Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6182913
-
Patent Number
6,182,913
-
Date Filed
Monday, January 25, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, February 6, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Kilpatrick Stockton LLP
- Pratt; John S.
- Bindseil; James J.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 241 1
- 241 241
- 241 2412
- 241 41
- 241 65
- 241 791
- 241 DIG 38
- 241 15
- 241 20
- 241 2411
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A system for reclaiming carpet components such as yarn, tufting primary, binder, and secondary backing wherein the carpet is sprayed with a high velocity water spray so as to disjoint the components from one another, and thereafter, separating the secondary backing from the yarn and tufting primary. Desirably, water is removed from the disjointed carpet after spraying the carpet with high pressure water spray. This system is useful for reclaiming components of broadloom carpet and carpet tiles and cleanly and efficiently separates tie components of carpet.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This application relates to carpet recycling and, in particular, relates to reclaiming carpet components such as yarn, tufting primary and secondary backing for recycling into those same respective components.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Tufted carpet is sold in large volumes every year, much of which is sold to replace old carpet. Most components of tufted carpet are not biodegradable and recycling used carpet has long been desirable to avoid disposal of used carpet in land fills and the like. Furthermore, because carpet is a high volume, and often, low margin, product, lowering manufacturing costs is desirable. Carpet recycling however, has often been too complicated and costly and therefore, impractical.
Carpet generally comprises yarn, a tufting primary into which the yarn is tufted, a secondary backing, and a binder, normally latex, which bonds the yam, tufting primary and secondary backing together. The yarn is typically nylon and can be in the form of cut pile or loop pile. Cut pile carpet is made of short cut lengths of yarn and loop pile carpet is made of long continuous lengths of yarn. The tufting primary is typically a thin sheet of woven polyester or polypropylene material and the secondary backing is usually jute, woven polypropylene, or polyvinylchloride (PVC) sheet.
One known method of recycling includes shredding the entire carpet and either using the shredded carpet for something other than manufacturing carpet or separating the carpet components after shredding such as in a cyclone. Another known method of recycling carpet is to simply shave the yarn off the tufting primary and secondary backing. These known methods, however, are either too complicated and expensive, or are not effective in recycling all the recyclable components of carpet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,473 to Hagguist et al. discloses a system for separating the components of carpet including a combination of mechanical, hydraulic, chemical, and heating means. While this system may effectively separate carpet components, implementing it is very complicated and costly.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a relatively simple and economic system for reclaiming the components of carpet and recycling the reclaimed components back into the same components in newly manufactured carpet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention satisfies the above-described need by providing a method and apparatus for reclaiming carpet components such as yarn, tufting primary, binder, and secondary backing by spraying the carpet with a high velocity water spray so as to disjoint the binder, yarn, tufting primary and secondary backing from one another, and thereafter, separating the secondary backing from the yarn and tufting primary. By disjointing the carpet components before separating the secondary backing from the yarn and tufting primary, the components of the yarn can be more easily, efficiently, and cleanly separated entirely from one another. The high velocity water spray desirably has a flow rate and velocity sufficient to break up the binder and move the tufting primary from against the secondary backing. The yarn and tufting primary can then be more easily and cleanly separated from the secondary backing.
More particularly, the method and apparatus of this invention removes water from the carpet after the carpet is disjointed with the water spray. Desirably, the system removes water from the carpet before separating the secondary backing from the yarn and tufting primary. Preferably, the method and apparatus of this invention removes water by drying the carpet such as with hot air. Separating and handling the disjointed components of the carpet is easier after drying, than when wet.
The method and apparatus of this invention desirably operate on a continuous basis by continuously conveying carpet to be recycled from a source of carpet through the high velocity water spraying and the water removal, to the separation of the components. The continuous nature of the system of this invention enhances its efficiency.
The method and apparatus of this invention desirably separates the yarn and tufting primary with a knife. More particularly, the method and apparatus of this invention bales the yarn and tufting primary and bales the secondary backing separately. Alternatively, the yarn and tufting primary can be separated and then baled separately.
