US 12,420,453 B2
Systems for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament
Thomas R. Clark, Hixson, TN (US)
Assigned to Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Calhoun, GA (US)
Filed by Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Calhoun, GA (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/210,362.
Application 13/892,713 is a division of application No. 13/721,955, filed on Dec. 20, 2012, granted, now 8,597,553, issued on Dec. 3, 2013.
Application 13/892,740 is a division of application No. 13/721,955, filed on Dec. 20, 2012, granted, now 8,597,553, issued on Dec. 3, 2013.
Application 18/210,362 is a continuation of application No. 16/896,318, filed on Jun. 9, 2020, granted, now 11,724,418.
Application 16/896,318 is a continuation of application No. 16/664,730, filed on Oct. 25, 2019, granted, now 10,695,953, issued on Jun. 30, 2020.
Application 16/664,730 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/432,579, filed on Jun. 5, 2019, granted, now 10,538,016, issued on Jan. 21, 2020.
Application 16/432,579 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/220,733, filed on Dec. 14, 2018, granted, now 10,532,495, issued on Jan. 14, 2020.
Application 16/664,730 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/213,694, filed on Dec. 7, 2018, granted, now 10,647,046, issued on May 12, 2020.
Application 16/213,694 is a continuation of application No. 15/473,385, filed on Mar. 29, 2017, granted, now 10,239,247, issued on Mar. 26, 2019.
Application 16/220,733 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/419,955, filed on Jan. 30, 2017, granted, now 10,487,422, issued on Nov. 26, 2019.
Application 15/419,955 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/396,143, filed on Dec. 30, 2016, granted, now 10,493,660, issued on Dec. 3, 2019.
Application 15/473,385 is a continuation of application No. 14/546,796, filed on Nov. 18, 2014, granted, now 9,636,860, issued on May 2, 2017.
Application 15/396,143 is a continuation of application No. 13/892,713, filed on May 13, 2013, granted, now 9,550,338, issued on Jan. 24, 2017.
Application 14/546,796 is a continuation in part of application No. 13/892,740, filed on May 13, 2013, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/654,016, filed on May 31, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2023/0321875 A1, Oct. 12, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B01F 27/1143 (2022.01); B01D 29/00 (2006.01); B01F 33/70 (2022.01); B01F 35/221 (2022.01); B01J 3/00 (2006.01); B01J 19/00 (2006.01); B29B 7/46 (2006.01); B29B 7/88 (2006.01); B29B 7/94 (2006.01); B29B 17/00 (2006.01); B29B 17/02 (2006.01); B29C 37/00 (2006.01); B29C 48/05 (2019.01); B29C 48/255 (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 48/695 (2019.01); B29C 48/70 (2019.01); B29C 48/76 (2019.01); B29C 48/92 (2019.01); B29D 99/00 (2010.01); C08G 63/78 (2006.01); 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 1/04 (2006.01); D01F 1/06 (2006.01); D01F 6/62 (2006.01); D02G 3/24 (2006.01); D02G 3/44 (2006.01); B29B 13/00 (2006.01); B29C 35/08 (2006.01); B29C 48/14 (2019.01); B29C 48/435 (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); B01F 35/2213 (2022.01); B01J 3/006 (2013.01); B29B 17/00 (2013.01); B29C 37/006 (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 48/767 (2019.02); B29C 48/92 (2019.02); B29D 99/0078 (2013.01); C08G 63/785 (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); D02G 3/445 (2013.01); B29B 2013/002 (2013.01); B29B 2013/005 (2013.01); B29B 2017/0015 (2013.01); B29B 2017/0224 (2013.01); B29C 2035/0822 (2013.01); B29C 48/144 (2019.02); B29C 48/435 (2019.02); B29C 48/766 (2019.02); B29C 2948/922 (2019.02); B29C 2948/92361 (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)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, the system comprising:
a crystallizer configured to at least partially dry a plurality of polymer flakes;
a melt processing unit comprising:
a first section in mechanical communication with the crystallizer and configured to receive the plurality of polymer flakes from the crystallizer and melt the plurality of polymer flakes into 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 at least eight streams;
a chamber configured to receive the at least eight streams from the separation element; and
a second section in mechanical communication with the chamber and configured to receive the at least eight streams and recombine the at least eight streams into a second single stream of polymer melt;
a pressure regulation system configured to maintain a chamber pressure within the chamber between about 0 millibars and about 25 millibars as the at least eight streams are in the chamber;
at least one computer-controller configured to operate the pressure regulation system to maintain the chamber pressure between about 0 millibars and about 25 millibars; and
a spinning machine in mechanical communication with the melt processing unit and configured to receive the second single stream of polymer melt and form polymer from the second single stream of polymer melt into the bulked continuous carpet filament.