EE01565U1 - Plastic profile extrusion calibrator system - Google Patents

Abstract

Present invention relates to the system 2 of calibration matrixes 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6 for extruding a plastic profile, said system 2 comprising in series multiple calibration matrixes 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6, where at least some of said calibration matrixes 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6 have an observation-cap 11 between them. Every calibration matrix 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6 comprises a lower half 10 and a upper half 9 of the calibration matrix 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6, where between said upper and lower halves 9, 10 of the calibration matrix 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6 a longitudinally running inner chamber 8 is formed having a cross-section corresponding to the extruded profile, where the inner surface of said chamber 8 is covered by an anti-adhesive antifriction material 12.

Description

 TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention belongs to the field of the plastics industry, more specifically, the invention relates to a calibrator die system and its calibrator dies for the continuous extrusion of plastic, preferably recycled plastic, profiles.

STATE OF THE ART

A calibrator die for the continuous extrusion of rods made of polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) is known from United States patent application US2010196643A1. This solution is intended primarily for the extrusion of polychlorotrifluoroethylene, which requires a relatively high temperature for extrusion (290-300 °C) and is therefore not suitable for the continuous extrusion of profiles made of mixed plastics, such as recycled plastics in particular.

A calibrator die system is known from Japanese patent application JPS63162216A, which comprises three consecutive calibrator dies, with which cooling zones of different temperatures are formed in order to cool a relatively thin-walled (0.5-3 mm) extruded profile and to give it a stable shape and dimensions. The system described in the said document is intended for the production of thin-walled profiles from so-called “fresh” plastic (i.e. not recycled plastic) and is therefore not suitable for the continuous extrusion of profiles from mixed plastics, such as in particular recycled plastic.

The closest calibrator die system to the present invention is known from European patent EP2937199B1. This patent describes a system and method for extruding profiles from recycled unidentified mixed plastic waste. The calibrator die system known from this patent comprises four consecutive calibrator dies, each calibrator die being formed from a bottom, a cover and sides between them, which contain cooling channels and which, when rigidly connected to each other, form a so-called inner chamber running in the longitudinal direction of the calibrator die between the bottom, cover and sides, the cross-sectional shape of which corresponds to the plastic profile to be extruded.

In the direction of movement of the extruded profile, the cross-section of the inner chamber of each subsequent calibrator die is 0.5 mm larger than the previous one, whereas the cross-section of the last calibrator die in the extrusion direction (i.e. the size of the profile) has the same dimensions as the final extruded product (profile).

The described solution has several drawbacks. First, each calibrator matrix consists of at least four separate parts, the precise manufacture and assembly of which makes the manufacture of the corresponding calibrator matrix expensive and time-consuming. Also, in this solution, the cross-section of the inner chamber of each subsequent calibrator matrix must be made larger than the previous one, which makes the manufacture of the entire system complicated and expensive and does not allow the calibrator matrices to be exchanged. In addition, the two larger 1000 mm calibrator matrices are extremely difficult for the operator to handle and this requires either lifting mechanisms or at least 2 people to install and open. In addition, such a solution does not provide the extruded plastic profile with sufficient surface smoothness, which is necessary, for example, for covering it with a laminate layer or for qualitative differentiation from similar plastic profiles produced by injection molding, for example. This is due to the fact that plastics with different melting temperatures in the mixture adhere to the surface of the inner chamber of the calibrator matrix and the surface of the extruded profile is therefore uneven and rough. In the case of calibrator dies arranged in a row without gaps, it is also not possible to check the surface quality of the extruded profile or whether the profile perfectly fills the calibrator die before it has exited the last calibrator die.

ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is intended for extruding profiles from raw materials (agglomerate, granules, crushed pieces) recycled from untreated waste of plastics such as LDPE, HDPE, PE, PP, PS and ABS and mixed according to a corresponding recipe. This is not a mixed plastic from unidentified plastic waste, but a mixture of recycled plastics of the corresponding type (LDPE, HDPE, PE, PP, PS, ABS) (i.e. mixed plastic), to which a colorant, stabilizer(s) (e.g. for protection against ultraviolet radiation and thermal degradation), plasticizer, absorbent or other additives and, if necessary, clean (i.e. fresh) plastic have been added.

Although all abbreviations used are standard and have been in use in the respective field for a long time, for the sake of clarity, it should be noted that the abbreviations given above refer to the following plastics:

PP-polypropylene;

ABS - acrylonitrile butadiene styrene;

PS - polystyrene;

PE-polyethylene;

HDPE-high density polyethylene;

LDPE-low density polyethylene;

PET - polyethylene terephthalate.

A typical system for extruding profiles from recycled plastic waste raw material includes a continuous extruder, followed by a system of calibrating dies, in which the molten plastic solidifies, the extruded profile is given the required cross-sectional shape, is calibrated, and the extruded profile is initially cooled.

The calibrator die system is followed by a cooling bath, through which the extruded profile is passed and in which the profile is further cooled.

After the cooling bath, there is a pulling device (more precisely, a so-called pultrusion pulling device), which transports the profile through the calibrating dies and the cooling bath to the cutting device, which cuts the extruded profile into parts of the prescribed length.

The disadvantages of the prior art have been eliminated by a system of calibrating dies for extrusion of a plastic profile, which comprises a plurality of consecutive calibrating dies on a common base, each calibrating die comprising a lower calibrating die half and an upper calibrating die half, and both the upper and lower halves comprising cooling channels.

An inner chamber extending longitudinally of the calibrator die in the assembled position of the upper and lower halves is formed between the upper and lower halves, the cross-section of which corresponds to the profile of the material to be extruded and the surface of which is coated with an anti-adhesion anti-friction material.

There is a viewing air gap between at least some of the consecutive calibration dies. This is preferably between the consecutive calibration dies outside the solidification zone of the plastic profile in the extrusion direction.

Preferably, the anti-stick antifriction material is a chia fiber fabric or tape with a self-adhesive adhesive layer coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE; Teflon®) adhered to the surface of the inner chamber.

Preferably, the calibrator matrix system includes at least two calibrator matrices.

In the direction of extrusion of the plastic profile, the upper and lower halves of the first calibrator die are detachably rigidly connected to each other in the compression and solidification zone of the plastic profile, and outside the solidification zone of the plastic profile, the upper and lower halves of the remaining calibrator dies are held during extrusion by means of pressure exerted on the upper halves by pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders or another mechanism performing a similar function.

Preferably, the calibrator matrices separated by the observation air gap are adapted to create cooling and calibration zones with different temperatures therein.

Preferably, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders or other mechanism performing a similar function are configured to lift the upper halves of the calibrator matrices above the lower halves to allow quick access to the inner chamber.

In a preferred embodiment, the first cooling and pressing zone is located in the first calibrator matrix.

In a preferred embodiment, at least some of the calibrator matrices of the system are manufactured as identical interchangeable modules.

The number and length of the calibration dies depend on the complexity and cross-section of the profile to be extruded. If the desired cross-section and profile temperature are achieved with a shorter and smaller number of calibration dies, this is possible. There is also a relationship between the extrusion speed, the length and number of calibration dies and the cross-section of the extruded profile. A longer cooling process is required to maintain the profile production speed. As a technical example, calibration dies of different lengths have been implemented, for example 250 mm, 500 mm and 1000 mm. When combined into a system of dies of different lengths, they have all given the desired result.

Even more preferably, all calibrator matrices of the system are manufactured as identical interchangeable modules, which would allow for rapid module replacement, for example, in the event that the self-adhesive fiberglass fabric or tape coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE; Teflon®) covering the inner chamber becomes damaged.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The invention is described below by way of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

The general view in Figure 1 shows, in simplified form, a system for extruding profiles from recycled plastic waste raw material, in which a calibrator die system according to the invention is used;

Figure 2 shows a general view of a calibration matrix system comprising multiple calibration matrices according to the invention;

Figure 3 shows the calibrator matrix of the system according to the invention in the open position;

Figure 4 shows the calibrator matrix of the system according to the invention in a closed position;

Figures 5 and 6 show a further embodiment of a calibrator matrix of the system according to the invention in a closed position, in side and front views, respectively;

Figure 7 shows a front view of the calibrator matrix of Figures 5 and 6 in the open position.

Figures 8 and 9 show a third embodiment of a calibrator matrix of the system according to the invention in a closed position, in side and front views, respectively;

Figure 10 shows a front view of the calibrator matrix of Figures 8 and 9 in the open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a simplified illustration (i.e. without coolant connection hoses and other devices attached to the calibration dies) of one possible system for extruding profiles from recycled plastic waste raw material. It includes, for example, a single-screw continuous extruder 1, followed by a calibration die system 2, in which the molten plastic solidifies and the extruded profile is given the required cross-sectional shape and calibrated, and the extruded profile is initially cooled.

The calibrator die system 2 is followed by a cooling bath 3 with cooling water, through which the extruded profile being passed is further cooled.

After the cooling bath 3, there is a pulling device 4, which transports the profile through the calibrating dies 7 and the cooling bath 3 to the cutting device 5, with which the extruded profile is cut into parts of the prescribed length. Next comes a device for collecting the cut parts (not shown in the figure).

The general reference number of all the described calibrator matrices is 7, since preferably all the calibrator matrices in the described embodiment are the same and interchangeable - in the exemplary embodiment, when referring to a specific calibrator matrix, reference numbers 7.1-7.6 have been used, respectively, in which the additional number following seven indicates the sequence number of the specific calibrator matrix in Figure 2 when counting from the extruder 1. The calibrator matrix system 2 according to the invention shown in Figure 2 includes six calibrator matrices 7 fixed to a common base 6 in the illustrated embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the leftmost calibrator matrix 7.1 is rigidly attached to the mouth (or output nozzle) of the extruder 1 through a seal.

The molten plastic mass is pressed from the extruder 1 into the inner chamber 8 of the first calibrator die 7.1, the cross-sectional profile of which corresponds to the shape of the plastic profile to be extruded and is also the first profile cooling zone. In the illustrated embodiment, the first three calibrator dies 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 are connected tightly end-to-end, since solidification and compression of the molten plastic mass only take place in them. The upper halves 9 and the lower halves 10 of the said calibrator dies 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 are rigidly connected to each other, since the pressure exerted by the molten plastic mass would otherwise push the said halves apart. The following calibrator dies 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6 are positioned in relation to the previous ones in such a way that there is an observation air gap 11 between the calibrator dies 7.3 and 7.4, 7.4 and 7.5 and 7.5 and 7.6.

The calibration matrices 7 (7.1-7.6) consist of a lower half 10 and an upper half 9. In the assembled position (Fig. 4), an inner chamber 8 is formed between them, the surface of which is covered with an anti-adhesion antifriction material 12 - the edges 13 of this material are screwed onto the ends of the calibration matrices 7.

Both halves 9 and 10 contain cooling channels 15. There are also alignment pins 17 between halves 9 and 10, and e.g. the end surface of the lower half 10 also has holes 16 for the pins.

Figures 5 to 7 show another embodiment of the calibrator die according to the invention, which is intended for extruding a so-called bulge profile, which is relatively thin.

- the same details are marked in these figures according to figures 3 and 4.

Figures 8 to 10 show a third embodiment of the calibrator die according to the invention, which is intended for extruding a so-called round profile, which is relatively coarser - the details are marked in these figures according to Figures 3 and 4.

The calibrator matrix 7 is made of steel or an aluminum alloy that effectively conducts heat away from the surface of the profile, e.g. alloy AA7075.

The antifriction material 12 is a glass fiber fabric (tape) coated with a self-adhesive adhesive layer and coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE - Teflon®) glued to the surface of the inner chamber 8.

If foreign bodies (metal pieces, stones, etc.) in the recycled plastic damage the coating of said antifriction material 12, the operator can immediately see the marks on the surface of the extruded profile through the aforementioned observation air gap 11 or whether the calibration mold is completely filled by the profile (cavities, etc.). The extrusion process can then be interrupted, the halves 9 and 10 of the corresponding calibration die 7 can be disassembled, and the antifriction material 12 or the corresponding calibration die 7 can be replaced with another one.

In the calibrator matrix system 2 of Figure 2, the upper halves 9 of the calibrator matrixes 7.4-7.6 are pressed onto the lower halves 10 by pneumatic cylinders 14. Said cylinders 14 also enable rapid lifting of the upper halves 9 from the lower halves 10 and thus rapid access to the inner chamber 8.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that instead of the pneumatic cylinders described above, hydraulic cylinders or other mechanisms performing the same function, such as an electrically driven articulated mechanism, can be used.

