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US 12,251,857 B2Granted
Architectural resin panel with incorporated scrap materials
Assignee3form, Inc.
InventorCharles H. Moore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An architectural resin panel that incorporates plastic granules fused together to form a panel core. A portion of the plastic granules are contaminant granules that at least partially include a contaminant material, such as a piece of fabric, plastic film, or plant material. The granules used to form the panel core may be sourced from waste plastic material that would otherwise be required to undergo waste processing.
Claims20
An architectural resin panel, comprising:
- a plurality of plastic granules fused together to form a translucent panel core having visible borders apparent between the fused plastic granules;
- wherein the plurality of plastic granules includes translucent contaminant-free granules, and contaminant granules fused to the contaminant-free granules, wherein the contaminant granules are visible between the contaminant-free granules;
- wherein about 3% to about 8% of the plastic granules are contaminant granules, the contaminant granules at least partially comprise a contaminant material, and the contaminant-free granules omit the contaminant material;
- wherein the contaminant granules are distributed throughout the architectural resin panel, the architectural resin panel is translucent, and the contaminate granules are visible through the panel, thereby creating a flecked aesthetic property in the architectural resin panel wherein the plurality of plastic granules comprise one or more of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate with glycol-modification (PETG), acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyolefin (UHMW or HDPE or LDPE or PP), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a cellulose-based polymer, polylactic acid (PLA), or polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA).
1 more element
A translucent architectural resin panel, comprising:
- a plurality of plastic granules fused together to form a panel core;
- wherein:
- the plurality of plastic granules includes:
- substantially transparent contaminant-free granules fused together such that a border is visible between at least some of the transparent contaminant-free granules that are fused together, and
- contaminant granules comprising no less than about 1% to no more than about 12% of the plastic granules,
- the contaminant granules are fused to the contaminant-free granules, such that the contaminant granules are visible between the contaminant-free granules;
- and
- the architectural resin panel is substantially devoid of visible air pockets or void defects.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.