Trexel, Inc.

Kevin J Levesque

Levi A Kishbaugh

Kelvin Tsugio Okamoto

David Edward Pierick

Jingyi Xu

Roland Y Kim

Theodore A Burnham

Liqin Chen

Juan C Cardona

Joseph P Vadala, Jr

Albert H Guillemette

Alan F Matthieu

David E Pierick

Kelvin T Okamoto

Polymer molding processes, such as injection-molding processes, include use of a viscosity-reducing supercritical fluid additive resulting in less breakage of reinforcing fibers upon introduction into the mold.

Fiber-filled molded articles

The invention provides in-mold decorated articles and methods to form the articles. The in-mold decorated articles include a polymeric portion having a substrate material adhered to a surface of the polymeric portion. The substrate material may be, for example, a film or a fabric. In some embodiments, the polymeric portion may be a foam and, particularly, a microcellular polymeric material. The articles are formed by injecting a mixture of blowing agent and polymeric material into a mold cavity in which the substrate material is disposed, so that the substrate material is forced against a wall of the mold cavity. The blowing agent, which in certain preferred cases is a supercritical fluid, decreases the viscosity of the polymeric material and, therefore, enables reductions in injection pressures and temperatures. Reduced injection temperature and pressure may widen the processing window, increase flexibility in the selection of substrate materials, and can eliminate the need for a barrier layer that is sometimes used in conventional processes. The method may be used to produce a variety of in-mold decorated articles.

In-mold decorated articles and methods

The invention provides a blowing agent delivery system for introducing a blowing agent into a polymeric foam processing system. The delivery system is designed to discontinuously introduce blowing agent from a continuous source into polymeric material within an extruder. The system, thus, may improve control over blowing agent delivery in discontinuous polymer processing systems such as injection molding or blow molding. In some embodiments, the blowing agent delivery system selectively directs blowing agent flow from the source to the extruder barrel, or through a bypassing passageway. In this manner, blowing agent may be continuously supplied by the source but discontinuously injected into the extruder barrel. During use, the delivery system may cause blowing agent to flow through the bypassing passageway, for example, when the screw stops plasticating polymeric material.

Blowing agent delivery system

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Andover, MA, United States of America

Kevin J Levesque