Patents by Inventor Josef A. Blach

Josef A. Blach has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10414081
    Abstract: In a multi-shaft extruder for the processing of free-flowing material having a barrel and a plurality of co-rotating, tightly intermeshing conveyor shafts (1 to 3) arranged in parallel which have at least two flights and are each guided in a bore (1? to 3?) in the barrel, each conveyor shaft (1 to 3) is spaced with the ridge (O) of one of its flights from the bore wall (1?, 2?, 3?) by a clearance over at least part of the processing length of the extruder, whereas a gap is formed between the ridge (a, b, c) of another of its flights and the bore wall (1?, 2?, 3?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: BLACH VERWALTUNGS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Publication number: 20150138909
    Abstract: In a multi-shaft extruder for the processing of free-flowing material having a barrel and a plurality of co-rotating, tightly intermeshing conveyor shafts (1 to 3) arranged in parallel which have at least two flights and are each guided in a bore (1? to 3?) in the barrel, each conveyor shaft (1 to 3) is spaced with the ridge (O) of one of its flights from the bore wall (1?, 2?, 3?) by a clearance over at least part of the processing length of the extruder, whereas a gap is formed between the ridge (a, b, c) of another of its flights and the bore wall (1?, 2?, 3?).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Josef A. BLACH
  • Patent number: 8783939
    Abstract: An extruder is provided that has a housing with at least two axially parallel shafts which are capable of being driven in the same direction and with at least two-flight intermeshing conveying elements stripping each other at an axial distance (Ax) with a small clearance over the entire circumference. The extruder has a distance between the comb of the at least one further flight and the inner wall of the housing. Each conveying element has at least two conveying sections rotated through an angle, wherein each conveying section has an axial length corresponding to at most the outer diameter of the conveying element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Blach Verwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 8562203
    Abstract: An extruder comprises a displacement part with a housing, inside of which at least one screw shaft is housed and which is provided, at one end, with a material entry opening for the material to be processed and, at the other end, with a material outlet opening for the processed material, and with an intermediate opening between the material entry opening and the material outlet opening for discharging gas from the displacement part. A material retaining device is connected to said intermediate opening and has at least one screw shaft inside an intermediate housing. This screw shaft extends from the intermediate opening to a gas discharge opening in the intermediate housing and conveys material entering the intermediate housing back into the displacement part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Blach Verwaltungs GmbH
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 8434928
    Abstract: In the case of an extruder with at least two parallel, rotating shafts turning in the same direction, the shafts are equipped with interlocking feed screw segments (24) and working segments (26). The working segments (26), which lead to a greater spread between the two shafts than the feed screw segments (24), are formed as a single piece as a combined element (22) using the feed screw segment (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Blach Verwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 8381618
    Abstract: For driving an extruder (1) having disposed along a circle a plurality of shafts (3) with processing elements (4), the shafts (3) are connected to the output shafts (11) of a gearing (7) which are provided with output pinions (12, 13). The output pinions (12, 13) are disposed axially offset so that adjacent output shafts (11) have a different length (L1, L2) between the end facing the extruder (1) and the output pinion (12, 13). The axially offset output pinions (12, 13) are in engagement each with a sun gear (18, 19). One sun gear (19) is connected to a hollow torque shaft (21) and the other sun gear (18) to an inner torque shaft (22) disposed therewithin. The hollow torque shaft (21) and the inner torque shaft (22) are configured such that the difference in torsional rotation angle caused by the different length (L1, L2) of the output shafts (11) is compensated by a different torsion of the hollow torque shaft (21) and the inner torque shaft (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Publication number: 20120188840
    Abstract: An extruder is provided that has a housing with at least two axially parallel shafts which are capable of being driven in the same direction and with at least two-flight intermeshing conveying elements stripping each other at an axial distance (Ax) with a small clearance over the entire circumference. The extruder has a distance between the comb of the at least one further flight and the inner wall of the housing. Each conveying element has at least two conveying sections rotated through an angle, wherein each conveying section has an axial length corresponding to at most the outer diameter of the conveying element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 8172450
    Abstract: In an extruder wherein the slip-on elements (1) have a cross-sectional profile comprising circular arcs corresponding to the maximum slip-on element diameter, the slip-on element core diameter and the center distance of the slip-on elements (1), the slip-on element (1) has no shaft-to-hub connection in the area of the circular arc corresponding to the slip-on element core diameter and/or it is provided at its ends with reinforcement segments (13, 14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Blach Verwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Publication number: 20110177901
    Abstract: For driving an extruder (1) having disposed along a circle a plurality of shafts (3) with processing elements (4), the shafts (3) are connected to the output shafts (11) of a gearing (7) which are provided with output pinions (12, 13). The output pinions (12, 13) are disposed axially offset so that adjacent output shafts (11) have a different length (L1, L2) between the end facing the extruder (1) and the output pinion (12, 13). The axially offset output pinions (12, 13) are in engagement each with a sun gear (18, 19). One sun gear (19) is connected to a hollow torque shaft (21) and the other sun gear (18) to an inner torque shaft (22) disposed therewithin. The hollow torque shaft (21) and the inner torque shaft (22) are configured such that the difference in torsional rotation angle caused by the different length (L1, L2) of the output shafts (11) is compensated by a different torsion of the hollow torque shaft (21) and the inner torque shaft (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2009
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 7654726
    Abstract: A multiple-shaft extruder comprises a core (4) with outward leading channels that can be flown through by a cooling liquid. At least two housing segments (16 to 19) are each provided with a cooling circuit with interconnected cooling bore holes (28), which can be flown through by a cooling liquid, are distributed in the peripheral direction and in an axially parallel manner, and which are located on the section of the housing segments (16 to 19) that faces the process chamber (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Publication number: 20090274003
    Abstract: In an extruder wherein the slip-on elements (1) have a cross-sectional profile comprising circular arcs corresponding to the maximum slip-on element diameter, the slip-on element core diameter and the center distance of the slip-on elements (1), the slip-on element (1) has no shaft-to-hub connection in the area of the circular arc corresponding to the slip-on element core diameter and/or it is provided at its ends with reinforcement segments (13, 14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 7594453
    Abstract: To drive an extruder which has several axially parallel shafts rotating in the same direction, with conveyor elements, arranged around a circle at equal angles with respect to each other, the shafts are attached to the driven shafts of a gear system. Each driven shaft has a pinion, and each driven pinion engages both with an externally-toothed drive wheel and with an internally-toothed hollow gear wheel. The externally-toothed drive wheel and the internally-toothed hollow gear wheel are driven with the same torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Publication number: 20090040863
    Abstract: In the case of an extruder with at least two parallel, rotating shafts turning in the same direction, the shafts are equipped with interlocking feed screw segments (24) and working segments (26). The working segments (26), which lead to a greater spread between the two shafts than the feed screw segments (24), are formed as a single piece as a combined element (22) using the feed screw segment (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Publication number: 20080259717
    Abstract: An extruder comprises a displacement part with a housing, inside of which at least one screw shaft is housed and which is provided, at one end, with a material entry opening for the material to be processed and, at the other end, with a material outlet opening for the processed material, and with an intermediate opening between the material entry opening and the material outlet opening for discharging gas from the displacement part. A material retaining device is connected to said intermediate opening and has at least one screw shaft inside an intermediate housing. This screw shaft extends from the intermediate opening to a gas discharge opening in the intermediate housing and conveys material entering the intermediate housing back into the displacement part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 7425090
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispersing and melting flowable substances includes axis-parallel supporting shafts rotatable in the same direction. Screw elements with the same direction of thread are fitted on the shafts so as to rotate in unison and intermesh. The screw elements have screw portions disposed at a progressive angular offset from each other with the same sense of rotation so as to form faces. The screw elements are of single- or double-flighted form. The axial length of each screw element is a fraction of the pitch of the screw crest of each screw portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Blach Verwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 7284897
    Abstract: An extruder has at least three parallel, co-rotating shafts disposed in a cavity therein along a circle. The shafts are equipped with screw elements closely intermeshing over their whole circumference. At least one screw element is formed as a passage screw element with recesses in the screw crest, screw core and/or screw flank. Downstream of a supply port an element is provided for inhibiting the product flow in the flight of the passage screw element. A degassing opening is located downstream and adjacent the inhibiting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Blach Verwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 7270471
    Abstract: In an extruder for continuous working and/or processing of flowable substances having at least two parallel, corotating shafts equipped with intermeshing screw elements whose face is limited by circular arcs corresponding to the outside screw diameter, the screw core diameter and at most the center distance of the screw elements, and guided on circular segments of the extruder housing that are parallel to the shafts, at least one screw element (1) has a plurality of concentric ring portions (8) spaced a distance apart and formed by grooves (12) turned into the screw element (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Blach Verwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 7025491
    Abstract: An apparatus for homogenizing and/or dispersing at least one viscous substance and at least one solid and/or at least one other substance of different viscosity includes in a space in a housing axis-parallel rotatable shafts disposed along a circle with equal central-angle distance and provided with tightly intermeshing screw elements. The shafts in the area outside the openings in the housing are provided with screw elements having a pitch (S) of at most three quarters of the outside screw diameter (D) over a length (L=L1+L2+L3) corresponding to at least ten times the outside diameter (D) of the screw elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: 3+Extruder GmbH
    Inventors: Josef A. Blach, Markus Blach, Michael Blach
  • Publication number: 20040141405
    Abstract: An apparatus for homogenizing and/or dispersing at least one viscous substance and at least one solid and/or at least one other substance of different viscosity has in a space (3) in the housing (1) axis-parallel rotatable shafts (4) disposed along a circle with equal central-angle distance and provided with tightly intermeshing screw elements (6). The shafts (4) in the area outside the openings (9, 11, 12) in the housing (1) are provided with screw elements (6) having a pitch (S) of at most three quarters of the outside screw diameter (D) over a length (L=L1+L2+L3) corresponding to at least ten times the outside diameter (D) of the screw elements (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Josef A. Blach, Markus Blach, Michael Blach
  • Patent number: 6227693
    Abstract: In order to position the screw elements (6) axially precisely on the shafts (1) of a multi-shaft screw-type machine, a split stop ring (8) against which the screw elements (6) are prestressed is provided in a first ring groove (9) of the shaft (1). Spaced from the first ring groove (9), a second ring groove (11) with a screw thread (14) is provided. A straining ring (18) to be prestressed against the stop ring (8) and connected with the shaft (1) so as to rotate in unison is in screw connection with the screw thread (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Inventors: Josef A. Blach, Michael Blach, Markus Blach