Dripless liquid color feed throat adaptor and method for dripless liquid color delivery

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for converting granular plastic resin into colored finished or semi-finished plastic parts include a process machine having a barrel with a vertically opening feed throat, a rotatable screw inside the barrel, and a color feed conduit assembly positioned at least partially within the process machine and extending into the barrel for passage of liquid color downwardly through the color feed conduit assembly into proximity with the screw.

Claims

1. An apparatus for converting granular plastic resin into colored finished or semi-finished plastic parts, comprising: a. a process machine comprising: i. a barrel having a vertically opening feed throat; ii. a rotatable screw located inside the barrel; iii. a plate covering the feed throat, having an aperture therethrough and a slot formed therein extending from the aperture to an edge of the plate; b. a color feed conduit assembly positioned at least partially within the process machine and extending into the barrel for passage of liquid color downwardly through the color feed conduit assembly into proximity with the screw, comprising: i. a relatively rigid aluminum outer color delivery tube; ii. a relatively flexible inner color delivery tube telescopically disposed within the outer color delivery tube; the color feed conduit assembly being positioned at least partially in the slot in the plate extending from the aperture to the edge of the plate and passing downwardly through the aperture with an outlet of the color feed assembly being in proximity with the screw; c. a color conveying tube; d. a self-sealing quick release fitting connecting the color conveying tube to the color feed conduit assembly; e. a pump for pumping liquid color from a supply thereof remote from the process machine through the color conveying tube and the color feed conduit assembly into proximity with the rotatable screw.

2. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner color delivery tube is a fluoropolymer and extends beyond the outer color delivery tube and an outlet end of the color feed conduit assembly.

3. Apparatus of claim 2 wherein the inner color delivery tube extends at least 1 inch beyond the outer color delivery tube at the outlet end of the color feed conduit assembly.

4. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner color delivery tube has a one-quarter inch outer diameter.

5. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner color delivery tube is nylon.

6. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner color delivery tube contacts the screw.

7. An apparatus for feeding liquid color to a process machine for converting granular plastic resin into finished or semi-finished plastic parts by molding or extrusion, the process machine having a rotatable screw located inside a barrel, the barrel having a vertically opening feed throat with a plate covering the feed throat, the plate having an aperture therethrough with a feed tube positioned therein for passage of liquid color downwardly through the tube into proximity with the screw, comprising: a. a color feed conduit assembly comprising: i. a rigid aluminum outer color delivery tube; ii. an inner flexible polymeric color delivery tube telescopically disposed within the outer color delivery tube; iii. the color feed conduit assembly being positioned at least partially in a slot in the plate extending from the aperture to an edge of the plate and passing downwardly through the aperture, with an outlet of the color feed assembly being in proximity with the screw; b. a color conveying tube; c. a self-sealing quick release fitting connecting the color conveying tube to the color feed conduit assembly; and d. a pneumatically powered pump for pumping liquid color from a supply thereof remote from the process machine through the color conveying tube and the color feed conduit assembly into proximity with the rotatable screw.

8. Apparatus of claim 7 wherein the inner color delivery tube extends beyond the outer color delivery tube and an outlet end of the color feed conduit assembly.

9. Apparatus of claim 8 wherein the inner color delivery tube extends at least 1 inch beyond the outer color delivery tube at the outlet end of the color feed conduit assembly.

10. Apparatus of claim 7 wherein the inner color delivery tube has a one-quarter inch outer diameter.

11. Apparatus of claim 7 wherein the inner color delivery tube is polytetrafluoroethylene.

12. Apparatus of claim 7 wherein the inner color delivery tube is nylon.

13. Apparatus of claim 7 wherein the inner color delivery tube contacts the screw.

14. Apparatus of claim 7 wherein the inner color delivery tube has an inner diameter of about 3/16 inch.

15. Apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a compression fitting securing the inner tube in place relative to the outer tube.

16. An apparatus for converting granular plastic resin into colored finished or semi-finished plastic parts, comprising: a. a process machine comprising: i. a barrel having a vertically opening feed throat; ii. a rotatable screw located inside the barrel; b. a color feed conduit assembly positioned at least partially within the process machine and extending into the barrel for passage of liquid color downwardly through the color feed conduit assembly into proximity with the screw, comprising: i. a relatively rigid aluminum outer color delivery tube; ii. a relatively flexible inner color delivery tube telescopically disposed within the outer color delivery tube; the color feed conduit assembly passing downwardly through the feed throat with an outlet of the color feed assembly being in proximity with the screw; c. a color conveying tube; d. a self-sealing quick release fitting connecting the color conveying tube to the color feed conduit assembly.

17. Apparatus of claim 16 wherein the inner color delivery tube is a fluoropolymer and extends beyond the outer color delivery tube and an outlet end of the color feed conduit assembly.

18. Apparatus of claim 17 wherein the inner color delivery tube extends at least 1 inch beyond the outer color delivery tube at the outlet end of the color feed conduit assembly.

19. Apparatus of claim 16 wherein the inner color delivery tube is one-quarter inch outer diameter.

20. Apparatus of claim 16 wherein the inner color delivery tube is nylon.

21. Apparatus of claim 16 wherein the inner color delivery tube contacts the screw.

22. Apparatus of claim 16 wherein an inner diameter of the color delivery tube is about 3/16 of an inch.

23. An apparatus for feeding liquid color to a process machine for converting granular plastic resin into finished or semi-finished plastic parts by molding or extrusion, the process machine having a rotatable screw located inside a barrel, the barrel having a vertically opening feed throat with a plate covering the feed throat, the plate having an aperture therethrough with a feed tube positioned therein for passage of liquid color downwardly through the tube into proximity with the screw, comprising: a. a color feed conduit assembly comprising: i. a rigid aluminum outer color delivery tube; ii. an inner flexible polymeric color delivery tube telescopically disposed within the outer color delivery tube; iii. the color feed conduit assembly being positioned at least partially in a slot in the plate extending from the aperture to an edge of the plate and passing downwardly through the aperture, with an outlet of the color feed assembly being in proximity with the screw; b. a color conveying tube; c. a self-sealing quick release fitting connecting the color conveying tube to the color feed conduit assembly; and d. a pneumatically powered diaphragm pump for pumping liquid color from a supply thereof remote from the process machine through the color conveying tube and the color feed conduit assembly into proximity with the rotatable screws; wherein the inner color delivery tube extends beyond the outer color delivery tube and an outlet end of the color feed conduit assembly; the inner color delivery tube extends at least 1 inch beyond the outer color delivery tube at the outlet end of the color feed conduit assembly; the inner color delivery tube has a one-quarter inch outer diameter; the inner color delivery tube is polytetrafluoroethylene; the inner color delivery tube is nylon; the inner color delivery tube contacts the screw; the inner color delivery tube has an inner diameter of about 3/16 inch; and further comprising a compression fitting securing the inner tube in place relative to the outer tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation of apparatus embodying aspects of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a top view, in schematic form, of a process machine in the form of an injection molding press embodying aspects of the invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevation in section taken at III-III in FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 is an enlarged broken schematic side elevation of a portion of the process machine illustrated in FIG. 3.

(5) FIG. 5 is an enlarged broken top view of a portion of the process machine illustrated in FIG. 2.

(6) FIG. 6 is a broken schematic side sectional view of a portion of the process machine illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5, taken at VI-VI in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5.

(7) FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an adaptor plate and a portion of a color feed conduit assembly shown in FIG. 6 embodying aspects of the invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is a view in the assembled condition of the adaptor plate and color feed conduit assembly portion illustrated in FIG. 7.

(9) FIG. 9 is a schematic depiction in perspective of a liquid color delivery tube having first and second sections connected by a see-through connector.

(10) FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, with the see-through tubular connector shown in exploded form.

(11) FIG. 11 is an enlarged exploded view of the see-through tubular connection illustrated in FIG. 9 and indicated by circle “A” in FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS THEREOF AND BEST MODE FOR PRACTICE OF THE INVENTION

(12) In this invention, soft aluminum tubing is used to fabricate a relatively rigid outer color delivery tube portion of a color feed conduit assembly. Soft aluminum tubing can be formed into a curve in the same manner that copper tubing can be formed; aluminum tubing is substantially lower in cost.

(13) The invention further utilizes a compression fitting installed on the inlet end of the aluminum outer color delivery tube. The inlet end of the outer color delivery tube is exposed, outside the process machine. A compression adaptor fitting fits on to the aluminum outer color delivery tube. The compression fitting end is tightened, resulting in swaging the compression ferrule permanently onto the inlet end of the aluminum outer color delivery tube. The swaging locks the ferrule in place. A compression nut is also captured on the outer color delivery tube at the inlet end.

