Patent Description:
Various processes and methods for recycling objects are currently known.

These include shoes, or other sports waste, which can be recycled to produce new raw material to be used for other purposes.

However, shoes have a very heterogeneous structure: they have an elastomer sole made of several layers of different materials, they have an upper part that includes polymeric and textile elements as well as leather elements.

The recycling of shoes can therefore be carried out by manually separating the portions of the shoe itself and shredding them.

The known technique described includes some important drawbacks.

In particular, the described operations, which are essentially carried out manually, are too cumbersome and laborious to be economically advantageous.

As a conclusion, the recycling of shoes, in particular sports shoes, is rarely carried out. A recycling process of sport shoes is known from <NPL>), wherein sport shoes are shredded, followed by metal separation and an aeraulic separation phase in a zig-zag drop path. Other processes are known from the article "Footwear Recycling : from the idea to the demonstrator" (XP055856454) or patents <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

In this situation, the technical task at the basis of the present invention is to devise a plant and a process for recycling sports waste capable of substantially obviating at least part of the aforementioned drawbacks.

In the context of said technical task, it is an important aim of the invention to obtain a plant and a process for recycling sports shoes which allows for adequate and economical recycling.

The technical task and the specified purposes are achieved by a process for recycling sports shoes according to claim <NUM>.

Preferred technical solutions are disclosed in the dependent claims.

The features and advantages of the invention are hereinafter clarified by the detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:.

With reference to the Figures, the recycling plant for sports waste according to the present disclosure is globally indicated by number <NUM>. It is precisely suitable for recycling sports waste, in particular sports shoes <NUM>, more particularly the soles <NUM> of sports shoes <NUM>, more particularly of running shoes or trainers.

As known, the soles <NUM> of the known sports shoes <NUM>, and recycled by the method according to the invention, are, generally, composed of the following portions: an outer sole portion 101a, preferably referred to as outsole, in direct contact with the ground generally made of polymeric materials such as carbon rubber and/or blown rubber, an intermediate sole 101b, in contact with said outer sole 101a, preferably referred to as midsole, and generally made of polymeric materials such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and/or Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA). Other materials comprising said midsoles 101b and/or outsoles 101a may be polymers such as: Polyurethane (PU), Polyester (PE), Polyamides (PA), leatherette, other polymeric materials.

The recycling plant <NUM> includes shredding means <NUM>.

In the shredding means <NUM> shoe soles <NUM> are inserted, more in details inner soles 101a, separated from the latter by simple cutting, for example manually using scissors, knives or similar tools, or even whole shoes <NUM>.

The shredding means <NUM> preferably comprise a shredding machine, known per se, suitable precisely for shredding waste in order to mechanically shred it into portions of a volume preferably less than dm<NUM>, more preferably less than cm<NUM>. Said shredding machine may comprise a rotating blade, driven, for example, by a single-shaft motor preferably electrically driven. It preferably has a power of between <NUM> kW and <NUM> kW and a speed of between <NUM> and <NUM> rpm.

Preferably, the shredding machine is also equipped with a pusher, which presses the waste to be shredded against the rotating blade. It is driven by a hydraulic cylinder which makes a path of between <NUM> dm and <NUM> dm, preferably of <NUM> dm, which allows to obtain an effective pressure of the material on the blades.

At the outlet of the shredding machine, a grid can be found, preferably replaceable, which allows selection of the size of the shredded waste under consideration.

The grid is also openable for cleaning operations or the similar, in order to be able to easily carry out maintenance and cleaning operations.

Preferably, the shredding machine is equipped with interlocks, known in themselves, both mechanical and electrical for the purpose of safety and functionality.

The shredding machine also includes means of command and control, such as touch screens or the similar, and PLCs or mini-computers of the industrial type known by them.

At the output of the shredding machine there is therefore a shredded product <NUM>. The recycling plant <NUM> preferably comprises transport means <NUM> such as conveyor belts, augers and the like for transporting the products between the various means and machines described below.

The recycling plant <NUM> further comprises, preferably, deferrization means <NUM> for separating ferrous metals from non-ferrous metals and other materials in the shredded product. Preferably, the deferrization means <NUM> comprise magnetic means suitable for achieving, by magnetic force, said separation.

Thus, the deferrization means <NUM> comprise a magnet <NUM>, permanent or electromagnet, surmounted by a conveyor belt <NUM> and preferably superimposed on the transport means <NUM> of the shredded product <NUM>, such as another conveyor belt.

The magnet <NUM> is suitable for attracting the ferrous shredded product <NUM> passing over the conveyor belt and constraining it to the conveyor belt <NUM> in order to move it away from the transport means <NUM>.

The shredded product <NUM> is apt to be deprived of ferrous materials to become deferrized shredded product <NUM>.

Other deferrization means <NUM>, known by themselves, may be implemented instead of the one described and may act for example by eddy currents or other means.

The recycling plant <NUM> also comprises aeraulic separation means <NUM>, known by them. Such means comprise an aeraulic separation machinery.

Preferably, the machinery comprises a speed-adjustable star valve to make it possible to set up the sorting process and feed the deferrized shredded product <NUM> or for the shredded product <NUM> into the machinery, so as to have an accurate adjustment.

The aeraulic separation machinery <NUM> also preferably defines a zig-zag drop path for the deferrized shredded product <NUM> or for the shredded product <NUM>. The aeraulic separation machinery further comprises means for generating an air flow, from the bottom to the top, along the zigzag drop path. Said air flow, due to the zig-zag path is apt to become turbulent and to drag the lighter portions of the deferrized shredded product <NUM> or of the shredded product <NUM> to the top and convey them along a suitable duct. On the other hand, the heavier portions, for example metals, of the deferrized shredded product <NUM> or shredded product <NUM> are likely not to be dragged by the airflow and fall towards the bottom of the duct.

