Claims
- 1. A process for treating raw liquid latex to destroy antigenic proteins in the latex, whereby the latex may be used to manufacture articles that do not produce an adverse reaction in persons sensitive to antigenic proteins normally present in latex, comprising the steps of:
heating the raw liquid latex to an effective temperature of from about 140° F. to about 210° F. for a limited time sufficient to destroy the antigenic protein but not alter the physical characteristics of the liquid latex.
- 2. A process as claimed in claim 1, including the steps of:
warming incoming cool raw latex by causing heated latex to flow in counter current relationship therewith in a heat exchanger.
- 3. A process as claimed in claim 2, including the steps of:
heating the warmed raw latex to said effective temperature, and then cooling the latex to a temperature of about 39° F. for packaging or other handling.
- 4. A process as claimed in claim 3, including the steps of:
sensing the temperature of the heated latex and diverting back to be reheated any latex that has not achieved said effective temperature.
- 5. A pasteurization process for treating raw liquid latex to destroy antigenic protein in the latex without causing undesirable alterations of physical characteristics of the liquid latex, whereby articles made from the treated liquid latex do not produce an adverse reaction in persons sensitive to the antigenic protein, comprising the steps of:
supplying raw liquid latex to a pasteurization apparatus to heat the raw liquid latex to a pasteurization temperature sufficient, holding the heated latex at said pasteurization temperature for a predetermined period of time to destroy antigenic protein in the latex, and then cooling the pasteurized liquid latex for subsequent handling.
- 6. A pasteurization process as claimed in claim 5, wherein:
the pasteurization process is a batch process, wherein the raw liquid latex is supplied to a vat and heated to said pasteurization temperature and held at said pasteurization temperature for a predetermined period of time, while being agitated, to destroy the antigenic protein.
- 7. A pasteurization process as claimed in claim 5, wherein:
the pasteurization process is a continuous process, wherein cold raw liquid latex is supplied to a constant level balance tank that controls the liquid level nearly constant, ensuring a uniform head pressure on the liquid latex leaving the tank and providing a constant supply of raw liquid latex; causing the raw liquid latex to flow from the balance tank to a heater where the latex is heated to an elevated temperature; causing the heated latex to flow through a holding tube where the heated latex is maintained at said elevated temperature for a predetermined time, the step of heating said latex to said elevated temperature and holding it at said elevated temperature for said predetermined time being sufficient to destroy the antigenic protein; and cooling said heated latex to a lowered temperature for subsequent handling.
- 8. A pasteurization process as claimed in claim 7, wherein:
before the cold raw liquid latex from the balance tank is caused to flow through the heater, it is first caused to flow through a heat exchanger in counter flow relationship with previously heated latex, the cold raw latex being warmed and the heated latex being cooled in the heat exchanger.
- 9. A pasteurization process as claimed in claim 8, wherein:
a positive displacement timing pump draws product through the heat exchanger and pushes the product under pressure through the heater.
- 10. A pasteurization process as claimed in claim 9, wherein:
the warm latex leaving the heat exchanger is passed through a cooler to make the latex cold.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/331,774, filed Nov. 21, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60331774 |
Nov 2001 |
US |