Including Product Handling Means Patents (Class 425/377)
  • Patent number: 6840748
    Abstract: The invention describes an apparatus for cooling and calibrating an extruded plastic profile (2) with a cooling tank (4) receiving a cooling liquid, with calibrating elements (5) disposed within the cooling tank (4) for the plastic profile (2) subjected to the cooling liquid, and with a draw-off device (7) which is disposed downstream of the cooling tank (4) in the draw-off direction of the plastic profile (2). In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that at least one damping device (9) is provided between the inlet-sided calibrating element (5) of the cooling tank (4) and the draw-off device (7), which damping device rests at least in sections in the zone of one circumference on the plastic profile (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: a + g extrusion technology GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Gasselseder, Erwin Krumböck, Siegfried Pramberger
  • Publication number: 20040247730
    Abstract: The improved method and apparatus for longitudinal orientation of a tubular thermoplastic film as it leaves an annular extrusion die aims at a better control of this orientation. On its travel between the exit orifice (21) and the draw-down means, the at least partly molten film passes an annular frictional device (101), and the frictional force set-up hereby is variable in controlled manner. This device is cooled from its interior (105) in controlled manner by means of a fluid cooling medium. The friction may e be controlled by airlubrication with air pressed through holes (123) in the frictional device or through microporous metal, (102) or alternatively by sucidng the film against the frictional device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Ole-Bendt Rasmussen
  • Publication number: 20040170716
    Abstract: A molded product is produced with a desired cross-sectional area, tension of the molded product to be taken in a press-bonding device is stabilized, and the difference between the production speed of the molded body and the taking-in speed of the molded body in the press-bonding device is absorbed to improve the yield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takanobu Kondo, Shin Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6773739
    Abstract: An extruder system (10, 124) for the processing of feed materials is provided including an extruder (12), adjustable back pressure valve assembly (14) and a superatmospheric post-extrusion product treatment assembly (16, 124). The back pressure valve assembly (14) includes an adjustable valve member (48) which can be shifted to alter the effective cross-sectional open area of a product passageway (36), and alternately can be shifted to a product diverting position wherein the product is diverted from downstream processing. The treatment assembly (16) includes a sealed housing (78) directly coupled to the assembly (14) so that product emerging from the assembly (14) passes into housing (78) without experiencing atmospheric pressure. The treatment assembly (124) includes a product-guiding cowling (128) which is open to the atmosphere, together with a sealed housing (134) for effecting above atmospheric pressure treatment of extruded product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Wenger Manufacturing, Inc
    Inventors: Bobbie W. Hauck, Marc Wenger
  • Patent number: 6769684
    Abstract: An air turning bar for a take-off device for plastic films has a hollow cylindrical body having a depression in the region of the bar around which the film is wrapped. The remaining region of the bar is circular cylindrical. Air outlet openings are provided within the depression. Narrow circular cylindrical strips adjoin the ends of the depression which are provided in the longitudinal direction of the air turning bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Paul Kiefel Extrusion GmbH
    Inventor: Edgar Gandelheidt
  • Patent number: 6764295
    Abstract: A rotary cutter is provided for cutting elongated extruded strips of a food dough product or the like on a conveyor into individual strip pieces of selected length and having angular cut ends simulating the overall appearance of French fry strips cut from whole potatoes. The rotary cutter comprises a pair of rotary support wheels mounted on opposite sides of the conveyor for rotation on longitudinally spaced axes extending normal to the direction of conveyor travel. A plurality of cutter elements extend transversely and angularly across the conveyor with their opposite ends carried by the rotary support wheels generally at the peripheries thereof for engaging and cutting conveyed extruded strips into individual and angularly end-cut strip pieces of selected length. A drive motor rotatably drives one of the support wheels for displacing the cutter elements into engagement with the extruded strips at a velocity closely matching the conveyor velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: J. R. Simplot Company
    Inventors: Richard B. Jensen, David B. Walker, Michael M. Gallagher
  • Patent number: 6737009
