Abstract: A ceramic composite is provided comprising ceramic fibers, glass microballoons and/or diatoms, bound together with a ceramic reinforcing cloth with a sol-gel ceramic binder. The composite is particularly useful as a high strength, high temperature insulation material.

Abstract: A method of affixing a material on a substrate to the inner surface of a bore tube of magnets for a superconducting supercollider includes the steps of bonding a gas-absorbing material to a thin metallic substrate and forming the substrate and the material into a partly tubular configuration having an inner surface and an outer surface, the material being on the inner surface. The partly tubular configuration is shaped in a manner whereby the partly tubular configuration is expandable in diameter. The partly tubular configuration is inserted coaxially into the tube with the outer surface of the partly tubular configuration in proximity with the inner surface of the tube. Hoop compressor stress is applied to the inner surface of the partly tubular configuration, thereby forcing the partly tubular configuration against the inner surface of the tube. The bore tube is maintained at cryogenic temperature.

Abstract: A headliner for mounting in the passenger compartment of a vehicle is formed from a plurality of layers of materials including foamed polyurethane, fiber glass and scrim. The layers are bonded together under heat which cures an incorporated thermosetting resin. The thermosetting resin freezes the assembled laminate conforming to the configuration of the lowermost mold. After setting of the resin the flexible laminate is trimmed to the desired shape at its periphery.

Abstract: A coreless filter comprises a pleated, spirally wound loop of material disposed in a housing. The loop includes a layer of filter material, such as a membrane filter, interposed between two support layers.

Abstract: A vascular catheter includes a flexible catheter body having proximal and distal ends and an elongate housing secured to the distal end of the catheter body. An interactional device is disposed on one side of the housing, and at least two spaced-apart inflatable chambers are located on the other side of the housing generally at its proximal and distal ends, respectively. The inflatable chambers may be expanded simultaneously or separately, and the spaced-apart positioning of the chambers provides for stable positioning of the housing during atherectomy procedures, imaging procedures, and the like. The balloon is conveniently connected to the housing by an integral flange structure which is secured through an inflation aperture on the housing side. The balloon may be inflated through an annular inflation which is defined by a separate isolation tube disposed in the central lumen of the catheter body.

Abstract: The present invention provides a female component for engaging a complementary hook component in a refastenable fastening device. The female component of the present invention is capable of engaging a hook component that has flexible, resilient individual hook elements. The female component comprises at least two, and preferably three zones or layers. Each zone has certain of the desired individual characteristics for entangling and holding the hooks of the mating hook component. These include a first zone for admitting and engaging at least some of the hooks of the complementary hook component (the "entanglement" zone), a second zone for providing space for the hooks to occupy after they have been admitted by the entanglement zone (referred to as the "spacing" zone), and a backing adjacent to the spacing zone for providing a foundation for the entanglement and spacing zones.

Abstract: An cut-resistant seat or seating material is disclosed together with methods of forming such a material. The material comprises at least one layer of flexible metal or non-metal matrix material embedded within a compressed flexible foam material. The foam material may be a fire retardant flame material.

Abstract: An interior finishing web for a motor vehicle or the like comprises three fibrous layers which are put one another, needled together and subjected to a hot-molding to constitute a shaped structure of the web. The three fibrous layers are a first fibrous layer which includes approximately 30 to 90% by weight of polyester fibers and approximately 70 to 10% by weight of polypropylene fibers, a second fibrous layer which includes approximately 10 to 60% by weight of polyester fibers and approximately 90 to 40% by weight of polypropylene fibers and a third fibrous layer which includes approximately 40 to 90% by weight of polyester fibers and approximately 60 to 10% by weight of polypropylene fibers.

Abstract: A structural component such as a car door panel or door trim insert panel is produced in a single molding operation. For this purpose at least one premolded hard foam material block or member is inserted in a respective nesting mold cavity. Then an intermediate fiber material layer preferably in fleece form is placed on top of the foam material block. Then, a surface cover layer, such as a layer with a decorative exterior surface is placed on the intermediate fiber material layer with the decorative surface facing an upper mold section. The mold is then closed and the necessary heat and molding pressure are applied to laminate the intermediate fiber material layer to the cover layer. Then a nesting die applies additional pressure to the hard foam block for bonding the hard foam block to the intermediate fiber material layer.

