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| Article comprising a passive optical waveguide |
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| Resin laminate containing syndiotactic styrene-based polymer |
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| Hologram with integral printed indicia |
| OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 shows a card 10, e.g., of a type similar to a common credit card, having ... |
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| Modified copolyesters and improved multilayer reflective films |
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Extrusion apparatus and method for producing three-dimensional shapes
| Details |
Inventors: Kunas, Kurt T.;
Assignee: The Quaker Oats Company (Chicago, IL)
Primary Examiner: Yeung; George
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Matthews; Mart C., Johnson; Lars S.
An extrusion apparatus for producing thee-dimensional objects comprises at least one die, an extruder, and a rotatable cutter plate. The die is disposed adjacent to an outlet end of the extruder. The die forms an opening defining a two-dimensional shape, and the extruder forces an extrudable material through the opening in the die. The rotatable cutter plate is disposed adjacent to the die. The cutter plate is configured to obstruct different portions of the die opening at different times as the cutter plate rotates so as to vary the shape of the extrudable material forced through the opening in the die and thereby create a three-dimensional shape. The cutter plate is configured to fully obstruct the opening in the die during each revolution of the cutter plate so as to separate the extrudable material forced through the opening in the die into individual objects. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides an apparatus and method for producing three-dimensional objects via extrusion.
More particularly, the apparatus of the present invention allows for the extrusion of complex free standing three-dimensional objects by first extruding material through a die or die openings which roughly define the shape of the material in two dimensions and second configuring the extruded material with a rotating slotted cutter plate which shapes the material into complex three-dimensional form.
In one embodiment, an extrusion apparatus for producing three-dimensional objects comprises at least one die, an extruder, and a rotatable cutter plate.
The die is disposed adjacent to an outlet end of the extruder.
The die forms an opening defining a two-dimensional shape, and the extruder forces an extrudable material through the opening in the die.
The rotatable cutter plate is disposed adjacent to the die.
The cutter plate is configured to obstruct different portions of the die opening at different times as the cutter plate rotates so as to vary the shape of the extrudable material forced through the opening in the die and thereby create a three-dimensional shape.
The cutter plate is configured to fully obstruct the opening in the die during each revolution of the cutter plate so as to separate the extrudable material forced through the opening in the die into individual objects.
In a preferred embodiment, the cutter plate forms a peripheral slot having a plurality of sections of variable width and length.
The plurality of sections of the peripheral slot are configured and arranged to expose different portions of the die opening at different times as the cutter plate rotates so as to vary the shape of the extrudable material forced through the opening in the die and thereby create a three-dimensional shape.
The cutter plate includes a solid portion configured and arranged to fully obstruct the opening in the die during each revolution of the cutter plate so as to separate the extrudable material forced through the opening in the die into individual objects
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Nonmetallic Processes 