    Abstract: A system and process for producing spunbond nonwoven fabric in which two or more polymeric components are separately melted and are separately directed through a distribution plate configured so that the separate molten polymer components combine at a multiplicity of spinnerette orifices to form filaments containing the two or more polymer components. Multicomponent filaments are extruded from the spinnerette orifices into a quench chamber where quench air is directed from a first independently controllable blower and into contact with the filaments to cool and solidify the filaments. The filaments and the quench air are directed into and through a filament attenuator and the filaments are pneumatically attenuated and stretched. The filaments are directed from the attenuator into and through a filament depositing unit and are deposited randomly upon a moving continuous air-permeable belt to form a nonwoven web of substantially continuous filaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: BBA Nonwovens Simpsonville, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas B. Taylor, Robert C. Alexander
  • Patent number: 6732868
    Abstract: A filter production method produces a filter having a shape substantially identical to the shape of a forming surface by extruding semi-molten fibers to the forming surface. When the semi-molten fibers are extruded to the forming surface, the semi-molten fibers are gathered to upstanding surface portions of the forming surface. Therefore, a sufficient amount of fibers can be layered onto the upstanding surface portions, so that the layering amount of fibers on the upstanding surface portions of the forming surface will not be considerably reduced in comparison with the layering amounts on other portions of the forming surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Toyoda Boshoku Corporation
    Inventors: Takanari Takagaki, Koushin Wakayama
  • Publication number: 20040086587
    Abstract: A calibrating basket for a film blowing tube is provided with roller bearings to prevent stripe formation on the film and pinching of the film between the rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: Reifenhauser GmbH & Co. Maschinenfabrik
    Inventor: Helmut Meyer
  • Patent number: 6722873
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for the production of a spiral or coil shaped puffed extrudate. A tube or other peripheral containment vessel is placed at the exit end of an extruder die. A force or resistance is then applied on the extrudate downstream of the glass transition point, thereby causing the extrudate to back up and coil in the containment vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventor: Eugenio Bortone
  • Patent number: 6719551
    Abstract: A thermoplastic molding process uses the thermoplastic molding apparatus to mold a part of variable thickness from a slab of material heated during extrusion. The thermoplastic molding system includes a thermoplastic extrusion die for the extrusion of a thermoplastic slab. The extrusion die has adjustable die gate members for varying the thickness of the extruded material in different parts of the extruded slab. A plurality of molds are mounted to the platform to feed one mold into a loading position while a second mold is in a release position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: Dale E. Polk, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20040046275
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a rubber sheet containing short fibers. The method includes the steps of: mixing short fibers in a flowable rubber matrix; forming the flowable rubber matrix with the fibers therein into a cylindrical shape with a circumferential extent; separating a portion of the circumferential extent from the cylindrical shape, and forming the cylindrical shape with the portion separated into a sheet form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Applicant: Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd.
    Inventors: Takyuki Tagawa, Toshihiro Yamada, Naokazu Yamaguchi, Toshihiro Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20040032040
    Abstract: An extrusion control system and method controls the cross section and viscosity in the process of extruding even hard to control plastics like polyurethane. Cross section, A, is determined by measuring volumetric rate of delivery of melt through a gear pump V/t and the speed of the extrudate at a puller N/t.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventor: Holton E. Harris
  • Patent number: 6676396
    Abstract: Provided is a resin guiding device for an inflation molding apparatus, which guides a molten resin extruded and blown into a tubular resin from an inflation molding die, to a pair of take-up rolls, wherein the resin guiding device comprises a pair of guiding members placed between the inflation molding die and the pair of take-up rolls, and the guiding members respectively have curved contact faces which are in contact with the tubular resin where the curved contact faces are mutually outward curved, and each of the curved contact faces has a shape corresponding to a rein shape so as to fold the tubular resin into a flat shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takanari Yamaguchi, Motonobu Furuta, Tomokazu Takayanagi, Akio Morii, Noriyuki Ooshima
  • Patent number: 6660218
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a draw jet for drawing thermoplastic polymer filaments including a drawing slot defined by an entrance member including a converging passageway communicating with a continuing passageway, terminating at an outlet portion, a drawing member including an inlet portion having a drawing gap width of about 2.0 to about 10 mm communicating with the outlet portion of the entrance member, and at least one air nozzle for directing high speed air onto the filaments in a downstream direction positioned between the outlet portion of the entrance member and the inlet portion of the drawing member, and with a nozzle gap width wherein the gap ratio of the drawing gap width to the combined width of all of the nozzle gaps is from about 1.0 to about 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Davis, Edgar N. Rudisill, Michael John Moore, Sr.
