Coated moldings and method and apparatus for recycling the same

Abstract

Coated moldings coated, on surfaces of moldings, with paint constituted of a thermoplastic resin having affinity for a thermoplastic resin used as a main constituent of the moldings. Method and apparatus for recycling the coated moldings are also described in which the coated moldings are crushed by means of a crusher and the crushed moldings are molded in a mold to provide fresh moldings, followed by coating, by means of a coating device, the fresh moldings on surfaces thereof with a paint constituted of a thermoplastic resin having affinity for the thermoplastic resin for the moldings.

1 - 56 . (canceled)  
     
     
         57 . A molding, recycled from a coated molding, 
 wherein said coated molding comprises 
 a molding mainly comprising a thermoplastic resin, and  
 a coated film coated on at least a surface of said molding,  
   wherein a thermoplastic resin constituting said coating film and said thermoplastic resin constituting said molding have an affinity for each other at least at interfaces therebetween or in a boundary region,    wherein said molding is obtained by crushing or pelletizing said coated molding, to obtain a crushed or pelletized molding,    wherein said crushed or pelletized molding is molded by heating and melting, and    wherein said thermoplastic resin of said coating film is dispersed in said thermoplastic resin of said molding.    
     
     
         58 . The molding according to  claim 57 , wherein said resin constituting said coating film comprises a thermoplastic resin capable of repeatedly molding by heating and melting after mixing with said thermoplastic resin used as a main constituent of said molding.  
     
     
         59 . The molding according to  claim 57 , wherein said thermoplastic resin constituting said coating film has the same nature as or a nature different from said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding and both thermoplastic resins mutually exhibit a nature of heat fusion, heat adhesion, heat stickiness, heat bonding, heat attachment, heat adherence, heat affinity, heat wetness or heat melting.  
     
     
         60 . The molding according to  claim 57 , wherein said thermoplastic resin of said coating film has the same nature as or a nature different from said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding and exhibits compatibility or miscibility with said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding.  
     
     
         61 . The molding according to  claim 57 , wherein said thermoplastic resin constituting said coating film has the same nature as or a nature different from said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding, and is dispersed in said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding so as to be able to be stabilized as having a sea-island structure or other structure.  
     
     
         62 . The molding according to  claim 57 , wherein said thermoplastic resin of said coating film has the same nature as or a nature different from said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding and is capable of being mixed at a molecular level with said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding.  
     
     
         63 . The according to  claim 59 , wherein said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding and said thermoplastic resin of said coating film comprise the same resin, or resins having the same skeleton or same branch, or different resins having similar properties.  
     
     
         64 . The molding according to  claim 59 , wherein said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of styrene resins, vinyl resins, amino resins, olefin resins, allied resins and similar resins, and 
 wherein said thermoplastic resin used as a main constituent of said coating film comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins, styrene resins, vinyl resins, amino resins, olefin resins, allied resins and similar resins.    
     
     
         65 . The molding according to  claim 59 , wherein said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding comprises an ABS resin, and 
 wherein said thermoplastic resin used as a main constituent of said coating film comprises an acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer resin, a styrene-modified acrylic resin or a thermoplastic acrylic resin.    
     
     
         66 . The molding according to  claim 59 , wherein said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding comprises a high impact polystyrene resin, and 
 wherein said thermoplastic resin used as a main constituent of said coating film comprises a polystyrene resin or a styrene-modified acrylic resin.    
     
     
         67 . The molding according to  claim 59 , wherein said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding comprises a modified polyphenylene oxide (ether) resin, and 
 wherein said thermoplastic resin of said coating film comprises polystyrene resin or a styrene-modified acrylic resin.    
     
     
         68 . The molding according to  claim 59 , wherein said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding comprises polypropylene resin or polyethylene resin, and 
 wherein said thermoplastic resin of said coating film comprises a chlorinated polypropylene resin or a halogenated polyolefin resin.    
     
     
         69 . The molding according to  claim 60 , wherein said thermoplastic resin of said coating film is dispersed in the form of islands in said thermoplastic resin used as the main constituent of said molding so as to have a sea-island structure or other structure, and 
 wherein said thermoplastic resin of said coating film dispersed in the form of islands has an aspect ratio of from 0.2 to 1.    
     
     
         70 . A molding, recycled from a coated molding, 
 wherein said coated molding comprises 
 a molding mainly comprising a thermoplastic resin, and  
 a coated film coated on a surface of said molding,  
   wherein said thermoplastic resin constituting said coating film comprises a thermoplastic resin capable of repeatedly molding by heating and melting after mixing with said thermoplastic resin used as a main constituent of said molding,    wherein said molding is obtained by crushing or palletizing said coated molding, to obtain a crushed or pelletized molding,    wherein said crushed or palletized molding is molded by heating and melting, and    wherein said thermoplastic resin of said coating film is dispersed in said thermoplastic resin used as a main constituent of said molding without phase separation at the interfaces therebetween.