US 12,343,903 B2
Methods for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament
Thomas R. Clark, Hixson, TN (US)
Assigned to Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Calhoun, GA (US)
Appl. No. 17/616,933
Filed by Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Calhoun, GA (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 4, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/036094
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 6, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/247609, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 10, 2020.
Application 17/616,933 is a continuation of application No. 16/432,579, filed on Jun. 5, 2019, granted, now 10,538,016, issued on Jan. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0305694 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B29C 48/255 (2019.01); B01D 29/00 (2006.01); B29B 17/00 (2006.01); B29B 17/02 (2006.01); B29C 48/05 (2019.01); B29C 48/14 (2019.01); B29C 48/38 (2019.01); B29C 48/385 (2019.01); B29C 48/425 (2019.01); B29C 48/43 (2019.01); B29C 48/44 (2019.01); B29C 48/70 (2019.01); B29C 48/92 (2019.01); B29D 99/00 (2010.01); C08J 11/04 (2006.01); C08J 11/06 (2006.01); D01D 1/10 (2006.01); D01D 5/00 (2006.01); D01D 5/08 (2006.01); D01F 6/62 (2006.01); B29B 13/00 (2006.01); B29C 48/435 (2019.01); B29C 48/76 (2019.01); B29K 67/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/26 (2006.01)
CPC B29B 17/02 (2013.01) [B01D 29/0095 (2013.01); B29B 17/00 (2013.01); B29C 48/05 (2019.02); B29C 48/255 (2019.02); B29C 48/2552 (2019.02); B29C 48/38 (2019.02); B29C 48/385 (2019.02); B29C 48/425 (2019.02); B29C 48/43 (2019.02); B29C 48/44 (2019.02); B29C 48/70 (2019.02); B29C 48/92 (2019.02); B29D 99/0078 (2013.01); C08J 11/04 (2013.01); C08J 11/06 (2013.01); D01D 1/103 (2013.01); D01D 1/106 (2013.01); D01D 5/00 (2013.01); D01D 5/08 (2013.01); D01F 6/62 (2013.01); B29B 2013/002 (2013.01); B29B 2013/005 (2013.01); B29B 2017/0015 (2013.01); B29B 2017/0224 (2013.01); B29C 48/144 (2019.02); B29C 48/435 (2019.02); B29C 48/766 (2019.02); B29C 2948/922 (2019.02); B29C 2948/92514 (2019.02); B29C 2948/92876 (2019.02); B29K 2067/003 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0067 (2013.01); B29K 2105/26 (2013.01); C08J 2367/02 (2013.01); D10B 2503/04 (2013.01); Y02P 20/143 (2015.11); Y02W 30/62 (2015.05)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, the system comprising: a first section of a melt processing unit, the first section being configured to melt a plurality of polymer flakes to create a first single stream of polymer melt; a separation element configured to receive the first single stream of polymer melt and divide the first single stream of polymer melt into multiple streams of polymer melt, the separation element comprising an extrusion die defining a plurality of holes; a multiple stream section of the melt processing unit configured to: receive the multiple streams of polymer melt from the extrusion die, allow the multiple streams of polymer melt to pass through the multiple stream section and into a receiving section of the melt processing unit, and expose the multiple streams of polymer melt to a pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit as the multiple streams of polymer melt pass through the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit; a pressure regulation system configured to maintain the pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit between about 0 millibars and about 5 millibars as the multiple streams of polymer pass through the multiple stream section, wherein: the receiving section of the melt processing unit is configured to: receive the multiple streams of polymer melt, recombine the multiple streams of polymer melt into at least one combined stream of polymer melt, and convey the at least one combined stream of polymer melt toward at least one spinning machine that is configured to form polymer from the at least one combined stream of polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament; and the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit is configured to allow the multiple streams of polymer melt to free fall into a receiving section of the melt processing unit under the weight of gravity; and
the system further comprising an intrinsic viscosity management system configured to determine an intrinsic viscosity of the at least one combined stream of polymer melt, and, in response to determining the intrinsic viscosity of the at least one combined stream of polymer melt, instructing the pressure regulation system to adjust the pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit.