It is described an apparatus for the extrusion and mixing of plastic materials, for example rubber-based and silicone-based materials, comprising a dump extruder body whereon two conical screws (2) converging towards an extrusion die (3) suitable for being occluded by closing means (4) are mounted, the conical screws (2) being accommodated within a low-pressure compounding chamber (1) and within a pair of converging conical channels also defining a high-pressure chamber (2′), said low-pressure chamber (1) corresponding to an upstream area with respect to an extrusion direction, wherein said high-pressure chamber (2′) and/or said low-pressure chamber (1) accommodate a presser body (5, 5′, 6), defining a movable wall suitable for causing a controlled change in the volume of the respective chamber (1, 2′).

Principles and embodiments of the present invention relate generally to thermoplastic polyurethane materials having controlled and improved stiffness and/or flexibility, and methods to prepare them. The thermoplastic polyurethanes described herein having superior stiffness and softening properties may be fabricated into film, tubing, and other forms of medical devices. The thermoplastic polyurethanes comprise: an aromatic diisocyanate excluding non-aromatic diisocyanates; at least one polyglycol; and a chain extender comprising at least one side-chain branching diol and excluding linear diols.

The invention relates to a method for homogenously incorporating filler into a self-adhesive compound, in particular a thermally crosslinkable self-adhesive compound, based on non-thermoplastic elastomer in a continuously working unit with a filling part and a compounding part. The self-adhesive compound contains at least one solid component, at least one liquid component, and at least one filler, and the method has the following steps: (a) feeding at least part of the at least one solid component, such as the non-thermoplastic elastomer in particular, and optionally part of the at least one liquid component to the filling part; (b) transferring the components of step (a) from the filling part to the compounding part; (c) optionally adding additional solid components or additional parts of the solid components to the compounding part; (d) adding the at least one liquid component to the compounding part if the liquid component was not already added to the filling part in step (a); (e) producing a homogenous self-adhesive compound in the compounding part; and (f) discharging the self-adhesive compound. The invention is characterized in that at least part of the at least one filler is pre-dispersed into at least one dispersion liquid in a separate unit and the dispersion obtained in this manner is added to the compounding part. The method prevents high sheering or frictional energies while introducing the filler into the compounding part of the continuously working unit and thus allows the use of temperature-sensitive components, such as temperature-sensitive chemical crosslinking agents in particular.

A heating apparatus for at least one housing section of a screw extruder comprises at least two heating elements which are connected to contact plugs via connection lines. For the purpose of supplying power, the heating apparatus comprises an electrical supply line which is connected to a plug-in contact distributor. The plug-in contact distributor comprises at least two plug-in contacts. The contact plugs are releasably connected to the plug-in contacts. The heating apparatus renders possible simple exchange of a heating element and is therefore easy to service. The modular construction of the heating apparatus renders possible flexible use.

This disclosure relates to an article that includes a nonwoven substrate, a first film supported by the nonwoven substrate, and a second film such that the first film is between the nonwoven substrate and the second film. The first film includes a first polymer and a pore-forming filler. The difference between a surface energy of the first film and a surface energy of the nonwoven substrate is at most about 10 mN/m. The second film includes a second polymer capable of absorbing and desorbing moisture and providing a barrier to aqueous fluids.

This disclosure relates to an article that includes a nonwoven substrate, a first film supported by the nonwoven substrate, and a second film such that the first film is between the nonwoven substrate and the second film. The first film includes a first polymer and a pore-forming filler. The difference between a surface energy of the first film and a surface energy of the nonwoven substrate is at most about 10 mN/m. The second film includes a second polymer capable of absorbing and desorbing moisture and providing a barrier to aqueous fluids.

A single screw extruder (E) for the extrusion of food or feed, comprising in the direction of flow of a product to be extruded: i) a processing section (8); ii) a bypass outlet (B); iii) a valve plate (V); iv) a die plate (D); and iv) a cutter (6). The flow of product can be directed through the valve plate, under normal operating conditions of the extruder (E), and through the bypass outlet (B), during start-up of the extruder (E) or for maintenance purposes, downstream of the valve plate (V). The valve plate (V) is arranged on or in a mounting plate (M). The cutter (6) and the mounting plate (M) are provided with interacting guiding mechanism that prevent rotation of the cutter (6), vis--vis the mounting plate (M); and the cutter (6) and the mounting plate (M) are mechanically fastened to each other with rotational locking mechanism.

A solid-state manufacturing system having a sleeve having a hollow portion for receiving a feedstock material; a friction die rotatably coupled adjacent an end of the sleeve, the friction die and the sleeve being rotatable relative to each other along a rotation axis and configured to generate frictional heat to heat at least a portion of the feedstock material within the hollow portion of the sleeve to a malleable state; a propulsion system operably coupled to the sleeve configured to urge the feedstock material in a processing direction along the rotational axis; and an extrusion hole configured to permit the malleable feedstock material to be extruded from the extrusion hole in response to the propulsion system. A solid-state manufacturing method similarly configured is provided.

The present invention discloses an LCP film production apparatus and method. The apparatus includes: a rack; a screw extrusion device; a T-shaped material port; a squeezing assembly, where the squeezing assembly includes a first roller wheel, a second roller wheel, and a third roller wheel, the first roller wheel and the second roller wheel are fixedly mounted directly below the T-shaped material port side by side, and the third roller wheel is fixedly mounted next to the second roller wheel side by side; and an electromagnetic field generator, fixedly connected to the T-shaped material port and mounted around the T-shaped material port in a circle by means of bolts, where the screw extrusion device is fixedly mounted at the top of the rack, and the T-shaped material port is fixedly mounted on one end of the screw extrusion device. According to the present invention, a field generated by the electromagnetic field generator can disrupt the ordered arrangement of LCP molecules, thereby alleviating or even eliminating the anisotropic problem of transverse and longitudinal tensile strength thereof.

An improved extruder apparatus is disclosed and which includes a cylindrical barrel having a feed end and a discharge end, the feed end having an inlet in fluid communication with a hopper. The extruder screw is mounted in the cylindrical barrel, and the screw has an outer surface having one or more helical flights mounted thereon. wherein the inlet end of the cylindrical barrel has a support frame mounted thereto, wherein an upper surface of the support frame is connected to a throat of a hopper, wherein an insert is mounted to the support frame and has a lower end which extends down into the cylindrical barrel, wherein the insert has an internal passageway having a first opening on the lower end and a second opening upstream of the screw for relieving the pressure.