Edible Animal Chew Surface Texture via Undulated Rollers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dog chews, whether made from plastics or rawhide, are often indigestible and lack nutritional value, leading to unpalatability and potential digestive issues, while edible chews made from starch through extrusion processes have a uniform, manufactured appearance that consumers find unappealing.
Innovation Solution
A method involving extrusion followed by post-forming with undulated rollers to create a natural appearance and elongate indentations on the surface of edible animal chews, which are sectioned to produce larger, longer-lasting pieces that mimic organic formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If edible chews are made from starch through extrusion processes, then they are digestible and nutritious, but they have a uniform, manufactured appearance that consumers find unappealing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by using irregularly shaped cavities in the molding process to create chews with non-uniform, natural-looking surfaces. The cavities have varying depths, shapes, and orientations that impart asymmetric features to the final product, making it resemble naturally formed bones rather than uniformly manufactured items.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs nesting by placing multiple cavities of different sizes and shapes within a single mold structure. These nested cavities create complex surface features on the chew that mimic natural bone irregularities, combining multiple levels of detail to achieve a realistic organic appearance while maintaining the edible starch composition.
2Productivity
If conventional extrusion is used, then production is efficient, but the chews have a regular, man-made appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the irregular cavity structures in the mold before the actual extrusion process. The cavities are prepared in advance with specific irregular geometries that will be imprinted on the chew during molding, allowing the extrusion process itself to remain efficient while the preliminary mold preparation ensures natural appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating mold cavities that replicate the surface features and irregularities of natural animal bones. The cavities are designed to copy the complex, non-uniform geometry of real bones, transferring these natural patterns onto the manufactured chews through the molding process, thus achieving a realistic appearance without sacrificing production efficiency.
3Duration of action of moving object
If chews are made larger for longer lasting time, then durability increases, but they may become difficult to consume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by designing chews with internal cavities and hollow structures that divide the material into separate sections. This segmentation reduces the overall density and creates air pockets that make larger chews easier to chew and consume, while the total volume remains sufficient to provide extended lasting time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs porous materials by incorporating cavities and hollow spaces within the chew structure. This creates a porous internal architecture that reduces weight and complexity of larger chews, making them easier to handle and consume, while the extended volume of material still provides the desired long-lasting chewing experience.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process results in chews with a natural appearance and extended durability, enhancing consumer preference and safety by providing a more digestible and palatable option with a reduced risk of digestive issues.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the extrudate with a plurality of post-form rollers, wherein at least one of said post-form rollers exhibits an undulated surface and contacts the extrudate with said undulated surface, wherein said undulated surface comprises a plurality of nodules for imparting undulations onto the extrudate surface
Implementation Method 2
extruding an edible composition such as starch through an adjustable orifice while varying the cross-section dimensions of the orifice to form an extrudate having thickness dimensions that varies along its length
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 2a~3
AI summary
The present invention provides a method of forming an edible animal chew comprising the steps of (a) extruding an edible composition; followed by (b) contacting the extrudate with a plurality of post-form rollers (2), at least one of said post-form rollers exhibits an undulated surface (10) and contacts the extrudate with said undulated surface, the undulated surface comprising a plurality of nodules (4,6,8,12) for imparting undulations onto the extrudate surface, wherein at least some of the nodules (4,6) have an elongate shape and are offset at an angle to the rotation direction of the post-form roller, said elongate shapes being oriented in two or more different directions.