Abstract: A molded article includes a laminated wood-based fibrous web molded into a desired shape by a compression molding operation. The laminated wood-based fibrous web includes a wood-based fibrous web base and a synthetic fiber scrim laminated to the web base, the web base being formed of a fiber composition mainly constituted of wood pulp, synthetic fibers and binder, the scrim being impregnated with a synthetic resin.

Abstract: A method for ultrasonically welding two plastic parts together. One part (30) has a weld joint feature (23) that is covered with a metal layer (27), and the other plastic part (25) has a complimentary weld joint feature. The two parts are joined together by ultrasonically welding the two weld joint features to each other. A force (40) is applied to the first and second plastic parts prior to the step of welding. The force is substantially in excess of that required to cause the two weld joint features to contact each other. This method creates an ultrasonic welded metallized plastic assembly. Each part of the assembly has a weld joint feature, at least one of which was covered with a metal layer prior to welding. Portions of the each of the two weld joint features are deformed to form a plastic weld joint through the metal coating.

Abstract: An absorbent feminine hygiene article has an external absorbent pad for disposition against the labia majora of a user, and a nonabsorbent flexible sheath for extending into the vagina. The sheath intercepts body fluid in the vagina and directs it to the external pad. A conducting layer conducts fluid so intercepted by the sheath to an absorbing surface on the interior of the external pad, the interior absorbing surface being displaced from the user's body by a primary mass of an absorbent layer.

Abstract: The inventive process forms a thermoformable preform by pressure laminating a layer of cloth fabric to one face of the thermoplastic substrate, preferably as the substrate is extruded and while still hot from the extrusion process. This fabric/thermoplastic laminated preform can be easily processed in a matched mold press. The fabric should be of a non-stretch type. This non-stretch characteristic, together with its intimate bonding to the thermoplastic substrate, prevents the substrate from thinning in the corner regions. Indeed, because the intimately bonded fabric drags or pulls the substrate from a number of directions as the corner regions are formed, the thermoplastic substrate accumulates and actually thickens in the corner regions, leading to a shell which is remarkably durable and aesthetically pleasing.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a seat by using adhesives in which an air permeable skin material and a cushioning pad are bonded to each other by means of reactive hot-melt adhesives, the method comprises a step of coating adhesives to the cushioning pad, a step of provisionally assembling the skin material to the cushioning pad from the side of the adhesive coating surface, a step of setting the provisionally assembled cushioning pad and skin material to an attaching die, a step of applying heating by a heating die to the skin material and the cushioning pad attached in the attaching die assembling step from the side of the skin material and a step of applying cooling under pressure by a cooling die from the surface of the skin material subsequent to the heating step. A seat comprising a skin material and a cushioning pad can be molded with a seat frame by this method.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lens for use as a part of an aircraft including the steps of fusion bonding a sheet of acrylic to a sheet of polycarbonate to form a sheet of laminate, cutting the laminate into a blank having a configuration required by the ultimate lens configuration, heating the blank and forming it around a mold to provide a three dimensional lens body of desired size and configuration having an uninterrupted circumferential edge and having an inner polycarbonate surface and an outer acrylic surface, applying a narrow strip seal to the lens body inner surface in a narrow strip portion adjacent substantially the full circumferential edge thereof in order to bond the strip seal to the lens body, shaping the circumferential edge of the lens body around substantially the full circumferential edge thereof, and providing bushings in the lens body and strip seal so the bushings are spaced around the circumferential edge as a means of securing the lens to an aircraft.

Abstract: A sail batten formed of a fiber reinforced composite material extended longitudinally and varying in transverse cross sectional from an ellipse at one end to a flattened ellipse at the other end. A two step processing for fabrications the batten commences with fabrication of a tube of substantially constant cross section in the thermoplastic condition as a first step. The second step processing heats the tube to a malleable condition and squishes one end of the tube to form a tapered structure with one cross sectional dimension decreased to reduce stiffness in that dimension.

Abstract: A method for forming a skin-contacting topsheet of disposable diaper with an elastic opening, wherein the opening 16 formed in the skin-contacting topsheet of a disposable diaper is elasticized along its whole peripheral edge and reinforced so as to form uniform gathers along the whole peripheral edge.The skin-contacting topsheet comprises a pair of sheet members overlapping side by side and having mutually opposed inner side edges, respectively, which are provided with cutouts so that each pair of mutually opposed cutouts form each opening, then elastic members are provided along halves of the opening's whole peripheral edge and these elastic members are covered with a part of the skin-contacting topsheet.

Abstract: The present invention is for a method and cam for folding a tab for removing a seal that has been affixed to a collapsible tube in accordance with the method shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,818. A laminate removal tab is cut integral with the seal when the seal is cut, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,795 and then, in accordance with the present invention, bent back over the neck after the seal is welded to the tube mouth, by means of a cam. The tab is easily lifted and grasped by the fingers to pull the seal off the mouth.

Abstract: During the first stage, the elements of the ski structure are assembled according to an essentially rectilinear beam, including at least one thermofusible film in at least one gripping zone near either the front or back end of the structure. During the recovery stage after the first stage, this gripping zone is heated to a temperature slightly higher than the softening temperature of the thermofusible film and the heated gripping zone can be shaped in the form of a spatula and/or of the heel.

Abstract: A particle loaded, porous, fibrous compressed or fused article comprises a nonwoven fibrous polymeric web, which preferably is thermoplastic, melt-extrudable, and pressure-fusible blown microfibrous web, and sorptive particles enmeshed in said web, the particle loaded fibrous article has a Gurley number of at least two seconds, and the article is useful in separation science. A method of preparation of the article and method of use is also disclosed.

Abstract: A seal for the frame of an aperture of the body of an automobile, wherein the seal includes a reinforced grip-forming channel section of a U-shaped cross-section in a thermoplastic material, and a tubular sealing element in a resiliently deformable material, which adheres laterally to the outer surface of the channel section of the U-shaped cross-section. Along at least part of the length of the seal corresponding to the location of corners in the aperture frame to be equipped, the tubular element has a length greater than that of the corresponding part of the channel section. The portion of the tubular element of length greater than that of the corresponding part of the channel section being offset laterally with respect to the latter.

Abstract: A forming assembly comprises two presser members (22,24) each having a corrugated surface for receiving a workpiece made up of generally diamond-shaped pockets (10). Each presser member is made up of sections (22a,22b; 24a, 24b) mounted on slide rods (38) for movement between a spaced-apart position, in which a workpiece can be located therebetween, and a closed position, movement into which, while the workpiece is held between the presser members, is effective to compress the workpiece laterally. For holding the pockets in their diamond shape formers (20) are inserted therein. A flange (18) is formed at one end of the workpiece and integral therewith by pressing outwardly folded material against a lateral end face of the presser members (22,24) using a presser plate (52). This forming method is especially suitable for forming self-supporting filter units.

Abstract: A three-dimensional printed circuit assembly is formed by first making a substrate (20). A substrate (20) is first formed from a photoactive polymer (14) that is capable of altering its physical state when exposed to a radiant beam (30). At this point, the substrate is only partially cured. A conductive circuit pattern (50) is then formed on the partially cured substrate. The substrate is then molded to create a three-dimensional structure, and then further cured to cause the photoactive polymer to harden.

Abstract: A cut-resistant seat or seating material is disclosed together with methods of forming such a material. The material comprises at least one layer of flexible metal or non-metal matrix material embedded within a compressed flexible foam material. The foam material may be a fire retardant flame material.

Abstract: A method of forming a body comprising resin material which can be crosslinked to form a thermally stable resin is carried out by the sequential steps of:(A) providing a body of resin which can be crosslinked to form a thermally stable resin;(B) selectively crosslinking said body to provide a first zone of substantially uncrosslinked resin; a zone of substantially crosslinked resin and a transition zone therebetween;(C) forming said first zone and transition zone; and(D) substantially crosslinking said first zone and transition zone.Step (C) can be carried out by introducing a first zone and associated transition zone into a mold cavity in effective contacting relationship with second zone of substantially uncrosslinked resin and associated transition zone and then step (D) can be carried out to thereby bond said first and second zone together. The present invention also relates to the products made by the method of this invention.

Abstract: A method of making a crowned cushion element is provided. The method includes the steps of forming a foam pan of a bottom and side walls of foam pieces, positioning foam slabs therein in which at least one of the slabs has a greater relaxed height than the side walls, and then adhering a top onto the foam slabs to form the cushion. The slabs are positioned within the foam pan in such a manner that they remain separated from one another when under normal compression by a user seated on the cushion. Also, the at least one slab having the greater relaxed height than the side walls also has a relaxed height greater than the width of the slab along a direction transverse to the elongate direction on either the face of the slab in contact with the top piece or the face in contact with the bottom piece of the cushion element.

Abstract: Methods of producing electrically fusable sleeve connectors for connecting large diameter thermoplastic pipe sections and the sleeve connectors produced by such methods are provided. Methods of sealingly connecting adjacent ends of a pair of large diameter thermoplastic pipe sections by electric fusion are also provided. The methods of producing electrically fusable thermoplastic sleeve connectors broadly include the steps of winding a tape of molten thermoplastic material onto a large diameter core drum whereby adjacent windings are fused and upon being cooled a solid sleeve is formed, embedding an electric resistance heating wire in a surface of the sleeve while the thermoplastic material is still in the molten state and removing the sleeve after cooling with electric resistance heating wire embedded therein from the core drum.

Abstract: A hybrid metal/composite spinner cone used in aircraft applications and a method of manufacturing the same. The spinner cone has a metal outer shell which is bonded during the molding process to an inner structural member of thermoplastic composite. The metal shell imparts several desirable characteristics to the spinner cone such as impact resistance, erosion resistance, appearance, and supplying a lightning strike material to protect the composite structure. The thermoplastic composite has significant property advantages over metal or thermoset systems. The hybrid metal/composite spinner cone is manufactured using a ceramic mold which is less expensive and more readily available than a steel mold. The metal shell provides a barrier between the thermoplastic composite and the ceramic mold and allows the finished spinner cone to be easily released from the mold.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a portion of a vehicle seat assembly utilizing a stylized forming tool and bonding a seat cover to a foam seat bun having a predetermined surface contour. The seat cover is positioned exterior side down on the stylized forming tool. A film of air impermeable material is then placed over the seat cover and a vacuum is applied between the impermeable material and the forming tool so as to draw the seat cover down into substantial conformity with style lines on the upper surface of the forming tool. The impermeable material is then removed and an adhesive coated foam seat bun is positioned and compressed against the seat cover on the forming tool. Once the seat cover and the seat bun are bonded together by the adhesive, the seat assembly is removed from the forming tool. The outer edges of the seat covers are then fastened together or to the underside of the seat bun so as to complete the assembly of the seat portion.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a folding balloon catheter for use as an angioplasty device, wherein the balloon catheter has atherotomes attached to the exterior of the balloon, includes inflating a balloon to its expanded state. A plurality of patches of a curable elastomer adhesive are then applied at selected locations on the outside surface of the inflated balloon, and an atherotome is attached to the balloon at each of the patches. The inflated balloon, with attached atherotomes, is then partially cured to more firmly attach the atherotomes to the balloon. The balloon is then deflated to a contracted configuration in a manner which forms a plurality of flaps in the balloon between the atherotomes. The deflated balloon is then cured to completion to establish a permanent set in the flaps which enable the balloon catheter to be repeatedly inflated and deflated during operation between predictable expanded and contracted configurations.

Abstract: Imaging paper having randomly distributed fibers and uniformly dispersed throughout unexpanded synthetic thermoplastic polymeric microspheres, a method of preparation and a method of imparting an image thereto.

Abstract: A process and machine are provided to manufacture furniture parts and the like with a unique, durable, low gloss finish which has a soft, satin feel, and imparts a monolithic appearance to the part. A blank cut from a suitable substrate material is grooved about its marginal edge to a depth near the opposite surface of the blank. A liquid edge protection material is poured into the groove and fully cured. The blank is then cut through at the filled groove to create a decorative protection strip about the marginal edge of the blank. The formed blank is next coated with a preselected paint or base material. After the base coat is cured, a layer of UV curable, protective material is applied to the painted surfaces of the blank. The UV coated blank is then translated through a multi-stage, continuous feed, ultraviolet processor to selectively and sequentially cure the protective coat. Powered rollers arranged in spaced apart groups convey the parts through the processor.

Abstract: A simulated leaded glass panel incorporates a glass backing sheet on which are mounted glass pieces having thin beveled edges and positioned in a desired pattern. The beveled pieces are affixed to the glass by liquid adhesive which may be activated by the application of ultraviolet light. Adhesive-backed lead strips are positioned to outline the beveled pieces and are correspondingly placed on the underside of the glass sheet to achieve the desired effect of leaded glass. Textured film pieces may be placed adjacent the beveled pieces to achieve a desired frosted glass effect.

