Abstract: ABA block copolymers having saturated polyester midblocks "B" and unsaturated polyester condensation end blocks A of molecular weight from about 100 to 500 or 600 are described which increase the flexural strain to failure of unsaturated polyester or vinyl ester resins. These ABA block copolymers are generally compatible with unsaturated polyester resins and increase flexural strain by a different mechanism than used by incompatible rubbery polymers. These ABA block copolymers are compatible with the unsaturated polyester compositions and do not phase separate.

Abstract: A curable polyester molding composition incorporating an elastomeric low profile additive dispersed in voided rubbery particle form throughout the composition is used in association with a compatibilizing agent to form a molded thermoset article having very smooth, light reflective, class A surfaces and having a matrix fracture energy which is comparable to articles formed from similar or identical molding compositions which are free of low profile additives. The low profile additive is an epoxidized elastomer or block copolymer having at least one flexible elastomer block and one monovinyl aromatic block. The compatibilizing agent is a copolymer having a diene polymer backbone which is compatible with the elastomer or the flexible diene block of the low profile additive, with constituents which are compatible or reactive with the polyester being grafted or adducted onto the diene polymer backbone.

Abstract: A tennis racquet comprising a continuous convex bow containing a plurality of interlaced strings attached under tension, and a handle formed integrally with the bow. The racquet is free of a yoke and a shaft and has a sweet spot located relatively closer to the distal end of the racquet. The racquet exhibits improved stiffness, bending moments and leverage in a racquet having a relatively large head size. The racquet has a higher relative swing weight than other light-weight, large-head racquets by reducing weight at the center of the racquet by eliminating the yoke and throat, thereby providing improved power.

Abstract: A bushing for an automotive torque strut is described as having a resilient, elastomeric insert which is bonded to a rigid, inner sleeve, and provided with a plurality of resilient, elastomeric fingers which are flexible and not bonded to an outer sleeve or housing of the bushing. The fingers are specially located in the insert. In one embodiment, there are aligned pairs of oppositely disposed fingers which extend into large pie-shaped voids which are spaced on opposite sides of the inner sleeve. In the other embodiment, the insert is provided with radially oriented grooves and fingers which are alternately disposed around the inner sleeve.

Abstract: A retaining clip for securing a weather sealing strip to the perimeter of a window opening of an automotive vehicle includes a substantially planar vertical centered portion; an integral downwardly depending, substantially planar arm connected to one side of, and substantially parallel with the central portion; a pair of wings which extend upwardly and outwardly from the downwardly depending arms and being adapted to engage the narrow sides of, and secure the downwardly depending arm within, a narrow rectangular slot formed in a sheet material such as a sheet metal body panel; and an integral, substantially upwardly extending arm connected to the other side of the central portion. The clip is adapted to secure a weather sealing strip between the control portion of the clip and the upwardly extending arm.In accordance with a preferred aspect of the invention, a tab is provided on a shoulder portion of each wing to facilitate removal of the clip for servicing or replacement.

Abstract: A moisture-permeable acoustic lamina which is usable as a wall covering has a foraminous woven fabric layer adhered to a fabric backing by a discontinuous thermoplastic polymer layer. The woven fabric preferably has an embossed undulate outer surface to enhance the acoustic properties of the lamina and to impart an aesthetic textural appearance. The individual yarns of the woven fabric are preferably substantially uniformly coated with a polyvinyl chloride plastisol to impart stain and wear-resistance, inhibit the growth of molds, fungi, bacteria and the like, and to enhance the appearance of the exposed face of the lamina. The moisture-permeable lamina structure allows wall covering paste, used to adhere the lamina to a wall, to dry at an acceptable rate, yet does not allow paste to bleed through the foraminous woven fabric layer.

Abstract: An unsaturated polyester resin composition is described that contains an amine-terminated flexible polymer that can react with the unsaturation in the polyester. A compatible system results that has higher fracture toughness. The preferred amine-terminated flexible polymer is an amine-terminated poly(butadiene-co-acrylonitrile). The resin composition can be extended with fillers and reinforced with fibers. In these applications, the resin is known as a matrix resin.