The water from the water spray breaks up and washes the binder from the carpet. This invention desirably includes collecting this water and separating the binder from the water. The filtered water can be reused in the reclaiming process and the reclaimed binder can be recycled.
The method and apparatus of this invention can be used to reclaim components of both broadloom carpet and carpet tiles. When this invention recycles broadloom carpet, it preferably directs the water spray against the backing side of the carpet. When this invention recycles carpet tiles, it preferably directs the water spray at the yarn side of the carpet tile.
Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for reclaiming tufted carpet components.
Another object of this invention is to provide a relatively simple and economic method and apparatus for reclaiming the components of tufted carpet so that the reclaimed components can be recycled and used to make the same components in new carpet.
Other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification, drawings and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a side elevation view of a system made in accordance with an embodiment of this invention for reclaiming components of carpet tiles.
FIG. 2
is a partial side elevation view of the separator section of the reclaiming system illustrated in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 3
is a partial plan view of a vacuum die and base which form part of the separator section illustrated in FIG.
2
.
FIG. 4
is a partial side elevation view of an alternative separator section of the reclaiming system illustrated in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 5
is a side elevation view of a system made in accordance with an embodiment of this invention for reclaiming components of broadloom carpet.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As summarized above, this invention encompasses a method and apparatus for reclaiming components of a tufted carpet. Embodiments of this invention are described below. First, an embodiment of the invention for reclaiming components of tufted carpet tiles is described, followed by another embodiment that is suitable for reclaiming components of tufted broadloom carpet. In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the views.
This invention allows reclaiming of each component of carpet including yarn, tufting primary, secondary backing, and binders such as latex. These materials are reclaimed such that they can be reused as the same respective components. For example, the reclaimed yarn can be recycled as yarn, the reclaimed tufting primary can be recycled as tufting primary, and the secondary backing can be recycled as secondary backing. The binder, which is normally a latex, can be reclaimed and recycled, for example, as a filler for latex to be used to make new carpet.
FIG. 1
illustrates a system
10
for reclaiming carpet tile components comprising a feeder
12
for continuously feeding carpet tiles
13
, a conveyor system
14
for conveying the carpet tiles through the system, a water sprayer system
16
, a dryer
18
for drying the carpet tiles after the carpet tiles have passed through the water sprayer system and a separator
20
for separating components of the carpet tile after drying.
The feeder
12
includes a belt-driven carpet tile stack support
22
and an inclined support
24
. The carpet tiles
13
are stacked vertically on top of the belt-driven stack support
22
and lean against the upright support
24
. The feeder
12
is positioned adjacent to the conveyor system
14
and feeds the carpet tiles
13
to the conveyor system.
The conveyor system
14
includes a driven steel roll
26
, with embedded sharp pins extended outwardly from the outer surface of the roll, and a plurality of driven elastomer-coated rollers
28
positioned adjacent the driven steel roll. The elastomer-coated rollers
28
are spaced from one another and extend transversely across the steel roll
26
to form a series of nips through which the carpet tiles
13
are drawn between the driven steel roll and the driven elastomer-covered rollers. The conveyor system
14
also includes a belted conveyor
30
positioned adjacent the driven steel roll
26
and arranged to carry the carpet tiles
13
from the driven steel roll through the dryer
18
.
The water sprayer system
16
includes an array of high pressure nozzles
32
positioned adjacent the driven steel roll
26
and extending transversely across the steel roll approximate the stack of carpet tiles
13
in the feeder
12
. The high pressure nozzles
32
are mounted to a high pressure water manifold
34
and water is fed through the manifold to the array of high pressure nozzles
32
by a high pressure water pump
36
. Although
FIG. 1
shows only one row of high pressure nozzles
32
, it should be understood that the reclaiming system
10
can include multiple rows of nozzles.
The high pressure nozzles
32
are positioned so that the outlets of the nozzles are very close to the carpet tiles as the carpet tiles are drawn between the driven steel roll
26
and the driven elastomer covered rollers
28
. Desirably, the nozzles are almost touching the yarn side of the tiles as the tiles pass by the nozzles. The nozzles desirably spray water at a pressure from about 2000 to about 4000 psi when treating carpet tiles. The water sprays desirably remove substantially all of the binder from the carpet tiles such that the yarn is connected to the secondary backing only by a few remaining filaments.
The sprayer system
16
also includes a water and debris catch pan
38
positioned below the feeder
12
, the driven steel roll
26
of the conveyor system
14
, and the high pressure nozzles
32
to catch water that passes through the carpet and flows downwardly and latex binder particles dislodged and washed away by the water. The water and latex binder caught by the catch pan
38
is fed to a filter press
40
through a conduit
42
. The filter press
40
removes the solid latex binder from the water and the filtered water is reused in the reclaiming system
10
. The high-pressure water pump
36
draws the filtered water from the filter press and additional water is added because not all water is reclaimed and recycled in the system.
The dryer
18
is desirably a hot air dryer and is illustrated in
FIG. 1
with the side panels removed. The hot air dryer
18
includes a hood
48
positioned about the belted conveyor
30
, a fan
50
for blowing the hot air against the carpet tiles
13
as they are carried by the conveyor, a heat source
52
for heating the air in the hood, and hot air distribution nozzles
54
for directing the hot air against the carpet tiles. An exhaust fan
56
draws moisture laden air from the hood
48
and out of the hood through an air discharge
58
. Although the dryer
18
is illustrated in
FIG. 1
as a hot air dryer, other types of dryers can be used in the system
10
such as a vacuum dryer, squeeze rollers, and the like.
The separator
20
receives dried, disjointed carpet tiles from the belted conveyor
30
and separates any remaining filaments from the secondary backing. The separator
20
includes a square base tray
60
and a vacuum die
62
disposed in the tray for receiving, successively, each of the carpet tiles
13
. The vacuum die
62
is better illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3
and includes a plurality of holes
64
. A vacuum tube
66
is connected to the bottom of the tray
60
and a vacuum generator (not shown) draws a vacuum through the vacuum tube
66
and the holes
64
in the vacuum die
62
to hold the carpet tiles in the vacuum die. The carpet tiles
13
are fed into the separator with the secondary backing
70
facing downwardly and the yarn and tufting primary
72
facing upwardly.
The separator
20
includes a mechanical separator assembly
74
including a hot knife
76
heated by a plurality of cartridge heaters
78
. The hot knife
76
is carried on a carriage
80
and mounted thereto with bolts
82
. A pin bar
84
is also mounted to the carriage
80
and holds a plurality of pins
86
for engaging the yarn of the carpet tiles in the separator
20
.
The cutting assembly
74
includes an oscillation actuator
88
which pushes and pulls the carriage
80
so that the carriage can reciprocate back and forth across the carpet tiles
13
.
The cutting assembly
74
also includes a gear assembly
90
including a gear wheel
92
, a fixed rack gear
94
and an oscillating rack gear
96
arranged to drive the hot knife
76
and pin bar
84
back and forth along the carpet tiles
13
. Although an oscillation actuator
88
is illustrated in
FIG. 1
, other types of reciprocating devices can be used such as a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. In addition, although
FIG. 1
illustrates a hot knife, the knife does not have to be heated and other suitable types of cutting or pulling devices for severing the remaining filaments from the secondary backing can be used.
Operation of the system
10
for reclaiming carpet tile components begins with loading the feeder
12
with carpet tiles
13
. The feeder
12
feeds carpet tiles
13
one by one to the belted conveyor
30
with the driven steel roll
26
and the driven elastomer covered rollers
28
.
