Low shear free-flow extruder breaker plate

Abstract

An extruder device having improved flow distribution, reduced shear and reduced surface area on which material can accumulate, including a breaker plate having a plurality of symmetrically arranged tapered holes provided therein. The holes are disposed on a series of V-shaped concentric centering grooves the diameters of which progressively increase, albeit by diminishing increments, over the adjacent inner circles. Each of the holes disposed on a particular centering groove is of equal diameter; however, the diameters of the holes become progressively smaller as the diameters of the centering grooves on which they are disposed increase. The holes nearest the center of the plate have the largest diameters, while those nearest the periphery of the plate have the smallest diameters. A compact symmetrical array of holes is provided, with the holes cooperating with the centering grooves to present a knife-like edge to the plastic material, with the interstitial spaces between the holes being inclined toward the holes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.