CA1181562A

CA1181562A - Multi-layer laminated resin film, and method and apparatus for producing the same

Info

Publication number: CA1181562A
Application number: CA000377148A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Masatomo Ishihara; Hirohisa Komoda
Original assignee: Tokan Kogyo Co Ltd; Toyo Seikan Kaisha Ltd
Current assignee: Tokan Kogyo Co Ltd; Toyo Seikan Group Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 1980-05-08
Filing date: 1981-05-08
Publication date: 1985-01-29
Also published as: AU544715B2; JPS56157355A; US4410602A; GB2075914B; GB2075914A; US4476080A; AU7014681A

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A multi-layer laminated resin film comprising top and bottom outer laminates of sandwich structure each including a layer of reclaimed synthetic resin mixture entirely surrounded by a second fresh resin layer and an inner layer interposed between and secured to the inside surface of the top and bottom laminates, A process for producing a multi-layer laminated resin film using reclaimed resin mixture in which a first resin of reclaimed synthetic resin mixture is fed into a first composite die in a first direction, a second resin of fresh resin is fed into the first composite die in a second direction at right angles to the first direction to surround the first resin, adhesive is fed into a second composite die in a first direction and a third resin is fed into the second composite die in a second direction diametrically opposite to the first direction. A
device for producing a multi-layer laminated film using re-claimed resin mixture which comprises a series of composite dies connected in end-to-end relationship in which each of the composite dies includes upper and lower die portions, and first, second and third extruder means associated there-with to feed different materials to the respective composite dies.

Description

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A MULTI-LAYER LAMINATED R~ FIL~ Ai~D M~THOD AND
APPARATU~ FOR PRO~UCING T~ A~1E
Back~und_o~__The Invention This invention relates to a process and apparatus for forming a film or sheet-liKe product from thermoplastic ~ynthetic resin composltions by the employment of the conventional extruders even when the resin compositions include reclaimed synthe-tic resins having relatively low thermal decomposition temperatures and more particularly, to a multi-layer laminated resin which comprises top and bottom outer layers of sandwich structl1re each consistinO
of a first resin o~ reclaimed synthetic resin entirely surrounded by a second resin Or rresh resin and an inr.er layer o~ a third resin havin~ a property dir~erent from those of the above-mentioned two resins interposed betwaen and secured to the top and bottom outer layers and a process and apparatus for produci.ng the multi-layer laminated resin ~ilm Of late, synthetic resins have been required to have one or more of a varie-ty of properties dependin~
upon applications o~ such resins and these properties include moldability, transparence, printability, impact resistance, weather resistance, tensile strength, elonga-tion, shearing stren~th, adhesion and ~as permeability and novel resins have been developed to meet these requirements.
However9 di~ficulties have be~n encountered in producinO
resins having two or more o~ the above-mentioned properties and even when such resins were developed~ they could not be co.mmercially produced.
Thus, in order to meet the above-mentioned requirements, there have been proposed relativel1j less expensive laminated resin ril~s which are excellent in some of the above-~entioned properties called ror in ] _ ~

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resins and one example of these laminated resin films is a heat sealable auto-packin~ laminated resin film which comprises opposite outer layers formed Or polyethylene having excellent heat sealing property and an inner layer formed of polyethylene havin~ hi~h recilience and tensile strength in a thin film form because the polyethylene forming the outer layers is insufficient in resilience and ten~ile strangth. Alternatively9 there has been also proposed a laminated resin film which comprises opposite outer layers formed of polyethylene and an inner layer formed of vinylidene chloride of low ~as permeability because the polyethylene forming the outer layers is excellent in heat sealing property, but hi~h in gas permeability. ~hen these laminated resin films formed of two or more difrerent synthetic resins are employed in the producin~ of certain products, some rejects are inevitably produced and dis-carded a~ waste and when the laminated resin films are stamped to produce certain products, waste or scrap is produced.
And since the decomposition temperatures of various waste synthetic resin materials are in many cases lower than that of any one of laminated films rorrned of a plurality of different materials and the properties of such waste materials are unknown, such resin waste materials 5 are discarded without bein~ reclaimed.
Summary of The Invention Therefore, the present invention is to provide a novel and improved process and apparatus which can produce a multi-layer laminated resin film by the utilization of waste synthetic resin materials wnich up to now have been conventionally discarded as waste and the properties o~

