JPWO2021174155A5 - - Google Patents

Claims (20)

An in-line process for manufacturing lightweight thermoplastic composite articles using an in-line system, the process comprising:
combining a reinforcing material and a thermoplastic material in a liquid to produce an aqueous foam;
depositing the aqueous foam on a moving support of the in-line system;
removing liquid from the deposited aqueous foam on the moving support to form an open cell structured web formed from the thermoplastic material and the reinforcing material;
providing the formed web on the moving support of the in-line system to a first press apparatus of the in-line system at a first pressure and a first temperature, using the first press apparatus; applying heat and pressure to the formed web, the first temperature and the first pressure being selected to melt the thermoplastic material of the formed web; to provide and
providing the heated web to a second press apparatus of the in-line system at a second temperature and a second pressure, and using the second press apparatus to cool the heated web; cooling the heated web using the second pressing apparatus, wherein the second temperature is lower than the melting point of the thermoplastic material of the heated web, and the second pressure is less than or equal to the first pressure; providing a cooling web comprising a thickness substantially similar to the heating web;
discharging the cooling web from the in-line system to provide the lightweight thermoplastic composite article. The first pressure is greater than 1.1 bar, or about 2 bar to about 30 bar, or about 3 bar to about 25 bar, or about 3 bar to about 15 bar. , the inline process of claim 1. The first temperature is about 170°C to about 250°C, or about 170°C to about 240°C, or about 170°C to about 230°C, or about 170°C to about 220°C, or about 170°C to about 210°C. , or about 170°C to about 200°C. The second temperature is below the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material, or below 170°C, or below 160°C, or below 150°C, or below 140°C, or below 130°C, or below 120°C, or below 110°C. , or less than 90°C, or less than 80°C, or less than 70°C, or less than 60°C, or less than 50°C, or less than 45°C, or from 5°C to 45°C. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: cutting the cooling web into individual lightweight thermoplastic composite articles using the in-line system; and ejecting the individual lightweight thermoplastic composite articles from the in-line system. inline process. The first press device is configured to apply pressure to the heated web at the first temperature and the first pressure by sandwiching the formed web between an upper plate and a lower plate. 2. The inline process of claim 1, wherein: The second press device is configured to apply pressure to the heated web at the second temperature and the second pressure by sandwiching the heated web between an upper plate and a lower plate. 2. The inline process of claim 1. The first press device includes an upper roller set and a lower roller set, and the first press device includes an upper roller set and a lower roller set.
There is a space between the upper roller set and the lower roller set of the press device, and each of the plurality of upper rollers and the plurality of lower rollers of the first press device applying the first pressure to the formed web as it passes between the upper set of rollers and the lower set of rollers of the first press apparatus; 2. The in-line process of claim 1, used together for. The second press device includes an upper roller set and a lower roller set, and there is a space between the upper roller set and the lower roller set of the second press device. Each of the plurality of upper rollers and the plurality of lower rollers of the apparatus is cooled to the second temperature such that the heated web is connected to the upper roller set and the lower roller set of the second press apparatus. 2. The in-line process of claim 1, wherein the in-line process is used together to apply the second pressure to the heated web received from the first press device as it passes between the heated webs. The in-line system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least one set of rollers for selecting the thickness of the formed web before providing the formed web to the first press apparatus. process. An in-line process for manufacturing lightweight thermoplastic composite articles using an in-line system, the process comprising:
combining a reinforcing material and a thermoplastic material in a liquid to produce an aqueous foam;
depositing the aqueous foam on a moving support of the in-line system;
removing liquid from the aqueous foam deposited on the moving support to form an open cell structured web formed from the thermoplastic material and the reinforcing material;
disposing a first skin on a first surface of the formed web;
providing the formed web and disposed first skin on the moving support of the in-line system to a first pressing device of the in-line system; applying heat and pressure to the formed web and the disposed first skin at a temperature and a first pressure, wherein the first temperature and the first pressure providing, selected to melt the thermoplastic material of the web;
providing the heated web and the disposed first skin to a second press device of the in-line system at a second temperature to cool the heated web and the disposed skin and to cool the heated web and the disposed first skin; applying pressure to the heated web at a second pressure, the heating web being cooled to provide a cooling web having a thickness substantially similar to the heating web; providing, the second pressure is less than or equal to the first pressure;
discharging the cooling web from the in-line system to provide the lightweight thermoplastic composite article. The first pressure is greater than 1.1 bar, or about 2 bar to about 30 bar, or about 3 bar to about 25 bar, or about 3 bar to about 15 bar. , the inline process of claim 11. The first temperature is about 170°C to about 250°C, or about 170°C to about 240°C, or about 170°C to about 230°C, or about 170°C to about 220°C, or about 170°C to about 210°C. , or about 170°C to about 200°C. The second temperature is below the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material, or below 170°C, or 1
less than 60°C, or less than 150°C, or less than 140°C, or less than 130°C, or less than 120°C, or less than 110°C, or less than 90°C, or less than 80°C, or less than 70°C, or less than 60°C, or The in-line process according to claim 11, wherein the temperature is less than 50°C, or less than 45°C, or between 5°C and 45°C. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising cutting the cooling web into individual lightweight thermoplastic composite articles using the in-line system and ejecting the individual lightweight thermoplastic composite articles from the in-line system. inline process. The first press device is configured to apply pressure to the heated web at the first temperature and the first pressure by sandwiching the formed web between an upper plate and a lower plate. 12. The inline process of claim 11. The second press device is configured to apply pressure to the heated web at the second temperature and the second pressure by sandwiching the heated web between an upper plate and a lower plate. 12. The inline process of claim 11. The first press device includes an upper roller set and a lower roller set, and there is a space between the upper roller set and the lower roller set of the first press device. Each of the plurality of upper rollers and the plurality of lower rollers of the apparatus is heated to the first temperature and the formed web is heated to the upper roller set and the lower roller set of the first press apparatus. 12. The in-line process of claim 11, wherein the in-line process is used together to apply the first pressure to the formed web when passing between. The second press device and the second press device include an upper roller set and a lower roller set, and a space is provided between the upper roller set and the lower roller set of the second press device. and each of the plurality of upper rollers and the plurality of lower rollers of the second press apparatus is cooled to the second temperature, and the heated web is connected to the upper roller set of the second press apparatus. 12. The in-line process of claim 11, used together to apply the second pressure to the heated web received from the first press apparatus as it passes between the lower roller set. 12. The in-line system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises at least one roller set for selecting the thickness of the formed web before providing the formed web to the first press apparatus. process.