Apparatus for melt spinning feedstock material
First Claim
1. A spinner head comprising:
- a base;
a cover aligned with and spaced from said base; and
a plurality of discrete elongate heating elements defining elongate spaces therebetween said heating elements being positioned between said base and said cover and further defining a perimetrical configuration;
an elongate generally annular housing having plural circumferentially spaced cylindrical passages extending therethrough, said housing being positionable over said heating elements with said heating elements residing within said passages, said cover and said annular housing mutually defining a chamber for accommodating therein a foodstuffs or pharmaceutical feedstock material which undergoes physical transformation with the application of heat and force and instantly reforms as a solid having a changed morphology; and
said housing defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced fins projecting radially inward, said plurality of fins defining a processing wall for acting upon the feedstock, each of said fins having tapered sidewalls which generally converge to substantially a point as said fin extends radially inward to form a non-planar inner surface which resists the formation of stagnation points, and said sidewalls of adjacent fins cooperating to define longitudinal radially-directed slots between said cylindrical passages so as to permit passage of the feedstock material therethrough.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A spinner head provides for the production of melt-spun product. The spinner head includes a base and a cover spaced from the base. A plurality of discrete spaced apart elongate heating elements are positioned between the base and the cover and define a chamber for accommodating feedstock material therein. An elongate generally annular housing having plural circumferentially spaced cylindrical passages extending therethrough is positionable over the heating elements. The housing defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced fins projecting radially inward. Each of the fins have tapered sidewalls which generally converge as the fin extends radially inward. The sidewalls of adjacent fins cooperate to define longitudinal radially-directed slots between the cylindrical passages so as to permit passage of the feedstock material therethrough.
22 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A spinner head comprising:
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a base; a cover aligned with and spaced from said base; and a plurality of discrete elongate heating elements defining elongate spaces therebetween said heating elements being positioned between said base and said cover and further defining a perimetrical configuration; an elongate generally annular housing having plural circumferentially spaced cylindrical passages extending therethrough, said housing being positionable over said heating elements with said heating elements residing within said passages, said cover and said annular housing mutually defining a chamber for accommodating therein a foodstuffs or pharmaceutical feedstock material which undergoes physical transformation with the application of heat and force and instantly reforms as a solid having a changed morphology; and said housing defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced fins projecting radially inward, said plurality of fins defining a processing wall for acting upon the feedstock, each of said fins having tapered sidewalls which generally converge to substantially a point as said fin extends radially inward to form a non-planar inner surface which resists the formation of stagnation points, and said sidewalls of adjacent fins cooperating to define longitudinal radially-directed slots between said cylindrical passages so as to permit passage of the feedstock material therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21)
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16. A processing wall for use with a spinner head having tubular heating elements comprising:
an elongate generally annular housing having plural circumferentially spaced cylindrical passages extending therethrough, said housing being positionable over the heating elements with said heating elements residing within said passages, said housing defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced fins projecting radially inward to form a non-planar surface which resists the formation of stagnation points, each of said fins having a pair of tapered sidewalls which generally converge to substantially a point as said fin extends radially inward forming a generally non-planar surface, and one of said pair of sidewalls of adjacent fins cooperating to define a plurality of longitudinal radially-directed slots between said cylindrical passages so as to instantly reform foodstuffs or pharmaceutical feedstock material which passes therethrough into a solid having a changed morphology. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 22)
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20. A spinner head comprising:
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a base; a cover aligned with and spaced from said based; and a plurality of discrete elongate heating elements defining elongate spaces therebetween said heating elements being positioned between said based and said cover and further defining a perimetrical configuration; an elongate generally annular housing having plural circumferentially spaced cylindrical passages extending therethrough, said housing being positionable over said heating elements with said heating elements residing within said passages, said housing defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially directed slots, so as to permit passage of said feedstock material therethrough, and wherein an upper portion of each of said plurality of heating elements extends beyond said annular housing; said cover and said annular housing mutually defining a chamber for accommodating therein a foodstuffs or pharmaceutical feedstock material which undergoes physical transformation with the application of heat and force and instantly reforms as a solid having a changed morphology after exiting said chamber; and a securement annulus that is mechanically secured to an upper portion of said plurality of heating elements, said annulus providing means for securing said cover onto said spinner head. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification