US 11,950,565 B2
Method for making extruded granular absorbent and clumping granular absorbent
John M. Lipscomb, Cedarburg, WI (US); Omar I. Rodriguez, Cedarburg, WI (US); and Chad C. Berge, Menomonee, WI (US)
Assigned to Pioneer Pet Products, LLC, Cedarburg, WI (US)
Filed by Pioneer Pet Products, LLC, Cedarburg, WI (US)
Filed on May 25, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/329,409.
Application 17/329,409 is a continuation of application No. 16/479,372, granted, now 11,013,211, previously published as PCT/US2018/015912, filed on Jan. 30, 2018.
Application 16/479,372 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/114,069, filed on Jul. 25, 2016, granted, now 10,882,238, issued on Jan. 5, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/452,981, filed on Jan. 31, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/452,348, filed on Jan. 30, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0274745 A1, Sep. 9, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A01K 1/01 (2006.01); A01K 1/015 (2006.01); B01J 20/24 (2006.01); B01J 20/30 (2006.01); B29B 9/06 (2006.01); B29B 9/12 (2006.01); B29B 9/16 (2006.01); F26B 17/10 (2006.01)
CPC A01K 1/0155 (2013.01) [B01J 20/24 (2013.01); B01J 20/3007 (2013.01); B29B 9/06 (2013.01); B29B 9/12 (2013.01); B29B 9/16 (2013.01); B01J 2220/4831 (2013.01); B29B 2009/166 (2013.01); F26B 17/101 (2013.01)] 82 Claims
 
1. A method of making granular extrudate comprising:
(a) providing a single screw extruder having an extrusion die, and a starch-containing admixture;
(b) pressurizing the starch-containing admixture in the single screw extruder to an extrusion pressure of at least 2500 pounds per square inch gelatinizing at least some of the starch of the starch-containing admixture and modifying at least some of the starch of the starch-containing admixture into a water-soluble binder; and
(c) extruding under pressure the starch-containing admixture from the extrusion die of the single screw extruder producing an extrudate discharged from the extruder having at least 10% by weight of the water-soluble binder formed of the at least some of the starch modified while under pressure in the extruder.