(14) An adaptor fitting is provided for connection to the color delivery tube inlet end. The adaptor fitting can be removed by unscrewing the adaptor fitting from the compression nut. This facilitates easy removal of the adaptor fitting.

(15) The adaptor fitting includes a quick disconnect-type male connector screwed into it. The adaptor fitting holds a preferable Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer inner color delivery tube capture within the adaptor fitting. In the practice of the invention, the preferable Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer tube does not need to be removed for color changeover. Other polymers may also be used for the inner color delivery tube.

(16) A color conveying tube designated generally 214 connects the outlet of a liquid color pump 14, which draws liquid color from a container 12 of liquid color, to a process machine 200. A quick disconnect tubular shutoff female portion 248 is on the outlet end of the color conveying tube 214. With the quick disconnect tubular shutoff female portion 248 in place on the outlet end of the color conveying tube 214, when color conveying tube 214 is disconnected from the color feed conduit assembly 209 consisting of the aluminum relatively rigid outer color delivery support tube 210 and the preferable Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer flexible inner color delivery tube 212, color conveying tube 214 seals shut and no liquid color can drip therefrom.

(17) When the color needs to be changed, color conveying tube 214 can be disconnected from color feed conduit assembly 209 without any drip of liquid color. The short length of the preferable Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer inner color delivery tube 212 that remains within process machine 200, inside the preferable aluminum outer color delivery support tube 210, is purged by the new liquid color as the new liquid color is introduced into the inner color delivery tube 212.

(18) With this arrangement, there is no problem of cross-contamination during color changes because (1) the length of inner color delivery tube 212 is short, typically less than 16 inches; (2) the 16 inch or shorter length inner color delivery tube 212 has a small inner diameter, typically about 3/16 inch; and (3) inner color delivery tube 212 is preferably Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer so it cleans out easily, with little or none of the previous liquid color remaining as the new color begins to flow through inner color delivery tube 212.

(19) Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer, or a similar equivalent polymer, is ideal for inner color delivery tube 212 because Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer and equivalent suitable polymers resist the heat inherently generated during operation of process machine 200, which can reach temperatures of 500 degrees Fahrenheit or more.

(20) If, for some reason, the preferable Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer inner color delivery tube 212 must be removed, this is easily accomplished by loosening compression fitting 216 and removing preferable Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer inner color delivery tube 212 from the color feed conduit assembly 209.

(21) A liquid color pump 14 powered by air pressure is desirably used to pump the liquid color through color conveying tube 214 and the preferable Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer inner color delivery tube 212 residing within the aluminum outer color delivery support tube 210. If preferable Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer inner color delivery tube 212 is removed, the quick disconnect non-drip female portion of the coupling closes, sealing the color conveying tube 214. There is no risk of building up too much pressure in the color conveying tube 214 or the aluminum outer color delivery support tube 210, since pressure of liquid color in the system is inherently limited to the pressure of the air furnished via air supply line 45 to drive liquid color pump 14.

(22) A major advantage of the invention over other pumping systems is that other pumping systems use positive displacement pumps that deliver liquid color at very high pressure. Such positive displacement pumps will blow a fitting off the end of a color conveying tube or will burst a color conveying tube if the outlet end is closed off. Utilization of the self-sealing quick disconnect tubular shutoff 248 at the outlet end of color conveying tube 214 avoids this problem.

(23) Diameter of color delivery tubes has a dramatic effect on back pressure. A small diameter tube that is too short will cause excessive back pressure. One-piece delivery tubes must be large, sometimes as large as ⅜ or ½ inch inside diameter. One quarter inch inside diameter is considered the industry standard. The inventive use of a short final length Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer inner color delivery tube allows the inner color delivery tube to be a smaller inner diameter.

(24) A further advantage of the invention is that compression fitting 216 securing preferable Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer inner color delivery tube 212 in place within rigid outer color delivery support tube 210 provides a way to remove and replace preferable Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer inner color delivery tube 212 very easily.

(25) In the drawings, process machine 200 is illustrated in schematic form as an injection molding press and includes a screw 202 within a barrel 204, as particularly well-illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Process machine 200 includes a feed throat 206 in the form of an opening above barrel 204. Plastic resin pellets to be molded into a finished or semi-finished plastic product are fed from a hopper 226 downwardly through feed throat 206 into barrel 204 for plasticizing conveyance by screw 202 into a mold, not shown in the drawings.

