Flexible lip extruder, and methods
An extrusion die or extruder having a flexible lip that is moveable by a geared mechanism. A shaft is operably connected to at least one gear, which in turn is operably connected to a movable lip of the extruder. Rotation of the shaft results in movement of the extruder lip.
1. An extruder comprising:
a body having a flexible lip at least partially defining a gap;
a moveable member operably connected to the flexible lip for adjustment of the gap;
a pin engaged with the moveable member;
a gear configured to receive the pin offset from a center point of the gear; and
a shaft configured to engage and rotate the gear.
2. The extruder of claim 1 wherein the moveable member comprises a slot therein, the slot receiving a head portion of the pin.
3. The extruder of claim 2 wherein the slot defines a length, the slot extending horizontally along the length.
4. The extruder of claim 2 wherein the pin comprises:
a head portion received in the slot of the moveable member; and
an end portion seating rotatably within a hole of the gear which is offset from the center of the gear.
5. The extruder of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of moveable members; and
spacers separating the moveable members and defining areas in which the moveable members are disposed.
6. The extruder of claim 5 wherein the spacers are attached to the body of the extruder.
7. The extruder of claim 1 further comprising a cover plate locking the moveable member.
8. The extruder of claim 1 wherein the shaft comprises a plurality of short shafts.
9. The extruder of claim 1 comprising:
a plurality of moveable members operably connected to the flexible lip for adjustment of the gap;
a pin engaged with each of the plurality of the moveable members;
a plurality of gears, each configured to receive a pin offset from a center point of the gear; and
the shaft configured to engage and rotate each of the plurality of gears.
10. The extruder of claim 9 , wherein the shaft comprises a worm shaft.
11. The extruder of claim 9 wherein the shaft comprises a plurality of short shafts.
12. The extruder of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of short shafts comprises a short worm shaft.
13. An extruder comprising:
at least one body having a first flexible lip partially defining a gap;
a plurality of moveable members operably connected to the first flexible lip for adjustment of the gap;
a plurality of pins each partially positioned within each moveable member;
a plurality of gears each configured to receive each pin which is offset from the center point of each gear; and
a geared shaft configured to engage and rotate each gear.
14. The extruder of claim 13 wherein:
each of the plurality of gears is a worm gear; and
the geared shaft is a worm shaft.
15. The extruder of claim 14 , wherein the worm shaft comprise a plurality of short worm shafts.
16. An extruder comprising:
a body having a flexible lip at least partially defining a gap;
a hinge allowing movement of the flexible lip relative to the body;
a moveable member operably connected to the flexible lip for adjustment of the gap, the moveable member having a slot extending horizontally along a length;
a spacer separating the moveable member and defining areas in which the moveable member is disposed;
a pin partially positioned within the slot of the moveable member;
a worm gear configured to rotatably receive an end portion of the pin offset from the center point of the worm gear; and
a worm shaft configured to engage and rotate the worm gear; and
an adjustment spool operably connected to the worm shaft.