In a preferred embodiment, the calibration matrices 7.1-7.6 in the calibration matrix system 2 are manufactured as identical interchangeable modules. This simplifies their manufacture and also allows, for example, such a module to be kept in reserve in order to quickly replace a module with a broken anti-friction material 12 coating. The modular construction consisting of two halves 9 and 10 also significantly reduces the cost of the calibration matrix 7.

Depending on the composition of the recycled plastic used, it may expand slightly as it passes through the calibration dies. In order to reduce the pressure exerted by the upper and lower halves 9 and 10 of the calibration dies 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6 on the extruded profile with the surfaces of the inner chamber 8 and to enable the profile to pass through these calibration dies more easily, the upper half 9 and the lower half 10 of the calibration dies 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6 may be

insert spacers (not shown in the figure) with a thickness of up to 0.4 mm between them. In this way, all individual calibration dies can be manufactured with the same dimensions, i.e. interchangeable, but for example in the case of a flat slat profile, the pressure exerted on the extruded profile by the rear calibration dies in the extrusion direction can be reduced if necessary.

The calibrator die in Figures 5 to 7 is intended for the production of an extrudable so-called slat profile, which is relatively thin (see Figure 6) and is therefore also suitable for the extrusion of recycled plastic containing, for example, in weight percentages:

PP (e.g. recycled mayonnaise and ketchup bottles) - 25 to 40%;

ABS/PS (e.g. plastic from recycled electronic devices) - 20 to 40% by weight;

PE/HDPE/LDPE (e.g. recycled plastic bags) - 15 to 35%;

foreign substances (minerals, PET, metal, cardboard, wood) - up to 10% by weight; dye, stabilizer (ultraviolet radiation protection), plasticizer, absorbent, etc. - 1 to 10% by weight.

The calibrator die in Figures 8 to 10 is intended for the production of an extrudable round profile that is relatively thick (see Figure 9) and is therefore also suitable for the extrusion of recycled plastic that contains, in weight percentages, for example:

PP - 35 to 55% by weight;

ABS/PS (e.g. plastic from electronic devices) - 10 to 20% by weight; PE/HDPE/LDPE - 25 to 45%;

foreign substances (minerals, PET, metal, cardboard, wood) - up to 10% by weight; dye, stabilizer (ultraviolet radiation protection), plasticizer, absorbent, etc. - 1 to 10% by weight.

Claims (8)

1. A calibration die system (2) for extrusion of a plastic profile, comprising a plurality of consecutive calibration dies (7.1.7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6), characterized in that each calibration die (7.1.7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6) comprises a lower calibration die half (10) and an upper calibration die half (9), and both the upper and lower halves (9, 10) comprise cooling channels (15), and an inner chamber (8) extending longitudinally of the calibration die (7.1.7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6) is formed between the upper and lower calibration die halves (9, 10) in the assembled position of the upper and lower halves (9, 10), the cross-section of which corresponds to to an extruded profile and the surface of which is coated with an anti-adhesion anti-friction material (12) and at least some of the successive calibrator matrices (7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6) have an observation air gap (11). 2. Calibrator die system (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that a first cooling and pressing zone is located in the first calibrator die (7.1) in the direction of extrusion of the plastic profile. 3. A calibrator matrix system (2) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the anti-adhesion antifriction material (12) is a glass fiber fabric or tape with a self-adhesive adhesive layer coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) adhered to the surface of the inner chamber (8). 4. A calibrator die system (2) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that in the direction of extrusion of the plastic profile, the upper and lower halves (9, 10) of the first calibrator die (7.1) are detachably rigidly connected to each other, and the upper and lower halves (9, 10) of the remaining calibrator dies (7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6) are intended to be held together during extrusion by means of pressure exerted on the upper halves (10) by pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders (14) or another mechanism performing the same function. 5. Calibrator matrix system (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders (14) or another mechanism performing the same function are configured to lift the upper halves (9) of the calibrator matrices (7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6) from the lower halves (10). 6. A calibration matrix system (2) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that at least some of the calibration matrices (7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6) of the system (2) are manufactured as identical interchangeable modules. 7. A calibrator matrix system (2) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterised in that all calibrator matrices (7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6) of the system (2) are manufactured as identical interchangeable modules. 8. A calibration matrix system (2) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the calibration matrices (7.4, 7.5, 7.6) separated by an observation air gap (11) are adapted to create cooling and calibration zones with different temperatures therein.