Providing Escapeways For Gases Trapped Or Generated Between Layers Patents (Class 156/87)
  • Patent number: 5925210
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a composite arrangement, at least one printed circuit board substrate is joined with a support under the influence of an applied pressure exerted by a press die over a weave layer (prepreg) impregnated with resin, such that the resin in the region of an opening of the printed circuit board substrate does not flow into this opening. The applied pressure is, therefore, at least partially reduced in the region of the opening of the printed circuit board substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Wagenbrenner, Thomas Wiesa, Ralph Schimitzek
  • Patent number: 5912062
    Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and processes wherein recycling of waste carpets and textiles is achieved by coating the individual yarn fibers with a low viscosity adhesive that is dispersed or dissolved in a suitable solvent to affect coverage of the fine fibers, and arranging the coated fibers in layers to affect the most desirable physical properties and then cured to provide a high modulus matrix for the coated fibers in the laminate structure. The fibers may be from unshredded or shredded waste carpets, shredded waste woven or non woven fabrics, fabric bits, and knitted fabrics. When the carpet is used in an as received condition, the face yarns, which may contain one or more components yarns, are coated and the carpets are arranged in a sandwich construction wherein the backings of the two carpets are placed back-to-back, e.g., (F-B-(B-F).sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Abraham M. Kotliar, Stephen Michielsen
  • Patent number: 5895538
    Abstract: A truss type extruded aluminum section is formed of a pair of planar plates and ribs, wherein hollow portions are formed within said section by the ribs and the planar plates. Vibration-damping resin is provided on the inner surfaces of hollow portions, and particularly on the inner surface of the planar plate and on a single surface of the inclined rib. With this arrangement, the vibration energy bending the planar plate and the rib is converted into a heat energy. In the case of manufacturing such truss type extruded aluminum vibration-damping section, for making easy the insertion of the vibration-damping resin in the hollow portion, the vibration-damping resin is stuck on a plastic film to form a long planar body. The plastic film serves as a cover or an adhesive. Moreover, in the case of directly inserting the vibration-damping resin sheet, the vibration-damping resin sheet is subjected to embossing on the adhesive-bonding side for allowing air to escape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Tadashi Hatayama, Ichiro Yamagiwa, Kenshi Maekawa, Kenji Iwai, Toshimitsu Tanaka, Mamoru Taniuchi, Reiji Sanuki, Isamu Ueki, Toshihiko Sasaki, Akio Sugimoto, Kazuhisa Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 5875545
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip connection component is provided with an adhesive, desirably in a solid, non-tacky condition on its bottom surface. The adhesive may be present in a pattern covering less than all of the component bottom surface, so as to provide a void-free interface when the adhesive bonds the component to the top surface of a chip. The adhesive desirably is brought to a flowable condition by heat transferred from the chip itself. The connection component may include leads having base metal strips in a trace area underlying the top surface and noble metal portions protruding beyond an edge of the top layer. A flowable, curable material encapsulates the base metal sections. Because the base metal sections desirably are free of undercuts, the same can be encapsulated in a void-free manner during formation of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Tessera, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas H. DiStefano, Gus Karavakis, Zlata Kovac, Craig Mitchell
  • Patent number: 5876645
    Abstract: A tube which is normally in a collapsed position and which has an inner layer, suitably of felt. The free end of the tube is pulled apart and a pool of resin is located within the tube. Opposed driven rollers then pull the free end of the tube to assist in the dispersion of the resin in the felt. To assist in the resin impregnating the felt a vacuum is applied to urge the felt on either side of the collapsed tube so that the sides are more towards each other in the region of the pool of resin. In order for the vacuum to be able to be applied in the region of the pool of resin the vacuum is applied to the trailing end of the tube and an insert comprising a strip of material that is less prone to collapse than the felt of the tube is located along the inside of the felt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Applied Felts Limited
    Inventor: Alexander Charles Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 5863365
    Abstract: A composite article is prepared by positioning composite material precursor between a layup tool and a sculpted block of an open-celled foam material. The block has a first face sculpted to define a first face of the composite article. A pressure is applied between the layup tool and the block, and thence to the composite material precursor. Simultaneously with the pressure application, the assembly is heated to compact and cure the composite material. The open-celled foam block acts both as a breather material to allow gas to escape from the compacting composite material and a bleeder material to receive resin that is forced out of the composite material under pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Scaled Composites, Inc.
