Rehau Ag + Co.

Siegfried Hopperdietzel

Rolf Mulhaupt

Ekkehard Weinberg

Joachim Rosch

Herbert Klein

A polymer mixture reinforced by an in situ, melt-polymerized microphase whereby the rigidity of the base material is increased, a process for manufacturing same, and use thereof for providing reinforced compositions and articles in which the polymer mixture is prepared by polymerizing a component B in a melt of a component A composed of at least one thermoplastic polymer. Component B is composed of at least one compound having the structure ##STR1## The reaction of component B in a melt of component A results in linear, branched or cross-linked, high or low molecular weight polymers constituting a microphase. Preferably, the microphases have the form of microfibers. In the structure of component B, X is NH.sub.2, NHR.sup.3, OH or an N-substituted, Y-activated lactam of the ##STR2## type which is activated with an electrophilic substituent Y, where Y is CO, SO.sub.2, or R.sup.5 P.dbd.O; R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.4 are bivalent or multivalent aliphatic-, aromatic-, heterocyclic- or heteroatom-containing segments, with R.sup.2 and R.sub.4 preferably being bivalent aliphatic or aromatic radicals (CH.sub.2).sub.z in which 1&lt;z&lt;15; R.sup.3 and R.sup.5 are aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic radicals; and n and m are integers for which 1&lt;m and n&lt;5, and preferably m=n=1.

In situ polymer alloys and microcompounds, process for their

The present invention provides a copolymer comprising polybutadiene and other olefinic saturated or unsaturated thermoplastics. The mixing ratio between the polybutadiene and the thermoplastics is 30:70 to 95:5 weight percent. Surface improving additives, such as polysiloxane, may be added in quantities from 0.5 to 6 weight percent. The copolymer may be used to produce medical and food compatible semi-finished or finished products.

Polymer alloy of polybutadiene and olefinic thermoplastics

A polymer mixture reinforced by an in situ, melt-polymerized microphase whereby the rigidity of the base material is increased, a process for manufacturing same, and use thereof for providing reinforced compositions and articles in which the polymer mixture is prepared by polymerizing a component B in a melt of a component A composed of at least one thermoplastic polymer. Component B is composed of at least one compound having the structure ##STR1## The reaction of component B in a melt of component A results in linear, branched or cross-linked, high or low molecular weight polymers constituting a microphase. Preferably, the microphases have the form of microfibers. In the structure of component B, X is NH.sub.2, NHR.sup.3, OH or an N-substituted, Y-activated lactam of the ##STR2## type which is activated with an electrophilic substituent Y, where Y is CO, SO.sub.2, or R.sup.5 P=O; R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.4 are bivalent or multivalent aliphatic-, aromatic-, heterocyclic- or heteroatom-containing segments, with R.sup.2 and R.sup.4 preferably being bivalent aliphatic or aromatic radicals (CH.sub.2).sub.z in which 1&lt;z&lt;15; R.sup.3 and R.sup.5 are aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic radicals; and n and m are integers for which 1&lt;m and n&lt;5, and preferably m=n=1.

Process for the manufacture of in situ polymer alloys and

A pipe which is configured for coupling to another conduit such as a following pipe has an end portion of reduced outer diameter and a transition portion which is connected to the body of the pipe. The end portion can be inserted into the following pipe. At least one abutment is provided at the transition portion to provide a contact face for receiving the end face of the following pipe.

Pipe which is configured for coupling to another pipe

A method of making a shaped thermoplastic article includes the following steps: mixing plastic filler particles of a maximum size of 0.7 mm to a thermoplastic material in a maximum percentage of about 15 weight percent for affecting a surface roughness of the article; processing the mixture resulting from the mixing step to obtain the shaped thermoplastic article; and maintaining the temperature of the mixture during the performance of the mixing and processing steps at a level below the melting temperature of the plastic filler particles.

Shaped thermoplastic material with fillers and method of making the same

A carrier strip for holding labels to a support, such as the edge of a shelf, includes a rear wall which can be attached to the support and a transparent front wall which is connected to the rear wall so as to form a pocket between the walls. The carrier strip is made by extruding a plastic composition at relatively high pressure through a die which imcompletely smooths the surface irregularities resulting from the relatively high extrusion pressure. This disrupts the longitudinal striations or dielines which are characteristic of extruded members and which might otherwise cause undesirable reflections when a bar code reader is used to read a bar code printed on a label in the pocket.

Method for extruding a plastic member with a roughened surface

A pipe coupling for driven-in pipes or the like includes a first pipe having a male coupling end, a first annular supporting element connected about the male coupling end, and a second pipe having a female coupling end adapted to receive the male coupling end. The female coupling end has a second annular supporting element connected to the exterior of the female coupling end.

