# US 10,870,230 B2 · Method and apparatus for forming high strength products

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- Number: US 10,870,230 B2
- Document ID: US10870230B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/200,172
- Filed: 2016-07-01
- Published: 2017-01-05
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2010-12-23
- Assignees: Guill Tool & Engineering Co., Inc.
- Applicants: Guill Tool & Engineering Co., Inc.
- Inventors: Richard Roy Guillemette; Robert Peters; Christopher J Hummel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870230B2

## CPC

- B29C 48/10: flexible, e.g. blown foils
- B29C 48/19: the layers being joined at their edges
- B29C 48/21: the layers being joined at their surfaces
- B29C 48/3366: {using a die with concentric parts, e.g. rings, cylinders}
- B29C 48/338: {using a die with concentric parts, e.g. rings, cylinders}
- B29C 48/397: {using a single screw}
- B29C 48/49: using two or more extruders to feed one die or nozzle
- B29C 48/71: for layer multiplication (extrusion of multi-component articles B29C48/16)
- B29C 65/70: by moulding (using a particular moulding technique, see the relevant technique {, e.g. by injection B29C45/14467})
- B29D 23/00: Producing tubular articles (B29D24/00 takes precedence)
- B30B 11/221: {extrusion dies}
- B30B 11/224: {Extrusion chambers}
- B32B 1/08: Tubular products
- B32B 27/08: of synthetic resin
- B29C 48/07: Flat, e.g. panels
- B29C 48/09: Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels
- B29C 48/255: Flow control means, e.g. valves (flow dividers B29C48/695)
- B29C 48/70: comprising means for dividing, distributing and recombining melt flows
- B29C 48/705: {in the die zone, e.g. to create flow homogeneity}
- B29L 2023/001: {Tubular films, sleeves}
- B29L 2023/005: {Hoses, i.e. flexible}
- B32B 2597/00: Tubular articles, e.g. hoses, pipes
- F16L 11/04: made of rubber or flexible plastics
- F16L 11/10: with reinforcements not embedded in the wall (F16L11/11 takes precedence)
- Y10T 428/13: Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
- Y10T 428/1352: Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
- 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)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B30B: PRESSES IN GENERAL (producing ultra-high pressure or ultra-high pressure and high temperature to effect modifications of a substance, e.g. for making artificial diamonds B01J3/00 ){(compressing means for refuse receptacles B65F1/1405)}
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A system and method are presented in which a flow of plastic is extruded to obtain nano-sized features by forming multiple laminated flow streams, flowing in parallel through the non-rotating extrusion system. Each of the parallel laminated flow streams are subjected to repeated steps in which the flows are compressed, divided, and overlapped to amplify the number of laminations. The parallel amplified laminated flows are rejoined to form a combined laminated output with nano-sized features. The die exit is formed to provide a tubular shape.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A micro-layer tubular extrusion product, comprising:
at least one micro-layer having micro-sized or nano-sized features, the at least one micro-layer formed by:
receiving a flow of extrudable material in a non-rotating micro-layer extrusion assembly;
constructing a series of ribbon shaped flow streams flowing parallel to a central axis of the non-rotating micro-layer extrusion assembly;
subjecting the ribbon shaped flow streams to multiple sequences of stages while flowing parallel to the central axis, wherein, in each of the sequences of stages the flow streams are compressed, the sequences of stages further comprising:
joining sets of the series of ribbon shaped flow streams to form multiple laminated flow streams flowing parallel to the central axis;
dividing each of the multiple parallel laminated flow streams into at least two adjacent flow streams while compressing the resulting at least two adjacent flow streams to form thinner laminations;
overlapping the compressed at least two adjacent flow streams side by side to each other parallel to the central axis to form an overlapped flow stream flowing parallel to the central axis, thereby multiplying the number of laminations in each of the at least two adjacent flow streams;
repeating the dividing and overlapping steps parallel to the central axis for each of the multiple parallel laminated flow streams to multiply the number of laminations and to generate progressively thinner laminations until micro-sized or nano-sized features are obtained;
providing an output flow stream from the multiple sequences of stages flowing parallel to the central axis, the output flow stream comprising inner and outer annular segments that are side-by-side parallel to the central axis along the length of the micro-layer tubular product; and
bonding adjacent ends of the inner and outer annular segments together to form the micro-layer tubular product wherein at least one bonded end of each of the corresponding inner and outer annular segments are staggered relative to one another.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The micro-layer tubular extrusion product of claim 1, wherein each of the inner and outer annular segments are skewed from a parallel direction of the multiple parallel laminated flow stream at a pre-determined helical pitch angle relative to the central axis of the non-rotating extrusion assembly.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The micro-layer tubular extrusion product of claim 1, wherein the at least one micro-layer comprises an array of micro-layers, each micro-layer being offset from an adjacent micro-layer by a predetermined angle around the central axis of the non-rotating micro-layer extrusion assembly.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The micro-layer tubular extrusion product of claim 3, wherein the at least one micro-layer comprises two micro-layers, each micro-layer being offset from another micro-layer by approximately 180 degrees around the central axis of the non-rotating micro-layer extrusion assembly.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The micro-layer tubular extrusion product of claim 3, wherein the at least one micro-layer comprises three micro-layers, each micro-layer being offset from another micro-layer by approximately 120 degrees around the central axis of the non-rotating micro-layer extrusion assembly.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The micro-layer tubular extrusion product of claim 3, wherein the at least one micro-layer comprises four micro-layers, each micro-layer being offset from another micro-layer by approximately 90 around the central axis of the non-rotating micro-layer extrusion assembly.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The micro-layer tubular extrusion product of claim 3, wherein the at least one micro-layer comprises five micro-layers, each micro-layer being offset from another micro-layer by approximately 60 degrees around the central axis of the non-rotating micro-layer extrusion assembly.