Granted Patent B2

US 12,343,903 · App. 17/616,933 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Inventor: Thomas R. Clark (Hixson, TN)

Assignee: Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation

B29B17/02B01D29/0095B29B17/00B29C48/05B29C48/255B29C48/2552B29C48/38B29C48/385B29C48/425B29C48/43B29C48/44B29C48/70B29C48/92B29D99/0078C08J11/04C08J11/06D01D1/103D01D1/106D01D5/00D01D5/08D01F6/62B29B2013/002B29B2013/005B29B2017/0015B29B2017/0224B29C48/144B29C48/435B29C48/766B29C2948/922B29C2948/92514B29C2948/92876B29K2067/003B29K2105/0067B29K2105/26C08J2367/02D10B2503/04Y02P20/143Y02W30/62

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A system for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, the system comprising: a first section of a melt processing unit, the first section being configured to melt a plurality of polymer flakes to create a first single stream of polymer melt; a separation element configured to receive the first single stream of polymer melt and divide the first single stream of polymer melt into multiple streams of polymer melt, the separation element comprising an extrusion die defining a plurality of holes; a multiple stream section of the melt processing unit configured to: receive the multiple streams of polymer melt from the extrusion die, allow the multiple streams of polymer melt to pass through the multiple stream section and into a receiving section of the melt processing unit, and expose the multiple streams of polymer melt to a pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit as the multiple streams of polymer melt pass through the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit; a pressure regulation system configured to maintain the pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit between about 0 millibars and about 5 millibars as the multiple streams of polymer pass through the multiple stream section, wherein: the receiving section of the melt processing unit is configured to: receive the multiple streams of polymer melt, recombine the multiple streams of polymer melt into at least one combined stream of polymer melt, and convey the at least one combined stream of polymer melt toward at least one spinning machine that is configured to form polymer from the at least one combined stream of polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament; and the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit is configured to allow the multiple streams of polymer melt to free fall into a receiving section of the melt processing unit under the weight of gravity; and

the system further comprising an intrinsic viscosity management system configured to determine an intrinsic viscosity of the at least one combined stream of polymer melt, and, in response to determining the intrinsic viscosity of the at least one combined stream of polymer melt, instructing the pressure regulation system to adjust the pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the system further comprises a crystallizer configured to perform a crystallization step on the plurality of polymer flakes prior to melting the plurality of polymer flakes in the first section of the melt processing unit.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the receiving section of the melt processing unit comprises an extruder that is adapted to recombine the multiple streams of polymer melt into the at least one combined stream of polymer melt.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the extruder is disposed vertically below the separation element.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the separation element is adapted to divide the first single stream of polymer melt into at least 8 streams of polymer melt.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the separation element is adapted to divide the first single stream of polymer melt into at least 100 streams of polymer melt; and

the multiple stream section is configured to expose each of the at least 100 streams of polymer melt to a pressure of between about 0 mbar and about 5 mbar as the at least 100 streams of polymer melt pass through the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pressure regulation system is configured to reduce the pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit to between about 0.5 millibars and about 1.2 millibars, and to maintain the pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit between about 0.5 millibars and about 1.2 millibar while the multiple streams of polymer melt pass through the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymer flakes is derived, at least in part, from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flakes that are derived from recycled PET bottles.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first section of the melt processing unit is a first extrusion means;

the separation element is a polymer melt separation means;

the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit is a second extrusion means;

the pressure regulation system is a pressure regulation means; and

the receiving section of the melt processing unit is a third extrusion means.

10. A system for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, the system comprising:

means for melting a plurality of polymer flakes to create a first stream of polymer melt;

means for routing the first stream of polymer melt through a separation element to generate multiple streams of polymer melt, the separation element comprising an extrusion die defining a plurality of holes;

means for exposing the multiple streams of polymer melt to a pressure within a multiple stream section of a melt processing unit;

means for reducing the pressure of the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit to between about 0 millibars and about 5 millibars;

means for, while maintaining the pressure of the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit between about 0 millibars and about 5 millibars, allowing the multiple streams of polymer melt to pass through the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit into a receiving section of the melt processing unit by allowing the multiple streams of polymer melt to freefall through the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit under the weight of gravity;

means for recombining the multiple streams of polymer melt into at least one stream of polymer melt at the receiving section of the melt processing unit; and

means for providing polymer from the at least one stream of polymer melt to at least one spinning machine configured to form the polymer from the at least one stream of polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament; and the system further comprising an intrinsic viscosity management system configured to determine an intrinsic viscosity of the at least one combined stream of polymer melt, and, in response to determining the intrinsic viscosity of the at least one combined stream of polymer melt, instructing the pressure regulation system to adjust the pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of holes comprise between about 2000 and about 4000 holes.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of holes comprise 3000 holes.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the extrusion die is disposed at an upper portion of the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit and oriented as a flat plate such that a distance between each of the plurality of holes and the receiving section is substantially equal.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of holes comprise between about 2000 and about 4000 holes.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the extrusion die is a plate.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)