OVERTURNING DEVICE FOR OVERTURNING MOLTEN MATERIAL AND PURGING METHOD

Abstract

The present invention relates to an overturning device (10) for overturning a molten material (200) in a melt channel (110) comprising a melt inlet (20) and a melt outlet (30), wherein between the melt inlet (20) and the melt outlet (30) at least a melt guidance means (40) is assembled for a rearrangement of molten material (200) from the centre (22) of the melt inlet (20) at the edge (34) of the melt outlet (30) and for a rearrangement of molten material (200) from the edge (24) of the melt inlet (20) in the centre (32) of the melt outlet (30).

Claims

1. An overturning device for overturning a molten material in a melt channel comprising a melt inlet and a melt outlet, wherein between the melt inlet and the melt outlet at least a melt guidance means is assembled for a rearrangement of molten material from the centre of the melt inlet to the edge of the melt outlet and for a rearrangement of molten material from the edge of the melt inlet into the centre of the melt outlet.

2. The overturning device according to claim 1, wherein at least the at least one melt guidance means comprises a first guidance channel with a guidance opening in the centre of the melt inlet and at least one guidance outlet at the edge of the melt outlet or that the at least one melt guidance means comprises a second guidance channel with a guidance outlet in the centre of the melt outlet and at least a guidance opening at the edge of the melt inlet.

3. The overturning device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one melt guidance means comprises a separation section with a first separation channel and a second separation channel, at least wherein in front of the separation section a division section for dividing the molten material to the separation channels and after the separation section a combination section for merging the molten material from the separation channels is assembled or wherein the combination section is configured for a central merging of the edge sections of the molten material.

4. A blow head for performing a blow film extrusion method comprising at least a melt channel for the conveyance of molten material to a blow outlet of the blow head wherein in the at least one melt channel at least an overturning device for overturning a molten material in a melt channel comprising a melt inlet and a melt outlet, wherein between the melt inlet and the melt outlet at least a melt guidance means is assembled for a rearrangement of molten material from the centre of the melt inlet to the edge of the melt outlet and for a rearrangement of molten material from the edge of the melt inlet into the centre of the melt outlet, is assembled.

5. The blow head according to claim 4, wherein the overturning device related to the length of the melt channel is assembled in the middle or mainly in the middle of the melt channel.

6. The blow head according to claim 4, wherein the overturning device is arranged in a melt channel in form of a supply channel from an extruder to the melt channels in form of distribution channels in the blow head.

7. The blow head according to claim 4, wherein the blow head comprises single components, wherein the melt channels and the at least one overturning device is assembled between the single components.

8. The blow head according to claim 4, wherein the melt channels branch within the blow head and the at least one overturning device is arranged in at least a branch stage.

9. The blow head according to claim 4, wherein the at least one overturning device is configured as part of the melt channel.

10. The blow head according to claim 4, wherein at least two overturning devices are assembled in a melt channel.

11. The blow head according to claim 4, wherein in all melt channels at least one overturning device is assembled at the same position, respectively.

12. The blow head according to claim 4, wherein the overturning device comprises a shifting device for a shifting of the overturning device between a first position in which the melt inlet and the melt outlet are in a fluid communicating connection with the melt channel and in a second position in which the melt inlet and the melt outlet are separated from the melt channel.

13. A method for performing a purge process in an extrusion device comprising the following steps: introducing a molten material into a melt inlet of an overturning device, Rearrangement of molten material from the centre of the melt inlet to the edge of a melt outlet of the overturning device and Rearrangement of molten material from the edge of the melt inlet into the centre of the melt outlet.

14. The blow head according to claim 9, wherein the at least one overturning device is configured as integral part of the melt channel.

15. The blow head according to claim 10, wherein at least two overturning devices are assembled in the melt channel with equal distances.

Description

[0038] Further advantages, features and details of the invention result from the subsequent description in which in relation to the drawings embodiments of the invention are described in detail. Thereby, the described features in the claims and in the description can be essential for the invention each single by themselves or in any combination. It is shown schematically:

[0039] FIG. 1 a schematic representation during a purge process with known extrusion devices,

[0040] FIG. 2 the situation according to FIG. 1 with the use of an overturning device according to the invention,

[0041] FIG. 3 an embodiment of an overturning device according to the invention,

[0042] FIG. 4 the embodiment of FIG. 3 with further representations of flow conditions of the molten material,

[0043] FIG. 5 a schematic representation of the effect of an overturning device according to the invention,

[0044] FIG. 6 a further embodiment of an overturning device according to the invention,

[0045] FIG. 7 a further embodiment of an overturning device according to the invention,

[0046] FIG. 8 an embodiment of a blow head according to the invention,

[0047] FIG. 9 a further embodiment of a blow head according to the invention,

[0048] FIG. 10 a further embodiment of a blow head according to the invention,

[0049] FIG. 11 a further embodiment of a blow head according to the invention, and

[0050] FIG. 12 a further embodiment of a blow head according to the invention.

[0051] In FIG. 1 a melt channel 110 with a flow direction from the left to the right is shown, as it is represented during the purge process. Within the melt channel 110 a free flow area 70 is provided through which molten material 200 flows. Here, it is to be differentiated between the old molten material 220 and new molten material 210. It can be recognized that via the longitudinal course of the melt channel 110 during the purge process a ramp-like or cone-like configuration between the old molten material 220 and the new molten material 210 is configured. This cone moves during the purge time in the course to the right until finally the greatest part of the old molten material 220 is put out and it can be further proceeded with the active production.

