# US 5,350,475 A · Method for making a component unit for heat exchanger > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,350,475 A - Document ID: US5350475A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/015,693 - Filed: 1993-02-09 - Granted: 1994-09-27 - Earliest claimed: 1992-02-12 - Assignees: 2H Kunststoff GmbH - Inventors: Bernd Hewing; Siegfried Broda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5350475A ## CPC - B29C 66/54: {Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles} - B29C 48/08: flexible, e.g. films - B29C 48/11: comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped - B29C 48/12: Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles - B29C 48/303: {using dies or die parts movable in a closed circuit, e.g. mounted on movable endless support (B29C48/35 takes precedence)} - B29C 65/02: by heating, with or without pressure - B29C 65/14: using wave energy {, i.e. electromagnetic radiation,} or particle radiation {(using mechanical waves B29C65/06; using ultrasonic waves B29C65/08; pressing means transparent to electromagnetic radiation B29C66/81267)} - B29C 65/222: {comprising at least a single heated wire} - B29C 65/38: Impulse heating - B29C 65/40: Applying molten plastics, e.g. hot melt (using welding bar {combined with hot gases} B29C65/12; by moulding B29C65/70) - B29C 66/547: {Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles, e.g. endless tubes} - B29D 16/00: Producing articles with corrugations (B29D23/18 takes precedence) - F28F 21/065: {the heat-exchange apparatus employing plate-like or laminated conduits} - B29C 65/1412: {Infrared [IR] radiation} - B29C 65/16: Laser beams - B29C 65/18: using heated tools - B29L 2031/18: Heat-exchangers or parts thereof - B29L 2031/601: {Multi-tubular articles, i.e. composed of a plurality of tubes (hollow-walled B29L2024/00)} - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A method for the manufacture of a component unit for heat exchanger, substance exchanger and/or bioreactor systems, with at least two walls joined together and composed of structured thermoplastic sheets, wherein a fused strip issuing from a melt shaping tool on the extruder head of an extruder is introduced, after passing through a precooling distance L, continuously into a strip molding press, and wherein the fused strip is continuously shaped in the strip molding press to form a structured plastic sheet and set by cooling. An apparatus for the practice of the method, wherein a melt shaping tool disposed on the extruder head, a continuously driven strip molding press, a system for the severing, stacking and/or winding and/or folding of the plastic sheets produced, and a cyclically operated bonding system are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Method for making a component unit for heat exchanger, substance exchanger and/or bioreactor systems, with at least two walls of embossed thermoplastic sheets, comprising: issuing a fusible strip from a melt shaping tool on an extruder head, passing the fusible strip through a preliminary cooling run, introducing the fusible strip into a strip molding press after the cooling run, and continuously molding the fusible strip in the strip molding press to form an embossed plastic sheet and cooling the sheet to set it, the extruder head having a slot having a width and which method includes first roughly adjusting a width of the shaped plastic sheet molded in the strip molding press by setting or selecting the width of the slot in the extruder head, and finely adjusting the width of the shaped plastic sheet by applying a tensile force to the fusible strip while being molded, the tensile force being applicable through different velocities of the fusible strip between the extruder head and the strip molding press that follows. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, which includes utilizing flexibly deformable mold bodies in the strip molding press. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, which includes utilizing in the strip molding press mold bodies divided transversely of the fusible strip into individual segments which are adjustable separately as to their distance from confronting mold bodies. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, in which the fusible strip has a direction of movement which includes adjusting the extruder head and the strip molding press relative to one another and perpendicular to the direction of movement of the fusible strip. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) Method according to claim 4, in which the direction of movement of the fusible strip is aligned at an angle between 0.degree. and 90.degree. to the horizontal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, which includes laying upon one another two cut-off, molded plastic sheets, one of which assumes a turned position, fastening the plastic sheets laid on one another at selected fastening points, and placing an additional plastic sheet on each of the fastened plastic sheets to form a component unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) Method according to claim 6, in which the step of fastening the plastic sheets includes performing welding thereof simultaneously in a bonding apparatus which has a number of welding electrodes corresponding to a number of fastening points and having resistance elements at their tips, which are in the form of resiliently mounted plungers and whose welding powers are controllable singly or in groups. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, which includes producing at least two passages running in a direction of movement of the fusible strip and spaced apart from one another and from sides in the fusible strip with a melt shaping tool, and filling passages with a cooling fluid with an apparatus fastened tensionally to the melt shaping tool. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) Method according to claim 8, in which in the strip molding press the passages are at least partially interrupted at predetermined lengths and the lengths of adjacent passages are connected by cross connections. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) Method according to claim 8, in which the at least two passages are joined together in the strip molding press by cross connections for the passage of fluid through them.