In-line color mixer
AssigneesReduction Engineering, Inc., ColorMatrix Group, Inc.
InventorsRobert Sly, Jim Mauri, Jeff Masar, Keith Bell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The method of producing a colored powder of a polymeric material includes the steps of selecting a feedstock of said polymeric material, pulverizing said polymeric material in a pulverizer to produce a powder, moving the powder directly from the pulverizer to a mixer; spraying a liquid formulation including a colorant into the powder within the mixer, and mixing the liquid formulation and powder.
Claims20
A method of producing a colored powder of a polymeric material, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) selecting a feedstock of polymeric material;
- (b) pulverizing the polymeric material in a pulverizer to produce a powder having a temperature greater than the ambient temperature;
- (c) moving the powder directly from the pulverizer to a mixer maintaining the powder at a temperature greater than the ambient temperature;
- (d) adding a colorant into mixer;
- (e) mixing the colorant and powder while the powder remains at a temperature greater than the ambient temperature.
An apparatus for producing a colored powder of a polymeric material, the apparatus comprising:
- a pulverizer which produces a powder from polymeric material, wherein the temperature of the powder increases during pulverization;
- and
- a mixer which mixes the powder with a colorant while the powder retains at least some of the temperature increase produced by the pulverization.
An apparatus for differently coloring respective powders, the apparatus comprising:
- a pulverizer which produces a powder from polymeric material, wherein the temperature of the powder increases during pulverization;
- a first combination comprising a first mixer for mixing the powder with a first colorant and a first spray device for spraying the first colorant into the powder within the first mixer;
- a second combination comprising a second mixer for mixing the powder with a second colorant and a second spray device for spraying the second colorant into the powder within the second mixer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.