[0052] In FIG. 2 the mode of action of an overturning device 10 according to the invention is shown. Here, now a rearrangement from the edge of the molten material 200 into the centre of the molten material 200 and vice versa occurs. At the melt inlet 20 of the overturning device 10 corresponding material is received from the edge of the molten material 200 and is provided in the centre at the melt outlet 30. In an inverse manner fresh or new molten material 210 is guided from the centre of the melt inlet 20 to the edge of the melt outlet 30. Like it can be recognized, therewith the adjusted amount of the old molten material 220 at the right edge of the melt channel 110 is reduced. The representation of FIG. 2 occurs at the same time point during the purge process like FIG. 1.

[0053] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a first embodiment of an overturning device 10 according to the invention. This overturning device 10 is configured with two guidance channels 42 and 44 as melt guidance means 40. Via a not further explained ring collector a guidance opening 44a is provided at the edge 24 of the melt inlet 20 such that corresponding molten material 200 can flow into the second guidance channel 44. This is shown with arrows in FIG. 4. Via a guidance outlet 44b in the centre 32 of the melt outlet 30 now the rearrangement occurs from the edge into the centre of this molten material 200.

[0054] In the same manner in the centre 22 of the melt inlet 20 a guidance opening 42a of the first guidance channel 42 is provided which enables along the arrows of FIG. 3 to rearrange the molten material 200 to the edge 34 of the melt outlet 30 and the corresponding guidance outlet 42b. Hereby, this is about a technical solution via an active rearrangement, wherein the overturning device 10 is part of the melt channel 110.

[0055] FIGS. 5 and 6 show the possibility to provide a rearrangement by a separation functionality. Starting from a melt channel 110 according to FIG. 6 via a division section 47 a division of the molten material 200 to two separation channels 46a and 46b of the separation section 46 occurs. This leads schematically to a distribution according to FIG. 4. While starting from the melt channel 110 completely extensive old molten material 220 encloses the new molten material 210, by the division in the separation channel 46a and 46b only approximately half of the extent is covered with old molten material 220. The other half in the separation channel 46a and 46b is already provided with new molten material 210 at the edge. Now, by clever combining a central merging of both separation channels 46 for the edge areas with the old molten material 220 is performed so that a complete or at least partial rearrangement according to the invention can occur by this separation function.

[0056] FIG. 7 shows schematically a possible further embodiment of an overturning device 10 with the separation functionality. Here a division of in total four separation channel 46a and 46b and the recombination in a combination section 48 occurs. Schematically, further the corresponding division of old molten material 220 and new molten material 210 in the corresponding channels is shown. After combining or merging at the combination section 48 the edge sections with the old molten material 220 are completely central such that the surrounding edge in the melt channel 110 is mainly completely configured by the new molten material 210.

[0057] In FIG. 8 it is shown how in a melt channel 110 in a blow head 100 an overturning device 10 can be assembled. Thereby, it can be any described embodiment of the overturning device 10. Thereby, the blow head 100 is configured with a ring-like blow outlet 112.

[0058] FIG. 9 shows a solution comparable to FIG. 8, wherein here a shifting device 60 is shown for the overturning device 10. According to FIG. 9 the overturning device 10 is in the second position and therewith outside the fluid communicating intervention with the melt channel 110. Hereby, this is the operation position. For the purge situation the overturning device 10 is introduced into the melt channel 110 via the shifting device 60 and therewith the functionality according to the invention can be provided for the reduction of the purge time.

[0059] FIGS. 10 to 12 show further embodiments of blow heads 100 according to the invention. These embodiments have in common that the single blow heads 100 are configured with a plurality of components 102. The single melt channels 110 are thereby configured between the single components 102. In FIG. 10 a layer-wise configuration is shown which provides the single melt channels 110 with a conical embodiment. The single overturning devices 10 can be arranged in the inlet area and in the further course of the melt channels 110. A similar solution is likewise possible with a plate shaped layer configuration according to the embodiment of the blow head 100 according to FIG. 11. Here, likewise the single overturning devices 10 can be arranged between the single components 102 in the melt channels 110.

[0060] In FIG. 12 likewise a blow head 100 is shown which is configured from single components 102. Here, the branches can be well recognized which starting from the single melt channel 110 are provided. Likewise it can be well recognized that here two overturning devices can be assembled at different positions and therewith in different branch stages of the blow head 100.

[0061] The previous description of the embodiments describes the present invention only within the scope of examples. Naturally, single features of the embodiments as far as technically meaningful can be freely combined with one another without leaving the scope of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0062] 10 Overturning device [0063] 20 Melt inlet [0064] 22 Centre of melt inlet [0065] 24 Edge of melt inlet [0066] 30 Melt outlet [0067] 32 Centre of melt outlet [0068] 34 Edge of melt outlet [0069] 40 Melt guidance means [0070] 42 First guidance channel [0071] 42a Guidance opening [0072] 42b Guidance outlet [0073] 44 Second guidance channel [0074] 44a Guidance opening [0075] 44b Guidance outlet [0076] 46 Separation section [0077] 46a First separation channel [0078] 46b Second separation channel [0079] 47 Division section [0080] 48 Combination section [0081] 60 Shifting device [0082] 70 Free flow area [0083] 100 Blow head [0084] 102 Component [0085] 110 Melt channel [0086] 112 Blow outlet [0087] 200 Molten material [0088] 210 New molten material [0089] 220 Old molten material