# US 9,517,575 B2 · Natural rubber initial processing machinery and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,575 B2 - Document ID: US9517575B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/200,210 - Filed: 2011-09-20 - Published: 2013-02-07 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-03 - Assignees: U.S. Natural Rubber Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Lu Li; Xiaodong Liu - Inventors: Lu Li; Xiaodong Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517575B2 ## CPC - B29B 7/7495: {for mixing rubber} - F26B 17/20: the axis of rotation being horizontal or slightly inclined - B01J 2/20: by expressing the material, e.g. through sieves and fragmenting the extruded length - B29B 13/06: by drying (B29B13/08 takes precedence {; drying moulded articles or half products B29C37/0092}) - B30B 9/12: using pressing worms or screws co-operating with a permeable casing - F26B 5/14: by applying pressure, e.g. wringing; by brushing; by wiping - B29K 2007/00: Use of natural rubber as moulding material - B29K 2105/0064: {Latex, emulsion or dispersion} - B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - B30B: PRESSES IN GENERAL (producing ultra-high pressure or ultra-high pressure and high temperature to effect modifications of a substance, e.g. for making artificial diamonds B01J3/00 ){(compressing means for refuse receptacles B65F1/1405)} - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS ## Abstract An initial processing of natural raw rubber through an initial processing machine, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a coagulated latex which contains water and volatile compositions; (b) dewatering the coagulated latex through a screw-pressing process to remove free water; (c) forming a first pretreated latex material; (d) aging the first pretreated latex material through an aging process to remove water and volatile compositions; and (e) forming a final product of aged latex material. The screw-pressing process makes use of the temperature and pressure increase along the elongated channel structure. The aging process makes use of the further temperature and pressure increase of the rubber materials, together with the screwing effect of the screw-shaft component, the squeezing effect of the nozzle and additional heating at a particular location, which is around the mouthpiece of the nozzle to complete the aging process, which is energy saving, effective and efficient. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drying process for initial processing of natural raw rubber, comprising: (a) providing a coagulated latex, wherein the coagulated latex contains water and volatile compositions; (b) dewatering the coagulated latex through a screw-pressing process such that free water liquid is removed; (c) forming a first pretreated latex material in solid form; (d) aging the first pretreated latex material through an aging process in such a manner that water and volatile compositions in gasified formed are removed due to pressure accumulation and subsequent dramatic decrease in pressure, wherein the step (d) further comprises the steps of: (d.1) transporting the first pretreated coagulated along an elongated channel structure of an aging machine from a first end to a second end; and (d.2) increasing pressure along the channel structure of the aging machine that when the first pretreated coagulated latex reaches the second end of the channel structure of the aging machine, a pressure of the first pretreated coagulated latex is increased to a sufficient level at which a pressure requirement for aging is fulfilled; and (d.3) providing heat at the second end of the channel structure of the aging machine wherein temperature requirement of aging is fulfilled while squeezing the first pretreated latex material out of the second end of the elongated channel structure of the aging machine, such that the water and volatile compositions in the first pretreated latex material are removed while the aged latex formed has a uniform texture; and (e) forming a final product of aged latex material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drying process, as recited in claim 1, wherein in step (a), the coagulated latex is in the form of granule. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drying process, as recited in claim 1, after step (a), further comprising the step of: dewatering the coagulated latex through mechanical vibration. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The drying process, as recited in claim 2, after step (a), further comprising the step of: dewatering the coagulated latex through mechanical vibration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The drying process, as recited in claim 3, wherein the screw-pressing process in the step (b) comprises the steps of: (b.1) cutting, pressing and mixing the coagulated latex while transporting the coagulated latex in an elongated channel structure of a de-watering machine from a first end to a second end of the elongated channel structure of the de-watering machine such that temperature and pressure of the coagulated latex increase while transporting from the first end to the second end to build a pressure gradient between the first end and the second end, thereby free water is removed through provision of the pressure gradient. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The drying process, as recited in claim 4, wherein the screw-pressing process in the step (b) comprises the steps of (b.1) cutting, pressing and mixing the coagulated latex while transporting the coagulated latex in an elongated channel structure of a de-watering machine from a first end to a second end of the elongated channel structure of the de-watering machine such that temperature and pressure of the coagulated latex increase while transporting from the first end to the second end to build a pressure gradient between the first end and the second, thereby free water is removed through provision of the pressure gradient. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The drying process, as recited in claim 5, after step (c), further comprising the step of (c.1) cutting the first pretreated latex material such that the first pretreated latex material is in a form of granule. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The drying process, as recited in claim 6, after step (c), further comprising the step of (c.1) cutting the first pretreated latex material such that the first pretreated latex material is in a form of granule. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The drying process, as recited in claim 1, wherein the aging process in the step (d) further comprises a step of cutting, pressing and mixing the first pretreated latex material while transporting the first pretreated latex material in the channel structure of the aging machine therefore, the first pretreated latex material undergoes the aging process once both the pressure requirement and the temperature requirement of aging are met, thereby water and volatile compositions in the first pretreated latex material are removed while the aged latex formed has a uniform texture. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The drying process, as recited in claim 9, further comprising a step of cutting the aged latex into pieces to increase a surface area to volume ratio to facilitate cooling, wherein the final product of aged latex material is in granular form. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The drying process, as recited in claim 4, wherein the aging process in the step (d) further comprises a step of cutting, pressing and mixing the first pretreated latex material while transporting the first pretreated latex material in the channel structure of the aging machine therefore, the first pretreated latex material undergoes the aging process once both the pressure requirement and the temperature requirement of aging are met, thereby water and volatile compositions in the first pretreated latex material are removed while the aged latex formed has a uniform texture. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The drying process, as recited in claim 11, further comprising a step of cutting the aged latex into pieces to increase a surface area to volume ratio to facilitate cooling, wherein the final product of aged latex material is in granular form. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) The drying process, as recited in claim 5, wherein the aging process in the step (d) further comprises a step of cutting, pressing and mixing the first pretreated latex material while transporting the first pretreated latex material in the channel structure of the aging machine therefore, the first pretreated latex material undergoes the aging process once both the pressure requirement and the temperature requirement of aging are met, thereby water and volatile compositions in the first pretreated latex material are removed while the aged latex formed has a uniform texture. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The drying process, as recited in claim 13, further comprising a step of cutting the aged latex into pieces to increase a surface area to volume ratio to facilitate cooling, wherein the final product of aged latex material is in granular form. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The drying process, as recited in claim 8, wherein the aging process in the step (d) further comprises the steps of cutting, pressing and mixing the first pretreated latex material while transporting the first pretreated latex material in the channel structure of the aging machine therefore, the first pretreated latex material undergoes the aging process once both the pressure requirement and the temperature requirement of aging are met, thereby water and volatile compositions in the first pretreated latex material are removed while the aged latex formed has a uniform texture; and cutting the aged latex into pieces to increase a surface area to volume ratio to facilitate cooling, wherein the final product of aged latex material is in granular form. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The drying process, as recited in claim 1, before step (d), further comprising a step of: (d′) adding a preset additive to the first pretreated latex material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 4) The drying process, as recited in claim 4, before step (d), further comprising a step of: (d′) adding a preset additive to the first pretreated latex material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 8) The drying process, as recited in claim 8, before step (d), further comprising a step of: (d′) adding a preset additive to the first pretreated latex material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The drying process, as recited in claim 15, before step (d), further comprising a step of: (d′) adding a preset additive to the first pretreated latex material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The drying process, as recited in claim 16, wherein the additive is uniformly provided in the final product of aged latex material. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The drying process, as recited in claim 18, wherein the additive is uniformly provided in the final product of aged latex material. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The drying process, as recited in claim 19, wherein the additive is uniformly provided in the final product of aged latex material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The drying process, as recited in claim 22, further comprising a step of: (f) cooling the final product of aged latex material. ### Claim 24 (depends on 5) The drying process, as recited in claim 5, wherein said elongated channel structure of the de-waterinq machine, which is the same as the aging machine, comprise a tubular body portion having an inclined bottom surface and a flat body portion integrally extended from said tubular body portion, wherein said step (b) is carried out in said tubular body portion and said step (d) is carried out in said flat body portion. ### Claim 25 (depends on 6) The drying process, as recited in claim 6, wherein said elongated channel structure of the de-waterinq machine, which is the same as the aging machine, comprise a tubular body portion having an inclined bottom surface and a flat body portion integrally extended from said tubular body portion, wherein said step (b) is carried out in said tubular body portion and said step (d) is carried out in said flat body portion. ### Claim 26 (depends on 8) The drying process, as recited in claim 8, wherein said elongated channel structure of the de-watering machine, which is the same as the aging machine, comprise a tubular body portion having an inclined bottom surface and a flat body portion integrally extended from said tubular body portion, wherein said step (b) is carried out in said tubular body portion and said step (d) is carried out in said flat body portion.