Multicolored foam and method for making
AssigneePackaging Industries Group, Inc.
InventorsJohn D. Bambara, Charles E. Flathers, Jr., Dennis A. Knaus, Gregory G. Palmieri
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multicolored foam product and a method for the preparation thereof. Heat-plastified foamable gel of a thermoplastic resin or resins containing blowing agents are combined with different coloring materials added sequentially and extruded through an orifice of a die which is extended in length to facilitate laminar flow in the resin. This resin is expanded to form a multicolored layered foam product, such as multicolored foam planking, in a single extrusion. Multicolored foam planking produced is suitable for use as the body material for surfboards, body boards, and other recreational products.
Claims17
A surfboard or body board comprising a multicolored foam body wherein the foam body comprises a plurality of differently colored adjacent parallel layered portions in a substantially homogeneous single extruded plank of foam.
A process for making a multicolored thermoplastic body comprising:
- feeding a thermoplastic resin to a resin hopper of an extruder,
- sequentially adding at timed intervals a plurality of separate coloring materials to the resin to form a multi-colored resin,
- conveying the colored resin through a screw of an extruder,
- passing the colored resin through elongated die means for facilitating laminar flow, and
- passing through die lips which comprise an exit orifice to form a single body of multi-colored resin having edge portions colored by an earlier added coloring material and having center portions colored by one or more of said coloring materials added sequentially later than the said earlier added coloring material,
- whereby the body is characterized by inclusion of differently colored layers integrally formed in the body of multi-colored resin.
A process for making a multicolored thermoplastic foam body comprising:
- feeding a thermoplastic resin to a single resin hopper of an extruder,
- sequentially adding at timed intervals a plurality of separate coloring materials to the resin to form a multi-colored resin,
- adding blowing agent to the resin,
- conveying the multi-colored resin through a screw of the extruder;
- passing the multi-colored resin through elongated die means for facilitating laminar flow,
- passing the multi-colored resin through die lips which comprise an exit orifice to form a single body of multicolored resin having edge portions colored by an earlier added coloring material and having center portions colored by one or more of said coloring materials added sequentially later than the said earlier added coloring material, and
- foaming the multi-colored resin to form multi-colored foam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.