Molded body, process for producing the molded body and process for recycling the molded body

Abstract

The invention relates to a reinforcing band (14) for insertion into a molded body (10) made of an injection-moldable molding compound (13), comprising a band-shaped base body (16) made of a metal, which has a plurality of slots (20) widened to form openings (18), wherein the band-shaped base body (16) is embedded in an embedding agent (22). Furthermore, the invention relates to a molded body (10) made of an injection-moldable molding compound (13), comprising at least one such reinforcing band (14), a method for producing such a molded body (10), and a method for recycling such a molded body (10).

Description

The present invention relates to a reinforcing tape for insertion into a shaped body made of an injection-moldable molding compound, comprising a tape-shaped basic body made of a metal, which basic body has a multiplicity of slits widened to form openings. The invention further relates to a shaped body made of an injectable molding composition, having at least one such reinforcing tape, a process for producing such a shaped body and a process for recycling such a shaped body.A reinforcing tape of the type mentioned at the beginning is used as an insert for reinforcing a molded body made of an injection-moldable molding compound, such as, for example, a sealant or edge protection strand made of an elastomeric material. Such a sealing line is used to seal an opening of a vehicle, such as a window opening, a door opening or a tailgate opening.For fastening the sealing strand, the opening is provided with a flange encircling the opening, onto which flange the sealing strand is plugged or clamped. For this purpose, the reinforcing band is transformed into a V-profile, S-profile, L-profile, Z-profile or U-profile.To produce a sealing strip, the reinforcing strip formed into a profile is encapsulated by injection molding with an injection-moldable molding compound, such as a plastic and / or an elastomer, for example, in an extrusion process. In order to provide a connection of the moldable molding compound to the reinforcing tape, the reinforcing tape is provided with slits. The slits are introduced in a continuous production process by roll cutting, and in a subsequent stretching and / or stretching process the slits are widened to form openings. This creates a mechanical connection between the reinforcing band and the rubber.Due to this mechanical connection, it is difficult for recycling to separate the reinforcing tape from the injection-moldable molding compound, such as a plastic and / or an elastomer. The effort involved in this is very high, since the plastic and / or the elastomer must be mechanically torn or cut at each opening of the reinforcing strip.In addition to this mechanical connection, it is known to chemically bond the reinforcing tape and the sprayable molding compound to one another via an adhesion promoter. For this purpose, the adhesion promoter is applied to the reinforcing tape and the injection-moldable molding compound is then injection-molded around the reinforcing tape provided with the adhesion promoter. Owing to the adhesion promoter, separation of reinforcing tape and sprayable molding composition is virtually impossible from a technical point of view. Such products are either burnt or otherwise mixed in. Such products are known, for example, in DE 37 08 889 A1 and DE 10 2006 010 824 A1.To avoid this disadvantage, EP 0 428 001 B1 discloses a metal strip which has a multiplicity of cut-away tongues arranged in series one behind the other, wherein the tongues are each formed by two cut-away portions which are formed parallel and spaced apart from one another, wherein the tongues are partially formed planar from the metal strip and wherein non-formed tongues formed out of the metal strip plane alternate with one another in order to form a flow channel for a plastic material between the non-formed and deformed tongues during the production of a profile strip for a vehicle. As a result of the toothing formed by the tongues between the metal strip and the plastic material, the use of an adhesion promoter can be dispensed with. By absorbing energy from the metal strip in the boundary region of the plastic material, a melt is achieved, as a result of which the metal strip can easily be dissolved from the thermoplastic. As a result, a virtually residue-free separation between the plastic material and the metal strip is possible.JP S57-66 041 A1 discloses an apertured metal strip surrounded by a resinous layer.Moreover, US 2018 / 0 154 414 A1 discloses a metal band shaped into a helix with slots, which is surrounded by a polymeric coating layer.The object of the present invention is to provide a reinforcing belt, a shaped body, a method for producing a shaped body and a method for recycling the shaped body, which allow simple and improved recycling.To achieve the object, a reinforcing tape having the features of claim 1, a molded body having the features of claim 6, a method for producing the molded body having the features of claim 8, and a method for recycling the molded body having the features of claim 9 are proposed.Advantageous configurations of the reinforcing belt, of the shaped body and of the method for recycling are the subject matter of the respective dependent claims.According to a first aspect of the invention, a molded body made of an injectable molding compound is proposed. The molded body has a reinforcing tape comprising a tape-shaped base body made of a metal, wherein the tape-shaped base body has a plurality of slits widened to form openings, wherein the tape-shaped base body is embedded in an embedding agent, wherein the tape-shaped base body embedded in the embedding agent is encapsulated with the moldable molding compound, and wherein the embedding agent has a lower melting point than the tape-shaped base body and the moldable molding compound, such that by heating to a temperature that is lower than the melting point of the moldable molding compound and the tape-shaped base body, the embedding agent is liquifiable in order to separate the reinforcing tape from the moldable molding compound.The embedding means in which the tape-shaped base body is embedded penetrates the openings and envelopes the reinforcing tape. As a result, the embedding means forms the mechanical connection to the band-shaped base body. The tape-shaped base body embedded in the embedding means can be encapsulated by injection molding with an injectable molding compound, such as a plastic and / or an elastomer, for example, wherein the injectable molding compound is joined to the embedding means. As a result, the moldable molding compound is firmly connected to the reinforcing strip, in particular to the strip-shaped base body. By means of a suitable means, such as heat, the embedding means can be made liquid again and the mechanical connection can thereby be released, so that all materials can be separated from one another cleanly and in a single type. The embedding agent thus replaces an adhesion promoter, since the chemical connection is replaced by a mechanical re-detachable connection. Thus, the reinforcing band according to the invention enables simple and improved recycling.By heating a molded body provided with the reinforcing tape to a temperature which is lower than the melting point of the molded body and / or of the tape-shaped main body, the embedding agent can be liquefied and the reinforcing tape can thus be separated from the molded body, in particular an injectable molding compound, such as a plastic and / or an elastomer.Advantageously, the reinforcing tape can be separated from the molded body by suitable measures. The liquid embedding agent can then likewise be separated from the reinforcing tape and / or shaped body and completely recycled.Advantageously, the embedding agent is designed to be solid in a temperature range, in particular up to about 