# US 10,865,002 B2 · Method for producing polymer tube containing liquid and being sealed at constant intervals and apparatus for producing polymer tube

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- Number: US 10,865,002 B2
- Document ID: US10865002B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/941,309
- Filed: 2018-03-30
- Published: 2018-10-04
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-31
- Assignees: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Ryuichi Saguchi; Tomoaki Kaji; Masahiko Naruse
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865002B2

## CPC

- B65B 3/022: {Making containers by moulding of a thermoplastic material}
- B29C 48/00: Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor (extrusion blow-moulding B29C49/04)
- B29C 48/0019: {combined with shaping by flattening, folding or bending}
- B29C 48/0021: {combined with joining, lining or laminating}
- B29C 48/09: Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels
- B29C 48/11: comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped
- B29C 65/0672: {Spin welding}
- B65B 3/30: by volumetric measurement
- B65B 9/24: the tubes being formed in situ by extrusion
- B65B 37/00: Supplying or feeding fluent-solid, plastic, or liquid material, or loose masses of small articles, to be packaged (methods of, or means for, filling individual containers with such materials or articles B65B1/04, B65B3/04)
- B65B 39/001: {with flow cut-off means, e.g. valves}
- B65B 39/06: adapted to support containers or wrappers
- B65B 51/16: by rotary members
- B65B 51/225: {by ultrasonic welding}
- B65B 51/32: Cooling, or cooling and pressing, package closures after heat-sealing
- B65B 61/02: for perforating, scoring {, slitting,} or applying code or date marks on material prior to packaging {(scoring ampoules B65B3/006)}
- B65B 63/08: for heating or cooling articles or materials to facilitate packaging
- B65B 65/006: {Multiple parallel packaging lines}
- B29C 48/13: Articles with a cross-section varying in the longitudinal direction, e.g. corrugated pipes
- B29C 48/29: in liquid form
- B29C 48/30: Extrusion nozzles or dies (extrusion characterised by the shape or cross-section of the extruded article B29C48/03)
- B29C 48/345: Extrusion nozzles comprising two or more adjacently arranged ports, for simultaneously extruding multiple strands, e.g. for pelletising
- B29C 48/9115: {of hollow articles}
- B29K 2023/065: {HDPE, i.e. high density polyethylene}
- B65B 2220/24: Cooling filled packages
- B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

Provided are a method and an apparatus for extruding into a tube and filling the tube at a high speed and simultaneously sealing the tube. Specifically provided is a method for producing a polymer tube, containing a liquid therein and being sealed at constant intervals, the method including an extrusion step of continuously melt-extruding a polymer material through a die into at least one tube, while feeding a liquid into the tube to obtain at least one liquid-containing tube; and sealing step of discontinuously pressing the at least one liquid-containing tube between a pair of pressurizing members at constant intervals to cause pressure-bonding before the tube solidifies, while continuously taking up the extruded tube.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing a polymer tube, containing a liquid therein and being sealed at constant intervals, the method comprising:
an extrusion step of continuously melt-extruding a polymer material through a die into at least one tube, while feeding a liquid into the at least one tube to obtain at least one liquid-containing tube; and
a sealing step of discontinuously pressing the at least one liquid-containing tube between a pair of pressurizing members at constant intervals to cause pressure-bonding before the at least one tube solidifies, while continuously taking up the discontinuously pressed at least one tube,
wherein the pair of pressurizing members is a pair of rotary horns, each horn having a protrusion, and in the sealing step, the at least one liquid-containing tube is discontinuously pressed between the protrusions of the rotary horns which rotate at a peripheral speed equal to a constant speed of taking up the discontinuously pressed at least one tube to transfer the discontinuously pressed at lease one tube in a direction of taking up the discontinuously pressed at least one tube.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tube is two tubes and in the sealing step, the two liquid-containing tubes are discontinuously pressed to cause pressure-bonding for sealing and thereby simultaneously connecting the two liquid-containing tubes with each other.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tube is two tubes connected by an interconnecting web and in the sealing step.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tube is two tubes connected by an interconnecting web whose faces oppose to the rotary horns; one of the rotary horns has a blade which protrudes radially higher than the protrusion on a circumference of the one of the rotary horns and in the sealing step, and the blade cuts the web to form notches in a longitudinal direction except at locations where the two tubes are pressed, keeping the two liquid-containing tubes connected by the web having the notches.