GB2264448A - Preparation of natural-looking moulded plastic articles - Google Patents
Preparation of natural-looking moulded plastic articles Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2264448A GB2264448A GB9203690A GB9203690A GB2264448A GB 2264448 A GB2264448 A GB 2264448A GB 9203690 A GB9203690 A GB 9203690A GB 9203690 A GB9203690 A GB 9203690A GB 2264448 A GB2264448 A GB 2264448A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- natural
- plastic
- rock
- stone
- looking
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 238000002360 preparation method Methods 0.000 title description 3
- 239000002991 molded plastic Substances 0.000 title description 2
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 27
- 239000004575 stone Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 24
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 23
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 23
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 239000008187 granular material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 238000001175 rotational moulding Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 239000000049 pigment Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 229920000092 linear low density polyethylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000004707 linear low-density polyethylene Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000004698 Polyethylene Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- -1 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 3
- 229920000573 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 3
- 229920000915 polyvinyl chloride Polymers 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000004800 polyvinyl chloride Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 abstract 1
- 238000000465 moulding Methods 0.000 description 3
- 229920000426 Microplastic Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000006229 carbon black Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004040 coloring Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007796 conventional method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003670 easy-to-clean Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011835 investigation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003973 paint Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B44—DECORATIVE ARTS
- B44C—PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS; MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK; PAPERHANGING
- B44C5/00—Processes for producing special ornamental bodies
- B44C5/06—Natural ornaments; Imitations thereof
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C39/00—Shaping by casting, i.e. introducing the moulding material into a mould or between confining surfaces without significant moulding pressure; Apparatus therefor
- B29C39/02—Shaping by casting, i.e. introducing the moulding material into a mould or between confining surfaces without significant moulding pressure; Apparatus therefor for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
- B29C39/12—Making multilayered or multicoloured articles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B44—DECORATIVE ARTS
- B44F—SPECIAL DESIGNS OR PICTURES
- B44F9/00—Designs imitating natural patterns
- B44F9/04—Designs imitating natural patterns of stone surfaces, e.g. marble
Landscapes
- Moulding By Coating Moulds (AREA)
Abstract
A process for the production of natural-looking plastic simulated stones and rocks comprises the following steps: (i) production of a rock or stone-shaped article of the desired shape by rotational moulding, wherein a granular plastic feedstock compound with a pigment is mixed with unpigmented granular plastic feedstock, the mixture being fed into the mould to produce said moulded article; and (ii) lightly abrading the surface of the moulded article e.g. with glasspaper, such that small areas of the pigmented granules on the outer surface are removed to reveal the lighter unpigmented granules beneath.
Description
PREPARATION OF NATURAL-LOOKING MOULDED PLASTIC ARTICLES
This invention relates to a process for the preparation of natural-looking plastic simulated stone and rock articles.
There is a great demand for plastic simulated stones and rocks, particularly in the garden trade. Such products are used extensively in the creation of ponds, waterfalls, rock gardens, and other similar features, both in public and private gardens, as well as in indoor features. For example, plastic pond bases may be moulded in such a way as to give the appearance of a pond hewn from rock. One of the major advantages of such simulated rocks and stone products is that they are easy to clean and maintain. Furthermore, the installation of a plastic moulded pond, shaped to look like it is made from stone or rock, is both cheaper and simpler than building a pond from real stone, which is both expensive to buy and very heavy, making it difficult to transport and handle. Simulated stones and rocks may also be used to produce simulated stone walling and paving.
Conventionally, plastic simulated stone and rock products of this type are produed by moulding techniques such as vacuum moulding and rotational moulding using, for example, compounded polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. Using such rotational moulding in particular, it is possible to produce simulated stone and rock products that have a convincingly natural "rock or stone- like" shape, having the natural sharpness of stone and rock surfaces.
Unfortunately, such products may only be produced in a single colour. In spite of many attempts to reproduce a natural colouring in the rocks and stones, the lack of the contrasting light and dark shade that is present in real rocks and stones results in the simulated rock and stone products produced by conventional techniques having an unconvincing, artificial look to them.
Clearly, a process that would enable the production of more natural-looking simulated plastic stone and rock products would be of great value in this area.
It is this problem, the production of natural-looking simulated plastic stone and rock products that the present invention addresses.
One possible approach to the production of simulated stone and rock products that have a more convincing variation of colour and shade is to try and paint onto the surface of the moulded product. However, all attempts to solve the problem in this way have proved ineffective and unconvincing. We have also attempted to carry out rotational moulding using a mixture of differently coloured resins, but this produces an undesirable mottled effect.
Further investigations, however, have led us to a new process for the production of natural-looking simulated plastic stone and plastic products that introduces the natural variations in colour and shade observed in real rocks and stones into such products.