    Inventor: Cory R. Bird
  • Patent number: 5840140
    Abstract: A method of making a microceramic optical shutter includes forming a sacrificial stator member and inserting the sacrificial stator member into the bottom ceramic portion in the green state, a top ceramic portion is sintered into the bottom portion to form a unitary ceramic body structure. The sacrificial stator member is formed with a sacrificial fiber wound in a helical fashion which is removed by etching. After etching ferromagnetic material is filled into the cavity to provide a helical coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Syamal K. Ghosh, Dilip K. Chatterjee, Edward P. Furlani
  • Patent number: 5827385
    Abstract: Sheets of gas impermeable plastics material are vacuum-formed to produce semi-rigid trays or shells each having side walls extending to form a peripheral flange. The formed shells define a cavity which is filled with an insulation media such as an open cell rigid foam material or a dry silica powder. In one embodiment, a media filled shell and a gas impermeable plastic cover sheet or partially assembled inner and outer shells separated by the media, are placed within a vacuum chamber, and overlapping edge portions or flanges are sealed by a moveable platen after evacuation of the media. The shells may include inner and outer lip portions on opposite side walls to provide for placing two of the insulated shells together in opposing relation to form an insulated container. In another embodiment, the overlapping flanges of the inner and outer shells are sealed together, and the insulation media between the shells is evacuated through a tube which is then closed and sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: VacuPanel, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris E. Meyer, Nicholas Wynne
  • Patent number: 5788788
    Abstract: A method of preparing a fuel cell element includes the steps of: laminating ceramic tapes to form an unfired anode/electrolyte laminate; reducing the thickness of the anode/electrolyte laminate; sintering the anode/electrolyte laminate; laminating ceramic tapes to form an unfired cathode/interconnect laminate; reducing the thickness of the cathode/interconnect laminate; embossing a gas flow path pattern into the cathode layer of the cathode/interconnect laminate; sintering the cathode/interconnect laminate; and bonding the sintered anode/electrolyte laminate to the sintered cathode/interconnect laminate such that the electrolyte layer contacts the cathode layer. The fuel cell produced by this method has thin electrolyte and interconnect layers which result in high fuel cell outlet power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventor: Nguyen Q. Minh
  • Patent number: 5772830
    Abstract: A method for bonding wood plies together comprises the steps of (i) forming passages in at least one of faces of the wood plies, except faces thereof for providing opposed faces of a bonded wood product, (ii) placing the wood plies on one another with a thermosetting adhesive material or materials between, and (iii) pressing the wood plies together transverse to the opposed faces of the wood plies, while blowing a heating fluid into the passages to heat and harden the adhesive material or materials. The passages should preferably be evenly distributed on the face of the wood ply to uniformly heat and harden the adhesive material According to one embodiment of the invention, the passages extend from one edge of the wood ply to an opposed edge thereof. Steam or hot air may be used as the heating fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Katsuji Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5746864
    Abstract: A process of providing a smooth surface to an image-receiving laminate in an identification card stock, the laminate comprising an oriented polymeric film support having an image-receiving layer located on a first outermost surface thereof, and the second outermost surface of the oriented polymeric film support having a heat- or chemically-activated adhesive thereon, the process comprising applying an embossed surface to the image-receiving layer using a textured plate employed in a laminating process, and then applying a smooth surface to the image-receiving layer using a smooth plate employed in a laminating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas Carl Reiter, Peter P. Soscia, David P. Brust
  • Patent number: 5741392
    Abstract: One object of the invention concerns a card comprising an electronic element (2) and a coil (42), the ends of which are directly coupled to the electronic element, such latter and the coil being encased in a binding material (10). Another object of the invention concerns a card comprising an electronic element (2) encased in a binding material (10) and a positioning structure (46) for the electronic element, such structure being located in a layer (38) formed by the binding material. The present invention also concerns a method of manufacture for cards according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Inventor: Francois Droz
  • Patent number: 5728251
    Abstract: An improved process for making a light valve includes cross-linking and curing an SPD light valve film carried by a substrate while the film is uncovered and then laminating a second substrate to the uncovered surface of the cured SPD light valve film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Inventor: Joseph A. Check, III
  • Patent number: 5698153
    Abstract: A method of prescoring foam board for making composite panels includes impressing a pattern of ridges projecting from a surface of a die into at least one face surface of the foam board. The pattern of ridges on the die forms a pattern of indentations having three series of parallel linear indentations, each series being angularly offset from each series other by 60.degree.. The ridges on the embossing die are pressed into the foam sufficiently deep that the the pattern of indentations impressed in the board surface after whatever springback occurs remain deep enough to enable volatiles generated in an interior zone of a panel to escape when drawn out by a vacuum pump when the foam board is heated under pressure between two face sheets of resin-preimpregnated fabric to form a composite panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: The Boeing Co.
