Apparatus, method and product for ultrasonic extrusion of a flowable substrate
AssigneeCreative Resonance, Inc.
InventorRoberto Capodieci
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention relates generally to ultrasonic extrusion apparatus, methods and products. A flowable substrate may be supplied by an infeed to an extrusion chamber having an ultrasonic horn. The flowable substrate contacts the ultrasonic resonant horn and receives ultrasonic energy before and/or as passing through an extrusion orifice. Suitable flowable substrates may include meat emulsions, pomace solutions, and dough. The extruded product may have virtually any solid or hollow shape. The flowable substrate may form a shape-retaining product that may be cut without significantly deforming.
Claims15
An apparatus for extruding a flowable substrate comprising:
- an infeed;
- an extrusion chamber including a top plate and a base forming a void for the flowable substrate to flow through, the top plate including an opening and the base having an extrusion orifice, the extrusion chamber further including an infeed channel in communication with the infeed, the infeed channel maintaining a similar diameter to the infeed;
- an ultrasonic horn including a horn face, only the horn face of the ultrasonic horn extending through the opening in the top plate into the void of the extrusion chamber so that an extrusion path of the flowable substrate extends through the void of the extrusion chamber, across the horn face, and out of the void through the extrusion orifice;
- a nodal ring connecting the ultrasonic horn and the extrusion chamber;
- and
- an o-ring positioned between the horn face and the extrusion chamber, the o-ring and the horn face sealing the opening of the top plate of the extrusion chamber.
An apparatus for extruding a flowable substrate comprising:
- an extrusion chamber including a top plate and a base forming a void for the flowable substrate to pass through, the top plate including a plurality of openings and the base having a plurality of extrusion orifices;
- a plurality of ultrasonic resonant drivers corresponding to the plurality of extrusion orifices, wherein each ultrasonic resonant driver includes a horn face and wherein only the horn face extends into the extrusion chamber;
- a mother horn coupled to the plurality of resonant drivers, the mother horn connected to the extrusion chamber through a nodal ring, wherein the nodal ring does not vibrate with a frequency of the mother horn;
- a plurality of o-rings, each o-ring positioned between each of the openings and the horn faces sealing the void of the extrusion chamber;
- and
- an infeed for supplying flowable substrate to the void of the extrusion chamber, wherein an extrusion path of the flowable substrate extends through the void of the extrusion chamber, across at least one of the horn faces, and out of at least one of the plurality of extrusion orifices, wherein the chamber remains inert during extrusion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.