Casting apparatus for manufacturing polymer film

1. A casting apparatus for manufacturing polymer film, the casting apparatus comprising:

a die for discharging a molten polymer, the die having a discharge direction oriented at a non-zero discharge angle offset from a first horizontal reference plane;

a chill roll positioned downstream of the die;

a film displacement device positioned proximate to the chill roll, the film displacement device being configured to position the molten polymer on the chill roll and establish a thickness of the polymer film at an initial point of contact on the chill roll;

the non-zero discharge angle of the discharge direction of the die being of a predetermined magnitude to gravity assist delivery of the molten polymer to the chill roll;

the chill roll being positioned to gravity support and be in constant contact with the polymer film along a first length of a first side of the polymer film;

a first polishing roll positioned downstream of the chill roll, a first gap between the first polishing roll and the chill roll, the first length of the first side of the polymer film extending from the initial point of contact on the chill roll to the first gap along an outer circumferential surface of the chill roll, the first polishing roll engaging and cooling a second length of a second side of the polymer film, the second side being opposite the first side; and

the second length extending from the first gap along an outer circumferential surface of the first polishing roll such that the first length is substantially equal to the second length.

2. The casting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the film displacement device comprises one of a fluid impingement device and a vacuum device.

3. The casting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second polishing roll positioned downstream of the first polishing roll and a second gap between the first polishing roll and the second polishing roll, the second length extending from the first gap to the second gap.

4. The casting apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a third polishing roll positioned downstream of the second polishing roll and a third gap between the second polishing roll and the third polishing roll, the first side of the polymer film engaging and extending a third length on the second polishing roll, the third length extending from the second gap to the third gap.

5. The casting apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second side of the polymer film engages and extends a fourth length on the third polishing roll.

6. The casting apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first length, the second length and the third length are substantially equal.

7. The casting apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first length, the second length, the third length and the fourth length are substantially equal.

8. The casting apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first length and the second length are established by positioning at least one of the film displacement device, the second chill roll and the first polishing roll, relative to one another.

9. The casting apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first length, the second length, the third length and the fourth length are established by positioning at least one of the film displacement device, the chill roll, the first polishing roll, the second polishing roll and the third polishing roll, relative to one another.

10. The casting apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first length and the second length are established by a first diameter defined by the chill roll and a second diameter defined by the first polishing roll.

11. The casting apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the third length and the fourth length are established by a third diameter defined by the second polishing roll and a fourth diameter defined by the third polishing roll.

12. The casting apparatus of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the film displacement device and the chill roll are rotationally mounted on a frame and the frame comprises a system for moving the frame relative to the die.

13. A casting apparatus for manufacturing polymer film, the casting apparatus comprising:

a die for discharging a molten polymer, the die having a discharge direction oriented at a non-zero discharge angle offset from a first horizontal reference plane;

a chill roll positioned downstream of the die;

a film displacement device positioned proximate to the chill roll, the film displacement device being configured to position the molten polymer on the chill roll and establish a thickness of the polymer film at an initial point of contact on the chill roll;

the non-zero discharge angle of the discharge direction of the die being of a predetermined magnitude to gravity assist delivery of the molten polymer to the chill roll;

the chill roll being positioned to gravity support and be in constant contact with the polymer film along a first length of a first side of the polymer film;

a first polishing roll positioned downstream of the chill roll, a first gap between the first polishing roll and the chill roll, the first length of the first side of the polymer film extending from the initial point of contact on the chill roll to the first gap along an outer circumferential surface of the chill roll, the first polishing roll engaging and cooling a second length of a second side of the polymer film, the second side being opposite the first side; and

the second length extending from the first gap along an outer circumferential surface of the first polishing roll such that the first length is substantially equal to the second length;

a second polishing roll positioned downstream of the first polishing roll and a second gap between the first polishing roll and the second polishing roll, the second length extending from the first gap to the second gap;

a third polishing roll positioned downstream of the second polishing roll and a third gap between the second polishing roll and the third polishing roll, the first side of the polymer film engaging and extending a third length on the second polishing roll, the third length extending from the second gap to the third gap;

the chill roll and at least two of the first polishing roll, the second polishing roll, and the third polishing roll are aligned along a first common plane oriented at a first non-zero tilt angle offset from a second horizontal reference plane, wherein the second horizontal reference plane is parallel to the first horizontal reference place and the first common plane slopes downward from the chill roll in a direction of film processing.

14. The casting apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the film displacement device comprises one of a fluid impingement device and a vacuum device.

