Patents Examined by Merrick Dixon
  • Patent number: 6709723
    Abstract: An exterior automotive quality paint coat is laminated to the surface of a plastic car body member of panel. A dry paint transfer film is first laminated to a relatively thin semi-rigid thermoformable resinous backing sheet. The backing sheet side of the resulting laminate is then laminated to a relatively thick thermoformable substrate sheet comprising the same or a compatible polymeric material. The two sheets are joined by extruding the thick substrate sheet and using the heat of extrusion to then laminate the thin backing sheet to the thicker extruded substrate sheet. The resulting thick sheet laminate is then thermoformed, preferably by first heating the laminate to a forming temperature, followed by vacuum forming the laminate to a three-dimensional shape of the finished automotive part, such as a facia, ready to put on a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Roys, Howard H. Enlow, Paul J. Martus
  • Patent number: 6709706
    Abstract: A substrate, such as a catheter or a guide wire, or a portion of the substrate is provided with a lubricous, hydrophilic abrasion-resistant coating by: (a) coating the substrate with a first aqueous coating composition having an aqueous dispersion or emulsion of a polymer having organic acid functional groups and a polyfunctional crosslinking agent having functional groups capable of reacting with organic acid groups, and drying the coating to obtain a substantially water-insoluble coating layer having excess polyfunctional including functional groups being reactive with organic acid groups remaining; and (b) contacting the dried water-insoluble coating layer with a second aqueous coating composition having an aqueous solution or dispersion of a hydrophilic polymer having organic acid functional groups, a polymer having organic acid functional groups and a polyfunctional crosslinking agent having functional groups capable of reacting with organic acid groups, and drying the combined coating to form an interme
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Shengping Zhong, George Nunez, Eric Welch
  • Patent number: 6709736
    Abstract: Protection products and armored products made of a fiber-reinforced composite material with a ceramic matrix, include a protection element for partial or complete absorption of at least one impact-like load focussed at a point. The protection element has a body having at least one dimension at least equal to 3 cm, in a direction perpendicular to a load to be absorbed. The body includes a fiber-reinforced composite material having a ceramic matrix with at least 10% by weight of silicon carbide and having reinforcing fibers. At least 5% by weight of the reinforcing fibers are carbon fibers and/or graphite fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: SGL Carbon AG
    Inventors: Udo Gruber, Michael Heine, Andreas Kienzle, Reinhard Nixdorf
  • Patent number: 6706401
    Abstract: This invention is a rapid low-cost technique for manufacturing thick high-performance carbon and ceramic composites in the form of uniformly densified near-net shaped structures. This is accomplished by impregnating composite preforms with low-viscosity wetting monomers which undergo polymerization followed by pyrolysis reactions in the preform ultimately creating ceramic and/or carbon matrices. Since the monomers possess low-molecular-weight they have low viscosities. Thus, if they wet the fiber and partially-densified preform they can easily impregnate even the smallest pores. Once inside the preforms, polymerization of the monomers is then initiated, resulting in a liquid matrix-precursor of the high molecular weight needed to produce a superior matrix (upon pyrolysis) with high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Phillip G. Wapner, Wesley P. Hoffman, Steven Jones
  • Patent number: 6706324
    Abstract: A product in which at least a portion of the product has a nanocrystalline microstructure, and a method of forming the product. The method generally entails machining a body in a manner that produces chips consisting entirely of nano-crystals as a result of the machining operation imposing a sufficiently large strain deformation. The body can be formed of a variety of materials, including metal, metal alloy and ceramic materials. Furthermore, the body may have a microstructure that is essentially free of nano-crystals, and may even have a single-crystal microstructure. The chips produced by the machining operation may be in the form of particulates, ribbons, wires, filaments and/or platelets. The chips are then used to form the product. According to one aspect of the invention, the chips are consolidated to form the product, such that the product is a monolithic material that may contain nano-crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Srinivasan Chandrasekar, Walter D. Compton, Thomas N. Farris, Kevin P. Trumble
  • Patent number: 6703118
    Abstract: A printing form for rotary screen printing is provided and includes a thin-walled hollow cylinder made from fiber-reinforced plastics material, the cylinder wall of which is provided with continuous printing openings which define an image which is to be printed. The cylinder includes at least one layer having fibers with at least one oriented direction of the fibers. Multi-layer laminates made from carbon/epoxy having at least one layer with an oriented direction of the fibers which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of printing form are preferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Stork Screens B.V.