The high-pressure nozzles
32
deliver high pressure water sprays against the yarn side of the carpet tiles
13
as the conveyor system
14
draws the carpet tiles. The nozzles
32
deliver the water sprays such that the water sprays pass through the yarn and the tufting primary and disjoint substantially all of the latex binder from the yarn, the tufting primary, and the secondary backing. The secondary backing of the carpet tiles is normally a sheet of PVC and acts as a blasting pad for the water. The water passes through the tufting primary and then pushes the tufting primary away from the secondary backing along the fibers of the yarn. The water spray washes the surfactant out of the latex binder so that the latex becomes brittle, shatters and washes away into the catch pan
38
. The water spray is desirably delivered at a water pressure sufficient to disjoint the components of the carpet tiles
13
but not sufficient to penetrate or otherwise damage the PVC secondary backing material. Therefore, the high pressure water sprays are desirably delivered at a pressure from about 2000 to about 4000 psi. Normally, a very small portion of the latex binder remains attached to the yarn after the application of the water spray and some filaments of the yarn remain attached to the secondary backing.
Carpet tiles are typically a loop pile carpet, which is preferred for use in this system
10
for reclaiming carpet tile components. Although cut pile carpet tiles can be reclaimed with this system, the short discontinuous fibers in cut pile yarn tend to completely separate from the other components of the carpet tile immediately when the carpet tiles are sprayed and are difficult to collect. With loop pile carpet tiles, the yarn, though disjointed after application of the water spray, does not completely separate from the rest of the carpet tile components, except for the latex binder, until the separator
20
. This allows for more efficient and clean separation of the carpet tile components.
The driven steel roll
26
and driven elastomer covered rollers
28
feed the disjointed carpet tiles
13
to the belted conveyor
30
which carries the wet disjointed carpet tiles through the dryer
18
. The dryer
18
removes the water from the carpet tiles
13
and desirably dries the yarn completely. The dryer
18
turns any latex binder remaining in the carpet tiles into powder and increases the bulk or fluffs the yarn so that separation of the yarn from the secondary backing is easier. The dryer
18
should be at a temperature sufficient to dry the carpet tiles, but not melt any components of the carpet tiles. Therefore, the temperature of the dryer should be less than about 350° F., and desirably from about 250° to about 300° F.
The belted conveyor
30
delivers the dried carpet tiles
13
to the separator
20
and specifically into the vacuum die
62
. While the disjointed, dried carpet tiles
13
are held in the vacuum die
62
, the oscillation actuator
88
pushes the hot knife
76
and pin bar
84
of the separator across the carpet tile and separates the remaining filaments from the secondary backing. The pins
86
on the pin bar
84
of the separator
20
snag the yarn of the carpet tiles
13
and pull the yarn away from the secondary backing
70
while the hot knife
76
cuts any of the yarn filaments still adhered to the secondary backing.
The yarn and tufting primary
72
are taken together from the separator and can be baled for later separation and recycling or can be immediately separated and then baled individually for subsequent recycling. The yarn and tufting primary can be separated by a device such as a carding machine or by hand. The yarn and tufting primary can be chopped, melted, and re-extruded as new yarn and tufting primary respectfully. Alternatively, the yarn can be chopped to make spun yarn from staple fibers.
The PVC backing of the carpet tiles is removed from the separator and is ready for recycling such as by chopping, melting, and re-extruding the material into new PVC backings.
FIG. 4
illustrates an alternative separator
20
A that includes a driven serrated steel wheel
100
instead of the pin bar
84
and pins
86
in the embodiment illustrated in FIG.
1
. The serrated steel wheel
100
pulls the yarn of the carpet tiles while the hot knife
76
cuts the remaining filaments.
FIG. 5
illustrates a system
110
for reclaiming broad loom carpet components generally comprising a feeder system
112
for feeding broad loom carpet
114
, a conveyor
116
for carrying the broad loom carpet from the feeder system
112
through the re-claiming system, a water sprayer system
118
for disjointing the carpet components, a dryer
120
for drying the sprayed carpet, and a separator
122
for separating the broad loom carpet components.
