Heat-insulating shroud for facilitating temperature control of a heated device or product

A heat-insulating shroud for facilitating temperature control of a heated article, comprising:

• a flexible cover made from a heat-insulating material for covering a surface of the heated article;
• an air inlet defined in or by a first section of the flexible cover;
• and
• an air outlet defined in or by a second section of the flexible cover,
• wherein the flexible cover is configured to channel an air stream from the air inlet over the surface of the heated article towards the air outlet to facilitate cooling of the heated article,
• wherein the flexible cover has a sleeve shape when in use and wherein the flexible cover comprises a rigid wall at either end or both ends of the sleeve.

A heat-insulating shroud for facilitating temperature control of a heated article, comprising:

• a flexible cover made from a heat-insulating material for covering a surface of the heated article;
• an air inlet defined in or by a first section of the flexible cover;
• an air outlet defined in or by a second section of the flexible cover,
• wherein the flexible cover is configured to channel an air stream from the air inlet over the surface of the heated article towards the air outlet to facilitate cooling of the heated article;
• and
• a support structure for supporting the flexible cover adjacent to the surface of the heated article,
• wherein the support structure comprises a resilient member and wherein the resilient member biases or holds at least a portion of the flexible cover away from the surface of the heated article.

A heat-insulating shroud having a cooling mode of operation and a heat-conservation mode of operation, the heat-insulating shroud comprising:

• a flexible cover of heat-insulating material configured to encompass a heated extruder barrel;
• an air inlet defined in or by a first section of the flexible cover;
• and
• an air outlet defined in or by a second section of the flexible cover,
• wherein, in the cooling mode of operation, the flexible cover defines an air channel over a surface of the heated article, the air channel for channeling an air stream from the air inlet over the surface of the heated extruder barrel towards the air outlet for exhaustion to the atmosphere, the channeling of the air stream to facilitate cooling the heated extruder barrel,
• and wherein, in the heat-conservation mode of operation, the flexible cover of heat-insulating material insulates the heated extruder barrel from heat loss.