Patent ID: 6358547
Filing Date: 2002-03-19
Classification: A23L,A23P

Abstract:
A process for preparing a multi-colored product comprising;pumping a base material mixture, which is suitable for preparing an emulsion which is extrudable, to an emulsifier device and supplying a coloring solution to the emulsifier device and emulsifying the base material mixture and coloring solution in the emulsifier device to obtain a colored material mixture emulsion; passing the colored material emulsion from the emulsifier device to a distribution valve which is connected to a plurality of parallel piping lines and extruders, wherein each piping line is connected in series to one of the plurality of extruders, and distributing the colored material emulsion via the valve to the extruders via the piping lines and passing the distributed colored emulsion through and out of the extruders to obtain extruded colored product from the extruders; and collecting the colored product from the extruders; and further, with respect to the supplying, emulsifying, distributing and extruding, comprising: firstly supplying, for a time t, a first coloring solution to the emulsifier device for addition to the base material mixture to obtain a first colored material emulsion and passing the first colored emulsion to the distribution valve and distributing the first colored emulsion from the valve via one piping line connected to one extruder for extrusion through and out of the one extruder to obtain a first colored extruded product from the one extruder; secondly, after time t, delivering for a time t, a second coloring solution to the emulsifier device for addition to the base material mixture to obtain a second colored material emulsion which is colored differently from the first colored emulsion and passing the second colored emulsion to the distribution valve and controlling the distribution valve so that the second colored emulsion is delivered from the valve via a second piping line connected to a second extruder for extrusion through and out of the second extruder to obtain a second colored extruded product from the second extruder; and wherein the time for extrusion of colored product through and out of the extruders to empty the extruders is at least equal to the total number of differing colors employed minus 1 times t so that differing colored products are obtained simultaneously from the extruders.