Method and apparatus for producing a braided puff extrudate
AssigneeRecot, Inc.
InventorEugenio Bortone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process and apparatus for the production of a braid shaped puffed extrudate. A tube or other peripheral containment vessel is placed at the exit end of an extruder die that produces two or more extrudate streams. A circular air stream is then introduced into the peripheral containment vessel downstream of the glass transition point, thereby causing the extrudate streams to braid together within the containment vessel.
Claims20
A method for producing a braided puff extrudate, said extrudate exiting at least two die orifices in a plastic melt stage and thereafter cooling to a glass transition stage, comprising applying a circular gas flow, sufficient to cause said extrudate exiting said at least two die orifices to braid with each other, said gas flow being applied around the extrudate downstream of the glass transition stage while such extrudate is contained in a peripheral containment vessel.
An apparatus for producing a braided extrudate for an extrudate having a glass transition point, said apparatus comprising:
- an extruder die;
- a peripheral containment vessel attached to said die;
- and
- a means for subjecting at least two parallel extrudate streams exiting from said die to a circular gas flow, wherein such circular gas flow is applied downstream of the glass transition point of the extrudate, thereby causing the extrudate streams to braid inside said peripheral containment vessel.
A method for producing a braided shaped puffed extrudate, said extrudate exiting in at least two streams from an extruder die in a plastic melt state before cooling to a glass transition state, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) routing the extrudate streams through a peripheral containment vessel;
- b) applying a circular air flow within the peripheral containment vessel, said circular air, flow applied downstream of the extrudate glass transition state, wherein such circular air flow is sufficient to cause the extrudate streams to braid with each other within the peripheral containment vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.