Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4749531?dq=5,664,133
Timestamp: 2016-02-11 07:59:15
Document Index: 684703893

Matched Legal Cases: ['application No. 72', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2']

Patent US4749531 - Method and apparatus of extruding a plastic pipe under control of the wall ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA pipe of thermoplastic polymer, e.g. polyvinylchloride is extruded by an extruder comprising an extrusion die (2) having a moulding end part (2a) with heating elements (11) located about said end part. The wall thickness of the pipe is controlled in order to obtain a pipe of a substantially even wall...http://www.google.com/patents/US4749531?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4749531 - Method and apparatus of extruding a plastic pipe under control of the wall thickness of the extruded plastic pipeAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS4749531 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 06/885,073Publication dateJun 7, 1988Filing dateJul 14, 1986Priority dateDec 27, 1983Fee statusPaidAlso published asCA1250119A, CA1250119A1, DE3472919D1, EP0153511A1, EP0153511B1, EP0153511B2, US4793788, US4886438Publication number06885073, 885073, US 4749531 A, US 4749531A, US-A-4749531, US4749531 A, US4749531AInventorsKoos Borger, Hans OvereijnderOriginal AssigneeBoerger Koos, Hans OvereijnderExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (9), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (17), Classifications (21), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethod and apparatus of extruding a plastic pipe under control of the wall thickness of the extruded plastic pipe
US 4749531 AAbstract
A pipe of thermoplastic polymer, e.g. polyvinylchloride is extruded by an extruder comprising an extrusion die (2) having a moulding end part (2a) with heating elements (11) located about said end part. The wall thickness of the pipe is controlled in order to obtain a pipe of a substantially even wall thickness. For said control the wall thickness of the extruded pipe is measured at 360 points equally distributed over the circumference and moreover the average is determined in eight measuring sectors comprising 45 measuring points per sector. The average of the measuring values of one measuring sector is compared with the circumferential average of the 360 points, the deviation of the desired wall thickness in said one sector being counter balanced by the action of the heating elements. In a preferred embodiment a polyvinylchloride pipe obtained by means of a two screw extruder presents an even wall thickness over the circumference.
1. A method of extruding a non layered rigid plastic pipe of a thermoplastic polymer and controlling the wall thickness of the extruded pipe by means of a screw extruder having two screws provided with an extrusion die having a moulding end part including at its discharge end an extrusion nozzle, the temperature in each of several temperature-controlled sectors being disposed about the moulding end part of the extrusion die and being controlled as a function of the measurements of the wall thickness taken at a number of measuring points, each being located in measuring sectors which lie in the axial extension of the temperature-controlled sectors, wherein the wall thickness is measured in at least one measuring sector at several points circumferentially located next to one another the average of these measurement values being determined and compared with the average of the values; measured in all measuring sectors, and the temperature in said temperature-controlled sector located in the axial extension of the one measuring sector aforementioned is controlled by using only heating elements in said extrusion nozzle as a function of the difference observed so that at a desired increase of the wall thickness, the temperature is decreased so as to remove the excessive difference of plastic measured, the wall thickness of the extruded pipe being measured in all measuring sectors at several points circumferentially of the pipe located adjacent to one another, and wherein the various signal processing operations are performed by microprocessors.
2. A method of extruding a non layered homogeneous rigid polyvinylchloride pipe while controlling the wall thickness of the extruded pipe, the temperature in each of several temperature-controlled sectors disposed about the moulding end part of the extrusion die of a screw extruder having two screws, is controlled as a function of the measurements of the wall thickness at a number of measuring points, each located in measuring sectors lying in the axial extension of the temperature-controlled sectors, the wall thickness of said pipe being measured in at least one measuring sector at several points circumferentially adjacent to one another, the average of these measurement values being determined and compared with the average of the values measured in all measuring sectors, and the temperature in the temperature-controlled sector located in the axial extension of the one measuring sector aforementioned is controlled by using only heating elements in the extrusion die as a function of the difference observed so as to remove the difference of plastic measured and said polyvinylchloride pipe is substantially free from thickened wall zones beign substantially opposite each other.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 686,535, filed Dec. 26, 1984, now abandoned.
The invention relates to a method of extruding a rigid plastic pipe of a thermoplastic polymer and controlling the wall thickness of the extruded pipe by means of a screw extruder provided with an extrusion die comprising a moulding end part, the temperature in each of several temperature-controlled sectors disposed about the moulding end part of the extrusion die being controlled as a function of the measurements of the wall thickness at a number of measuring points, each located in measuring sectors which lie in the axial extension of the temperature-controlled sectors and more particularly to a method of extruding a rigid polyvinylchloride pipe in this way.
By the expression a rigid plastic pipe is meant a pipe being flexible or not having such a wall thickness that this pipe maintains substantially its shape during storage at a flat support end does not collapse.
A method of this kind is known from Dutch patent application No. 72 09 444. According to this known method, the wall thickness of the pipe, at a point where an extruded plastic pipe has assumed solid form, is measured by means of a backscatter-type sensing device rotating about the pipe, whereupon the signals emanating from the sensing device are transmitted to a control unit. From this control unit, signals are sent to the supply or heat-removal elements provided in each of a number of individual temperature-control sectors disposed about the moulding end part of the extrusion die, thus effecting the temperature in each of said temperature-control sectors. As the flow rate of the melted plastic in the moulding end part of the extrusion die varies in accordance with the temperature, the thickness of the plastic pipe will consequently change in such a temperature-control sector area.
Said known method has the drawback that it is difficult to obtain a pipe having a thickness which is very even over the entire circumference of the pipe notwithstanding a regular distribution of the heat supply or heat removal elements about the circumference of the pipe.
This disadvantage is particularly important in pipes obtained by extruders having two screws which pipes comprise principally two opposite thickened wall parts extending in the longitudinal direction of the pipe.
In such cases these disadvantages cannot be removed by a better centering of the core in relation to the wall of the moulding end part of the extrusion die.
The invention aims to overcome the abovementioned disadvantages.
This object is attained according to the invention in that the wall thickness is measured in at least one measuring sector at several points circumferentially located next to one another the average of these measurement values is determined and compared with the average of the values measures in all measuring sectors, and the temperature in the temperature-controlled sector located in the axial extension of the one measuring sector aforementioned is controlled as a function of the difference observed so as to remove the difference measured.
More particularly the invention relates to a method of extruding a rigid polyvinylchloride pipe and controlling the wall thickness of the extruded pipe, the temperature in each of several temperature-controlled sectors disposed about the moulding end part of the extrusion die of a screw extruder being controlled as a function of the measurements of the wall thickness at a number of measuring points, each located in measuring sectors, which lie in the axial extension of the temperature-controlled sectors, wherein in applying an extruder comprising at least two screws the wall thickness is measured in at least one measuring sector at several points circumferentially located next to another, the average of these measurement values is determined and compared with the average of the values measured in all measuring sectors, and the temperature in the temperature-controlled sector located in the axial extension of the one measuring sector aforementioned is controlled as a function of the difference observed so as to remove the difference measured.
Measuring the wall thickness at several points circumferentially located next to each other and comparing these values with an average of measurement values is known per se for plastic foil tubes.
However in this process the wall thickness differences are adjusted by means of cooling elements provided outside the moulding end part of an extrusion die.
Acting upon heating elements in a moulding end part of an extruder die for foil tube is possible but causes undesired side effects in the foil tube. In extruding foil tube the whole wall thickness of the foil tube will immediately obtain the temperature given by the heat supply or heat removal elements. This leads to more stretch in the hot regions in comparison with less hot regions during the inflation of the foil tube and thus the foil tube will have a smaller wall thickness in these regions in maintaining the other parameters at a constant value, such as outlet velocity.
In extruding a rigid pipe the heat supply elements will only increase the temperature of a superficial layer of the pipe permitting a more rapid extrusion of the pipe and thus increasing the pipe wall thickness apart from maintaining constant parameters such as the outlet velocity.
More particularly it should also be noted that in the foil tube the wall thickness is adjusted by cooling behind the moulding end part of the extrusion die being less accurate than the compensation of a too small wall thickness of a plastic pipe by supplying heat to the moulding end part of the extrusion die.
As in the method of the invention wall thickness deviations from the average wall thickness are compensated, the result is a very uniform wall thickness over the circumference of the pipe.