The feeder system
112
includes a driven and belted carpet roll staging table
124
for feeding carpet rolls
126
into the reclaiming system
110
. The staging table
124
feeds carpet rolls
126
to a guided unroll unit
128
which rotates the carpet roll and actually feeds the broadloom carpet
114
toward a driven belted vacuum table
132
. A vacuum blower fan
124
creates a vacuum beneath the vacuum table
132
and holds the carpet against the vacuum table. An operator can splice carpet rolls together as the carpet ends pass over the vacuum table
132
.
The conveyor
116
receives the broadloom carpet from the vacuum table
132
. The carpet
114
passes from the vacuum table
132
underneath a guide roll
136
and between a driven steel roll
138
and a pair of driven elastomer covered rolls
139
. The broadloom carpet
114
then passes between two pairs of rolls
140
,
142
,
144
and
146
. The lower rolls in the pairs are driven steel rolls
140
and
142
and the upper rolls are floating steel rolls
144
and
146
. The broadloom carpet passes next to a driven belted conveyor
148
that carries the carpet through the dryer
120
and feeds the carpet to the separator
122
.
The water sprayer system
118
includes a first array of high pressure nozzles
150
positioned above the first driven steel roll
138
of the conveyor
116
and extends transversely across the driven steel roll. The first array of high-pressure nozzles
150
is positioned to spray the broadloom carpet
114
as the carpet passes over the driven steel roll
138
. The first array of nozzles
150
are positioned so that the spray openings are very close to the carpet
114
and almost touch the carpet. A high pressure pump
152
supplies water at high pressure through a conduit
154
and a manifold
156
to the first array of nozzles
150
.
The water sprayer system
118
also includes a second array of high-pressure nozzles
158
positioned between the pairs of driven and floating steel rolls
140
,
142
,
144
and
146
. The second array of nozzles
158
extends transversely across the broadloom carpet and is likewise positioned very close to the broadloom carpet
114
as the broadloom carpet passes. A high-pressure pump
160
delivers water at high pressure through a conduit
162
and a manifold
164
to the second array of nozzles
158
.
The water sprayer system
118
further comprises a water and debris catch pan
166
disposed beneath the first and second nozzles arrays
150
and
158
and catches water that flows through the broadloom carpet
114
and latex particles dislodged from the broadloom carpet and washed out of the carpet. The water and latex particles from the catch pan
166
are drawn from the catch pan
166
through a conduit
168
to a filter
170
which filters the latex particles out of the water. Water is returned to the nozzle arrays
150
and
152
by pumps
152
and
160
through lines
172
and
174
. Additional water is added to the system to make up for water lost during treatment of the carpet.
The driven belted conveyor
148
receives the broadloom carpet after the carpet is sprayed with water and carries the carpet through the dryer
120
which has the same structure as the dryer
18
illustrated in FIG.
1
.
After the carpet
114
is dried, the carpet passes through a pair of driven steel pin rollers
176
and
178
which separate the yarn and tufting primary from the secondary backing. A cutting instrument (not shown) such as a knife can be used to complete separation of the remaining yarn filaments from the secondary backing. This separator
122
also includes a baler
180
for baling the yarn and tufting primary and a baler
182
for baling the secondary backing. Guide rolls
184
and
186
guide the separated secondary backing to the backing material baler
182
.
During operation of the reclaiming system
110
for broadloom carpet, the unroll unit
128
feeds the broadloom carpet across the vacuum table
132
beneath the first guide roll
136
of the conveyor
116
and through the nips between the driven steel roll
138
of the conveyor and the pair of driven elastomer covered rolls
139
.
The first array of high pressure nozzles
150
sprays water at high pressure against the secondary backing side of the broadloom carpet
114
. The broadloom carpet
114
is directed through the reclaiming system
110
such that the yarn side of the broadloom carpet faces downwardly and the backing side faces upwardly. This is because the secondary backing of broadloom carpet is normally a foraminous material such as woven polypropylene or jute and the high pressure water spray is sprayed through the secondary backing. The high pressure water spray from the first array of nozzles
150
is applied to the broadloom carpet
114
at a pressure sufficient to disjoint substantially all of the binder, which is normally latex, from the secondary backing, the yarn and the tufting primary. The pressure of the water spray is preferably at least about 2000 psi and can be much higher. The water spray disjoints the tufting primary and pushes the tufting primary along the yarn away from the secondary backing. The yarn remains attached to the secondary backing by only a few filaments.
