US 11,938,657 B2
Multi-screw kneader and method for producing nano-composite using said multi-screw kneader, and disk-shaped segment used for said kneader and said method
Tatsuya Tanaka, Kyoto (JP); and Koki Matsumoto, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to THE DOSHISHA, Kyoto (JP)
Filed by THE DOSHISHA, Kyoto (JP)
Filed on Aug. 22, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/548,132.
Application 16/548,132 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2018/006270, filed on Feb. 21, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 2017-030841 (JP), filed on Feb. 22, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0389092 A1, Dec. 26, 2019
Int. Cl. B29B 7/48 (2006.01); B29C 48/505 (2019.01)
CPC B29B 7/482 (2013.01) [B29B 7/488 (2013.01); B29C 48/505 (2019.02)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-screw kneader comprising:
a barrel;
an input port for supplying a kneading material into the barrel;
a plurality of full-flight screws for transferring the kneading material; and
a disk-shaped segment for promoting extensional flow of the kneading material in the barrel,
wherein:
helical threads of the plurality of full-flight screws extend from a first position at or adjacent to a first terminal end of the barrel to a second position at or adjacent to a second terminal end of the barrel;
the disk-shaped segment is fixed in the barrel so as to partition an inside of the barrel;
the disk-shaped segment is at an intermediate position of the plurality of full-flight screws and on a downstream side of the input port;
the disk-shaped segment has: (i) a disk body with holes configured to serve as flow channels of the kneading material; (ii) a plurality of rolling bearings mounted on the disk body; and (iii) a plurality of rings fitted to the plurality of rolling bearings, respectively, such that mating structures on respective shafts of the plurality of full-flight screws are fitted to mating structures of the plurality of rings, respectively, whereby the disk-shaped segment is configured to suppress leakage of the kneading material between the plurality of rolling bearings;
the mating structures of the plurality of rings are holes with cross sections matching the mating structures on the respective shafts of the plurality of full-flight screws, respectively;
an upstream shape, an upstream diameter, and an upstream size of each of the plurality of full-flight screws on an upstream side of the disk-shaped segment are the same as a downstream shape, a downstream diameter, and a downstream size of each of the plurality of full-flight screws on a downstream side of the disk-shaped segment, respectively;
the disk-shaped segment is adjacent to the helical thread of each of the plurality of full-flight screws on both the upstream side of the disk-shaped segment and the downstream side of the disk-shaped segment; and
the holes of the disk body are constantly in communication with both the upstream side of the disk-shaped segment and the downstream side of the disk-shaped segment.