Coextrusion apparatus

Abstract

The present invention includes a method of producing a reinforced extrusion product, the product of the method, and the apparatus for making a reinforced extrusion product. The method of producing an extruded composite of the present invention, comprises the general steps of: (a) extruding a longitudinally oriented composite precursor comprising: (1) at least one thermoplastic polymeric material and (2) a core mixture of at least one thermosetting resin and at least one filler material; whereby the thermoplastic polymeric material(s) is/are extruded so as to substantially enclose a space, and whereby the core mixture is disposed in the space; and (b) maintaining the composite precursor under conditions whereby the thermoplastic polymeric material(s) become(s) cooled and the thermosetting resin(s) become(s) cured so as to form the extruded composite of the present invention. The present invention also includes an extruded composite made in accordance with the method of the present invention. The present invention also includes a coextrusion apparatus comprising: (1) an extrusion die adapted to form a hollow profile extrudate; (2) at least one extruder head adapted to extrude a thermoplastic material through the extrusion die so as to form a hollow thermoplastic extrudate; and an insulated injector tube adapted to coextrude a thermosetting material with the thermoplastic material and into the hollow thermoplastic extrudate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.