JP2001081910A - Fiber-made composite gutter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a fiber-made composite gutter exellent in surface smoothness and cost by laminating a flat and smooth layer made of a po1yolefin resin on one side face or both faces of a base material layer in which short fiber is dispersed while using the resin as a matrix. SOLUTION: A base material layer 11 having 1-3 mm in thickness in which a reinforcing short fiber F is dispersed in a matrix M of a polyolefin resin is formed in the center and a flat and smooth layer 12 made of the same kind of polyolefin resin is laminated on both faces of the base material by extruding process by means of a multi-layered mold. In some cases, these interlayers are integrally fused substantially, or a part of the reinforcing short fiber F is stuck out to the flat and smooth layer 12. In this way, rigidity, fundamental properties as a gutter such as rigidity, low expansibility, etc., can be retained. Since a flat and smooth layer is laminated on the surface, reinforced short fiber which is apt to project to the surface of the base material layer is absorbed by the flat and smooth layer not to project over the surface of the gutter, and hence, the surface of the gutter can be kept smooth.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fiber composite rain gutter comprising a polyolefin resin and reinforced short fibers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Rain gutters generally used are formed by extruding hard vinyl chloride resin.
In recent years, rain gutters whose base material is a polyolefin resin have attracted attention because of their excellent thermal stability and easy recycling.

In order to reduce the deformation of the rain gutter made of polyolefin resin due to thermal expansion and contraction, a rain gutter having a base layer (core layer) formed of a polyolefin resin in which glass fibers are dispersed has been proposed. Kaihei 6-29966
According to Japanese Patent Publication No. 5 (1999) -1995, a layer of a polyolefin resin in which glass fibers are dispersed is used as a base material layer, and a weather-resistant resin layer made of an ethylene- (meth) acrylate copolymer is laminated on the surface thereof via an adhesive layer. Thus, a laminated rain gutter having improved weather resistance, which is a disadvantage of the polyolefin resin, has been proposed.

[0004]

However, in the rain gutter having such a structure, when short fibers are used as glass fibers, the short fibers protrude to the surface, and fine irregularities based on the short fibers are formed on the surface. Is formed, so that the surface becomes rough, the appearance is not good, and there is a problem that dirt is easily attached. If the thickness of the weather-resistant resin layer laminated on the surface is increased, the irregularities due to the short glass fibers are eliminated, but the weather-resistant resin is more expensive than the polyolefin resin, which increases the cost and is not practical.

On the other hand, for example, if a rain gutter base material is formed using a resin composition containing sintered attapulgite as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-329824, a composite rain having a good surface smoothness can be obtained. You can get a gutter. However, such a resin composition cannot obtain a sufficiently low elasticity despite an increase in cost.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a rain gutter having reduced thermal expansion and contraction in which reinforcing short fibers are dispersed, and which has a low cost.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fiber composite rain gutter having excellent surface smoothness.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 provides a smooth layer made of the same kind of resin on both surfaces or one surface of a base material layer in which a reinforcing short fiber is dispersed using a polyolefin resin as a matrix. It is a fiber composite rain gutter characterized by being laminated.

According to the fiber composite rain gutter configured as described above, the rigidity as the rain gutter and the basic performance such as low elasticity are maintained by the base material layer in which the reinforcing short fibers are dispersed.

Further, when the reinforcing staple fiber contained in the base material layer is formed into a gutter shape and tries to project on the surface of the gutter, it is absorbed by the smooth layer on the surface and projects on the gutter surface. Without this, the smoothness of the rain gutter surface is maintained.

In addition, since the same kind of resin as the resin forming the base layer is used for the smooth layer, a laminate in which the base layer and the smooth layer are directly stacked without interposing an adhesive layer or the like is formed. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Thereby, the features of the polyolefin resin, such as low cost and easy recycling, can be provided as it is.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the fiber composite rain gutter according to the first aspect, the thickness of the smooth layer is in a range of 5 to 15 times the diameter of the reinforced short fibers. is there.

By setting the thickness of the smooth layer in this range, the smoothness which is a defect of the base layer can be improved without impairing the properties of the base layer.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the smooth layer does not substantially contain reinforced short fibers.
The fiber composite rain gutter according to 1.

According to the structure in which the smooth layer does not substantially include the reinforcing short fibers, the reinforcing short fibers which are to protrude from the base layer can be absorbed most efficiently. Obtainable.

[0015] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the smooth layer includes:
The fiber composite rain gutter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of the reinforcing short fibers is smaller than that of the base material layer.

