US 6,537,405 B1Granted

Spiral formed products and method of manufacture

AssigneeNomaco Inc.

InventorsRandal Henderson, Eduardo Lauer, Michael Allman, Jeremy Fetvedt

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

In the present invention, hollow thermoplastic foam tubes of any desired diameter are easily achieved as well as large sheets or planks of thermoplastic foam material in any width and thickness desired by spirally wrapping and fusing a thermoplastic foam profile having a desired size and shape. By employing a thermoplastic foam extruder to produce a profile having a desired cross-sectional shape or configuration, and advancing the profile onto a rotating support member for being wrapped peripherally surrounding the rotating support and continuously bonding the abutting edges of the profile as the profile is spirally wound, a unique spiral forming and product manufacturing procedure and system is realized. By employing this unique spiral forming process, a hollow cylindrical thermoplastic foam tube is formed on a continuous basis, with the length thereof being controlled only by the needs of the customer. In addition, any desired diameter can be formed, by employing one or more cooperating rotating support members having a desired diameter, with the thickness of the tube being controlled by the thickness of the profile formed by the extrusion equipment.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A method for manufacturing foam thermoplastic products comprising the steps of:

A. continuously extruding a foam thermoplastic member in an elongated, longitudinally extending, substantially continuous length having a desired cross-sectional shape, using a fixed immovable extruder;
B. advancing the elongated, longitudinally extending foam thermoplastic member into association with a puller member constructed for continuously drawing the foam thermoplastic member from the extruder and feeding the foam thermoplastic member to forming means, having a fixed base and at least two separate and independent rotatable mandrels mounted thereto, each of said mandrels comprising a single, longitudinally extending, substantially continuous surface having a substantially uniform cross section throughout its length;
C. controllably winding the elongated, longitudinally extending, foam thermoplastic member directly on said rotatable mandrels of said forming means in a manner to cause opposed sides of the foam thermoplastic member to be positioned in a side-to-side, adjacent relationship when wound on said rotatable mandrels;
D. continuously bonding/joining the adjacent side edges of the foam thermoplastic member to each other as the foam member is wound on the rotatable mandrels;
E. continuously forming a foam thermoplastic member which
a. continuously advances longitudinally along the length of the rotatable mandrel;
and
b. continuously advances beyond a terminating end of the mandrel;
and
F. repeatedly cutting desired lengths of the foam thermoplastic member from the length thereof extending beyond the terminating end of the rotatable mandrel;
thereby providing hollow foam thermoplastic products having any desired size or shape.

8 more elements

A system for manufacturing hollow, substantially cylindrically shaped, elongated foam thermoplastic members in a continuous production operation, said system comprising

A. a fixed, immovable extruder for continuously producing elongated, substantially continuous lengths of a foam thermoplastic member having the desired cross-sectional shape;
B. a puller member positioned between the extruder and a forming machine and constructed for drawing the foam member from the extruder and feeding the foam member to the forming machine;
C. a forming machine comprising a fixed, immovable base and at least two separate and independent, longitudinally extending substantially continuous rotatable support surfaces positioned for receiving the elongated, continuous foam thermoplastic member directly from the pulley member and continuously winding the thermoplastic member in direct association with the support surfaces, whereby a first side surface of the thermoplastic member is brought into alignment with a second side surface thereof;
D. bonding/joining means positioned in direct association with the rotatable support surfaces and the forming machine and in cooperating relationship with the foam thermoplastic member for bonding the side surfaces of the elongated foam thermoplastic member as the side surfaces are brought into contact with each other, causing the surfaces to be securely affixed together;
whereby an elongated, hollow shaped foam thermoplastic member is produced having any desired length and any desired hollow shape.

2 more elements

A system for manufacturing hollow, substantially cylindrically shaped, elongated foam thermoplastic members in a continuous production operation, said system comprising

A. a fixed, immovable extruder for continuously producing elongated, substantially continuous lengths of a foam thermoplastic member having the desired cross-sectional shape;
B. a puller member positioned between the extruder and a forming machine and constructed for drawing the foam member to the forming machine;
C. a forming machine comprising at least two separate and independent, cooperating rotatable support members for receiving the elongated, continuous foam thermoplastic member from the extruder and enabling the continuous winding of the thermoplastic member in direct association with the support members, each of said support members comprising a substantially cylindrical shape with a central axis which is substantially parallel to the central axis of the cooperating support members, whereby a first side surface of the thermoplastic member is brought into alignment with a second side surface thereof as the foam thermoplastic member is wrapped about a portion of each cylindrically shaped rotatable support member, continuously extending from one rotatable support member to another rotatable support member in a continuous loop;
and
D. bonding/joining means positioned in association with the forming machine in cooperating relationship with the foam thermoplastic member for bonding the side surfaces of the elongated foam thermoplastic member as the side surfaces are brought into contact with each other, causing the surfaces to be securely affixed together;
whereby an elongated, hollow shaped foam thermoplastic member is produced having any desired length and any desired hollow shape.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/757,345Filed 9 Jan 2001 · continuation in part
Priority: 16 Oct 1997
Granted: 25 Mar 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification33 codes

B29C 65/10
By heating, with or without pressure: using hot gases or flames coming in contact with at least one of the parts to be joined
B29C 48/11
Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels: comprising two or more partially or fully…
B29C 53/607
Using internal forming surfaces, e.g. mandrels: having driving means for advancing the wound articles, e.g. belts, rolls
B29C 53/78
Helically: using profiled sheets or strips