Apparatus for making plastic solar panel structure

Claim 2

Apparatus for making a panel structure of plastic material having a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its longitudinal extent and a multiplicity of parallel passages extending longitudinally therethrough defined by a multiplicity of longitudinally extending integrally interconnected exterior and interior thin wall sections, each of said interior thin wall sections defining parts of two adjacent passages, each of said passages being defined at least in part by an interior thin wall section, said apparatus comprising a die having an extrusion outlet defined by a multiplicity of interconnected slots corresponding generally in number and position to said multiplicity of thin wall sections and fluid outlets between interconnected slots of the extrusion outlet corresponding generally in number and position to said passages, means for continuously feeding plastic material to the extrusion outlet of said die at an elevated temperature sufficient to render the plastic material flowable and at a pressure sufficient to cause the heated plastic material to continuously move longitudinally outwardly of said extrusion outlet so that the interconnecting slots thereof form the heated plastic material into said multiplicity of interconnected thin wall sections, means for reducing the temperature of the plastic material moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet through the slots defining the exterior thin wall sections by exterior heat exchange while controlling the exterior configuration thereof for a time period sufficient to enable the moving exterior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining, and means for feeding fluid to said fluid outlets so as to cause fluid to flow longitudinally outwardly of said fluid outlets into each passage defined by the thin wall sections moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet while controlling the relative fluid pressure acting within adjacent passages on opposite sides of said interior thin wall sections so as to control the position thereof relative to said exterior thin wall sections until the temperature thereof is reduced by heat exchange with said fluid sufficiently to enable said moving interior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining, said die further including separate annular slot-shaped outlets disposed in surrounding relation to certain of said fluid outlets and surrounded relation with the interconnected slots associated therewith and means for continuously feeding a second plastic material to the annular slot-shaped outlets of said die at an elevated temperature sufficient to render the second plastic material flowable and at a pressure sufficient to cause the heated second plastic material associated with each annular slot-shaped outlet to continuously move longitudinally outwardly thereof in a sleeve formation which is expanded outwardly into engagement with the thin wall sections defining the passage within which the sleeve is moving by the associated fluid flowing therein.

Claim 3

Apparatus for making a panel structure of plastic material having a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its longitudinal extent and a multiplicity of parallel passages extending longitudinally therethrough defined by a multiplicity of longitudinally extending integrally interconnected exterior and interior thin wall sections, each of said interior thin wall sections defining parts of two adjacent passages, each of said passages being defined at least in part by an interior thin wall section, said apparatus comprising a die having an extrusion outlet defined by a multiplicity of interconnected slots corresponding generally in number and position to said multiplicity of thin wall sections and fluid outlets between interconnected slots of the extrusion outlet corresponding generally in number and position to said passages, means for continuously feeding plastic material to the extrusion outlet of said die at an elevated temperature sufficient to render the plastic material flowable and at a pressure sufficient to cause the heated plastic material to continuously move longitudinally outwardly of said extrusion outlet so that the interconnecting slots thereof form the heated plastic material into said multiplicity of interconnected thin wall sections, means for reducing the temperature of the plastic material moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet through the slots defining the exterior thin wall sections by exterior heat exchange while controlling the exterior configuration thereof for a time period sufficient to enable the moving exterior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining in said configuration, and means for feeding fluid to said fluid outlets so as to cause fluid to flow longitudinally outwardly of said fluid outlets into each passage defined by the thin wall sections moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet while controlling the relative fluid pressure acting within adjacent passages on opposite sides of said interior thin wall sections so as to control the position thereof relative to said exterior thin wall sections until the temperature thereof is reduced by heat exchange with said fluid sufficiently to enable said moving interior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining, said fluid feeding means including first, second and third manifold openings formed in said die, said first manifold opening being communicated with a first series of generally aligned fluid outlets, and second manifold opening being communicated with a second series of generally aligned fluid outlets spaced from said first series of fluid outlets, said third manifold opening communicating with a third series of generally aligned fluid outlets spaced between said first and second series of fluid outlets, first pressure control means for controlling the fluid pressure in said first manifold opening, second pressure control means for controlling the fluid pressure in said second manifold opening, and third pressure control means for controlling the fluid pressure in said third manifold opening.

