Pioneer Pet Products, LLC

G.h.l. International, Inc.

Ghl Specialty Flours, LLC

Other

Magnum Power Products, LLC

Veterinary Ventures, Inc.

John Michael Lipscomb

Qing He

Stanley L Suring

Omar I Rodriguez

Chad C Berge

Scott Repinski

Tao Huang

Timothy B Strandell

Betsy M Lipscomb

Jonathan D Supanich

Wei Chao

David R Mai

Daniel J De Lay

Ke Li

Yingchun Mao

Dong Zhao

Daniel J Delay

Sean Rowe

Keith H Hamm

Mark Briski

Walter J Fiedorowicz

Stan L Suring

Scott P Isabelle

Edgar C Paffrath

Harley A Reabe

Walter E Frohboese, Jr

David D Stein

A method, system and machine for cold processing extruded starch-containing pellets by cold particle size reducing pellets of a size greater than a particle size reduction setting size enabling particle size reduction to be performed without compacting or compression any size reduced particle while doing so without heating them during particle size reduction thereby preserving their pores, internal liquid absorbing voids and starch matrix optimizing granular sorbent performance. Such a method, system and machine is selectively controllable enabling not only control of how many and a ratio of fines produced relative to the final product providing real time control of fines production but also is able to provide particle size distribution control as well. A preferred particle size reduction machine is a roll granulator that breaks larger size pellets into smaller sized particles and/or fines without compressing or compacting them with the spacing between the rolls selectively variably in a manner that regulates how much of different sized particles and/or particles falling within certain size ranges are produced advantageously enabling real time control of particle size distribution to be achieved during extruder line operation.

System and ultrahigh pressure extrusion method for making extruded granular sorbent with post-extrusion cold-processing of extruded granular absorbent for size control

An extruded product composed of a gelling extrudate and method of extruding gelling extrudate. The extrudate is composed of cold-water soluble pregelatinized starch formed of starch in a starch-containing admixture modified by extrusion at extrusion pressures greater than 2000 PSI that gels when mixed with water, which preferably also modifies additional starch/starches in the admixture into different molecular weight polymers of cold-water soluble gellant that polymerize forming a gel when mixed with water, preferably forming a hydrocolloid gel, which more preferably is a self-gelling gel, which even more preferably is a thermoreversible gel crosslinked by one or more proteins freed by or modified during extrusion. Admixtures configured to produce gelling extrudates include admixtures composed of cereal grains, including sorghum, wheat, oats, barley and/or corn, and/or legumes, including chickpea, yellow pea, pea and/or lentils with legume admixtures producing gelling extrudates that form thicker gels whose viscosity increases over time.

Extruded gelling products and methods for making extruded gelling products

A functionally enhanced flour provided by a manufacturing process that subjects a grain precursor to extrusion under low water, high pressure, and low heat dynamic conditions, and methods of using the resulting flour as an ingredient in food products for human and animal consumption.

Functionally enhanced flours and methods of making and using same

A multicomponent granular absorbent blend formed of at least a plurality of components with at least one of the components formed of smectite-containing, preferably bentonite-containing, absorbent granules, and at least one other of its components formed of absorbent granules comprised of an extrudate. Such an extruded-containing absorbent granule component can be a component formed of extruded pellets covered with an outer absorbent coating preferably composed of smectite, more preferably bentonite, and/or can be a component formed of extruded pellets used without any such smectite, preferably bentonite, outer coating producing uncoated absorbent granules which also are dust-adhering thereby reducing airborne dust in the multicomponent blend. Such a component composed of uncoated dust-adhering absorbent granules can be formed of extruded splayed pellets having at least one lobe and/or fibrillated tendrils enhancing both absorption and dust pickup in the multicomponent blend.

Airborne dust reducing granular absorbent blends

An air treatment system, e.g., used in a PPE mask, contains media with an infectious agent attenuator that attenuates or inactivates infectious agents in air flowing through passages in a media, the attenuator composed of moisture-activated biocide, e.g., organic acid like citric acid, and a humectant, e.g., gelling humectant like sorbitol, which captures moisture from the air to maintain biocide activation. A surfactant, such as a rhamnolipid surfactant, which attracts and encapsulates infectious agents in the air can be included. The attenuator has a pH≤5, preferably ≤4, more preferably ≤3.5, is kept activated at or below the desired pH by humectant capturing moisture in the breath of a person wearing a mask with the media. A preferred biocide is composed of a solution containing about 88% water and 12% of a mixture that is at least 80% citric acid and no more than 20% sorbitol.

