Cooking extrusion horn

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10368572-B2
Application number	US-201615042689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus and method for extruding extrudate through an extruding horn having a geometry that allows for a uniform flow from the discharge end into a cooking section that sets the outer surfaces of continuous flow of all meat specie. The technology as disclosed and claimed allows for uniform product thickness throughout the cooking process, increased system throughput, and increased bind in the sheet leading to overall increased product yields. The technology eliminates the need for a meat press ahead of the system to set thickness further reducing yields.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An extrusion horn apparatus comprising:
a conduit communicably extending between an entry portal and an exit portal, where said conduit having a feeder conduit portion communicably extending from the entry portal and communicably contacting in-line end-to-end a tapered portion communicably extending to the exit portal,
where the tapered portion of the conduit has an outwardly tapered end and an inwardly tapered end where the outwardly tapered end is disposed at an upstream position with respect to the inwardly tapered end communicably extending to the exit portal, and
where the tapered portion is configured as a heating element sufficient to sear a product flowing there through.

2. The extrusion horn apparatus as recited in claim 1 , where the inwardly tapered end of the tapered portion of the conduit includes an upper inwardly tapered plate and a lower inwardly tapered plate each extending downstream and tapered inwardly one with respect to the other where a distance between the upper inwardly tapered plate and the lower inwardly tapered plate decreases as the upper inwardly tapered plate and lower inwardly tapered plate extend downstream, and where a distance between outer edges of the upper inwardly tapered plate and the lower inwardly tapered plate decreases as the upper inwardly tapered plate and the lower inwardly tapered plate extend downstream.

3. The extrusion horn apparatus as recited in claim 2 , where the inwardly tapered end of the tapered portion of the conduit includes a left-side inwardly tapered plate and a right-side inwardly tapered plate each extending downstream and tapered inwardly one with respect to the other where a distance between the left-side inwardly tapered plate and the right-side inwardly tapered plate decreases as the left-side inwardly tapered plate and the right-side inwardly tapered plate extend downstream, and where a distance between outer edges of the left-side inwardly tapered plate and the right-side inwardly tapered plate decreases as the left-side inwardly tapered plate and the right-side inwardly tapered plate extend downstream.

4. The extrusion horn apparatus as recited in claim 3 , where the outwardly tapered end of the tapered portion of the conduit includes an upper outwardly tapered plate and a lower outwardly tapered plate each extending downstream and tapered outwardly one with respect to the other where a distance between the upper outwardly tapered plate and the lower outwardly tapered plate increases as the upper outwardly tapered plate and lower outwardly tapered plate extend downstream, and where a distance between outer edges of the upper outwardly tapered plate and the lower outwardly tapered plate increases as the upper outwardly tapered plate and the lower outwardly tapered plate extend downstream.

5. The extrusion horn apparatus as recited in claim 4 , where the outwardly tapered end of the tapered portion of the conduit includes a left-side outwardly tapered plate and a right-side outwardly tapered plate each extending downstream and tapered outwardly one with respect to the other where a distance between the left-side outwardly tapered plate and the right-side outwardly tapered plate increases as the left-side outwardly tapered plate and the right-side outwardly tapered plate extend downstream, and where a distance between outer edges of the left-side outwardly tapered plate and the right-side outwardly tapered plate increases as the left-side outwardly tapered plate and the right-side outwardly tapered plate extend downstream.

6. The extrusion horn apparatus as recited in claim 5 , where the outwardly tapered end and the inwardly tapered end are configured as a heating element sufficient to sear a product flowing there through.

7. The extrusion horn apparatus as recited in claim 6 , comprising:
a non-stick coated fabric is applied over an inner wall of the inwardly tapered end of the conduit.

8. The extrusion horn apparatus as recited in claim 6 , where an inner wall of the inwardly tapered end of the conduit has one of a non-stick coating and a non-stick surface applied for searing the product flowing there through.

9. The extrusion horn apparatus as recited in claim 8 , where the non-stick coating is one or more of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating, a ceramic coating, a silicone coating and an enameled cast iron coating.

10. The extrusion horn apparatus as recited in claim 8 , where the non-stick surface is one or more of a highly polished stainless steel surface, an anodized aluminum surface and a seasoned cast iron surface.

Assignees

• Tyson Foods Inc

Inventors

• Christie Mark
• Cardarelli Anthony J
• Ruff James A
• Fu Dejing

Classifications

• A22C11/0209

  Stuffing horn assembly · CPC title

• B29C48/022

  characterised by the choice of material · CPC title

• A23P30/20 Primary

  Extruding · CPC title

• A22C7/00

  Apparatus for pounding, forming, or pressing meat, sausage-meat, or meat products {(meat patty moulding devices for domestic use A47J43/20; ham boilers A47J27/20)} · CPC title

• B29C48/30

  Extrusion nozzles or dies (extrusion characterised by the shape or cross-section of the extruded article B29C48/03) · CPC title