  • Publication number: 20030219503
    Abstract: The invention relates to a moulding system (3), in particular a calibration die (17), for an extrusion plant, with preferably parallel inlet and outlet faces (28, 29) spaced at a distance apart and with side faces (30, 31, 32, 33) extending between them. A longitudinal axis for the object to be fed through a calibration orifice (24) is disposed substantially perpendicular to the inlet and outlet face (28, 29). Provided between a shaping surface (25, 26) and a side face (30, 31, 32, 33) is a gap (37, 38) extending at least across a part of the distance between the inlet and outlet face (28, 29). The gap (37, 38) is disposed between several immediately adjacent parts of several shaping surfaces (26) of the calibration orifice (24) and at least one of the side faces (30, 31, 32, 33). At least the parts of the shaping surfaces (26) co-operating with the gap (37, 38) are displaceable relative to the other shaping surfaces (25).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Inventor: Reinhold Kossl
  • Patent number: 6652785
    Abstract: An extrusion system controller monitors the movement of an extrudate using a motion detector. Upon detection that the extrudate is no longer moving along its path of movement at the appropriate speed, the controller causes power interruption to the extrusion system by a controlled power switching device. A dimensional anomaly detected by a gauge can cause the controller to effect power interruption as well, when the anomaly lies outside a range of correctable dimensions or when the anomaly does not respond to corrective action by the controller. In the event that a cutter is used on the extrusion line, a detector that may be a photodetector senses that the extrudate is being severed regularly. In the absence of regular severance of the extrudate, the controller effects a power interruption. By use of these techniques, the extrusion line can run entirely unattended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Harrel, Incorporated
    Inventor: Holton E. Harris
  • Publication number: 20030214067
    Abstract: The invention is extrusion equipment and a process. The extrusion equipment links two extruders (11, 15) together. The first extruder (11) is, desirably, a counter-rotating twin screw extruder. The first extruder (11) receives organic filler, preferably wood particles or fiber, having a variable moisture content. Moisture is withdrawn from the extruder barrel. A polymer is fed from a second extruder (15) into the barrel of the first extruder (11) after the polymer is heated, mixed, and melted in the second extruder (15). The second extruder (15) can be a single screw or twin screw extruder. The combined mixture of organic filler and polymer is further mixed alone or with optional additives. The mixture is vacuum vented to remove moisture and volatiles and then extruded through a die. Additional processing steps are optional depending upon the extruded product or profile being produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventors: David E Murdock, Dale K Snead, Darrell S Dardenne, Ian W Mills
  • Patent number: 6645410
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus and method for multiple containment tubing produces continuous, nested tubing, or one tube within another tube, without having to fix the space between the tubes or position them concentrically. Consequently the tubing is very flexible and with uniform wall thickness. Moreover, because the inner surface of the outer tube and the outer surface of the inner tube are ribless, these kinds of features cannot interfere with the bending and twisting and the operation of the tubes comprising the tubing. The space between the tubes, or free space, has sufficient volume to contain a range of contents of the inner tube, as a safety containment device, if the inner tube ruptures, cracks, or otherwise breaks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Entegris, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 6619941
    Abstract: An improved air cooling device for the production of cast film is shown. The device is intended to increase production rates for film without reducing the level of film gauge control. The devices utilizes a soft box for the bulk of the cooling and a directional source of pressurized air to deflect exhaust air from the soft box from striking the web curtain between the die and chill roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Battenfeld Gloucester Engineering Co., Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Smith, Kenneth D. Warnock, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20030170335