80° C., and to change over into a liquid state by heating.In an advantageous embodiment, the embedding means has a smooth surface. This allows the reinforcing tape to replace a coated reinforcing tape.In an advantageous embodiment, the embedding means is connected to the band-shaped base body in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting manner. The positive and non-positive connection of the embedding means to the band-shaped base body takes place in that the embedding means flows into the openings and thus enters into a positive and non-positive connection to the band-shaped base body. As a result, the embedding means forms a mechanical connection to the band-shaped base body.In an advantageous embodiment, the embedding means is a thermoplastic. For embedding the reinforcing tape, the reinforcing tape is encapsulated by injection molding with the liquid thermoplastic. This cools and fills the openings and, in the cooled state, forms a mechanical connection to the reinforcing strip. At this time, a thin smooth film remains on the top and / or bottom of the reinforcing tape, if necessary. Furthermore, the embedding agent is advantageously a thermoplastic or a thermoplastic elastomer.In an advantageous embodiment, the strip-shaped base body is embedded in the embedding means by means of hot embedding or cold embedding.The molded body according to the invention can be easily recycled because, for separating the molded body and the reinforcing tape, the embedding agent is liquefied by a suitable means such as heat, so that the mechanical connection of the embedding agent to the reinforcing tape is separated and the reinforcing tape can be separated from the molded body by suitable means. The liquid embedding agent can then likewise be separated from the reinforcing tape and / or shaped body and completely recycled.In an advantageous embodiment, the molded body is a decorative or sealing strand or an edge protection strand.According to a further aspect of the invention, a method for producing a shaped body according to the invention is proposed. In the method, a reinforcing tape is produced by inserting slots into a tape-shaped base body made of a metal by means of a roll-cutting process and then widening the slots into openings by stretching and / or drawing. Subsequently, the reinforcing strip is encapsulated by injection molding with an embedding agent having a lower melting point than the strip-shaped base body and the moldable molding compound. Thereafter, the reinforcing strip embedded in the embedding means is formed into a V-profile, S-profile, L-profile, Z-profile or U-profile, and finally the reinforcing strip formed into a profile is injection-molded with the injection-moldable molding compound in the extrusion process.According to a further aspect of the invention, a method for recycling a shaped body according to the invention is proposed. For this purpose, the shaped body is heated to a melting temperature of the embedding agent, and the shaped body is then separated from the reinforcing tape.In an advantageous embodiment, the molten or liquid embedding agent is separated from the molded body and / or reinforcing belt.A shaped body, a reinforcing tape, a method for producing the shaped body, a method for recycling the shaped body and further features and advantages are explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment which is schematically illustrated in the figures. The following shows: FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a molded body having a reinforcing tape which is partially surrounded by an embedding agent; FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a method for producing the molded body and reinforcing tape; and FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a method for recycling the molded body.FIG. 1 shows a molded body 10 which is designed in the present case as a sealing strip 12 for an opening, not shown, such as a window opening, a door opening or a tailgate opening, of a vehicle, not shown.The molded body 10 is made of an injection-moldable molding compound 13, such as an elastomer or a thermoplastic. To reinforce the molded body 10, an insert in the form of a reinforcing band 14 is introduced into the latter, which is bent over to form a U-profile.The reinforcing band 14 has a band-shaped base body 16 made of a metal, which has a plurality of slots 20 widened to form openings 18.For separating the molded body 10 from the reinforcing tape 14, the reinforcing tape 14 is embedded in an embedding means 22, as will be explained in more detail below.The embedding means 22 is made of a thermoplastic, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer or a thermoplastic, and has a lower melting point than the band-shaped base body 16 and the molded body 10.In the following, a possible method for producing the molded body 10 is described with reference to FIG. 2. In a first step S 1 H the reinforcing band 14 is produced by slots 20 being introduced into the band-shaped base body 16 by means of roll cutting. The slots 20 are then widened to the openings 18 by stretching and / or pulling the band-shaped base body 16. In a second step S 2 H the band-shaped base body 16 is embedded in the embedding means 22 by injection molding the band-shaped base body 16 with the liquid thermoplastic, in particular the liquid thermoplastic or thermoplastic elastomer. The liquid thermoplastic cools and fills the openings 18 and, in the cooled state, forms a mechanical connection to the band-shaped base body 16. In a third step S 3 H the reinforcing band is transformed into a V-profile, S-profile, L-profile, Z-profile or, as is shown in FIG. 1, into a U-profile. In a fourth step S 4 H the reinforcing strip 14 formed into the profile, in the present case the U-profile, is encapsulated by injection molding with the injection-moldable molding compound 13 in the extrusion process and the sealing strand 12 is thus produced.A possible method for recycling the sealing strand 12 is explained below. In the method, in a first recycling step S 1 R the sealing strand 12 is heated to a melting temperature of the embedding agent 22. As a result, the embedding agent liquifies, so that in a second recycling step S 2, the molding compound 13 or the molded body 10 can be separated in R from the reinforcing belt 14 by a suitable measure. Thereafter, in a third method step S 3 R the liquid embedding agent 22 is separated from the molded body 10 and / or the reinforcing band 14.The reinforcing band 14 is characterized by the embedding means 22, in which the band-shaped base body 16 is embedded. The embedding means 22 penetrates the openings 18 and envelopes the band-shaped base body 16. As a result, the embedding means 22 forms the mechanical connection to the band-shaped base body 22, The band-shaped base body 16 embedded in the embedding means 22 is then encapsulated by injection molding with the moldable molding compound 13, such as a plastic and / or an elastomer, for example, wherein the moldable molding compound 13 connects to the embedding means 22 and is thereby firmly connected to the band-shaped base body 16. By a suitable means, such as heat, the embedding means 22 can be made liquid again and the mechanical connection can thereby be released. As a result, all materials can be separated from one another cleanly and in a manner of different types. The embedding agent 22 thus replaces an adhesion promoter, since the chemical connection is replaced by a mechanical re-detachable connection. Thus, the reinforcing band 14 according to the invention enables simple and improved recycling.List of reference characters10 Molded body 12 Sealing strand 13 Sprayable molding compound 14 Reinforcing tape 16 Tape-shaped basic body 18 Opening 20 Slots 22 Embedding agent S 1 H First production step S 2 H Second production step S 3 H Third production step S 4 H Fourth production step S 1 R First recycling step S 2 R Second recycling step S 3 R Third recycling step

Claims

A shaped body (10) made of an injection-moldable molding compound (13), comprising a reinforcing tape (14) which comprises a tape-shaped base body (16) made of a metal, wherein the tape-shaped base body (16) has a plurality of slits (20) widened to form openings (18), wherein the tape-shaped base body (16) is embedded in an embedding means (22), and wherein the tape-shaped base body (16) embedded in the embedding means (22) is encapsulated with the injection-moldable molding compound, characterized in that the embedding means (22) has a lower melting point than the tape-shaped base body (16) and the injection-moldable molding compound (13), such that by heating to a temperature which is lower than the melting point of the injection-moldable molding compound (13) and of the tape-shaped base body (16), the embedding means (22) can be liquefied in order to separate the reinforcing tape (14) from the injection-moldable molding compound (13).Shaped body according to claim 1, characterised in that the embedding means (22) is connected to the band-shaped base body (16) in a form-fit and / or force-fit manner.Shaped body according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the embedding means (22) is a thermoplastic.Shaped body according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the strip-shaped base body (16) is embedded in the embedding means (22) by means of hot embedding or cold embedding.Shaped body according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shaped body (10) is a decorative or sealing strand (12) or an edge protection strand.Method for producing a shaped body (10) from an injection-moldable molding compound (13) according to one of the preceding claims, which has the following steps: a. producing a reinforcing strip (14) by introducing slots (20) into a strip-shaped base body (16) made of a metal by the slitter-cutting method and subsequently widening the slots (20) to form openings (18) by stretching and / or drawing; b. injection-molding the reinforcing strip (14) with an embedding means (22) which has a lower melting point than the strip-shaped base body (16) and the injection-moldable molding compound (13); c. forming the reinforcing strip (14) embedded into the embedding means (22) into a V profile, S profile, L profile, Z profile or U profile; and d. injection molding the reinforcing strip (14) shaped to form a profile with the injection-moldable molding compound (13) in the extrusion process.A method of recycling a shaped article (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising the steps of: a. heating the shaped article (10) to a melting temperature of the embedding agent (22); and b. separating the shaped article (10) from the reinforcing belt (14).Method according to claim 7, characterised in that the molten embedding agent (22) is separated from the shaped body (10) and / or reinforcing band (14).

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