Sizer for forming shaped polymeric articles and method of sizing polymeric articles
AssigneeCertainTeed Corporation
InventorsKevin D. Hartley, Robert C. McEldowney, Thomas G. Gilbert, Thomas A. Gates
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Abstract
A sizer assembly for providing a shaped polymeric article in an extrusion process comprises a sizer body having a product profile channel corresponding to the shaped polymeric article formed therethrough. The sizer body comprises a plurality of cooling liquid inlet slots forming an opening substantially around the product profile channel and a plurality of vacuum slots forming an opening substantially around the product profile channel for removing cooling liquid expelled from said cooling liquid inlet slots.
Claims30
A sizer assembly for shaping a generally flat, extruded sheet of polymeric material having an outer surface into a non-hollow, shaped polymeric article in an extrusion process, comprising a sizer body having a product profile channel corresponding to said shaped polymeric article formed therethrough, said sizer body further comprising a plurality of cooling liquid inlet slots each forming an opening substantially around said product profile channel, said cooling liquid inlet slots being in open communication with said product profile channel, and a plurality of vacuum slots each forming an opening substantially around said product profile channel for removing cooling liquid expelled from said cooling liquid inlet slots, said vacuum slots being interspersed among, and fluidly insulated from said cooling liquid inlet slots, except in said product profile channel, and being coupled to at least one vacuum source, wherein vacuum and cooling liquid levels at said product profile channel are controlled such that a substantial portion of said outer surface of said sheet of polymeric material is maintained away from said sizer body as said sheet of polymeric material passes through said sizer.
An extension system including:
- an extruder, said extruder providing a generally flat, extruded polymeric sheet having an outer surface;
- and
- a sizer assembly coupled to receive said extruded polymeric sheet for shaping into a non-hollow, shaped polymeric article, said sizer assembly comprising a sizer body having a product profile channel generally corresponding to said shaped polymeric article to be formed therethrough, said sizer body further comprising a plurality of cooling liquid inlet slots each forming an opening substantially around said product profile channel, said cooling liquid inlet slots being in open communication with said product profile channel, and a plurality of vacuum slots each forming an opening substantially around said product profile channel for removing cooling liquid expelled from said cooling liquid inlet slots, said vacuum slots being interspersed among, and fluidly insulated from said cooling liquid inlet slots, except in said product profile channel, and being coupled to at least one vacuum source, wherein vacuum and cooling liquid levels at said product profile channel are controlled such that a substantial portion of said outer surface of said extruded polymeric sheet is maintained away from said sizer body as said extruded polymeric sheet passes through said sizer.
A sizer assembly for shaping a generally flat, extruded sheet of polymeric material having an outer surface into a non-hollow, shaped polymeric article in an extrusion process, comprising:
- a sizer body having a product profile channel corresponding to said shaped polymeric article formed therethrough, wherein said product profile channel is sized less than 0.012 inches greater than a nominal thickness of said shaped polymeric articles, said sizer body further comprising a plurality of cooling liquid inlet slots each forming an opening substantially around said product profile channel, said cooling liquid inlet slots being generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said product profile channel and in open communication with said product profile channel, and a plurality of vacuum slots each forming an opening substantially around said product profile channel far removing cooling liquid expelled from said cooling liquid inlet slots, said vacuum slots being interspersed among, and fluidly insulated from said cooling liquid inlet slots, except in said product profile channel, and being coupled to at least one vacuum source, wherein vacuum levels at said product profile channel are maintained such that a substantial portion of said outer surface of said sheet of polymeric material is maintained away from said sizer body as said sheet of polymeric material passes through said sizer;
- and
- top and bottom manifold sections coupled to said sizer body, each of said top and bottom manifold sections including at least one input port for coupling to a cooling liquid source and at least one vacuum port for coupling to said at least one a vacuum source.
A sizer assembly for shaping a non-hollow, polymeric article from a generally flat sheet of polymeric material having an outer surface, which is being drawn or extruded, said polymeric article being above glass transition temperature, said sizer comprising a sizer body having a product profile channel disposed in a first generally horizontal direction, a plurality of longitudinally spaced cooling liquid inlet and outlet apertures disposed through said sizer body and in open communication with said product profile channel, said cooling liquid outlet apertures being interspersed among, and fluidly insulated from said cooling liquid inlet apertures, except in said product profile channel, said cooling liquid outlet apertures being coupled to at least one vacuum source, wherein vacuum and cooling liquid levels at said product profile channel are controlled such that a substantial portion of said outer surface of said sheet of polymeric material is maintained away from said sizer body, thereby reducing drag on said sheet of polymeric material as it passes through said sizer.
A system for manufacturing siding panel products, comprising:
- an extruder, said extruder providing a generally flat extruded sheet of polymeric material having an outer surface;
- at least one source of cooling liquid;
- at least one vacuum source;
- and
- a sizer assembly for shaping said extruded sheet into a siding panel product, comprising a sizer body having a product profile channel corresponding to the siding panel product formed therethrough, said sizer body further comprising:
- a plurality of longitudinally spaced cooling liquid inlet slots in fluid communication with said at least one source of cooling liquid and in open communication with said product profile channel, each cooling liquid inlet slot forming an opening at least substantially around said product profile channel into which said cooling liquid is provided;
- and
- a plurality of longitudinally spaced cooling liquid outlet slots in communication with said at least one vacuum source and in open communication with said product profile channel to withdraw cooling liquid expelled from said cooling liquid inlet slots, said plurality of spaced cooling liquid outlet slots being interspersed with said plurality of inlet slots,
- wherein vacuum and cooling liquid levels at said product profile channel are controlled such that a substantial portion of the outer surface of said extruded sheet is maintained away from said sizer body as said extruded sheet passes through said sizer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.