Patent ID: 7014442

Claim:
A series of stacked plates for distributing a molten polymer composition to a plurality of spinnerets, the series of stacked plates comprising: a first plate that comprises a substantially horizontal lower surface and an inlet for receiving a molten polymer composition connecting to a plurality of diverging and substantially horizontal channels that are provided on the substantially horizontal lower surface of the first plate; a second plate that comprises a substantially horizontal upper surface, a substantially horizontal lower surface and a plurality of substantially horizontal upper channels for receiving a molten polymer composition from the diverging and substantially horizontal channels that are provided on the lower surface of the first plate provided on the substantially horizontal upper surface of the second plate, wherein each of the substantially horizontal upper channels of the second plate connects to a substantially linear and downward sloping channel and each of the substantially linear and downward sloping channels connects to a plurality of diverging and substantially horizontal lower channels that are provided on the substantially horizontal lower surface of the second plate; and a third plate that comprises a substantially horizontal upper surface, a substantially horizontal lower surface and a plurality of substantially horizontal upper channels for receiving a molten polymer composition from the diverging and substantially horizontal lower channels that are provided on the lower surface of the second plate provided on the substantially horizontal upper surface of the third plate, wherein each of the substantially horizontal upper channels connects to a substantially linear and downwardly sloping channel and each of the downwardly sloping channels connects to a plurality of diverging substantially horizontal lower channels that are provided on the substantially horizontal lower surface of the third plate; and a fourth plate that comprises a substantially horizontal upper surface, a lower surface and a plurality of substantially horizontal upper channels for receiving a molten polymer composition from the substantially horizontal lower channels that are provided on the lower surface of the third plate provided on the substantially horizontal upper surface of the fourth plate, each of the substantially horizontal upper channels connecting to a substantially linear and downward sloping channel, each of the downward sloping channels terminating at the lower surface.