    Inventors: Karst Jan van Weperen, Norbertus Franciscus Jacobus Elemans, Thomas Maria Jonkers
  • Patent number: 6703077
    Abstract: A process for adhering synthetic textile fibers to sulfur vulcanizable rubbers comprising the steps of (I) immersing the fibers in an aqueous solution which is comprised of (a) 1% to 4% by weight oxazoline polymer, (b) 0% to 4% alkylene glycol monoether and (c) 92% to 99% water to produce coated fibers; (II) drying the coated fibers to produce subcoated fibers; (III) subjecting the subcoated fibers to an RFL adhesive dip to produce dipped fibers; (IV) drying the dipped fibers to produce dried dipped fibers; (V) placing the dried dipped fibers in contact with a sulfur vulcanizable rubber; and (VI) curing the sulfur vulcanizable rubber while it is in contact with the dried dipped fibers. Also provided is a composite article made using the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Judy Chu, James Gregory Gillick
  • Patent number: 6703124
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a nonflammable epoxy resin composition for using a thin copper film laminate, which is applied to a printed circuit board (PCB), and using the same. The present invention provides for nonflammable epoxy resin composition for using a thin copper film laminate, comprising bisphenol A-type epoxy resin, multifunctional epoxy resin, an imidazole-based curing catalyst, and a curing retarder, and using the same. As described above, since the ring-open of the epoxy group is prompted by an imidazole catalyst, without the use of dicyandiamide, epoxy polymer reaction occurs due to the chain-reaction of epoxy group, and the glass-transition temperature is 170° C. or greater, the nonflammable epoxy resin composition for using a thin copper film of the present invention has a strong heat-resistance, lower dielectric constant, controllable gelation time, and does not require the use of non-harmful catalysts to the human body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: LG Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Sik Kim, Hyun-Cheol Kim, Dong-Rak Shin
  • Patent number: 6703125
    Abstract: The present invention provides cellulosic fibers having high wet bulk and methods for their preparation. In one embodiment, the invention provides cellulosic fibers catalytically crosslinked with glyoxal and, optionally, a glycol. In another embodiment, cellulosic fibers are crosslinked with a combination of glyoxal and a glyoxal-derived resin selected from the group consisting of a glyoxal/polyol condensate, a cyclic urea/glyoxal/polyol condensate, a cyclic urea/glyoxal condensate, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser.Company
    Inventors: Richard A. Jewell, John A. Westland
  • Patent number: 6699589
    Abstract: In carbon reinforcements, in particular when used in carbon-fiber reinforced materials, sulfur-complex forming substances are chemically adsorbed, at least in part, at potential oxidation locations of an hexagonal carbon lattice to provide internal protection against oxidation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventors: Mathias Woydt, Michael Dogigli
  • Patent number: 6699570
    Abstract: A dynamic reimageable document or electric paper can be formed from ordinary substrates such as paper, transparencies or fabric by printing of microencapsulated Gyricon beads onto one or more discrete surface areas of the substrate. The substrate can include both fixed print regions formed by conventional fixed ink processes and dynamic reimageable regions formed by the Gyricon beads. The Gyricon beads are preferably bichromal and of contrasting colors, such as black/white so as to be changeable to display two states by selective application of electromagnetic force to the beads. By providing bichromal beads in differing color combinations, such as red/white and black/white, a multi-colored document can be achieved in which various fields of the document, representing text, images or graphics, may be in differing colors. Moreover, operations to perform both imaging or erasure can act on the discrete reimageable regions so that the versatility of the electric paper can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Naveen Chopra, Steven Georges, Peter M. Kazmaier, Sammy Y.H. Ro, Man C. Tam, Francisco E. Torres, Sophie V. Vandebroek
  • Patent number: 6699576
    Abstract: A building material having a durable exterior finish comprising a fiber cement substrate laminated with a fluorohydrocarbon protective film. The protective film provides the fiber cement substrate with resistance to weathering and maintains the surface texture of the underlying fiber cement substrate while providing an aesthetically pleasing and uniform pre-finish on the exterior surface. The protective film is bonded to the fiber cement substrate using an adhesive composition comprised of a one-component moisture cure polyurethane or polyurea adhesive composition having a reactive isocyanate compound or a two component polyurethane or polyurea composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: James Hardie Research Pty Limited
    Inventors: Weiling Peng, Jeffrey Bergh
  • Patent number: 6699352
    Abstract: A range of damage and wear-susceptible articles, including such as drinkware and flatware, and heat-susceptible articles, have a tough, protective plastic coating applied in sealing, protective relation with a surface portion. The protective coating may hermetically seal underlying decorative material, including toxic materials. Digital ink jet printing may be applied directly or by transfer, including pad transfer. A plastic undercoating incorporating an adhesion promoting additive may first be applied by DIJ printing or by flow coating. The impact resistance of drinking glasses can be improved ten-fold with a hard, visually undetectible 5-mil outer coating selected from polyesters and other polymers, polyurethanes and acrylates having the desired visual, toughness and bonding characteristics. With u.v. curing, high speed economic automated line production, the process is applicable to a wide range of articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: Henry Sawatsky
