Patent Abstract:
A food product composed of a first elongated dough member formed into the shape of a pretzel and defining three open spaces and a second elongated dough member formed into a spiral and positioned into at least one of said open spaces and the first dough member is pretzel dough and the second dough member is cinnamon bun dough.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to the food product art and more particularly to a snack food product combining a pretzel type snack food with a cinnamon bun type snack food.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     Snack foods are one of the common type of food products enjoyed by many people as between meal snacks, with meals or in place of meals, as the case may be. Among the many varieties of snack foods are pretzels and cinnamon buns. Both of these types of snack foods have in the past and now are two of the most popular snack foods demanded by the purchasing public. Many shopping malls, strip malls, shopping centers, discount merchandisers and the like often feature separate stores or locations which dispense pretzels and others which dispense cinnamon buns.  
         [0005]     However, there has not heretofore been a single food product which combines the taste composition and configuration of both a pretzel and a cinnamon bun.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved snack food.  
         [0007]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a snack food having the configuration and composition of both a pretzel and a cinnamon bun.  
         [0008]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved snack food that may be economially fabricated and configured in the conventional shapes of both a cinnamon bun and a pretzel.  
         [0009]     The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved, in preferred embodiments of the invention, by providing a first elongated dough member which has a first preselected composition such aa a pretzel dough and is formed into the conventional pretzel shape in which there are provided three openings between adjacent portions of the pretzel. It will be understood that other configurations of the first elongated dough member may be utilized in the practice of the present invention. The preferred embodiments described herein are described with reference to the conventional pretzel configuration for convenience of description.  
         [0010]     A second elongated dough member is also provided and the second elongated dough member may have a second composition which maybe, for example, be a cinnamon bun dough. The second elongated dough member is formed in the configuration of a spiral and is positioned within one of the openings formed by the pretzel configuration of the first elongated dough member. The second elongated dough member is retained in the one of the openings of the first elongated dough member&#39;s pretzel configuration by frictional forces or by adhesion to the adjacent portions of the first elongated dough member. The adhesion may be accomplished by surface treatment such as the based coating often employed on cinnamon buns or any other desired type of coating utilized on cinnamon buns.  
         [0011]     In other embodiments of the present invention there may be provided both a second elongated dough member and a third elongated dough member positioned, individually, in a first and a second of the openings provided by the pretzel configuration of the first elongated dough member. The third elongated dough member may have the same cinnamon bun composition as the second elongated dough member or, alternatively, the composition of the first elongated dough member.  
         [0012]     In other embodiments of the present invention there may be provided both a second elongated dough member, a third elongated dough member and a fourth elongated dough member positioned in, respectively the first, second and third openings defined by the pretzel configuration of the first elongated dough member. At least one of the first, second and third elongated dough members is composed of a cinnamon bun dough to provide the desired combination of a pretzel and a cinnamon bun. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0013]     The above and other objects of the present invention my be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar elements throughout and in which:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  illustrates a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  illustrates a fifth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  illustrates a sixth embodiment of the present invention; and,  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  illustrates a seventh embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     Referring now to the drawing, there is illustrated in  FIG. 1 a  first embodiment, generally designated  10  of the present invention. The embodiment  10  is a food product, generally designated  12 . The food product  12  is made from a first elongated dough member  14 . The first elongated dough member  14  has a first preselected composition which may be a pretzel dough. The first elongated dough member  14  is made into the conventional pretzel configuration to define three openings  16 ,  18  and  20  between portions of the first elongated dough member  14 . The first elongated dough member  14  has a first end  22  and a second end  24 .  
         [0022]     Positioned within opening  22  is a second elongated dough member  26  having a second preselected composition. The second preselected composition may be a cinnamon bun composition. The second elongated dough member is formed into a spiral configuration for nesting in the opening  20 . The second elongated dough member  26  may be retained in the opening  20  by surface treatment such as by a sugar type coating thereon and/or by frictional forces between the first elongated dough member  14  and the second elongated dough member  26 .  
         [0023]     In a modified form of the embodiment  10 , the second elongated dough member may be made from the same pretzel dough composition as the first elongated dough member  14 . As a further modification, if desired, to the embodiment  10 , the first end  22 , or the second end  24  of the first elongated dough member  14  may be further elongated and twisted into the spiral configuration shown for the second elongated dough member  26 .  
         [0024]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an embodiment  50  of the present invention which is similar to the embodiment  10  described above. There is provided a food product  52  having a first elongated dough member  54  similar to the first elongated dough member  14  described above which may be of a pretzel dough composition and is in the configuration of a pretzel and forms the three openings  56 .  58  and  60 . The first elongated dough member  54  also has a first end  55  and a second end  57 . In the embodiment  50  there is a second elongated dough member  62  similar to the second elongated dough member  26  described above and is positioned in the opening  60 . The second elongated dough member  62  may be of the same composition as the first elongated dough member  54  or a different composition such as a cinnamon dough. The second elongated dough member  62  may, if desired be formed from a further elongation of the first end  55  of the first elongated dough member  54 .  
