Patents Assigned to Kdesign GmbH
  • Publication number: 20260102960
    Abstract: A tempering device for tempering a film tube extruded in a haul-off direction above a frost line includes: several guide segments distributed around a longitudinal axis parallel to the haul-off direction of the film tube and forming a central guide opening for guiding the film tube along the longitudinal axis, the guide segments being adjustable transversely to the longitudinal axis for adjusting the diameter of the guide opening; a guide roller for each guide segment, the guide roller being adjustable together with the guide segment and configured to guide the extruded film tube; and a nozzle section associated with the guide roller, which is adjustable together with the guide segment. The nozzle section has a blow-out nozzle for blowing out a tempering gas in the direction towards the longitudinal axis. The nozzle section is arranged relative to the longitudinal axis in at least partial radial overlap with the guide roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2025
    Publication date: April 16, 2026
    Applicant: Kdesign GmbH
    Inventors: Richard ZIMMERMANN, Daniel LAMERS
  • Publication number: 20260027762
    Abstract: A method for post-tempering a film tube extruded by a blown film line includes: ejecting the film tube in a haul-off direction along a longitudinal axis of the blown film line by a blow head; blowing cooling gas onto the film tube relative to the haul-off direction downstream of the blow head to solidify the film tube at a frost line; post-tempering the film tube by a post-tempering unit having a plurality of adjustable blowing elements downstream of the frost line for blowing tempering gas onto the film tube; adapting a diameter of a feed-through opening formed by the blowing elements to a diameter of the film tube by adjusting the blowing elements; measuring the actual temperature of the film tube downstream of at least one of the blowing elements; and regulating the temperature of the film tube to a target temperature by blowing tempering gas onto the film tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2025
    Publication date: January 29, 2026
    Applicant: Kdesign GmbH
    Inventors: Richard ZIMMERMANN, Daniel LAMERS
  • Publication number: 20250237556
    Abstract: A method for determining the position of a frost line of a tubular film of thermoplastic material during its manufacture, includes: detecting a temperature profile of the tubular film along a first measuring track along the axis of production; determining a first provisional position of the frost line along the first measuring track at which an absolute value of a temperature gradient of the temperature profile in the production direction falls below a first predetermined value; detecting a diameter profile of the tubular film along a second measuring track along the axis of production; determining a second provisional position of the frost line along the second measuring line at which an absolute value of a diameter gradient of the diameter profile in the production direction falls below a second predetermined value; and checking the plausibility of the first provisional position and the second provisional position based on a distance therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2025
    Publication date: July 24, 2025
    Applicant: Kdesign GmbH
    Inventor: Richard ZIMMERMANN
  • Publication number: 20250076037
    Abstract: A method for determining flatness of a flexible web material in a manufacturing process of the flexible web material includes: determining an actual flatness of the web material; determining a first process parameter of the manufacturing process; converting the actual flatness of the web material into at least one comparative value of the actual flatness of the web material depending on the first process parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicant: Kdesign GmbH
    Inventors: Richard ZIMMERMANN, Daniel LAMERS
  • Patent number: 11975471
    Abstract: A device for guiding a film tube emerging from a film blowing head and drawn off in a production direction, including a frame (48) through which the film tube (16) can be passed in the production direction (P), and a plurality of adjusting units (59, 60) distributed over the circumference for adjusting film guide elements (47) transversely to the production direction (P), the adjusting units (59, 60) each having: a pivot arm (50), pivotally attached to the frame (48), a carrier (51) for at least one of the film guide elements (47), the carrier (51) being pivotally connected to the pivot arm (50), and a coupling rod (52) pivotably connected to the carrier (51). At least one first adjusting unit (59) has an actuating mechanism (53, 54) through which the coupling rod (52) the adjusting unit (59) is connected in an articulating manner to the frame (48).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Kdesign GmbH
    Inventor: Richard Zimmermann
  • Publication number: 20220297368
    Abstract: A device for guiding a film tube emerging from a film blowing head and drawn off in a production direction, including a frame (48) through which the film tube (16) can be passed in the production direction (P), and a plurality of adjusting units (59, 60) distributed over the circumference for adjusting film guide elements (47) transversely to the production direction (P), the adjusting units (59, 60) each having: a pivot arm (50), pivotally attached to the frame (48), a carrier (51) for at least one of the film guide elements (47), the carrier (51) being pivotally connected to the pivot arm (50), and a coupling rod (52) pivotably connected to the carrier (51). At least one first adjusting unit (59) has an actuating mechanism (53, 54) through which the coupling rod (52) the adjusting unit (59) is connected in an articulating manner to the frame (48).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: Kdesign GmbH
    Inventor: Richard ZIMMERMANN