Infectious agent air treatment system, apparatus, and method

A system and method for treating or processing granular absorbent while the granular absorbent is being transported in a fluid stream that preferably is a stream of air. The system includes a pneumatic conveyor with a conduit that draws pellets exiting an extruder into the conduit drying the pellets as they are transported through the conduit. Material can be introduced that dries, coats or otherwise treats the pellets while the pellets are transported through the conduit. Coating material, e.g., powdered bentonite can coat and also dry pellets during transport. A conduit can have inner pellet treating surface that abrades pellets transported through the conduit producing smaller fines that can be packaged with pellets forming a granular absorbent product that forms clumps on top that extend generally horizontally.

Granular absorbent and system and method for treating or processing granular absorbent during granular absorbent transport

A method of making an extruded granular absorbent is provided where the method includes providing an extruder and a starch-containing admixture, and pressurizing the starch containing admixture in the extruder under relatively high extrusion pressures to extrude the pressurized starch-containing admixture from the extruder, and producing a water absorbent and oil absorbent extrudate. The present invention further provides that the extruded granular absorbent may be combined with a non-extruded granular material with relatively high inert or cellulose content where there may be a greater proportion of extruded granular absorbent, and the extruded granular absorbent and non-extruded granular material agglutinate into a clump when wetted with water or urine.

Method for making extruded granular absorbent and clumping granular absorbent

The present invention is directed to an extruded food product constituent composed of a gelling food product constituent extrudate and method of extruding a gelling food product constituent extrudate used as an ingredient of a food product normally using a gelling gum, like guar gum, xanthan gum or carrageenan as an ingredient. The gelling food product extrudate is composed of cold-water soluble gelling pregelatinized starch formed of starch in a starch-containing admixture modified by extrusion at extrusion pressures greater than 2000 PSI that gels when mixed with water, which preferably also modifies additional starch or starches in the admixture into a plurality of different molecular weight polymers of a cold-water soluble gellant that polymerize forming a gel when mixed with water, preferably forming a hydrocolloid gel, which more preferably is a self-gelling gel, which even more preferably is a thermo-reversible gel crosslinked by one or more proteins freed by or modified during extrusion. Preferred admixtures configured to produce gelling extrudates include admixtures composed of cereal grains, including sorghum, wheat, oats, barley and/or corn, and/or legumes, including chick pea, yellow pea, pea and/or lentils with legume containing admixtures producing gelling extrudates that form thicker gels whose viscosity increases over time that are well suited for use in non-dairy dairy substitutes like non-dairy butter, non-dairy creamers, non-dairy whipped cream, non-dairy yogurt, non-dairy cream cheese, non-dairy cheese, and non-dairy ice cream.

Extruded gelling food products, extruded gelling food product ingredients, and methods for making extruded gelling food products and extruded food product ingredients

A method of making granular extrudate by extruding a starch-containing admixture from an extruder into an extrudate discharge chamber in gas flow communication with a discharge conduit that transports the granular extrudate away therefrom in gas turbulently flowing therethrough. During transport of the granular extrudate from the discharge chamber and through the conduit in the flowing gas, the gas quenches the granular extrudate cooling and drying the granular extrudate without heating it. Quenching reduces the granular extrudate temperature by at least 15° Celsius and moisture content to no greater than 13%. Quenching prevents shrinkage and densification of the extrudate including when cut into pellets. Quenching also prevents retrogradation, crystallization/recrystallization and solubilization of cold-water soluble binder formed in each pellet during extrusion. This produces extruded sorbent pellets which are water and oil sorbent, which clump when wetted, and which are well suited for use as cat or animal litter.