which are known.
The present invention also provides a novel and improved ~ulti-layer laminated resin film procluced by the novel and improved proce~s and apparatus, The above and other objects and attendant advan~
tage~ of the present invention will be more readlly apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which show one preferred embodiment o~ the inven-tion only for the purpose Or illustration, but not for limiting the scope of the same.

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Fig. 1 is a schematic top plan view of one preffed embodiment of the device constructed in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a top plan view in longitudinal sectinn 15 on an enlargsd scale of the composite die assembly of said device showing the upper flow path arran2ement defined therein;
Figo 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view on an enlarged scale of said device of Fig. 1 showing the 20 upper half portion of said composite die assernbly;
Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along _substantially along the line IV - IV and as seen in the arrow direction in Fig. 2 showing the upper ~irst die of the first composite die together with the firqt and second flow 25 paths derined therein;
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along ~ubstantially the line V V and as seen in the arrow direc tion in Fig. 2 showing the resin flow path converging in the leading end portion of the upper first die of said first composite die; and Fig. 6 is a longitudinally sectional view of the produced larninated resin ~ilm positioned in the leading end portion of the upper third die of the third cornposite die~

Preferred Embodiment of ~he Invention ~ he present invention will be described in detail referring to the accompanying drawings, but first the followin~
should be pointed out in connection with the drawings:
The first sheet contains Figures 1, 4 and 5, the second sheet contains Figure 2, the third sheet contains Figure 3 and the fourth sheet contains Figure 6.
Although Figure 1 is a schematic ~iew of the device which incorpoxates a series of composite dies integrally connected together in end-to-end relationship as shown in Figures 2 and 3 therein to provide the operative effects contemplated by the present invention, some of the components of the device are eliminated from the showing of various Figures.
That is, among the series Gf dies as shown in Figure 3, although a first composite die 41 comprises upper and lower first dies 41A, 41B adapted to be bolted to a second composite die 42, only the upper first die 41A of the first composite die 41 appears in Figure 1, but the lower first die 41B is not seen in this Figure because the latter underlies the former.
A first induction pipe 21A shown in Figure 1 in the upper pipe of a composite induction pipe which is branched into the upper first induction pipe 21A in communication with the upper first induction opening 31A in the upper first die ~lA
and a lower first induction pipe 21B (not shown) in communica-tion with a lower first induction opening 31B ~not shown) in the lower first die 41B. The lower first induction pipe 21B
which communicates with the lower first induction opening 31B
in the lower first die 41B does not appear in any one of the several Figures because the lower first induction pipe 21B
underlies the upper first induction pipe 21A. Similarly, _ ~ _ a second induction pipe 22A is also the upper induction pipe of a second composite induction pipe which is branched into the upper - 4a second induction pipe 22A in communication with an upper second induction openin& 32A in the upper first die 41A
and a lower second induction pipe 22B (not shown) in com-munication with a lower second induc~ion opening 32B
(no shown) in the lower first die 1~13. The lower second induction pipe 22B in communication with the lower second induction openin~ 32B is not seen in any one of the several Fi~ures~
And in Fig. 1, a fourth induction pipe 24A is an upper fourth induction pipe in communication at one end with a fourth induction openin~ 34A in the upper second die 42A of a second composite die l~2 and at the other end with a fourth e~truder 14 and a lower fourth induction pipe 24B (not shown) wnich is in communication with a fourth induction opening 3L~B (not shown) in the lower second die 42B of the second composite die 42 and is not seen in any of the several FiOures because the induction pipe 24B underlies the above-mentioned upper Pourth induc-tion pipe 24A.
Therefore, the leadin~ end of the upper first induction pipe 21A associated with a first extruder 11 is in communication with the upper first induction opening 31A in the upper first die 41A9 the leadin~ end of the upper second induction pipe 22A associated with a second extruder 12 is in com~unication with the upper second induction opening 32A in the upper first die 41A, the leading end of a third induction pipe 23 associated with a third extruder 13 is in communication with a third induc-tion openin~ 33 posotioned in t.he center of the second composite die 42 and the leadin~ end Or the fourth induction pipe 2l~A associated with a fourth extruder lLr is in com-munication with the upper fourth induction opening 34A
in the second die 1~2A.

