Claims
- 1. An apparatus for the preparation of a mixture of resin and initiator, to form a modified resin including cross-linked microgel particles, comprising:
- an extruder having the resin being conveyed therethrough;
- means for adding the initiator to the resin in said extruder to form the modified resin
- means for measuring the cross-linked microgel particles in the modified resin substantially immediately after mixing in said extruder and transmitting a signal indicative of the quantity of cross-linked microgel particles in the modified resin; and
- means, responsive to the signal indicative of the quantity of cross-linked microgel particles for controlling addition rate of the initiator to said extruder.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said adding means comprises:
- a container, coupled to said extruder, storing a supply of initiator; and
- means for urging the initiator from said container to said extruder through said conduit.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said adding means comprises a nozzle for spraying the initiator into said extruder.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said measuring means comprises a spectrophotometer.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
- means, responsive to the signal, for determining that the quantity of cross-linked microgel particles in the modified resin is within an acceptable quantity range.
- 6. An apparatus for the preparation of a mixture of resin and initiator, to form a modified resin including cross-linked microgel, comprising:
- an extruder having the resin being conveyed therethrough;
- an adding device for adding the initiator to the resin in said extruder to form the modified resin;
- a transmittance measuring device for measuring the cross-linkage of the microgel in the modified resin substantially immediately after mixing in said extruder and for transmitting a signal indicative of the quantity of cross-linkage of the microgel particles in the modified resin; and
- a controller responsive to the signal indicative of the quantity of cross-linkage of the microgel particles for controlling addition rate of the initiator to said extruder.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said adding device comprises:
- a container, coupled to said extruder, for storing a supply of initiator; and
- an urging device for urging the initiator from said container to said extruder through a conduit.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said adding device further comprises a nozzle for spraying the initiator into said extruder.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said transmittance measuring device comprises a spectrophotometer.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a controller, responsive to the signal, for determining that the quantity of cross-linkage of the microgel particles in the modified resin is within an acceptable quantity range.
- 11. An apparatus for the preparation of a mixture of resin and initiator, to form a modified resin including cross-linked microgel, comprising:
- an extruder having the resin being conveyed therethrough;
- an adding device for adding the initiator to the resin in said extruder to form the modified resin;
- a spectroscope for measuring the cross-linkage of the microgel in the modified resin substantially immediately after mixing in said extruder and for transmitting a signal indicative of the quantity of cross-linkage in the modified resin; and
- a controller responsive to the signal indicative of the quantity of cross-linkage of the microgel particles for controlling addition rate of the initiator to said extruder.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said adding device comprises:
- a container, coupled to said extruder, for storing a supply of initiator; and
- an urging device for urging the initiator from said container to said extruder through a conduit.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said adding device further comprises a nozzle for spraying the initiator into said extruder.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a controller, responsive to the signal, for determining that the quantity of cross-linkage of the microgel particles in the modified resin is within an acceptable quantity range.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:
- said spectroscope is adapted to measure the spectral bands of the cross linked gel in the modified resin; and
- said controller is adapted to convert the spectral bands into a measurement of the quantity of cross-linked gel.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 08/501,528, filed Jul. 12, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,484.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4973439 |
Chang et al. |
Nov 1990 |
|
5223562 |
Sagawa et al. |
Jun 1993 |
|
5227460 |
Mahabadi et al. |
Jul 1993 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 628 882 |
Dec 1994 |
EPX |
08300350 |
Nov 1996 |
JPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Horalek et al.; "Measuring apparatus for automated monitoring of the curing process using near-infrared spectroscopy"; International Polymer Science and Technology; vol. 19, No. 12, 1992. |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
501528 |
Jul 1995 |
|