According to the fiber composite rain gutter configured as described above, the smooth layer having a small content of the reinforcing short fibers is laminated on the surface of the base material layer in which the reinforcing short fibers are dispersed. The content of the reinforcing short fibers contained in the gutter is high at the center and gradually decreases toward the surface. As a result, the rigidity of the gutter and the basic performance such as low elasticity are maintained, and the reinforcing short fibers contained in a large amount in the base material layer are less protruded from the surface. Is kept.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that a surface layer for imparting functionality is provided on the surface of the fiber composite rain gutter. The fiber composite rain gutter according to 1.

Thus, in the rain gutter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the functionality such as weather resistance can be improved.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining an example of a fiber composite rain gutter of this embodiment. In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a fiber composite rain gutter, and the rain gutter 1 is a multilayer laminate formed by extrusion molding simultaneously with a multilayer mold of a polyolefin resin. In this figure, the front wall 3 from both sides of the bottom wall 2
And the rear wall 4 stands upright. Its walls 3, 4
A pair of ear rims 5 are formed at the upper end. The shape of the rain gutter 1 is not particularly limited, and may be any shape. For example, the cut surface in the direction orthogonal to the length direction may have a semicircular outer shape, and the presence or absence and shape of the ear edge are also free.

As shown in FIG. 2, the main parts of the cross sections of the walls 2 to 4 of the rain gutter 1 have thicknesses 1 to 3 in which a polyolefin resin is used as a matrix M and reinforcing short fibers F are dispersed therein.
Smooth layers 12 and 12 made of the same type of polyolefin resin are laminated on both surfaces of a base layer 11 of about mm by extrusion using a multilayer mold.

In this figure, these layers are clearly distinguished by lines, but these layers are substantially fused and integrated, or the reinforcing layer contained in the base material layer 11 is formed. It is considered that a part of the short fibers F protrudes from the smooth layer 12. In the following drawings, for understanding of the invention, each layer is clearly shown by a straight line, but these layers are not always clear, and the layers are fused together by multilayer extrusion to be integrated. Including the case that has been.

The polyolefin resin used as the matrix resin includes a homopolymer or a copolymer of olefins, and an appropriate one is selected in consideration of the required performance and moldability generally used for rain gutters. Used. These polyolefin resins may be used alone or
More than one species may be mixed and used as a blend.

The matrix resin may contain various additives (eg, antioxidants, impact modifiers, stabilizers, coloring agents such as pigments and dyes, flame retardants, Of the present invention) may be blended as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. An example of such a polyolefin resin is described in, for example, JP-A-6-2996.
No. 65 and JP-A-6-329842.

The fibers used as the reinforcing short fibers are not particularly limited. Normally, reinforced short fibers used for reinforcing the polyolefin resin are appropriately selected as needed. By blending reinforced short fibers, thermal stretchability (linear expansion coefficient) is reduced,
In addition, necessary rigidity as a rain gutter is provided. They are, for example, inorganic fibers such as glass fiber, carbon fiber and alumina fiber, and organic fibers such as aramid fiber. Inorganic whiskers can also be used. These reinforced short fibers may be used as a mixture, or may be subjected to other chemical treatments which do not impair the object of the present invention. For example, these reinforced short fibers may be those which have been subjected to an appropriate surface treatment so that the adhesive force with the resin is increased in advance.

In the present invention, the diameter of the reinforcing short fiber is 3 to 3
It is preferable that the thickness is 0 μm from the viewpoint of reducing the thermal stretchability of the gutter and improving the surface smoothness of the obtained gutter. In order to effectively reduce the thermal stretchability and maintain the surface smoothness, it is considered that the fiber diameter should be small. It becomes difficult to maintain the fiber length. Meanwhile, 3
If it exceeds 0 μm, not only the reinforcing effect as a fiber is not sufficiently exhibited, but also the effect of improving the smoothness by providing a smooth layer may be hindered.

The fiber length of the reinforced short fibers is not limited, either, and may be any as long as it can be blended with a polyolefin resin in the form of a chop, milled fiber, etc. and put into a melt extruder for dispersion. In general, the longer the fiber length, the higher the effect of effectively reducing the thermal stretchability. If the fiber length is too short, the effect of reducing the thermal stretchability and the effect of reinforcing are small.
Usually, it is desirable that the average of the aspect ratio (the ratio of the length / diameter of the reinforcing short fiber) is 50 or more.

The filling amount of the reinforcing short fibers contained in the base material layer is not limited. Usually, 2 to 2 of the total amount of the polyolefin resin
30% by volume is preferable in terms of reducing the thermal stretchability. If it is less than 2% by volume, the effect of reducing the thermal stretchability as a rain gutter is small. In addition, if the content exceeds about 30% by volume, it may be difficult to disperse the polyolefin resin in the polyolefin resin.

On the other hand, it is important that the smoothing layer 12 is made of the same kind of polyolefin resin as the resin used as the matrix resin. When different resins are used, a sufficient effect cannot be obtained as will be apparent from a comparative example described later.

