Process for preparing products capable of being panelled and/or moulded outgoing from cardboard and/or paper of any recyclable type

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a preparing process of cardboard or similar agglomerates, which brings essential characteristics of novelty and unquestionable advantages with regard to the already known systems used in the state of the art for preparing materials having similar - characteristics.

[0002] In a most definite way, the invention aims to attain a cardboard or even paper conglomerate by preparing a preliminary pulp obtained from cardboard and/or paper of any recyclable type starting from which, and by means of the treatment envisaged by the invention under the conditions to be later described, a product capable of being panelled or being moulded can be obtained, as a function of the chosen treatment, and constituting, at the same time, a - fully recyclable product once it has been disposed of.

[0003] The application field of the product as obtained through the process of the present invention can be very wide, since it can be very useful in the industry dedicated to the manufacture in general of panels, partitions, thermic and acoustic insulation, moulded parts of every type, - with reliefs, and so on.

RELATED ART

[0004] Within the many methods already known in the state of the art, we can find that protected by the patent document number 92401913, which describes a method of manufacturing paper consisting of adding, to a fibrous composition, determinate products, such as a mineral filler, an adhesive agent, and a retaining system, which may consist of a cationic starch, an aluminium polychloride, and a silicium of an anionic nature, at predeterminate relative ratios, and in order to obtain as a final product a paper getting together, at the same time, physical and chemical characteristics according to previous requirements.

[0005] Nothing is known, in the state of the art, about the existence of any other manufacturing process coming closer to the process of the present invention, so that, even without regard to the fact that the process of the above patent document may have, by no means, a direct relation to the method of the present invention, it could be consider, nevertheless, as the closer related art, bearing in mind the intervention of determinate elements which sre bonded one other by means of a binding agent that, in that case, is an adhesive.

[0006] An object of the present invention consists of exactly making good use of recyclable cardboard or paper wastes in order to obtain a final panelled product by means of a simply and economic method.

[0007] Another object of this invention is to provide a final product which can be easily moulded at will.

[0008] Also, another object of the invention is to obtain a final product having characteristics allowing its surface to be suitably treated in order to be shaped, raised worked, painted, varnished, etc., so that the article as manufactured with the product of this invention can receive the wanted final finish.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The above mentioned objects marked as fundamental for the invention, have been fully obtained by means of the process which will be described as follows:

[0010] To attain the process envisaged by the present invention, it is to be pointed out that the disclosure starts from the utilization of cardboards or papers which are capable of being recyclable in order to prepare an appropiate pulp. Although the process is basically the same for obtaining a panellable or mouldable product, there are definite differences which will be explained in detail as follows. For it, together with a recyclable cardboard, a binding agent is used, which may consists of, for example, a soda silicate glue,so that both components intervene in relative ratios of about 60% by weight of the basic material (i.e. cardboard) to about 40% by weight of the binding agent. Then, in a second stage or step of the process, this conglomerate is broken up into sizes according to the final use to which the product is to be applied (panelling or moulding); next, the composition is left to remain to soak for a variable period of time, with stirring about every two hours; subsequently, a pressing stage is performed with several options to be later explained, with removal of the remaining liquid through the application of temperatures of a determined value, and lastly, the product is cured, allowing it to remain for a period of time of, for example, 48 hours, in a warm air atmosphere.

[0011] Such as has been stated above, the process must be performed with slight variations, depending on whether it is desired to obtain a panellable product or a mouldable product. If a panellable product, once the pulp has been prepared with the incorporation of the basic cardboard and the binding agent, it is necessary to break up the cardboard into strips, the width of which will be, preferably, between 0.5 and 10 mm, and the - length of which will be, also preferably, between 5 and 30 cm. During the rest stage of the pulp, this broken up composition is left to soak for a period of time of 10 - 20 hours, being necessary, as already stated, to - stir it every 2 hours. In the pressing stage, the material will be pressed according to the desired dimensions (long, wide and thick), using, with this end, a platen press fitted with overflows through which the remaining liquid is evacuated, heating the conglomerate up to a - temperature of about 170ºC in order to crystallize the conglomerate, and, to this end and as an alternative, a warm air tunnel can be also utilized. In this way, and after the mentioned cure stage, the desired panels are obtained, which being insulating as a function of the characteristics of the materials used, can be used for forming partitions, air chambers, decorating pieces, internal or external pieces of furniture, and, in general, every kind of thermic and acoustic insulating panels. The finishing of these panels can be obtained by varnishing, painting, relief working on their surface, and so on.