         [0025]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown an embodiment  70  of the present invention which is similar to the embodiments  10  and  50  described above. There is provided a food product  72  having a first elongated dough member  74  similar to the first elongated dough member  14  described above which may be of a pretzel dough composition and is in the configuration of a pretzel and forms the three openings  76 ,  78  and  80 . The first elongated dough member  74  also has a first end  82  and a second end  84 . In the embodiment  70  there is a second elongated dough member  86  similar to the second elongated dough member  26  described above and is positioned in the opening  80 . The second elongated dough member may be of the same composition as the first elongated dough member  54  or a different composition such as a cinnamon dough. The second elongated dough member  86  may, if desired be formed from a further elongation of the second end  84  of the first elongated dough member  54 .  
         [0026]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown an embodiment  90  of the present invention which is similar to the embodiment  10 ,  50  and  70  described above. There is provided a food  92  having a first elongated dough member  94  similar to the first elongated dough member  14  described above which may be of a pretzel dough composition and is in the configuration of a pretzel and forms the three openings  96 ,  98  and  100 . The first elongated dough member  94  also has a first end  102  and a second end  104 . In the embodiment  90  there is a second elongated dough member  106  similar to the second elongated dough member  26  described above and is positioned in the opening  96 . The second elongated dough member  106  may be of the same composition as the first elongated dough member  94  or a different composition such as a cinnamon dough. The second elongated dough member  106  may, if desired be formed from a further elongation of the first end  102  of the first elongated dough member  94 . In the embodiment  90  there is also provided a third elongated dough member  108  which may be similar to the second elongated dough member  106 . The third elongated dough member  108  may be of the same composition as the first elongated dough member  94  or a different composition such as a cinnamon dough. The third elongated dough member  108  may, if desired be formed from a further elongation of the second end  104  of the first elongated dough member  94 .  
         [0027]     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , there is shown an embodiment  110  of the present invention which is similar to the embodiments  10 ,  50 ,  70  and  90  described above. There is provided a food  112  having a first elongated dough member  114  similar to the first elongated dough member  94  described above which may be of a pretzel dough composition and is in the configuration of a pretzel and forms the three openings  116 ,  118  and  120 . The first elongated dough member.  114  also has a first end  122  and a second end  124 . In the embodiment  110  there is a second elongated dough member  128  similar to the second elongated dough member  108  described above and is positioned in the opening  120 . The second elongated dough member  128  may be of the same composition as the first elongated dough member  114  or a different composition such as a cinnamon dough. The second elongated dough member  128  may, if desired be formed from a further elongation of the second end  124  of the first elongated dough member  114 . In the embodiment  110  there is also provided a third elongated dough member  108  which may be similar to the second elongated dough member  106 . The third elongated dough member  126  which may be of the same composition as the first elongated dough member  114  or a different composition such as a cinnamon dough. The third elongated dough member  126  may, if desired be formed from a further elongation of the first end  122  or the second end  124  of the first elongated dough member  114 .  
         [0028]     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , there is shown an embodiment  130  of the present invention which is similar to the embodiment  10 ,  50 ,  70 ,  90 , and  110  described above. There is provided a food  132  having a first elongated dough member  134  similar to the first elongated dough member  114  described above which may be of a pretzel dough composition and is in the configuration of a pretzel and forms the three openings  136 ,  138  and  140 . The first elongated dough member  134  also has a first end  142  and a second end  144 . In the embodiment  130  there is a second elongated dough member  146  similar to the second elongated dough member  128  described above and is positioned in the opening  136 . The second elongated dough member  146  may be of the same composition as the first elongated dough member  134  or a different composition such as a cinnamon dough. The second elongated dough member  146  may, if desired be formed from a further elongation of the second end  142  of the first elongated dough member  134 . In the embodiment  130  there is also provided a third elongated dough member  148  which may be similar to the second elongated dough member  146 . The third elongated dough member  148  which may be of the same composition as the first elongated dough member  134  or a different composition such as a cinnamon dough. The third elongated dough member  148  may, if desired be formed from a further elongation of the first end  142  or the second end  144  of the first elongated dough member  114 .  
         [0029]     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , there is shown an embodiment  150  of the present invention which is similar to the embodiments  10 ,  50 ,  70 ,  90 ,  110  and  130  described above. There is provided a food product  152  having a first elongated dough member  154  similar to the first elongated dough member  134  described above which may be of a pretzel dough composition and is in the configuration of a pretzel and forms the three openings  156 ,  158  and  160 . The first elongated dough member  154  also has a first end  162  and a second end  164 . In the embodiment  150  there is a second elongated dough member  166  similar to the second elongated dough member  128  described above and is positioned in the opening  158 . The second elongated dough member  166  may be of the same composition as the first elongated dough member  154  or a different composition such as a cinnamon dough. The second elongated dough member  166  may, if desired be formed from a further elongation of the second end  164  of the first elongated dough member  154 . In the embodiment  150  there is also provided a third elongated dough member  108  which may be similar to the second elongated dough member  106 . The third elongated dough member  168  which may be of the same composition as the first elongated dough member  154  or a different composition such as a cinnamon dough. The third elongated dough member  168  may, if desired be formed from a further elongation of the first end  162  of the first elongated dough member  114 . In the embodiment  150  there is also provided a fourth elongated dough member  170  which may be similar to the second elongated dough member  166  and the third elongated dough member  168 . The fourth elongated dough member  170  may be of the same composition as the first elongated dough member  154  or a different composition such as a cinnamon dough. The fourth elongated dough member  170  may, if desired be formed from a further elongation of the first end  162  or the second end  164  of the first elongated dough member  114 .  
         [0030]     Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the various Figures of the drawing, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0