High density composites comprising reclaimed carpet material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9724852-B1
Application number	US-78604710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 24, 2010
Priority date	May 22, 2009
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed are methods for utilizing reclaimed carpet materials in the manufacture of high density composites. Also disclosed are products manufactured by the disclosed methods.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a composite from reclaimed carpet material, comprising:
providing a composite layer of reclaimed carpet material and low melt thermoplastic binder resin;
heating the composite layer at a temperature sufficient to melt the thermoplastic binder resin;
subjecting the heated composite layer to pressure sufficient to substantially consolidate the melted binder and reclaimed carpet material and to form a composite having a desired density and thickness; and
cooling the formed composite having the desired density and thickness;
wherein the reclaimed carpet material comprises a population of reclaimed carpet fibers having non-uniform linear fiber densities; and
wherein the formed composite has a density of from 30 to 100 pounds per cubic foot.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formed composite has a density of from 30 to 75 pounds per cubic foot.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formed composite has a thickness of about 0.5 inches to about 1 inch.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formed composite has a thickness of about 0.6 inches to about 0.75 inches.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formed composite comprises from 50% to 100% reclaimed carpet material, relative to the total weight of the composite.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reclaimed carpet material comprises nylon 6/6, nylon 6, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, latex, styrene butadiene rubber, natural fibers, or any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reclaimed carpet material comprises the low melt thermoplastic binder resin.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low melt binder comprises a poly(olefin).

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low melt binder comprises polypropylene, polyethylene, or a combination thereof.

10. A method of making a flooring underlayment, comprising:
providing a composite layer of reclaimed carpet material, wherein the reclaimed carpet material comprises a population of reclaimed carpet fibers having non-uniform linear fiber densities, and wherein a portion of the reclaimed carpet material comprises polypropylene;
heating the composite layer at a temperature sufficient to melt at least a portion of the polypropylene;
subjecting the heated composite layer to pressure sufficient to substantially consolidate the melted polypropylene and reclaimed carpet material and to form a composite underlayment having a desired density and thickness; and
cooling the formed composite underlayment;
wherein the formed composite has a density of from 30 to 100 pounds per cubic foot.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the formed composite has a density of from 30 to 75 pounds per cubic foot.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the formed composite has a thickness of about 0.5 inches to about 1 inch.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the formed composite has a thickness of about 0.6 inches to about 0.75 inches.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the formed composite comprises from 50% to 100% reclaimed carpet material.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the reclaimed carpet material further comprises nylon 6/6, nylon 6, polyester, polyethylene, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, latex, styrene butadiene rubber, natural fibers, or any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the temperature sufficient to melt at least a portion of the polypropylene is at least about 250° F.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the temperature sufficient to melt at least a portion of the polypropylene is from 250° F. to 800° F.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pressure sufficient to substantially consolidate the melted polypropylene and reclaimed carpet material is from about 0 to about 1000 pounds per square inch.

Assignees

• Rees John J M
• Fowler Gregory
• Columbia Insurance Co

Inventors

• Rees John J M
• Fowler Gregory

Classifications

• B29C43/22 Primary

  of articles of indefinite length · CPC title

• B29C43/003 Primary

  characterised by the choice of material · CPC title

• B32B2307/722

  Non-uniform density · CPC title

• B29L2031/7322

  Carpets · CPC title

• B32B2305/70

  Scrap or recycled material · CPC title