by separating the plurality of dividers along the weakened region of each divider.

1 . A system for separating multiple food slices comprising: 
 a plurality of overlying food slices that are arranged in at least two columns, with a first column having a side adjacent to a side of a second column;    wherein each of the plurality of food slices in each of the first and second columns are separated by a divider; and    wherein each of the dividers includes a weakened region located between the sides of the first and second columns of food slices.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each of the dividers comprise a sheet of paper.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each of the dividers further comprise a top and a bottom surface having a non-stick coating.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the weakened region in each of the dividers comprise a plurality of horizontal cuts along the weakened region.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the weakened region in each of the dividers comprise a thinner cross-section than remaining portions of the dividers.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the weakened region in each of the plurality of dividers are substantially parallel to each other and are substantially aligned in a vertical plane that extends through a boundary region between the first column and the second column.  
   
   
       7 . A method for separating multiple stacks of food slices comprising: 
 providing a plurality of food slices;    stacking the plurality of food slices into at least two columns of food slices, while placing a divider between each food slice in each of the at least two columns, wherein the divider includes a weakened region located between the at least two columns of food slices; and    separating the at least two columns of food slices by separating the plurality of dividers along the weakened region of each divider.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the step of placing a divider between each food slices further comprises placing a sheet of paper between the food slices.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the step of placing a divider between each food slices comprises placing a plurality of dividers with a top and a bottom surface that includes a non-stick coating.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the step of placing the a divider between each food slice comprises placing dividers in which the weakened region comprises a plurality of horizontal cuts along the length of the weakened region.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the step of placing a divider between each food slice comprises placing dividers in which the weakened region in each of the dividers comprise a thinner cross-section than remaining portions of each of the dividers.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein placing a divider between each food slice in which each of the plurality of dividers are substantially parallel to each other and are each substantially aligned with a vertical plane that extends through a boundary region between the first column and the second column.  
   
   
       13 . A system for organizing a plurality of food product slices comprising: 
 a plurality of food product slices organized to form a plurality of adjacent columns with a plurality of levels of food slices within each of the plurality of columns;    a plurality of dividers positioned between the plurality of food product slices within each of the plurality of adjacent columns, wherein each of the dividers are positioned to establish a dividing point between the plurality of levels of food slices;    wherein each of the plurality of dividers further comprise a weakened region, wherein each of the weakened regions are substantially aligned in a vertical plane that extends through a boundary region between the adjacent columns.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the weakened region comprises a plurality of horizontal cuts along the weakened region.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the weakened region comprises a thinner cross-section than remaining portions of the dividers.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of food product slices further comprise a plurality of slices of cheese.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein each of the plurality of dividers comprise a sheet of paper.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein each of the sheets of paper further comprise a top and a bottom surface having a substantially non-stick coating.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the weakened region comprises a plurality of horizontal cuts along the weakened region.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of adjacent columns comprises two adjacent columns.