Fixing of pet panels to allow for recycling
A method of recycling/upcycling needle punched PET panels or baffles makes use of a plurality of injection moulded PET components capable of being attached to a needle punched PET panel by plastic welding and to be removably attachable to complementary components fixed or fixable to a support. Spin welding allows the injection moulded PET components to be installed on site or in the factory. The PET panel with its now welded PET components can be press fitted to the complementary components fixed on the wall. A modified form of PET fixing component allows for a suspended baffle or panel. The PET panel or baffle with its PET components welded thereto can be recycled/upcycled without needing to remove the PET components from the panel as they are uncontaminated by any adhesive.
1 . A method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support so that the PET product can subsequently be recycled, the PET product having a front face and a rear face, comprising:
attaching at least one first PET fixing component to the rear face of the PET product by plastic welding without use of glue, wherein the least one first PET fixing component has a spike protruding from one face which is pressed into the needle punched PET product to locate the least one first PET fixing component,
attaching at least one second complementary mechanical fixing component to a support,
attaching the PET product to the support by a mechanical connection between the least one first PET fixing component and the least one second complementary mechanical fixing component so that they are releasably attached together by the mechanical connection without use of glue contaminating the needle punched PET product thereby allowing the PET product and the least one first PET fixing component to be recycled.
2 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mechanical connection is a push fit connection.
3 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support, as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the least one first PET fixing component is attached to the rear face of the PET product by spin welding.
4 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mechanical connection is a bayonet connection.
5 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mechanical connection is a screw connection.
6 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the least one second complementary mechanical fixing component is made from PET.
7 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support, as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the least one first and second PET fixing components are injection moulded.
8 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support, as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the least one first and second PET fixing components are injection moulded with the at least one first fixing component having a circular outer wall surrounding a recess, the recess being designed to receive the least one second fixing component, so that the least one first and second PET fixing components can be press fitted together.
9 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support, as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the least one second PET fixing component consists of two parts, an inner body and an outer ring, the outer ring having a central aperture, the inner body having an aperture for a fastener and a plurality of spring arms, the least one second PET fixing component being fixed to the support by the fastener securing the inner body to the support, so that the outer ring can move relative to the inner body in a plane of the support.
10 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the support is a wall, and the product is a panel.
11 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support as claimed in claim 10 , securing a plurality of the least one second PET fixing components to the wall, so that they are spaced apart from one another,
temporarily press fitting the least one first PET fixing component to the at least one second PET fixing component with the spikes on the first PET components facing outwardly, temporarily pressing the needle punched PET panel over the spikes to mark required fixing locations on the panel,
removing the panel from the spikes,
removing the first PET fixing components from the second fixing components,
spin welding the first fixing components to the PET panel by placing each of the first fixing components with its spike in a marked location, and rotating each of the first fixing components so that each one becomes welded to the PET panel,
pressing the PET panel over the second fixing components to attach each of the first fixing components to each of the second fixing components.
12 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support as claimed in claim 10 , wherein a plurality of the first fixing components have been spin welded to a rear face of a needle punched PET panel, and spaced apart from one another,
marking the corresponding locations for the placement of the second fixing components to the support,
fixing the plurality of second fixing components to the support, and
pressing the PET panel over the second fixing components to attach each of the first fixing components to each of the second fixing components.
13 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support as claimed in claim 10 , wherein a plurality of recesses have been formed in the rear face of the needle punched PET panel, and each of the first fixing components has been spin welded in one of those recesses so that the first fixing components do not protrude above the rear face of the needle punched PET panel.
14 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support as claimed in claim 10 , wherein each of the at least one first PET fixing components has been spin welded to the rear face of the needle punched PET panel, so that each of the at least one first PET fixing components protrude above the rear surface of the needle punched PET panel to create an air space between the needle punched PET panel and the wall.
15 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a support as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support is a suspended channel having a top and side walls and a narrow opening on the underside of the channel formed by inwardly protruding portions, and the product is a baffle.
16 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a suspended channel as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the at least one first PET component and the at least one second PET fixing component have complementary bayonet fittings.
17 . The method of fixing a needle punched PET product to a suspended channel as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the second fixing have a channel interface part having a step wider than the narrow opening on the underside of the channel, and the second fixing components are inserted into the channel and restrained by the step engaging the inwardly protruding portions.