Producing Ribbon, Tape, Or Sheet (e.g., Extrusion, Etc.) Patents (Class 264/171.21)
  • Patent number: 11557407
    Abstract: An automated assembly sensor cable has a generally wide and flat elongated body and a registration feature generally traversing the length of the body so as to identify the relative locations of conductors within the body. This cable configuration facilitates the automated attachment of the cable to an optical sensor circuit and corresponding connector. In various embodiments, the automated assembly sensor cable has a conductor set of insulated wires, a conductive inner jacket generally surrounding the conductor set, an outer jacket generally surrounding the inner jacket and a registration feature disposed along the surface of the outer jacket and a conductive drain line is embedded within the inner jacket. A strength member may be embedded within the inner jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: MASIMO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ammar Al-Ali, Yassir Abdul-Hafiz, William Jack MacNeish, III, Kevin Forrest
  • Patent number: 9697928
    Abstract: An automated assembly sensor cable has a generally wide and flat elongated body and a registration feature generally traversing the length of the body so as to identify the relative locations of conductors within the body. This cable configuration facilitates the automated attachment of the cable to an optical sensor circuit and corresponding connector. In various embodiments, the automated assembly sensor cable has a conductor set of insulated wires, a conductive inner jacket generally surrounding the conductor set, an outer jacket generally surrounding the inner jacket and a registration feature disposed along the surface of the outer jacket and a conductive drain line is embedded within the inner jacket. A strength member may be embedded within the inner jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Ammar Al-Ali, Yassir Abdul-Hafiz, William Jack MacNeish, III, Kevin Forrest
  • Patent number: 9314981
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for making a conduit divided into channels by one or more strip-shaped substrates. The channels may be used for cables, such as fiber optic cables, coaxial cables, electrical cables, electrical wiring, and the like. Each divided conduit provides channels that allow e.g., cables to be pulled through without snagging or excessive heat build-up due to friction. In addition, the divided conduits do not allow contact or alternation losses between adjacent cables in other channels of the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventor: David Drew Morris
  • Patent number: 9242419
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for making a conduit divided into channels by one or more strip-shaped substrates. The channels may be used for cables, such as fiber optic cables, coaxial cables, electrical cables, electrical wiring, and the like. Each divided conduit provides channels that allow e.g., cables to be pulled through without snagging or excessive heat build-up due to friction. In addition, the divided conduits do not allow contact or alternation losses between adjacent cables in other channels of the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventor: David Drew Morris
  • Publication number: 20150089773
    Abstract: An edge-beaded fastener product such as a cushion cover tie-down has a molded profile bead secured to and extending along a flexible strip adjacent a longitudinal edge of the strip. The profile bead has a shoulder or an inboard sidewall extending away from the strip, such as for retaining a clip or hog ring. The flexible strip may have a reinforced region, inboard of the shoulder, in which resin contiguous with resin forming the profile bead encapsulates surface features of the strip. The product is made by molding resin directly onto the strip. Multiple lanes of resin may be molded on a single substrate, which is severed to form individual strips with severed, exposed strip edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Victor Horst Kheil, Earl Lorne Cowley, Paul Joseph Voigt
  • Patent number: 8968615
    Abstract: A bulk of polyester polymer particles comprising polyester polymer comprising greater than 75% virgin polyester polymer, the particles having: A) an It.V. of at least 0.72 dl/g, and B) 10 ppm or less of residual acetaldehyde; and C) at least two melting peaks, wherein one of said at least two melting peaks is a low peak melting point within a range of 140° C. to 220° C. and having a melting endotherm area of at least the absolute value of 1 J/g. The particles may also have a degree of crystallinity within a range of 20% and a maximum degree of crystallinity Tcmax defined by the equation: Tcmax=50%?CA?OH where CA is the total mole % of all carboxylic acid residues other than terephthalic acid residues, based on 100 mole % of carboxylic acid residues, and OH is the total mole % of all hydroxyl functional compound residues other than ethylene glycol residues, based on 100 mole % of hydroxyl functional compounds residues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Michael Paul Ekart, Frederick Leslie Colhoun, Mary Therese Jernigan, Stephen Weinhold, Rodney Scott Armentrout
  • Patent number: 8568638
    Abstract: A polymer-based sausage casing suitable for use with uncooked meats such as chorizo is disclosed. A polymer resin is blended with a silicon-based barrier control agent, preferably a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, to increase the permeability of the sausage casing. The resultant blend can be biaxially stretch-oriented to produce a single-layered polymer-based sausage casing suitable for use with uncooked sausage meats such as chorizo, and specifically suitable for the gas and moisture permeability needed during the curing process for uncooked sausage meats. Such polymer-based casings can also be employed for cooked sausages by choosing a silicon-based barrier control agent that increases gas and moisture barrier, thereby increasing shelf-life for unpeeled sausages. A method for improving the peelability of cooked sausage casings by injecting a thin coating of a releasing agent, without the addition of a surfactant, into the sausage casing during the shirring process is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Casematic S.A. de C.V.