  • Patent number: 11292177
    Abstract: A cooling device for external cooling of a film tube subjected to internal pressure in the production of blown films of thermoplastic material includes a cooling gas ring with a ring housing and a ring nozzle arranged concentrically to a central axis and being open towards the film tube. At least one inner ring channel extending in the circumferential direction about the central axis and being open radially inwards towards the ring nozzle is included. At least one feed channel for supplying cooling gas is attached to the ring housing and connected to the ring channel. The cooling device also includes at least one flow guiding device arranged in the at least one feed channel. When a cooling gas flows through the flow guiding device, at least a partial flow of the cooling gas is set in rotation about a flow axis prior to flowing into the ring channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Kdesign GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Zimmermann, Gerd Fahling
  • Publication number: 20190358884
    Abstract: A cooling device for the external cooling of a film tube subjected to internal pressure in the production of blown films of thermoplastic material includes a cooling gas ring with a ring housing and a ring nozzle arranged concentrically to a central axis and being open towards the film tube. At least one inner ring channel extending in the circumferential direction about the central axis and being open radially inwards towards the ring nozzle is included and at least one feed channel for supplying cooling gas is attached to the ring housing. The at least one feed channel is connected to the ring channel. The cooling device also includes at least one flow guiding device which is arranged in the at least one feed channel and is configured such that when a cooling gas flows through the flow guiding device at least a partial flow of the cooling gas is set in rotation about a flow axis prior to flowing into the ring channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicant: Kdesign GmbH
    Inventors: Richard ZIMMERMANN, Gerd FAHLING
  • Patent number: 9457526
    Abstract: A calibration device for calibrating an extruded film tube, above the frost line, forms an annular gap between the calibration device and the film tube. The calibration device includes a plurality of calibration segments and at least one blowing nozzle. The plurality of calibration segments are distributed around a longitudinal axis and form a central feed through opening for feeding through the film tube along the longitudinal axis. The calibration segments are adjustable for adjusting the diameter of the feed through opening. The at least one blowing nozzle for each calibration segment, feeds a calibration gas to the feed through opening. The at least one blowing nozzle is formed such, that the calibration gas is guided to the annular gap substantially parallel to a surface of the film tube and that the calibration gas flows through the annular gap in a single flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Kdesign GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Zimmermann, Gerd Fahling
  • Patent number: 8956136
    Abstract: A method of cooling blown film consisting of thermoplastic plastics during the production of blown film by means of a blown film extruder with a film blowing head which comprises an annular nozzle from which the blown film emerges and is guided away in an extraction direction, wherein at least two cooling gas flows are made to approach the blown film from the outside in at least two blowing-out planes located at a distance from the annular nozzle, wherein at least one cooling gas flow KG is blown out in the direction opposed to the extraction direction of the blown film and wherein at least one cooling gas flow KA is blown out in the extraction direction of the blown film, and wherein, at least one of the cooling gas flows KG, KA can be controlled around their circumference in sectors, at least in respect of its volume flow or temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Kdesign GmbH
    Inventor: Richard Zimmermann
  • Publication number: 20140335213
    Abstract: A calibration device for calibrating an extruded film tube, above the frost line, forms an annular gap between the calibration device and the film tube. The calibration device includes a plurality of calibration segments and at least one blowing nozzle. The plurality of calibration segments are distributed around a longitudinal axis and form a central feed through opening for feeding through the film tube along the longitudinal axis. The calibration segments are adjustable for adjusting the diameter of the feed through opening. The at least one blowing nozzle for each calibration segment, feeds a calibration gas to the feed through opening. The at least one blowing nozzle is formed such, that the calibration gas is guided to the annular gap substantially parallel to a surface of the film tube and that the calibration gas flows through the annular gap in a single flow direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: KDESIGN GMBH
    Inventors: Richard Zimmermann, Gerd Fahling
  • Patent number: 6783344
    Abstract: A device for controlling thickness of film in a blown film extruder has a blow head, a main cooling ring and an additional cooling ring. The additional cooling ring supplies separate additional air streams. A measuring and controlling device controls the thickness profile of a blown film. The measuring and controlling device scans the thickness of the blown film above a freezing zone. The device controls the additional air streams as a function of the measured blown film thicknesses. The additional cooling ring is a segmented ring arranged at the blow head of a blown film extruder adjacent the main cooling ring. A method utilizing device is likewise disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Kdesign GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Joachim Rudolf