Abstract:
An improved process for rapidly cooling hot freshly polymerized foam is provided by passage of a fluid coolant stream having a water vapor content which initially is in the range from slightly below to above the dew point. In preferred embodiments the cooling fluid stream is recirculated, and auxiliary blowing agents and gaseous reaction products are removed and recovered.
Abstract:
The method of making polystyrene foam for foam products which includes utilizing atmospheric gases as the blowing agents or preferably mixing one or more of these gases and a blending agent which is non-volatile at the extrusion temperatures, introducing the mixture to a molten thermoplastic polystyrene resin containing nucleating agents such as sodium bicarbonate and citric acid and extruding the thermoplastic in the form of a foam. The resultant foam has substantially no residual blowing agent, is dimensionally stable at ambient temperatures and when used with a non-volatile blending agent can be made with small amounts of blowing agent permitting cooling of the melt without high loading on the extruder. The foam may be coextruded with one or more layers of thermoplastic films so that the resultant product is adpated for use for plates, cups, food containers or packaging and for labells for containers such as glass and plastic containers and for labels that are shrunk in place on a container.
Abstract:
To make a molded article from expandable synthetic resin particles, especially polystyrene particles, the cooling of the individual mold wall portions is effected exclusively by evaporating condensate obtained from stream, advantageously condensate which accumulates in stream compartments on the exterior or back sides of the mold walls which was fed in for heating of the mold wall portions and fusing the synthetic resin particles. This evaporation of condensate is effected on the back surfaces of the mold wall portions facing the steam compartments because of a low pressure or suction produced in the steam compartments. The condensate is fed in hot at or just below the boiling temperature of the condensate. Surfaces of the mold wall portions facing the steam compartment have increased surface area by reason of spherical surface-area increasing elements which form constricted passages between a plurality of interior reservoir cavities and the outside steam compartment.
Abstract:
PROGRAMMING, AND/OR DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE PROGRAMMING FOR DIFFERENT ZONES OF THE ARTICLE. VARIOUS SUPPLEMENTAL AND/OR OPTIONAL FEATURES ARE DISCLOSED.
GIANT SIZED PLASTIC ARTICLES ARE MASS PRODUCED WITH AUTOMATION BY LOW PRESSURE INJECTION MOLDING. AN ARTICLE IS DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE THE ULTIMATE ENGINEERING PERFORMANCE OF THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE IN RELATION TO ITS EXTERNAL SHAPE, THUS PROVIDING ZONES IN WHICH THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ZONES, ANDSUCH DIFFERENCES ARE IMPARTED BY THE CONTROL OF THE MOLDING PROCESS. THE PROPORTIONS OF GAS AND MOLTEN PLASTIC ARE CAREFULLY CONTROLLED PRIOR TO THE ACCUMULATION OF THE FEED IN A BATCHING DEVICE. A SHOT OF FEED FLOWS THROUGH A DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM INTO A STRUCTURIZER MOLD HAVING CONTOURED WALLS OF LOW SPECIFIC HEAT AND HAVING HEAT TRANSFER MEANS PERMITTING DIFFERENTIAL PROGRAMMING OF THE TEMPERATURE OF DIFFERENT ZONES. BEFORE THE ARTICLE HAS SOLIDIFIED IN THE STRUCTURIZER MOLD, THE DESIRED DIFFERENCES IN INTERNAL STRUCTURE ARE IMPARTED BY REASON OF THE DIFFERENTIAL TEMPERATURE
Abstract:
THIN WALLED MOLDS HAVING A THICKNESS WITHIN A RANGE FROM ABOUT 0.4 MM. TO ABOUT 4 MM. AND HAVING A HEAT CAPACITY LESS THAN THE HEAT CAPACITY OF THE MOLDED ARTICLE ARE PROVIDED IN APPARATUS FOR INJECTION MOLDING OF PLASTIC FOAM. IN CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS, HEAT TRANSFER FLUID IS CIRCULATED IN A ZONE ADJACENT THE THIN WALLED MOLD FACE. IN SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION, AN OUTER SHELL CAN PROVIDE SUPPLEMENT STRUCTURAL STRENGTH, WHILE BEING INSULATED BY CLOSED PORE INSULATION FROM THE TEMPERATURE CHANGES AND HEAT CAPACITY FEATURES OF THE MOLD FACE.