EXTRUSION APPARATUS

Abstract

An extrusion apparatus includes an extruder, a run-out table that supports an extruded material that has been extruded from the extruder, a feed roller and a pulling roller that are provided at a given interval so as to be able to come in rolling contact with the extruded material that is situated on the run-out table, and a cooling section that cools the extruded material between the feed roller and the pulling roller, wherein the feed roller and the pulling roller apply a tensile force to the extruded material while the extruded material advances from the feed roller to the pulling roller.

Claims

1. An extrusion apparatus comprising: an extruder; a run-out table that supports an extruded material that has been extruded from the extruder; a feed roller that is provided so as to be able to come in rolling contact with the extruded material that is situated on the run-out table; a pulling roller that is provided at a given interval from the feed roller so as to be able to come in rolling contact with the extruded material that has been fed by the pulling roller on the run-out table and pulls the extruded material; and a cooling section that cools the extruded material at a position between the feed roller and the pulling roller and applies a tensile force to the extruded material while the extruded material advances from the feed roller to the pulling roller.

2. The extrusion apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a cutter that cuts the extruded material that has passed the pulling roller while moving in synchronization with an extrusion speed of the extruded material.

3. The extrusion apparatus as defined in claim 2, further comprising: a transfer section that advances the extruded material that has been cut.

4. The extrusion apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the transfer section advances the extruded material at a speed higher than the extrusion speed.

5. The extrusion apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the cooling section is an air-cooling section.

6. The extrusion apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the feed roller is a driven roller that is rotated by the extruded material that has been extruded from the extruder.

7. The extrusion apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the feed roller is a drive roller that feeds the extruded material at an extrusion speed of the extruded material.

8. The extrusion apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein a rotation speed of the pulling roller is higher than a rotation speed of the feed roller.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIGS. 1A and 1B are respectively a plan view and a side view illustrating an initial extrusion state.

[0031] FIGS. 2A and 2B are respectively a plan view and a side view illustrating a state in which the end of an extruded material has passed a pulling roller, and a cooling section has been operated.

[0032] FIGS. 3A and 3B are respectively a plan view and a side view illustrating a state in which a cutter has been operated.

[0033] FIGS. 4A and 4B are respectively a plan view and a side view illustrating a state in which a cutter cuts an extruded material while traveling in synchronization with an extrusion speed.

[0034] FIGS. 5A and 5B are respectively a plan view and a side view illustrating a state in which an extruded material that has been cut to have a given length is placed on a rack.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0035] A configuration example of an extrusion apparatus and a method for producing an extruded material according to the exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described below.

[0036] FIGS. 1A and 1B schematically illustrate an extrusion apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0037] The extrusion apparatus includes an extruder 11, and a run-out table 12 that supports an extruded material 1 that has been extruded from the extruder 11.

[0038] The extruder 11 includes a container 11a and a stem 11c, and an extrusion die 11b is placed in front of the container 11a.

[0039] In one embodiment of the invention, the extruder 11 is a direct extruder. Note that the extruder 11 may be an indirect extruder.

[0040] A cylindrical billet M that has been preheated to a high temperature using a heating furnace 20 is introduced into the container 11a, and the stem 11c is advanced to extrude the extruded material 1.

[0041] As schematically illustrated in FIG. 1A (plan view) and FIG. 1B (side view), the run-out table 12 includes a plurality of support members 17 that are provided at given intervals.

[0042] The support member 17 may be a bar material (member) that exhibits lubricity, or may be a rotatable support roller.

[0043] A feed roller (feeder) 14 and a pulling roller (puller) 15 are provided so as to be able to come in rolling contact with the extruded material 1 that is situated on the run-out table 12. The feed roller 14 is provided at a position close to the extruder 11. The pulling roller 15 is provided at a given distance from the feed roller 14.

[0044] Cooling sections 13a and 13b are provided at a position between the feed roller 14 and the pulling roller 15 so as to be situated on either side of the run-out table 12.

