Kneading elements, extrusion apparatus, and methods of manufacturing honeycomb bodies are described herein. A kneading element (1802) has an inner surface (1804) defining an opening (1806) configured to couple the kneading element (1802) to a shaft (46,48). The kneading element (1802) also has a continuous closed curve elliptical outer surface (1808). The opening (1806) has an axis (1814) that is off-center with respect to a geometric center (1816) of the kneading element (1802) as viewed in a transverse plane perpendicular to the axis.

An extruder screw includes an extruder shaft and at least one extruder segment. The extruder shaft has a prismatic mandrel having external teeth and a longitudinal mandrel axis. The extruder segment has internal teeth and a longitudinal internal-teeth axis and can be slid onto the mandrel, such that the extruder segment can be connected to the mandrel for rotation therewith. The internal teeth have a profile having a meshing profile and, in an inner area between the first and second end faces of the extruder segment, include a prismatic main profile that has a main cross-section. Furthermore, the internal teeth of the extruder segment have an edge profile adjacent to at least one end face of the extruder segment, which edge profile has a smaller edge cross-section than the main profile at least in the area of the meshing profile.

High Specific Mechanical Energy extruder screw assemblies (14, 88, 98) and complete extruders (10, 86, 96) are provided, which include wide-flight intermediate screw sections (104) having axial flight widths greater than the flight widths of the inlet and outlet screw sections (102, 106) on opposite sides of the intermediate sections (104). The intermediate sections (104) provide increased friction and shear serving to enhance the SMEs imparted to comestible food materials during processing thereof.

A screw element (100) for an extrusion machine is provided. The screw element (100) includes a first section (200) and a second section. The first section (200 has a first core (212) with a plurality of facets (214) connected to each other along splines (216). The facets (214) and splines (216) extend longitudinally along the screw element (100). The facets (214) and splines (216) can be helically-shaped. The first core (212) increases in diameter in a continuous manner along the direction of flow of material. The first and second sections (200, 300) include one or more helically-shaped flights (218,219) wrapped around the longitudinal axis of the screw element (100).

A kneading apparatus for a thermoplastic resin, includes: a plasticizing cylinder which has a high pressure kneading zone and a pressure reduction zone; a screw in the plasticizing cylinder; a downstream side seal mechanism which shuts off communication between the high pressure kneading zone and the pressure reduction zone; and a pressure reduction zone pressure adjusting mechanism which is connected to the pressure reduction zone and which controls a pressure of the pressure reduction zone so that the pressure is not less than an atmospheric pressure and the pressure is not more than a maximum pressure of the high pressure kneading zone that is achieved when kneading a molten resin with a pressurized fluid, when the downstream side seal mechanism shuts off the communication between the high pressure kneading zone and the pressure reduction zone.

A conveyance portion, a barrier portion, and a path are provided at places of a screw main body in which a kneading portion is provided. In at least one of the places, the path is provided inside the screw main body, and includes an entrance and an exit. The entrance is opened to urge the raw materials having the conveyance limited by the barrier portion to increase pressure on the raw materials, to flow in the entrance. The raw materials flowing from the entrance flow through the path in the same direction as a conveyance direction of the conveyance portion.

At a part of the screw main body at which the kneading portion is provided, conveyance portions, a barrier portion and a path are provided at a plurality of places. At least one of the places, the path is provided inside the screw main body, and includes an entrance and an exit. The entrance is opened in such a manner that the raw material whose pressure is enhanced by being restricted in conveyance by the barrier portion flows into the entrance. The path is formed in such a manner that the raw material flowing into the path from the entrance flows toward the exit in a direction opposite to the direction of conveyance.

This concerns a screw pump for the extrusion of plastic materials, which is extremely compact and so it can be inserted in-line in a plastic material filtration system, encapsulating within it a duct parallel to the axis of the screw.

An extruder screw includes a screw main body, conveyance portions, barrier portions, and paths. The raw materials, the conveyance of which is limited by the barrier portions, flow in from the entrance. The raw materials flowing in from the entrance flow through the paths in an opposite direction to a conveyance direction of the conveyance portions. The exit is opened in the outer circumferential surface of the screw main body at a position on an upstream side in the conveyance direction in the conveyance portions in which the entrance is opened.

This concerns a screw pump for the extrusion of plastic materials, which is extremely compact and so it can be inserted in-line in a plastic material filtration system, encapsulating within it a duct parallel to the axis of the screw.