    Inventors: Neil L. Hoopingarner, Barry D. Matin
  • Patent number: 5647930
    Abstract: A preform for use in the production of a container in a blow-molding operation includes an inner parison molded in a first mold to include a finish portion including a mouth-defining opening, a threaded outer surface adapted to engage a container closure, and a lower margin including a support ring, a closed bottom portion including a gate vestige, and a barrel portion extending between the finish portion lower margin and the bottom portion, and an outer parison molded in a second mold and consisting essentially of a barrel portion having a length similar to the inner parison barrel portion and a bottom portion including an opening for receiving the inner parison gate vestige, the outer parison having an inner surface conformably matching the inner parison outer surface. The outer parison is mechanically telescopically assembled over the inner parison outside the first and second molds to form a layered preform, the preform optionally including an intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Electra Form, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen A. Bright
  • Patent number: 5643378
    Abstract: An endless belt construction and method of making the same are provided, the endless belt construction being formed mainly of polymeric material and comprising a tension section, a compression section, a load carrying section disposed between the tension section and the compression section and being secured thereto, one of the sections comprising a plurality of layers of polymeric material disposed in stacked relation, and a paper-like sheet of non-woven material disposed between an adjacent pair of the layers of polymeric material and being secured thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Dayco Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack D. White, Jr., Douglas W. Sides
  • Patent number: 5626809
    Abstract: Method for making laminated glass, whereby a film (2) of polyvinyl butyral is applied between the glass layers (1) whose surface has obtained a roughness at a temperature above 120.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Tale Consultants, T.D.
    Inventor: Johan F. Mortelmans
  • Patent number: 5624728
    Abstract: A planar composite panel is constructed from two resin-impregnated fiber face sheet covering and bonded to the two sides of a honeycomb core element and a surrounding border element made of rigid foam board. The two planar faces of the rigid foam board are embossed with a pattern of indentations in the form of interlinked equilateral triangles which are sufficiently deep and close together to provide escape paths for volatiles generated inside the panel during curing of the resin in the face sheets by which the face sheets are bonded to the honeycomb core element and the foam board, to prevent the development of excessive pressure between the face sheets that otherwise would interfere with the bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Neil L. Hoopingarner, Barry D. Matin
  • Patent number: 5593633
    Abstract: A novel method of forming high strength, fiber reinforced, high temperature thermoplastic panels is provided which entails placing at least one layer of metal mesh or screen adjacent the vacuum probes in a vacuum bagging apparatus. Additionally, caul plates are placed as needed around the thermoplastic workpiece and metal mesh is positioned on the plates to promote uniform vacuum drawing on the entire panel and complete consolidation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Dull, Terry L. Schneider
  • Patent number: 5589017
    Abstract: A fuel cell is made by preparing a first unfired anode ceramic tape and a second unfired electrolyte ceramic tape, with the second ceramic tape being much thinner than the first ceramic tape. The first ceramic tape and the second ceramic tape are laminated together to form an unfired anode/electrolyte laminate, which is rolled to reduce the layer thicknesses. The anode layer is embossed with a gas flow path pattern. A third unfired cathode ceramic tape and a fourth unfired interconnect ceramic tape are prepared, with the fourth ceramic tape being much thinner than the third ceramic tape. The third ceramic tape and the fourth ceramic tape are laminated together to form an unfired cathode/interconnect laminate, which is rolled to reduce the layer thicknesses. The cathode layer is embossed with a gas flow pattern. The two laminates are sintered, stacked, and bonded in the appropriate pattern to form a fuel cell element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventor: Nguyen Q. Minh
  • Patent number: 5589016
    Abstract: A planar composite panel is constructed from two resin-impregnated fiber face sheet covering and bonded to the two sides of a honeycomb core element and a surrounding border element made of rigid foam board. The two planar faces of the rigid foam board are embossed with a pattern of indentations in the form of interlinked equilateral triangles which are sufficiently deep and close together to provide escape paths for volatiles generated inside the panel during curing of the resin in the face sheets by which the face sheets are bonded to the honeycomb core element and the foam board, to prevent the development of excessive pressure between the face sheets that otherwise would interfere with the bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Neil L. Hoopingarner, Barry D. Matin
