US009339052B1 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 9,339,052 B1 Schwartz (45) Date of Patent: May 17, 2016 (54) PREMIUM PET FOOD AND PROCESS FOR 4,910,038 A * 3/1990 Ducharme .................... 426,641 TS MANUFACTURE 4,997,671 A * 3/1991 Spanier ......................... 426,646 5,558,896 A 9/1996 Kobayashi 6,344,224 B1 2/2002 Bazzaro et al. (75) Inventor: Barry Schwartz, Beverly Hills, CA 6,733,263 B2 5/2004 Pope et al. (US) 6,905,703 B2 * 6/2005 Rothamel et al. ............. 424/439 7,244,460 B2 * 7/2007 Lee et al. ...................... 426,302 (73) Assignee: All-American Pet Company, Inc., 7,250,186 B2 7/2007 Pfaller et al. Beverly Hills, CA (US) 7,585,533 B2 9/2009 Fritz-Jung et al. s 2008.0003270 A1 1, 2008 Martinez (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 2008/0233228 A1 9, 2008 Lindee et al. patent is extended or adjusted under 35 OTHER PUBLICATIONS U.S.C. 154(b) by 839 days. Bonnot webpage (http://www.thebonnotco.com/Extruders), 2012.* (21) Appl. No.: 12/799,067 National Dog Food (http://web.archive.org/web/20051216061857/ http://www.nationaldogfood.com/products.html). 2005.* (22) Filed: Apr. 16, 2010 * cited by examiner (51) Int. Cl. A23K L/00 (2006.01) Primary Examiner — Viren Thakur A23K L/18 (2006.01) Assistant Examiner — Lela S Williams A23K L/10 (2006.01) (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Thomas I. Rozsa (52) U.S. Cl. CPC. A23K I/00 (2013.01); A23K I/I86 (2013.01); (57) ABSTRACT A23K 1/003 (2013.01); A23K 1/1846 (2013.01) The present invention relates to a process of creating semi (58) Field of Classification Search moist pet food, and primarily dog food and dog treats, that is CPC ... A23K 1/003: A23K 1/1846; A23K 1/1603; formed into a given shape through cooking the ingredients of A23K 1/186: A23K 1/10; A23P 1/12 the mixture contained in the dog food in an extruder and USPC ........................ 426/516,521,805, 72,73, 74 thereafter immediately transforming the mixture to a forming See application file for complete search history. machine wherein the pet food is formed into a multiplicity of given shapes so that the dog food is produced as a final formed (56) References Cited dog food or dog treat in an economically viable process. The given shape of the dog food is semi-moist and will retain its U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS shape so that it can be broken into smaller pieces to be fed to 3,882.257 A * 5/1975 Cagle ............................ 426/274 a dog at selected times. 3,916,029 A * 10/1975 Hildebolt ........................ 426,94 4,597,731 A 7, 1986 Suzuki 6 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet U.S. Patent May 17, 2016 US 9,339,052 B1 US 9,339,052 B1 1. 2 PREMUMPET FOOD AND PROCESS FOR pressing food into a specific shape but it is dealing with ITS MANUFACTURE human food and not dog food. The Kobayashi Patent discloses a method of cutting a bar BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION shaped food. The Axlerod Patent discloses the process for making an 1. Field of the Invention edible dog treat. The process includes making a heat expand The present invention relates to the field of pet foods and able dog chew comprised primarily of injection molding primarily dog food and dog treats which are formulated of potato starch granules and an attractant. The treat is in the premium dog food ingredients in a semi-moist state. Tradi shape of a dog bone. tionally, semi-moist dog food is sold in cans or in tins or in 10 The Bazzaro Patent discloses a fully edible feed body for domestic animals comprising a central core having an elon sealed packs and after the can or tin or sealed pack is opened, gated shape and a substantially circular or square section, to semi-moist dog food is placed into a dog dish where it is which at least one layer of seed-based mixture is glued and in consumed by the dog. The present invention relates to the which the central core is obtained by extrusion cooking from field of a new innovative way of packaging semi-moist dog 15 a mixture based on water, flour, seeds and optionally Sugar. food so that the food can be dispensed in a more convenient The Pope Patent discloses an apparatus dye and method for form with a greater density of protein per portion and at times preparing a dual textured pet food including a shell envelop and places when traditional feeding would be difficult. ing a core. 2. Detailed Description of the Prior Art The Pfaller Patent discloses a process for the manufacture In general, the concept of forming specifically shaped of cooked cereals or dry pet food by preparing a mixture of foods such as bar-shaped material for human food is known. water and a