Abstract:
A low-temperature, liquid-phase injection molding method includes external heating of the mold and a feed composition that is a mixture of a carrier, binder, and a powdered polyethylene. The carrier and binder component can be a very low density polyethylene, petroleum jelly, hydrocarbon waxes, liquid hydrocarbon oils, or mixtures thereof. The powdered polyethylene component is finely subdivided polyethylene, preferably ultra high molecular weight, having a low melt index, at least no greater than 30. The carrier and binder component is used in sufficient quantity to provide a thixotropic mixture with a consistency of toothpaste, typically having a stirred viscosity up to 30,000 centipoise at the injection temperature of the molding process. The process further includes controlling external mold heating to provide minimal heating of the core of a formed part, thereby permitting one to incorporate components within the part without damage to temperature sensitive elements in the components.
Abstract:
There is disclosed an enhancement composition and a method for its use in a molding process. The enhancement composition is applied to the interior surfaces of the mold cavity used in a molding process such as blow molding, injection molding, thermoforming or rotational molding. The enhancement composition is applied prior to closing of the mold and molding of the plastic article. The enhancement composition comprises a liquid carrier containing up to about 50 weight percent of enhancement solids which comprise a mixture of an enhancement solid such as particles of varied thermoplastic and thermosetting resins, metal flakes, glass beads, carbon, graphite, etc., and a binder solid which can be hydrocarbon resin, wax, rosin or terpene base resin. The invention provides for almost unlimited modification of the surfaces of molded plastic products, offering the plastics fabricator the ability to mold products having very specialized surface properties with a low cost structural polymer, e.g., a product molded of low cost, low density polyethylene having the surface characteristics of Teflon3.
Abstract:
This invention relates to an improved thermoplastic spray material and coating. The thermoplastic spray material (10) will completely dry when it is applied to an interior surface of a mold (14) thus preventing streaks and smears from forming on the exterior surface of the plastic object when the mold goes through the rotational molding process. In its preferred embodiment, the thermoplastic spray material may be applied directly to the exterior surface of a plastic object. The plastic object is then applied a heating means (22) which blends the thermoplastic spray material (10) into and onto the plastic object. In another embodiment of the present invention, a thermoplastic spray material (10) is disclosed which may be applied to a decal like object. The thermoplastic spray material (10) acts as an adhesive so that the decal may adhere to the interior surface of a mold (14). The thermoplastic spray material does not act as a contaminate thus preventing spots, as well as a film, from forming on a plastic object (20) when the mold goes through the rotational molding process.
Abstract:
An ink comprises a mixture of finely subdivided polyethylene powder, an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, a dispersing agent, an ink additive such as a dye or pigment and/or a physical property enhancing additive such as alumina, glass beads, silica, metal flakes, etc. Preferably high and very high molecular weight polyethylene is used, alone or in mixture with lower density polyethylene in amounts from 25 to 45 weight percent in the ink. The polyethylene can have a particle size from 1 nanometer to 150 microns. The printing ink can be used to prepare a transfer having a decorative layer printed onto a carrier sheet. The printed layer is thermally treated to remove hydrocarbon solvent. The transfers are applied to the surfaces of molded polyethylene or polypropylene parts with adequate heat, pressure and time to fuse the transfers into the walls of the parts, as by hot-stamping.
Abstract:
The molding method of the invention is a low-temperature, liquid-phase, injection molding process using an externally heated mold. This molding process is ideally suited for production of limited quantities of molded parts, as comparatively low cost molds can be used. The molding composition used in the invention is a mixture of a carrier and binder component and a powdered polyethylene component. The carrier and binder component can be a very low density polyethylene, petroleum jelly, hydrocarbon waxes, liquid hydrocarbon oils, or mixtures thereof. The powdered polyethylene component is finely subdivided polyethylene, preferably ultra high molecular weight, having a low melt index, at least no greater than 30. The carrier and binder component is used in sufficient quantity to provide athixotropic mixture with a consistency of toothpaste, typically having a stirred viscosity up to 30,000 centipoise at the injection temperature of the molding process. Since the process utilizes a mold which is externally heated, it can be controlled to provide minimal heating of the core of the part, thereby permitting one to incorporate components within the part without damage to temperature sensitive elements in the components.
