Patent ID: 11858864
Assignee: CERTAINTEED GYPSUM OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
Field: Materials, metallurgy (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  B | IPC B  C

Claim 4:
5. A method for making gypsum board having a gypsum core and a plurality of voids that are distributed throughout the gypsum core across a length, a width and a thickness of the core, the method comprising:
increasing bubble size in a foamed gypsum slurry used to make the gypsum core by improving distribution of foam throughout, wherein the improved distribution of foam is a result of:
mixing slurry at a first flow rate;
injecting foam into the mixed slurry to form a slurry mixture with bubbles therein;
inducing a swirl to the slurry mixture; and, thereafter,
imparting laminar flow to the slurry mixture to reduce turbulence and blend the slurry mixture and foam together into a homogeneous mixture;
forcing coalescence of the bubbles in the slurry mixture, and

wherein the slurry mixture is configured for depositing on a sheet to form the gypsum board,
wherein the plurality of voids are distributed throughout the gypsum core across the length, the width and the thickness of the core, and
wherein the gypsum core is made with a system including a mixer constructed and arranged to mix slurry and direct the mixed slurry to an exit gate, a foam injector constructed and arranged to inject foam into the mixed slurry to form a slurry mixture, a canister connected to the mixer and constructed and arranged to induce a swirl to the slurry mixture; a first funnel body being connected to the canister and having: a funnel inlet for receiving the slurry mixture from the canister, an angular inner wall, and a funnel outlet, the funnel outlet having a circular cross-section that is smaller than a cross-section of the funnel inlet and centered with respect to the first funnel body, the angular inner wall extending between the funnel inlet and the funnel outlet and being angled relative to a center of the funnel outlet to direct the slurry mixture poured into the funnel inlet from the canister towards the funnel outlet; and an elongated hose having a first end coupled to the funnel outlet of the first funnel body and a second end for depositing the slurry mixture onto a moving conveyor, the elongated hose having a length that is sufficient to impart the slurry mixture with said laminar flow between the first end and the second end of the elongated hose,
wherein the funnel outlet of the first funnel body and the elongated hose have a substantially similar inner diameter; the gypsum board obtained by:
mixing the slurry at a first flow rate;
injecting foam into the mixed slurry to form the slurry mixture;
inducing a swirl to the slurry mixture using the canister;
receiving the slurry mixture from the canister and in the funnel inlet and directing the slurry mixture along the angular inner wall and towards the funnel outlet; and
depositing the slurry mixture via the second end of the elongate hose onto the moving conveyor to form the gypsum board,
wherein the slurry mixture is directed from the canister and through the elongated hose before the depositing onto the conveyor, and

wherein the plurality of voids include different size voids and wherein larger voids of the different size voids are distributed throughout the gypsum core across a length, a width and a thickness of the core.