As more clearly shown in ~ig~ 3, since the upper and lower dies of each composite die are identical with each other in constructinn, only the upper dies will be described hereinbelow with the understanding that the same is also applicable to the lower diesO The upper first induction opening 31A is in communication with an u~per first throuGh flow path 51A which extends along the longitudinal axis of the upper first die 41A and the upper second induction opening 32A is in communication with an upper second cylindrical flow path 52A which i~ coaxial with ~nd surrounds the upper first flow path 51A. As more clearly shown in Fig. L~, the upper first flow path 51A
and upper second flow path 52A are isolated ~rom each other by an intervenin~ cylindrical partition wall 45A.
The thickness of the intervening~ bulk-partition wall head L~5A positioned between the upper first flow path 51A and upper second flow path 52A ~radually decreases towards the leading or inner end of the upper first die 41A and as more clearly shown in Fig. 3, the upper second flow path 52A merges into the outer periphery of the upper first flow path 51A at the leading end of the upper ~irst die 4lA and communicates with an upper converging flow path 56A in the upper second die 42A, The upper first die 41A and the lower first die 41B similar to the die 41A
25 in construction are connected to the upper and lower second dies 42A and 42B Or the second composite die 429 respec tively and although not shown, the lower first flow path 51B and lower second cylindrical flow path 52B merge into a lower converging flow path 56B in the lower second die 30 L~2Bo The second die 42 has a center induction opening 33 to which the third induction pipe 23 associated with a third extruder 13 is connected and upper and lower fourth induction openings 3L~A and 3L~B (not shown) are also provided in the ~econd die 42 between the upper second die converging flow path 56A, and the lower second die conver~ing flow path 56B and the upper and lower fourth induction pip8S
24A and 24B a~sociated with the fourth extruder 14 are 5 connected to the upper and lower induction openings 34A
and 34B, respectively.
A third flow path 53, an upper second die fourth flow path 56A and a lower second die flow path 54B extend from the third and fourth induction openings through the 10 upper and lower second dies 42A, 42B to the leading end of the second composite die 1~2. As shown in Fio. 2, a third composite die 43 is connected at one end to the leading end of the second composite die ~2 and takes the form of a fishtail die. In each of the upper and lower die~ 1~3A and 15 43B of the third composite die L~3, converging flow paths 56A, 56B9 fourth flow paths 54A, 54B and a center flow path 53 extend laterally through the effective width of the third die 43 and at the leading end of the third compo3ite die, the converging flow paths and third flow path merge 20 with eaeh other and connect to a fifth flow path 55 at the lip of a fourth composite die 44O
- ~ith the above-mentioned construction and arrangement of the components of the laminated resin film producin~ device 10 of the present invention; the device 25 operates as follows:
First of all, a charge of a mixture consisting of different reclaimed synthetic resins is melted in the first extruder 11 to become a first resin 61 and the molten first resin 61 is extruded under pressure from the extruder 11 3 into the upper and lower first induction pipes 21A and 21B
from where the first resin flows into the upper and lower first dies 41A and 41~ at the induction openings 31A and 31B therein, respectively. After ha~ing flowed in-to the upper and lower first dies 41A and l~l3, the molten first resin 61 advances throu~h the axial flow paths 51 in the two dies toward the leadin~ end of the first die 41.
char~e of fresh polyethylene is melted in the 3econd ex~
truder 12 to become a second resin 62 and the molten second resin is extruded under pressure from the extruder 12 in-to the ~econd induction pipe 22 ~rom where the ~econd resin 62 flows into the upper and lower first dies 41A and l~lB
o~ the first composite die L~l at the upper and lower second induction openin~ 32A and 32B therein. After having flowed into the upper and lower first dies 41A and 41B, the molten second resin 62 flows through the upper and lower 3econd cylindrical flow paths 52A, 52B isolated from the first resin 61 flowing through the upper and lower first flow paths 51A, 51B by means of the cylindrical partition wall 45 and as the second resin 62 flows through the flow path~ 52A, 52B~ the resin is gradually formed into a hollow cylindrical 3hape (~ee Fig. 4). At the leading end of the first com-posite die 41, the cylindrical second resin 62 merges with the outer periphery of ths solid cylindrical first resin 61 and advance~ into the laminating flow paths 56A and 56B
in the upper and lower second dies 42A and 42B of the second composite die 42 together with the two flows o~ the first resin 61 surrounded by the two or upper and lo~er flows of the second resin 62. In the laminatin~ flow paths 56A, 56B~ the two resins 61, 62 are laminated one upon another while being flattened by the particular configuration of the laminating flow paths as shown in Fig. 5~ While the laminated resins are present in the second dle 42~ a saponi-3 fication ethylene - vinyl acetate copolymer of low gas permeability i~ melted in the third extruder 13 to become a third resin 63 and the molten copolymer is extruded from the extruder 13 into the third induction pipe 23 from where the resin 63 flows into the second die 42 at the center induction opening 33 therein.
Meantime, adhesive 64 is extruded from the fourth e~truder 14 into the upper and lower second dies 42A, 42B
at the upper and lower fourth induction openings 34A, 34 therein respectively. In this way, the second resin 62 surrounding and merged with the first resin 61, the third resin 63 and the adhesive 64 then flow into the fishtail-shaped flow paths in the upper and lower third dies 43A
and 43B of the third composite die and spread to the full effective width of the particular shape of the fishtail paths having a predetermined depth. The resins and adhesive then flow into the converging fifth flow path commonly formed in the upper and lower fourth dies 44A and 44B of the composite fourth die 44 to be formed into a multilayer laminated film.
Therefore, as more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 5, since the first resin 61 is formed being surrounded on the opposite surfaces and at the opposite ends thereof or on the entire veriphery by the second resin 62 in the second and third comvosite dies 42, 43, even when the first resin 61 consists of reclaimed resin of relatively low decomposition temperature, the first resin 61 is not directly subjected to the heat from the second and third composite dies 42, 43 by the presence of the intervening second resin consisting of fresh polyethylene or relatively high decompo-sition temperature. Thus, even when the second and third composite dies are maintained at a relatively appropriate manufacturing temperature with respect to resin 63, but higher than the decomposition temperature of the first resin 61, the first resin 61 can be formed without being decomposed.

