Recycled plastic pallet

Abstract

A recycled plastic pallet, provided by means of a mixture of: - a first component, constituted by a secondary raw plastic material; - a second component, constituted by a secondary raw plastic material with a filler function; - a third component, constituted by a polyolefin-based color masterbatch.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a recycled plastic pallet. More specifically, the invention relates to a recycled plastic pallet which is made using heterogeneous secondary raw materials originating from post-consumer and post-production recycling processes.

[0002] As is known, pallets made of wood and pallets made of plastic both exist on the market. Plastic pallets are made by means of injection molding, using predominantly homogeneous materials, virgin or recycled.

[0003] The aim of the present invention is to provide a plastic pallet that can be made starting from heterogeneous materials originating from post-consumer and / or post-production recycling processes, in order to contribute to environmental sustainability through an ecologically friendly solution.

[0004] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a plastic pallet that can be easily recycled.

[0005] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a plastic pallet that is highly reliable, easily and practically implemented and at low cost.

[0006] This aim and these and other objects which will become more apparent hereinafter are achieved by a recycled plastic pallet, characterized in that it is provided by means of a mixture of: a first component, constituted by a secondary raw plastic material; a second component, constituted by a secondary raw plastic material with a filler function; a third component, constituted by a polyolefin-based color masterbatch.

[0007] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a plastic pallet according to the present invention.

[0008] The plastic pallet according to the invention is made using heterogeneous secondary raw materials originating from post-consumer and / or post-production waste.

[0009] Before describing the components used in the production of the plastic pallet according to the invention, it is appropriate to give some definitions in order to better understand the subsequent description.

[0010] Secondary raw plastic materials are mixtures of heterogeneous polyolefin-based plastic materials, originating from industrial residues and / or from post-consumer waste materials.

[0011] Secondary raw plastic materials on the other hand are fillers obtained from milling industrial discards and / or from post-consumer waste of plastic material composites.

[0012] The term inert filler, on the other hand, means the solid inert material obtained from the milling of thermosetting plastic material composites, which is used to modify the strength, performance or other characteristics of polymers.

[0013] It can be RZC: a filler obtained by milling composite continuous-fiber materials with thermosetting resin or thermoplastic matrices, originating from processing discards and / or from post-consumer waste.

[0014] Or it can be RZD: a filler obtained by milling thermosetting plastic laminates (HPL), originating from processing discards and / or from post-consumer waste.

[0015] Or it can be RZG: a filler obtained by milling manufactured articles originating from post-consumer waste and / or from processing discards obtained from molding cross-linked BMC and / or SMC.

[0016] Finally, the term "secondary raw plastic materials" means polypropylene intended for different uses, originating from the recycling of industrial residues and / or pre- and / or post-consumer waste materials.

[0017] The pallet according to the present invention comprises three component elements, wherein a first component element is a secondary raw plastic material R-POMIX (according to the UNI 10667-16 standard), in a percentage of 50 to 90% and preferably approximately 74%.

[0018] A second component element is a secondary raw plastic material, in this case a filler obtained from milling industrial discards and / or from post-consumer waste of plastic material composites, of type RZC, RZD and RZG (according to the UNI 10667-13 standard).

[0019] The second material or component element is present in a percentage of 5 to 40% and preferably of 25%.

[0020] Finally, a third component element or material is a polyolefin-based color masterbatch, present in a percentage of 0.1 to 5% and preferably in a percentage of 0.6%.

[0021] The three materials indicated above can be supplemented with a fourth component element which is a secondary raw plastic material, Rpp (according to the UNI 10667-3 standard), which can be present in a percentage of 5 to 50% and preferably of 20%.

[0022] The pallet made with the materials described above is provided by means of presses for injection molding.

[0023] The pallet thus produced is "ecological" in that it is obtained from materials originating from post-consumer and post-production recycling processes, and in turn it is likewise recyclable at the end of its life.

[0024] The method for making the pallet according to the present invention is carried out by a machine that is used to mold plastic manufactured articles using homogeneous and / or heterogeneous recycled composites.

[0025] The principle used is low-pressure injection with multiple injection points, through wide-bore flow-controlled cutting nozzles.

[0026] This principle enables the conversion and homogenization of plastic conglomerates with a specially-made plasticizing mixer.

[0027] The function of the plasticizing mixer is to plasticize, homogenize and degas the plastic material for subsequent injection. The plasticizing process occurs both by the mechanical action of a screw and by the application of heat using a temperature control system, with various temperature profiles that can vary from 180°C to 200°C approximately. The injection occurs in a rotating structure with four stations containing the molds and a press that contrasts the molding pressure with a closing force of approximately 12,000 kN.

[0028] The entire injection path, except for the molds, is thermally monitored.

[0029] The injection pressures can vary from 150 bar to 250 bar approximately.

[0030] The production line has an electronic control unit that makes it possible to control the injection cycle parameters at will, so as to ensure optimal performance in terms of homogeneity of the injection-molded product and productivity.

[0031] Once the plastic conglomerate has been injected into the mold, the system cools it. The unit is completed by oil hydraulic devices for opening and closing the mold.

[0032] The removal of the molded manufactured articles is done with an anthropomorphic robot, which places them on the production line.

[0033] In practice it has been found that the pallet according to the invention fully achieves the set aim and objects.

[0034] The pallet thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0035] Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

[0036] In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and to the state of the art.

[0037] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102024000001737 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A recycled plastic pallet, characterized in that it is provided by means of a mixture of: - a first component, constituted by a secondary raw plastic material; - a second component, constituted by a secondary raw plastic material with a filler function; - a third component, constituted by a polyolefin-based color masterbatch.

2. The pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that said first component is present in a percentage of 50 to 90%.

3. The pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that said second component is present in a percentage of 5 to 40%.

4. The pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that said third component is present in a percentage from 0.1 to 5%.

5. The pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that said first component is present in a preferable percentage of 74%.

6. The pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that said second component is present in a preferable percentage of 25%.

7. The pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that said third component is present in a preferable percentage of 0.6%.

8. The pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a fourth component constituted by Rpp secondary raw plastic material, present in a percentage of 5 to 50%.

9. The pallet according to claim 8, characterized in that said fourth component is present in a preferable percentage of 20%.

10. The pallet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first component element is a secondary raw plastic material provided as a mixture of heterogeneous polyolefin-based plastic material originating from industrial residues and / or post-consumer waste material.

11. The pallet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second component element is a filler obtained from the milling of industrial discards and / or from post-consumer waste of plastic material composites.

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