The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 18, 1994
Filed:
Oct. 09, 1992
William R Reetz, Boise, ID (US);
Other;
Abstract
Apparatus for making a reinforced thermoplastic composite is disclosed. The apparatus is designed for making such composite from a dry blend of expanded thermoplastic pieces and filler particles of ambient temperature. The thermoplastic composite includes a quantity of expanded thermoplastic pieces and a quantity of filler particles suspended by the pieces, with the quantity being up to 60% by weight of the blend. The apparatus includes a first elongate compartment defining a low-pressure compression chamber, and a feeder for sequentially transferring the blend to the first compartment in preselected amounts. A second elongate compartment defines a high-pressure compression chamber with open ends and an entry section structured with a port. The second compartment is positioned adjacent the first compartment so that the chambers are in communication with each other via the port. The apparatus also includes a plurality of reinforcing strands for feeding through the high-pressure chamber, with each such strand having a front section which is positioned in the entry section. Heating structure is provided for heating the high-pressure chamber. A low-pressure compressor is included to compress the blend in the low-pressure chamber and transfer it to the entry section around the front sections of the strands. A high-pressure compressor is included to compress the blend around the strands in the heated high-pressure chamber to form a molten reinforced thermoplastic composite, and to transfer the same out of the chamber where it can cool, thus to form a reinforced thermoplastic composite.