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Therefore, a multi.-layer laminated film as shown in Fig. 6 can be easily and positively produced without - 9a -~`.~.

decomposin~ the reclaimed synthetic resin and the multi layer laminated fi.lm inte~rally comprises top and bottom composite outer layers 653 65 each includin~ the first resin 61 of reclaimed resin mixture sandwiched or surrounded 5 by the second resin S2 of fresh polyethylene consisting o~ the third resin 63 of low ~as permeable ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer o~ hi~h heat shieldin~ capability~ and an inner layer 66 interposed between the top and bottom outer layers 66 and secured to the outer layers by the adhesive 10 64. The thus produced multi-layer laminated film exhibits excellent heat shieldin~ capability by virtue of the poly-ethylene forming the top and bottom outer layers and also has low ga~ permeability due to the saponification ethylene-vinyl acetate copoly~sr forming the inner layer and is a 15 mo~t suitable film for use in food packages to be sealed.
As is clear from the fore~oing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, according to the present invention, the first resin of reclaimed resin mix-ture i5 fed under pressure into the axial first flow paths in the upper and lower dies of the first compo~ite dieg the second resin of fresh polyetnylene is fed under pressure ~--into the upper and lower second flow paths surrounding the axial first flo~ path in a peripherally spaced relationship to the latter so that the second resin forms a hollow cylindrical shape surrounding the ~irst resin in a peri-pherally ~paced relationship to the latter, tha ~irst and second resins advance throu~h their respective flow paths maintaining the surroundlng relationship to the leading end of the first composite die where the second resin merges 3 in to the periphery Or the first resin to form the top and bottom outer layers; the third resin is fed under prsssure into the upper and lcwer third ~low paths in the upper and lower second dies of the second composite die via the upper and lower induction o~er-lin~s in the left~hand and ri~ht-hand sides of the die to ~orm the inner layer to be positioned between the top and bottom outer layers~ the ~irst3 second and third resins advance into the third composite die where the top and bottom outer layers and the inner layer are flattened or reduced in thickness in the separate flow paths and secured together under heating to thereby produce the multi-layer laminated ~ilmi ~ince the first resin consisting of reclaimed resin mixture i3 entirely surrounded by the second resin consistin~ of fresh polyethylene resin, the first re~in can be formed without thermal decornposition.
Thus, according to the present invention9 even when the first resin consists of reclaimed resin mixtures consisting of two or more different resins, the present invention can be effectively applied.
In the foregoing, description has been made of only one specific embodiment of the invention, but it will readily occur to thoso skilled in the art that the same is illustrative in nature, and does not limit the ~cope of the invention in an~J way~ The scope of the invention is --determined by the foregroing claims.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu-sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-

1, A multi-layer laminated resin film using reclaimed resin integrally comprising a pair of outer layers having an integral sandwich construction each including a first re-claimed synthetic resin mixture sheet and a second fresh resin surrounding the entire periphery of said reclaimed synthetic resin mixture sheet and a third inner resin layer interposed between and integrally secured to the inside por-tions of said outer layers and having properties different from those of said reclaimed synthetic resin mixture and fresh resin.

2. The multi-layer laminated resin film as set forth in claim 1, in which said fresh resin is polyethylene and said third resin is a saponification copolymer of ethylene-vinyl acetate,

3. The multi-layer laminated resin film as set forth in claim 1, in which said inner layer is integrally secured to said top and bottom outer layers by means of an adhesive layer interposed between the adjacent layers of said fresh resin.

4. An integrally laminated synthetic resin film com-prising:
a pair of outer layers, an inner layer located under the inner side of said outer layers, and a pair of adhesive layers adhering between the inner surfaces of the two outer layers and the outer surfaces of the inner layer, wherein, each of the outer layers includes a reclaimed resin layer of relatively low decomposition temperature and a virgin resin film of relatively high decomposition tem-perature which film encloses all of the inner, outer and the side surfaces of said reclaimed resin layer perfectly, said inner layer having a higher decomposition temperature than the decomposition temperature of the resin which has the lowest decomposition temperature within the resins recycled in said reclaimed resin layer and also having properties different from those of said reclaimed synthetic resin mixture and virgin resin, whereby, when said inner and outer layers are laminated, the higher temperature of the inner layer resin is absorbed by the virgin resin of the outer layer thereby preventing decomposition of the reclaimed resin in the outer layer by the high temperature of inner layer.

5. A process for producing a multi-layer laminated resin film comprising the steps of feeding a reclaimed syn-thetic resin mixture under pressure as a first resin into an axial first flow path in each of upper and lower first dies, feeding a fresh resin under pressure as a second resin into a second flow path in each of said upper and lower first dies to form said second resin into a hollow cylindrical shape about said first resin so as to surround the first resin to thereby form a top or bottom outer layer in each of the upper and lower first dies and feeding a third resin into a second die at center induction openings on the opposite sides of said second die to form a center layer between said outer layers and flatten said top and bottom outer layers to a pre-determined thickness and at the same time securing the outer layers together under heating in a third die, said outer layers being laminated to the center layer.

6. The process as set forth in claim 5 further in-cluding the step of integrally laminating said sandwich structure top and bottom outer layers and inner layer in a laminating flow path in a lip die.