    Abstract: An apparatus for making strips of fiber-containing rubber is disclosed, wherein the short fibers in each of the strips are oriented in the widthwise direction of the strip. The apparatus comprises: a screw section for pushing out a fluid mixture of unvulcanized rubber and short fibers as fiber-containing rubber; an orienting section comprising a radially extending path provided with an inlet in the center thereof and a looped nozzle on the periphery thereof so that the fiber-containing rubber is expanded circumferentially while flowing radially from the center towards the periphery; and a dividing section comprising a plurality of cutters arranged around the looped nozzle so that the fiber-containing rubber extruded from the looped nozzle is circumferentially divide into a plurality of strips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventor: Masahiko Ohki
  • Publication number: 20030164568
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a guidewire having a discrete length. The method includes the steps of feeding a first end of a corewire into an extrusion device, gripping the first end of the corewire with a gripping apparatus, and extruding a first extrusion material onto an outer surface of the corewire while the gripping apparatus pulls the corewire through the extrusion device to form an extrusion jacket on the outer surface of the corewire. The corewire has a predetermined length corresponding to a length of the guidewire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Applicant: SCIMED LIFE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Solar, Richard Acevedo, Eric Welch, Scott Jones
  • Publication number: 20030160348
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing extruded, cellulosic continuous shaped bodies from an extrusion solution containing cellulose, water and tertiary amino-oxide. In order to improve the textile properties of the extruded continuous shaped bodies with regard to the prior art, the invention provides that the continuous shaped body (5) is conveyed, with essentially no tensile stress, on a conveying device (11) between an extrusion nozzle opening and a take-off unit (24). To this end, the speed of conveyance of the interconnected conveying device (11) is preferably less than the extrusion rate and less than the take-off rate of the take-off unit (24). By employing these measures, the textile properties such as loop strength and tendency to fibrillate can be considerably improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Publication number: 20030143296
    Abstract: An arrangement in connection with clamping tools, which comprises a nozzle structure which consists of coaxially arranged nozzle elements and is arranged to form one or more layers which cover a flexible elongated element on the surface of the flexible elongated element, which passes through the innermost nozzle element, in which arrangement at least the head of the nozzle element, which controls the flexible elongated element, is a separate unit which is arranged to be pushed into its position in the direction of the flexible elongated element and provided with gripping means, which grip the innermost nozzle element of the nozzle structure as the unit arrives at the nozzle element. The joint between the separate unit and the nozzle element of the nozzle structure is arranged to be loosened by repulsive force acting on the separate unit in the direction of the flexible elongated element and the separate unit is arranged to exit from the nozzle structure in the direction of the flexible elongated element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Ali Harlin, Jyrki Pennala, Pekka Huotari
  • Patent number: 6596049
    Abstract: A fiber spinning device and process for manufacturing a web of fibers in the nature of a homogeneous mixture of fibers of different characteristics. Monocomponent fibers of different polymers can be extruded side-by-side from the same die system. Sheath/core bicomponent fibers can be alternated with monocomponent fibers formed of the same core polymer as used in the bicomponent fibers. Bicomponent fibers having a common core polymer and different sheath polymers can be extruded from alternate spinneret orifices in the same die plate. Multiple distribution plates are provided with surface grooves or depressions to direct polymer materials from independent sources to only selected spinneret openings in an array of spinneret openings while maintaining the polymers segregated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Filtrona Richmond, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard M. Berger
  • Publication number: 20030119408
    Abstract: An arrangement for forming a web of fibrous media wherein at least one formed layered portion is attenuated from a first die source selectively unto a first collector and successively combining such portion with at least another formed layered portion which is attenuated from a second die source selectively unto a second collector, at least one of the outer surfaces of the web of fibrous media being of comparatively smooth skin-like nature to minimize projecting fiber ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventor: Kyung-Ju Choi
  • Publication number: 20030119411