Claim 4

Apparatus for making a panel structure of plastic material having a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its longitudinal extent and a multiplicity of parallel passages extending longitudinally therethrough defined by a multiplicity of longitudinally extending integrally interconnected exterior and interior thin wall sections, each of said interior thin wall sections defining parts of two adjacent passages, each of said passages being defined at least in part by an interior thin wall section, said apparatus comprising a die having an extrusion outlet defined by a multiplicity of interconnected slots corresponding generally in number and position to said multiplicity of thin wall sections and fluid outlets between interconnected slots of the extrusion outlet corresponding generally in number and position to said passages, means for continuously feeding plastic material to the extrusion outlet of said die at an elevated temperature sufficient to render the plastic material flowable and at a pressure sufficient to cause the heated plastic material to continuously move longitudinally outwardly of said extrusion outlet so that the interconnecting slots thereof form the heated plastic material into said multiplicity of interconnected thin wall sections, means for reducing the temperature of the plastic material moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet through the slots defining the exterior thin wall sections by exterior heat exchange while controlling the exterior configuration thereof for a time period sufficient to enable the moving exterior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining in said configuration, and means for feeding fluid to said fluid outlets so as to cause fluid to flow longitudinally outwardly of said fluid outlets into each passage defined by the thin wall sections moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet while controlling the relative fluid pressure acting within adjacent passages on opposite sides of said interior thin wall sections so as to control the position thereof relative to said exterior thin wall sections until the temperature thereof is reduced by heat exchange with said fluid sufficiently to enable said moving interior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining, said fluid feeding means including first, second and third manifold openings formed in said die, said first manifold opening being communicated with a first series of generally aligned fluid outlets, and second manifold opening being communicated with a second series of generally aligned fluid outlets spaced from said first series of fluid outlets, said third manifold opening communicating with a third series of generally aligned fluid outlets spaced between said first and second series of fluid outlets, first pressure control means for controlling the fluid pressure in said first manifold opening, second pressure control means for controlling the fluid pressure in said second manifold opening, and third pressure control means for controlling the fluid pressure in said third manifold opening.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid feeding means includes first, second and third manifold openings formed in said die, said first manifold opening being communicated with a first series of fluid outlets, and second manifold opening being communicated with a second series of said fluid outlets, said third manifold opening communicating with a third series of said fluid outlets, first pressure control means for controlling the fluid pressure in said first manifold opening, second pressure control means for controlling the fluid pressure in said second manifold opening, and third pressure control means for controlling the fluid pressure in said third manifold opening.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 or 2 wherein said exterior thin wall section temperature reducing means includes fourth and fifth fluid manifold openings formed in said die, a fourth series of fluid outlets in said die communicating with said fourth manifold opening disposed in said die to direct a flow of fluid therefrom onto the exterior surfaces of the exterior thin wall sections defining the operative exterior of the panel structure, a fifth series of fluid outlets in said die communicating with said fifth manifold opening disposed in said die to direct a flow of fluid thereform onto the exterior surfaces of the exterior thin wall sections opposite from those defining the operative exterior of the panel structure.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 including fourth pressure control means for controlling the fluid pressure in said fourth manifold opening and fifth pressure control means for controlling the fluid pressure in said fifth manifold opening.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said fluid outlets in said fourth series is provided with means for adjusting the rate of flow of fluid therethrough.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said fluid outlets in said fifth series is provided with means for adjusting the rate of flow of fluid therethrough.

Claim 10

Apparatus for making a panel structure of plastic material having a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its longitudinal extent and a multiplicity of parallel passages extending longitudinally therethrough defined by a multiplicity of longitudinally extending integrally interconnected exterior and interior thin wall sections, each of said interior thin wall sections defining parts of two adjacent passages, each of said passages being defined at least in part by an interior thin wall section, said apparatus comprising a die having an extrusion outlet defined by a multiplicity of interconnected slots corresponding generally in number and position to said multiplicity of thin wall sections and fluid outlets between interconnected slots of the extrusion outlet corresponding generally in number and position to said passages, means for continuously feeding plastic material to the extrusion outlet of said die at an elevated temperature sufficient to render the plastic material flowable and at a pressure sufficient to cause the heated plastic material to continuously move longitudinally outwardly of said extrusion outlet so that the interconnecting slots thereof form the heated plastic material into said multiplicity of interconnected thin wall sections, means for reducing the temperature of the plastic material moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet through the slots defining the exterior thin wall sections by exterior heat exchange while controlling the exterior configuration thereof for a time period sufficient to enable the moving exterior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining in said configuration, and means for feeding fluid to said fluid outlets so as to cause fluid to flow longitudinally outwardly of said fluid outlets into each passage defined by the thin wall sections moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet while controlling the relative fluid pressure acting within adjacent passages on opposite sides of said interior thin wall sections so as to control the position thereof relative to said exterior thin wall sections until the temperature thereof is reduced by heat exchange with said fluid sufficiently to enable said moving interior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining, said exterior thin wall section temperature reducing means comprising a series of longitudinally spaced pairs of cooperating hollow rollers of a rigid heat conducting material and fluid coolant circulating means for circulating a fluid coolant through said hollow rollers thereby controlling the temperature of said pairs of cooperating rollers so that said temperature reduction and configuration control are effected by direct contact between said rollers and the exterior of said exterior thin wall sections.