The aeraulic separation machinery <NUM> also comprises within the aeraulic separation machinery a sponge filtering system, which is known in itself, for dust abatement.

The aeraulic separation means <NUM>, are suitable for separating light products, or heavy products, or both, which preferably constitute a second raw material <NUM>.

The recycling plant <NUM> also comprises realization means <NUM> of second products <NUM>, other than sports shoes <NUM>, obtained from the second raw material <NUM>.

Said second products <NUM> are preferably anti-trauma tiles obtained from the high quality elastomers obtained from the recycling activity of the sports shoes.

The realization means <NUM> preferably comprise a container for the second raw material <NUM>, equipped with an outlet metering funnel and an auger, part of the transport means <NUM>.

The embodiment means <NUM> preferably comprise a mixer <NUM>, for mixing and homogenizing the second raw material <NUM> granular type and for adding water and other additives to the second raw material <NUM>.

The realization means <NUM> preferably comprise moulding means <NUM>, comprising a press, a mould. The press is suitable for applying a pressure preferably in excess of <NUM> bar, and more preferably <NUM> bar, and possibly heating means for the material deposited in the moulds.

Said mould comprises extraction means for removing the finished product.

The operation of the recycling plant <NUM> described above in structural terms is described below. It defines an innovative recycling process, preferably carried out by means of the described recycling plant <NUM>.

The procedure first comprises a phase of collecting the sports shoes <NUM>, of the type described.

The process then comprises a separation phase. In said phase, it is performed to separate the sole <NUM> of the shoes from the remaining part of the shoes <NUM> themselves, or upper, by making a cut at a predetermined height so that the upper and sole are ejected from two separate outlets.

The process then comprises a shredding phase, which is preferably carried out by shredding means <NUM>.

In said shredding phase, the soles <NUM> are shredded by means of the described shredding machine.

The shredded product <NUM> is appropriately selected by means of the described grid. The shredded product <NUM> is then preferably transported from the shredding means <NUM> to the deferrization means <NUM> by means of transport means <NUM> such as conveyor belts and the similar.

The process thus comprises a deferrization phase, wherein ferrous metals are separated from non-ferrous metals and other materials present in the shredded product <NUM>, preferably by the described deferrization means <NUM>.

In said deferrization phase, the separation is preferably carried out by magnetic means, preferably of the type described.

The deferrized shredded product is then transported, preferably by means of transport means <NUM> such as a conveyor belt, to an aeraulic separation phase, preferably operated by means of the described aeraulic separation means <NUM>.

In said aeraulic separation phase the deferrized shredded product <NUM> is fed into the described machine and partitioned by means of a speed-adjustable star valve to make it possible to set up the selection process, so as to have an accurate regulation.

The said path is invested by a current flow of air conveyed from the bottom to the top. The air flow, due to the zigzag path, becomes turbulent. Said flow drags the lighter portions of the deferrized shredded product <NUM> or for the shredded product <NUM> to the top and conveys them along a special duct.

Conversely, the heavier portions, for example metals, of the deferrized shredded product <NUM> or shredded product <NUM> fall towards the bottom of the duct.

At the same time, the dust is abated by the filtering system, preferably of the type described.

The product leaving the aeraulic separation phase, preferably the light products, or thinking products or both, preferably constitutes a second raw material <NUM>.

The recycling process also comprises a phase of making second products <NUM>, preferably of the type described, obtained from the second raw material <NUM> and preferably by means of the realization means <NUM> described.

Said one embodiment phase provides that the second raw material <NUM> is preferably stored in the container described, is then mixed, preferably by means of the mixer <NUM>, with water and other additives.

The admixed and mixed second raw material <NUM> is then moulded, preferably by means of the moulding means <NUM>, preferably of the type described. The moulded products <NUM> are extracted and are ready for marketing and use.

The plant <NUM> and a recycling process according to the invention achieve important advantages.

Indeed, it enables a largely automatic recycling of the sports shoes <NUM>. In particular, it has been verified that by separating the sole and using and shredding only the latter, the products have surprisingly better quality and the plant can be automated more. The recycling itself thus becomes economically viable and possible.

The invention is susceptible to variations within the scope of the inventive concept as defined by the claims.

Claim 1:
Recycling process of sports waste (<NUM>) consisting of sports shoes (<NUM>) including a sole (<NUM>), comprising:
- a first separation phase wherein sports shoes (<NUM>) are separated from their soles (<NUM>),
- a shredding phase, wherein only said sole (<NUM>) is shredded and a shredded product (<NUM>) is produced,
- a deferrization phase, wherein ferrous metals are separated from non-ferrous metals and other materials present in said shredded product (<NUM>) and an iron removed shredded product is produced (<NUM>),
- an aeraulic separation phase (<NUM>), wherein said deferrized shredded product (<NUM>) is separated, depending on its specific weight, to make second raw material (<NUM>),
- a realization phase (<NUM>) of second products (<NUM>) other than said sports shoes (<NUM>) obtained from said second raw material (<NUM>), wherein
- said realization phase (<NUM>) comprises printing said second raw material (<NUM>), and wherein
- said aeraulic separation phase is performed by means of an aeraulic separation machine defining a zig-zag drop path for said deferrized shredded product (<NUM>).