Patent ID: 8110131
Filing Date: 2012-02-07
Classification: B29B,B29L,Y02W,Y10S

Abstract:
1. An improved method for processing post-consumer carpet to recycle one or more component materials of said post consumer carpet, said method comprising: supporting one or more rolls of said post consumer carpet on a support for rotation of said one or more rolls thereon; feeding one end of said roll of post-consumer carpet face down into an intake comprising one or more rollers; classifying said roll of post-consumer carpet according to chemical structure of face fiber by using an infrared spectrometer and a Fourier transform process to produce a spectra for said roll of post-consumer carpet; and comparing said spectra of said roll of post-consumer carpet to a library of spectra of known materials for determining said chemical structure; dedusting of said post consumer carpet by one or more of: directing high pressure air at said carpet during said feeding by blowing air from a centrifugal blower; and vacuum dedusting of said post-consumer carpet; propelling said carpet into a separator using a first roller being brushless and a second roller having brushes thereon; said brushless roller being above said post-consumer carpet and contacting said backing, and said second roller being below said post-consumer carpet with said brushes engaging said face fiber to cause said propelling of a portion of said roll of post-consumer carpet beneath a guide bar; driving of one or more of said first and second rollers being by transferring power from a motor; separating face fiber of said post-consumer carpet by a circulating knife blade of said separator severing face fiber from backing material; sharpening said circulating knife blade continuously using a sharpener to continuously present a sharp cutting edge for said severing; and cooling of said continuously sharpened circulating knife blade to thereby prevent overheating; permitting said separated face fiber to fall into a chute for transport, said face fiber falling by one or more of: gravity free falling; and vacuum-assisted falling; dedusting of said separated face fiber using a willow cleaner; cleaning of said separated face fiber to extract debris therefrom using one or more of: a source of high pressure air; a vacuum condenser; and a self-contained fluidic ultrasonic cleaner, said self-contained ultrasonic cleaner comprising a fluid cleaning system for extracting dust and/or debris from said cleaning fluid; drying of said cleaned face fiber using one or more of: forcing air upon said cleaned face fiber; applying heat to said cleaned face fiber; and drying in a centrifugal dryer; transporting of said cleaned face fiber pneumatically through a chute for baling of said cleaned face fibers by a baler; storing of said baled face fiber according to said classified chemical structure; feeding of said stored bales, for one of said classified chemical structures, into a conglomerator for heating therein to remove latex and other remaining adhesive components by volatizing said adhesive components, producing said heat using a heat source comprising one or more of: electric resistance heat; heat from a combustion source; solar heat; and microwave energy; and melting in said conglomerator of said adhesive-free face fiber into a flowable state; feeding said flowable face fiber into a hopper of an extruder; adding one or more chemical agents to produce a high quality polymer; compacting said high quality polymer to force a flow of said high quality polymer through a die for forming an extruded shape; cutting said extruded high quality polymer shape into pellets; and loading said pellets into one or more containers; trading said high quality polymer pellets as a raw material commodity for use in other manufacturing operations; carrying away of said separated backing to a granulator using a conveyor; and forming backing fragments by one or more of: shredding, cutting, and chopping of said backing; and opening of said fragments into fibers by tearing of said fragments in an opening device; and dedusting; storing said torn backing fibers in a blending box; transporting said stored backing fibers from said blending box to said conglomerator; and density compacting and melting of said torn backing fibers in said conglomerator to remove latex and other remaining adhesive components by volatizing said adhesive components; and granulating of said adhesive-free backing to form a low quality polymer.