Granted Patent B2

US 9,636,645 · App. 14/501,150 · Granted May 2, 2017

Abstract

Claims (37)

1. A method of producing a colored powder of a polymeric material, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a feedstock of polymeric material;

(b) pulverizing the polymeric material in a pulverizer to produce a powder having a temperature greater than the ambient temperature;

(c) moving the powder directly from the pulverizer to a mixer maintaining the powder at a temperature greater than the ambient temperature;

(d) adding a colorant into mixer;

(e) mixing the colorant and powder while the powder remains at a temperature greater than the ambient temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pulverizer increases the temperature of the polymeric material during step (b) by at least 10° C.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the pulverizer increases the temperature of the polymeric material during step (b) by at least 20° C.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pulverizer increases the temperature of the polymeric material during step (b) by at least 30° C.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein an outlet of the pulverizer is coupled to an inlet of the mixer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the powder delivered into the mixer is at least 10° C. above ambient temperature.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the powder delivered into the mixer is at least 20° C. above ambient temperature.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the powder delivered into the mixer is at least 30° C. above ambient temperature.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the mixer continuously conveys material from an inlet of the mixer to an outlet of the mixer.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the colorant is a powder.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the colorant is a liquid formulation.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

coating the powder at the temperature greater than the ambient temperature with a water component of the liquid formulation.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

driving off a portion of the water component upon contact in the mixer with the powder at the temperature greater than the ambient temperature.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

cleaning the mixer via cleaning ports in the mixer.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the colorant is not introduced into the pulverizer.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

directly coupling an outlet of the pulverizer to an inlet of the mixer.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

spraying the colorant at the powder in the mixer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the colorant is a liquid.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a predetermined particle size of the powder via a sieve device.

20. A method of producing a colored powder of a polymeric material comprising the steps of:

pulverizing a feedstock of polymeric material in a pulverizer to produce a powder having a temperature at least 10° C. greater than an ambient temperature;

directly coupling an outlet of the pulverizer to an inlet of a mixer;

moving the powder from the pulverizer to the mixer while maintaining the temperature at least 10° C. greater than the ambient temperature;

spraying a colorant of a liquid formulation at the powder in the mixer; and

continuously mixing the colorant and the powder in the mixer while the powder remains at the temperature at least 10° C. greater than the ambient temperature;

wherein the continuously mixing step further comprises coating the powder with a water component of the liquid formulation and driving off a portion of the water component upon contact in the mixer with the powder.

Assignments (7)