| Method for continuous gum base manufacturing -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Method for continuous gum base manufacturingRelated Patent Categories: Food Or Edible Material: Processes, Compositions, And Products, Normally Noningestible Chewable Material Or Process Of PreparationMethod for continuous gum base manufacturing description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060188605, Method for continuous gum base manufacturing. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/126,319, filed Sep. 24, 1993 and entitled: "Continuous Gum Base Manufacturing Using Highly Distributive Mixing," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a continuous process for the manufacture of chewing gum bases. [0003] A typical chewing gum base includes one or more elastomers, one or more fillers, one or more elastomer solvents, plasticizers and optional plastic polymers, waxes, emulsifiers and miscellaneous colors, flavors and antioxidants. Due primarily to the difficulty in melting and dispersing the elastomers homogeneously among the other gum base ingredients, gum base manufacture has typically been a tedious and time-consuming batch process. For example, one such conventional process uses a sigma blade batch mixer having a front to rear blade speed ratio of about 2:1, and a mixing temperature of about 80-120.degree. C. [0004] In this conventional process, initial portions of elastomer, elastomer solvent and filler are added to the heated sigma blade mixer and blended until the elastomer is melted or smeared and thoroughly mixed with the plasticizer and fillers. Then the remaining portions of elastomer, elastomer solvent, plasticizer, fillers, emulsifiers and other ingredients are added sequentially, in a stepwise fashion, often with sufficient time for each stepwise addition to become completely mixed before adding more ingredients. Depending on the composition of the particular chewing gum bases and, in particular, the amount and type of elastomer, considerable patience may be required to insure that each ingredient becomes thoroughly mixed. Overall, anywhere from one to four hours of mixing time can be required to make one batch of chewing gum base using a conventional sigma blade mixer. [0005] After mixing, the molten gum base batch must be emptied from the mixer into coated or lined pans, or pumped to other equipments such as a holding tank or a filtering device, then extruded or cast into shapes, and allowed to cool and solidify, before being ready for use in chewing gum. This additional processing and cooling requires even more time. [0006] Various efforts have been undertaken to try to simplify and reduce the time required for gum base manufacture. European Patent Publication No. 0 273 809, in the name of General Foods France, discloses a process for making nonadhesive chewing gum base by blending elastomer and filler components together in a continuous mill to form a nonadhesive premix, dividing the premix into fragments, and blending the premix fragments and at least one other non-adhesive gum base component together in a powder mixer. Alternatively, the premix fragments and other base components can be added to an extruder along with other chewing gum components to accomplish direct manufacture of chewing gum. [0007] French Patent Publication No. 2 635 441, also in the name of General Foods France, discloses a process for making a gum base concentrate using a twin screw extruder. The concentrate is prepared by mixing high molecular weight elastomers and plasticizers in desired proportions and feeding them into the extruder. Mineral fillers are added to the extruder downstream of the feed inlet of the elastomer/plasticizer blend. The resulting gum base concentrate has a high level of elastomers. The concentrate can then be mixed with the other gum base ingredients to provide a complete gum base. [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,511, issued to D'Amelia et al., discloses that chewing gum can be made directly in a one-step compounding process (without making an intermediate gum base) if certain vinyl polymers are used as the elastomer portion. [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,320, issued to Koch et al., discloses a two-stage process for making a chewing gum base in a mixing kettle. [0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,962, issued to del Angel, discloses a process for making an elastomer/resin masterbatch as a precursor to a gum base. [0011] U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,311, issued to DeTora et al., discloses making gum base using three separate mixers--a high intensity mixer for pre-plasticizing the elastomer in the presence of a filler, followed by a medium intensity mixer for ultimately blending all the gum base components together. [0012] Several publications disclose that a continuous extruder can be used to make the ultimate chewing gum product after a separate process has previously been used to make the chewing gum base. These publications include U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,760, issued to Degady et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,325, issued to Lesko et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,407, issued to Kramer et al. [0013] Notwithstanding the prior efforts described above, there is a need and desire in the chewing gum industry for a continuous process which can effectively and efficiently be used to make a variety of complete chewing gum bases without limiting the type or quantity of elastomer employed, and without requiring preblending or other pretreatment of the elastomer. It would be particularly beneficial to be able to produce high quality chewing gum bases that incorporate waxes, fats and/or oils as plasticizers in the gum using a continuous process. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0014] The present invention provides a continuous process of making a chewing gum base using a single mixer (extruder) which is suitable for use with any conventional gum base elastomer, in any conventional amount, without requiring preblending or pretreatment of the elastomer with any other ingredient. For instance, the present invention can be used for the continuous manufacture of a wide variety of gum bases which include many or all of the following components, in the following percentages: TABLE-US-00001 Component Range (% by weight) Elastomer(s) 5.0-95 Elastomer Solvent(s) 0-50 Plasticizer(s) 0-75 Wax(es) 0-30 Emulsifier(s) 0.5-40 Filler(s) 1.0-65 Colorant(s)/flavor(s) 0-3.0 [0015] To this end, in an embodiment, a process for making chewing gum base is provided comprising adding to a single extruder all of the components necessary to make chewing gum base. At least two mixing zones are provided in the extruder wherein the components are subjected to different mixing conditions in each mixing zone. Chewing gum base is thereby produced from the single extruder. [0016] In an embodiment, the extruder is a high efficiency mixer. For example, the extruder can include a blade-and-pin mixer. [0017] In another embodiment of the method, a process for producing chewing gum base is provided comprising the steps of: adding to a single extruder all of the components necessary to make a chewing gum base; mixing the components in a single extruder; and producing the chewing gum base using the single extruder. [0018] In another embodiment of the method, a process for providing chewing gum is provided comprising the steps of: adding to a single extruder all of the components necessary to make chewing gum base; providing at least two mixing zones in the extruder wherein the components are subjected to different mixing conditions in each mixing zone; producing chewing gum base from the single extruder; and mixing the chewing gum base with other ingredients to produce chewing gum. [0019] The present invention has several different aspects, which can be employed together, separately, or in any combination. All of these aspects can be performed together, in sequence, using a single continuous mixing process, for example, in a twin-screw extruder. [0020] In an aspect of the method, the elastomer, elastomer solvent and filler are continuously mixed together under conditions of highly dispersive mixing. By "highly dispersive mixing" it is meant that the elastomer, elastomer solvent and filler are broken down into very small particles, droplets or "domains" which readily become dispersed among themselves and which can later be distributed, substantially homogeneously, among the other gum base ingredients. This dispersive mixing stage can be thought of as a disentanglement and "breaking down" stage for the gum base components which are the most difficult to disperse. Special mixing elements are used for this purpose, as discussed below in the detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments. [0021] In an aspect of the method, the chewing gum base-ingredients are added sequentially to the continuous extruder, at different locations, in an order which approximately corresponds to a decreasing order of viscosity. The relatively high viscosity chewing gum base ingredients (for example, most elastomers) are added to the extruder first with filler and elastomer solvent, at an upstream location, and are mixed together. The filler and elastomer solvent help disperse the elastomer. The intermediate viscosity gum base ingredients (for example, polyvinyl acetate, low molecular weight elastomers and elastomer solvents) are added to the extruder second, at an intermediate location, and are mixed with the high viscosity ingredients previously added. The relatively low viscosity gum base ingredients (for example, oils, fats and waxes) are added to the extruder third, at a downstream location, and are mixed with the high and intermediate viscosity ingredients previously added. Continue reading about Method for continuous gum base manufacturing... Full patent description for Method for continuous gum base manufacturing Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method for continuous gum base manufacturing patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Method for continuous gum base manufacturing or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Method for reducing methane production emanating from the digestive activities of an animal Next Patent Application: Process for producing cheese Industry Class: Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Method for continuous gum base manufacturing patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.32354 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Software: Finance , AI , Databases , Development , Document , Navigation , Error 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
