Calibration device for an extruded plastic profile strand and method for calibrating an extruded plastic profile strand and calibrated plastic profile

A method for calibrating at least one extruded plastic profile strand into a calibrated plastic profile which, in a calibrated state, comprises at least two complementary elements that, in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the calibrated plastic profile, are in a form fit connected state, the method comprising:

• inserting the at least one extruded plastic profile strand into at least one channel of a calibrator body such that the at least one extruded plastic profile strand is movable along movement direction from an input side of the calibrator body to an output side, which is arranged on a side of the calibrator body opposite the input side in the movement direction, through the calibrator body, and such that the at least one extruded plastic profile strand has, upon insertion into the at least one channel, a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the movement direction, in which the at least two complementary elements are separated in a direction perpendicular to the movement direction and are not in a form fit connected state;
• moving the extruded plastic profile strand in the movement direction from the input side of the calibrator body to the output side through the at least one channel and calibrating the extruded plastic profile strand during this movement;
• and
• outputting the calibrated plastic profile at the output side,
• wherein:
• while moving through the at least one channel sections of the extruded plastic profile strand forming the at least two complementary elements are continuously brought closer to each other along the movement direction and are then brought together into the form fit connected state while undergoing plastic deformation and/or elastic deformation, so that the at least two complementary elements form a positive fit in the form fit connected state in the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the calibrated plastic profile.

A calibrated plastic profile that extends in a longitudinal direction and has a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, comprising:

• a first calibrated plastic profile strand having first and fourth complementary elements, and
• a second calibrated plastic profile strand having second and third complementary elements,
• wherein:
• the first and second complementary elements are in a form fit connected state in a cross section,
• the third and fourth complementary elements are in a form fit connected state in the cross section,
• the first complementary element is formed as a first protrusion having a first head at the terminal end of a first stem, the first head having a larger diameter in the cross section that is at least 2 times larger than a diameter of the first stem,
• the second complementary element is a first recess that receives the first head through an opening of the first recess and is delimited by two lateral wall elements such that (i) the opening of the first recess has a diameter in the cross section which is 5%-50% larger than the diameter of the first stem but is smaller than the diameter of the first head, (ii) the first head is enclosed in the first recess in two opposing directions in the cross section and (iii) the first and second calibrated plastic profile strands are thus in the form fit connected state, and
• the third complementary element is formed as a second protrusion having a second head at the terminal end of a second stem, the second head having a diameter in the cross section that is at least 2 times larger than a diameter of the second stem,
• the fourth complementary element is a second recess that receives the second head through an opening of the second recess and is delimited by two lateral wall elements such that (i) that the opening of the second recess has a diameter in the cross section which is 5%-50% larger than the diameter of the second stem but is smaller than the diameter of the second head, (ii) the second head of is enclosed in the second recess in two opposing directions in the cross section and (iii) the first and second calibrated plastic profile strands are thus in the form fit connected state, form a plastic profile,
• the first and second protrusions and the first and second recesses are configured such that the first and second calibrated plastic profile strands are displaceable relative to one another in the longitudinal direction at room temperature, and
• separation of the form fit connection of the first and second protrusions and the first and second recesses at room temperature in any direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction requires application of a separating force of at least 300 N per 2 cm length of the calibrated plastic profile.