[0012] If mouldable panels are preferred, it is necessary to break up, in the pulp preparing stage, the conglomerate obtained starting from the original cardboard with the binding agent, into particles of shavings or sawdust of wood, the size of these particles being about 1 cm². In this case, the rest stage consists of leaving this broken up cardboard in resting state for a period of time of about 5 to 10 hours, stirring it, as stated, about every two hours. Next, and in the pressing stage or step, the product will be subjected to the action of a platen press, through which a temperature of up to 250ºC is supplied it by means of suitable electric resistances providing heat. In this pressing stage, the material is provided with the desired volume and shape according to the application of the product, and so that the application of the temperature in this last stage provokes a greater pulp hardening. The last curing stage for the anticipate time of about 48 hours, in a warm air atmosphere, provides a material fully ready to be used, being preferably usable for forming different ornamental pieces and decorative figures, applicable to doors, socles, jambs, etc., and these pieces being, also, capable of receiving a final finish by means of varnish, paint, relief work, or any other desired finishing.

[0013] According to the method of the invention, a product obtained starting from recyclable cardboard and paper products is provided, which final product is also recyclable. In fact, the residues from this agglomerate disintegrate fully when soaked in water. This characretistic is very advantageous, since when the product wastes of the invention arrive at a rubbish dump or similar, they discompose upon being attacked by dampness, so assuring their full incorporation again to the organic chain by virtue of their degradability.

[0014] Lastly, and as an additional characteristic of the - invention, the outcoming product has a high ignifugous power, making it particularly applicable to the manufacture of insulating panels and similar, as above stated.

Claims

1. A preparing process of cardboard or similar agglomerates, the basic product of which is cardboard or paper having a recyclable nature, for obtaining a final product capable of being panelled and/or moulded, characterized in a first pulp preparing stage, in which a conglomerate is formed starting from bonding the basic product to a binding agent, preferably in a ratio of 60% by weight of basic product to 40% by weight of binding agent; a second grinding stage in which the conglomerate of the preceding stage is broken up into predetermined sizes according to the desired application; a resting stage in which the broken up conglomerate of the preceding stage is left to soak for a predetermined period of time and dependent on the result to be obtained, being stirred about every 2 hours; a pressing and drying stage at an appropiate temperature; and a last curing stage in which the product obtained is left to rest for a period of time of about 48 hours, at a warm air atmosphere.

2. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the binding agent is, preferable, soda silicate glue.

3. Process according to any of the preceding claims 1 or 2, characterized in that, if a product to be panelled is to be obtained, the grinding of the obtained product is performed in the breaking up stage, in strips having about 0.5 to 10 mm wide and about 5 to 30 cm long, the time to soak of the resting stage being about 10 to 20 hours, and being pressed in the stage corresponding at a temperature of about 170ºC in order to attain a crystallization of the product, and, with this end, a warm air tunnel.

4. A process according to any of the preceding claims 1 or 2, characterized in that, in order to obtain a mouldable product, the conglomerate is broken up in the breaking up stage, in portions or pieces of about 1 cm² of surface, and then is left to rest to soak for a period of time of about 5 to 10 hours, being next subjected, in the pressing stage, to a temperature of about 250ºC in order to attain a greater hardness of pulp.

5. A process according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the press used in the pressing stage is a platen press having overflows for evacuating the possible remaining liquid.

6. A process according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the final product obtained is fully recyclable, has thermic and acousting insulating characteristics, can be relief worked, and, besides, it is capable of receiving finish treatments, such as painting, varnishing, or similar.