dry premix comprising cereal, flour or semolina However, to the best of the present inventor's knowledge, the and pressing the mixture, with the aid of agear pump, to a heat concept of creating dog food in unique shapes which is semi exchanger and then to a dye where it is extruded. moist and is retained together in unique shapes and can be The Garcia Published Patent Application discloses a chew manufactured in a commercially viable way has not been 25 able pet treat which includes a fibrous collagen used to pre known before the present invention. The following 10 patents pare a product wherein the fibrous collagen matrix is formed and published patent applications are the closest relevant in any shape of a three dimensional design. prior art to the present invention: The Dempsey Patent discloses a process for preparing a 1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,731 issued to Kisaku Suzuki on Jul. chewable pet food which includes between 56% and 80% dry 1, 1986 for “Food Shaping Apparatus’ (hereafter the “Suzuki 30 wheat gluten mix, 9% to 28% liquid plasticizer mix and Patent”); between 8% to 18% moisture by weight. 2. U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,896 issued to Masao Kobayashion The Lindee Published Patent Application discloses a food Sep. 24, 1996 for “Method For Cutting A Bar-Shaped Food molding mechanism for forming a food patty which is for And Its Apparatus' (hereafter the “Kobayashi Patent'): human consumption. 3. U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,565 issued to Glen S. Axlerod on 35 The Fritz-Jung Patent discloses a pet food and method for Oct. 27, 1998 for “Process For Making An Edible Dog Chew” manufacturing the pet food which includes extruding a base (hereafter the "Axlerod Patent”): meal formula, grinding the extruded meal and pressure form 4. U.S. Pat. No. 6,344.224 issued to Gianni Bazzaro et al. ing the ground meal into Solid form. on Feb. 5, 2002 for “Feed Body For Domestic Animals” Overall, no one has conceived of the idea of having a (hereafter the “Bazzaro Patent”): 40 semi-moist dog treat formed into a predetermined shape 5. U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,263 issued to Brent K. Pope et al. on which can be broken into one or more separate sections and May 11, 2004 for “Composition, Process and Apparatus' fed to the dog at individual selected times and which can be (hereafter the “Pope Patent”): manufactured in a commercially viable way. There is a sig 6. U.S. Pat. No. 7,250,186 issued to Werner Pfaller et al. on nificant need for Such an improved invention on the market. Jul. 31, 2007 for “Extrusion Process, Apparatus and Product’ 45 (hereafter the “Pfaller Patent”): SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 7. United States Published Patent Application No. 2008/ 0003270 to Ion Inaki Garcia Martinez on Jan. 3, 2008 for The present invention relates to the commercial production “Chewable And/Or Edible Product For Pets And Other Ani of a premium pet food/treat formulated from proprietary mals” (hereafter the “Garcia Martinez Published Patent 50 compositions of raw ingredients and nutritional Supplements Application'); that are first mixed, pasteurized, cooked and then extruded 8. U.S. Pat. No. 7,390,520 issued to Paul Murrow Dempsey under pressure, into a continuous non-brittle, semi-moist, etal. on Jun. 24, 2008 for “Process For Preparing A Chewable stable sheet that is then mechanically formed—using a platen Pet Food” (hereafter the “Dempsey Patent”); and pressure—into a variety of sizes and shapes. 9. United States Published Patent Application No. 2008/ 55 The present invention includes the following advantages: 0233228 to Scott A. Lindee et al. on Sep. 25, 2008 for “Food 1. Portability Molding Mechanism For A Food Patty Molding Machine' Specific starches in the formulation and their successful (hereafter the “Lindee Published Patent Application'); gelatinization in addition to low fat levels, render the 10. U.S. Pat. No. 7,585,533 issued to Cathryn Fritz-Junget formed shapes durable, stable and palatable al. on Sep. 8, 2009 for “Pressure Formed Pet Food And 60 2. Semi-moist presentation with significant palatability Method” (hereafter the “Fritz-Jung Patent”). Humectants and flavoring agents enhance consumption The Suzuki Patent discloses a food shaping apparatus desirability and mask the “taste’ impact of the chemi which contains a multiplicity of rollers which serve to com cal retarding agents press the food over a period of time going from the top of the 3. Extended shelf stability hopper to the bottom of the hopper and compress the food into 65 Humectant—Incorporation of Glycerin the shape such as shown in FIG.