The thickness of the smooth layer 12 is not essentially limited, but may be about 5 to 15 times the fiber diameter (average diameter) of the reinforcing short fibers contained in the base material layer 11. If the thickness is too small, the effect of the present invention of smoothing the surface irregularities based on the reinforcing staple fibers becomes insufficient. On the other hand, increasing the thickness unnecessarily increases the material cost and unnecessarily increases the rainfall. This will increase the weight of the gutter.

The smooth layer 12 may be substantially free of the reinforcing staple fiber F. However, if the content of the reinforcing staple fiber F contained in the base material layer 11 is reduced, the reinforcing staple fiber F is reduced. Can reduce the appearance of surface irregularities based on the

When the smoothing layer 12 contains reinforcing short fibers, for example, it is preferable that the content of the fibers is gradually reduced toward the surface as shown in FIG. In this figure, for example, by adding 30% by weight of reinforcing short fibers to the base material layer 11, sufficient rigidity and heat stretchability as rain gutters are imparted.
The surface smoothness is imparted by containing 0% by weight or less of reinforcing short fibers, and the inclined smooth layer 121 contains about 25% by weight of reinforcing short fibers in between.

According to this structure, the content of the reinforced short fibers is gradually reduced from the center toward the surface, whereby
Efficiently demonstrate the effect of reinforcing the shearing force applied during snowfall,
In addition, the surface smoothness can be improved.

Further, these surfaces may be provided with another surface layer in order to provide the function of a rain gutter. Since the resin material imparting such functionality has little compatibility with the polyolefin resin constituting the base material layer structure, when these functional resin materials are used as the surface,
An adhesive layer is interposed between them.

Thus, for example, as shown in FIG.
The laminate shown in FIG. 2 has surface layers 14, 14 that impart functionality to the surfaces of the smooth layers 12, 12 via the adhesive layers 13, 13.
Are respectively laminated.

As shown in FIG. 5, the laminate shown in FIG. 3 has an adhesive layer 1 on both surfaces of the inclined smooth layers 121, 121.
Surface layers 14, 1 for imparting functionality via 3, 13, etc.
4 are stacked. By laminating a layer of a weather-resistant resin such as an acrylic resin as a surface layer for imparting the functionality, the weather resistance of the rain gutter can be imparted.

[0037]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below based on embodiments. In the following examples, the fiber composite rain gutter was manufactured by using an extruder using a plurality of co-directional twin screw extruders. Example 1 70% by weight of polypropylene (manufactured by Mitsubishi Yuka, trade name: EC-8) having an MFR of 4 at 230 ° C. and glass fiber having a fiber diameter of 7 μm and a fiber length of 6 mm (manufactured by NEC Corporation, trade name) (E glass) was dry-blended to obtain a resin used for the base layer 11, and the same polypropylene used for the base layer 11 was used as a resin for the smooth layer 12 without glass fibers.

The resin for the base layer was charged into one twin-screw extruder, and the resin for the smooth layer was charged into another twin-screw extruder. In each extruder, the mixture is melted and extruded, and a smoothing resin is laminated on both surfaces of the base material layer 11 in a multilayer mold.
1 has a thickness of 1.95 mm, and the smooth layers 12 on both sides have a thickness of 0.95 mm.
A multilayer rain gutter of FIG. 2 having a thickness of 05 mm was obtained.

The surface of the rain gutter was smooth, and the surface roughness was 8 μm on average.

For comparison, the surface roughness of the rain gutter of only the substrate layer 11 on which the smooth layer 12 was not laminated was 110 μm. Accordingly, it is understood that the smoothness of the surface is improved by providing the smooth layer 12 on the surface of the base material layer 11.

Example 2 As shown in FIG. 4, a 0.05 mm thick SEBS (Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) was formed on the smooth layer 12 of the rain gutter obtained in Example 1 as an adhesive layer 13 for imparting weather resistance. Product name: H1
041, ethylene / butadiene content 70% by weight) to give weather resistance using AES (manufactured by Sumika Haas Co., Ltd., trade name: HFI-10) having an MFR of 4 at 230 ° C. 15mm surface layer (functionality-imparting layer)
14 were laminated to form a gutter. The surface roughness of this gutter was 5 μm.

Embodiment 3 In Embodiment 3, the inclined smooth layers 121 and 122 shown in FIG.
To form a rain gutter including:

70% by weight of polypropylene having a MFR of 4 at 230 ° C. (manufactured by Mitsubishi Yuka, trade name: EC-8) and glass fiber having a fiber diameter of 7 μm and a fiber length of 6 mm (manufactured by NEC Corporation, trade name) E glass) by dry blending to obtain a resin to be used for the base material layer 11,
As the resin used for 21, 75 wt% of the same polypropylene and 25 wt% of the same glass fiber are dry-blended, and as the resin used for the inclined smoothing layer 122, 90 wt% of the same polypropylene and 10 wt% of the same glass fiber are used.
Parts by weight were dry blended and used.