15. The casting apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second side of the polymer film engages and extends a fourth length on the third polishing roll.

16. The casting apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first length, the second length, and the third length are substantially equal.

17. The casting apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first length, the second length, the third length, and the fourth length are substantially equal.

18. The casting apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first length and the second length are established by positioning at least one of the film displacement device, the second chill roll, and the first polishing roll, relative to one another.

19. The casting apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first length, the second length, the third length, and the fourth length are established by positioning at least one of the film displacement device, the chill roll, the first polishing roll, the second polishing roll, and the third polishing roll, relative to one another.

20. The casting apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first length and the second length are established by a first diameter defined by the chill roll and a second diameter defined by the first polishing roll.

21. The casting apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the third length and the fourth length are established by a third diameter defined by the second polishing roll and a fourth diameter defined by the third polishing roll.

22. The casting apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the film displacement device and the chill roll are aligned along a second common plane oriented at a second non-zero tilt angle offset from a vertical plane, wherein the second common plane of the film displacement device and the chill roll being perpendicular to the first common plane of the chill roll and at least two of the first polishing roll, the second polishing roll, and the third polishing roll.

23. A casting apparatus for manufacturing polymer film, the casting apparatus comprising:

a die for discharging a molten polymer, the die having a discharge direction oriented at a non-zero discharge angle offset from a first horizontal reference plane;

a chill roll positioned downstream of the die;

a film displacement device positioned proximate to the chill roll, the film displacement device being configured to position the molten polymer on the chill roll and establish a thickness of the polymer film at an initial point of contact on the chill roll;

the non-zero discharge angle of the discharge direction of the die being of a predetermined magnitude to gravity assist delivery of the molten polymer to the chill roll;

the chill roll being positioned to gravity support and be in constant contact with the polymer film along a first length of a first side of the polymer film;

a first polishing roll positioned downstream of the chill roll, a first gap between the first polishing roll and the chill roll, the first length of the first side of the polymer film extending from the initial point of contact on the chill roll to the first gap along an outer circumferential surface of the chill roll, the first polishing roll engaging and cooling a second length of a second side of the polymer film, the second side being opposite the first side; and

the second length extending from the first gap along an outer circumferential surface of the first polishing roll such that the first length is substantially equal to the second length;

the chill roll and the first polishing roll are aligned along a first common plane oriented at a first non-zero tilt angle offset from a second horizontal reference plane, the second horizontal reference plane is parallel to the first horizontal reference plane;

the film displacement device and the chill roll are aligned along a second common plane oriented at a second non-zero tilt angle offset from a vertical plane; and

the second common plane of the film displacement device and the chill roll being perpendicular to the first common plane of the chill roll and the first polishing roll.

24. The casting apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the film displacement device comprises one of a fluid impingement device and a vacuum device.

25. The casting apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising a second polishing roll positioned downstream of the first polishing roll and a second gap between the first polishing roll and the second polishing roll, the second length extending from the first gap to the second gap.

26. The casting apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising a third polishing roll positioned downstream of the second polishing roll and a third gap between the second polishing roll and the third polishing roll, the first side of the polymer film engaging and extending a third length on the second polishing roll, the third length extending from the second gap to the third gap.

27. The casting apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the second side of the polymer film engages and extends a fourth length on the third polishing roll.

28. The casting apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the first length, the second length, and the third length are substantially equal.

29. The casting apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the first length, the second length, the third length, and the fourth length are substantially equal.

30. The casting apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the first length and the second length are established by positioning at least one of the film displacement device, the second chill roll, and the first polishing roll, relative to one another.

31. The casting apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the first length, the second length, the third length and the fourth length are established by positioning at least one of the film displacement device, the chill roll, the first polishing roll, the second polishing roll, and the third polishing roll, relative to one another.

32. The casting apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the first length and the second length are established by a first diameter defined by the chill roll and a second diameter defined by the first polishing roll.

33. The casting apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the third length and the fourth length are established by a third diameter defined by the second polishing roll and a fourth diameter defined by the third polishing roll.

34. The casting apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the chill roll and at least two of the first polishing roll, the second polishing roll, and the third polishing roll are aligned along the first common plane oriented at the first non-zero tilt angle offset from the second horizonal reference plane, wherein the first common plane slopes downward from the chill roll in a direction of film processing.

35. The casting apparatus of claim 27 , wherein at least one of the film displacement device and the chill roll are rotationally mounted on a frame and the frame comprises a system for moving the frame relative to the die.