The second array of nozzles
158
operates in the same manner as a first array of nozzles
150
and further disjoints the components of the broadloom carpet
114
from one another. The disjointed latex binder is substantially completely washed by the water spray from the broadloom carpet into the catch pan
166
in the same manner as in the first embodiment
10
described above.
The disjointed carpet
114
is then dried in the dryer
120
and passed into the separator
122
wherein the tufting primary and yarn are separated from the secondary backing and baled as described above. Alternatively, the tufting primary and yarn can be separated and separately baled before recycling.
Alternatively, the second backing of the broadloom carpet
114
can be removed from the yarn and tufting primary as the broadloom carpet passes between the first and second array of nozzles
150
and
158
. This avoids having to dry the secondary backing and allows more of the latex binder to be removed from the yarn by the water spray from the second array of nozzles
158
. In addition, removing the yarn from the secondary backing before the second array of nozzles
158
makes the second array of nozzles more effective in removing any remaining latex from the yarn because the secondary backing does not interfere with the water spray.
The reclaimed tufting primary and yarn are recycled in the same manner as described above with regard to the first embodiment.
It should be understood that the foregoing relates to particular embodiments of the present invention, and that numerous changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
Claims
- 1. A method for reclaiming carpet components wherein the carpet comprises yarn, tufting primary, binder, and secondary backing, the method comprising the steps of:spraying the carpet with a high velocity water spray so as to remove substantially all of the binder and disjoint the binder, yarn, tufting primary, and secondary backing from one another, and thereafter; removing water from the disjointed carpet; and separating the secondary backing from the yarn and tufting primary.
- 2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of removing water is carried out before separating the secondary backing from the yarn and tufting primary.
- 3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of removing water comprises removing water from the yarn after spraying the carpet and separating the secondary backing from the yarn and tufting primary.
- 4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of removing water comprises drying the disjointed carpet.
- 5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the disjointed carpet is dried with hot air.
- 6. A method as in claim 5, wherein drying the disjointed carpet with hot air further comprises hot air having a predetermined temperature to dry but not melt the carpet components.
- 7. A method as in claim 6, wherein the predetermined temperature is in the range of about 250 to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 8. A method as in claim 4, wherein the disjointed carpet is dried with a vacuum dryer.
- 9. A method as in claim 4, wherein the disjointed carpet is dried with squeeze rollers.
- 10. A method as in claim 1, further comprising continuously conveying the carpet from a source of carpet through the step of spraying and to the step of separating.
- 11. A method as in claim 1, wherein the carpet is a carpet tile and has a yarn side and a backing side, and the water spray is directed at the yarn side.
- 12. A method as in claim 1, wherein the carpet is broadloom carpet and has a yarn side and a backing side, and the water spray is directed at the backing side.
- 13. A method as in claim 1, wherein the carpet is loop carpet.
- 14. A method as in claim 1, wherein the separation step is carried out with a knife.
- 15. A method as in claim 14, wherein the separation step further comprises pulling the yarn and tufting primary away from the secondary backing as the hot knife separates the yarn from the secondary backing.
- 16. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of baling the yarn and tufting primary after the separation step.
- 17. A method as in claim 16, further comprising the step of baling the secondary backing after the separation step.
- 18. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of separating the yarn from the tufting primary.
- 19. A method as in claim 1, wherein the disjointing of the binder, yarn, tufting primary, and secondary backing from one another further comprises the water pushing the tufting primary away from the secondary backing along fibers of the yarn, and wherein the water spray washes a surfactant out of the binder so that the binder becomes brittle, shatters into particles and washes away.
- 20. A method as in claim 19, further comprising:collecting the sprayed water and binder particles; removing the binder particles from the collected water; and reusing the water in the spraying step.
