Patent ID: 7621737

Claim:
A die assembly for forming a sheet of fluent material comprising: a die housing having one or more inner wall sections defining a die cavity, an inlet passageway passing through the die housing in fluid communication with the die cavity, and an outlet passageway passing through the die housing in fluid communication with the die cavity at a position distal from the inlet passageway, wherein the inlet passageway is adapted to selectively connect to an external supply of fluent material; an insert removably received in the die cavity, the insert comprising a body portion having a plurality of outer wall sections, wherein at least one flow channel is formed between at least one inner wall section of the die housing and each opposite outer wall section of the body portion of the insert; a first conduit passing through at least part of the body portion of the insert, wherein the first conduit is in fluid communication between the inlet passageway and the outlet passageway; and a second conduit passing through at least the die housing, wherein the second conduit is in fluid communication with each flow channel and the outlet passageway, and wherein the second conduit is adapted to selectively connect to the external supply of fluent material.