Provided is a thickness variation adjustment-type air ring capable of accurately and optimally controlling the volume of cooling air at all positions in the circumferential direction, and stably manufacturing a synthetic resin film having an exceptionally low thickness variation. A thickness variation adjustment-type air ring is provided on a die of an inflation film manufacturing apparatus which locally controls the volume of cooling air discharged from a cooling air passage in a circumferential direction to adjust the thickness variation of a synthetic resin film when blowing the cooling air around a molten synthetic resin tube extruded in a longitudinal direction to cool and solidify the molten synthetic resin tube to form the synthetic resin film, the thickness variation adjustment-type air ring. The thickness variation adjustment-type air ring includes: a ring-shaped passage adjustment portion arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction inside of the cooling air passage; and a plurality of moving portions connected at a predetermined position in the circumferential direction of the passage adjustment portion so as to move a connecting portion of the passage adjustment portion in a predetermined direction independently from other portions, wherein a space in which cooling air can circulate inside the cooling air passage is locally adjusted in the circumferential direction and the volume of cooling air is locally controlled in the circumferential direction.

The present invention is directed to a process for manufacturing a biodegradable synthetic polymeric material wherein the process has the steps of binding, pelletizing, extruding; and sealing. Moreover, the invention discloses degrading substances which participate in the first three steps (a, b, c) wherein the degrading substances comprise betaine (C.sub.5H.sub.11NO.sub.2), cassava (yucca) starch (C.sub.6H.sub.10O.sub.5), carrot carotene (C.sub.40H.sub.56), water, carbon monoxide, corn glucose (C.sub.6H.sub.12O.sub.6), and a carboxylic acid of 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

A method of producing a blown film with a controlled thickness profile, comprises the steps of: extruding molten plastic through an annular extrusion die; cooling the molten plastic using an annular blower around the extrusion die, positioning one or more sources of supplemental air at one or more desired circumferential positions about the annular extrusion die and adjacent to the extruded molten plastic, the annular blower and the one or more sources of supplemental air being operated to supply cooling air to the molten plastic between the annular extrusion die and the frost line where the molten plastic solidifies; and controlling the one or more sources of supplemental air to form one or more areas of increased thickness along a circumferential thickness profile of the blown film, the one or more areas of increased thickness having a thickness that is greater than an average thickness of the circumferential profile.

The disclosure relates to forming shaped thermoplastic articles having smooth peripheries. Many thermoplastic articles have sharp edges formed upon molding or cutting the article from a feedstock sheet. Such sharp edges can damage thin plastic films or flesh which they contact, and smoothing the edges is desirable. Described herein are methods of forming a smooth periphery for such sharp-edged articles by rolling over the sharp edge. The smoothing operation is performed by forming a deflectable flange including a bend region separated from the potentially sharp peripheral edge by a spacer, deflecting a portion of the deflectable flange, and softening at least one bent portion of the deflectable flange to yield a smooth periphery upon cooling.

Methods for forming a stock roll including a folded film within another folded film include combining the films and winding them into the stock roll. In particular, one or more implementations of a method of forming a stock roll involve combining films on an extrusion tower. Thus, implementations of the present invention can greatly reduce costs and space requirements, while allowing a single stock roll to feed a bag-making machine in order to produce bag-in-bag structures. One or more implementations further include stock rolls including a first folded film within another folded film.

A system and method for extruding film with a thickened profile section. In some embodiments, the film forms bags with integral zipper profiles. Plastic film is extruded to form a tube. During extrusion, each thickened profile section is radiantly cooled in a preferential manner before thinner sections of the film freeze. A freezing control device includes at least one radiant cooling plate that is operatively aligned with a thickened profile section. The device also includes a cooling fluid recirculation system configured to maintain the plate at a temperature below the temperature of the extruded tube. The plate can be adjustably mounted on a base for positioning the plate at the desired orientation for cooling the thickened profile section of the tube.

A multi-layer tubular film is co-extruded and cooled to form a first bubble, then collapsed, preheated and blown into a second bubble. The second bubble is further heated from outside to produce a decreasing temperature gradient from the outside surface of the film to the inside surface of the film. The outside surface of the film is hotter than the inside surface of the film and the inside surface of the f film is hot enough for re-blowing but sufficiently cool to avoid blocking. The film is then collapsed, blown into a third bubble and cooled to produce biaxially-oriented film, which is then collapsed, blown into a fourth bubble, heated and then cooled film to relieve stress and impart desired shrink properties to the film to produce ship-stable biaxially-oriented film.

A film forming apparatus includes a die device which extrudes a molten resin in a tube shape to form a film, a measurement unit which measures a thickness profile of a film in a circumferential direction, a plurality of adjustment portions which change the thickness profile of the film, and a controller which controls the plurality of adjustment portions such that the thickness profile approaches a target thickness profile. The controller changes the target thickness profile based on the measured thickness profile.

The present invention relates to an external cooling system for a molten film tube produced by a blown film tubular extrusion process, comprised of a divergent cooling element with a divergent cooling interface containing a cooling gas deflector spaced adjacent to the molten film tube and providing an expelled cooling gas (i) in a path opposing the flow of the molten film tube toward a first exit gap and (ii) in a path with the flow of the molten film tube toward a second exit gap. A minimum gap between the divergent cooling interface and the molten film tube occurs at the first exit gap and/or the second exit gap. Advantageously, the divergent cooling interface is provided with one or more compound angles to maximize stability and cooling efficiency. Additionally, multiple cooling elements can preferably be arranged in a stackable configuration to achieve higher throughput rates. Operation is characterized by improved film holding forces without the presence of high noise levels or detrimental vibration, flutter, and drag. Additionally, employing simplified single air delivery channels, and a stackable design, significantly reduces complexity and manufacturing costs.

The disclosure relates to forming shaped thermoplastic articles having smooth peripheries. Many thermoplastic articles have sharp edges formed upon molding or cutting the article from a feedstock sheet. Such sharp edges can damage thin plastic films or flesh which they contact, and smoothing the edges is desirable. Described herein are methods of forming a smooth periphery for such sharp-edged articles by rolling over the sharp edge. The smoothing operation is performed by forming a deflectable flange including a bend region separated from the potentially sharp peripheral edge by a spacer, deflecting a portion of the deflectable flange, and softening at least one bent portion of the deflectable flange to yield a smooth periphery upon cooling. The deflection can include curling the spacer at or near the peripheral edge.