    Inventor: Ruben Garcia Cruz
  • Patent number: 8524133
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a film for a film capacitor making it possible to produce a film for a film capacitor which has a thickness of 10 ?m or less and which is excellent in a heat resistance and a voltage resistance at a high thickness accuracy by using a polyetherimide resin and provides as well a film for a film capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kenro Takizawa, Yuzo Morioka, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Michimasa Ote
  • Patent number: 8163214
    Abstract: A thermoplastic endless belt has a smooth outer surface substantially free of discontinuities and an inner surface with a plurality of teeth at a given belt pitch. The teeth are adapted to engage a sprocket with circumferentially spaced sheaves at a sprocket pitch greater than the belt pitch. The belt is slightly stretchable so that the sprocket can drive the endless belt when engaging the teeth within a range of load on the belt. The belt is preferred for use in conveyors in food processing industries where the smooth outer surface can transport food items and is easier to clean and keep free of impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Thermodrive LLC
    Inventor: Edward T. Mol
  • Patent number: 8048513
    Abstract: This invention relates to improved plexifilamentary sheet material useful in protective apparel and filtration media, which material is comprised of substantially continuous polyethylene plexifilamentary fiber strands and has a Frazier Permeability, normalized to 1.0 oz/yd2 basis weight, of at least 2 cfm/ft2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Robert Anthony Marin, Larry R. Marshall, Barbara K. O'Rourke
  • Patent number: 7914699
    Abstract: A liquid crystal resin comprises structural units derived from at least two types of aromatic diols. The liquid crystal resin generates 100 ppm or less of acetic acid gas, less than 20 ppm of phenol gas, and less than 100 ppm of carbon dioxide gas when the liquid crystal resin is retained at a melting point +10° C. (or at 335° C. when the melting point is less than 325° C.) for 30 minutes in a helium gas atmosphere. The present invention provides a liquid crystal resin or a composition containing this resin by which metal corrosion, clouding of glass, bulging of molded articles, and the like are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Tachikawa, Satoshi Matsubara, Toru Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 7879278
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing panel units may include applying a cover tape to a surface of a panel in such a way as to substantially extend along a periphery of the panel. An extrusion molding die may be moved relative to the panel in such a way that the extrusion molding die moves along the periphery of the panel while at least partially contacting the cover tape applied to the panel. At the same time, a molten molding material may be extruded from the extrusion molding die, thereby integrally forming a molded article on the periphery of the panel. The cover tape may be then removed from the surface of the panel in order to produce a panel unit having the molded article disposed along the periphery of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naotaka Hanai, Tomohiro Sakagami, Toshiaki Kakuto, Takanori Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7744989
    Abstract: This invention relates to improved plexifilamentary sheet material useful in protective apparel and filtration media, which material is comprised of substantially continuous polyethylene plexifilamentary fiber strands and has a Frazier Permeability, normalized to 1.0 oz/yd2 basis weight, of at least 2 cfm/ft2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Robert Anthony Marin, Larry R. Marshall, Barbara K. O'Rourke
  • Publication number: 20090269580
    Abstract: Disclosed is a packaging material, wherein a barrier layer, an adhesive layer and a sealant layer are laminated in this order, and the adhesive layer includes an acid-modified polyolefin resin that contains a (meth)acrylic acid ester component. The packaging material is preferably produced by forming on the barrier layer the adhesive layer including the acid-modified polyolefin resin that contains a (meth)acrylic acid ester component, and by subsequently laminating a molten sealant resin on the adhesive layer by extrusion lamination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Kenjin Shiba, Takuma Yano, Masafumi Yamada, Takamasa Yoshino
  • Patent number: 7553389
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing composite-coated rigid flat-rolled sheet metal substrate in which thermoplastic polymeric materials are selected and combined for dual-layer molten-film extrusion presenting a first-contacting tie-layer and an externally-located finish-layer which are simultaneously extruded for a single substrate surface at-a-time; in which tie-layer selection includes an ethylene-glycol modified PET, requiring a substrate-surface temperature between 230° F. and 300° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: ISG Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Sinsel, Mark V. Loen, Kenneth H. Speckhals
  • Publication number: 20090140470
