Abstract: A carpet tile and process for making the same, wherein the carpet tile comprises a facecloth having a plurality of face yarns tufted through a primary backing, an extruded polymer secondary backing layer, and a cushion, comprising a reinforcing scrim layer within a polymer layer. The top surface and bottom surface of the carpet tile are defined by the facecloth and the cushion, respectively. A polymer-based resin is extruded onto the facecloth to form an at least substantially uniform secondary backing layer, and the cushion is laid onto the extruded polymer secondary backing layer while the extruded polymer secondary backing layer remains above a softening temperature for the resin. The entire multi-layer web is then passed through a nip to embed the reinforcing scrim layer into the extruded polymer secondary layer, and the entire web is chilled.

Abstract: A method of recycling a PET-containing material comprises: (1) providing an MRS extruder having an MRS section comprising a plurality of satellite screws and an outlet; (2) providing a vacuum pump in communication with the MRS section; (3) providing a spinning machine comprising an inlet, wherein the inlet is directly coupled to the outlet of the MRS extruder; (4) heating a plurality of PET-containing flakes in the MRS extruder to form a PET-containing melt; (5) increasing a surface area of the PET-containing melt by distributing the PET-containing melt across the plurality of satellite screws in the MRS extruder; (6) drawing off vapors from the PET-containing melt by reducing the pressure in the MRS section with the vacuum pump; (7) collating the PET-containing melt in the MRS extruder; and (8) extruding the PET-containing melt through the outlet of the MRS extruder into the inlet of the spinning machine.

Abstract: A yarn storage container for storing a yarn, said storage container (101) comprising a, preferably tubular, container (101), having an axial length (L), a, preferably tubular, wall (501) and a first and second axial extremity (113-115), the first axial extremity (113) of said container (101) having an opening (123) for receiving an end of a yarn (200), said second axial extremity (115) of said container (101) being air-permeably closed, said wall (501) is air permeable by means of a plurality of openings (521-523) present along the axial length of said container (101). The invention further relates to a yarn storage system (1000) comprising a plurality of containers (101), to a textile production assembly (2000) and to methods of producing yarn (200) and textiles.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to carpet components and methods of making the carpet components. In one embodiment, a carpet component is provided. The carpet component includes a carpet substrate having a texture comprising a pattern, wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of adjoining design elements each defining a design and a boundary and wherein the design elements are arranged so that the design of one design element is not predictable from the design of an adjoining design element; and an overprint disposed onto the carpet substrate wherein the overprint comprises a plurality of adjoining design elements each defining a design and a boundary and wherein the design elements are arranged so that the design of at least one design element is predictable from the design of an adjoining design element.

Abstract: A method for providing a multifilament bundle of melt spun polymer filaments that includes providing a spinning device including at least M extruders for melting M polymers, M groups of spinning stations, each group comprising N spinning stations, each spinning station comprising a spin pack coupled to a spin pump which receives molten polymer from one of the M extruders and spins a strand of filaments by pushing said polymer through the coupled spin pack, and N transformation stations for bundling M strands of filaments. The method further includes spinning N*M strands of filaments from the spinning stations at a given spin pump output and bundling the strands into N multifilament bundles via the N transformation stations whereby the spin pump outputs are varied over time.

Abstract: A method of recycling a PET-containing material comprises: (1) providing a polymer crystallizer comprising at least one heating element, and at least one blower; (2) providing an MRS extruder having an MRS section comprising a plurality of satellite screws; (3) providing a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the MRS section; (4) grinding and washing the PET-containing material; (5) heating the PET-containing material in the crystallizer to at least partially dry the PET-containing material; (6) shearing the PET-containing material in the MRS extruder to produce a PET-containing melt; (7) increasing a surface area of the PET-containing melt by distributing the PET-containing melt across a plurality of satellite screws in the MRS extruder; (8) drawing off vapors from the PET-containing melt by reducing the pressure in the MRS section with the vacuum pump; (9) collating the PET-containing melt in the MRS extruder; and (10) extruding a recycled PET-containing material.

Abstract: Soft surface articles may be treated during manufacture with treatment sheets loaded with treatment chemicals while drying the articles. This eliminates a step of adding the treatment chemicals to a water bath containing the treatment chemicals. Eliminating this step reduces the amount of water used in the manufacture of the soft surface articles and also removes the requirement of having to process a vat of waste water.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing a carpet or a rug, comprising the following steps: the step (S1-S2) of providing a primary backing (1), being a woven or non-woven layer comprising filaments (2) of polyethyleneterephthalate and copolymer of polyethyleneterephthalate, the coPET having a lower melting temperature than the PET and wherein said PET is available in said primary backing (1) in a higher amount than said coPET; the step of providing a glue layer (11) consisting for 50% or more out of coPET; the step of tufting yarn at least into said primary backing (1); the step of activating said glue layer (11) at least for partially fixing said yarn (12) on said primary backing (1). The invention also concerns carpets (16) and rugs that are obtained or obtainable by means of such method.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing pellets from polymer, comprising: (1) melting polymer flakes in a first section of a melt processing unit to create a first single stream of polymer melt; (2) separating the first single stream of polymer melt into multiple streams of polymer melt by means of a separation element; (3) passing the multiple streams through a multiple stream section of said melt processing unit and exposing the multiple streams to a pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit as the multiple streams pass through the multiple stream section; (4) recombining the multiple streams into at least one combined stream of polymer melt; and (5) cooling the polymer melt and forming said pellets from the at least one combined stream. The intrinsic viscosity of the at least one combined stream may be determined and, in response, the chamber pressure within the multiple stream section adjusted.

