Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
334 words
In a screw extruder for thermoplastic synthetic foam comprising a barrel, means for injecting into the barrel a liquid volatile expansion agent, and an extrusion head arranged to receive from the barrel a flow of molten thermoplastic synthetic resin in which said volatile expansion agent is thoroughly dispersed under pressure, the improvement comprising a device for cooling said flow of resin, interposed between said head and said barrel, said cooling device comprising: a housing having a center axis extending between said head and said barrel; metal block means adapted to be cooled mounted in said housing, having two opposed faces disposed parallel to said axis and at least one axially extending row of passages passing through said block from one to the other of said faces; said passages being of substantially circular cross-section and a length/diameter ratio which does not exceed approximately 10:1; an inlet manifold channel in said housing for the input of said flow to a first of said faces and an outlet manifold channel in said housing extending from the second of said faces; said inlet manifold channel being directed at least substantially in the same direction as said axially extending row of passages and having one of its lateral walls formed by the first of said faces of the block, whereby the individual passages in said row branch off from said inlet manifold channel transversely to the direction of the latter and in sequence with regard to this direction; said outlet manifold channel being directed at least substantially in the same direction as said axially extending row of passages and having one of its lateral walls formed by said second face of said block whereby the individual passages in said row open into the outlet manifold channel transversely to the direction of the latter and in sequence with respect to this direction; and cooling channel means associated with said block means for cooling said block means by contact with a liquid refrigerant adapted to be carried in said channel means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
334 words
In a screw extruder for thermoplastic synthetic foam comprising a barrel, means for injecting into the barrel a liquid volatile expansion agent, and an extrusion head arranged to receive from the barrel a flow of molten thermoplastic synthetic resin in which said volatile expansion agent is thoroughly dispersed under pressure, the improvement comprising a device for cooling said flow of resin, interposed between said head and said barrel, said cooling device comprising: a housing having a center axis extending between said head and said barrel; metal block means adapted to be cooled mounted in said housing, having two opposed faces disposed parallel to said axis and at least one axially extending row of passages passing through said block from one to the other of said faces; said passages being of substantially circular cross-section and a length/diameter ratio which does not exceed approximately 10:1; an inlet manifold channel in said housing for the input of said flow to a first of said faces and an outlet manifold channel in said housing extending from the second of said faces; said inlet manifold channel being directed at least substantially in the same direction as said axially extending row of passages and having one of its lateral walls formed by the first of said faces of the block, whereby the individual passages in said row branch off from said inlet manifold channel transversely to the direction of the latter and in sequence with regard to this direction; said outlet manifold channel being directed at least substantially in the same direction as said axially extending row of passages and having one of its lateral walls formed by said second face of said block whereby the individual passages in said row open into the outlet manifold channel transversely to the direction of the latter and in sequence with respect to this direction; and cooling channel means associated with said block means for cooling said block means by contact with a liquid refrigerant adapted to be carried in said channel means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
In a screw extruder according to claim 1, in which said cooling device comprises a further metal block means having inlet and outlet channels constructed and arranged in the manner of said first mentioned block means and channels with the outlet manifold of said first mentioned block means being connected to the inlet manifold channel of said further block means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
In a screw extruder according to claim 1, in which the width of the inlet manifold channel, measured in the direction of the respective passages, decreases progressively and in which the analogous width of the outlet manifold channel increases progressively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a screw extruder according to claim 1, in which the overall cross-sectional area of all the passages interconnecting an inlet manifold channel with a respective outlet manifold channel is greater than the effective cross-sectional area of the inlet manifold channel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
In a screw extruder according to claim 4, in which said overall cross-sectional area of all of the passages is also greater than the effective cross-sectional area of the outlet manifold channel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
In a screw extruder according to claim 1, in which said metal block means is comprised of at least one circular, cylindrical sleeve and in which said passages are radially disposed and form a plurality of rows situated at least substantially in angularly equidistant planes containing the axis of said sleeve, the end faces of said sleeve adapted to be cooled by said cooling channel means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a screw extruder according to claim 6, in which said circular, cylindrical sleeve is comprised of at least two rings arranged end-to-end and forming between them a circular cavity coaxial with said sleeve for the circulation of a cooling fluid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
126 words
In a screw extruder according to claim 6 or 7, in which one of the manifold channels has an annular ring-shaped cross-section and is defined by the radially internal surface of the sleeve and by a torpedo-shaped protrusion extending axially into the sleeve from a first extremity of the latter, the radial width of said one of said manifold channels decreasing down to zero toward said first extremity and in which the other manifold channel is of an annular ring-shaped cross-section and is defined by the radially external surface of said sleeve and by a tubular housing which surrounds said sleeve, the radial width of the other of said manifold channels decreasing down to zero from said first extremity toward the opposite extremity of said sleeve.