Patent ID: 8776391

Claim:
A system for removing extraneous liquid polymer from polymeric items having a curable liquid polymer component, the system comprising: a spin station, comprising: a spin chamber having a predetermined load side and a predetermined unload side; a loading mechanism external to the spin chamber at the load side and operable to receive a tray carrying a plurality of polymeric items having extraneous liquid polymer thereon; a turntable having an axis of rotation and located in the spin chamber so as to receive the tray from the loading mechanism at the load side of the spin chamber and to discharge the tray from the unload side of the spin chamber, the turntable being operable to spin the tray about the axis of rotation so as to remove at least a first quantity of the extraneous liquid polymer from the items by centrifugal force; a first sensor mechanism operably associated with the turntable so as to determine when the turntable is positioned relative to the load side of the spin chamber for receiving the tray from the loading mechanism; an unloading mechanism external to the spin chamber at the unload side and operable to receive the tray from the turntable at the unload side of the spin chamber; and a second sensor mechanism operably associated with the turntable so as to determine when the turntable is positioned relative to the unloading mechanism for delivering the tray to the unloading mechanism; a washing station located and configured to receive the tray from the spin station and operable to spray water at an elevated temperature and pressure on the items so as to remove a second quantity of the extraneous liquid polymer from the items, thereby producing a mixture of water and liquid polymer; and a water distillation system arranged to receive at least a portion of the mixture of water and liquid polymer from the washing station, and operable to separate by distillation the water from the liquid polymer in the mixture, wherein the distillation system comprises: a reaction chamber operable to maintain a vacuum and having a heating coil operable to separate the liquid polymer from the water in the mixture by evaporating the water, wherein the heating coil has a surface that is not conducive to adhesion of the liquid polymer component during the separation; and a condensation chamber arranged to receive water vapor from the reaction chamber and operable to condense the water vapor into liquid water.