Apparatus for continuous production of foam sheets
OwnerFred Svirklysinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Foam sheets are continuously produced by metering foam particles, which are free of any added binder or adhesive, from a storage location onto a moving conveyor at a controlled volumetric rate so as to continuously form a layer of the particles on the conveyor, heating the layer of particles to a temperature sufficient to render the particles tacky such that the particles adhere to one another so as to form a substantially integral sheet, compressing the sheet with a compression device that applies pressure on the advancing sheet so as to compress the sheet to a smaller thickness and enhance the integrity of the sheet; and cooling the compressed sheet.
Claims20
An apparatus for continuously producing polymer foam sheets or planks from starting polymer foam material comprising virgin and/or postindustrial polymer foam materials that have been comminuted into particles, the apparatus comprising:
- a metering device including a moving conveyor and being structured and arranged to meter the particles, which are free of any added binder or adhesive, from a storage location onto the moving conveyor at a controlled volumetric rate so as to continuously form a layer of the particles on the conveyor, the metering device including a variable dispensing device to dispense the particles onto the conveyor, the variable dispensing device being variable in geometry for adjusting a size of an opening through which the particles are dispensed so as to regulate the volumetric rate at which the particles are dispensed;
- a heating device structured and arranged to heat the layer of particles to a temperature sufficient to render the particles tacky such that the particles adhere to one another so as to form a substantially integral sheet;
- a compression device structured and arranged to apply pressure on the advancing sheet so as to compress the sheet to a smaller thickness and enhance the integrity of the sheet;
- and
- a cooling device for cooling the compressed sheet.
An apparatus for continuously producing polymer foam sheets or planks from starting polymer foam material comprising virgin and/or postindustrial polymer foam materials that have been comminuted into particles, the apparatus comprising:
- a metering device including a moving conveyor and being structured and arranged to meter the particles, which are free of any added binder or adhesive, from a storage location onto the moving conveyor at a controlled volumetric rate so as to continuously form a layer of the particles on the conveyor;
- a heating device structured and arranged to heat the layer of particles to a temperature sufficient to render the particles tacky such that the particles adhere to one another so as to form a substantially integral sheet;
- a compression device structured and arranged to apply pressure on the advancing sheet so as to compress the sheet to a smaller thickness and enhance the integrity of the sheet;
- a cooling device for cooling the compressed sheet;
- and
- at least one rotating device contacting the layer of particles on the moving conveyor so as to regulate the thickness of the layer before the layer is advanced to the heating device, the at least one rotating device having circumferentially spaced members for contacting the particles on the moving conveyor, the at least one rotating device being rotatably driven such that said members move in a direction opposite to a direction of travel of the conveyor as said members contact the particles.
An apparatus for continuously producing polymer foam sheets or planks from starting polymer foam material comprising virgin and/or postindustrial polymer foam materials that have been comminuted into particles, the apparatus comprising:
- a metering device including a moving conveyor and being structured and arranged to meter the particles, which are free of any added binder or adhesive, from a storage location onto the moving conveyor at a controlled volumetric rate so as to continuously form a layer of the particles on the conveyor;
- a heating device structured and arranged to heat the layer of particles to a temperature sufficient to render the particles tacky such that the particles adhere to one another so as to form a substantially integral sheet;
- a compression device structured and arranged to apply pressure on the advancing sheet so as to compress the sheet to a smaller thickness and enhance the integrity of the sheet, wherein the compression device comprises a conveyor on which the sheet is supported and advanced, and a compression member that defines a nip with the conveyor through which the sheet is advanced by the conveyor, wherein the compression member is configured for embossing the sheet with a predetermined embossing pattern;
- and
- a cooling device for cooling the compressed sheet.
An apparatus for continuously producing polymer foam sheets or planks from starting polymer foam material comprising virgin and/or postindustrial polymer foam materials that have been comminuted into particles, the apparatus comprising:
- a metering device including a moving conveyor and being structured and arranged to meter the particles, which are free of any added binder or adhesive, from a storage location onto the moving conveyor at a controlled volumetric rate so as to continuously form a layer of the particles on the conveyor;
- a heating device structured and arranged to heat the layer of particles to a temperature sufficient to render the particles tacky such that the particles adhere to one another so as to form a substantially integral sheet;
- a compression device structured and arranged to apply pressure on the advancing sheet so as to compress the sheet to a smaller thickness and enhance the integrity of the sheet, wherein the compression device comprises a conveyor on which the sheet is supported and advanced, and a compression member that defines a nip with the conveyor through which the sheet is advanced by the conveyor, wherein the compression member is adjustable in vertical position for adjusting a height of the nip in order to produce sheets of various thicknesses;
- and
- a cooling device for cooling the compressed sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.