Polymeric materials
First Claim
1. A method of selecting and manufacturing a non-volatile colour formulation for manufacturing, in a selected desired colour, a part comprised of a polymeric material, the method comprising the steps of:
- (i) at a first location, selecting the desired colour for the polymeric material;
(ii) communicating the colour selected in step (i) to a centralised colour match prediction system;
(iii) at the centralised colour match prediction system, determining, via a computer, one or more non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into a polymeric material to match or closely match the desired colour, wherein said one or more non-volatile colour formulations is selected with regard to one or more of the following variables;
(a) the identity of the polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated,(b) the grade of polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated,(c) the processing conditions to which the polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated will be subjected, and(d) country of use;
(iv) delivering information through said computer relating to the non-volatile colour formulation(s) determined in step (iii) to an assessment location for assessment;
(v) optionally repeating step (iii) to determine one or more additional non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into the polymeric material to match or closely match the desired colour; and
(vi) selecting a colour formulation for use in the manufacture of the part;
(vii) wherein the centralised colour match prediction system communicates with a device which includes software arranged to operate a colour dispense system, wherein said colour dispense system includes more than ten base colour formulations which include liquid dispersions of pigments or dyes; and
(viii) wherein the non-volatile colour formulation is manufactured using one of said colour dispense system.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A part may be manufactured in a desired color from virgin or recycled polymeric material by selection of a color formulation to be used in a first location 4, 6, 8, 10, 12; relaying color information to a centralized match prediction system 16 as regards the desired color and other information concerning a polymeric material which is to be made in the desired color. The system 16 includes a database and associated software and is able to take the color information and predict how to reproduce the colors using an associated color dispense system. A device 30 controls dispense stations 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40 which may be conveniently situated at customer sites or the like. The dispense stations dispense colors for use.
16 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method of selecting and manufacturing a non-volatile colour formulation for manufacturing, in a selected desired colour, a part comprised of a polymeric material, the method comprising the steps of:
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(i) at a first location, selecting the desired colour for the polymeric material; (ii) communicating the colour selected in step (i) to a centralised colour match prediction system; (iii) at the centralised colour match prediction system, determining, via a computer, one or more non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into a polymeric material to match or closely match the desired colour, wherein said one or more non-volatile colour formulations is selected with regard to one or more of the following variables; (a) the identity of the polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated, (b) the grade of polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated, (c) the processing conditions to which the polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated will be subjected, and (d) country of use; (iv) delivering information through said computer relating to the non-volatile colour formulation(s) determined in step (iii) to an assessment location for assessment; (v) optionally repeating step (iii) to determine one or more additional non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into the polymeric material to match or closely match the desired colour; and (vi) selecting a colour formulation for use in the manufacture of the part; (vii) wherein the centralised colour match prediction system communicates with a device which includes software arranged to operate a colour dispense system, wherein said colour dispense system includes more than ten base colour formulations which include liquid dispersions of pigments or dyes; and (viii) wherein the non-volatile colour formulation is manufactured using one of said colour dispense system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An arrangement for selecting and manufacturing a non-volatile colour formulation for manufacturing, in a selected colour, a part comprised of a polymeric material, the arrangement comprising:
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(a) at a first location, a device configured to determine the desired colour for the polymeric material; (b) a centralised colour match prediction system, at a second location, remote from said first location, said centralised colour match prediction system including a computer receiving information from said first location and an associated software determining one or more non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into a polymeric material to match or closely match the desired colour, wherein said one or more non-volatile colour formulations is selected having regard to one or more of the following variables; (i) the identity of the polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated, (ii) the grade of polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated, (iii) the processing conditions to which the polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated will be subjected, and (iv) country of use; (c) at an assessment location, a display unit for assessing a colour obtainable as determined by said centralised colour match prediction system at said second location; (d) a selection device arranged to allow selection of a non-volatile colour formulation for use in the manufacture of the part; and (e) a colour dispense system which includes more than ten base colour formulations which include liquid dispersions of pigments or dyes; (f) wherein the centralised colour match prediction system communicates with a device which includes software arranged to operate said colour dispense system and dispense predetermined amounts of said base colour formulations into a receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of manufacturing colour formulations in a plurality of separate locations, the method comprising providing respective colour dispense systems in said plurality of locations, wherein each said colour dispense system comprises more than ten base colour formulations arranged to be dispensed in predetermined amounts into a receptacle, said base colour formulations comprising liquid dispersions of pigments or dyes;
