Apparatus and method for manufacturing products

• Main Authors: JELLEY SIMON PHILIP, BANISTER STUART MARK, BUFTON ANDREW CHRISTOPHER, WILLIAMSON FINBARR CHARLES RONALD, BOWEN GAVIN, HAINES RODERICK ANDREW
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 15.05.2018
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; CHEWING GUM; COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; CONFECTIONERY; FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; ICE-CREAM; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY ASINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A method of extruding products comprises varying the rate of flow of at least one material through an extrusion aperture in a die. The method may be used to produce an extrudate body whose cross-sectional area varies along its length or to produce an extrudate body comprising two or more different materials in which the proportions of the materials varies along its length. Apparatus for carrying out the method comprises an extrusion die defining an extrusion aperture and a material delivery system for delivering the material(s) to the die in a suitable condition for extrusion. A control systemis operative to vary the rate of flow of the material. The control system may comprise a flow control mechanism in a supply path for the first material upstream from the die. The flow control mechanism may be operative to vary the volume of the supply path and may comprise a fluid actuated resiliently deformable flexible element. The method and apparatus are particularly suited for manufacturingfood products, especially