Quenched extruded granular absorbent and system and method for making quenched extruded granular absorbent

Method and coated lightweight granular absorbent formed of lightweight inner cores made of extruded pellets coated with powdered smectite, preferably bentonite, to form an outer sorbent smectite shell around each pellet producing lightweight sorbent granules where the pellets have sufficient water soluble binder to facilitate shell formation and clumping during sorbent use. When lightweight sorbent granules are wetted, clumps are formed that shrink during drying producing a clean, generally non-sticking clump having a high clump retention rate of at least 92% and/or a crush strength of at least 15 PSI. In a preferred method, the pellets are dried coated with dry powdered smectite before wetting using an atomizer or mister while turbulently directing air towards the pellets and powdered smectite to coat the pellets with the powdered smectite forming the outer sorbent shell while minimizing pellet shrinkage and densification. Such lightweight granular sorbent is well suited for use as litter.

Lightweight coated extruded granular absorbent

A flour made using an admixture composed of starch-containing grain, seed or fruit of a cereal grain or grain legume of low water content extruded in a single screw extruder at an ultra-high extrusion pressure producing an extruded functionally enhanced flour usable as an instantized flour by only adding water. When water is added, the flour forms a paste or dough that is three dimensionally formed or shaped into food products that can be cooked or baked in an oven into human or animal edible food products. The extruded functionally enhanced instantized flour also can be used as an ingredient in other edible food products. A preferred extruded functionally enhanced instant flour is extruded at ultra-high pressure from an admixture composed substantially completely of one or more cereal grains and/or legumes using only the moisture present in the cereal grains and/or legumes.

Functionally enhanced flours, grits, and food products and methods of making and using same

Extruded granular sorbent formed of sorbent granules each being or including an extruded pellet containing water soluble binder sufficient to self-clump when wetted producing clumps of granules each having a clump retention rate of at least 90% and which shrink after clump formation during drying producing a nonstick clump that condenses pulling away from any contacting solid surface minimizing adhesion therebetween. Such clumps preferably also have a crush strength of at least 15 PSI when dry. Pellets preferably contain cold water-soluble amylopectin binder that not only solubilizes when wetted to facilitate clumping but which also opens the interior of the pellet improving absorption capacity. Sorbent well suited for use as litter is formed of granules or pellets having sizes falling within a plurality of different size ranges with the smaller sized fines causing the clumps to form on top of the litter extending generally horizontally along the litter.

Extruded granular absorbent

Litter formed of extruded pellets containing water soluble binder sufficient to self-clump when wetted producing pellet clumps having a clump retention rate of at least 90% and which shrink after clump formation during drying producing a clump pulls away from any contacting solid surface minimizing adhesion therebetween. Such clumps preferably also have a crush strength of at least 15 PSI when dry. Pellets preferably contain water-soluble binder formed of starch physically modified during extrusion that solubilizes when wetted to facilitate clumping while opening the interior of the pellet improving absorption capacity. A preferred litter is formed of a mixture of extruded pellets of different sizes producing litter composed of extruded pellets falling within a plurality of different size ranges with the smaller sized pellets being fines that cause horizontally extending clumps to form on top of the litter.

Extruded self-clumping cat litter

A pump system includes a submersible pump and a filter. The pump has a housing, an intake, and a discharge. The filter includes a filter housing that releasably engages the pump and that overlies the intake of the pump. The filter housing has an intake, an outlet located between the intake of the filter housing and the intake of the pump. A filter chamber is located upstream of the outlet of the filter housing and is configured to receive filter media. The outlet of the filter housing is disposed inline with the intake of the pump. The coupling may comprise a latch that clips or snaps onto part of the pump, releasably attaching the filter housing to the pump. The latch may engage with opposite sides of the pump when releasably attaching the filter housing to the pump. The latch may include a plurality of spaced apart snaps that snap onto the pump.

Pump assembly including clip or snap on filter

A vortex fountain or waterer that incorporates measures to induce swirl in liquid moving toward a drain opening of the fountain to inhibit the accumulation of debris is provided. The fountain may have a bowl including a base surface having a slope that is configured to create a vortex in the liquid flowing toward the drain opening to induce movement of a quantity of water, where the bowl is located above a basin configured to hold the liquid. The fountain may also include a pump outlet jet that can be positioned about the bowl to induce swirl about the bowl. The fountain may also include a drain tube located beneath the drain opening, and an extended guide tube extending downwardly towards the bottom of the basin. When the liquid passes through the drain, drain tube, and guide tube, oxygen is incorporated into the liquid as the liquid reaches the basin.

Growing community of inventors

Cedarburg, WI, United States of America

John Michael Lipscomb