Claim 11

Apparatus for making a panel structure of plastic material having a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its longitudinal extent and a multiplicity of parallel passages extending longitudinally therethrough defined by a multiplicity of longitudinally extending integrally interconnected exterior and interior thin wall sections, each of said interior thin wall sections defining parts of two adjacent passages, each of said passages being defined at least in part by an interior thin wall section, said apparatus comprising a die having an extrusion outlet defined by a multiplicity of interconnected slots corresponding generally in number and position to said multiplicity of thin wall sections and fluid outlets between interconnected slots of the extrusion outlet corresponding generally in number and position to said passages, means for continuously feeding plastic material to the extrusion outlet of said die at an elevated temperature sufficient to render the plastic material flowable and at a pressure sufficient to cause the heated plastic material to continuously move longitudinally outwardly of said extrusion outlet so that the interconnecting slots thereof form the heated plastic material into said multiplicity of interconnected thin wall sections, means for reducing the temperature of the plastic material moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet through the slots defining the exterior thin wall sections by exterior heat exchange while controlling the exterior configuration thereof for a time period sufficient to enable the moving exterior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining in said configuration, and means for feeding fluid to said fluid outlets so as to cause fluid to flow longitudinally outwardly of said fluid outlets into each passage defined by the thin wall sections moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet while controlling the relative fluid pressure acting within adjacent passages on opposite sides of said interior thin wall sections so as to control the position thereof relative to said exterior thin wall sections until the temperature thereof is reduced by heat exchange with said fluid sufficiently to enable said moving interior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining, said exterior thin wall section temperature reducing means comprising a series of longitudinally spaced pairs of cooperating hollow rollers of a rigid heat conducting material and fluid coolant circulating means for circulating a fluid coolant through said hollow rollers thereby controlling the temperature of said pairs of cooperating rollers so that said temperature reduction and configuration control are effected by direct contact between said rollers and the exterior of said exterior thin wall sections.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said series of longitudinally spaced pairs of cooperating rollers includes a lower series of rollers and an upper series of rollers, means mounting said upper series of rollers together, and means mounting said upper series of rollers for movement together into and out of cooperating relation with said lower series of rollers.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the cooperating relationship between said series of upper rollers with respect to said series of lower rollers is one in which the spacing between each cooperating pair of upper and lower rollers progressively diminishes in a direction longitudinally away from said die.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said lower roller mounting means comprises a pair of parallel lower side plates each rotatably receiving an end of each lower roller and means mounting said lower side plates for simultaneous vertical adjustment.

Claim 15

Apparatus for making a panel structure of plastic material having a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its longitudinal extent and a multiplicity of parallel passages extending longitudinally therethrough defined by a multiplicity of longitudinally extending integrally interconnected exterior and interior thin wall sections, each of said interior thin wall sections defining parts of two adjacent passages, each of said passages being defined at least in part by an interior thin wall section, said apparatus comprising a die having an extrusion outlet defined by a multiplicity of interconnected slots corresponding generally in number and position to said multiplicity of thin wall sections and fluid outlets between interconnected slots of the extrusion outlet corresponding generally in number and position to said passages, means for continuously feeding plastic material to the extrusion outlet of said die at an elevated temperature sufficient to render the plastic material flowable and at a pressure sufficient to cause the heated plastic material to continuously move longitudinally outwardly of said extrusion outlet so that the interconnecting slots thereof form the heated plastic material into said multiplicity of interconnected thin wall sections, means for reducing the temperature of the plastic material moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet through the slots defining the exterior thin wall sections by exterior heat exchange while controlling the exterior configuration thereof for a time period sufficient to enable the moving exterior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining in said configuration, and means for feeding fluid to said fluid outlets so as to cause fluid to flow longitudinally outwardly of said fluid outlets into each passage defined by the thin wall sections moving longitudinally away from said extrusuion outlet while controlling the relative fluid pressure acting within adjacent passages on opposite sides of said interior thin wall sections so as to control the position thereof relative to said exterior thin wall section until the temperature thereof is reduced by heat exchange with said fluid sufficiently to enable said movement interior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining, said series of longitudinally spaced pairs of cooperating rollers including a lower series of rollers and an upper series of rollers, means mounting said upper series of rollers together, and means mounting said upper series of rollers for movement together into and out of cooperating relation with said lower series of rollers, the cooperating relationship between said series of upper rollers with respect to said series of lower rollers being one in which the spacing between each cooperating pair of upper and lower rollers progressively diminishes in a direction longitudinally away from said die, said lower roller mounting means comprising a pair of parallel lower side plates each rotatably receiving an end of each lower roller and means mounting said lower side plates for simultaneous vertical adjustment, said upper roller mounting means comprising a pair of parallel upper side plates each rotatably receiving an end of each upper roller, pivot means between said upper and lower side plates, spring means resiliently biasing said upper side plates to pivot about said pivot means in a direction to move said upper rollers out of relation with said lower rollers and adjustable means between said upper and lower side plates for securing said upper and lower side plates in an operative position against the bias of said spring means wherein said upper and lower rollers are in said cooperative relation.

