Abstract: A method of manufacturing a non-woven material using a contoured honeycomb drum with an outer microporous surface, more particularly with a contoured outer surface, for the manufacture of contoured non-woven fibrous materials. The method can use spunbond or melt blown techniques for depositing solidifying filaments on the microporous surface such that the non-woven material conforms to the contour of the drum, and then removing the non-woven material from the drum. The drum of the current invention facilitates continuous production of non-woven articles with three dimensional shapes such as surgical masks or pleated air filters.

Abstract: A cooling vane for a rotating electric machine and method for attachment. In one embodiment the cooling vane is a corrugated ribbon of thermally conductive material having a plurality of projection points positioned along one edge of the corrugated ribbon. In another embodiment the vane is periodically twisted to bring a portion of the vane parallel with the plate to which the vane is to be welded. In one embodiment the cooling vane is welded to a stator plate of the machine by positioning the cooling vane perpendicularly adjacent the grounded stator plate and applying a high current source to the cooling vane in the region of the projection point. The high current flow through the projection point welds the cooling vane to the stator plate. A plurality of these cooling vanes are welded to the stator plate radially around the surface of the plate to provide a large surface area and to turbulate the fluid flow for the dissipation of heat which is generated within the machine during operation.

Abstract: An improvement in a corrugated strip having major flat sections which extend between longitudinal edges of the strip and which are joined along lateral edges by intermediate sections extending between the major flat sections, includes stiffening ribs protruding from the strip along at least one of the connected lateral edges of the major flat and intermediate sections, the stiffening ribs being oriented substantially perpendicularly to the lateral edges. Additionally, a method and apparatus for forming corrugated strips, including corrugated strips having stiffening ribs, includes structure for applying a force, through dies, to a strip of material along an axis which is oriented at an acute angle to the strip.

Abstract: A honeycomb structure includes at least two corrugated strips having major flat surfaces extending angularly between opposed strip edges. The strips are offset relative to each other and joined together to define a series of cells extending between the strip edges along axes which are oriented at an angle other than normal to the strip edges. Each of the major flat surfaces includes a central depressed portion forming a matching sub-flat surface which is parallel to and connected to the major flat surface by sidewalls which may be substantially perpendicular to the major flat surface. Abutting undepressed portions of the major flat surfaces of adjacent strips and abutting sub-flat surfaces of adjacent strips are joined together so that the strips form a series of I-beams disposed one to a cell.