US 12,263,626 B2
Method and apparatus for producing porous plastic profiles
Mark Andrew Nattrass, Knaresborough (GB); and Graham Michael Berville, Knaresborough (GB)
Assigned to MG IP LTD, Knaresborough (GB)
Appl. No. 17/261,837
Filed by MG IP LTD, Knaresborough (GB)
PCT Filed Jul. 24, 2019, PCT No. PCT/GB2019/052078
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 20, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/021263, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1812028 (GB), filed on Jul. 24, 2018; and application No. 1910136 (GB), filed on Jul. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0291421 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 48/05 (2019.01); B29C 48/00 (2019.01); B29C 48/88 (2019.01); B29C 69/00 (2006.01); E02B 11/00 (2006.01); E02D 31/02 (2006.01); B29K 101/12 (2006.01); B29K 105/26 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 48/0011 (2019.02) [B29C 48/0021 (2019.02); B29C 48/05 (2019.02); B29C 48/911 (2019.02); B29C 69/001 (2013.01); E02B 11/00 (2013.01); E02D 31/02 (2013.01); B29K 2101/12 (2013.01); B29K 2105/26 (2013.01); B29L 2031/001 (2013.01); E02D 2200/1635 (2013.01); E02D 2250/0015 (2013.01); E02D 2300/0012 (2013.01); E02D 2300/0017 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming porous thermoplastic profiles, comprising:
extruding molten strands of thermoplastic material of a diameter between about 3-12 mm to a length of at least 1 m;
letting the molten extruded strands of thermoplastic material drop at least 15 cm onto a horizontal forming base where the molten extruded strands of thermoplastic material contact each other and agglomerate to form a porous molten strand mass;
shaping the molten strand mass to form a profile;
transporting the profile along the base;
cooling the profile by means of a water spray or bath; and
separating the cooled profile into lengths.