# US 5,700,413 A · Extruder die plate with removable splitters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,700,413 A - Document ID: US5700413A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/622,295 - Filed: 1996-03-27 - Granted: 1997-12-23 - Earliest claimed: 1996-03-27 - Assignees: Xerox Corporation - Inventors: Fumii Higuchi; John J. Ianni; Fraser S. Smith; Michael G. Hawkins; Joseph L. Leonardo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5700413A ## CPC - B29B 9/06: in the form of filamentary material, e.g. combined with extrusion - B29C 48/04: Particle-shaped (making granules B29B9/00) - B29C 48/08: flexible, e.g. films - B29C 48/305: having a wide opening, e.g. for forming sheets - B29C 48/695: Flow dividers, e.g. breaker plates - G03G 9/0802: {Preparation methods} - B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS - 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) - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A die for the preparation of a toner resin in an extruder having a housing defining a housing aperture therein and a conveyor for conveying the resin through the housing aperture to form a stream of resin is provided. The die includes a member connected to a first end of the housing. The member defines an opening therethrough. The member includes a splitter disposed adjacent the opening for splitting a stream of resin passing through the opening in a first direction into two separate streams of resin. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A die for the preparation of a toner resin in an extruder having a housing defining a housing aperture and a conveyor for conveying the resin through the housing aperture to form a stream of resin therein, the stream of toner resin moving in a downstream direction, the die comprising a member connected to a first end of said housing, said member including a body defining an opening therethrough and a splitter connected to the body, disposed adjacent said opening, and extending across the opening, for splitting a stream of resin passing through the opening in a first direction into two separate streams of resin, said splitter including a first portion to accomplish a primary splitting and a second portion spaced from the fist portion to accomplish a secondary splitting, the second portion located downstream from the first portion, whereby the stream may have primary and secondary splitting to prevent the reforming of a solitary stream of resin. ### Claim 2 A die for the preparation of a toner resin in an extruder having a housing defining a housing aperture and a conveyor for conveying the resin through the housing aperture to form a stream of resin therein, the die comprising a member connected to a first end of said housing, said member including a body defining an opening therethrough and a splitter connected to the body, disposed adjacent said opening, and extending across the opening, for splitting a stream of resin passing through the opening in a first direction into two separate streams of resin, said splitter having a cross sectional area in a plane normal to the flow of the toner resin substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of the opening so that stream may be split without a significant increase in the pressure within the extruder. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The die of claim 1, wherein said member comprises a plate, said plate defining the opening. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The die of claim 3, wherein said plate comprises: a body, said body defining the opening; and an insert attached to said body, said insert located at least partially within the opening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The die of claim 4, wherein said insert comprises a surface thereof cooperating with said body to reduce the area of the opening in the direction of the stream of resin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The die of claim 5, wherein said splitter is attached to said insert. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The die of claim 1, wherein the opening is elongated in a second direction normal to the first direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The die of claim 1, wherein said splitter is elongated in a third direction normal to the first direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The die of claim 1, wherein said splitter comprises a pin. ### Claim 10 A die for the preparation of a toner resin in an extruder having a housing defining a housing aperture therein and a conveyor for conveying the resin through the housing aperture to form a stream of resin, the die comprising a member connected to a first end of said housing, said member including a plate, said plate defining an opening through said member, said plate including a body, said body defining the opening; and an insert attached to said body, said insert located at least partially within the opening and having a surface thereof cooperating with said body to reduce the area of the opening in the direction of the stream of resin, and said member further including a splitter disposed adjacent the opening for splitting a stream of resin passing through the opening in a first direction into two separate streams of resin, said splitter being attached to said insert and including a plurality of pins. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The die of claim 10, wherein said pins are equally spaced from each other. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The die of claim 10, wherein said pins divide the opening into a plurality of spaced apart passages. ### Claim 13 A method for preparing a toner resin, comprising: adding base resin and chemical initiator to a toner extruder; mixing the base resin and the chemical initiator within an opening formed in the extruder to form the mixed resin; selecting a splitting die for use in the extruder so that the cross sectional area of the die in a direction normal to the flow of the resin is minimal with respect to that of the opening; locating the splitting die at an end of the extruder and extending the die across the opening; conveying the mixed resin within the extruder to the splitting die; and drawing the mixed resin through the splitting die to form two separate streams of resin. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A method of claim 13 further comprising the step of premixing the base resin and the chemical initiator. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The die of claim 2, wherein said member comprises a plate, said plate defining the opening. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The die of claim 15, wherein said plate comprises: a body, said body defining the opening; and an insert attached to said body, said insert located at least partially within the opening. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The die of claim 16, wherein said insert comprises a surface thereof cooperating with said body to reduce the area of the opening in the direction of the stream of resin. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The die of claim 17, wherein said splitter is attached to said insert. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) The die of claim 2, wherein the opening is elongated in a second direction normal to the first direction. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The die of claim 2, wherein said splitter comprises a pin.