Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus – With means applying coating material to work or work contact... – To work downstream of shaping means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-28
2001-10-30
Nguyen, Nam (Department: 1722)
Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus
With means applying coating material to work or work contact...
To work downstream of shaping means
C425S325000, C425S378100, C425S385000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309200
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for texturing an extruded thermoplastic material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Texturing the surface of plastic extrusions is often difficult and may interfere with the extrusion process. Typically, texturing is performed as a separate process step after the extrusion step.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,913 to Gen et al. describes feeding an extruded sheet through cold press rolls followed by guide rolls, and then through embossing rolls.
U.S. Pat.No. 5,164,227 to Miekka describes a method for decoration of a paper or plastic sheeting where the coated sheet is heated to soften the coating and then decorated using embossing rollers to decorate the sheet. A remote heat source softens the sheet before embossing. The surface of the embossing roller is hard and distorts the sheet.
For many extrusions, especially hollow extrusions, textured wheels tend to deform the surface and distort the profile itself. The profile requires support from the underside to resist the force of the wheels. Typically, the texturing wheel also has to provide sufficient cooling to the plastic surface so that the pattern is not diminished by subsequent operations such as calibrating. Texturing wheels or rollers also have an undesirable short repeat pattern which tends to be aesthetically objectionable. Use of rollers also requires that the surface speeds of the roller matches the surface speed of the extrudate so as to further complicate the mechanism.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,906,170 to Nelson et al and 5,184,152 to French describe an apparatus for printing, but not texturing, on plastic tubing which might be drawn from an extruder.
Hence, it desirable to provide for an improved apparatus and process for texturing a continuous extrusion with an extended or random pattern without applying undue pressure to the surface of the extrusion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is desirable to overcome one or more disadvantages of prior art texturing devices by providing an apparatus for extended surface texturing which has the ability to obtain an infinite variability in surface texture of a design. Additionally, desirable features include the ability for immediate changeover from one texture design to the next without mechanical changes, and which provides no lost time during changeover due to installation. Also, with the present invention, re-heating the extrusion or attaining steady state is not normally necessary. The present invention is desirable characterized by the absence of a texture roll and no mechanical contact. Reduced precision is needed in the marking system to profile distance while there is a minimal effect on die to calibrator distance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for continuously applying surface texturing to a lineal type extrusion without distorting the extruded article.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for texturing an outer surface of a thermoplastic resin article comprising a means for forming a thermoplastic resin article from a molten thermoplastic resin and a non-contact liquid jet printer head for impinging a stream of liquid against said thermoplastic resin for rapidly cooling said thermoplastic resin in an impinged area for imparting texturing to said extruded thermoplastic resin article. Preferably, the stream of liquid is in the form of droplets that originate from liquid printer head.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4031946 (1977-06-01), Marti et al.
patent: 4171193 (1979-10-01), Rahlfs
patent: 4671913 (1987-06-01), Gen et al.
patent: 4906170 (1990-03-01), Nelson et al.
patent: 5059104 (1991-10-01), Alberto
patent: 5164227 (1992-11-01), Miekka et al.
patent: 5184152 (1993-02-01), French
patent: 5223852 (1993-06-01), Oresti et al.
patent: 5531951 (1996-07-01), Travelute et al.
patent: 5665278 (1997-09-01), Allen et al.
patent: 5948332 (1999-09-01), Prenger
patent: 27 17 357 A (1978-12-01), None
patent: 58 012742 A (1983-01-01), None
General Electric Company
Luk Emmanuel
Nguyen Nam
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