Thermoplastic material melting unit having high throughput and heating capacity
US6175101A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 24, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 16, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 24, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB29K2105/0097
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A thermoplastic material melting unit including various grid and reservoir configurations designed, for example, to optimize flow rate, melt rate and residence time within a melting unit. A main embodiment includes a supply hopper connected with a liquid reservoir having a plurality of heat exchanging elements, such as fins extending upward from its bottom wall. A melting grid is generally disposed between the supply hopper and the reservoir and includes both upwardly and downwardly extending heated fins. The downwardly extending fins intermesh with the upwardly extending fins of the reservoir. Additional embodiments of melting grids and heat exchange devices for melting solid thermoplastic material include bare element configurations, angled fin configurations and slotted fin configurations.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.