POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE COLORING SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing colored bulked continuous carpet filament from a polymer melt comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using liquid colorant, the method comprising:
- providing a static mixing assembly comprising at least thirty static mixers;
providing a liquid metering system;
providing a first liquid colorant having a first color;
using the liquid metering system to inject the first liquid into the polymer melt;
after the step of using the liquid metering system to inject the first liquid colorant into the polymer melt, passing the polymer melt and the first liquid colorant through the static mixing assembly to substantially thoroughly mix the polymer melt with the first liquid colorant; and
after the step of passing the polymer melt through the static mixing assembly to substantially thoroughly mix the polymer melt with the first liquid colorant, forming the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament having a color based on the first color.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a plurality of colors of bulked continuous carpet filament from a single multi-screw extruder which, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) passing PET through an extruder that melts the PET and purifies the resulting PET polymer melt; (B) adding a liquid colorant to the polymer melt using a liquid metering system; (C) using one or more static mixers (e.g., up to forty static mixers) to substantially uniformly mix (e.g., homogeneously mix) the polymer melt and the liquid colorant; and (D) feed the uniformly mixed and colored polymer melt into a spinning machines that turns the polymer into filament for use in manufacturing carpet, rugs, and other products.
23 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing colored bulked continuous carpet filament from a polymer melt comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using liquid colorant, the method comprising:
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providing a static mixing assembly comprising at least thirty static mixers; providing a liquid metering system; providing a first liquid colorant having a first color; using the liquid metering system to inject the first liquid into the polymer melt; after the step of using the liquid metering system to inject the first liquid colorant into the polymer melt, passing the polymer melt and the first liquid colorant through the static mixing assembly to substantially thoroughly mix the polymer melt with the first liquid colorant; and after the step of passing the polymer melt through the static mixing assembly to substantially thoroughly mix the polymer melt with the first liquid colorant, forming the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament having a color based on the first color. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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5. The method of claim 5, wherein:
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the forty static mixers are structurally identical; the forty static mixers comprise a first static mixer and a second static mixer; the first static mixer is disposed adjacent the second static mixer in the static mixing assembly; the first static mixer is disposed in a first orientation relative to the static mixing assembly; and the second static mixer is disposed in an orientation other than the first orientation.
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10. A method of manufacturing colored bulked continuous carpet filament from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles using a single multi-screw extruder:
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(A) providing a plurality of recycled PET bottles (B) grinding the plurality of recycled PET bottles into a group of polymer flakes, the group of flakes comprising a first plurality of flakes that consist essentially of PET and a second plurality of flakes that do not consist essentially of PET; (C) washing the group of polymer flakes to remove at least a portion of one or more contaminants from a surface of the polymer flakes; (D) after the step of washing the first plurality of flakes; (i) scanning the washed group of flakes to identify the second plurality of flakes, (ii) separating the second plurality of flakes from the first plurality of flakes; (E) providing a multi-screw extruder that comprises; (i) a first satellite screw extruder, the first satellite screw extruder comprising a first satellite screw that is mounted to rotate about a central axis of the first satellite screw; (ii) a second satellite screw extruder, the second satellite screw extruder comprising a second satellite screw that is mounted to rotate about a central axis of the second satellite screw; (iii) a third satellite screw extruder, the third satellite screw extruder comprising a third satellite screw that is mounted to rotate about a central axis of the third satellite screw; (iv) a fourth satellite screw extruder, the fourth satellite screw extruder comprising a fourth satellite screw that is mounted to rotate about a central axis of the fourth satellite screw; and (v) a pressure regulation system that is adapted to maintain a pressure within the first, second, third, and fourth satellite screw extruders between about 0 millibars and about 25 millibars, (F) using the pressure regulation system to reduce a pressure within the first, second, third, and fourth satellite screw extruders to between about 0 millibars and about 25 millibars; (G) using the multi-screw extruder to at least partially melt the first plurality of flakes into a polymer melt and at least partially purify the polymer melt by, while maintaining the pressure within the first, second, third, and fourth satellite screw extruders between about 0 millibars and about 5 millibars, passing the polymer melt through the multi-screw extruder so that;
(1) a first portion of the melt passes through the first satellite screw extruder, (2) a second portion of the melt passes through the second satellite screw extruder, (3) a third portion of the melt passes through the third satellite screw extruder, and (4) a fourth portion of the melt passes through the fourth satellite screw extruder;(H) providing a liquid metering system; (I) providing a first liquid colorant having a first color; (J) after the step of using the multi-screw extruder to at least partially melt the first plurality of flakes into the polymer melt and at least partially purify the polymer melt, using the liquid metering system to inject the first liquid into the polymer melt; (K) providing a static mixing assembly; (L) passing the polymer melt and the first liquid colorant through the static mixing assembly to substantially thoroughly mix the polymer melt with the first liquid colorant; and (M) after the step of passing the polymer melt through the static mixing assembly to substantially thoroughly mix the polymer melt with the first liquid colorant, forming the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament having a color based on the first color. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of manufacturing colored bulked continuous carpet filament, the method comprising:
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providing a multi-screw extruder that comprises; a first satellite screw extruder, the first satellite screw extruder comprising a first satellite screw that is mounted to rotate about a central axis of the first satellite screw; a second satellite screw extruder, the second satellite screw extruder comprising a second satellite screw that is mounted to rotate about a central axis of the second satellite screw; and a pressure regulation system that is adapted to maintain a pressure within the first and second satellite screw extruders between about 0 millibars and about 10 millibars; using the pressure regulation system to reduce a pressure within the first and second satellite screw extruders to between about 0 millibars and about 10 millibars; while maintaining the pressure within the first and second satellite screw extruders between about 0 millibars and about 10 millibars, passing a melt comprising recycled polymer through the multi-screw extruder so that;
(1) a first portion of the melt passes through the first satellite screw extruder, and (2) a second portion of the melt passes through the second satellite screw extruder; andproviding a liquid metering system; providing a first liquid colorant having a first color; after the step of passing the polymer melt through the multi-screw extruder, using the liquid metering system to inject the first liquid into the polymer melt; providing a static mixing assembly comprising at least twenty individual static mixing elements; passing the polymer melt and the first liquid colorant through the static mixing assembly to substantially thoroughly mix the polymer melt with the first liquid colorant; and after the step of passing the polymer melt through the static mixing assembly to substantially thoroughly mix the polymer melt with the first liquid colorant, forming the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament having a color based on the first color. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification