Method and device for cutting off an extrudate

Abstract

One example provides a process unit including a conveying device to convey a hybrid yarn comprising a plurality of fibers and a matrix through a channel bounded by a base body, and a cutting unit having a component configured as a sleeve mounted about the base body, the sleeve rotatable about the base body and including a circular recess at an axial end region which is eccentrically aligned with an axis of rotation of the sleeve, and a cutting element on a slide slidably mounted to the base body and disposed within the circular recess, wherein the slide rests on a support surface of the sleeve bounding the circular recess so that, due to the circular recess being eccentrically aligned with the axis of rotation, a rotational movement of the sleeve causes translational movement of the slide and the cutting element across the channel to cut the hybrid yarn.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process unit, comprising:
 a conveying device to convey a hybrid yarn comprising a plurality of fibers and a matrix through a channel bounded by a base body; and   a cutting unit including:
 a component configured as a sleeve mounted about the base body, the sleeve controllable to carry out a rotational movement about the base body and including a circular recess at an axial end region which is eccentrically aligned with an axis of rotation of the sleeve; and 
 a cutting element on a slide slidably mounted to the base body and disposed within the circular recess, wherein the slide rests on a support surface of the sleeve bounding the circular recess so that, due to the circular recess being eccentrically aligned with the axis of rotation, a rotational movement of the sleeve causes translational movement of the slide and the cutting element across the channel to cut the hybrid yarn. 
   
     
     
         2 . The process unit of  claim 1 , wherein the conveying device comprises a first conveying wheel and a second conveying wheel. 
     
     
         3 . The process unit of  claim 1 , wherein the slide includes opposing first and second ends, where the first and second opposing ends rest on first and second contact regions of the support surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The process unit of  claim 3 , wherein a length of the slide between the first and second ends corresponds to a diameter of the circular recess. 
     
     
         5 . The process unit of  claim 1 , wherein the slide includes opposing first and second ends, wherein the second end includes an elastic element which biases the first end to rest on a first contact region of the support surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
         6 . The process unit of  claim 1 , wherein the slide is slidably mounted to the base body via a slide bearing, wherein the support surface of the sleeve bounding the circular recess, the slide, and the slide bearing together forms a mechanical coupling device to mechanically couple the cutting element to the sleeve. 
     
     
         7 . The process unit of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the axis of rotation of the sleeve and the channel is smaller in diameter as compared to a diameter of the channel. 
     
     
         8 . The process unit of  claim 7 , wherein a distance between the axis of rotation of the sleeve and the channel is smaller than 70% of a diameter of the channel. 
     
     
         9 . The process unit of  claim 1 , wherein the component encloses at least 30% of a length of the channel. 
     
     
         10 . The process unit of  claim 1 , wherein the channel further includes a heating device, 
     
     
         11 . The process unit of  claim 10 , wherein the heating device includes an electrical resistance heater. 
     
     
         12 . The process unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is configured as a cylinder jacket. 
     
     
         13 . The process unit of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting unit includes a motor selected from the group consisting of: an electric motor, a pneumatic motor, and a hydraulic motor, and the rotational movement of the sleeve is driven by the motor. 
     
     
         14 . The process unit of  claim 13 , further comprising a motor control unit. 
     
     
         15 . A method for cutting a hybrid yarn comprising a plurality of fibers and a matrix, the method comprising:
 conveying the hybrid yarn through a channel bounded by a base body including:
 a sleeve mounted about the base body, the sleeve being rotatable about an axis of rotation about the based body and including a circular recess at an axial end of the sleeve which is eccentrically aligned with the axis of rotation of the sleeve; and 
 a cutting element to a slide slidably mounted the base body such that the cutting element and slide are disposed within the circular recess such that the slide element rests on support surfaces of the sleeve bounding the circular recess; and 
   rotating the sleeve about the base body such that the slide slides along the support surface, wherein due to the circular recess being eccentrically aligned with the axis of rotation of the sleeve, the rotational movement of the sleeve causes translational movement of the slide and the cutting element across the channel to cut the hybrid yarn.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the hybrid yarn is configured as a tape. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the rotating the sleeve comprises driving the sleeve with a motor selected from the group consisting of: an electric motor, a pneumatic motor, and a hydraulic motor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further including controlling the motor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the rotating the sleeve comprises a  3600  rotational movement. 
     
     
         20 . A method for cutting a hybrid yarn comprising a plurality of fibers and a matrix, the method comprising:
 conveying the hybrid yarn through a channel including a heating device; and   cutting the hybrid yarn with a cutting unit including a cutting motor, wherein the cutting unit includes:
 a component attached to a base body disposed about the channel, the component configured as a sleeve that can be caused to carry out a rotational movement about the base body and channel, the sleeve including a circular recess aligned eccentrically to an axis of rotation of the sleeve; 
 a movable slide including a cutting element for cutting the hybrid yarn disposed within the circular recess and mechanically coupled to a support surface of the sleeve bounding the circular recess so that rotating the sleeve causes translation movement of the cutting element across the channel to cut the hybrid yarn. 
   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further including controlling the cutting motor with the heating device with a control unit.