We have found a process for the production of natural-looking plastic simulated stones and rocks comprising the following steps: (i) production of a rock or stone-shaped article of the desired shape by rotational moulding, wherein a granular plastic feedstock compounded with a pigment is mixed with unpigmented granular plastic feedstock, the mixture being fed into the mould to produce said moulded article; and (ii) lightly abrading the surface of the moulded article such that small areas of the pigmented granules on the outer surface are removed to reveal the lighter unpigmented granules beneath.
When the pigmented plastic granular feedstock is mixed with the unpigmented plastic granular feedstock, and the resulting mixture used to produce a rotationally moulded stone or rock- like prodcut, the surface has the uniform colour of the pigmented particles. However, on gently abrading the surface, e.g with glasspaper, it is surprisingly found that pigmented particles at the surface come away to reveal the lighter colour of the unpigmented plastic granules. The resultant product has the authentic, grained surface of real stones and rocks, light and dark grains intermingling. The resultant product is consequently considerably more visually and texturally convincing than existing simulated plastic stone and rock products, and therefore highly desirable in such applications as described above.Typical examples of the granular feedstocks used are polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride.
In an example of the process of the invention, virgin LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene) granules and virgin LLDPE granules compounded with black pigment (e.g. carbon black), are mixed together. This mixture is then fed into a conventional rotational mould for the production of, for example, "rock-bed" moulded ponds.
Rotational moulding (also known as spin moulding) is then carried out in the conventional manner, a uniformly dark coloured moulded product being produced. The outer surface is then abraded gently with glasspaper (particularly the more prominent parts of the surface), very small areas of the pigmented surface granules being removed to reveal the lighter unpigmented plastic granules beneath. The resultant effect is that of grained rock, light grains being dispersed throughout the darker pigmented grains.
Claims (3)
1. A process for the production of natural-looking plastic simulated stones and rocks comprising the following steps: (i) production of a rock or stone-shaped article of the desired shape by rotational moulding, wherein a granular plastic feedstock compounded with a pigment is mixed with unpigmented granular plastic feedstock, the mixture being fed into the mould to produce said moulded article; and (ii) lightly abrading the surface of the moulded article such that small areas of the pigmented granules on the outer surface are removed to reveal the lighter unpigmented granules beneath.
2. A process according to Claim 1 in which the granular plastic feedstocks are polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride.
3. A process according to Claim 2 in which the granular plastic feedstocks are linear low-density polyethylene.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9203690A GB2264448B (en) | 1992-02-20 | 1992-02-20 | Preparation of natural-looking moulded plastic articles |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9203690A GB2264448B (en) | 1992-02-20 | 1992-02-20 | Preparation of natural-looking moulded plastic articles |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9203690D0 GB9203690D0 (en) | 1992-04-08 |
| GB2264448A true GB2264448A (en) | 1993-09-01 |
| GB2264448B GB2264448B (en) | 1995-06-21 |
Family
ID=10710783
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9203690A Expired - Fee Related GB2264448B (en) | 1992-02-20 | 1992-02-20 | Preparation of natural-looking moulded plastic articles |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2264448B (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2337526A (en) * | 1998-02-24 | 1999-11-24 | Brenda Sutherland | Easy rockeries |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1150018A (en) * | 1966-10-14 | 1969-04-30 | Metal Containers Ltd | Improvements in or relating to a Method of Making a Container |
| GB1179117A (en) * | 1966-11-29 | 1970-01-28 | Ici Ltd | Plastics Containers. |
| GB1259642A (en) * | 1968-02-01 | 1972-01-05 | ||
| GB1348381A (en) * | 1970-03-18 | 1974-03-13 | Ici Ltd | Decorative surfaces |
-
1992
- 1992-02-20 GB GB9203690A patent/GB2264448B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1150018A (en) * | 1966-10-14 | 1969-04-30 | Metal Containers Ltd | Improvements in or relating to a Method of Making a Container |
| GB1179117A (en) * | 1966-11-29 | 1970-01-28 | Ici Ltd | Plastics Containers. |
| GB1259642A (en) * | 1968-02-01 | 1972-01-05 | ||
| GB1348381A (en) * | 1970-03-18 | 1974-03-13 | Ici Ltd | Decorative surfaces |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2337526A (en) * | 1998-02-24 | 1999-11-24 | Brenda Sutherland | Easy rockeries |
| GB2337526B (en) * | 1998-02-24 | 2002-09-04 | Brenda Sutherland | Easy rockeries |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2264448B (en) | 1995-06-21 |
| GB9203690D0 (en) | 1992-04-08 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19990220 |