Apparatus for making multiple, complexly patterned extrudates
US5643618A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 9, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jul 1, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 9, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA21C11/20
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Apparatus (10) is disclosed where plastic extrudable food product is provided such as by a food cooker extruder (12) and is mixed with a food color to form a complexly patterned food product, such as by a pattern forming die (20). The cross-sectional area of the patterned food product is reduced from an inlet end (34) to an outlet end (36) by a factor of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree. while maintaining the cross-sectional pattern to form a reduced cross-sectional patterned dough, and then is extruded through a die port having an opening equal to the reduced cross-sectional area to form a complexly patterned extrudate. In the preferred form, multiple extrudates are simultaneously formed with the flow rates for each extrudate being adjustable by an adjuster plug (16) including a smooth cylindrical portion (86) extendable into a passageway (14) having a circular cross section of a larger diameter than the cylindrical portion (86). In a preferred form, the extrudates are extruded in a non-circular pattern and specifically in a horizontal, single plane by a manifold (100) including ports (134, 136) and ducts (132, 138) receiving flow from passageways…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.