Abstract:
The polyethylene caulking composition of the invention is a mixture of a carrier and binder component and polyethylene powder. The carrier and binder component is a liquid hydrocarbon oil. The polymer is finely subdivided polyethylene, preferably ultra high molecular weight, having a low melt index, no greater than 30. The composition is thixotropic with a consistency of toothpaste, typically having a stirred viscosity up to 30,000 centipoise at ambient temperature, which is suitable for use as a caulking composition. The caulking composition of the invention can be extruded at low pressures through a caulking gun or from a squeeze tube to plug vent holes or perforations in molded, hollow-form polyethylene parts, or applied as a caulk onto the flange surfaces of rotational molds.
Abstract:
A mixture of a carrier and binder component and polymer powders is provided as a molding composition for sealing rotational molds or for reinforcing selected areas of rotationally molded parts. The carrier and binder component can be very low density polyethylene, petroleum jelly, hydrocarbon wax, hydrocarbon tackifier, or mixtures thereof, and the polymer powders are thermoplastics having a low melt index. The molding composition is applied to selected areas of the rotational mold, such as to the mating flanges of the mold halves to seal the parting line of the mold, or to areas within the mold where it is desired to have reinforced regions of greater wall thickness, such as ribs or bosses.
Abstract:
This invention comprises a self-supporting, temperature-stable, indicia-bearing laminate of at least one layer of a non-oriented polyolefin film having an indicia array and a layer of a non-oriented polyolefin support film. The indicia layer laminate is formed by printing a carrier sheet with at least one layer of a printing ink comprising a mixture of particulate polyolefin, indicia material and a polyolefin-compatible resin. The polyolefin support film is printed as a layer over the indicia layer with a mixture of a polyolefin and a polyolefin-compatible resin. The printed layers are cured into non-oriented films, forming an indicia transfer. The transfer is used by removing the indicia-bearing laminate from the carrier sheet and applying the laminate to the inside surface of a rotational mold where it melts and fuses into the outer wall of a polyolefin product during the formation of the product in the rotational molding cycle.
Abstract:
This invention comprises a self-supporting, temperature-stable, indicia-bearing laminate of at least one layer of a non-oriented polyolefin film having an indicia array and a layer of a non-oriented polyolefin support film. The indicia layer laminate is formed by printing a carrier sheet with at least one layer of a printing ink comprising a mixture of particulate polyolefin, indicia material and a polyolefin-compatible resin. The polyolefin support film is printed as a layer over the indicia layer with a mixture of a polyolefin and a polyolefin-compatible resin. The printed layers are cured into non-oriented films, forming an indicia transfer. The transfer is used by removing the indicia-bearing laminate from the carrier sheet and applying the laminate to the inside surface of a rotational mold where it melts and fuses into the outer wall of a polyolefin product during the formation of the product in the rotational molding cycle.
Abstract:
This invention is a method for the precise placement of indicia with high resolution into the wall of a hollow-form, molded plastisol part. The method includes the steps of preparing a plastisol graphic transfer by casting a base layer of plastisol onto a carrier sheet, printing indicia with pigmented plastisols onto the base layer of plastisol to form a graphic transfer, and over printing the graphic transfer with a body layer of plastisol. After each layer of plastisol is deposited, the layer cured by heating before depositing the next layer and the transfer is heated to cure the final, body layer. The transfer is applied to a selected inside surface of a conventional rotational mold by applying a high-solvent-content adhesive to the mold surface, stripping the plastisol transfer from the carrier sheet and applying it against the adhesive coated mold surface, and pressing the transfer against the adhesive-coated surface of the mold, permitting the applied transfer to dry over a short interval and then continuing with an otherwise conventional rotomolding or slush molding process to obtain a molded hollow form part having the indicia permanently fused into the wall of the part.