Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Product with added inedible feature other than that which...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-09
2004-11-23
Sayala, C. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Product with added inedible feature other than that which...
C426S250000, C426S512000, C426S805000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06821538
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to blends of starch and aliphatic-aromatic based polyester resins, including a process for forming injection molded products from the blends of such materials. The blends find particularly utility as applied to the manufacture of molded chew toys for animals, although other extruded/molded products are available.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,565 it is pointed out that most dogs enjoy chewing on a flavored object although preferences vary as to the hardness. Some dogs like to chew on very hard materials such as cow bones, nylon, while others prefer softer chews such as polyurethane or rubber. Some dogs, due to their age, may not be able to chew on very hard substances. Young dogs have insufficiently developed teeth, while old dogs may have diseased gums or may have lost some of their teeth.
T.F.H. Publications Inc., the owner of this application, has previously been awarded patent protection for an edible dog chew that is wholly digestible, nutritious and which maintains a texture or hardness that is individually adjustable by the application of heat to suit a wide variety of a dog's preferences or needs. Such dog chews utilize a mixture containing primarily casein and are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,200,212 and 5,240,720.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,565 also owned by T.F.H. Publications, Inc.,there is disclosed a process for making a heat expandable dog chew comprised primarily of injection molding potato starch granules and an attractant. Attractants recited include chicken powder, liver powder, ham, turkey, beef and or fish. Natural vegetable additives such as spinach or carrots also may be added. The resultant mixture is molded under heat and pressure into a desired form, such as a dog bone. The dog bone so produced can be modified in texture or hardness by subsequent heating, preferably in a microwave oven.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,978, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,565, and which is again owned by T.F.H. Publications, Inc., there is disclosed a dog chew having natural fruit flavor to increase the dog's appetite for such chew. Such fruit flavored dog chew may also include natural food coloring to enhance the attractiveness of the chew to the dog owner. The food coloring may also correspond to the fruit flavor, and the dog chew disclosed therein may also embody a breath sweetener for a dog such as mint, spearmint, peppermint or wintergreen and may also include parsley. The preferred form of such edible chew maintained the basic ingredient of a heat-expandable starch, such as potato starch. Fruit flavoring may be added to the granules of a mixture of potato starch, water and calcium carbonate along with natural fruit flavorings.
Attention is also directed to the following U.S. Patents and copending applications, commonly owned by T.F.H. Publications Inc.: U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,069; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/923,070 filed Sep. 3, 1997 entitled “Vegetable Based Dog Chew” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,427; Ser. No. 08/738,423 filed Oct. 25, 1997 entitled “Edible Dog Chew” now U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,565; Ser. No. 08/784,834 filed Jan. 17, 1997 entitled “Carrot-Based Dog Chew” now U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,197; Ser. No. 09/114,872 filed Jul. 14, 1998 entitled “Heat Modifiable Edible Dog Chew” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,161; Ser. No. 09/138,804 filed Aug. 21, 1998 entitled “Improved Edible Dog Chew” now U.S. Pat No. 6,126,978; Ser. No. 09/116,070 filed Jul. 15, 1998 entitled “Wheat & Casein Dow Chew With Modifiable Texture” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,521; Ser. No. 09/116,555 filed Jul. 15, 1998 entitled “Heat Modifiable Peanut Dog Chew” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,441; Ser. No. 09/227,767 filed Jan. 8, 1999 entitled “Method of Molding Edible Starch” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,516. In addition to such patents and applications, attention is also directed to the art cited in said patents and applications, as such art relates to the field of molded starch products.
In addition, the prior art has recently grown considerably to include a variety of other disclosures directed at flavored pet products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,382 entitled “Use of Valerian Plant and/or Root as a Scent-Attractant for Stimulating Canines and Felines”. This patent discloses the use of the herb/plant Valerian in all of its forms whether whole or in part, for use in food product, in such a manner that the natural aroma emitted by the Valerian plant will act as a scent/attractant for dogs and cats.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,985,964 and 5,007,879 entitled “Dog Chew Processing Method” disclose methods for processing cattle hoofs for use as a dog chew product.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,550 entitled “Methods for Making Pet Chews” discloses that ligaments from cattle and other hoofstocks are rendered substantially free of fat and can be dried and hardened for use as a pet chew.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,661 entitled “Pet Chew Product Having Oral Care Properties” discloses an edible pet chew product having a flexible cellular matrix in which is contained cellulosic fibrous material such as corn cob fractions which are described as having a mechanical cleansing function when chewed by a pet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,237 entitled “Method of Manufacturing Substantially Pure Rawhide Pet Products” discloses a chew of pure rawhide utilizing twin screw extrusion with multiple heating zones and interchangeable extrusion dies.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,254 entitled “Dog Chew Toy” discloses a chew toy for dogs formed of a length of composite rope having an inner core defined by strands of twisted threads of natural plant or synthetic fibers and a soft outer shell defined by a plurality of strands of soft cotton threads twisted about the inner core. The inner core is said to be less water absorbent than the outer shell to promote drying of the toy when wetted with dog saliva to inhibit bacteria growth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,196 entitled “Process for Manufacturing Dog Chew Toys of Tire Sidewalls” discloses the use of a dye to cut toy bases from sidewalls recovered from used tires.
Other earlier examples of such products are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,334 to Axelrod (nylon substrate containing liquid flavor and odor components) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,733 to Axelrod (polyurethane toy containing aqueous-based flavor and odor components). U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,557,219 and 4,513,014 to Edwards disclose the use of flavorings in a molded polyurethane chew objects.
Finally, attention is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 6,184,261, which discloses a foam that is the extrudate mixture that includes a biodegradable polymer, starch, talc, and a blowing agent. The biodegradable polymer may be poly(tetramethylene adipate-coterephthalate).
Accordingly, it is an object herein to improve further upon Applicants' earlier disclosures regarding animal chews, to form a biodegradable animal chew from a thermoplastic polyesteramide and starch. Furthermore, it is also an object of the present invention to form a biodegradable animal chew wherein the polyesteramide component is present in distinct domains dispersed within a continuous starch phase.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A blend comprising an aromatic-aliphatic based polyester and starch. In method form, the invention comprises supplying an aromatic-aliphatic based polyester, supplying starch and mixing said aromatic-aliphatic based polyester with the starch and introducing said mixture to a melt processing apparatus wherein said aromatic-aliphatic based polyester and starch are mixed and molded or extruded into a desired shape.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As noted, the present invention comprises a blend composition formed from an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester and starch. Aliphatic-aromatic polyesters is reference to those theromplastic resins that are comprised of, in combination, one or more of an ester linkage, an aliphatic unit, and an aromatic unit, all covalently bonded to one another in the polymer chain.
Preferably, the aromatic-aliphatic polyester herein is a poly(tetramethylene adipate-co-terephthalate) resin,
Axelrod Glen
Gajria Ajay
Grossman Tucker Perreault & Pfleger PLLC
Sayala C.
T.F.H. Publications, Inc.
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