Apparatus and method for producing multilayered laminates

Claim 1

An apparatus for producing multi-layer parisons of polymeric materials wherein at least two of said layers are relatively thin compared to at least one other layer, said apparatus comprising means including a tubular channel for forming a relatively thick layer of a first polymeric material and laminate means for forming a laminate of at least two thin layers which is thereafter fed completely around the surface of the thick layer of polymeric material, said laminate means including a segmented die block, each segment being formed with a polymeric accumulation reservoir, the die block being formed around said tubular channel having a first annular passageway of lesser diameter than said tubular channel leading from an accumulation reservoir in a first segment to an outlet orifice and adapted to be charged with a second polymeric material from said accumulation reservoir, a second annular passageway leading from an accumulation reservoir in a second segment to an outlet orifice and adapted to be charged with a third polymeric material from said accumulation reservoir, and a third annular passageway which is an elongated annular member having facing and spaced apart parallel side walls in which said laminate is formed leading from the outlet orifices of said first and second passageways and leading to said tubular channel; whereby a laminate can be formed in said third annular passageway composed of said second and third polymeric material, which laminate is thereafter fed around said first polymeric material.

Claim 2

An apparatus for producing multi-layer parisons of polymeric materials wherein at least two of said layers are relatively thin compared to at least one other layer, said apparatus comprising means including a tubular channel for forming a relatively thick layer of a first polymeric material and laminate means for forming a laminate of at least two thin layers which is thereafter fed completely around the surface of the thick layer of polymeric material, said laminate means including a segmented die block, each segment being formed with a polymeric accumulation reservoir, the die block being formed around said tubular channel having a first annular passageway of lesser diameter than said tubular channel leading from an accumulation reservoir in a first segment to an outlet orifice and adapted to be charged with a second polymeric material from said accumulation reservoir, a second annular passageway leading from an accumulation reservoir in a second segment to an outlet orifice and adapted to be charged with a third polymeric material from said accumulation reservoir, and a third annular passageway which is an elongated annular member having facing and spaced apart parallel side walls in which said laminate is formed leading from the outlet orifices of said first and second passageways and leading to said tubular channel; whereby a laminate can be formed in said third annular passageway composed of said second and third polymeric material, which laminate is thereafter fed around said first polymeric material.

Claim 7

An apparatus for producing multilayer parisons for blow molding wherein at least two of the layers are relatively thin compared to at least one other relatively thick layer, the apparatus comprising: a. A hollow flow tube having a hollow core pin at its forward end portion forming a hollow unit, b. A segmented die block comprising an extrusion die block segment at the end portion of the apparatus formed with an interior surface surrounding the core pin, but spaced apart therefrom to form a delivery channel for the flow of multiple layers of polymers, the extrusion die block segment also being formed with an annular opening at its forward portion which surrounds, but is spaced from the forward position of the core pin to form an annular opening through which the multilayer parison exits the apparatus, and c. A plurality of subextrusion die block segments vertically located behind the extrusion die block segment comprising at least one principal subextrusion die block segment formed with an annular opening of larger diameter than the diameter of the flow tube and surrounding the flow tube to form a principal tubular channel for flow of a first layer of polymeric material into the delivery channel, and at least two adjacent auxiliary subextrusion die block segments each formed with an accumulation reservoir, a first annular passageway of lesser diameter than the principal tubular channel leading from an accumulation reservoir in a first subextrusion die block segment and adapted to be charged with a second polymeric material from said first subextrusion reservoir, a second annular passageway of lesser diameter than the principal tubular channel leading from an accumulation reservoir in a second subextrusion die block segment to a junction with said first passageway and adapted to be charged with a third polymeric material from said subextrusion accumulation reservoir, and a third annular passageway which is an elongated annular member having facing and spaced apart parallel side walls, leading from said junction of said first and second passageways and leading to said principal tubular channel, said first and second passageways being defined between facing surfaces of adjacent subextrusion die block segments, whereby a laminate can be formed in said third passageway composed of said second and third polymeric material and thereafter fed through said third passageway and completely around said first polymeric material in said principal tubular channel.

Claim 8

An apparatus for producing multilayer parisons for blow molding wherein at least two of the layers are relatively thin compared to at least one other relatively thick layer, the apparatus comprising: a. A hollow flow tube having a hollow core pin at its forward end portion forming a hollow unit, b. A segmented die block comprising an extrusion die block segment at the end portion of the apparatus formed with an interior surface surrounding the core pin, but spaced apart therefrom to form a delivery channel for the flow of multiple layers of polymers, the extrusion die block segment also being formed with an annular opening at its forward portion which surrounds, but is spaced from the forward position of the core pin to form an annular opening through which the multilayer parison exits the apparatus, and c. A plurality of subextrusion die block segments vertically located behind the extrusion die block segment comprising at least one principal subextrusion die block segment formed with an annular opening of larger diameter than the diameter of the flow tube and surrounding the flow tube to form a principal tubular channel for flow of a first layer of polymeric material into the delivery channel, and at least two adjacent auxiliary subextrusion die block segments each formed with an accumulation reservoir, a first annular passageway of lesser diameter than the principal tubular channel leading from an accumulation reservoir in a first subextrusion die block segment and adapted to be charged with a second polymeric material from said first subextrusion reservoir, a second annular passageway of lesser diameter than the principal tubular channel leading from an accumulation reservoir in a second subextrusion die block segment to a junction with said first passageway and adapted to be charged with a third polymeric material from said subextrusion accumulation reservoir, and a third annular passageway which is an elongated annular member having facing and spaced apart parallel side walls, leading from said junction of said first and second passageways and leading to said principal tubular channel, said first and second passageways being defined between facing surfaces of adjacent subextrusion die block segments, whereby a laminate can be formed in said third passageway composed of said second and third polymeric material and thereafter fed through said third passageway and completely around said first polymeric material in said principal tubular channel.

