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:
Jun. 30, 2009
Filed:
Jun. 08, 2005
Peter Matthews, Houston, TX (US);
Peter Matthews, Houston, TX (US);
Satake USA, Inc., Stafford, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a process to remove the bran and the germ from the endosperm of a corn kernel. The process includes use of an apparatus having a chamber to induce rubbing between adjacent corn kernels to remove bran and an apparatus for germ removal having frictional cylindrical rollers rotating substantially parallel to one another, in opposing directions, and tensioned to impart low-impact friction forces to each corn kernel drawn between the roller surfaces. The process of the present invention includes a tempering step including adding an amount of moisture to the bran of the corn kernel by wetting and soaking the corn kernel; a bran removal step for removing substantially all bran from the corn by rubbing corn kernels together; a second tempering step including adding an additional amount of moisture to the exposed germ by wetting and soaking the exposed germ; and a degermination step to fracture the endosperm about the germ, substantially freeing the germ from the endosperm.