Method and apparatus for distributing material in a profile extrusion die
OwnerA. Roger Guillemetteinventor
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for extruding plastic products having large cross sections, which require a correspondingly large die cross section, is described in which the cross section of the die is divided into regions of predetermined flow and separate flow streams are supplied to each region in proportion to the relative size of the flow region to the overall die cross section.
Claims19
A die system for extruding plastic products, said plastic flowing through a passage constructed in a series of assembled modules and extending from an upstream inlet to a downstream outlet, said products being formed in accordance with the cross section of the outlet of the system, said die system comprising:
- at least one distribution module having a plurality of distribution channels constructed therein to form a portion of the die system passage, each of said distribution channels constructed to supply a portion of the plastic flow according to a predetermined ratio of the distribution channel cross section to the die system outlet cross section;
- a die module having an extrusion passage constructed therein to form a portion of the die system passage to receive flowing plastic from said distribution channels and to extrude said plastic through the outlet of said die system to form the extruded product;
- and
- wherein said die system outlet cross section is divided into preselected flow regions and at least one of said distribution channels provides plastic flow directly to one of said flow regions, and further wherein the area of said at least one distribution channel is determined by the ratio of the cross sectional area of the preselected region supplied thereby, to the cross sectional area of the die system outlet.
In an extrusion die system for extruding a plastic product, a passage for carrying flowing plastic, extending from an upstream inlet to a downstream outlet, said downstream outlet having a cross sectional profile which is divided into preselected regions, said passage comprising:
- a series of distribution channels, each channel designed to supply a regional plastic flow according to the volume of plastic required in one of said preselected regions of said cross sectional profile;
- and
- an extrusion channel communicating with said distribution channels to receive flowing plastic therefrom, and designed to extrude the plastic into a product having said cross sectional profile.
In an extrusion die system for extruding a plastic product, said system having a passage for supplying a flow of plastic extending from an upstream inlet to a downstream outlet, said downstream outlet having a cross sectional profile consistent with the cross section of the extruded product, a method of constructing an extrusion die system comprising the steps of:
- analyzing said cross sectional profile to identify regions having predetermined flow requirements;
- dividing the area of the cross sectional profile into said flow regions for the purpose of directing the supply of plastic;
- calculating a ratio for each of said regional areas equal to the regional area divided by the total area of said cross sectional profile;
- constructing at least one module for dividing the flow of plastic into multiple distribution channels for supplying a flow volume to a flow region in proportion to the ratio calculated for said region;
- constructing a die module for forming the downstream outlet of the extrusion die system;
- and
- interconnecting said modules to supply the plastic flow to the outlet in alignment with the flow regions.
A method of supplying flowing plastic to an extrusion die having a profile consistent with the shape of an extruded product, said profile having identified regions of predetermined flow requirements, said method comprising the steps of:
- dividing the flow of plastic into an independent stream for each of the identified regions in proportion to the relative area of said identified region to the total area of the die profile;
- delivering each of said independent streams to its associated identified region for extrusion through the die.
An extrusion die having a passage for carrying plastic from an upstream inlet to a downstream outlet, to extrude plastic products in a specified profile comprising:
- a plurality of identified flow regions which form part of the specified profile having predetermined plastic flow requirements;
- a plurality of axial assembled distribution modules, each of said modules having an array of distribution channels constructed therein, said array of channels expanding in number in predetermined steps from an upstream module to an adjacent downstream module, to provide at least one flow channel for supplying plastic to each of said identified flow regions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.