The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 04, 1995
Filed:
Sep. 10, 1993
Nancy J McCullough, Battle Creek, MI (US);
James E Willbur, Battle Creek, MI (US);
Ronald H Keagle, Battle Creek, MI (US);
Leon R Harris, Battle Creek, MI (US);
Kraft General Foods, Inc., Northfield, IL (US);
Abstract
A control process and apparatus enable operation of a pressurized continuous cereal cooker and discharge auger with decreased steam utilization. An electric motor advances the cooked cereal mass through a pressurized zone comprising a quick-opening valve, preferably a butterfly valve. The current drawn by the electric motor is monitored to sense the accumulation of cooked cereal mass at the valve. A process signal, representative of the current drawn by the motor, is compared to a reference signal, representative of a selected value representative of a current higher than that required to turn an empty auger. A control signal based on the comparison of the first signal and the reference signal is then generated to open or close the valve in response to the control signal. When the process signal drops below the reference signal, the valve is closed.