Co-Extrusion Head Segmentation for Conductive Tire Strips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing extrusion devices struggle to produce high-quality, consistently conductive strip-shaped elements from elastomeric materials for tires, as they often result in poor electrical conductivity leading to electrostatic charging, and existing solutions complicate material distribution and reproducibility.
Innovation Solution
A co-extrusion head with an additional flow channel supplied by a separate extruder and a modular expansion element that can be integrated into a standard head part, allowing for the introduction of a conductive mixture and adjustable flow paths to ensure uniform material distribution and conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an additional nozzle is introduced into the main flow path to provide conductive material, then electrical conductivity is improved, but flow resistance increases and material distribution becomes difficult to reproduce
Solution Approach 1:
The extrusion head is divided into separate head parts, each with its own flow channel. The additional conductive material is supplied through a separate head part with its own flow channel, rather than introducing an additional nozzle into the main flow path. This segmentation maintains independent flow control for each material layer, avoiding flow resistance issues while achieving the desired electrical conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
A flow channel acts as an intermediary pathway that connects the additional extruder to the extrusion head. This intermediary structure allows the conductive material to be supplied separately and merged with the main extruded material without directly disrupting the main flow path, thereby maintaining flow stability and reproducibility.
2Reliability
If a tubular nozzle is used to divide material into partial flows and reconnect them, then electrical conductivity is improved, but the flow conditions and flow resistances are changed making exact reproduction difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single tubular nozzle that disrupts flow continuity, the system uses multiple separate head parts with individual flow channels. Each head part maintains its own flow conditions, allowing for consistent and reproducible material distribution while still achieving electrical conductivity through the layered structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive material is supplied to specific local areas through dedicated flow channels in the head parts, rather than being mixed throughout the entire flow path. This localized approach ensures that the conductive material is precisely positioned where needed without altering the overall flow conditions of the non-conductive layers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple extruders are used to supply different materials, then material diversity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extrusion head is designed with multiple head parts that can each be supplied by separate extruders. This modular design allows the same head structure to handle multiple materials with different properties (conductive and non-conductive) simultaneously, providing versatility without requiring fundamentally different device configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The extrusion head is segmented into separate head parts, each with its own flow channel. This segmentation allows each extruder to independently supply its material through its own channel, simplifying the control of material flow while maintaining the ability to produce complex multi-material profiles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables the production of high-quality, conductive material strips with consistent properties, reducing electrostatic charging and improving material reproducibility by optimizing flow behavior and symmetry, while maintaining a simple structural design.
Implementation Method 1
at least one expansion element is arranged in a region of the tool facing the extrusion head and at the expansion element is essentially flat in the area of a first surface and has at least one flow path for the extruded material in the area of its second surface facing away from the first surface
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an extruding device comprising an extrusion head for connecting to at least two extruders. Also, at least one tool for shaping a product made from at least two extruded materials is arranged in the region of the extrusion head. At least one expansion element is arranged in an area of the tool facing the extrusion head, said expansion element being essentially smooth in the region of a first surface and comprises, in the region of the second surface which faces away from the first surface, at least one flow path for the extruder material.