Patent ID: 6485666
Filing Date: 2002-11-26
Classification: B29B,B29C,B29K,B29L

Abstract:
A process for manufacturing a polymeric profile, comprising the steps of:(a) heating a portion of an extruded profile in a preheated profile heating means to a first temperature at which said heated portion of said profile becomes formable, said first temperature being lower than a second temperature at which the profile becomes melt processable, while maintaining at least one end of said profile unheated; (b) transferring said extruded profile into a heated die having a cavity therein, said cavity having at least one region where an internal cross-sectional dimension of the cavity is larger than an external cross-sectional dimension of said profile, a cavity temperature of said die being at a temperature which is sufficient to heat the profile from said first temperature to said second temperature; (c) sealing at least one end of said profile; (d) injecting a pressurized medium into an open end of the profile to conform the heated portion of the profile to the internal diameter of the cavity, creating a modified profile; (e) cooling and depressurizing the modified profile; and (f) removing the cooled modified profile from the die.