US 11,667,067 B2
Flow regulator for extruder assembly
Jason Alan Smith, Portage, MI (US); James E. Jett, II, Lamont, MI (US); and David E. Rhodea, Allendale, MI (US)
Assigned to Baker Perkins Inc., Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed by Baker Perkins Inc., Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 22, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/660,190.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/758,092, filed on Nov. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0147851 A1, May 14, 2020
Int. Cl. B29C 48/255 (2019.01); B29C 48/345 (2019.01); B29C 48/35 (2019.01); A21C 3/04 (2006.01); A23P 30/20 (2016.01); B29C 48/465 (2019.01); B29C 48/00 (2019.01)
CPC B29C 48/2556 (2019.02) [A21C 3/04 (2013.01); A23P 30/20 (2016.08); B29C 48/0022 (2019.02); B29C 48/345 (2019.02); B29C 48/35 (2019.02); B29C 48/465 (2019.02); B29C 2793/009 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An extruder assembly comprising:
a rolling assembly;
an extrusion block having a plurality of extruding ports that receive an extrudable material from the rolling assembly, and
a regulating mechanism positioned within each extruding port of the plurality of extruding ports, wherein the regulating mechanism is operable with respect to the rolling assembly to modify a flow of extrudable material through each respective extruding port, wherein the regulating mechanism includes a plurality of flow regulators that are respectively positioned within the plurality of extruding ports, wherein each flow regulator of the plurality of flow regulators is selectively and independently operable within each respective extruding port between a less-volume position proximate the rolling assembly and a more-volume position distal from the rolling assembly.
 
10. A regulating extruder assembly comprising:
a rolling assembly;
an extruding block having a plurality of extruding ports that receive an extrudable material from the rolling assembly, and
a plurality of flow regulators that are positioned along respective central axes of the plurality of extruding ports, respectively, wherein each flow regulator is selectively operable along a central axis of a respective extruding port and relative to the rolling assembly to modify a flow of the extrudable material through the respective extruding port.