    Abstract: A method of forming a portion of an article of footwear includes the steps of providing a last having an exterior surface, extruding a plurality of polymeric fibers, projecting a stream of the extruded polymeric fibers onto the last to form a mat having the shape of the exterior of the last, and subjecting the mat to heat and pressure in a mold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Bhupesh Dua, Edward N. Thomas
  • Patent number: 7452434
    Abstract: Processes and apparatus for manufacturing an engineered-composite combining rigid flat-rolled sheet metal continuous-strip and selected polypropylene thermoplastics, which are formulated into dual polymeric coating layers for extrusion deposition, as distinct layers, on a single surface at a time, of continuous-strip, traveling in-line at ambient temperature. Steps for forming a uniform thickness of polymeric layers across strip width, and attraction to an activated metallic surface which provides enhanced adhesion. Solidification of the polymeric layers is augmented by strip temperature during continuous-in-line travel; final dual-surface finishing provides for complete bonding of the polymeric layers on both metallic surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: ISG Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Sinsel, Mark V. Loen, Michael S. Bailey
  • Publication number: 20070176318
    Abstract: A mold equipped with a core having a plurality of columnar distal portions branched at a downstream side in the extrusion direction and arranged on a surface and a die having an aperture surrounding the distal portions as a whole with a distance with respect to the distal portions and used in the case where a softened flexible resin is injected from one end of a resin flow path formed between the core and the die and a pipe material having a plurality of liquid flow paths which are mutually independent formed by the flexible resin is extruded from the other end of the resin flow path, wherein the aperture of the die has a shape in which each part of a plurality of circles each having the same axis as a corresponding one of the distal portions and mutually having the same inner diameter are overlapped and mutually connected, and each of a diameter of a distal portion of the core is lager than or equal to a diameter of a distal portion adjacent to the outer side in the arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Saito
  • Patent number: 7101454
    Abstract: Engineered composite coated flat-rolled steel strip is produced in continuous line operations, in which flat-rolled steel strip, free of surface iron oxide, having a metallic corrosion-protective coating, is polymer coated in continuous-line operations in which a plurality of adherent thin-film layers of polymeric material are deposited on a strip surface. In a dual-surface polymeric coating embodiment, each surface is separately-pretreated for surface adhesion, solidified, and polymeric overhang is removed. Finish processing re-melts the polymer coating and rapidly cools that coating through glass-transition temperature to establish amorphous characteristics in the polymeric coating materials. An anhydride-modified polypropylene, first contacts the strip, an intermediate layer can include about fifteen to twenty five percent, by weight, polybutylene with the balance polypropylene; an outer surface polymeric layer includes about five to ten percent, by weight, polybutylene with the balance polypropylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: ISG Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Sinsel, Mark V. Loen, Michael S. Bailey
  • Patent number: 6942749
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a security item comprises extruding or casting a polymer plastics substrate and, during the forming process, introducing a security thread into the substrate. The security thread is embedded to different depths in the substrate so as to generate a windowed effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: De La Rue International Limited
    Inventors: Karen Cunningham, Jonathan Brian Marx
  • Publication number: 20040197578
    Abstract: Method steps and apparatus combinations for continuous in-line polymeric coating of rigid corrosion-protected flat-rolled sheet metal continuous-strip substrate utilizing a thermoplastic polymeric material having adhesive characteristics, capable of molten thin-film extrusion for chemical-bonding with an activated-surface of the flat-rolled sheet metal substrate, and substantially-simultaneously bonding with a solid-film polymeric material, establishing a work-product embodiment with multiple-polymer-layers traveling with the single activated surface; and, on which the solid polymeric film is selected to provide strength, hardness and other desired surface mechanical properties which also provide for external surface coloration, design, weather-proofing, and fabricating capabilities. A second embodiment provides dual-surface multiple-polymeric layer coating carried on by activating and polymeric coating one surface, at a time, of rigid corrosion-protected flat-rolled sheet metal continuous strip substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: John A. Sinsel, Mark V. Loen, Michael S. Bailey
  • Patent number: 6773217