Claim 13

An apparatus for producing multi-layer parisons of polymeric materials wherein at least two of said layers are relatively thin compared to at least one other layer, said apparatus comprising: a. A hollow cylindrical programming flow tube having a hollow core pin at its forward end forming a hollow unit, b. A cylindrical mandrel which fits slidably over the programming tube within which the flow tube is vertically movable, c. A segmented die block comprising an extrusion die block at the end portion of the apparatus formed with an interior surface surrounding the core pin, but spaced apart therefrom to form a delivery channel for the flow of multiple layers of polymers, the extrusion die block segment also being formed with an annular opening at its forward portion which surrounds but is spaced from the forward portion of the core pin to form an annular opening through which the multilayer parison exits the apparatus, and A plurality of subextrusion die block segments vertically located behind the extrusion die block segment comprising at least one principal subextrusion die block segment formed with an annular opening of larger diameter than the outside diameter of the mandrel and surrounding the mandrel to form a principal tubular channel for flow of a first polymeric layer of polymer material into the delivery channel, and at least two adjacent auxiliary subextrusion die block segments each formed with an accumulation reservoir, there being a first tapered annular passageway of lesser diameter than the principal tubular channel leading from an accumulation reservoir in a first subextrusion die block segment to an exit orifice and adapted to be charged with a second polymeric material from said accumulation reservoir and a second tapered annular passageway leading from an accumulation reservoir in a second subextrusion die block segment to an exit orifice and adapted to be charged with a third polymeric material from said accumulation reservoir; said first and second passageways being defined between facing surfaces of adjacent subextrusion die block segments, and a third annular passageway which is an elongated annular member having facing and spaced apart parallel side walls leading from the exit orifices of said first and second passageways and leading to said principal tubular channel, wherein a laminate can be formed in said third passageway of said auxiliary subextrusion die block segments composed of said second and third polymeric material and thereafter fed completely around said first polymeric material in said principal tubular channel.

Claim 14

An apparatus for producing multi-layer parisons of polymeric materials wherein at least two of said layers are relatively thin compared to at least one other layer, said apparatus comprising: a. A hollow cylindrical programming flow tube having a hollow core pin at its forward end forming a hollow unit, b. A cylindrical mandrel which fits slidably over the programming tube within which the flow tube is vertically movable, c. A segmented die block comprising an extrusion die block at the end portion of the apparatus formed with an interior surface surrounding the core pin, but spaced apart therefrom to form a delivery channel for the flow of multiple layers of polymers, the extrusion die block segment also being formed with an annular opening at its forward portion which surrounds but is spaced from the forward portion of the core pin to form an annular opening through which the multilayer parison exits the apparatus, and A plurality of subextrusion die block segments vertically located behind the extrusion die block segment comprising at least one principal subextrusion die block segment formed with an annular opening of larger diameter than the outside diameter of the mandrel and surrounding the mandrel to form a principal tubular channel for flow of a first polymeric layer of polymer material into the delivery channel, and at least two adjacent auxiliary subextrusion die block segments each formed with an accumulation reservoir, there being a first tapered annular passageway of lesser diameter than the principal tubular channel leading from an accumulation reservoir in a first subextrusion die block segment to an exit orifice and adapted to be charged with a second polymeric material from said accumulation reservoir and a second tapered annular passageway leading from an accumulation reservoir in a second subextrusion die block segment to an exit orifice and adapted to be charged with a third polymeric material from said accumulation reservoir; said first and second passageways being defined between facing surfaces of adjacent subextrusion die block segments, and a third annular passageway which is an elongated annular member having facing and spaced apart parallel side walls leading from the exit orifices of said first and second passageways and leading to said principal tubular channel, wherein a laminate can be formed in said third passageway of said auxiliary subextrusion die block segments composed of said second and third polymeric material and thereafter fed completely around said first polymeric material in said principal tubular channel.

Claim 19

An apparatus as in any of claims 11 to 15 further comprising means for adjusting the size of the annular opening through which the multilayer parison exits the apparatus.

Claim 20

A method of forming a multilayer parison of at least three layers of polymeric materials by co-extrusion with an extrusion head wherein at least two of said layers are relatively thin compared to at least one other layer comprising the steps of forming the thick layer of a first liquid state polymeric material within a tubular passageway and forming a liquid state flow laminate composed of thin layers of a second and third polymeric material within a passageway which is an elongated annular passageway having facing and spaced apart parallel side walls and thereafter feeding said liquid state flow laminate completely around said liquid state thick layer prior to extrusion from said head.

Claim 21

A method of forming a multilayer parison of at least three layers of polymeric materials by co-extrusion with an extrusion head wherein at least two of said layers are relatively thin compared to at least one other layer comprising the steps of forming the thick layer of a first liquid state polymeric material within a tubular passageway and forming a liquid state flow laminate composed of thin layers of a second and third polymeric material within a passageway which is an elongated annular passageway having facing and spaced apart parallel side walls and thereafter feeding said liquid state flow laminate completely around said liquid state thick layer prior to extrusion from said head.