(26) Mounted on the unnumbered frame of process machine 200 at the upward opening of feed throat 206 is an adaptor plate 208 on which hopper 226 rests and is secured thereto. A color feed conduit assembly 209 is positioned to feed liquid color downwardly, through feed throat 206, with the liquid color being discharged immediately adjacent to or against screw 202. Color feed conduit assembly 209 includes rigid outer color delivery support tube 210, which is preferably aluminum, and flexible inner color delivery tube 212 preferably in sliding telescoping engagement with outer color delivery support tube 210. The telescoping assembly of color feed conduit assembly 209, including rigid outer color delivery support tube 210 and flexible inner color delivery tube 212, is illustrated in FIG. 7.

(27) Further referring to FIG. 7, where the hardware connection of color feed conduit assembly 209 is shown in exploded form, the connection includes a compression nut 220 fitted about rigid outer color delivery support tube 210 and a ferrule 218 fitting about flexible inner color delivery tube 212. A compression fitting 216 has an end portion 225 adapted for threaded engagement with compression nut 220. Compression fitting 216 further includes a central portion of hexagonal configuration to be grasped by a wrench in order to rotate and thereby tighten or loosen compression fitting 216. The central hexagonal central portion of compression fitting 216 is not numbered in the drawings.

(28) Compression fitting 216 further includes an internally threaded end portion 227, at the end opposite externally threaded end portion 225. A male connector fitting 217 includes a probe portion 228 adapted to fit into ferrule 218, which has an axial passageway through the center thereof for fluid communication with the interior of flexible inner color delivery tube 212. An o-ring 221 is provided for an effective seal as between male connector fitting 217 and a quick release straight through fitting 230. A washer 234 facilitates liquid-tight connection of male connector fitting 217 with compression fitting 216.

(29) A threaded portion of male quick release straight through fitting 230, as illustrated, threadedly engages interior threads along and through the axial length of bushing 219 and extends sufficiently far to abut male connector fitting 217. As a result, o-ring washer 221 provides an effective seal, preventing leakage of any liquid color passing through the assembly from quick release straight through fitting 230 to flexible inner color delivery tube 212.

(30) Quick release straight through fitting 230 is preferably a Parker BST-2M fitting, or the equivalent, available from numerous plumbing supply houses or directly from the manufacturer, Parker Hannifin Corporation in Minneapolis, Minn. Similarly, a suitable quick release non-drip female connector portion is available from Parker Hannifin.

(31) A male swivel hose barbed fitting is designated 232 in the drawings. A washer 234 is provided as shown, as is a delivery tube first section 236, a delivery tube second section 238, which are connected by a “see-through” tubular connection 240. See-through tubular connection 240 includes an external sleeve 242. Tubular connection 240 further includes a male connector portion 244 and a female connector portion 246. Quick disconnect non-drip female connector 248 connects with the male portion of connector 230.

(32) Liquid color flow to process machine 200 commences with pump 14 pumping liquid color from a drum 12 through color conveying tube 214 into flexible inner color delivery tube 212 portion of color feed conduit assembly 209. A first portion 236 of liquid color conveying tube 214 is preferably connected to an outlet from pump 14 by a barbed fitting 232, which in turn has been desirably screwed into a quarter-turn connector portion of pump 14. Liquid color conveying tube 214, particularly first segment 236 thereof, is pressed on to barbed fitting 232. At the other outlet end of liquid color conveying tube 214 is another barbed fitting, which is screwed into a female quick disconnect, which in turn pushes onto a male quick disconnect fitting 230 illustrated in FIG. 7. The female quick disconnect fitting has a built-in shutoff. Hence, when the female quick disconnect fitting is disconnected from the male quick disconnect 230 illustrated in FIG. 7, no liquid color will drip from of the outlet end of liquid color conveying tube 214.

(33) As illustrated in FIG. 1 schematically, liquid color conveying tube 214 may have two or more segments; two are illustrated schematically in FIG. 1. These two segments are connected preferably by a see-through connector designated generally 240 in FIGS. 9 and 10. See-through connector 240 includes a male connector portion 244, which is pushed onto an outlet end of liquid color conveying tube first section 236.

(34) See-through tubular connector 240 further includes a female connector portion, which is pushed into the inlet end of liquid color conveying tube second section 238. Male connector portion 244 and female connector portion 246 fit together via preferable threaded connections illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, where the threads on male portion 244 are clearly visible, but the threaded internal portion of female connector portion 246 has not been illustrated to enhance clarity of the drawings.

