Amalgamation of polymer materials

• US 5,567,364 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Isorea Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Isorea Incorporated
• Inventors: Philipps, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): THEISEN, MARY LYNN F
• Application Number:
  US08/475,564
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 264/140, 264/141, 264/211, 264/328.1, 264/328.17, 264/DIG. 69, 524/68
• US Class Current: 264/140
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0013 using fillers dispersed in the moulding material, e.g. metal particles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/022 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/07 Flat, e.g. panels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/24 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2095/00 Use of bituminous materials as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/16 Fillers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 264/918 From hollow- or container-type articles, e.g. tubes, bottles, cups
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 264/92 by extruding material recycled from consumer used article or product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 264/921 by injection molding material recycled from consumer used article or product

Abstract

A method of producing formable material of dissimilar polymers and the amalgamated product produced thereby in which mixed thermoplastic polymers have a small percentage of blown asphalt combined therewith, the asphalt acting somewhat as a flux to promote commingling and amalgamation of the polymers during processing to form a product as in extrusion and injection molding operations.

Claims

1. A method of producing a formable material of dissimilar thermoplastic polymers comprising

mixing fragments of said dissimilar thermoplastic polymers into a mixture,

intermixing a small percentage by weight of particles of blown asphalt into a combination with said mixture,

heating and working said combination into an amalgamation of said polymers,

and further processing said amalgamation into products.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 in which 1/2 to 10% of asphalt by weight of said combination is intermixed into said combination.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 in which 5 to 6% of asphalt by weight of said combination is intermixed into said combination.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 in which said blown asphalt in the form of granules are intermixed into said combination.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 in which two dissimilar thermoplastic polymers are mixed into said mixture.

6. A method as set forth in claim 4 in which two dissimilar incompatible polymers are mixed into said mixture.

7. A method as set forth in claim 4 in which segregated waste polymers are mixed into said mixture.

8. A method as set forth in claim 4 in which said amalgamation is produced in an extruder as said material is being extruded into products.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 in which said material is extruded into the form of pellets of said material for further processing.

10. A method as set forth in claim 4 in which said amalgamation is produced in an injection molding machine as said material is being formed into products by said machine.

11. A thermoplastic base material for processing into products comprising

a combination of dissimilar thermoplastic polymers and a small percentage by weight of asphalt,

said base material being an amalgamation of said combination formed by heating and working said combination into a solution and cooling the solution during processing into products.

12. A thermoplastic material as set forth in claim 11 in which the asphalt percentage by weight of said combination is in the range of 1/2 to 10%.

13. A material as set forth in claim 12 in which asphalt amounts to about 5 to 6 percent by weight of said combination.

14. A material as set forth in claim 13 in which two dissimilar thermoplastic resins are incorporated in said mixture.

15. A material as set forth in claim 13 in which said mixture incorporates two dissimilar incompatible resins.

16. A material as set forth in claim 13 in which said dissimilar polymers comprise segregated waste polymers.

17. A material as set forth in claim 11 in which said amalgamation is produced in an extruder as said material is being extruded into products.