# US 9,039,481 B2 · Moldable sand compositions and methods for making the same

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- Number: US 9,039,481 B2
- Document ID: US9039481B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/790,692
- Filed: 2013-03-08
- Published: 2013-10-10
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2012-04-10
- Assignees: Crayola LLC
- Applicants: Crayola LLC
- Inventors: Michael Moskal; Jie Li; Leena Vadaketh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039481B2

## CPC

- C08K 3/36: Silica
- A63H 33/001: {Toy-moulding appliances; Toy moulding}
- A63H 33/32: Moulds, shapes, spades, or the like, for playing with sand
- B44C 3/04: Modelling plastic materials, e.g. clay
- C04B 26/04: obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
- C08K 5/053: Polyhydroxylic alcohols
- C08L 29/04: Polyvinyl alcohol; Partially hydrolysed homopolymers or copolymers of esters of unsaturated alcohols with saturated carboxylic acids
- C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09)
- A63H: TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- B44C: PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS (processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general B05D; shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; printing processes to produce transfer pictures B41M3/12; thermographic duplication or marking methods B41M5/00); MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK (imitation of mosaic or tarsia work patterns B44F11/04); PAPERHANGING {(labels G09F; multi-step processes for making paper labels or tags B31D1/02)}
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to moldable sand compositions, methods for making the moldable sand compositions, and methods for using the moldable sand compositions. In a particular embodiment, the moldable sand composition comprises between about 70% to about 95% sand, between about 5% to about 30% water, a polar polymeric resin, a crosslinking agent, and a humectant. In an exemplary embodiment, the composition contains no oils, waxes, glycols, or rubbers. The composition is capable of becoming hardened over time in order to maintain the achieved shape, and can be re-wetted and molded again after becoming hardened.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of using a moldable sand composition comprising:
molding the moldable sand composition into a desired shape;
exposing the moldable sand composition to air for a period of time sufficient for the moldable sand composition to become a hardened composition;
adding water to the hardened composition to make a re-wetted moldable composition; and
molding the re-wetted moldable composition,
wherein the moldable sand composition comprises between about 70% to about 95% sand, between about 5% to about 30% water, a polar polymeric resin, a crosslinking agent, and a humectant.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the moldable sand composition contains no oils, waxes, glycols, or rubbers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising adding a decorative agent to the composition, wherein the decorative agent is selected from the group consisting of glaze, paint, glitter, shimmer, and a combination thereof.