  • Patent number: 5575882
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of composites from cores and facings with a liquid and/or pasty adhesive. The core is wetted with a liquid which also serves as a solvent and/or wetting agent for the adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Holz, Johannes Luke, Wolfgang Riederer
  • Patent number: 5556493
    Abstract: A device to facilitate the mounting of an optical sensor on a windshield glass using a clear adhesive tape is disclosed. The device holds the sensor, with tape exposed, in a vacuum chamber which is sealed against the glass. The chamber is evacuated, and the sensor is then pressed against the glass by the longitudinal movement of a drive shaft. The sensor may be installed with consistent force and with no trapped air pockets or air bubbles. Air pockets are a special concern because air pockets adversely effect the optical performance of the sensor. The vacuum chamber device may be controlled by a computer, and features a latching mechanism which prevents the sensor from making contact with the glass until the chamber is evacuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Libbey-Owens-Ford Co.
    Inventors: Rein S. Teder, Dennis L. Bomer, Michael A. Niver
  • Patent number: 5520772
    Abstract: A laminating machine for laminating layers of plastic film about an insert has cold feed rollers, a preheater and heated expeller rollers. The workpiece to be laminated is fed to the preheater by the feed rollers and is heated to a temperature just below the melting point of the adhesive on the plastic film. The heated workpiece is then fed to the hot expeller rollers which apply heat and pressure to finish melting the adhesive and squeeze any air bubbles out of the workpiece. Temperature controls assure that no melting and thus, no pre-lamination occurs at the preheater. The preheating step results in a laminating machine with high throughput of high quality laminations, even with inserts impervious to air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Technologies Development, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Levitan, Kenneth G. Meyer, Rory S. Olson
  • Patent number: 5516390
    Abstract: A lighting fixture body and a lens, both formed of plastic which generates gas when heated, are bonded together, using a hot melt adhesive with adsorbent mixed therein, thereby preventing foams from residing in the interface between the plastic materials and the hot melt adhesive. The hot melt adhesive is mainly composed of styrene-ethylene-butylene block copolymer, and molecular sieve or other adsorbent having adsorbing cavities is added to the hot melt adhesive. After the hot melt adhesive is filled in the sealing grooves of the lighting fixture body, the anchoring parts of the lens are set in the hot melt adhesive and fastened mechanically with spring pegs. The hot melt adhesive solidifies in the sealing grooves, thereby fixing the lighting fixture body and the lens together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Aica Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Tomita, Yuichiro Kamei
  • Patent number: 5487800
    Abstract: A covered article such as an automotive trim panel comprises a substrate having a front surface to be covered, a back surface and a plurality of holes extending through it for vacuum drawing a trim cover stock against the front surface. The substrate has sets of parallel saw-tooth holder grooves in a peripheral margin of the back surface adjacent to an edge of the substrate that is to be wrapped by the trim cover stock and transverse manifold grooves that communicate with the holder grooves. An adhesive is applied to the front surface and the peripheral margin and the substrate is supported on a vacuum buck so that the peripheral margin overhangs the buck and the manifold grooves communicate with a vacuum source of the buck. The trim cover stock is drawn against the front surface of the substrate and a marginal portion of the trim cover stock is simultaneously drawn against the peripheral margin of the back surface by vacuum to wrap the trim cover stock around the edge of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Ash
  • Patent number: 5478412
    Abstract: A plastic sheet, preferably of plasticized partial polyvinyl butyral, for a laminated safety glazing, having means dispersed on its surface, preferably comprising a multiplicity of spaced projections, capable of resisting adhesion to a rigid panel, such as glass, of such a glazing when the sheet is laminated to the panel, the area of the sheet surface without such dispersed means having high affinity for adhesion. The projections physically block adhesion of a dispersed area of the sheet to the panel in that the means on the sheet surface have no or weak interfacial adhesion. The multiplicity of space projections also have low or no affinity for adhesion when in blocking contact with each other or with another plasticized partial polyvinyl butyral surface and thereby increase blocking resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Monsanto Company
    Inventors: Robert H. M. Simon, Peter H. Farmer
  • Patent number: 5470622
    Abstract: A substrate (12,14) is enclosed with a heat recoverable backing with a layer of a thermosetting adhesive composition (20) comprising an amorphous thermoplastic resin and a thermosetting resin positioned between the heat recoverable article (10, 26) and the substrate (12,14). The adhesive composition can be in the form of a self supporting sheet or tape or it can be on a surface of the heat recoverable article (10). In some embodiments, a polymeric insert (32) is also used to ensure adequate sealing between the substrate and the thermosetting adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Raychem Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Rinde, Richard M. Rowe
  • Patent number: 5456777
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Henderson's Industries Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronald S. Park, John A. Clements, William H. Maloney
  • Patent number: 5445692
    Abstract: A process is used for reinforcing a semiconductor wafer, where remaining bubbles in a hot-melt adhesive can be reduced in number and in size. A reinforced wafer adhering to a reinforcing plate with a heated and softened adhesive is kept in a lower ambient pressure than a standard atmosphere for a predetermined period for deaeration, and is cooled under a higher pressure than the deaeration pressure. A reinforcing plate has a groove on its adhering face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Nitta
  • Patent number: 5433803
    Abstract: Flowers or leaves are dried for 3-7 days under controlled atmospheric conditions, and under pressure, between absorbent sheets. The dried material is placed on a backing sheet and covered by a layer of laminating plastic. By the application of pressure, heat and vacuum, the air between the laminating and backing sheets is removed, the laminating sheet moulds around the dried material and is laminated to the backing sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Paul N. Van Draanen
    Inventors: Edward Kwan, John P. Le Sands
  • Patent number: 5431486
    Abstract: A disc road wheel on which a tire is fitted. The disc road wheel has a disc formed with an outer peripheral annular flange section which is press-fitted to the inner peripheral section of a rim. The flange section is formed at its outer peripheral surface with a plurality of gas leak grooves which are aligned along a peripheral direction of the disc. Each gas leak groove is in communication with ambient air even upon press-fitting of the disc and the rim, so that gas between the disc and the rim can be discharged through the gas leak grooves during welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuya Kamahori
  • Patent number: 5395467
    Abstract: A method of producing a textile product has the steps of applying an adhesive coating to a first surface of a backing material having a first and second surface; passing a fluid towards the backing material to form a plurality of spaces through the adhesive and the backing material; and adhering the backing material to a textile fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Inventor: James H. Rogers, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5382402
    Abstract: In order to assure excellent molding of the tire at the place of the markings appearing on the side wall of a tire, the shell of the mold has cutouts which correspond to the shape of the marking, the cutouts containing removable closures which admit material for molding the markings while permitting venting of the cutout. In one embodiment the removable closure is an insert which slides in the cutout. It is possible to adjust the relief of the marking. Venting is assured by the clearance between the insert and the cutout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin - Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Jacques Espie, Daniel Lefevre
  • Patent number: 5376203
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for molding foamed materials for use as carpet underpadding is disclosed. In one aspect, the process and apparatus involves pulling a sheet of a foamed material through a first set of pull rolls at a first pull rate followed by heating the foamed material in order to decompose blowing agent present in the sheet thereby causing the sheet to expand or thicken. The heated sheet is then pulled through a second set of pull rolls which pull the heated sheet at a faster rate than the first pull rate in order to stretch the expanded sheet so that it returns to its original thickness. The surface of one of the rolls of the second set is provided with dimples or indentations uniformly spread on the surface thereof for producing protrusions on one side of the heated sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Inventor: Robert W. Syme
  • Patent number: 5363278
    Abstract: A bonded ceramic-metal composite substrate comprising a ceramic substrate having opposite surfaces and a copper sheet having a face directly bonded to one of the surfaces of the ceramic substrate, characterized in that the Vickers hardness of the copper sheet lies in the range from 40 kg/mm.sup.2 to 100 kg/mm.sup.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Komorita, Nobuyuki Mizunoya
  • Patent number: 5356497
    Abstract: A method for forming a sheet material permeable to gas and not permeable to water includes forming the sheet material by hot pressing two materials together, and discharging static electricity to the sheet material in order to form a number of apertures in the sheet material. The apertures have a size smaller than that of water particles and larger than that of gas particles such that the sheet material is permeable to gas and not permeable to water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Inventor: Chi S. Lee
  • Patent number: 5346569
    Abstract: A process for deairing an interface region by applying on the surface of a plastic sheet a multitude of spaced plastic projections formed of a plastic material different from that of the sheet, assembling the sheet with the spaced projections in face to face contact with at least one rigid panel such as glass, and evacuating air from the interface region between the rigid panel and the plastic sheet through spaces between the projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Monsanto Company
    Inventor: Robert H. M. Simon
  • Patent number: 5334273
    Abstract: A bonding method including pressing a pair of slices together with a liquid oxidant therebetween and subjecting the pair of slices to a temperature to bond the slices together. Preferably a liquid oxidant is applied to one of the slices before they are pressed together and then dried. The heating step for bonding is carried out at a sufficiently high temperature of at least 1100.degree. C. to make the slices pliable so as to comply with each other during the bonding step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Short, Craig J. McLachlan, George V. Rouse, James R. Zibrida
  • Patent number: 5312579
    Abstract: A low pressure process was developed for preparing a well-consolidated polyimide composite laminate. Prepreg plies were formed from unidirectional fibers and a polyamic acid resin solution. Molding stops were placed at the sides of a matched metal die mold. The prepreg plies were cut shorter than the length of the mold in the in-plane lateral direction and were stacked between the molding stops to a height which was higher than the molding stops. The plies were then compressed to the height of the stops and heated to allow the volatiles to escape and to start the imidization reaction. After removing the stops from the mold, the heat was increased and 0-500 p.s.i. pressure was applied to complete the imidization reaction. The heat and pressure were further increased to form a consolidated polyimide composite laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States National eronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Darleen A. Druyun, Tan-Hung Hou, Paul W. Kidder, Rakasi M. Reddy, Robert M. Baucom
  • Patent number: 5306449
    Abstract: A method for lining a high pressure pipeline with a tubular plastic liner. After depressurizing, purging and cleaning the pipeline is broken into discrete sections each of which is to receive a liner segment. The sections are reamed to remove obstructions which might damage the liner and a close-fitting liner segment is drawn into each section. Each liner segment is fixed at opposed ends of respective pipeline sections to prevent longitudinal movement of the segments. Bleeder holes are provided through the pipeline walls at opposed ends of each pipeline section. After the pipeline sections are reconnected to reform the pipeline, a relatively warm, pressurized fluid is pumped through the pipeline to radially expand each liner segment against the inner walls of the pipeline, thus evacuating the spaces between liner segments and pipeline sections by forcing air, water and other impurities through the bleeder holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Inventors: Perry N. Brittain, John D. Kirkpatrick
  • Patent number: 5300176
    Abstract: Presence of small amounts of certain strongly basic amines in polymerization mixture during composite formation results in void reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Murty S. Tanikella
  • Patent number: 5296291
    Abstract: A multilayer laminate comprises a first perforated film of propylene homopolymer or copolymer, oriented heat set polyester or oriented heat set polyamide and a second film bonded to the first film and including a bonding layer of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer or chemically modified ethylene unsaturated ester copolymer, a core layer of a heat resistant, breathable polymeric material, and an outer heat sealable layer. One or more filler layers may be included in the structure, located between the outer heat sealable layer and a polymeric adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.
