Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Composite – Of carbohydrate
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-27
2002-04-30
Acquah, Samuel A. (Department: 1711)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Composite
Of carbohydrate
C428S308800, C428S141000, C428S413000, C428S423100, C428S425100, C428S481000, C524S009000, C524S013000, C524S034000, C264S464000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06379815
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a moulded element, in particular in the form of a panel or plate, which comprises a compressed mixture of binder and filler. The present invention furthermore relates to a method and a device for manufacturing a moulded element, in particular a plate, wherein a mixture comprising binder and filler is compressed and heated. In addition to that, the present invention relates to floor plates, a sports hall provided with such floor plates, and also to ceiling plates, promotional gifts, objects of art and furniture.
A moulded element of this kind is known from European patent No. 0 338 047, wherein a granulate of hard polyurethane foam and integral foam is used as the polyurethane, whereby the amount of granulate of integral foam ranges between 10 and 99% by weight. The fillers that are mentioned are glass fibres, textile fibres, asbestos, leather and cellulose. In addition, elongated rubber particles may be used as a filler. The filler content is 50% at most. Although it is stated in Example 1 of said European patent that such a moulded element possesses properties which make it suitable for use as a plate element for floors in sports halls, the sports engineering laboratory of Stichting NOC*NSF at Papendal has declared such plates unfit for use as a sports surface, because they do not possess the required mechanical properties. In particular the elasticity of such a floor is unsuitable for indoor sports.
International patent application WO 93/19917 relates to a method for recycling polyurethane hard foam, whereby it is stated that cellulose in the form of paper and paste can be added to a content of 80%.
British patent application no. 2,030,504 relates to a fibre-reinforced material made of expanded plastics, which is intended for use in the packaging industry. Wood fibres, glass fibres and shredded paper are mentioned as examples of fibrous materials for reinforcing the material which is made from plastics.
German Offenlegungsschrift no. 44 29 355 relates to a method for manufacturing parts of the interior of cars, for example, wherein a material consisting of natural fibres is added as a reinforcing material. It is stated in column 3, lines 41-56, that scraps of paper, preferably obtained from waste paper or from industrial paper waste flows, may be used.
British patent no. 1,574,006 relates to objects in which waste paper is incorporated. The objects thus obtained may be used as construction materials, for example.
European patent application no. 0 565 013 relates to a plate material based on paper and to a method of manufacturing same. The only paper source that is mentioned therein is waste paper.
International patent application WO 90/13403 relates to a method for manufacturing a flat moulded element made from a synthetic resin, in which cellulose-like materials are incorporated.
In addition to that it has been proposed to use residual paper as a filler, but it was considered impossible to use paper in view of the moisture absorption by the paper, which would make the material unsuitable for incorporation in such plates. In view of the large amounts of banknotes that will become available the next few years as a result of the introduction of a new currency in Europe, it is desirable to find a useful destination for these banknotes.
The object of the present invention is to provide a moulded element, in particular in the shape of a plate, which does not exhibit the above drawbacks. In addition to that it is desirable to provide an application which constitutes a technically and economically sound solution for the problem of finding a way to recycle used bank-paper in an efficient manner.
According to the present invention, the moulded element as referred to in the introduction is characterized in that banknotes are used as a filler.
The moulded element obtained according to the present invention is suitable for use as a floor element, in particular for sports surfaces, as an element for manufacturing furniture, doors, ceiling elements and wall elements, whereby said moulded element is in particular suitable for use as a constructional element for building purposes. Another application of the moulded element obtained according to the present invention is in the field of objects of art, decorative products and promotional gifts, such as attaché-cases, serving trays, birdhouses and the like. The present moulded element is in particular suitable for applications where usually wooden elements, chipboards and compressed plates are used, whereby said materials can be substituted for the moulded element obtained according to the present invention, which is characterized in that it comprises banknotes as a filler.
In a preferred embodiment of the moulded element according to the invention, ground, shredded banknotes are used as a filler. The use of shredded banknotes ensures that a homogeneous mixture of binder and filler is produced, so that a homogeneous moulded element is obtained after a heat treatment under compression.
The percentage of banknotes generally ranges between 20 and 98% by weight, in particular 25-95% by weight, preferably 40-80% by weight, in particular 50-75% by weight, based on the weight of the eventual moulded element. If the percentage of banknotes in the eventual moulded element is lower than 20% by weight, the mechanical properties that are obtained will be inadequate. In addition, the cost price of the eventual moulded element will become higher when the percentage of banknotes is small, which is undesirable in practice. If the percentage of banknotes in the moulded element is higher than 98% by weight, the eventual moulded element will be unsuitable for use as, for example, a plate for sports surfaces. Experiments have shown that in particular a high E-modulus, which parameter is important for sports surfaces, is obtained if the percentage of banknotes is 50-75% by weight. For other applications, such as furniture, wall elements, ceiling elements and the like, wherein the E-modulus is not a decisive parameter, the percentage of banknotes is preferably 40-80% by weight, based on the weight of the eventual moulded element. An especially desirable moulded element is composed of 94% by weight of banknotes and 6% by weight of binder. In certain embodiments it is moreover desirable to use one or more usual fillers which are known in the art, for example talc, carbon black, silicon dioxide and the like, in addition to the banknotes which make up the present filler. It should be understood, however, that the intended use of the eventual moulded element determines the special banknotes—binder ratio, whereby the percentage of banknotes according to the invention preferably ranges between 20 and 98% by weight.
The binder to be used is not particularly critical. Suitable binders are for example compounds containing isocyanate groups, mineral binders, thermosetting binders, such as melamine resins and phenol resins, polyester resins and epoxy resins. Such binders may be used alone or in a mixture thereof, whereby it is preferred in some embodiments that initiators are present. In certain embodiments it is preferred to use one or more solvents, in order to improve the flow characteristics of the mixture of binder and filler. Furthermore, it is in particular preferred to use a compound containing isocyanate groups as a binder, so that a uniform moulded element is obtained after a heat treatment under compression.
In a special embodiment of the moulded element according to the present invention, it is preferred to add polyurethane to the mixture of binder and banknotes. Polyurethane has a positive effect on the integrity of the eventual moulded element, whereby the amount of polyurethane is in particular not limited. Generally the amount of banknotes will range between 20 and 98% by weight, preferably between 40 and 80% by weight, in particular between 50 and 75% by weight, based on the weight of the eventual moulded element, whereby the remaining amount consists of binder, polyurethane and furthermore one or more additives, as will be de
Acquah Samuel A.
Seed Intellectual Property Law Group PLLC
Syntech Holdings B.V.
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