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US 2003/0155694 A1Published application
Post formation profile processing
OwnerWilliam W. Rowleyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to the post-formation processing of extruded or injection molded profiles in an economic manner without the need to purchase a blow molding machine, yet still effect post-formation radial expansion or contraction by the application of sufficient degree of heat or the performing of the operation sufficiently quickly to permit the utilization of the retained latent heat from the extrusion or injection molding process.
Claims137
A process for manufacturing a polymeric profile, comprising the steps of:
- (a) extruding a polymer having a first profile at an extrusion temperature;
- (b) cooling said polymeric profile to a temperature at least 20% below said extrusion temperature;
- (c) reheating at least a portion of said extruded profile to at least a first temperature at which said profile becomes formable, said first temperature which is below a second temperature at which the profile becomes melt processable;
- (d) sealing at least one end of said profile,
- (i)steps (c) and (d) being interchangeable;
- (e) reshaping said reheated portion of said first profile at said second temperature to a second profile, said second profile having at least one internal cross-sectional dimension which is different from a corresponding external cross-sectional dimension of said first profile;
- and
- (f) cooling said second profile.
5 more elements
A process for manufacturing a polymeric profile, comprising the steps of:
- (a) injection molding a hollow polymer having a first profile at an injection molding temperature;
- (b) cooling said polymeric profile to a temperature at least 20% below said injection molding temperature;
- (c) reheating at least a portion of said first profile to at least a first temperature at which said profile becomes formable, said first temperature which is below a second temperature at which the profile becomes melt processable;
- (d) sealing at least one end of said profile,
- (i) steps (c) and (d) being interchangeable;
- (e) reshaping said reheated portion of said first profile at said second temperature to a second profile, said second profile having at least one internal cross-sectional dimension which is different than a corresponding external cross-sectional dimension of said first profile;
- (f) cooling said second profile.
4 more elements
A process comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a polymeric hollow profile at a forming temperature;
- (b) cooling said polymeric profile to a temperature at least 20% below said forming temperature;
- (c) reheating at least a portion of said profile to at least a first temperature at which said profile becomes formable, said first temperature which is below a second temperature at which the profile becomes melt processable;
- (d) sealing at least one end of said profile,
- (i) steps (c) and (d) being interchangeable;
- (e) reshaping said reheated portion of said profile at said second temperature by melt processing using a polymeric processing technique selected from the group consisting of blow molding, compression molding and injection overmolding;
- and
- (f) cooling said reshaped profile.
5 more elements
A process comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a polymeric hollow profile at a forming temperature;
- (b) cooling said polymeric profile to a temperature where said profile has at least some rigidity to permit handling without imparting permanent deformation to said profile, said temperature still being sufficiently high for said profile to be melt reformable;
- (c) sealing at least one end of said profile;
- (d) reshaping said profile by melt reforming using a polymeric processing technique selected from the group consisting of blow molding, compression molding and injection overmolding;
- and
- (e) cooling said reshaped profile.
3 more elements
A process for manufacturing a polymeric profile, comprising the steps of:
- (a) extruding a polymer having a first profile at an extrusion temperature;
- (b) cooling said first profile to a temperature where said first profile has at least some rigidity to permit handling without imparting permanent deformation to said first profile, said temperature still being sufficiently high for said first profile to be melt reformable;
- (c) sealing at least one end of said first profile;
- (d) reshaping said first profile at said temperature at which said first profile is melt reformable into a second profile having at least one internal cross-sectional dimension which is different than a corresponding external cross-sectional dimension of said first profile;
- and
- (e) cooling said second profile.
3 more elements
A process for manufacturing a polymeric profile, comprising the steps of:
- (a) injection molding a polymer having a first profile at an injection molding temperature;
- (b) cooling said first profile to a temperature where said first profile has at least some rigidity to permit handling without imparting permanent deformation to said first profile, said temperature still being sufficiently high for said first profile to be melt reformable;
- (c) sealing at least one end of said first profile;
- (d) reshaping said first profile at said temperature at which said first profile is melt reformable into a second profile having at least one internal cross-sectional dimension which is larger than a corresponding external cross-sectional dimension of said first profile;
- and
- (e) cooling said second profile.
3 more elements
A process for manufacturing a polymeric profile, comprising the steps of:
- (a) extruding a polymer having a first profile at an extrusion temperature;
- (b) cooling said first polymeric profile to a temperature wherein said profile has sufficient structure to be physically moved, yet has sufficient retained heat to be formable;
- (c) moving said first profile into a forming mold;
- (d) sealing at least one end of said first profile;
- (e) reshaping said first profile into a second profile;
- and
- (f) cooling said second profile.
4 more elements
A process for manufacturing a polymeric profile, comprising the steps of:
- (a) injection molding a polymer having a first profile at an injection molding temperature;
- (b) cooling said first polymeric profile to a temperature wherein said first profile has sufficient structure to be physically moved, yet has sufficient retained heat to be formable;
- (c) moving said first profile into a forming mold;
- (d) sealing at least one end of said first profile;
- (e) reshaping said first profile into a second profile;
- and
- (f) cooling said second profile.
4 more elements
A process for manufacturing a polymeric profile, comprising the steps of:
- (a) extruding a polymer having a first profile at an extrusion temperature;
- (b) pinching off a first end of said first profile;
- (c) pinching off an opposed second end of said first profile;
- (d) moving said profile into a forming mold;
- (e) reshaping said first profile into a second profile;
- and
- (f) cooling said second profile.
4 more elements
A process for manufacturing a polymeric profile, comprising the steps of:
- (a) extruding a polymer having a first profile at an extrusion temperature;
- (b) sealing a first end of said first profile when said first profile has cooled to a temperature wherein said profile has sufficient structure to be physically moved, yet has sufficient retained heat to be formable;
- (c) moving said first profile into a forming mold;
- (d) reshaping said first profile into a second profile;
- and
- (e) cooling said second profile.
3 more elements
A process which comprises the steps of:
- (a) extruding an essentially horizontal first hollow polymeric profile at an extrusion temperature;
- (b) transferring said first profile into a reforming mold;
- and
- (c) reshaping said first profile into a second profile at a reforming temperature.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.