Patent ID: 8333580

Claim:
A spider for an extrusion apparatus upstream from a die for extruding a profile comprising: an outer housing with a central flow passage therethrough; an inner hub positioned within the central passage for supporting an inner portion of the die; and at least one spider leg secured to the outer housing and the inner hub, and supporting the inner hub within the central passage, the at least one spider leg recessing radially rearwardly outwardly in the downstream direction such that molten polymer flowing through the central passage flows around the at least one spider leg, separating and rejoining together earlier in inner radial regions close to the inner hub than in outer radial regions close to the outer housing for reducing spider lines on inside surfaces of extruded profiles, the at least one spider leg has upstream and downstream edges which are recessed radially rearwardly outwardly in the downstream direction and relative to polymer flow path through the central flow passage, the at least one spider leg also has a longitudinal flow direction length between the upstream and downstream edges that is greater than thickness of the at least one spider leg.