Abstract: The method for forming surface-engraved panels clad with a sheet of thermodeformable material, particularly PVC, comprises a preliminary stage of engraving the surface of a chipboard substrate to obtain cavities therein in accordance with a predetermined design, and a subsequent stage in which an adhesive is spread over said surface followed by a sheet of thermodeformable material which covers said cavities, and is characterized in that the panel (6) prepared in this manner is passed through at least one pair of rollers (7,8), of which the roller (8) in contact with said surface is formed of elastically yieldable material which causes the sheet of thermodeformable material, previously heated until soft, to penetrate into said cavities.

Abstract: A method for applying ornamental elements is described. These elements have a layer of melt adhesive provided on the application side. The melt adhesive layer is designed as a shaft extending in the application direction, which can be passed through perforated material in order to obtain a good connection with the application material, in particular in the case of stratified materials such as leather, due to the formation of a flange on the back of the material.

Abstract: A shaped panel and method of manufacture thereof comprises an open-cell core having multiple cells with cell walls extending perpendicularly to the opposite sides of the core. Linerboard covers one or both sides of the core with thermoplastic resin being provided as adhesive between the core and the one or more linerboards. The resulting sandwich structure is heated and shaped in a mold.

Abstract: Composites having one or more layers of the same or different firmness and comprising one or more similar or dissimilar layer materials are made by impregnating at least one of the originally soft layer materials separately, each with a similar or dissimilar resin containing optional additives (e.g., pigments, dyes, light reflective modifiers, smoke suppressants, fire retardants, acoustical modifiers, EMF barriers, antifoaming agents, etc.

Abstract: An improved joint and method for providing the improved joint structure in joined or fused thermoplastic strap positioned about a package or article is disclosed. The improved joint includes means for increasing the peel separation resistance of overlapping portions of the joint above the peel separation resistance provided by a weldment between the overlapping portions providing for a joint strength that approaches the tensile strength of the strap material or weldment.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bag for containing liquid, the bag provided with an outlet tube. The method entails seam welding the outlet tube between two superposed bag walls, placing the bag and tube combination between the blocks of a mold, each block having confronting recesses of a particular shape and then injecting molding plastic material to fill these recesses. The injected material forms a collar which completely surrounds the tube and adjacent bag material. The bag film material on either side of the tube is melted to itself and to the tube wall and the collar is thereby securely attached in an encircling configuration thereby to preclude leakage. The tube may be a part of tap or other outlet fitting such as a push pull tap.

Abstract: In a one step process a body of woodchips or lignocellulosic fibres impregnated with a heat curable polar resin adhesive is contacted with EP(D)M rubber sheet containing peroxide curative and subjected to hot pressing. The rubber is thereby cured and caused to convulcanize and adhere to the woodchips to produce a weather resistant construction element.

Abstract: A process for surface coating of materials with plane surfaces in which on the material with plane surface paint- and lacquer material(s) is(are) applied as wet paint in one or several layers, each layer being dried (cured) separately before the application of the next layer and where the total paint layer thickness is 40-300 microns, and then a plastic sheet is applied by lamination directly on top of the hot paint surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vehicle seat cover and bonding the vehicle seat cover to a foam bun utilizing a style insert. The style insert is formed by taking a breathable cloth fabric and laminating it to a sheet of foam material. The composite so formed is then cut to a desired styled insert shape and sewn to the vehicle seat cover skirt to form a seat cover assembly.The composite, which may include an air impermeable barrier sheet or the barrier sheet may be included in the composite between the foam and fabric sheets, is positioned on a forming tool having removable style inserts, with the cloth side of the composite against the insert. An impermeable film is then positioned over the foam side of the insert composite and a vacuum drawn the forming tool and the impermeable film to draw the composite down into conformity with the style lines of the tool insert. An adhesively coated foam bun is then positioned and pressed against the composite on the forming tool.

Abstract: Body member conformable disposable articles and processes for their preparation are described. A preferred embodiment is a disposable absorbent article comprising a flexible, elastic, moisture impermeable backing film, an absorbent layer superposed thereon and a moisture permeable topsheet joined to the backing film along the edges of the topsheet. A portion of at least one longitudinal edge of the backing film has been folded upon itself and heat sealed together at the fold so that when the backing film is laid flat the aforementioned longitudinal edge will be in stretched condition, thus conferring body member conformability to the article.