In order to improve the uniformity of the wall thickness, the wall thickness is measured in all measuring sectors at several points circumferentially located next to each other.
Preferably, the wall thickness is measured at 360 points equally distributed over the circumference, and the average is determined in eight measuring sectors at 45 measuring points per sector. In this manner, a particularly even wall thickness is obtained.
Preferaby, the various signal processing operations are performed by microprocessors.
This enables differences in wall thickness to be eliminated very rapidly and in a simple manner, and consequently a plastic pipe to be made whose wall thickness over the circumference of the pipe is quite uniform over an unlimited length.
The invention also relates to an apparatus for executing the process of the invention comprising a screw extruder with an extrusion die comprising a moulding end part and disposed about said moulding end part temperature-control elements being active in temperature-control sectors, at least one wall-thickness measuring device for measuring the wall thickness of an extruded pipe, said measuring device being capable of performing measurements in all measuring sectors located in the axial extension of the temperature control sectors, wherein at least one measuring sector, a wall-thickness measuring device can perform several measurements and transmit such measurement data to a signal processing unit wherein said measurement data are averaged and the data measured in all measuring sectors can also jointly be transmitted to a signal processing unit wherein said measurement data are averaged, a comparator element being provided for comparing the two values of the measurement-value averaging operation, said comparator element being capable of acting upon a temperature-control device for controlling the temperature of the heating elements in a temperature-control sector located in the axial extension of the one measuring sector aforementioned.
Such an apparatus has a very simple and inexpensive constructions, and can therefore be easily put to use.
Preferably the apparatus comprises a screw extruder having at least two screws.
The invention also relates to a plastic pipe of a thermoplastic polymer, particularly a polyvinylchloride pipe, obtained by means of an apparatus according to the invention.
More particularly the invention relates to a polyvinylchloride pipe obtained by means of a screw extruder having at least two screws, wherein the polyvinylchloride pipe is substantially free from thickened wall zones being substantially opposite each other.
At last the invention also relates to a measuring device and temperature controlling device suitable for use in an apparatus according to the invention.
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a plastic-tube extruder comprising an apparatus for controlling the wall thickness according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the extrusion die as used with an extruder according to FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows a wall-thickness profile as measured over the circumference of a tube;
FIG. 4 represents the average wall-thickness profile per measuring sector.
FIG. 5 represents a diagrammatic cross-section of another extrusion die as used with an extruder according to the invention, and
FIG. 6a a cross section of a plastic pipe obtained by an extruder comprising two screws according to the prior art; and
FIG. 6b a cross section of the same plastic pipe obtained according to the invention.
FIG. 1 shows an installation for manufacturing plastic pipe comprising an extruder with an extrusion die 2 comprising a moulding end part 2a from which the pipe issues. Said moulding end part 2a and the extrusion die 2 comprise a core 14 and a wall 16 bounding an annular extrusion slit 15. The extruder extrudes through the extrusion die and at last the moulding end part of said extrusion die. The pipe of polyvinylchloride 3, passes after extrusion successively through a calibrating device 4, a cooling arrangement 5 and a drawbench 6.
The installation furthermore comprises a sensing device 7 rotatable about the pipe and enabling the pipe wall thickness to be measured by means of ultrasonic waves at several points distributed over the circumference.
Provided around moulding end part of the extrusion die 2 are heating elements 11 which enable the temperature to be influenced in a number of temperature-control sectors 12a-12h around the moulding end part of the extrusion die. The various heating elements 11 are connected to a control unit 8 for controlling the temperature in each of the temperature-control sectors 12a-12h.
In addition, the installation comprises a first signal processing unit 9 the input of which is connected to a sensing device 7 and one output of which is connected to the drawbench 6, another output of which being connected to the input of the second signal processing unit 10. The output of the second signal processing unit 10 is connected to the temperature-control unit 8.
During extrusion of a rigid thermoplastic pipe 3, e.g. PVC pipe, the sensing device 7 rotates about the pipe and continually or intermittently measures the pipe wall thickness at a number of points distributed over the pipe circumference. Plotting the values measured over the circumference of the pipe in a diagram results in the diagram of FIG. 3 which shows diagrammatically the wall-thickness profile of the pipe. At a certain point, the wall thickness is indicated by S.
The signals coming from the sensing device 7 are transmitted to the first signal processing unit 9 wherein the minimum value of the wall thickness is determined and compared with the minimum wall thickness desired. The difference between these values is used to set the speed of the drawbench. Thus, the overall thickness of the pipe 3 is being controlled, an increase of the drawbench speed generally resulting in a thinner pipe and a decrease of the speed generally resulting in a thicker pipe. Signals corresponding to wall thickness as measured at the various points distributed over the circumference are transmitted from the first signal processing unit 9 to the second signal processing unit 10. The latter determines, with respect to a number of measuring sectors of the pipe-wall circumference corresponding to the temperature-control sectors 12a-12h about the moulding end part 2a of the extrusion die, the average of the values measured in said measuring sectors 12a-12h as well as the average of all values measured over the circumference. The diagram of FIG. 3 shows the average tube-wall thickness profile per measuring sector 12a-12h, the sector averages being indicated by S1-S8.
The sector average for each of the measuring sectors 13a-13h is compared with the circumferential average, and the value desired of the temperature of the extrusion-die temperature-control sector corresponding the the measuring sector concerned of the tube circumference is adjusted in the temperature-control unit 8 as determined by the deviation of the sector average from the circumferential average, in a manner so that the deviation is reduced or eliminated. In the event, for example that the sector average S1-S8 is lower than the circumferential average, the temperature in the corresponding temperature-control sector of the moulding end part 2a of the extrusion die 2 is raised, as a result of which in the location of said temperature-control sector the melt encounters less resistance in the moulding end part 2a of the extrusion die 2, thus locally causing more material to flow through the moulding end part 2a of the extrusion die. Consequently, the wall thickness of the pipe will locally increase.
In this manner, the wall thickness of the pipe 3 at various points distributed over the circumference is controlled as much as possible according to an average value. In conjunction with the control per se known of the minimum pipe wall thickness by means of the control of the speed of the drawbench 6, a wall thickness is obtained which is quite uniform over the circumference and which is very close to the minimum wall thickness desired. It is thus possible to save plastic material while forming a plastic pipe which meets all requirements as to strength characteristics. As it takes some time before a section of the tube 3 leaving the moulding end part 2a of the extrusion die 2 reaches the sensing device 7, proper delays have been built into the control.
This also applies to the drawbench-speed control. In the present embodiment of the system, the wall thickness is measured at 360 points uniformly distributed over the circumference, and the wall thickness average is determined for eight measuring sectors distributed over the pipe circumference and each having 45� sector measuring points. Also, the number of temperature-control sectors disposed about the moulding end part 2a of the extrusion die is obviously eight. The various signal processing operations are performed by means of microprocessors. It goes without saying that the heating elements 11 can be used both for heat supply and for heat removal purposes.
FIG. 5 shows a cross section of the moulding end part 2a of an extrusion die 2, but now the heating elements 11' are located at the outer side of the wall 16 of moulding end part 2a.
A polyvinylchloride pipe of 160 mm diameter and 3.2 mm required minimum wall thickness (nominal values) is extruded by means of a two screws extruder without applying the invention.
From measuring data appears that the inner side of the pipe comprises two thickened wall zones of 3.7 mm being opposite each other and therebetween two thin wall zones having a thickness of about 3.4 mm. Such a pipe 3' is shown in FIG. 6a showing the thickened zones 3a and 3b.
Use of the process of the invention and measuring the wall thickness at 360 points equally distributed over the circumference and the average is determined in eight measuring sectors having 45 measuring points per sector, provides the same polyvinylchloride pipe 3" (vide FIG. 6b) without said thickened wall zones. The pipe presents over the whole circumference a pipe wall thickness of about 3.3 mm.
