Interface control

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the extrusion of multilayered composite products, is provided. In accordance with the inventive method, the relative orientation of a first shaped flow stream and a second shaped flow stream to one another is changed, and the reoriented shaped streams are melt-laminated to produce a layered composite formed independent of division of a layered precursor stream. Beneficially, layered flow streams that differ from one another may be used. Differences in volumetric or mass flow rates may also be used to advantage. The inventive apparatus includes a coextrusion structure and a partition member. The coextrusion structure may advantageously include one or more removably disposed, flow-shaping inserts, and the partition member may be a removably disposed, partition plate. The inventive apparatus beneficially further includes a removably disposed flow sequencer for changing the relative orientation of the flow streams.

1 . A method for producing a shaped layered composite comprising an interface defined by melt-lamination of overlapping flow streams, wherein said interface lies generally in an x-z plane of an x-y-z coordinate system in which the x-axis defines a transverse dimension of said interface and the y-axis extends generally perpendicularly through said interface, said method comprising 
 with a first shaped flow stream and a second shaped flow stream each having a main flow direction generally in the z-direction, and said first shaped flow stream and said second shaped flow stream being suitably-shaped for melt-lamination, changing the relative orientation of said first shaped flow stream to said second shaped flow stream from a generally side-by-side orientation along said x-axis to a generally stacked orientation in which said first shaped flow stream defines a first plane and said second shaped flow stream defines a second plane along said y-axis,    thereafter forming said interface of said shaped layered composite by melt-laminating said first shaped flow stream and said second shaped flow stream, wherein said layered composite is formed independent of division of a layered precursor stream, and    thereafter dimensionally increasing said interface along said x-axis to form a multilayered composite product of greater width than thickness, wherein said interface is generally parallel to said width.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first shaped flow stream and said second shaped flow stream are co-planar to one another in said generally side-by-side orientation.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first shaped flow stream and said second shaped flow stream are in different planes from one another in said generally side-by-side orientation.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first shaped flow stream and second shaped flow stream are layered streams, and said first shaped flow stream differs from said second shaped flow stream in layer sequencing, but the streams merged to form said first shaped flow stream are of the same composition as the streams merged to form said second shaped flow stream.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first shaped flow stream and said second shaped flow stream are layered streams, and said first shaped flow stream differs from said second shaped flow stream in layer sequencing, and at least one of the streams merged to form said first shaped flow stream differs in composition from each of the streams merged to form said second shaped flow stream.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first shaped flow stream and said second shaped flow stream are layered streams, and said first shaped flow stream and said second shaped flow stream have identical layer sequencing.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first shaped stream flow stream or said second shaped flow stream is a layered stream and during the step of forming said first shaped stream or said second shaped stream, there is a substantial difference in the volumetric or mass flow rates of at least two of the streams being merged.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein during the step of forming said shaped layered composite, there is a substantial difference in the volumetric or mass flow rate of said first shaped flow stream compared to said second shaped flow stream.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first shaped flow stream is a layered stream comprising at least one interface having a width w, and at least two of the streams merged to form first shaped flow stream have said width w, and wherein said second shaped flow stream is a layered stream comprising at least one interface having a width w′, and at least two of the streams merged to form said second shaped flow stream have said width w′.  
   
   
       10 - 20 . (cancelled)