    Abstract: The invention provides a thermoplastic elastomer nonwoven fabric roll that exhibits minimal longitudinal wrinkles and minimal delayed restoration when unrolled, and a method and apparatus for producing the same. Thermoplastic elastomer filaments that have been melt-spun are piled on a belt conveyor thereby forming a sheet of nonwoven fabric, that is guided to a rotating roller disposed above the transportation zone of the belt conveyor and peeled off therefrom. Since minimal tension is applied to the nonwoven fabric during processing, the nonwoven fabric can be unrolled with little stretching by applying relatively little tension to the nonwoven fabric. By the method of this invention, a nonwoven fabric roll with unrolling tension of 0.25 g/cm/basis-weight or less can be formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Yukio Yamakawa, Tadashi Furuya, Tsutomu Teshima, Yutaka Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20030116874
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the momentum of a meltspun jet thermal core used for making thermoplastic filaments is presented to aid in the uniformity of formation and elimination of waste in thermoplastic filament nonwoven web formation. The apparatus is easily and economically constructed and is relatively insensitive to positioning variations in the air stream of the filament formation apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventor: Bryan David Haynes
  • Patent number: 6582215
    Abstract: An automatic slug feeding device for delivering slugs to a compression mold for molding golf ball cores is characterized by synchronized rotary transfer, slug conveyance, gripping mechanism transfer and a tray conveyor for transferring slugs from an extruder to a mold loading robotic arm, and subsequently to a mold press. The rotary transfer device receives slugs from the extruder and the slug conveyor linearly conveys individual slugs from the transfer device. The gripping mechanism simultaneously removes a plurality of slugs from the conveyor and deposits them in an array of receptacles in a molding trays which are shuttled to an unload position, where the mold loading robotic arm transfers slugs into a mold press. Storage of extruded slugs prior to compression molding is thus eliminated, cycle time is reduced, core quality is improved, and operator safety is maximized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Spalding Sports Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Cloutier
  • Publication number: 20030113394
    Abstract: In the production of a spunbond web by aerodynamically stretching thermoplastic filaments from a spinneret, the stretching nozzle is formed by two nozzle-forming units each of which has a temperature control device, especially a heater, to minimize deformation at the stretching nozzle defining wall. The result is a reduction in the tolerance of the basis weight of the spunbond web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: Reifenhauser GmbH & Co. Maschinenfabrik
    Inventors: Hans Georg Geus, Hans Jurgen Hofemeister, Falk Rosner, Detlef Frey, Karsten Sievers, Udo Schomer
  • Patent number: 6572798
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for spinning a synthetic yarn, wherein a heated polymeric melt is extruded through a spinneret and the resulting filaments are combined and wound to a package by means of a take-up device located downstream of the spinneret. A cooling tube for the filaments is positioned below the spinneret, and an inlet cylinder which has a gas permeable wall is positioned between the inlet cylinder and the cooling tube. The cooling tube connects to an air stream generator in such a manner that an air stream develops in the cooling tube in the direction of the advancing yarn. The air stream is formed by a quantity of air that enters the cooling tube via the inlet cylinder, and the inlet cylinder is subdivided in the direction of the advancing yarn into several zones, each with a different gas permeability, for controlling the quantity of air entering the inlet cylinder. It is thereby possible to influence with advantage the precooling of the yarn and the formation of the air stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Barmag AG
    Inventors: Roland Nitschke, Hansjörg Meise, Hans-Gerhard Hutter, Ulrich Enders, Peter Senge, Detlev Schulz, Dieter Wiemer
  • Patent number: 6565343
    Abstract: Apparatus for producing plastic film, of the type in which molten plastic is extruded through an annular die to form a tubular bubble which is expanded by air blown into the bubble, and a collapsing frame for forming the bubble into a flat tube prior to passing the tube through a nip formed between rollers, in which opposed, converging reaches of endless belts are used for the collapsing. The belts have their upstream ends held by a pair of first rollers spaced apart on opposite sides of the bubble, and have their downstream ends held by a pair of nip rollers which hold the belts together to form a nip for the collapsed tube. Pulleys and a belt, or gears, are provided which rotatably interconnect the pinch rollers and ensure that the belts entering the nip travel at the same surface speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: K & S Future Design Inc.