It will be obvious that similar results are obtained with thermoplastic polymers different from polyvinylchloride.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS3212127 *Jan 23, 1963Oct 19, 1965Du PontAutomatic control apparatus for maintaining transverse thickness uniformity of extruded materialUS3974248 *Sep 5, 1973Aug 10, 1976Bakelite Xylonite LimitedProfile determining and/or controlling systemUS4000402 *Jun 10, 1974Dec 28, 1976Measurex CorporationScanning gauge control for sheet processing apparatusUS4152380 *Feb 27, 1978May 1, 1979Peter AngelbeckMethod of and apparatus for measuring and controlling the wall thickness of plastic pipesUS4426239 *Feb 19, 1981Jan 17, 1984Upmeier HartmuetMethod of controlling the film thickness of flat films produced in flat film extruder installationsUS4464318 *Jun 21, 1982Aug 7, 1984Windmoller & HolscherMethod of controlling the film thickness at a blown film installationUS4512943 *May 20, 1983Apr 23, 1985Cosden Technology, Inc.Extrusion process for producing thermoplastic pipeUS4548570 *May 12, 1983Oct 22, 1985Cosden Technology, Inc.Extrusion apparatus for producing thermoplastic pipeDE2542331A1 *Sep 23, 1975Sep 9, 1976Cincinnati Milacron Austria GmStrangpresse* Cited by examinerNon-Patent CitationsReference1Rotherham and Haynes, "Control of Adiabatic Heat in the Extrusion of Rigid PVC Pipe", British Plastics, 7-1969, pp. 125-127.2 *Rotherham and Haynes, Control of Adiabatic Heat in the Extrusion of Rigid PVC Pipe , British Plastics, 7 1969, pp. 125 127.* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS4882104 *Mar 28, 1988Nov 21, 1989Cincinnati Milacron, Inc.Method of controlling the thickness of an extruded plastic articleUS4888148 *Aug 15, 1988Dec 19, 1989The B. F. Goodrich CompanyMethod of making extruded amorphous thermoplastic pipe having reduced internal stressUS5026582 *Sep 18, 1989Jun 25, 1991The B. F. Goodrich CompanyExtruded amorphous thermoplastic pipe having reduced internal stress and method of making the sameUS5085567 *Feb 26, 1990Feb 4, 1992INOEX GmbH Innovationen und Ausrugstungen fur die ExtrusiontechnikExtrusion system for plastics pipesUS5382146 *Oct 13, 1993Jan 17, 1995Friedrich Theysohn GmbhControl device for the mechanical thermal adjustment of the nozzle of an extruder for elongate productsUS5462423 *Apr 13, 1993Oct 31, 1995Sencorp Systems, Inc.Apparatus for non-mechanical die lip temperature adjustment in an extruderUS5762848 *Oct 22, 1996Jun 9, 1998Sencorp Systems, Inc.Method of adjusting choke gap of plastic extruder apparatusUS5942171 *May 3, 1995Aug 24, 1999Wavin B.V.Method for manufacturing biaxially oriented tubing from thermoplastic materialUS5948332 *Mar 17, 1995Sep 7, 1999Wavin B.V.Method for manufacturing biaxially oriented tubing from thermoplastic materialUS6627277Aug 12, 1998Sep 30, 2003Daikin Industries Ltd.Polytetrafluoroethylene tubing and extruder for the production thereofUS6726863 *Aug 29, 2001Apr 27, 2004Wavin B.V.Thermoplastic tubeUS7217379Feb 20, 2004May 15, 2007Wavin B.V.Thermoplastic tubeUS20050062182 *Feb 20, 2004Mar 24, 2005Van Lenthe Arjan DirkThermoplastic tubeUS20070164486 *Mar 16, 2007Jul 19, 2007Wavin, B.V.Thermoplastic tubeEP1027980A1 *Aug 12, 1998Aug 16, 2000Daikin Industries, Ltd.Polytetrafluoroethylene tubing and extruder for the production thereofEP1531034A1 *Aug 12, 1998May 18, 2005Daikin Industries, Ltd.Polytetrafluoroethylene tubingWO2013151420A1 *Apr 6, 2012Oct 10, 2013Hoppmann International B.V.Method and installation for manufacturing biaxially oriented tubing* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification264/40.6, 425/141, 264/40.7, 425/144International ClassificationB29C47/38, B29C47/92, B29C47/86, B29C47/90Cooperative ClassificationB29K2027/06, B29C2947/92923, B29C2947/92933, B29C2947/92152, B29C47/92, B29C2947/92428, B29C47/90, B29C2947/92704, B29C2947/92904, B29C2947/92314, B29C47/0026European ClassificationB29C47/92, B29C47/90Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionOct 25, 1991FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Dec 11, 1995FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Dec 11, 1995SULPSurcharge for late paymentDec 7, 1999FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 12RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services