Abstract: A block copolymer of generally an AB, ABA, or A(BA).sub.n structure, or mixtures thereof where the A block is an unsaturated polyester, the B block is a flexible polymer having a Tg of 0.degree. C. or lower, and n is 2 to 5. The various block components are generally first separately prepared as polymers with the flexible polymer generally having 1 or 2 functional end groups such as an amine group, a carboxyl group, or a hydroxyl group with the later being preferred. Alternatively, for low molecular weight unsaturated polyester blocks, the block can be made in situ. The preferred reaction route is to react a mono or dihydroxy terminated flexible polymer with a diisocyanate which subsequently can be readily reacted with the polyester. The block copolymers can be utilized as toughening agents.

Abstract: A latex binder which has very low or nil amounts of aldehyde such as formaldehyde is made utilizing a compound having the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is generally an alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, with methyl being preferred; wherein R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, independently, is preferably hydrogen, or allyl, or an alkyl having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, or an alkyl-substituted aromatic having from 7 to 15 carbon atoms, wherein R.sup.4 is an alkylene having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, with ethylene being preferred; and wherein R.sup.5 is hydrogen or an alkyl having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, with methyl being preferred. The latex binder is generally an emulsion or latex copolymer made from at least one or more conjugated dienes having a total of from 4 to 10 carbon atoms with butadiene being preferred and one or more vinyl-substituted aromatics having from 8 to 14 carbon atoms, with styrene being preferred. The amount of the above formulation compound is generally from at least 0.

Abstract: A self-feed drill assembly (10) for forming an opening within a work piece (20). The drill assembly (10) includes a power driven drill (12) having a rotating cutting element (18) and a mounting fixture (14) for maintaining the relative position of the power driven drill with respect to the work piece (20). The mounting fixture (14) includes a nose piece housing (22), a foot mount housing (24) and a means for releasably joining the nose piece housing and the foot mount housing in an axially coupled position. The nose piece housing (22) defines a first chamber (26) adapted to receive a leading portion of the power driven drill (12) and the foot mount housing (24) defines a second chamber (28) adapted to receive the nose piece housing and in communication with the first chamber such that at least the rotatable cutting element (18) extends through the first chamber, the second chamber and the foot mount housing to contact the work piece (20).

Abstract: A fiber glass reinforced plastic can be in-mold coated utilizing a free radical peroxide initiated thermosetting composition of at least one polymerizable epoxy based oligomer having at least two acrylate groups, at least one copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer, at least one copolymerizable monoethylenically unsaturated compound having a --CO-- group and a --NH.sub.2, --NH-- and/or --OH group, and other conventional components such as at least one zinc salt of a fatty acid, at least one accelerator, at least one filler, and the like. The thermosetting compositions of the present invention utilize a very low or nil amount of an adhesion agent such as a polyvinyl acetate and unexpectedly achieves better flow and good coverage at reduced coating weights.

Abstract: A method for enhancing the surface appearance of thermoset FRP wherein a thin rubbery coating is applied to a sheet molded compound (SMC). This coating, when applied to FRP inhibits propagation of micro cracks to the surface of compliant rubbery coating of the parts, while not sacrificing the physical properties of the molded parts. The coating also supplies a suitable smooth surface for automotive body panel applications that serves as a substrate for further paint applications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing molded articles from a continuous, nonsynchronous system using multi-section, self-clamping molds. The apparatus is a mold separator-assembler having an elevator, and a horizontal position mover for disassembling the mold into sections, tracks for receiving sections of the self-clamping molds, and a track mover for moving the mold sections along their respective tracks to parallel, co-planar work stations. Once the molded article is removed at one of the work stations using an intermediate mechanism, the main sections are pretreated and then reassembled using a second elevator and second horizontal position mover, for the next injection operation.

