# US 12,765,580 B2 · Method and apparatus for producing spiral pet treat > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,765,580 B2 - Document ID: US12765580B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/865,168 - Filed: 2022-07-14 - Published: 2024-01-18 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-07-14 - Assignees: Blue Buffalo Enterprises, Inc. - Applicants: Blue Buffalo Enterprises, Inc. - Inventors: Lynn K Barton; Emily Lauren Fort; Megan Keough; Jie Sun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12765580B2 ## CPC - A23K 40/25: by extrusion - A23K 50/42: Dry feed - A23V 2300/16: Extrusion - A23K: FODDER - A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION ## Abstract A method and apparatus for the automated mass production of spiral body pet treats, particularly chewable, spiraling rawhide-type pet treats, employs an extruder for extruding at least one rope in the form of a spiraling cross-sectional body having a plurality of radially spaced layers and an outer terminal end portion which is radially in-turned and conjoined with an adjacent one of the plurality of radially spaced layers. The rope is cut by a cutting assembly at longitudinally spaced locations in creating spiral shaped intermediate products which are then dried to form the spiral body pet treats. The spiral body pet treats are hard when dried but, with the radially in-turned outer terminal end portion being joined to a radially inward spiral layer, no terminal edge with potentially sharp contact points is exposed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of mass producing pet treats comprising: extruding at least one rope in the form of a spiraling cross-sectional body having a plurality of radially spaced layers and an outermost layer including an end portion which is radially in-turned, conjoined and continuous with an adjacent one of the plurality of radially spaced layers; directing the at least one rope to a cutting assembly which cuts the at least one rope at longitudinally spaced locations to create spiral shaped intermediate products; and drying the spiral shaped intermediate products to form pet treats, wherein the pet treat is formed of dough. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the spiraling cross-sectional body includes at least three radially spaced layers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the spiraling cross-sectional body includes at least four radially spaced layers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one rope is cut such that each pet treat has a length in a range of approximately 5-30 cm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein extruding the at least one rope comprises concurrently extruding a plurality of ropes onto a conveyor in various transversely spaced rows. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the cutting assembly constitutes a rotating cutting assembly including a roller in combination with at least one cutting blade for cutting the plurality of ropes simultaneously. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one rope is formed by extruding the dough, the dough having a moisture content of approximately 20-45% based on the weight of the pet treat and the spiral shaped intermediate products are dried such that the pet treats have a moisture content of approximately 8-15% based on the weight of the pet treat. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the dough includes ingredients derived from rice, potatoes, peas and chicken in combination with gelatin, glycerin, stabilizers and flavorings, and the pet treats are spiraling rawhide-type chew treats. ### Claim 9 A pet treat comprising a spiraling cross-sectional body having a plurality of radially spaced layers and an outermost layer including an end portion, which is radially in-turned, conjoined and continuous with an adjacent one of the plurality of radially spaced layers, wherein the pet treat is formed of dough. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The pet treat of claim 9, wherein the spiraling cross-sectional body includes at least three radially spaced layers and said pet treat lacks an exposed terminal edge where the end portion is conjoined with the adjacent one of the plurality of radially spaced layers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The pet treat of claim 10, wherein the spiraling cross-sectional body includes at least four radially spaced layers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The pet treat of claim 10, wherein the pet treat has a length in a range of approximately 5-30 cm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The pet treat of claim 10, wherein the pet treat has a moisture content of approximately 8-15% based on the weight of the pet treat. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pet treat of claim 13, wherein the pet treat constitutes a spiraling rawhide-type chew treat. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The pet treat of claim 9, wherein the end portion extends parallel to the adjacent one of the plurality of radially spaced layers and then turns inward and extends radially toward the adjacent one of the plurality of radially spaced layers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The pet treat of claim 15, wherein the end portion forms a space between the end portion and the adjacent one of the plurality of radially spaced layers as the end portion extends parallel to the adjacent one of the plurality of radially spaced layers and the end portion meets the adjacent one of the plurality of radially spaced layers as the end portion extends radially toward the adjacent one of the plurality of radially spaced layers.