    Abstract: Flat-rolled steel strip, free of surface iron oxide, is provided with a corrosion-protection metallic coating on both surfaces, followed by continuous-line polymeric coating operations in which a single surface is pre-treated so as to activate that surface for adhesion of molten extruded thin-film polymeric material for in-line travel. Polymeric materials are formulated to provide maleic-anhydride modified polypropylene, which is melted and pressurized for extrusion as a molten thin-film tie-layer for first contacting that activated surface; and, thin-film intermediate and finish layers are each formulated to contain a selected percentage of polybutylene; which are extruded as molten films in overlaying relationship to said first contacting tie-layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Weirton Steeel Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Sinsel, Mark V. Loen, Michael S. Bailey
  • Publication number: 20040026018
    Abstract: Method for coating a moving metal product strip (1), in which coating material is brought into contact with this product strip, the product strip being brought to a temperature at which the coating material is made to adhere to the product strip while the former is being pressed onto the latter, characterized in that a flexible metal support strip (6) is guided through a virtually straight path alongside this product strip at the same speed as the product strip, in that the coating material is guided over the metal support strip until it is between the product strip and the support strip, the metal support strip being locally pressed towards the metal product strip within the said path, and means being provided, at the location where pressure is exerted for equalizing the compressive force across the width of the metal support strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventor: Petrus Cornelis Jozef
  • Patent number: 6680017
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the continuous production of plastics/metal composite panels, in particular those having hollow chambered sections, from thermoplastic polymers (3) and continuous metal sheets (6, 7), consisting of at least one plastics melting control system (1), calibrators (4, 5), feeds for the metal sheets (10, 11) and a draw-off unit (9), with the feeds for the metal sheets (10, 11) being arranged respectively above and below the melting control system (1) and the calibrators (4, 5) being immediately adjacent to the feeds (10, 11) and the melting control system (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Bayer AG
    Inventors: Boris Koch, Hubert Goldbach, Frank Krause, Jürgen Röhner
  • Patent number: 6627262
    Abstract: A method and device for continuously coating at least a metal strip (1) with a crosslinkable polymer fluid film which is free of non-reactive solvent or diluent, and which has a softening temperature higher than 50° C. The method includes the steps of: continuously unwinding the metal strip (1) on at least a back-up roll (30); forming, by forced flow on an applicator roll (20) having a deformable surface, a layer of the crosslinkable polymer; and forming on the applicator roll (20) the crosslinkable polymer film and transferring the film from the applicator roll onto the metal strip. The device implements this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Sollac
    Inventors: Thierry Soas, Claude Bonnebat, Frédéric Jenny
  • Publication number: 20030152789
    Abstract: Engineered composite coated flat-rolled steel strip is produced in continuous line operations, in which flat-rolled steel strip, free of surface iron oxide, having a metallic corrosion-protective coating, is polymer coated in continuous-line operations in which a plurality of adherent thin-film layers of polymeric material are deposited on a strip surface. In a dual-surface polymeric coating embodiment, each surface is separately-pretreated for surface adhesion, solidified, and polymeric overhang is removed. Finish processing re-melts the polymer coating and rapidly cools that coating through glass-transition temperature to establish amorphous characteristics in the polymeric coating materials. An anhydride-modified polypropylene, first contacts the strip, an intermediate layer can include about fifteen to twenty five percent, by weight, polybutylene with the balance polypropylene; an outer surface polymeric layer includes about five to ten percent, by weight, polybutylene with the balance polypropylene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: John A. Sinsel, Mark V. Loen, Michael S. Bailey
  • Patent number: 6505955
    Abstract: Method for production of conducting element, which conducting element consists at least of an elongated electricity conductive, in which several electric components (2), bringing out the lighting operation or like according to the use of the conducting element, are being attached to one after another in the longitudinal direction (s), whereafter the said entirety is being surrounded by a casing part (3) protecting the same. The conducting element is being manufactured from an essentially flat conductor part (1; 1′), such as a band, a stripe or a like, into which there has been attached electric components (2′), such as probes, LEDs, resistors and/or the like by arranging the same, preferably throughout built-in when viewed in a cross section with a casing material (3′) forming the said casing part (3), by exploiting a continuous manufacturing process, such as extrusion or like. The invention relases to a conducting element to be manufactured by the method, also.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Oy Modular Technology Group Engineering Ltd.