Pipe coupling

In a method for laminating a plastic web onto a plastic substrate, the web is moved past an adhesive coating station where one surface is coated with a mixture made of solvent and resin particles. The substrate is moved past a cleaning station, where a surface is also coated with a mixture made of solvent and resin. After the web and substrate pass through drying chambers, the coated surfaces are pressed together with rollers and heat is applied. The method is particularly suitable for laminating strips bearing a woodgrain pattern onto extruded thermoplastic members which are thereafter cut into segments for use in making prefabricated window systems.

Method for laminating a plastic web onto a plastic substrate

A tambour door for box-type furniture, including at least one tambour door element comprised of a plurality of profiled members which are rods and which have hollow, trapezoidal cross-sections each including a base, a pair of arms, and a top, which top comprises a side of the tambour door elements to be viewed and which is wider than the base; and a plurality of hinge members each consisting essentially of a flexible polymeric film for articulately interconnecting the plurality of profiled members longitudinally along adjacent bases thereof.

Tambour door for box-type furniture

A label mounting apparatus includes a molding member which is mounted on a support, such as a shelf. The apparatus also includes an elongated carrier for labels corresponding to items on the support. To permit the carrier to be mounted on the molding member at a desired angle, detents are provided on the carrier and on the molding member or the corner of the support.

Label mounting apparatus

A method for manufacturing a blow-molded body employs a two-part blow-mold. A tubular preform is introduced, with the material in a thermoplastic state, into the opened blow-mold halves, and a reinforcing element is supported inside the preform by a displaceable holding device. During closing of the blow-mold halves, pressure is exerted on the wall regions of the preform that are adjacent to the reinforcing element. This pressure results in a reduced cross section of the preform wall in the region of the reinforcing element, and thermoplastic material is displaced. The interior of the preform is subjected to a blowing-pressure no later than when the pressure is applied from the exterior, and the blowing pressure causes the preform to inflate inside the mold. The displaced material anchors the reinforcing element inside the blow-molded body, and preferably forms bridges which extend across the blow-molded body and which cover the sides of the reinforcing element. The reinforcing element may also be provided with passages into which displaced material enters to form further bridges.

Method for producing a blow-molded body

Use of cellulose fibers of natural origin as an admixture to polyvinyl chloride is disclosed. Structurally modifying a polyvinyl article by admixing cellulose fibers limits heat shrinkage thereof and results in improved surface characteristics and/or mechanical characteristics. A polyvinyl article is provided which is comprised of polyvinyl chloride and from 1 to 40 wt. %, preferably from 3 to 20 wt. %, cellulose fibers having a fiber thickness ranging from a finite thickness to about 40 .mu.m and a fiber length ranging from twice the fiber thickness to about 400 .mu.m, preferably from about 80 .mu.m to about 400 .mu.m.

Use of cellulose fibers for structurally modifying polyvinyl chloride

The invention relates to the use of a fraction of hardened particles of an elastomer material of limited particle sizes between 0.1 and 1 mm, preferably between 0.3 and 0.7 mm. The order of magnitude of the admixture to every 100 parts of unhardened elastomer material lies at 5 to 60 parts, preferably 20 to 40 parts. The admixture of the particles to the elastomer material is effected before the elastomer material hardens and is done to produce a defined, non-smooth surface in end products made of elastomers.

Process of using hardened elastomer filler for elastomer material

A connector for heatable hoses and a heatable hose assembly for transporting fluids. The heatable hose assembly includes at least one heatable hose having a hose wall which defines therein a longitudinal cavity, a first end, and at least one heating wire having a first portion embedded in the hose wall and extending longitudinally therein and a second portion which is an exposed length having a contacting portion extending from the first portion and a connecting portion extending from the contacting portion; and a heat-insulated connector comprised of a connecting element; a heating wire connecting member; and a casing, wherein the connecting element is made of a heat conductive material and has at least one hose insertion end inserted into the longitudinal cavity of the first end and at least one projecting portion extending outwardly from the at least one hose insertion end, wherein the contacting portion is positioned in contact with the at least one projecting portion and wherein the connecting portion is connected to the heating wire connecting member, wherein the heating wire connecting member has a first portion and a second portion; and wherein the casing is made of an insulating material positioned around the connecting element, the first portion of the heating wire connecting member and a portion of the first end to encase same and prevent release thereof, and wherein the second portion of the heating wire connecting member projects outwardly through the casing.

Connector for heatable hoses and heatable hose assembly

A heatable plastic hose for transporting fluids, particularly liquids, includes a tubular hose having a cross-sectional center point and a hose wall which defines, along the inner surface thereof, a longitudinal cavity having a cross-sectional center point which is laterally offset from the cross-sectional center point of the tubular hose, the tubular hose having, in cross-section, a first wall portion and a second wall portion, the first wall portion being thicker than the second wall portion; and a heating conductor wire which is longitudinally coextensive with the tubular hose and is embedded in the first wall portion.

Growing community of inventors

Selb, Germany

Siegfried Hopperdietzel