Patent ID: 6074578
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: A61M,B29C,B29K

Abstract:
A method of supplying a thermoplastic material for the manufacture, by a plasticating machine, of a plastic part therefrom, comprising the steps of:providing an elongated rotatable screw shaft within an elongated barrel housing, said barrel housing having a proximal end and a distal end, a primary flow path for the plasticating of thermoplastic being defined between said screw shaft and said barrel housing;arranging at least one delivery conduit disposed longitudinally within a wall of the barrel housing;supplying a thermoplastic material to said primary flow path and rotating said screw shaft to plasticate said thermoplastic material;directing a medium from a medium source through said delivery conduit; shunting at least a portion of said thermoplastic material from said primary flow path through a shunt conduit disposed longitudinally within said barrel wall, said delivery conduit extending from a location proximal to said shunt conduit and said shunt conduit extending from said delivery conduit to a location adjacent said distal end of said housing;feeding said medium from said delivery conduit into said thermoplastic material in said shunt conduit; anddeliverying said shunted thermoplastic material and said medium through said shunt conduit to a downstream location of said primary flow path for the manufacture of a part from said thermoplastic material.