Methods for manufacturing hinges having a highly inorganically filled matrix

A method for manufacturing a hinged sheet having an inorganically filled matrix comprising the steps of:

• (a) mixing together a water-dispersible organic polymer binder, an inorganic aggregate material, a fibrous material, and water in order to form a moldable inorganically filled mixture in which the binder, the aggregate material, and the fibrous material are substantially homogeneously dispersed throughout the mixture, the inorganic aggregate material being included in an amount in a range from about 40% to about 98% by volume of total solids in the inorganically filled mixture;
• (b) forming the inorganically filled mixture without any significant drainage of water in a liquid state from the mixture into a substantially hardened sheet having an inorganically filled matrix in a manner such that the water is removed by evaporation, wherein the inorganically filled matrix has a thickness less than about 1 cm;
• and
• (c) scoring the sheet to form a hinge in the inorganically filled matrix of the sheet.

A method for manufacturing a bendable sheet having an inorganically filled structural matrix, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) mixing together a water-dispersible organic polymer binder, an inorganic aggregate material, a fibrous material, and water in order to form an extrudable inorganically filled mixture in which the binder, the aggregate material, and the fibrous material are substantially homogeneously dispersed throughout the mixture, the inorganic aggregate material being included in an amount in a range from about 40% to about 95% by weight of total solids in the inorganically filled mixture;
• (b) extruding the inorganically filled mixture through a die;
• (c) passing the extruded mixture between at least one pair of forming rollers to form a sheet that is sufficiently cohesive such that it maintains its integrity as a sheet after exiting the forming rollers substantially free of underlying support;
• (d) drying the sheet to a significant degree in an accelerated manner by evaporation of a substantial portion of the water in the inorganically filled mixture in order to substantially harden the organic polymer binder and thereby form a substantially dried sheet having a thickness less than about 1 cm;
• and
• (e) cutting a score into a surface of the substantially dried sheet.

A method for manufacturing a bendable sheet having an inorganically filled structural matrix, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) mixing together a water-dispersible organic polymer binder, an inorganic aggregate material, a fibrous material, and water in order to form an extrudable inorganically filled mixture in which the binder, the aggregate material, and the fibrous material are substantially homogeneously dispersed throughout the mixture, the inorganic aggregate material being included in an amount in a range from about 40% to about 95% by weight of total solids in the inorganically filled mixture;
• (b) extruding the inorganically filled mixture through a die;
• (c) passing the extruded mixture between at least one pair of forming rollers to form a sheet that is sufficiently cohesive such that it maintains its integrity as a sheet after exiting the forming rollers substantially free of underlying support;
• (d) pressing a score into a surface of the cohesive sheet prior to drying to form a scored sheet;
• and
• (e) drying the scored sheet in order to substantially harden the organic polymer binder and thus form an inorganically filled matrix of the sheet with a thickness up to about 1 cm.

A method for manufacturing a hinged article having an inorganically filled structural matrix, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) mixing together a water-dispersible organic polymer binder, an inorganic aggregate material, a fibrous material, and water in order to form a moldable inorganically filled mixture in which the binder, the aggregate material, and the fibrous material are substantially homogeneously dispersed throughout the mixture, the inorganic aggregate material being included in an amount in a range from about 40% to about 95% by weight of total solids in the inorganically filled mixture;
• (b) molding the inorganically filled mixture without any significant drainage of water in a liquid state from the mixture into a desired shape of an article in a manner such that the article includes at least one part that is hingedly attached to at least one other part by a hinge and such that the hinge defines an area of reduced thickness between the at least one part that is hingedly attached to at least one other part;
• and
• (c) hardening the article to a significant degree in an accelerated manner in order to substantially harden the organic polymer binder and dry an inorganically filled structural matrix of the molded article, the inorganically filled structural matrix having a maximum thickness of about 5 mm.