  • Patent number: 6696153
    Abstract: An adhesive composition that can be used to bond textile fibers adhesively to a cross-linkable rubber composition, textile fibers sized by means of the said adhesive composition, a composite of the textile fibers and a cross-linked rubber composition that is permeable to light, and a tire body whose sidewalls are made from the composite are disclosed. The adhesive composition is made from an aqueous thermosetting phenolic adhesive containing at least one diene elastomer and at least one organic pigment. This adhesive composition is the reaction product the aqueous thermosetting phenolic adhesive and an aqueous pigmentary dispersion containing the organic pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Aurélie Joseph, Michelle Chassagny, Marius Roux
  • Patent number: 6696144
    Abstract: The present invention is a low density hybrid airfoil comprising a temperature resistant exterior layer and a tough, high impact resistant interior layer. Specifically, the airfoil comprises a monolithic ceramic exterior layer and a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite interior layer. Both the monolithic ceramic and fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite are low density materials. Additionally, the monolithic ceramic is a high temperature resistant material, and the fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite is a relatively high impact resistant structure. Encapsulating the airfoil with a temperature resistant exterior layer protects the airfoil in a high temperature environment, and supporting the airfoil with a high impact resistant, fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite improves the overall impact resistance of the airfoil thereby resulting in a tough, high temperature resistant, low density airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Holowczak, Karl M. Prewo, Jayant S. Sabnis, William K. Tredway
  • Patent number: 6692823
    Abstract: Described are hydrophilic fibrillated articles that include melt-processable polymer and hydrophilic component such as hydrophilic surfactant or hydrophilic polymer, as well as methods of preparing such articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Robert S. Kody, Mario A. Perez, Thomas P. Klun, Paul D. Graham, Christopher K. Haas, Ravi K. Sura, Diane R. Wolk, Julie S. Prudich, Larry R. Krepski, Terry R. Hobbs, John M. Sebastian, Paul DeRoussel
  • Patent number: 6686028
    Abstract: A hydrophilic elastically stretchable composite sheet composed of an elastically stretchable first sheet and an inelastically stretchable second sheet intermittently bonded to at least one surface of the first sheet. At least one of the first sheet and the second sheet contains hydrophilic material. The composite sheet has a high sweat absorbability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Yamaki, Satoshi Mitsuno
  • Patent number: 6686034
    Abstract: A new process for producing a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin molded product with a high mechanical strength and no heat substantial deterioration of the resin, by an efficient heating without applying shear stress to the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin base material and a molded product, for example, a tiptoe core for a safety shoe produced by said process are provided. The fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin base material P1 in a string form or a tape form is scattered and accumulated in a vessel such as tube 11, and a heating gas passed to the accumulated base material to melt heat, and preferably press by a plunger 15, the base material P1, whereby a molten mass P2 is formed, and then the molten mass P2 is dislocated to a mold to be press-mold. Said base material preferably satisfies the following formula: {fraction (1/100)}≦&rgr;1/&rgr;0≦½, wherein &rgr;0 means a density where said base material is scattered and accumulated and &rgr;0 means a true density of said base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Asahi Fiber Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Toru Mizukami, Kengo Ozaki, Masahiko Tominaga, Yuji Yokoo
  • Patent number: 6686074
    Abstract: The present invention provides a secured document including a composition capable of anti-Stokes fluorescence containing an ion capable of absorption of electromagnetic radiation, an ion capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation, and a matrix composition comprising gadolinium, yttrium, lanthanum, and thulium, wherein the wavelength of the absorbed electromagnetic radiation is shorter than the wavelength of the emitted of the absorbed electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the concentrations of the absorbing and emitting ions are adjusted to achieve concentration quenching of anti-Stokes luminescence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Bundesdruckerei GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Muth, Helge Brockmann, Wolfgang Schmidt, Anett Bailleu, Gabriele Brauer, Manfred Paeschke, Benedikt Ahlers, Arnim Franz-Burholz, Hans Zerbel
  • Patent number: 6686036
    Abstract: A casing for an acoustic equipment formed mainly of a filler and a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin. The filler is comprised of a cellulose-based powdered material, such as wooden powders obtained on crushing a wooden material and an powdered material smaller in size and harder than the cellulose-based powdered material. The powdered material is secured or deposited under a pre-set pressure on the surface of the cellulose-based powdered material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kunihiko Tokura, Masaru Uryu, Masayuki Kamite