Systems for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12420453-B2
Application number	US-202318210362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2023
Priority date	May 31, 2012
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

Systems for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from polymer, where the systems are configured for: (1) passing polymer flakes through a crystalliers; (2) melting the polymer to create a first single stream of polymer melt; (3) separating the first single stream of polymer melt into multiple streams of polymer melt; (4) exposing the multiple streams of polymer melt to a pressure of between about 0 millibars and about 25 millibars in a chamber; (5) recombining the multiple streams of polymer melt into a second single stream of polymer melt; and (6) providing the second single stream of polymer melt to one or more spinning machines that are configured to form the second single stream of polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, the system comprising:
a crystallizer configured to at least partially dry a plurality of polymer flakes;
a melt processing unit comprising:
a first section in mechanical communication with the crystallizer and configured to receive the plurality of polymer flakes from the crystallizer and melt the plurality of polymer flakes into 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 at least eight streams;
a chamber configured to receive the at least eight streams from the separation element; and
a second section in mechanical communication with the chamber and configured to receive the at least eight streams and recombine the at least eight streams into a second single stream of polymer melt;

a pressure regulation system configured to maintain a chamber pressure within the chamber between about 0 millibars and about 25 millibars as the at least eight streams are in the chamber;
at least one computer-controller configured to operate the pressure regulation system to maintain the chamber pressure between about 0 millibars and about 25 millibars; and
a spinning machine in mechanical communication with the melt processing unit and configured to receive the second single stream of polymer melt and form polymer from the second single stream of polymer melt into the bulked continuous carpet filament.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the crystallizer comprises:
one or more heating elements configured to raise a temperature within the crystallizer; and
one or more blowers configured to blow air that has been at least partially heated by the one or more heating elements over the plurality of polymer flakes as the plurality of polymer flakes pass through the crystallizer.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the separation element defines a plurality of extrusion channels.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of extrusion channels comprise a plurality of holes, each of the plurality of holes creating a respective one of the at least eight streams.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the plurality of holes comprise at least 100 holes; and
separating the polymer melt into at least eight streams comprises extruding the polymer melt though the plurality of holes to divide the polymer melt into at least 100 streams.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a color system configured to add colorant to at least one of the first single stream of polymer melt, the at least eight streams, or the second single stream of polymer melt; and
a color sensor configured to determine a color of the second single polymer stream, wherein the at least one computer-controller is further configured to cause the color sensor to measure the color of the second single stream of polymer melt and instruct the color system to adjust an amount of the colorant added to the at least one of the first single stream of polymer melt, the at least eight streams, or the second single stream of polymer melt based on the color.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the chamber is vertically oriented, and the separation element is disposed adjacent an upper portion of the chamber; and
the chamber receives the at least eight streams from the separation element such that each of the at least eight streams passes through the chamber assisted by gravity.

8. A system comprising:
a crystallizer configured to at least partially dry a plurality of polymer flakes;
a melt processing unit comprising:
a first section in mechanical communication with the crystallizer and configured to receive the plurality of polymer flakes from the crystallizer and melt the plurality of polymer flakes into a first stream of polymer melt;
a separation element configure to generate multiple streams of polymer melt from the first stream of polymer melt;
a chamber configured to receive the multiple streams of polymer melt from the separation element; and
a receiving section configured to receive the multiple streams of polymer melt from the chamber and recombine the multiple streams of polymer melt into a second stream of polymer melt

a vacuum pump in mechanical communication with the chamber, wherein the vacuum pump is configured to maintain a chamber pressure within the chamber of between about 0 millibars and about 25 millibars;
a controller that operates the vacuum pump to maintain the chamber pressure within the chamber between about 0 millibars and about 25 millibars; and
at least one spinning machine configured to receive the second stream of polymer melt from the receiving section of the melt processing unit and form the polymer from the second stream of polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the separation element is disposed vertically above the chamber in the melt processing unit such that the multiple streams of polymer fall from the separation element through the chamber assisted by gravity.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the crystallizer comprises:
one or more heating elements configured to raise a temperature within the crystallizer; and
one or more blowers configured to blow air that has been at least partially heated by the one or more heating elements over the plurality of polymer flakes as the plurality of polymer flakes pass through the crystallizer.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more blowers are disposed adjacent a bottom portion of the crystallizer such that the one or more blowers are configured to blow the air over the plurality of polymer flakes from the bottom portion of the crystallizer.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the crystallizer comprises a stirring apparatus configured to stir the plurality of polymer as the plurality of polymer flakes pass through the crystallizer; and
the stirring apparatus comprises at least one apparatus selected from the group consisting of:
i. a rod mounted to stir the plurality of polymer flakes as the plurality of polymer flakes pass through the crystallizer;
ii. a tumbler comprising a drum mounted to rotate such that the plurality of polymer flakes are at least partially agitated while the plurality of polymer flakes are within the drum; and
iii. one or more augers configured to rotate to stir the plurality of polymer flakes as the one or more blowers blow the air that has been at least partially heated by the one or more heating elements over the plurality of polymer flakes.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the separation element comprises an extrusion die defining a plurality of holes, each of the plurality of holes creating a respective one of the multiple streams of polymer melt.

14. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a color system configured to add colorant to at least one of the first polymer stream, the multiple streams, or the second polymer stream; and
a color sensor configured to determine a color of the second polymer stream, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the color sensor to measure the color of the second polymer stream and instruct the color system to adjust an amount of the colorant added to the at least one of the first polymer stream, the multiple streams, or the second polymer stream based on the color.

15. The system of claim 8 , further comprising an intrinsic viscosity management system comprising a viscosity sensor configured to determine an intrinsic viscosity of the second polymer stream, wherein the controller is further configured

Assignees

• Aladdin Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Clark Thomas R

Classifications

• B01F35/2213

  Pressure · CPC title

• B29C2948/92361

  Extrusion unit · CPC title

• B29C48/767

  through a degassing opening of a barrel · CPC title

• B29C2035/0822

  using IR radiation · CPC title

• D02G3/445

  Yarns or threads for use in floor fabrics (floor fabrics A47G27/00; floor coverings on textile basis D06N7/0005) · CPC title