Claim 16

Apparatus for making a panel structure of plastic material having a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its longitudinal extent and a multiplicity of parallel passages extending longitudinally therethrough defined by a multiplicity of longitudinally extending integrally interconnected exterior and interior thin wall sections, each of said interior thin wall sections defining parts of two adjacent passages, each of said passages being defined at least in part by an interior thin wall section, said apparatus comprising a die having an extrusion outlet defined by a multiplicity of interconnected slots corresponding generally in number and position to said multiplicity of thin wall sections and fluid outlets between interconnected slots of the extrusion outlet corresponding generally in number and position to said passages, means for continuously feeding plastic material to the extrusion outlet of said die at an elevated temperature sufficient to render the plastic material flowable and at a pressure sufficient to cause the heated plastic material to continuously move longitudinally outwardly of said extrusion outlet so that the interconnecting slots thereof form the heated plastic material into said multiplicity of interconnected thin wall sections, means for reducing the temperature of the plastic material moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet through the slots defining the exterior thin wall sections by exterior heat exchange while controlling the exterior configuration thereof for a time period sufficient to enable the moving exterior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining in said configuration, and means for feeding fluid to said fluid outlets so as to cause fluid to flow longitudinally outwardly of said fluid outlets into each passage defined by the thin wall sections moving longitudinally away from said extrusuion outlet while controlling the relative fluid pressure acting within adjacent passages on opposite sides of said interior thin wall sections so as to control the position thereof relative to said exterior thin wall section until the temperature thereof is reduced by heat exchange with said fluid sufficiently to enable said movement interior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining, said series of longitudinally spaced pairs of cooperating rollers including a lower series of rollers and an upper series of rollers, means mounting said upper series of rollers together, and means mounting said upper series of rollers for movement together into and out of cooperating relation with said lower series of rollers, the cooperating relationship between said series of upper rollers with respect to said series of lower rollers being one in which the spacing between each cooperating pair of upper and lower rollers progressively diminishes in a direction longitudinally away from said die, said lower roller mounting means comprising a pair of parallel lower side plates each rotatably receiving an end of each lower roller and means mounting said lower side plates for simultaneous vertical adjustment, said upper roller mounting means comprising a pair of parallel upper side plates each rotatably receiving an end of each upper roller, pivot means between said upper and lower side plates, spring means resiliently biasing said upper side plates to pivot about said pivot means in a direction to move said upper rollers out of relation with said lower rollers and adjustable means between said upper and lower side plates for securing said upper and lower side plates in an operative position against the bias of said spring means wherein said upper and lower rollers are in said cooperative relation.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said adjustable means includes releasable means for rapidly releasing the securement of said upper side plates in said operative position.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said adjustable means includes a threaded stem having an annular groove therein and said releasable means includes a pin releasably engaged within said annular groove.

