Apparatus and method for continuous formation of composites having filler and thermoactive materials

A method for forming a composite product using hot-gas consolidation, comprising:

• forming face layers from a mixture of fine particles of wood and fine particles of plastic;
• forming a core layer from a mixture of wood flakes and plastic flakes;
• continuously forming a mat comprising a first face layer and a second face layer, and the core layer between the first face layer and the second face layer;
• continuously consolidating the mat through application of a hot gas and pressure to the mat;
• pressing the consolidated mat to a desired final thickness of the product;
• and
• surface treating at least one surface of the mat.

A method for forming a composite product using hot-gas consolidation, comprising:

• preforming a face layer;
• depositing a core layer on an upper surface of the preformed first face layer;
• and
• applying a hot gas to at least the core layer while the core and the preformed face layer move through a hot-gas consolidation zone.

A method for forming a composite product using hot-gas consolidation, comprising:

• making a face layer mixture comprising a predetermined amount of thermoplastic material and filler material;
• depositing the face layer mixture on a forming surface with a wood-rich surface down;
• heating the face layer mixture to a mixture-activation temperature;
• and
• applying a core layer mixture to the face layer mixture and subjecting at least the core layer mixture to a hot gas while the face layer mixture and the core layer mixture move through a hot-gas consolidation zone.

A method for forming a composite product using hot-gas consolidation, comprising:

• forming a first face layer comprising a mixture of filler material and thermoplastic material;
• forming a second face layer separately from the first face layer;
• forming a core separately from the first and second face layers;
• placing the core on the first face layer;
• placing the second face layer on a top surface of the core;
• and
• consolidating the composite product by the application of a hot gas and pressure.

A method for forming a composite product using hot-gas consolidation, comprising:

• providing a mixture comprising thermoplastic material and cellulosic material;
• forming a mat from the mixture;
• and
• subjecting at least a portion of the mat to a first flow of hot, dry non-condensable gas while the mat moves through a hot-gas consolidation zone.

A method for making a composite product using hot-gas consolidation, comprising:

• providing a wood material;
• flaking the wood material into flakes;
• separating the flakes into large flakes and small flakes;
• flaking the larger flakes into small flakes;
• forming a mixture by combining wood flakes of like sizes with thermoplastic flakes;
• and
• forming a composite product from the mixture by thermally consolidating the mixture with a hot gas while the composite product moves through a hot-gas consolidation zone.

An apparatus for forming a composite product formed of layers of wood and thermoplastic mixtures, the product having at least one face layer and a core layer, comprising:

• a face layer forming station that forms at least one face layer;
• a mat consolidation station that forms a consolidated mat from the at least one face by layer and a core layer;
• a mat pressing station that presses the consolidated mat;
• a fusing station that presses the consolidated mat;
• and
• a surface treating station that surface modifies at least one surface of the mat.