    Inventor: Robert D. Krycki
  • Publication number: 20030082252
    Abstract: This invention describes a process for orienting and drawing multiple-layer thermoplastic materials, in particular of a tubular type, wherein
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Applicant: Tecno Coating Engineering S.r. l
    Inventor: Claudio Gini
  • Patent number: 6551545
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for melt spinning a multifilament yarn from a thermoplastic material, wherein a spinneret extrudes the thermoplastic material to strandlike filaments, which are initially in liquid form and then cooled to cause their solidification. For purposes of cooling, the filaments are precooled in a cooling zone downstream of the spinneret in such a manner that the filaments do not solidify. Subsequently, the filament bundle advances by the action of a coolant stream directed in the direction of the advancing yarn into a tension zone and undergoes further cooling until the filaments solidify in a solidification zone within the tension zone. To maintain the location of the solidification zone within the tension zone in a predetermined desired range thereof, an adjustable cooling of the filaments within the cooling zone is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Barmag AG
    Inventors: Hans-Gerhard Hutter, Klaus Schäfer, Dieter Wiemer, Hansjörg Meise, Detlev Schulz
  • Publication number: 20030068394
    Abstract: A spinning-drawing-texturing machine for producing crimped threads is described, comprising a spinning device, a drawing device, a texturing device, and a take-up device. A plurality of threads spun by the spinning device is assigned to the drawing device, the texturing device, and the take-up device. According to the present invention, the drawing device and the texturing device are arranged in a processing module and the take-up device in a winding module underneath the spinning device. The processing module and the winding module are erected side by side and form one long side of the machine. This ensures a configuration divided by functional groups, which facilitates operation and increases operational reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventor: Bernd Kirchhoff
  • Patent number: 6531077
    Abstract: In the extrusion of feed-stuff pellets and relevant consumer products, the extruded products are subject to expansion as a result of the boiling of their water content when the products, after being exposed to high extrusion pressure and a correspondingly high temperature, are discharged to the atmosphere through the extrusion nozzles. Such an expansion is directly aimed at, but it is desirable to be able to control it, which is difficult by adjustment of the ordinary process parameters. With the invention it has been found that the expansion which arises can be controlled in a highly constant manner, i.e. by carrying out the extrusion into a closed chamber in which an over-pressure of a few bar is established in relation to the atmospheric pressure, and which can be regulated. The extrusion products can be continuously discharged from this chamber, or they can be discharged intermittently in portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Sprout-Matador A/S
    Inventor: Anders Flarup-Knudsen
  • Patent number: 6521156
    Abstract: A tube take-up apparatus is provided to handle a length of freshly extruded tube. The apparatus includes an elongated housing in which a pair of parallel, spaced-apart rollers extend lengthwise in a position just below the extruded tubing. The housing is removably mounted on an elongated supporting fin which is secured to the extruder at its near end, extends upwardly between the two rollers and substantially along the entire length of the housing, and is, in turn, supported on a fixed pedestal at its remote end. After the full length of tubing has been extruded, the housing and rollers as a unit are lifted with the tube from the supporting fin and replaced by an empty housing, to extrude the next tube, while the full housing is carried away to a dryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Fitel USA Corp.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Linn Bream, George John Shevchuk, Philip Habbauer, Thomas Edward Stockert, John Burnette MacChesney
  • Publication number: 20030025238
    Abstract: A shaped rubber body with improved uniformity in terms of weight and/or physical properties is produced by extruding a rubber strip by a positive displacement extruding system that includes, as seen from an upstream side of the rubber strip, a screw extruder unit, a gear pump unit and an extrusion head unit with an extrusion nozzle, which are connected in series with each other. The rubber strip is fed to a rotating support along a substantially straight passage extending from the screw extruder unit to the extrusion nozzle of the extrusion head unit, passed through a gap defined between a pair of pressure roll, and applied onto an outer surface of the support by one of the pressure rolls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichiro Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20030008032
    Abstract: A multilane extruder system is provided for forming a pliable mass such as a food dough into a plurality of substantially identical elongated extruded strips, and for depositing these strips onto a conveyor for further processing such as cutting into individual strips of selected length. The extruder system comprises an extruder manifold defining a plurality of flow channels having a substantially identical cross sectional size, shape, and length. Each flow channel includes a first segment extending radially outwardly from a central plenum chamber, and connecting with a second segment extending generally radially inwardly and terminating in an extrusion die port of selected shape. The second channel segments are oriented each at a selected individual angle relative to the radial direction for delivering the extruded strips onto the underlying conveyor in a substantially uniformly and closely spaced relation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: David Bruce Walker, Michael M. Gallagher
  • Patent number: 6499981
    Abstract: A drawing unit including two or more slits extending in a widthwise direction of a collecting conveyor, each slit including an inlet for sucking groups of filaments pushed out from a spinneret, a path in which air currents flowing in a suction direction is formed for drawing the groups of filaments, and an outlet for blowing out the groups of filaments towards the collecting conveyor after the drawing. The drawing unit and a drawing method are capable of producing a non-woven fabric web with uniform thickness and with only a small number of density spots as a result of reduced entanglement of the filaments in the paths of the drawing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6494700
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spinning line for producing a plurality of endless synthetic filament yarns. The spinning line comprises a spinning apparatus for melt spinning the yarns and a takeup apparatus for winding the yarns. Between the spinning apparatus and the takeup apparatus, a yarn collection device is arranged which cuts and removes the yarns by suction upon occurrence of a disturbance in the yarn path of at least one yarn. To this end, the yarn collection device comprises a movable yarn guide with a yarn guide groove in the yarn advance plane, a cutting device, and a suction device. The cutting device and suction device are arranged in the yarn advance plane on one side of the yarn web. The yarn guide is arranged on the opposite side of the yarn web and moved in direction of the cutting device for cutting the yarns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Barmag AG
    Inventor: Markus Stammen
  • Publication number: 20020175433
    Abstract: A method of producing a multifilament yarn from a thermoplastic polymer includes the steps of producing a majority of fluid filaments by melt-extrusion, cooling the fluid filaments to at least partly harden at a point of consolidation, guiding the hardened filaments by a yarn guiding element, sensing the tension of the hardened filaments, varying the distance between the yarn guiding element and the point of consolidation by moving the yarn guiding element in a vertical direction in response to the sensed tension, and combining the majority of hardened filaments to form at least one multifilament yarn. An apparatus for producing a multifilament yarn from a thermoplastic polymer includes a yarn guiding element being movable in a vertical direction. A drive serves to change the vertical position of the yarn guiding element with respect to a point of consolidation of the filaments. At least one sensor senses the yarn tension of the filaments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventor: Nicholas Day
  • Patent number: 6478996
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing a highly oriented yarn (HOY) wherein the yarn is withdrawn from the nozzle of a spinneret at a withdrawal speed of at least 6,500 m/min. The filaments forming the yarn are drawn during their solidification, so that a highly oriented molecular structure forms in the polymer. To withstand the withdrawal tension generated by the high withdrawal speed without overstressing the filaments, the filaments are assisted in their advance before they solidify such that prior to the solidification a tensile stress relief is effective on the filaments, and that during the solidification a reduced withdrawal tension is effective on the filaments while they are drawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Barmag AG
    Inventors: Detlev Schulz, Hansjörg Meise, Klaus Schäfer
  • Publication number: 20020158362