    Inventor: Walter B. Mueller
  • Patent number: 5288350
    Abstract: A plastic case and a method for producing a plastic case composed of two halves ultrasonically welded together without problems caused by the generation of excess material, namely, excess melted resin and resin particles, produced during the welding process. The welding is effected at abutting portions of a projection formed on one of the two case halves and a recess formed on the other. A gap is left between the end surface of the distalface of the projection and the bottom of the recess defining an internal space. At least one air hole is formed communicating with the internal space, and suction may be applied to the internal space through the air hole. Also, a dust-blocking rib may be provided on at least one of the recess and projection surrounding the abutting welding portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihisa Kita
  • Patent number: 5279699
    Abstract: A sticking apparatus in which a continuous film loaded on a film supply roller is cut off to a prescribed length and a base panel conveyed by a base panel conveyor is moved while said film is stuck, under pressure, to the plate by a pressure sticking roller. Support members for the roller are provided on the body of the apparatus so that the members can be moved rightward or leftward in order that the portion of the film, which is fed from the roller, and the other portion of the film, which is stuck to the plate, are made coincident with each other at the center line of the former portion in the direction of the feed thereof and that of the letter portion in the direction of the conveyance of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: Somar Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Taguchi, Youji Washizaki, Akira Igarashi, Hiroyoshi Nakano
  • Patent number: 5275218
    Abstract: A precure tread for a tire has surface grooves facing a tread face, rear grooves facing a crown portion of a base tire, and a passage for communication between the rear grooves to atmosphere. The groove bottom of the rear grooves is located at a higher level than a groove bottom of the surface groove in the radial direction. The tire durability can be considerably improved when this precure tread is applied to a new tire or a retread tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Shohachiro Nakayama, Toyomi Iwata, Masahiro Kuroda, Naoyuki Goto, Hiroshi Ueda, Michio Ishii
  • Patent number: 5266135
    Abstract: A bonding method including pressing a pair of slices together with a liquid oxidant therebetween and subjecting the pair of slices to a temperature to bond the slices together. Preferably a liquid oxidant is applied to one of the slices before they are pressed together and then dried. The heating step for bonding is carried out at a sufficiently high temperature of at least 1100.degree. C. to make the slices pliable so as to comply with each other during the bonding step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Short, Craig J. McLachlan, George V. Rouse, James R. Zibrida
  • Patent number: 5261993
    Abstract: A resilient pad of intertwined nylon fibers of minute cross-sectional diameter having minute interstices throughout. The pad serves as a breather for the curing of a part of composite resinous material for which purpose it is placed over the part, which part is, in turn, fitted onto a shaped tool. To effectuate curing of the part, the part and breather pad are covered by a vacuum bag which is, in turn, sealed around its edges to the shaped tool and provided with a vacuum outlet. The whole assembly is then placed in an autoclave, wherein it is subjected to heat and pressure while vacuum is applied to the vacuum bag to evacuate air and volatile effluents from the part through the breather pad while the part is being cured under the influence of heat and pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: Airtech International Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Dahlgren
  • Patent number: 5259896
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: Henderson's Industries Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronald S. Park, John A. Clements, William H. Maloney
  • Patent number: 5244521
    Abstract: Heat shrink tubing is disposed about a pneumatic tool and heat shrunk into position on the tool. Foraminous material is located between the tubing and tool in a restricted fluid-flow passageway extending between a tool air flow outlet and an end of the heat shrunk tubing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Inventor: Gary A. Ligman