Molded article from thermoplastic composite material and method for producing the same

• US 6,716,522 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2002
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sekisui Chemical Company Limited (Sekisui)
• Original Assignee: Sekisui Chemical Company Limited (Sekisui)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Koji, Hashimoto, Keisuke, Ito, Masaki, Kawabata, Koushi, Okubo, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): NAKARANI, DHIRAJLAL S
• Application Number:
  US10/069,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20020192401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 264/173.16, 264/211, 264/211.23, 264/237, 428/332, 428/326, 428/516, 428/523, 428/537.1, 428/534, 428/535
• US Class Current: 428/326
• CPC Class Codes: B27N 3/28 characterised by using extrusion presses
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/009 after shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/06 Rod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/12 Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/154 Coating solid articles, i.e. non-hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/304 specially adapted for bringing together components, e.g. melts within the die
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/34 Cross-head annular extrusion nozzles, i.e. for simultaneously receiving moulding material and the preform to be coated
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/40 using two or more parallel screws or at least two parallel non-intermeshing screws, e.g. twin screw extruders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/832 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/86 at the nozzle zone
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/865 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/87 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/58 comprising fillers only , e.g. particles, powder, beads, flakes, spheres B29C70/025 takes precedence, agglomerating hollow spheres to produce synthetic foam B29C70/66; compounding ingredients per se C08K
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2711/00 Use of natural products or their composites, not provided for in groups B29K2601/00 - B29K2709/00, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2711/14 Wood, e.g. woodboard or fibreboard
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/253 Cellulosic [e.g., wood, paper, cork, rayon, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/26 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31913 Monoolefin polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31938 Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31978 Cellulosic next to another cellulosic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31982 : Wood or paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31989 : Of wood

Abstract

The present invention has for its object to provide a molded article of a thermoplastic composite material which is not only durable with little discoloration or fading even on prolonged outdoor exposure and is very satisfactory in physical properties and appearance qualities inclusive of wood-like texture but also has high productivity and good economics.

The present invention is a method of producing a molded article of a thermoplastic composite material comprising extruding the thermoplastic composite material containing a thermoplastic resin and a vegetable filler, said vegetable filler content being 50 to 90 weight % of the total weight of said thermoplastic resin and said vegetable filler, wherein extrusion is carried out by means of an extrusion apparatus comprising at least an extruder, a hot shaping die, and a cooling die, said hot shaping die and cooling die being directly coupled.

Claims

1. A method of producing a molded article of a thermoplastic composite material comprising

extruding the thermoplastic composite material containing a thermoplastic resin and a vegetable filler,

said vegetable filler content being 50 to 90 weight % of the total weight of said thermoplastic resin and said vegetable filler,

wherein extrusion is carried out by means of an extrusion apparatus comprising at least an extruder, a hot shaping die, and a cooling die,

said hot shaping die and cooling die being directly coupled, and

wherein a coating layer composed of a resin material containing a thermoplastic resin is formed on the surface of a core layer obtainable by extrusion of the thermoplastic composite material.

2. A molded article of a thermoplastic composite material obtainable by the method of producing a molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 1.

3. The molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 2

wherein the resin material comprises at least two kinds of thermoplastic resins differing in melting point and being incompatible with each other.

4. The molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 3

wherein the thermoplastic resin contained in the thermoplastic composite material is a polyolefin resin.

5. The molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 2

wherein the thermoplastic resin contained in the thermoplastic composite material is a polyolefin resin.

6. The molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 2

wherein the coating layer is 0.1 to 0.5 mm in thickness.

7. The molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 2

which is a molded article having a profile.

8. The molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 2

wherein the thermoplastic resin contained in the thermoplastic composite material is identical to the thermoplastic resin contained in the resin material.

9. A molded article of a thermoplastic composite material obtainable by the method of producing a molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 1

wherein the resin material contains a cellulose powder.

10. The molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 9

wherein the cellulose powder content is 20 to 60 weight % of the resin material.

11. The molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 10

wherein the coating layer is 0.1 to 3 mm thickness.

12. The molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 9

wherein the coating layer is 0.1 to 3 mm in thickness.

13. The method of producing a molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 1

wherein the extrusion apparatus comprises the extruder, the hot shaping die, the cooling die, a surface heating die, and a hot coating die as serially arranged in this order,

said hot shaping die and cooling die and said surface heating die and hot coating die being directly coupled respectively.

14. A method of producing a molded article of a thermoplastic composite material comprising

extruding the thermoplastic composite material containing a thermoplastic resin and a vegetable filler,

said vegetable filler content being 50 to 90 weight % of the total weight of said thermoplastic resin and said vegetable filler,

wherein extrusion is carried out by means of an extrusion apparatus comprising at least an extruder, a hot shaping die, and a cooling die,

said hot shaping die and cooling die being directly coupled, and

wherein the extrusion apparatus comprises the extruder, the hot shaping die, the cooling die, a surface heating die, and a hot coating die as serially arranged in this order,

said hot shaping die and cooling die and said surface heating die and hot coating die being directly coupled respectively.

15. The method of producing a molded article of a thermoplastic resin material according to claim 14

wherein the cooling die and surface heating die are directly coupled.

16. The method of producing a molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 14

wherein the hot coating die has a shaping passage for the resin material and a supply passage for supplying said resin material to said shaping passage,

said supply passage and said shaping passage intersecting each other, and

said supply passage being internally provided with a projection protruding in the thickness direction of the passage.

17. The method of producing a molded article of a thermoplastic composite material according to claim 16

wherein the supply passage is internally provided with a groove.

18. A method of producing a molded article of a thermoplastic resin material comprising

extruding the thermoplastic composite material containing a thermoplastic resin and a vegetable filler,

said vegetable filler content being 50 to 90 weight % of the total weight of said thermoplastic resin and said vegetable filler,

wherein extrusion is carried out by means of an extrusion apparatus comprising at least an extruder, a hot shaping die, and a cooling die,

said hot shaping die and cooling die being directly coupled, and

wherein primary cooling at 150 to 180°

C. is followed by secondary cooling at 60 to 140°

C. in the cooling die.

19. The method of producing a molded article of a thermoplastic resin material comprising

extruding the thermoplastic composite material containing a thermoplastic resin and a vegetable filler,

said vegetable filler content being 50 to 90 weight % of the total weight of said thermoplastic resin and said vegetable filler.

wherein extrusion is carried out by means of an extrusion apparatus comprising at least an extruder, a hot shaping die, and a cooling die,

said hot shaping die and cooling die being directly coupled, and

wherein the extruder is a counterrotating twin-screw extruder and

wherein the temperature of the thermoplastic composite material at the outlet of said counterrotating twin-screw extruder is controlled within the range of (melting point −

15°

C.) to (melting point +10°

C.) of the thermoplastic resin contained in the thermoplastic composite material.