Abstract: A method of making a laminated structure in which a polyethylene element is bonded directly to a metal substrate by the application of heat and pressure is characterised by the selection of the polyethylene, for the purpose of obtaining good adhesion, to be a linear low density polyethylene having a density from 0.91 to 0.94 g/ml.sup.-1 and a melt flow index in the range 0.2 to 2.0 g/10 min, produced by low pressure co-polymerisation of ethylene and but-1-ene. The polyethylene may be pre-treated, e.g. by corona discharge, glow discharge or flame treatment to further improve the adhesion. The polyethylene element may be a film applied to one or both sides of the metal substrate which may be a sheet or foil.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a decorative automobile roof cap by forming a flat composite of a thermoplastic cover member laminated to a core layer foam sheet, thermoforming the composite to the desired shape and forming the edges of the roof cap by removing a portion of the core layer from the cover member and then wrapping the excess cover member around the edges of the core layer and securing it to the underside of the core layer to form an edge covered with the cover member.

Abstract: An article of insulation and its method of manufacture, in which a planar sheet member has a plurality of score lines (24--24) made in the exterior surface thereof, and is then folded along the score lines (24--24) and then sealed to form an enclosed, airtight volume. Positioned between the upper and lower portions (12,14) of the sheet member are a plurality of thin, flexible, resilient, spaced interior elements (36--36). The combination is deformed to form corrugated surfaces and then expanded so that the upper and lower portions are spaced apart and the interior elements are again substantially flat. The space between the upper and lower elements is evacuated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique and rapid method of producing a laminated foam article having permanent, pliable, decorative embossed lines or patterns which produce a relief-like article such as an embossed seat cushion or the like. In one aspect, the present invention comprises the steps of coating the surface of a foam layer with an adhesive, placing a sheet or layer of cover material on the adhesive-coated foam layer surface, compressing the covered foam layer with a die having heated projection such that regions of the foam layer adjacent the hot die melt to form embossed lines which are permanent yet pliable. Since the embossed lines are actually collapsed, melted regions of the foam layer, thick, high density foam layers may be embossed using the present invention. In another aspect, a trilaminate structure is fabricated by additionally bonding a backing layer to the side of said foam layer opposite that to which said cover material is bonded.

Abstract: Assembling of two workpieces by the ultrasonic staking or riveting method comprises the providing of a first thermoplastic workpiece having an upstanding stud, an apertured second workpiece juxtaposed on the first workpiece so that the stud protrudes through the aperture of the first workpiece, and a horn applying ultrasonic energy to the upstanding, free end of the stud by forced contact between the stud end and the horn. The improvement comprises the application of ultrasonic energy to the horn during brief time periods which alternate with brief time periods during which the horn, while still in contact with the stud end, is substantially inactive.

Abstract: Method for mounting a plastic armature, particularly in the shape of a handle or an adapter designed to connect other structural parts, to a jar of frangible material like grass, ceramic, glass-ceramic, or the like by adhesively connecting the armature to the outer side of the jar, the armature comprising a shaped part which forms a positive interlock with a rim portion of the jar and the inner side thereof and thus secures the jar against dropping out from the armature upon a possible loosening of the adhesive connection, characterized in that an armature is used which comprises an extension of thermoplastic material which with projects inwardly over the rim of the jar when the armature is put into place, and in that during or after the making of the adhesive connection of the armature, the extension is softened by heating, deformed into the interlocking shaped part, and re-hardened by cooling.

Abstract: A moldable fibrous composite having thermal and acoustical insulating characteristics and methods of production thereof are provided. The composite structure comprises a substrate, a middle layer and a non-woven top layer. The substrate may be in the form of a fibrous web or, alternatively, a thermoplastic film. The middle layer comprises mineral fibers of a sufficiently short length to substantially preclude interlocking of any of the mineral fibers with other fibers of the structure and to provide the structure with desired flexibility. The mineral fibers are present in a quantity sufficient to impart desired heat and sound insulating properties to the structure. The top layer may be made of organic fibers or a substantially uniform mixture of organic and inorganic fibers. In making the invention composite structure, the middle layer and the top layer are introduced onto the substrate, respectively. The three layers are thereafter consolidated, such as through needle punching.