Abstract: A two component primerless modified urethane adhesive having good high temperature stability can be utilized to bond substrates such as sheet molded composites together which can be subsequently powder coated. The utilization of the modified adhesive generally results in the formation of channels between the cured adhesive and the sheet molded composite surface so that upon cure of the applied powder coating, volatiles can escape from the sheet molded composite thus preventing blistering of the powder paint coating. The prepolymer component of the modified urethane contains a reacted hydroxyl intermediate and has a significant excess of free isocyanate. The curative component contains a polyol curing agent, an amine sag resistant agent, a trimerization catalyst, a low amount of urethane catalyst, and optionally a phosphorus-type adhesion promoter and/or molecular sieves.

Abstract: A unsaturated polyester resin composition is described that contains an epoxy resin reacted with an amine-terminated flexible polymer while dissolved in the unsaturated polyester resin and its ethylenically unsaturated crosslinking monomer. A compatible system results from the reaction which has a controllable modulus based on the amount of flexible polymer included in the resin. The resin is generally transparent if unfilled and has a higher calculated fracture energy than similar unsaturated polyester resin without modification. The unsaturated polyester resin can be filled with particulate filler or reinforced with fibrous fillers.

Abstract: A one-piece glass run guide for retaining and smoothly guiding a slidable vehicle window includes a molded polymeric strip having a substantially U-shaped transverse cross section including a base, an inboard leg having a projecting lip portion which engages an interior surface of a slidable vehicle window, and an outboard leg having a projecting lip portion which engages an exterior surface of the slidable vehicle window. The one-piece glass run guide of the invention is formed of a fiber reinforced polymer having sufficient strength and rigidity to counter forces exerted by the sliding vehicle window to prevent undesirable inboard, outboard, forward and rearward movement of the window, while at least the surfaces of the lip portions which contact the surfaces of the slidable vehicle window are low friction, non-abrasive surfaces which facilitate smooth movement of the window as it is raised or lowered.

Abstract: Vinyl-terminated polyesters and vinyl-terminated aliphatic polycarbonates are described which improve the flexibility and elongation at failure of cured samples of unsaturated polyesters or vinyl ester resins both at room temperature and at high temperatures, and without significant loss of surface quality or other mechanical properties. Further, these polymers do not phase separate from uncured polyester resin/styrene solutions, do not significantly increase the initial viscosity of molding compositions in which they have been incorporated, and do not negate the effect of low shrinkage additives during cure.

Abstract: A two component primerless modified urethane adhesive having good adhesion can be utilized to bond various substrates together such as sheet molded compounds. The prepolymer component of the modified urethane contains a reacted hydroxyl intermediate and has a significant excess of free isocyanate. The curative component contains a polyol curing agent, an amine sag resistant agent, a phosphorus-type adhesion promoter, and optionally molecular sieves. The equivalent ratio of free NCO groups in the prepolymer component to OH groups plus any amine groups in the curative component is generally from about 0.90 to about 1.25.

Abstract: A torque strut for an automobile engine is described as having a unique energy absorbing housing in which is mounted a unique energy absorbing device which has a block-shaped center piece from which a pair of resilient rubber shock absorbers extend in opposite directions for receipt in a pair of adjacent cavities which are formed in the housing. The farthest spaced opposing ends of the rubber shock absorbers are free of the housing, but are designed to compressively engage adjacent ends of the cavities and fill the cavities when the shock absorbers are compressively expanded in the cavities, as a result of forward or reverse roll of the engine. A rolling rubber torus with a special mechanism for interlocking engagement with the device, is provided to stabilize the position of the energy absorbing device within the housing of the torque strut.

Abstract: A method for achieving a high gloss finish on a compression molded substrate, molded with or without vacuum, in which the substrate includes a hollow filler material and has a specific gravity of not more than 1.4, including the steps of heating at least the surface of the substrate, to a temperature above the melting temperature of a subsequently applied coating powder and applying a first layer of powder to the heated surface, and if necessary, elevating the temperature of the surface and maintaining the temperature of the heated surface above the curing temperature of powder by infrared radiation or by forced heated air for a time period sufficient to cure the powder and then, if desired, subsequently electrostatically applying a second coating to at least a portion of the first film.