# US 7,611,347 B1 · Extrusion die assembly for high density products

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- Number: US 7,611,347 B1
- Document ID: US7611347B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 12/420,725
- Filed: 2009-04-08
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2009-04-08
- Assignees: Wenger Manufacturing, Inc.
- Inventors: Joseph P. Kearns; Galen J. Rokey; Philip B. Wiltz; Anthony L. Bruning; Lafe N. Bailey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7611347B1

## CPC

- A23N 17/005: {for shaping by moulding, extrusion, pressing, e.g. pellet-mills (processes A23K40/00; presses in general B30B)}
- A23P 30/20: Extruding
- B29C 48/05: Filamentary, e.g. strands
- B29C 48/09: Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels
- B29C 48/395: using screws surrounded by a cooperating barrel, e.g. single screw extruders
- B29C 48/402: {the screws having intermeshing parts}
- B29C 48/42: Non-identical or non-mirrored screws
- B29C 48/525: Conical screws
- B29C 48/53: having a varying channel depth, e.g. varying the diameter of the longitudinal screw trunk
- B29C 48/57: provided with kneading disc-like elements, e.g. with oval-shaped elements
- B29C 48/625: characterised by the ratio of the threaded length of the screw to its outside diameter [L/D ratio]
- B29C 48/64: Screws with two or more threads
- B29C 48/688: {having threads}
- B29C 48/793: upstream of the plasticising zone, e.g. heating in the hopper
- B29C 48/832: {Heating}
- B29C 48/87: Cooling
- B29C 48/04: Particle-shaped (making granules B29B9/00)
- B29C 48/2564: {Screw parts}
- B29C 48/345: Extrusion nozzles comprising two or more adjacently arranged ports, for simultaneously extruding multiple strands, e.g. for pelletising
- B29C 48/40: using two or more parallel screws {or at least two parallel non-intermeshing screws}, e.g. twin screw extruders
- B29C 48/56: having grooves or cavities other than the thread or the channel
- B29C 48/58: provided with seal ring elements, i.e. elements of generally circular and tapered shape for preventing the back flow of the melt
- B29C 48/68: Barrels or cylinders
- B29C 48/686: {having grooves or cavities}
- B29C 48/762: {Vapour stripping}
- B29C 48/83: {Heating or cooling the cylinders}
- A23N: MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING HARVESTED FRUIT, VEGETABLES OR FLOWER BULBS IN BULK, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PEELING VEGETABLES OR FRUIT IN BULK; APPARATUS FOR PREPARING ANIMAL FEEDING- STUFFS (machines for cutting straw or fodder A01F29/00; disintegrating, e.g. shredding, B02C; severing, e.g. cutting, splitting, slicing B26B, B26D)
- A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS
- 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

High-capacity extrusion die assemblies (20, 90, 130, 140, 180, 252) each having a tubular sections (44, 146, 162, 268) and an elongated, axially rotatable, helically flighted screw section (56, 56a, 152, 168, 276, 278) which cooperatively define frustoconical, outwardly diverging material flow paths (75, 160, 291) at constant or differing divergence angles of from about 1-11°. The use of diverging tubular sections (44, 146, 162, 268) and screw sections (56, 56a, 152, 168, 276, 278) permits the use of larger die plates (76, 118, 292) with an increased number of die openings (80, 124, 296). This allows significant increases in extrusion production rates. The die assemblies (20, 90, 130, 140, 180, 252) can be used in the production of a wide number of human foods or animal feeds, and particularly aquatic feeds of the floating or sinking variety. In another aspect of the invention, an extruder (210) is provided having diverging and converging sections (212, 214) along the length thereof and defining corresponding flow paths (230, 246).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A high capacity food extrusion die assembly comprising:
an elongated tubular section presenting a longitudinal axis and having an axial length and a bore with an inlet end and an outlet end, said bore from said inlet end to said outlet end defining a downstream direction and progressively diverging at an angle of from about 1-11° in said downstream direction from said inlet end to said outlet end;
a plurality of separate, structurally distinct tubular extensions operably coupled with said bore outlet end and configured to receive food material from the tubular section, each of said extensions being oriented at a diverging angle relative to the longitudinal axis and the downstream direction of said tubular section;
a food extrusion die operably coupled with each of said extensions adjacent the ends thereof remote from said tubular section and including a plurality of die openings configured to create a pressure drop across the die openings during extrusion of food material through the die.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The die assembly of claim 1, each of said extensions independently oriented at said diverging angle of from about 2-12°.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The die assembly of claim 1, including a manifold operably coupled with said tubular section outlet end in order to receive food material from the outlet end, said tubular extensions operably connected with said manifold.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The die assembly of claim 1, there being an elongated, axially rotatable, food material-conveying screw section within said tubular section.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The die assembly of claim 1, there being an elongated, axially rotatable, food material-conveying screw section within said tubular section and having an axial screw length with a smaller diameter inlet end proximal to said tubular section inlet end and a larger diameter outlet end proximal to said tubular section outlet end, said screw section including an elongated shaft with outwardly extending helical flighting presenting flighting outer surfaces along the length of the screw section, said flighting outer surfaces progressively diverging at an angle of from about 1-11° in a direction from said screw section inlet end to said screw section outlet end.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The die assembly of claim 1, said tubular extensions being out of communication with each other at said ends thereof remote from said tubular section.

### Claim 7

A food extruder comprising:
an elongated barrel presenting a food material inlet end and an outlet end;
an elongated, axially rotatable, helically flighted, food material-conveying screw within said barrel and operable to move food material from said inlet toward and through said outlet under pressure; and
a food extrusion die assembly coupled to the outlet end of said barrel and comprising:
an elongated tubular section presenting a longitudinal axis and having an axial length and a bore with an inlet end and an outlet end, said bore from said inlet end to said outlet end defining a downstream direction and progressively diverging at an angle of from about 1-11° in said downstream direction from said inlet end to said outlet end;
a plurality of separate, structurally distinct tubular extensions operably coupled with said bore outlet end and configured to receive food material from the tubular section, each of said extensions being oriented at a diverging angle relative to the longitudinal axis and the downstream direction of said tubular section;
a food extrusion die operably coupled with each of said extensions adjacent the ends thereof remote from said tubular section and including a plurality of die openings configured to create a pressure drop across the die openings during extrusion of food material through the die.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The food extruder of claim 7, each of said extensions independently oriented at an said diverging angle of from about 2-12°.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The food extruder of claim 8, including a manifold operably coupled with said tubular section outlet end in order to receive food material from the outlet end, said tubular extensions operably connected with said manifold.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The food extruder of claim 7, there being an elongated, axially rotatable, food material-conveying screw section within said tubular section.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The food extruder of claim 7, there being an elongated, axially rotatable, food material-conveying screw section within said tubular section and having an axial screw length with a smaller diameter inlet end proximal to said tubular section inlet end and a larger diameter outlet end proximal to said tubular section outlet end, said screw section including an elongated shaft with outwardly extending helical flighting presenting flighting outer surfaces along the length of the screw section, said flighting outer surfaces progressively diverging at an angle of from about 1-11° in a direction from said screw section inlet end to said screw section outlet end.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The food extruder of claim 7, said tubular extensions being out of communication with each other at said ends thereof remote from said tubular section.