Method and apparatus for forming articles from mouldable materials
OwnerPeter Michael Woodworthinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming an article from mouldable material is disclosed. A mouldable material, such as a thermoplastic is heated until it is molten and is fed into an injector (900) of an injection moulding apparatus. A liquid, such as water, is introduced (930) into the stream of molten plastic. Because the molten plastic is at a temperature above the boiling point of the water, the water will boil and will expand the plastic material forming a honeycomb structure of bubbles that remains once the material has cooled.
Claims13
1-15. (canceled)
A method of forming an article from at least one mouldable material, comprising the steps of:—
- heating at least one mouldable material to a first temperature at which said material becomes substantially molten;
- feeding said molten material through an article forming apparatus;
- and
- introducing at least one liquid into said molten material wherein at least one said liquid boils at a second temperature less than said first temperature.
A liquid adding device for attaching to an apparatus for forming articles from at least one mouldable material, the device comprising:—
- at least one insertion device for introducing at least one liquid into an apparatus for forming articles from at least one mouldable material;
- at least one valve for allowing the or each liquid to enter said apparatus and mix with at least one said mouldable material and to prevent mouldable material from passing through said valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.