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a transversely aligned web has a spinning device provided with a plurality of nozzles for extruding molten polymer as filaments, and a conveyor on which the filaments spun by the spinning device are piled and traveling in a direction cross to the direction of array of the nozzles. The spinning device is provided with a high-speed fluid blowing unit for blowing a high-speed fluid in a direction parallel with a direction in which the filaments are extruded from the nozzles so as to attenuate the filaments. Further, the apparatus for manufacturing the transversely aligned web has at least one air stream vibrating mechanism for cyclically changing the flowing direction of the high-speed fluid blown from the high-speed fluid blowing unit in a direction cross to the machine direction of the conveyor. The filaments are vibrated in a direction cross to the machine direction of the conveyor, owing to the high-speed fluid by the air stream vibrating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Applicant: NIPPON PETROCHEMICALS , CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Kuroiwa, Kazuhiko Kurihara, Kazuhiro Yabe, Shin-ichi Umejima, Yoshiro Morino
  • Publication number: 20020160072
    Abstract: A roller guide (9) for extrusion calibrators (1) of tubular plastic films (7), provided with a surface removable and interchangeable sleeve (10) made from materials having high thermal insulation characteristics and a good surface friction (grip) coefficient. Such characteristics allow a regular flow of the film being extruded (7) and a uniform cooling thermal dispersion throughout the surface development of said films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventor: Odino Pontarolo
  • Publication number: 20020155185
    Abstract: Here is disclosed an apparatus for a web including continuous fibers having a melt extruder, an endless belt running in one direction and a guide box located between the extruder and the belt. The guide box comprises front and rear walls as viewed in the running direction of the belt, a pair of side walls extending between the front and rear walls and upper and lower end openings. The fibers extruded from the extruder enter the upper end opening by suction exerted in the vicinity of the lower end opening. The guide box is formed in the front wall and/or the rear wall with intermediate opening(s) serving to introduce the outside air into the guide box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: Satoru Tange, Toshio Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20020145219
    Abstract: A device and a method for the melt spinning and depositing of a plurality of tows (5.1, 5.2, . . . , 5.n) utilizes several spinning devices (1.1, 1.2, . . . , 1.n) by means of which one of the tows 5.1, 5.2, . . . , 5.n is produced from a filament bundle (4.1, 4.2, . . . , 4.n). Each spinning device (1.1, 2.2, . . . , 1.n) is associated with a respective drawing-off device and a respective can depositing device (3.1, 3.2, . . . , 3.n) so that each of the tows (5.1, 5.2, . . . 5.n) can be deposited individually in a respective can (19.1, 19.2, . . . , 19.n).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Publication date: October 10, 2002
    Inventors: Matthias Schemken, Henning Rave, Horst Kropat
  • Publication number: 20020142064
    Abstract: The air turning bar for a take-off device for plastic films has a hollow cylindrical body (1) having a depression (2) in the wrapping region of the film. The remaining region (6) is circular cylindrical. Air outlet openings (3) are provided within the depression (2). Narrow circular cylindrical strips (4) adjoin the ends of the depression (2) which are provided in the longitudinal direction of the air turning bar (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Applicant: Kiefel Extrusion GmbH
    Inventor: Edgar Gandelheidt
  • Patent number: 6447703
    Abstract: Processes and apparatus are provided whereby the morphology of bulked continuous filament (BCF) yarns can be variably controlled. More specifically, according to the present invention, the BCF yarn is melt-spun, drawn and textured, most preferably in a one-step spin-draw-texture (SDT) process, wherein prior to texturing, the yarn is subjected to a differential temperature condition. Most preferably, such differential temperature condition is accomplished using the duo rolls employed in drawing the BCF, such that one of the rolls is maintained at a greater temperature as compared to the other of the rolls. Most preferably, it is the upstream-most roll (relative to the general conveyance path of the filament toward the texturizer) which is the hotter of the duo rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Waddington, Ann S. Johnson, Randall A. Sferrazza
  • Patent number: 6428297
    Abstract: An apparatus for extruding a corrugation-free polystyrene foam with 100% carbon dioxide as the blowing agent by extruding the extrudate through an annular die opening so that it contacts a choke ring inner surface. A foam made with the apparatus according to the invention will have no visible corrugations and an average cell size of less than 0.35 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Dart Container Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne J. Myer, Blaine M. Kelley