EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE RECYCLING AND HEAT EXTRUDING SYSTEM

• US 20100102475A1
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daniel Chung, Wonyong Cho, Yongsoon Moon
• Original Assignee: Daniel Chung, Wonyong Cho, Yongsoon Moon
• Inventors: Chung, Daniel, Cho, Wonyong, Moon, Yongsoon
• Application Number:
  US12/259,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20100102475A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/211.210
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/0036 of large particles, e.g. beads, granules, pellets, flakes, slices
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/0404 to powder
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/9259 Angular velocity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92609 Dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92704 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/9279 Errors or malfunctioning, e.g. for quality control
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92828 Raw material handling or dosing, e.g. active hopper or feeding device
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92838 Raw material pre-treatment, e.g. drying or cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92857 Extrusion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92885 Screw or gear
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/9298 Start-up, shut-down or parameter setting phase; Emergency shut-down; Material change; Test or laboratory equipment or studies
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/022 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/03 characterised by the shape of the extruded material at extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/285 Feeding the extrusion material to the extruder
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/286 Raw material dosing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/793 upstream of the plasticising zone, e.g. heating in the hopper
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/83 Heating or cooling the cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/832 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/92 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/96 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/00 : Use of polymers of vinyl-aromatic compounds or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/26 : Scrap or recycled material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/62 : Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling

Abstract

An expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling and extruding machine is shown and described. The machine comprises a conveyor for transporting waste pieces of EPS of various sizes into the device. A housing surrounds upper and lower crushers that break down the EPS pieces in to progressively smaller pieces before depositing them through a screen that selectively prevents pieces above a predetermined size from passing. Below the screen, the small EPS pieces fall into a heated extruding mechanism that melts the pieces into a liquid and urges the liquid forward by means of an Archimedian screw to a nozzle, through which the reconstituted EPS is extruded for collection and reuse.

Claims

1. A device for recycling extruded polystyrene comprising:

a. a conveyer comprising a conveyor belt, motor, and tensioning means for holding the belt taught;

b. a crusher comprising an upper crushing means for breaking down large polystyrene scrap pieces into smaller polystyrene scrap pieces, and further comprising at least one row of crusher gears for crushing large polystyrene pieces into smaller polystyrene pieces, and a lower crushing means for further breaking down polystyrene scrap pieces from the upper crushing means, and further comprising at least two rows of crusher gears for crushing polystyrene pieces, a crusher motor for turning the upper and lower crushing means, a screen for retaining polystyrene pieces larger than a predetermined size, and allowing polystyrene pieces a the predetermined size or smaller to pass through the screen;

d. an extruder comprising a cylinder means for receiving crushed polystyrene pieces, a heating means for melting polystyrene pieces to a melting point, a screw means for urging melted polystyrene in a predetermined direction under pressure disposed within the cylinder, a nozzle through which melted polystyrene is extruded, a motor for turning the screw means; and

e. a control box capable of controlling the speed of the motors, speed of the upper and lower crushing means, temperature of the heating means, speed of the screw means.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the conveyor belt is omitted.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a single stand-alone unit, wherein all parts of the device are contained in one housing.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the conveyor further comprises a means for cutting off the power in an emergency.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the conveyor further comprises a means for adjusting the speed of the conveyor motor.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the conveyor transports expanded polystyrene at an angle to the crusher.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the crusher has an access point with a means for stopping the crusher in an emergency.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the heating means comprises bands encircling the extruder.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the extruder comprises a screw encircled by heating bands.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the heating means is divided into three different sections, each capable of a different temperature setting.

11. The device of claim 1, comprising a ventilation means for allowing vapor generated from melted polystyrene to escape.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the control box comprises a touch display.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the control box comprises a timer capable of warming up the device automatically at a pre-set time.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the control box enables the machine to start operating automatically and shut off the heating means when the heater goes over a preset temp.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the control box comprises a functionality for providing maintenance reminders to an operator.

16. A method of converting waste expanded polystyrene (EPS) into solid extruded polystyrene comprising the steps of:

a. providing a device for receiving, crushing, melting and extruding polystyrene;

b. activating the device, including heaters, allowing the device to reach a predetermined temperature;

c. placing waste expanded polystyrene into the device and collecting extruded material in a means for collecting extruded polystyrene;

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the bin is emptied every seven to eight minutes.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the device is left on after use to expel remaining material from the extruder, then deactivated.