Patents Examined by James Withers
  • Patent number: 5578255
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for preparing carbon fiber reinforced carbon composites comprising:subjecting short fibers composed of bundles of multiple single fibers to dry or wet fibrillation;preparing a sheet oriented in the two-dimensional random direction; andafter impregnating the obtained sheet with resins pitches and laminating the sheet followed by molding, subjecting the molded product to baking and densification treatments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Kouhei Okuyama, Kazuo Niwa, Toshihiro Fukagawa
  • Patent number: 5573851
    Abstract: A marking yarn for selective use in formation of a textile fabric, such as a tubular pantyhose blank, comprises an elongate strand-like yarn base formed of a water-soluble material and at least partially coated with a material which is detectible by an ultraviolet sensor. When the marking yarn is included in the textile fabric, e.g., by knitting one or more courses of the marking yarn in plated relation with the body yarn of the hosiery blank, the yarn effectively designates a predetermined location in the fabric of the hosiery blank which can be subsequently detected by an ultraviolet sensor in the sewing of the hosiery blank into a pantyhose garment. In subsequent wet processing of the garment, e.g., dyeing, the marking yarn dissolves, thereby removing it from the fabric and liberating the coating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: U.S. Textile Corporation
    Inventors: Hans L. Lengers, Gerhard Storandt, James McCormick, William M. Secrest, Michael D. Horney
  • Patent number: 5558931
    Abstract: A fibre reinforced thermoplastics material structure having a first layer which is fully consolidated with uniformly dispersed fibres and a second layer which is formed as an absorbent matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: The Wiggins Teape Group Limited
    Inventors: Ian S. Biggs, Bronislaw Radvan
  • Patent number: 5556680
    Abstract: A cover belt for a duct is presented, which can be swung up from a closed position by a deflecting device movable in the longitudinal direction of the duct and falls back in its closed position behind the deflecting device. The cover belt is made of a flexibly deformable material with metallic reinforcements. The cover belt is comprised of a securing strip, a joint strip and a cover strip. The securing strip is secured along the duct, the joint strip connects the securing strip flexibly to the cover strip, and the cover strip spans the duct and is supported on both sides of the duct. At least one belt-shaped textile reinforcement layer with essentially the same overall width as the cover belt is embedded in the flexibly deformable material in the area of the neutral plane of the cover belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Ipalco B.V.
    Inventor: Lars Hellman
  • Patent number: 5556687
    Abstract: A method of forming a composite structure comprises the steps of forming a radially inner portion of a preform with braided reinforcing fibers extending substantially transverse to an axis of the preform and forming a radially outer portion of the preform circumscribing the inner portion with braided reinforcing fibers extending substantially parallel to the axis of the preform. The preform is heated and consolidated in a mold into the composite structure. The composite structure has braided reinforcing fibers extending throughout a radially inner portion substantially transverse to an axis of the structure along which the structure is subject to splitting to resist splitting of the composite structure along the axis and braided reinforcing fibers extending throughout a radially outer portion substantially parallel to the axis to resist bending of the composite structure. The composite structure is particularly suitable for manufacturing a bone plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: AcroMed Corporation
    Inventor: Carl R. McMillin
  • Patent number: 5554430
    Abstract: A boron/carbon fiber 1D laminate comprising a boron fiber layer and a carbon fiber layer having a balanced pair of carbon fiber plies embedded in a plastic resin matrix has a coefficient of thermal expansion between .+-.0.54 .mu.m/m/.degree.C. and a specific modulus greater than 8.9.times.10.sup.6 meter. A 2D boron/carbon fiber quasi-isotropic laminate having two sets of quasi-isotropic boron fiber plies, two sets of quasi-isotropic carbon fiber plies, the laminate has a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion between .+-.0.54 .mu.m/m/.degree.C. in two orthogonal directions, a specific modulus greater than 5.2.times.10.sup.6 meter in two orthogonal directions. The laminates are useful for optical mounting structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: David J. Pollatta, Thomas N. Quinzi
  • Patent number: 5554437
    Abstract: A gamma-sterilizable barrier fabric comprises (1) at least one layer of a gamma-sterilizable nonwoven material comprising cardable multiconstituent staple fibers, at least 50% by weight of the nonwoven material comprising a gamma-sterilizable polymer, and (2) at least one layer of gamma-sterilizable barrier material selected from film, wet-laid fabrics, and melt-blown webs, at least 50% by weight of the barrier material comprising a gamma-sterilizable polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Rakesh K. Gupta, Randall E. Kozulla, Richard J. Legare
  • Patent number: 5552214
    Abstract: A pitch-based carbon fiber reinforced composite material is improved with regard to its compressive strength and compression strain at failure by combining polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers. The pitch-based carbon fibers have a modulus in tension of not less than 400 GPa, a tensile strength of not less than 2000 MPa, a compressive strength as a unidirectionally reinforced composite material of 100 MPa to 800 MPa and a fiber diameter of 4 .mu.m to 15 .mu.m and the polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers have a modulus in tension of not less than 200 GPa, a compressive strength and compression strain at failure as a unidirectionally reinforced composite material larger than those of the pitch-based carbon fibers, and a fiber diameter smaller than that of the pitch-based carbon fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignees: Nippon Steel Corporation, Nippon Steel Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Kobomura, Hiromi Kimura, Hideo Osone, Mikio Shima, Michiya Hayashida, Nobuyuki Tsuji
  • Patent number: 5552208
    Abstract: An article made from at least one network of high strength fibers and a matrix composition that includes a vinyl ester and diallyl phthalate. Preferably, the article is made from at least one prepreg element which includes at least two adjacent layers of the high strength fiber network in the vinyl ester-containing matrix composition. The prepreg element is made by applying a mixture of vinyl ester, diallyl phthalate and a carbon-carbon saturated solvent to the high strength fiber network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventors: Leroy C.-T. Lin, Laura G. Wilson, Ashok Bhatnagar, Hsin L. Li
  • Patent number: 5549967
    Abstract: A press fabric incorporating bicomponent material in fiber form or yarn form, the bicomponent material having a core material with a higher melting point surrounded by a covering material with a lower melting point. The bicomponent material will be present in the base fabric in yarn form and/or in the batt material in fiber form in amount ranging from 10-100%. Upon heatsetting the assembled press fabric structure, the lower melting point material of the bicomponent material becomes soft, flowing into the crossing of the batt fibers, if present in the batt material, or into the crossings of the weave pattern, if present in a base fabric, to form a matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Huyck Licensco, Inc.
    Inventor: Hippolit Gstrein
  • Patent number: 5549958
    Abstract: A composite material for the manufacture of seats, seat backs and like objects receives a decorative fabric on one side, the other side cooperating with the frame or stuffing of the seat. The composite material is woven and includes a metal armature with warp threads and weft wires. The weft wires are steel rods bent to a shape having regular undulations and disposed so that the undulations are parallel and coplanar. The warp threads are interwoven with the rods, at least part of the armature being embedded in an elastomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignees: Didier Royaerts, Societe Duret
    Inventor: Didier Royaerts
  • Patent number: 5549969
    Abstract: A laminate having enhanced surface properties is prepared by coating a fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) part with a sprayable, high solids, low volatiles coating. The coating comprises a first filler/glazing component formed from a mixture of a resin, a filler, a mixture of thixotropic clays, activated fumed silica, a phosphosilicate, and an organic solvent. The coating has a second catalyst component. The coating as applied to the FRP part has a thickness of up to 9 mils without sagging, running or cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Fibre Glass-Evercoat Company, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Parish
  • Patent number: 5549956
    Abstract: An improved flexible multilayer heat reflective blanket for use in the curing of concrete and other insulative uses. Also disclosed is an improved method of insulation incorporating the heat reflective characteristics of metallic foil layers. The blanket comprises thermoplastic, moisture-impervious outer surface layers which enclose insulative layers and heat reflective layers of aluminum foil or like heat reflective materials. The foil layers contain the heat radiating from the surface to be insulated by reflecting heat escaping through the insulative layers of the blanket back through the insulative layers towards the insulated surface, resulting in a heat reflective blanket with increased thermal resistance without a corresponding increase in thickness. The use of heat reflective layers obviates the need for additional layers of insulation resulting in a thinner, lightweight and more flexible heat reflective blanket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Inventor: Gary Handwerker
  • Patent number: 5543212
    Abstract: The present invention relating to prepegs has the following constitution to achieve the above object. That is, a prepreg, comprising long reinforcing fibers [A], matrix resin [B] and a knitted fabric made from thermoplastic resin fibers [C], with the component [C] distributed near either or both of the surface layers. Moreover, the present invention relating to processes for production of prepregs has either of the following constitution to achieve the above object. That is, a process for preparing a prepreg, comprising the steps of impregnating long reinforcing fibers [A] with matrix resin [B], and bonding a knitted fabric made from thermoplastic resin fibers [C] onto one side or both sides of the intermediate product, or a process for preparing a prepreg, comprising the step of bonding matrix resin [B] formed as a film, a knitted fabric made from thermoplastic resin fibers [C] and long reinforcing fibers [A].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Oosedo, Nobuyuki Odagiri
  • Patent number: 5540985
    Abstract: A protective sheet material of a laminate structure and a method of manufacture in which the sheet material has a plastic membrane layer joined to a layer of felt. Subsequent to the joining of the felt to the plastic membrane, the felt is saturated with petroleum wax including plasticizers and corrosion inhibitors. A second layer of felt can be joined to the opposite side of the plastic film to provide a sandwich of a plastic membrane between two layers of saturated felt. When this sheet material has been applied in an overlapping manner, there is a felt-to-felt seal at the overlap. The plastic and felt can be joined by heat fusion or by adhesives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: The Trenton Corporation
    Inventor: Ted Kennedy, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5536553
    Abstract: There is disclosed a bullet resistant fabric which is capable of withstanding the penetration of a 9 mm or a .357 magnum bullet, has an areal density fo about 0.65 to 0.87 pound per square foot, and which is made up of a plurality of quilted together sub-plies of woven fabric having substantially no binder or matrix resin associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Safariland, Ltd., Inc.
    Inventors: Edward A. Coppage, Jr., Richard W. Coppage, David W. Pisenti, Richard D. Bright, David B. Strum
  • Patent number: 5529838
    Abstract: A wool filter for a dust-proof mask is disclosed, in which wool fibers are mixed with chemical resin film slitting yarns so as to manufacture a non-woven fabric, thereby doubling the electrostatic force to improve the dust filtering function. In manufacturing the wool filter for a dust-proof mask, 40 to 90 weight % of wool yarns is uniformly mixed with 10 to 60 weight % of chemical resin film slitting yarns, preferably polyolefinic resin film slitting yarns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Inventor: Kwangyeon Lee
  • Patent number: 4960629
    Abstract: A fiber reinforced glass composite article is disclosed. The article comprises from about 20 volume percent to about 50 volume percent of a glass or glass ceramic matrix, from about 5 volume percent to about 50 volume percent monofilament fiber reinforcement and from about 15 volume percent to about 50 percent yarn fiber reinforcement. The monofilament fiber reinforcement and yarn fiber reinforcement are selectively distributed in the glass matrix to provide a fiber reinforced composite article which exhibits high tensile strength, high elastic modulus, high fracture toughness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Jarmon, Karl M. Prewo