Claim 19

Apparatus for making a panel structure of plastic material having a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its longitudinal extent and multiplicity of parallel passages extending longitudinally therethrough defined by a multiplicity of longitudinally extending integrally interconnected exterior and interior thin wall sections, each of said interior thin wall sections defining parts of two adjacent passages, each of said passages being defined at least in part by an interior thin wall section, said apparatus comprising a die having an extrusion outlet defined by a multiplicity of interconnected slots corresponding generally in number and position to said multiplicity of thin wall sections and fluid outlets between interconnected slots of the extrusion outlet corresponding generally in number and position to said passages, means for continuously feeding plastic material to the extrusion outlet of said die at an elevated temperature sufficient to render the plastic material flowable and at a pressure sufficient to cause the heated plastic material to continuously move longitudinally outwardly of said extrusion outlet so that the interconnecting slots thereof form the heated plastic material into said multiplicity of interconnected thin wall sections, means for reducing the temperature of the plastic material moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet through the slots defining the exterior thin wall sections by exterior heat exchange while controlling the exterior configuration thereof for a time period sufficient to enable the moving exterior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining in said configuration, and means for feeding fluid to said fluid outlets so as to cause the fluid to flow longitudinally outwardly of said fluid outlets into each passage defined by the thin wall sections moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet while controlling the relative fluid pressure acting within adjacent passages on opposite sides of said interior thin wall sections so as to control the position thereof relative to said exterior thin wall sections until the temperature thereof is reduced by heat exchange with said fluid sufficiently to enable said moving interior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining, said exterior thin wall section temperature reducing means comprising a series of longitudinally spaced pairs of cooperating hollow rollers of a rigid heat conducting material and fluid coolant circulating means for circulating a fluid coolant through said hollow rollers thereby controlling the temperature of said pairs of cooperating rollers so that said temperature reduction and configuration control are effected by direct contact between said rollers and the exterior of said exterior thin wall sections, said series of longitudinally spaced pairs of cooperating rollers including a lower series of rollers and an upper series of rollers, means mounting said upper series of rollers together, and means mounting said upper series of rollers for movement together into and out of cooperating relation with said lower series of rollers, said fluid coolant circulating means including a lower hollow manifold block for receiving fluid coolant from a supply, a rotary coupling communicating an adjacent end of each lower roller with said lower manifold block, a separate upper hollow manifold block for receiving fluid coolant from a supply, and a rotary coupling communicating the adjacent end of each upper roller with each upper manifold block.

Claim 20

Apparatus for making a panel structure of plastic material having a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its longitudinal extent and multiplicity of parallel passages extending longitudinally therethrough defined by a multiplicity of longitudinally extending integrally interconnected exterior and interior thin wall sections, each of said interior thin wall sections defining parts of two adjacent passages, each of said passages being defined at least in part by an interior thin wall section, said apparatus comprising a die having an extrusion outlet defined by a multiplicity of interconnected slots corresponding generally in number and position to said multiplicity of thin wall sections and fluid outlets between interconnected slots of the extrusion outlet corresponding generally in number and position to said passages, means for continuously feeding plastic material to the extrusion outlet of said die at an elevated temperature sufficient to render the plastic material flowable and at a pressure sufficient to cause the heated plastic material to continuously move longitudinally outwardly of said extrusion outlet so that the interconnecting slots thereof form the heated plastic material into said multiplicity of interconnected thin wall sections, means for reducing the temperature of the plastic material moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet through the slots defining the exterior thin wall sections by exterior heat exchange while controlling the exterior configuration thereof for a time period sufficient to enable the moving exterior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining in said configuration, and means for feeding fluid to said fluid outlets so as to cause the fluid to flow longitudinally outwardly of said fluid outlets into each passage defined by the thin wall sections moving longitudinally away from said extrusion outlet while controlling the relative fluid pressure acting within adjacent passages on opposite sides of said interior thin wall sections so as to control the position thereof relative to said exterior thin wall sections until the temperature thereof is reduced by heat exchange with said fluid sufficiently to enable said moving interior thin wall sections to be self-sustaining, said exterior thin wall section temperature reducing means comprising a series of longitudinally spaced pairs of cooperating hollow rollers of a rigid heat conducting material and fluid coolant circulating means for circulating a fluid coolant through said hollow rollers thereby controlling the temperature of said pairs of cooperating rollers so that said temperature reduction and configuration control are effected by direct contact between said rollers and the exterior of said exterior thin wall sections, said series of longitudinally spaced pairs of cooperating rollers including a lower series of rollers and an upper series of rollers, means mounting said upper series of rollers together, and means mounting said upper series of rollers for movement together into and out of cooperating relation with said lower series of rollers, said fluid coolant circulating means including a lower hollow manifold block for receiving fluid coolant from a supply, a rotary coupling communicating an adjacent end of each lower roller with said lower manifold block, a separate upper hollow manifold block for receiving fluid coolant from a supply, and a rotary coupling communicating the adjacent end of each upper roller with each upper manifold block.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 including means for drivingly rotating said lower series of rollers in the same direction corresponding to the direction of longitudinal movement of the panel structure and said upper series of rollers in an opposite direction.

Claim 22

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11 12, or 2 wherein said exterior thin wall section temperature reducing means includes a sprayer assembly for spraying a liquid composition on the exterior surface of the exterior thin wall sections opposed to those defining the operative exterior of the panel structure so that said liquid composition forms a radiant energy absorbing and reradiating coating thereon.

Claim 23

Apparatus as defined in claim 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 wherein said exterior thin wall section temperature reducing means further includes a liquid composition containing tray positioned beneath a lower roller so as to supply liquid composition to the periphery of said roller which is transferred to the exterior thin wall section contacted thereby.