- 21. A method as in claim 19, wherein the step of spraying the carpet with a high velocity water spray comprises delivering the water such that the water first passes through the yarn and then through the tufting primary.
- 22. A method as in claim 19, wherein the step of spraying the carpet with a high velocity water spray comprises delivering the water such that the water first passes through the secondary backing.
- 23. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of spraying the carpet with a high velocity water spray comprises delivering the water at a predetermined pressure sufficient to disjoint the carpet components without damaging the secondary backing.
- 24. A method as in claim 23, wherein the predetermined pressure is at least about 2000 pounds per square inch.
- 25. A method as in claim 23, wherein the predetermined pressure is in the range of about 2000 to about 4000 pounds per square inch.
- 26. A method as in claim 1, wherein the separating step further comprises oscillating a knife across the carpet to cut any remaining filaments of yarn from the secondary backing.
- 27. A system for reclaiming carpet components wherein the carpet comprises yarn, tufting primary, latex binder, and secondary backing, the system comprising:a high velocity water sprayer for spraying the carpet so as to remove substantially all of the binder and disjoint the latex binder, yarn, tufting primary, and secondary backing from one another; a dryer for removing water from the disjointed carpet; and a separator for separating the secondary backing from the yarn and tufting primary after spraying the carpet.
- 28. A system as in claim 27, wherein the dryer is positioned between the water sprayer and separator.
- 29. A system as in claim 27, wherein the dryer is a hot air dryer.
- 30. A system as in claim 29, wherein the hot air dryer delivers hot air having a predetermined temperature to dry but not melt the carpet components.
- 31. A system as in claim 30, wherein the predetermined temperature is in the range of about 250 to about 350 degree Fahrenheit.
- 32. A system as in claim 27, further comprising a conveyor for continuously conveying the carpet from a source of carpet through the sprayer and to the separator.
- 33. A system as in claim 27, further comprising a conveyor for continuously conveying the carpet from a source of carpet, through the sprayer and dryer, to the separator.
- 34. A system as in claim 27, wherein the carpet is a carpet tile and has a yarn side and a backing side, and the water sprayer is positioned to direct the water spray at the yarn side.
- 35. A system as in claim 27, wherein the carpet is broadloom carpet and has a yarn side and a backing side, and the water spray is positioned to direct the water spray at the backing side.
- 36. A system as in claim 27, wherein the separator includes a hot knife.
- 37. A system as in claim 36, wherein the separator further comprises means for pulling the yarn and tufting primary away from the secondary backing as the hot knife separates the yarn from the secondary backing.
- 38. A system as in claim 27, further comprising a first baler for baling the yarn and tufting primary after separation from the secondary backing.
- 39. A system as in claim 38, further comprising a baler for baling the secondary backing after separation from the yarn and tufting primary.
- 40. A system as in claim 27, further comprising a water recycling system connected to the water sprayer, the water recycling system having a collector and a filter, the collector for recovering the sprayed water and disjointed binder particles, and the filter for removing the binder particles from the collected water prior to reuse by the water sprayer.
- 41. A system as in claim 27, wherein the high velocity water sprayer delivers the water such that the water first passes through the yarn and then through the tufting primary.
- 42. A system as in claim 27, wherein the high velocity water sprayer delivers the water such that the water first passes through the secondary backing.
- 43. A system as in claim 27, wherein the high velocity water sprayer delivers the water at a predetermined pressure sufficient to disjoint the carpet components without damaging the secondary backing.
- 44. A system as in claim 43, wherein the predetermined pressure is at least about 2000 pounds per square inch.
- 45. A system as in claim 43, wherein the predetermined pressure is in the range of about 2000 to about 4000 pounds per square inch.
- 46. A system as in claim 27, wherein the dryer comprises a vacuum dryer.
- 47. A system as in claim 27, wherein the dryer comprises squeeze rollers.
- 48. A system as in claim 27, wherein the separator further comprises a knife attached to an oscillating mechanism, such that the knife oscillates across the carpet to cut any remaining filaments of yarn from the secondary backing.
US Referenced Citations (66)