In order to impart weather resistance, SEBS (manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., trade name: H1041, ethylene / butadiene content 70% by weight) and a surface layer 14 are provided on the inclined smooth layer 122 to impart weather resistance. AES (manufactured by Sumika Haas Co., Ltd., trade name: HFI-10) having an MFR of 4 at 230 ° C. was used.

The resin for forming the base layer and the resin for forming the inclined layer were melt-kneaded in the extruder using five bidirectional twin-screw extruders. Both sides are coated with a resin for forming a gradient layer having a reduced fiber content,
Further, a resin for forming a gradient layer having a further reduced fiber content was coated thereon. Further, a surface layer 14 as a weather-resistant resin layer was laminated via an adhesive layer 13 to form a gutter.

The thickness of each layer of the obtained gutter was as follows, and the surface roughness of the gutter was as good as 5 μm.

Base resin layer 11: 0.5 mm Slope smooth layer 121: 0.5 mm Slope smooth layer 122: 0.05 mm Adhesive layer 13: 0.05 mm Surface layer 14: 0.15 mm

[0048]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the basic performance such as the rigidity as a rain gutter and the low elasticity is maintained by the base material layer in which the reinforcing short fibers are dispersed. .

Further, when the reinforcing short fibers contained in the base material layer are formed into a gutter shape and try to protrude from the surface of the gutter, a smooth layer is laminated on the surface. The reinforced short fibers that are to protrude to the surface of the material layer are absorbed by the smooth layer and do not protrude to the surface of the rain gutter, and the smoothness of the gutter surface is maintained.

Further, since the same kind of resin as the resin forming the base layer is used for the smooth layer, a laminated body in which the base layer and the smooth layer are directly stacked without interposing an adhesive layer or the like is formed. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Thereby, the features of the polyolefin resin, such as low cost and easy recycling, can be provided as it is.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the thickness of the smooth layer is set in the range of 5 to 15 times the diameter of the reinforcing short fiber, so that the properties of the base layer can be reduced without impairing the properties of the base layer. Certain smoothness can be improved.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the smooth layer contains substantially no reinforcing short fibers, it is possible to most efficiently absorb the reinforcing short fibers protruding from the base material layer. A smooth gutter can be obtained.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the smooth layer having a small content of the reinforcing short fibers is laminated on the surface of the base material layer in which the reinforcing short fibers are dispersed. The content of short fibers is high at the center and gradually decreases toward the surface, thereby maintaining basic performance such as tub stiffness as a gutter and low elasticity, and increasing the amount of short fibers in the base material layer. Reinforced short fibers contained in the gutter are less likely to protrude to the surface, and the surface of the rain gutter can be kept smooth.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that a surface layer for imparting functionality is provided on the surface of the fiber composite rain gutter. The fiber composite rain gutter according to 1.

Thus, in the rain gutter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the functionality such as weather resistance can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective sectional view illustrating a rain gutter as a rain gutter of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an example of a main part of a cross section of a wall of a rain gutter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an example of a cross-sectional main part of a wall of the rain gutter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an example of a main part of a cross section of a wall of the rain gutter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an example of a cross section of a main part of a wall of the rain gutter of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 fiber composite rain gutter 11 base layer 12 smooth layer 121 inclined smooth layer 122 inclined smooth layer 13 adhesive layer 14 surface layer (functional layer, weather resistant resin layer) F reinforced short fiber M matrix

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 4F100 AG00 AK03A AK03B AK03C AK07 AT00D BA03 BA04 BA07 BA10B BA10C BA10D BA13 DG01 DG03A DG03B DG03C DH00A EH17 GB08 GB90 JA03 JA20B JA20C JK15 JK15B JK15Y

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A fiber composite rain gutter, wherein a smooth layer made of the same kind of resin is laminated on both sides or one side of a base material layer in which reinforcing short fibers are dispersed using a polyolefin resin as a matrix. 2. The fiber composite rain gutter according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the smooth layer is in the range of 5 to 15 times the diameter of the reinforced short fibers. 3. The fiber composite rain gutter according to claim 2, wherein the smooth layer contains substantially no reinforcing short fibers. 4. The smoothing layer according to claim 1, wherein the content of the reinforcing short fibers is smaller than that of the base material layer.
A fiber composite rain gutter according to claim 1. 5. The fiber composite rain gutter according to claim 1, wherein a surface layer for imparting functionality is provided on a surface of the fiber composite rain gutter.