(35) See-through tubular connection 240 further and finally includes a desirably transparent external sleeve 242 fitting over the threadedly engaged male and female connector portions 244, 246, and proximate portions of liquid color conveying tube first and second sections 236, 238, as illustrated in FIG. 9.

(36) When the color feed conduit assembly 209 is assembled and positioned in adaptor plate slot 208 as illustrated in FIG. 8, the inlet to color feed conduit assembly 209, defined by the outwardly extending and protruding extremity of quick release straight-through male fitting 230, is positioned higher than the remaining portion of color feed conduit assembly 209, including (downstream) rigid outer color delivery support tube 210 and (downstream) flexible inner color delivery tube 212. Consequently, when liquid color conveying tube 214 is disconnected from color feed conduit assembly 209, no liquid color will drip from the open end of the passageway through quick release straight-through male fitting 230. Any liquid color present within any part of assembly 209 flows downwardly, from quick release straight-through male fitting 230, through the remaining portion of color feed conduit assembly 209, and down into process machine 200, exiting through the outlet end of flexible inner color delivery tube 212 proximate screw 202 of process machine 200.

(37) No liquid color drips from the outlet end of liquid color conveying tube 214; female quick disconnect fitting 248 at the outlet end of tube 214 is equipped with an internal self-sealing shutoff. Similarly, connector portions 244 and 246, if used, of tubular connection 240, if used, are desirably equipped with internal self-sealing shut-offs such that upon any disconnect of see-through tubular connection 240, there is no dripping or loss of liquid color.

(38) Liquid color pump 14 is desirably of the type disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/913,375 filed 7 Jun. 2013. Other suitable liquid color pumps for use as pump 14 are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,416,096; 7,390,119; 7,980,834; and 7,958,915.

(39) An important feature of the invention is that whereby the color feed conduit assembly 209 has quick disconnect style connector 230 screwed into it, which couples with quick disconnect non-drip female connector portion 248, and has outer color delivery support tube 210 of assembly 209 with preferable Teflon brand polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer inner tube 212 inserted into tube 210 of assembly 209, with inner tube 212 being a portion of assembly 209, and with inner tube 212 being held captive within outer tube 210 so that inner tube 212 does not need to be removed for color changes. Tube 210 is preferably secured to adaptor plate 208.

(40) Liquid color conveying tube 214 has a quick disconnect shut-off installed on the outlet, where that shut-off is as quick disconnect non-drip female connector portion indicated by 248 in the drawings. When connector 248 is disconnected from counterpart connector 230, connector 248 seals shut and liquid color cannot drip from the outlet of liquid color conveying tube 214.

(41) When the color needs to be changed, liquid color conveying tube 214 can be disconnected without liquid color dripping due to the presence of non-drip female connector portion 248 on the end of tube 214. The short length of color delivery tubing that remains in the machine, namely flexible inner color delivery tube 212, which is within rigid outer color delivery support tube 210, leads downwardly, as explained above, and is purged by the new color flowing downwardly therein. This short length of flexible inner color delivery tube 212, which is generally less than 16 inches with a small inside diameter of about 3/16 of inch or even less, results in flexible inner color delivery tube 212 cleaning out easily as it is purged by the incoming new liquid color. As a result of this short length of tube 212 and easy purging of tube 212 by the incoming new color, very few unacceptable parts are made when a color changeover occurs.

(42) Liquid color conveying tube 214 is preferably ⅜ inch inside diameter polyethylene tubing, which is secured to the outlet of pump 14 by pressing on to a barbed fitting.

(43) At the outlet end of liquid color conveying tube 214, for connection with quick disconnect non-drip female connector portion 248, is another barbed fitting that screws into quick disconnect non-drip female connector portion 248. (This barbed fitting has not been illustrated in the drawings to enhance drawing clarity.) Presence of quick disconnect non-drip female connector portion 248 assures no drip of liquid color when liquid color conveying tube 214 is disconnected from color feed conduit assembly 209 and hence from process machine 200.

(44) The outlet end of flexible inner color delivery tube 212 may be actually in contact with screw 202, but more desirably is about ½ of an inch above screw 202. The outlet end of flexible inner color delivery tube 212 is preferably positioned near the forward end of the feed throat of process machine 200, preferably over the downstroke side of the screw 202.