Patent ID: 6527532
Filing Date: 2003-03-04
Classification: B27N,B29C

Abstract:
An apparatus for making an extruded plastic profile, said apparatus comprising:(a) an extruder for providing a heated plastic mass; (b) a die assembly attached to said extruder, said die assembly having two distinct temperature zones with an interposed insulating land section having a passage with a constant cross-sectional shape substantially similar to the profile and a converging section defining one of said two distinct temperature zones and having a passage with an entrance end and an exit end, said converging section passage converging from said entrance end to said exit end, said exit end having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the profile; (c) a cooling section, defining another of said two distinct temperature zones, which cools the profile to form a substantially dimensionally stable outer shell around the profile, the shell having a temperature below the melting point of the plastic mass, and is attached to an exit end of said insulating land section, wherein said cooling section includes a cooling medium inlet section having a passage with a cross-sectional shape larger than the cross-sectional shape of the insulating land section passage and adapted to receive the profile and at least one cooling medium channel disposed within said cooling medium inlet section and communicating with the cooling medium inlet section passage; and (d) means for controlling the flow of a cooling medium through said cooling medium inlet section.