Process, apparatus and system for creating extruded material having color effects and products made with extruded material created with same

Abstract

A process and associated system for creating color effects using extrudable material, such as plastic and metal for example, are presented. Flows of first and second viscous materials of respective colors are provided and then combined in a predetermined pattern to form a stream of combined viscous material. In a first aspect, the flow rate of the first viscous material is caused to vary over time in order to vary an amount of the first viscous material in the stream. In a second aspect, which may be used alone or in combination with the first aspect, the first and second viscous materials have distinct viscosities to reduce an amount of color blending between the first color and the second color in the stream of combined viscous material. A static mixer may then be used to apply a predetermined dividing, overturning and combining motion to the stream of combined viscous material to partially mix the first viscous material and the second viscous material, such that upon exiting the static mixer, the first material of the first color and the second material of the second color form a color pattern in the stream of combined viscous material. Sheets of extrudable material may be created using such process and used in the manufacturing of many different products including for example kayaks and stand-up paddle boards.

1 .- 67 . (canceled) 
     
     
         68 . A sheet of extruded material having color effects, said sheet of extruded material being made with materials comprised of:
 a first viscous material of a first color;   a second viscous material of a second color different from the first color,   wherein the first viscous material has a first viscosity and the second viscous material has a second viscosity, the first viscosity being distinct from the second viscosity to reduce an amount of color blending between the first color and the second color in the sheet.   
     
     
         69 . A sheet of extruded material as defined in  claim 68 , wherein said first viscosity is lower than said second viscosity. 
     
     
         70 . A sheet of extruded material as defined in  claim 69 , wherein said first viscous material is associated with a first high load melt index (first HLMI) and wherein said second viscous material is associated with a second high load melt index (second HLMI), said first HLMI being greater than said second HLMI. 
     
     
         71 . A sheet of extruded material as defined in  claim 70 , wherein said first HLMI is at least about ten times (10×) said second HLMI. 
     
     
         72 . A sheet of extruded material as defined in  claim 70 , wherein said first HLMI is at least about twenty times (20×) said second HLMI. 
     
     
         73 . A sheet of extruded material as defined in  claim 70 , wherein said first HLMI is at least about one hundred times (100×) said second HLMI. 
     
     
         74 . A plastic article manufactured at least in part using a sheet of extruded material having color effects as defined in  claim 68 . 
     
     
         75 .- 77 . (canceled) 
     
     
         78 . A plastic article comprising a sheet made of extrudable material including a plurality of viscous materials of different colors, the sheet being formed into at least a portion of the plastic article and having a surface presenting color effects resulting from combinations of the viscous materials in amounts that vary along a longitudinal extent of the sheet to create a wave-like color gradation effect. 
     
     
         79 . A plastic article as defined in  claim 78 , wherein the plurality of viscous materials of different colors includes at least three viscous materials of different colors. 
     
     
         80 . A plastic article as defined in  claim 78 , wherein at least one of the plurality of viscous materials has a translucid color. 
     
     
         81 . A plastic article as defined in  claim 78 , wherein the sheet is comprised of two or more layers including at least two outer surface layers, and wherein at least one of said at least two outer surface layers is the surface presenting color effects resulting from the combinations of the viscous materials. 
     
     
         82 . A kayak comprising a sheet made of extrudable material including a plurality of viscous materials of different colors, the sheet being formed into at least a portion of the kayak and having a surface presenting color effects resulting from combinations of the viscous materials in amounts that vary along a longitudinal extent of the sheet to create a wave-like color gradation effect. 
     
     
         83 . A kayak as defined in  claim 82 , wherein the plurality of viscous materials of different colors includes at least three viscous materials of different colors. 
     
     
         84 . A kayak as defined in  claim 82 , wherein at least one of the plurality of viscous materials has a translucid color. 
     
     
         85 . A kayak as defined in  claim 82 , wherein the sheet is comprised of two or more layers including at least two outer surface layers, and wherein at least one of said at least two outer surface layers is the surface presenting color effects resulting from the combinations of the viscous materials. 
     
     
         86 . A stand-up paddle board comprising a sheet made of extrudable material including a plurality of viscous materials of different colors, the sheet being formed into at least a portion of the stand-up paddle board and having a surface presenting color effects resulting from combinations of the viscous materials in amounts that vary along a longitudinal extent of the sheet to create a wave-like color gradation effect. 
     
     
         87 . A stand-up paddle board as defined in  claim 86 , wherein the plurality of viscous materials of different colors includes at least three viscous materials of different colors. 
     
     
         88 . A stand-up paddle board as defined in  claim 86 , wherein at least one of the plurality of viscous materials has a translucid color. 
     
     
         89 . A stand-up paddle board as defined in  claim 86 , wherein the sheet is comprised of two or more layers including at least two outer surface layers, and wherein at least one of said at least two outer surface layers is the surface presenting color effects resulting from the combinations of the viscous materials. 
     
     
         90 . A sheet made of extrudable material including a plurality of viscous materials of different colors and having at least one surface presenting color effects resulting from combinations of the viscous materials in amounts that vary along a longitudinal extent of the sheet to create a wave-like color gradation effect. 
     
     
         91 . A sheet as defined in  claim 90 , wherein the sheet is comprised of two or more layers including at least two outer surface layers, and wherein at least one of said at least two outer surface layers is the surface presenting color effects resulting from the combinations of the viscous materials. 
     
     
         92 . An extruded sheet of material formable to make an article, the extruded sheet comprising materials of different colors and having a surface presenting color effects resulting from combining the materials of different colors such that transversal sections of the extruded sheet normal to a longitudinal axis extending along the extruded sheet and distributed along the longitudinal axis of the extruded sheet are characterized by different amounts of the materials of different colors to create a wave-like color gradation effect. 
     
     
         93 . An extruded sheet of material as defined in  claim 92 , wherein the materials of different colors include at least two plastic materials of different colors. 
     
     
         94 . An extruded sheet of material as defined in  claim 92 , wherein the materials of different colors include at least three plastic materials of different colors. 
     
     
         95 . An extruded sheet of material as defined in  claim 93 , wherein at least one of the plastic materials has a translucid color. 
     
     
         96 . An extruded sheet of material as defined in  claim 93 , wherein the materials of different colors are associated to different respective viscosities when heated to a specific temperature, wherein on the surface presenting color effects an amount of color blending between specific ones of the materials of different colors results from respective viscosities of the specific ones of the materials. 
     
     
         97 . An extruded sheet of material as defined in  claim 94 , wherein the sheet is comprised of two of more layers including at least two outer surface layers, and wherein at least one of said at least two outer surface layers is the surface presenting color effects resulting from combining the materials of different colors.