# US 8,771,775 B2 · Multi layer extrusion

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- Number: US 8,771,775 B2
- Document ID: US8771775B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/422,544
- Filed: 2009-04-13
- Published: 2010-10-14
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2009-04-13
- Assignees: T.F.H. Publications, Inc.
- Applicants: Glen S. Axelrod; Ajay Gajria
- Inventors: Glen S. Axelrod; Ajay Gajria
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771775B2

## CPC

- A23K 40/25: by extrusion
- A01K 15/026: {Chewable toys, e.g. for dental care of pets}
- A23K 10/30: from material of plant origin, e.g. roots, seeds or hay; from material of fungal origin, e.g. mushrooms (obtained by microbiological or biochemical processes, e.g. using yeasts or enzymes, A23K10/10)
- A23K 20/163: Sugars; Polysaccharides
- A23K 20/174: Vitamins
- A23K 20/20: Inorganic substances, e.g. oligoelements
- A23K 40/20: by moulding, e.g. making cakes or briquettes
- A23K 50/42: Dry feed
- A23N 17/005: {for shaping by moulding, extrusion, pressing, e.g. pellet-mills (processes A23K40/00; presses in general B30B)}
- A23K: FODDER
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- 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)

## Abstract

A pet chew may be manufactured by co-extruding multiple compositions to form a layered construction. Separate extruders may be provided to tailor processing conditions to heat and/or shear sensitive compositions, such as nutritional additives, and the respective extrudates may be combined such that relatively higher levels of nutritional compositions may be provided as an outer layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for forming a pet chew comprising:
providing a first extruder operable with a first extruder die providing a first extruder die profile shape, a second extruder operable with a second extruder die providing a second extruder die profile shape and a third extruder operable with a third extruder die having a third extruder die profile shape;
providing a first composition containing a nutritional additive to said first extruder and a second composition to said second extruder and a third composition containing a nutritional additive to said third extruder;
extrusion processing said first composition through said first extruder and said first extruder die to form a first extrudate having a first extrudate profile shape;
extrusion processing said second composition through said second extruder and said second extruder die to form a second extrudate having a second extrudate profile shape;
extrusion processing said third composition through said third extruder and said third extruder die to form a third extrudate having a third extrudate profile shape;
joining said first extrudate, said second extrudate and said third extrudate to one another with a combining die located downstream of the first extruder die, the second extruder die and the third extruder die;
wherein said first extruder is operating at a selected barrel temperature (BT1), including a selected residence time for said first composition (RT1) and a selected shear rate (γ1);
wherein said second extruder is operating at a selected barrel temperature (BT2), a selected residence time for said second composition (RT2) and a selected shear rate (γ2);
wherein said third extruder is operating at a selected barrel temperature (BT3), a selected residence time for said third composition (RT3) and a selected shear rate (γ3);
wherein at least one of the following conditions is present:
BT1<BT2
RT1<RT2
γ1<γ2; and
wherein at least one of the following conditions is present:
BT3<BT2
RT3<RT2
γ3<γ2; and
wherein said first and third extrudates each provide a portion of an outer layer and said second extrudate provides a core, and wherein the first and third extrudates are each directly bonded to the second extrudate forming the core and completely surround the second extrudate forming the core;
wherein said nutritional additive of said first composition is a thermally degradable and/or shear degradable nutrient additive;
wherein said nutritional additive of said first composition is not present in the second composition; and
wherein said nutritional additive of said first composition comprises a vitamin or mineral or herb, wherein 75% or more by weight of said nutritional additive in said composition remains non-degraded after processing in said first extruder.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein at least two of the following conditions are present: BT1<BT2; RT1<RT2; γ1<γ2.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the following conditions are present: BT1<BT2; RT1<RT2; γ1<γ2.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein at least two of the following conditions are present: BT3<BT2; RT3<RT2; γ3<γ2.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the following conditions are present BT3<BT2; RT3<RT2; γ3<γ2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein said first and second compositions comprise one of a starch, a gluten, a carbohydrate, rawhide or meat.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein said first and second compositions comprise raw starch.

### Claim 8

A process for forming a pet chew comprising:
providing a first extruder operable with a first extruder die providing a first extruder die profile shape, a second extruder operable with a second extruder die providing a second extruder die profile shape and a third extruder operable with a third extruder die having a third extruder die profile shape;
providing a first composition containing a nutritional additive to said first extruder and a second composition to said second extruder and a third composition containing a nutritional additive to said third extruder;
extrusion processing said first composition through said first extruder and said first extruder die to form a first extrudate having a first extrudate profile shape;
extrusion processing said second composition through said second extruder and said second extruder die to form a second extrudate having a second extrudate profile shape;
extrusion processing said third composition through said third extruder and said third extruder die to form a third extrudate having a third extrudate profile shape;
joining said first extrudate, said second extrudate and said third extrudate to one another with a combining die located downstream of the first extruder die, the second extruder die and the third extruder die;
wherein said first extruder is operating at a selected barrel temperature (BT1), including a selected residence time for said first composition (RT1) and a selected shear rate (γ1);
wherein said second extruder is operating at a selected barrel temperature (BT2), a selected residence time for said second composition (RT2) and a selected shear rate (γ2);
wherein said third extruder is operating at a selected barrel temperature (BT3), a selected residence time for said third composition (RT3) and a selected shear rate (γ3);
wherein the following conditions are present:
BT1<BT2
RT1<RT2
γ1<γ2; and
wherein the following conditions are present:
BT3<BT2
RT3<RT2
γ3<γ2; and
wherein said first and third extrudates each provide a portion of an outer layer and said second extrudate provides a core, and wherein the first and third extrudates are each directly bonded to the second extrudate forming the core and completely surround the second extrudate forming the core;
wherein said nutritional additive of said first composition is a thermally degradable and/or shear degradable nutrient additive;
wherein said nutritional additive of said first composition is not present in the second composition; and
wherein said nutritional additive of said first and third composition comprises a vitamin or mineral or herb, wherein 75% or more by weight of said nutritional additive in said first and third composition remains non-degraded after processing in said first and third extruders.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8 wherein said first, second and third compositions comprise one of a starch, a gluten, a carbohydrate, rawhide or meat.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8 wherein said first, second and third compositions comprise raw starch.