# US 10,368,572 B2 · Cooking extrusion horn > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,368,572 B2 - Document ID: US10368572B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/042,689 - Filed: 2016-02-12 - Published: 2017-08-17 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-12 - Assignees: Tyson Foods, Inc. - Applicants: Tyson Foods, Inc. - Inventors: Mark Christie; Anthony J. Cardarelli; James A. Ruff; Dejing Fu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368572B2 ## CPC - A23P 30/20: Extruding - A22C 7/00: 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)} - A22C 11/0209: {Stuffing horn assembly} - B29C 48/06: Rod-shaped - B29C 48/022: {characterised by the choice of material} - A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS - A22C: PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH (preserving A23B; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs A23J1/00; fish, meat or poultry preparations A23L; disintegrating, e.g. chopping meat, B02C18/00; preparation of proteins C07K1/00) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) 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. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) 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.