Abstract: Undesirable materials that are frequently discarded from recycling desirable polymer-containing materials may be processed and used in the production of soft surfaces to produce soft surfaces with improved properties.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) passing the group of flakes through an MRS extruder while maintaining the pressure within the MRS portion of the MRS extruder below about 1.5 millibars; (E) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (F) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

Abstract: Systems for producing M bundles of filaments, wherein M?1, include N extruders, M spin stations, and a processor, wherein N>1. Each extruder includes a thermoplastic polymer having a color, hue, and/or dyability characteristic, which are different from each other. Each spin station produces N bundles of filaments that form a yarn. Each spin station comprises N spinnerets through which filaments are spun from molten polymers streams received by the respective spin station and N spin pumps upstream of the N spinnerets for the respective spin station. Each spin pump is paired with one of the N extruders. The processor is in electrical communication with the N*M spin pumps and is configured to adjust the volumetric flow rate of the polymers pumped from each spin pump to achieve a ratio of the polymers to be included in the yarn from each spin station.

Abstract: Soft surface articles may be treated during manufacture with treatment articles loaded with treatment chemicals while drying the soft surface articles. This eliminates a step of adding the treatment chemicals to a water bath containing the treatment chemicals. Eliminating this step reduces the amount of water used in the manufacture of the soft surface articles and also removes the requirement of having to process a vat of waste water.

Abstract: A tufted carpet comprising a secondary backing which defines a volume being a parallelepiped having three pair of parallel faces, a first pair of parallel faces defining a upper surface of the secondary backing and a lower face of the tufted carpet, at least a second pair of parallel faces being inclined with respect to the first pair of parallel faces under an angle ?1 less than 90°, preferably in the range of 10 to 87°, the angle being the smallest angle measured between the planes defining the first pair of parallel faces and second pair of parallel faces.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament that includes providing a polymer melt and separating the polymer melt from the extruder into at least eight streams. The multiple streams are exposed to a chamber pressure within a chamber that is below approximately 25 millibars, or another predetermined pressure. The streams are recombined into a single polymer stream. Polymer from the polymer stream is then formed into bulked continuous carpet filament.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) comprises: (1) splitting the PTT stream extruded from the primary extruder into a number of polymer streams, each of the plurality of polymer streams having an associated spinning machine; (2) adding a colorant to each split polymer stream; (3) adding PET to the extruded polymer stream downstream of the primary extruder; (4) using one or more static mixing assemblies for each split polymer stream to substantially uniformly mix each split polymer stream and its respective colorant and PET; and (5) spinning each polymer stream with its substantially uniformly mixed colorant and any additives into BCF using the respective spinning machine.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from a plurality of polymer flakes comprises: (1) providing an extruder; (2) melting and purifying the plurality of polymer flakes into a polymer stream using the extruder; (3) providing a static mixing assembly downstream of the extruder; (4) adding a first liquid colorant to a center of the polymer stream at a first location before the static mixing assembly or along a length of the static mixing assembly; (5) adding a second liquid colorant to the polymer stream at a second location before the static mixing assembly or along a length of the static mixing assembly; (6) using the static mixing assembly to mix the polymer stream with the first and second liquid colorant to create a colored polymer stream; and (7) forming the colored polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament.

Abstract: Undesirable materials that are frequently discarded from recycling desirable polymer-containing materials may be processed and used in the production of soft surfaces to produce soft surfaces with improved properties.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament that includes providing a polymer melt and separating the polymer melt from the extruder into at least eight streams. The multiple streams are exposed to a chamber pressure within a chamber that is below approximately 25 millibars, or another predetermined pressure. The streams are recombined into a single polymer stream. Polymer from the polymer stream is then formed into bulked continuous carpet filament.

Abstract: A system comprising: (1) a grinding unit configured to receive and grind recycled PET bottles into a group of polymer flakes comprising up to about ten percent colored polymer flakes and balance substantially clear polymer flakes; (2) a washing unit configured to wash the group of polymer flakes; and (3) an extruder configured to extrude material in a plurality of different extrusion streams. The extruder may be further configured to: (1) receive a concentrate-polymer mixture comprising a mixture of the polymer flakes and a color concentrate; (2) melt the concentrate-polymer mixture to produce a polymer melt; (3) reduce a pressure within the extruder; and (4) pass the polymer melt through the extruder so that the polymer melt is divided into the plurality of extrusion streams. The system may then filter the polymer melt through at least one filter and form the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament.