System and method for producing material particles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025041938-A1
Application number	US-202418911489-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 10, 2024
Priority date	Oct 10, 2024
Publication date	Feb 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for system for producing a plurality of material particles comprises a plated polymer sheet that includes a polymer sheet having a layer of material deposited thereon by electroless plating. The system further comprises a pair of meshing rollers through which the plated polymer sheet is fed, the meshing rollers having a plurality of gear teeth sized and configured to impart a bend of a predetermined radius R in the plated polymer sheet to cause fracturing of the layer of material plated on the polymer sheet. The system further comprises a fluid spray applicator configured to direct fluid flow impinging the plated polymer sheet exiting the meshing rollers to cause separation of the fractured layer of material from the polymer sheet to yield a plurality of material particles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system 100 for producing a plurality of material particles 102 , comprising:
a plated polymer sheet 110 , including a polymer sheet 112 having a layer of material 114 deposited thereon by electroless plating;
a pair of meshing rollers 120 A, 120 B through which the plated polymer sheet 110 is fed, the meshing rollers 120 A, 120 B having a plurality of gear teeth 122 sized and configured to impart a bend of a predetermined radius R in the plated polymer sheet 110 to cause fracturing of the layer of material 114 plated on the polymer sheet 112 ; and
a fluid spray applicator 130 configured to direct fluid flow impinging the plated polymer sheet 110 exiting the meshing rollers 120 A, 120 B to cause separation of the fractured layer of material from the polymer sheet 112 to yield a plurality of material particles 102 that are less than a predetermined size.

2 . The wherein the plurality of gear teeth comprises a plurality of laterally extending gear teeth that are straight and aligned parallel to the axis of rotation of the meshing rollers.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of material particles are less than a predetermined size of up to 2 inches.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of material particles have a size in the range of between 0.001 inches and 2 inches and the material particles contain only trace amounts of polymer.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the polymer sheet is plated with a layer of material having a thickness that is between 0.1 micron and 0.020 inches.

6 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the meshing rollers have gear teeth that are sized and positioned relative to each other to impart a bend having a predetermined radius that is between 0.1875 inches and 0.375 inches.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the polymer sheet has a modulus of elasticity that is greater than that of the layer of material that is plated on the polymer sheet, such that imparting the bend in the plated polymer sheet causes greater bending deflection in the polymer sheet portion of the plated polymer sheet than the bending deflection of the layer of material that is plated on the polymer sheet, to thereby facilitate fracturing or cracking of the layer of material that is plated on the polymer sheet.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the layer of material has a stiffness that is greater than that of the polymer sheet, such that when a load is applied to the polymer sheet that is plated with the layer of material the bending deflection of the layer of material is less than the bending deflection of the polymer sheet, to facilitate fracturing or cracking of the layer of material that is plated on the polymer sheet.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a collection bin positioned below the fluid spray applicator to collect the plurality of material particles 102 produced from the fractured layer of material 114 separated from the polymer sheet via the fluid spray applicator.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the polymer sheet has a thickness that is between 6 microns and 0.09375 inches.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow applicator is oriented at a predetermined angle relative to the plated polymer sheet, where the predetermined angle is between 15 degrees and 60 degrees.

12 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a grinder for grinding the plurality of material particles collected via the collection bin, where the grinder is configured to grind the plurality of material particles to a smaller, more uniform size.

13 . A method for producing a plurality of material particles, comprising the steps of:
dispensing a plated polymer sheet that is plated with a layer of material by electroless plating; feeding the plated polymer sheet into a pair of meshing rollers through which the plated polymer sheet is drawn; imparting a bend of a predetermined radius R in the plated polymer sheet via the meshing rollers having a plurality of gear teeth through which the plated polymer sheet is drawn; fracturing of the layer of material plated on the polymer sheet by forming cracks in the layer of polymer material via the imparted bend, to yield a layer of fractured material on the polymer sheet; and directing a fluid flow impinging the plated polymer sheet, via a fluid spray applicator, to cause separation of the fractured layer of material from the polymer sheet to produce a plurality of material particles less than a predetermined size.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of directing a fluid flow impinging the plated polymer sheet further comprises orienting a fluid spray applicator at a predetermined angle relative to the plated polymer sheet, where the predetermined angle is between 15 degrees and 60 degrees.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising collecting, via a collection bin 140 positioned below the fluid spray applicator 130 , the plurality of material particles produced from the fractured layer of material separated from the polymer sheet via the fluid spray applicator.

16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising the initial step of plating a layer of material onto a polymer sheet, where the polymer sheet has a thickness that is less than 0.09375 inches and the polymer sheet is plated with a layer of material having a thickness that is less than 0.020 inches.

17 . The method of claim 16 , where the initial step of plating a layer of material onto a polymer sheet further comprises plating a layer of material polymer sheet 112 with a layer of material having a thickness that is between 0.1 micron and 0.020 inches.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the method of imparting a bend of a predetermined radius R further comprises providing meshing rollers having a plurality of gear teeth sized and configured to receive the plated polymer material between opposing gear teeth that are configured to impart a bend of a predetermined radius R that is effective to cause fracturing of the layer of material on the polymer sheet.

19 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising grinding the plurality of material particles collected via the collection bin, where the grinder is configured to grind the plurality of material particles to a smaller, more uniform size.

20 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of rotating, via a rotary drive mechanism, the meshing rollers in counter-rotating directions, to facility forming of cracks in the layer of material plated on the polymer film.

Assignees

• Boeing Co
• The Boeing Company C/O Kevin Pumm

Inventors

• Petitt Vance N
• San Kenndy
• Nelson Brian R
• Lint Charles J

Classifications

• B22F2009/047

  by rolling · CPC title

• B22F9/04 Primary

  starting from solid material, e.g. by crushing, grinding or milling ({C22C1/1084 takes precedence}; crushing, grinding or milling, in general, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B02C) · CPC title