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communicating information to said colour dispense systems in locations in which said colour formulations are to be manufactured relating to the amounts of base colour formulations to be dispensed, said information being communicated to said locations from a single computer, wherein said computer includes a centralized colour match prediction system for determining one or more non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into a polymeric material to match or closely match a desired colour. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of selecting and manufacturing a non-volatile colour formulation for manufacturing a part comprising a polymeric material in a selected desired colour, the method comprising the following steps:
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(i) at a first location, determining the desired colour for the polymeric material; (ii) communicating the desired colour determined in step (i) to a centralized colour match prediction system; (iii) at the centralised colour match prediction system, determining, via a computer, one or more non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into a polymeric material to match or closely match the desired colour; (iv) delivering information through the computer relating to the non-volatile colour formulation(s) determined in step (iii) to an assessment location for assessment; (v) optionally repeating step (iii) to determine one or more additional non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into the polymeric material to match or closely match the desired colour; (vi) selecting a non-volatile colour formulation for use in the manufacture of the part; and (vii) manufacturing said non-volatile colour formulation in a method comprising using a colour dispense system which includes more than ten base colour formulations to dispense predetermined amounts of said base colour formulations into a receptacle, wherein said computer communicates information to the colour dispense system relating to the amounts of said base colour formulations to be dispensed, and wherein said ten base colour formulations include liquid dispersions of pigments or dyes. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of selecting and manufacturing a non-volatile colour formulation for manufacturing, in a selected desired colour, a part comprising a polymeric material, the method comprising the steps of:
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(i) at a first location, determining the desired colour for the polymeric material; (ii) communicating the desired colour determined in step (i) to a centralised colour match prediction system; (iii) at the centralised colour match prediction system, determining, via a computer, one or more non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into a polymeric material to match or closely match the desired colour; (iv) delivering information through the computer relating to the non-volatile colour formulation(s) determined in step (iii) to an assessment location for assessment, wherein said information includes a series of costed options as regards to colour and/or colour tolerance; (v) optionally repeating step (iii) to determine one or more additional non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into the polymeric material to match or closely match the desired colour; and (vi) selecting the non-volatile colour formulation for use in the manufacture of the part; (vii) wherein the centralised colour match prediction system communicates with a device which includes software arranged to operate a colour dispense system, wherein said colour dispense system includes more than ten base colour formulations which include liquid dispersions of pigments or dyes; (viii) wherein the non-volatile colour formulation is manufactured using said colour dispense system. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of selecting and manufacturing a non-volatile colour formulation for manufacturing, in a selected desired colour, a part comprised of a polymeric material, the method comprising the steps of:
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(i) at a first location, selecting the desired colour for the polymeric material; (ii) communicating the colour selected in step (i) to a centralised colour match prediction system; (iii) at the centralised colour match prediction system, determining, via a computer, one or more non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into a polymeric material to match or closely match the desired colour, wherein said one or more non-volatile colour formulations is selected with regard to one or more of the following variables; (a) the identity of the polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated, (b) the grade of polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated, (c) the processing conditions to which the polymer into which the non-volatile colour formulation is to be incorporated will be subjected, and (d) country of use; (iv) delivering information through said computer relating to the non-volatile colour formulation(s) determined in step (iii) to an assessment location for assessment; (v) optionally repeating step (iii) to determine one or more additional non-volatile colour formulations for delivery into the polymeric material to match or closely match the desired colour; and (vi) selecting the non-volatile colour formulation for use in the manufacture of the part; (vii) wherein the centralised colour match prediction system communicates with a device which includes software arranged to operate a colour dispense system, wherein said colour dispense system includes more than ten base colour formulations which include liquid dispersions of pigments or dyes; (viii) wherein the centralised colour match prediction system communicates the colour formulation selected in step (vi) after the assessment in step (iv) to a device which includes software arranged to receive the colour formulation without human intervention and to operate a computer controlled colour dispense system with information determined by the centralised match prediction system, wherein said colour dispense system includes more than ten base colour formulations as fluid in receptacles to be accurately dispensed according to the colour formulation selected in step (vi); (ix) wherein the non-volatile colour formulation is manufactured using said colour dispense system.
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Specification