    Inventors: Leo Hatjasalo, Kari Rinko
  • Publication number: 20020168532
    Abstract: Processes and apparatus for manufacturing an engineered-composite combining rigid flat-rolled sheet metal continuous-strip and selected polypropylene thermoplastics, which are formulated into dual polymeric coating layers for extrusion deposition, as distinct layers, on a single surface at a time, of continuous-strip, traveling in-line at ambient temperature. Steps for forming a uniform thickness of polymeric layers across strip width, and attraction to an activated metallic surface which provides enhanced adhesion. Solidification of the polymeric layers is augmented by strip temperature during continuous-in-line travel; final dual-surface finishing provides for complete bonding of the polymeric layers on both metallic surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: John A. Sinsel, Mark V. Loen, Michael S. Bailey
  • Publication number: 20020119284
    Abstract: The present invention provides a laminate flexible strip for attachment to a vehicle in the form of a weather sealing strip. The strip includes a core member and a filler layer of elastomeric seal material disposed about and into the voids of the core member. The core member includes a bent wire in an undulating pattern that forms a number of continuously connected longitudinally spaced and laterally extending u-shaped metal clamping clips for reinforcing the seal material and a number of continuous laterally spaced and longitudinally extending linear fibers connected to the clips to maintain the spatial relationship between the bent wire members. While the fibers or laminate maintain the longitudinal spacing of the wires, they also allow the core to flex laterally and compress longitudinally in the finished extrusion. The fibers may be made of the same material as or a material dissimilar to the clips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Inventor: Bruce H. Hauser
  • Publication number: 20010006711
    Abstract: In a process for production of an aluminum foil (10) coated with sealable and sterlisable plastic (14) based on polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), the plastic (14) is coextruded with an adhesion-promotion agent (16) and combined with an aluminium foil (24) between two rollers (20, 22). The aluminium foil (10) coextrusion-coated in this way, to increase the adhesion strength between the aluminium foil (24) and the plastic layer (14), then passes continuously through an oven (26) with temperature (TO) set such that the temperature of the plastic layer (14) and the adhesion-promotion agent (16) lies above the crystallite melt point (TK) of the plastic. The coated aluminium foil heat-treated in this way, after emerging from the oven (26), is cooled shock-like such that the crystalline proportion at least in the surface area of the cooled plastic layer (14) and the crystallites in this area are as small as possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Publication date: July 5, 2001
    Inventors: Hans-Rudolf Nageli, Franz Kolb, Werner Hammon, Werner Hartmann
  • Patent number: 6254924
    Abstract: A pre-twisted cable pair and a method for processing such pairs into an electrical cable having improved electrical and mechanical properties is disclosed. At least one insulated wire for transmitting electrical signals is pre-twisted prior to pairing with another insulated wire. As the pre-twisted wires are paired by a conventional double-twist machine which imparts back-twist, the detrimental electrical effects caused by irregularities in the individual wires are cycled over a very short distance, resulting in a cable pair having lower structural return loss, near-end crosstalk, and insertion loss than wires paired without any pre-twist. These pre-twisted wires may be united into a jacketed electrical cable by a continuous-extrusion jacketing process in which an optimal dielectric constant is maintained around each individual cable pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: General Cable Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: William Jacob Brorein, Jeffrey Alan Poulsen, Timothy Berelsman, LaVern P. Rutkoski
  • Patent number: 6222007
    Abstract: High quality films, preimpregnated tape (prepegs) and composites have been fabricated from polyimide precursor “salt-like” solutions. These “salt-like” solutions have a low viscosity (5,000 to 10,000 cp) and a high solids content (50-65% by weight) and can be coated onto reinforcing fiber to produce prepegs with excellent tack and drape at 12-15% residual solvent (˜4-6% water from thermal imidization reaction). The processing of these types of prepegs significantly overcomes solvent removal problems and allows excellent fiber wet out. In addition, the physical characteristics of the polyimide precursor “salt-like” solutions permits processing into high-performance materials through the use of standard prepregging and composite fabrication equipment. The resultant composites are of high quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Roberto J. Cano, Erik S. Weiser, Terry L. St. Clair, Yoshiaki Echigo, Hisayasu Kaneshiro