[0045] In one embodiment of the invention, the cooling sections 13a and 13b are air-cooling sections that strongly apply air to the extruded material 1 that has been extruded from the extruder 11.

[0046] Although FIG. 1A illustrates an example in which the cooling sections 13a and 13b (that make a pair) are provided at a position close to the feed roller 14, a plurality of pairs of cooling sections may be provided between the feed roller 14 and the pulling roller 15.

[0047] The cooling sections 13a and 13b may eject (discharge) air downward from the upper side of the run-out table 12.

[0048] The feed roller 14 advances the extruded material 1 that has been extruded from the extruder 11. In the example schematically illustrated in FIG. 1B, one feed roller 14 is provided opposite to one support roller 17a. When the extruded material 1 is a profile, a plurality of feed rollers 14 may be provided corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the profile.

[0049] The pulling roller 15 pulls (draws) the extruded material. In the example schematically illustrated in FIG. 1B, one pulling roller 15 is provided opposite to one support roller 17b. Note that a plurality of pulling rollers 15 may be provided corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the extruded material. The feed roller 14 is rotated at a speed that corresponds to the extrusion speed of the extruded material 1. The feed roller 14 may be a driven roller, or may be a drive roller that is driven by a drive motor or the like at a speed that corresponds to the extrusion speed.

[0050] The pulling roller 15 is a drive roller. The rotation of the pulling roller 15 is controlled by a drive motor or the like. The pulling roller 15 pulls (draws) the extruded material 1 at a speed equal to or higher than the extrusion speed.

[0051] A cutter 16 is provided in front of the pulling roller 15. The cutter 16 travels along a travel rail 16a that is provided parallel to the run-out table 12.

[0052] The cutter 16 has a blade 16c for cutting the extruded material 1. In one embodiment of the invention, a slide rail 16b is provided along which the blade 16c moves so as to cross the extruded material 1.

[0053] The extrusion speed at which the extruded material 1 is extruded is measured using a measurement section (e.g., encoder), and the cutter 16 cuts the extruded material 1 while traveling along the travel rail 16a in synchronization with the extrusion speed. The extruded material 1 is produced as described below.

[0054] As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the billet M that has been preheated using the heating furnace 20 is introduced into the container 11a, and extruded using the stem 11c.

[0055] The extruded material 1 passes the feed roller 14, and the cooling sections 13a and 13b are operated in a state in which the end of the extruded material 1 has passed the pulling roller 15 (see FIGS. 2A and 2B).

[0056] The extruded material 1 shrinks due to cooling. Since the extruded material 1 advances while being held by the feed roller 14 and the pulling roller 15, a tensile force f illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B is applied to the extruded material 1 while the extruded material 1 shrinks in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the extruded material 1 is stretched. In one embodiment of the invention, the tensile force f can be applied to the extruded material 1 by means of the cooling sections 13a and 13b, even when the feed roller 14 and the pulling roller 15 are rotated at an identical speed.

[0057] When rotating the feed roller 14, the rotation speed W.sub.2 of the pulling roller 15 may be set to be higher than the rotation speed W.sub.1 of the feed roller 14 so that the force in the tensile direction is ensured by the difference in rotation speed.

[0058] When the end of the extruded material 1 has passed the cutter 16 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B), the cutter 16 cuts the extruded material 1 while traveling along the travel rail 16a in synchronization with the extrusion speed of the extruded material 1 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B).

[0059] An extruded material la illustrated in FIG. 4A that has been cut is transferred forward by a transfer section (not illustrated in the drawings) at a speed higher than that of the extruded material 1, for example, and placed on a rack 19 through a temporary placement table 18 (see FIGS. 5A and 5B).

[0060] The cutter 16 is moved backward from the position illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B to the position illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, and cuts the next extruded material 1b. The cutter 16 repeatedly cuts the extruded material 1 in this manner.

[0061] Although only some embodiments of the invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within scope of the invention.