Joining of laminates

Claim 1

A method for joining laminates of metal and synthetic thermoplastic resins by cold welding under pressure to provide an electrically Conductive joint, the steps of the method comprising: providing a first laminate, the first laminate comprising at least a first layer of a metallic foil and a second layer of synthetic resinous thermoplastic material, a second laminate comprising at least a first layer of a metallic foil and a second layer of a synthetic resinous thermos thermoplastic material; placing portions of the first and second laminates in face to face adjacent relationship wherein the metal layers of the surfaces; and second laminates are separated by at least one layer of synthetic resinous material; clamping at least a portion of the adjacent first and second laminates between a pair of generally planar parallel opposed surfaces, and forcing the surfaces toward each other with a force sufficient to cause synthetic resinous thermoplastic material to flow from between the opposed surfaces and sufficient to bond the metal layers of the first and second laminates together, with the further limitation that the laminate is maintained at a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the resin.

Claim 2

A method for joining laminates of metal and synthetic thermoplastic resins by cold welding under pressure to provide an electrically Conductive joint, the steps of the method comprising: providing a first laminate, the first laminate comprising at least a first layer of a metallic foil and a second layer of synthetic resinous thermoplastic material, a second laminate comprising at least a first layer of a metallic foil and a second layer of a synthetic resinous thermos thermoplastic material; placing portions of the first and second laminates in face to face adjacent relationship wherein the metal layers of the surfaces; and second laminates are separated by at least one layer of synthetic resinous material; clamping at least a portion of the adjacent first and second laminates between a pair of generally planar parallel opposed surfaces, and forcing the surfaces toward each other with a force sufficient to cause synthetic resinous thermoplastic material to flow from between the opposed surfaces and sufficient to bond the metal layers of the first and second laminates together, with the further limitation that the laminate is maintained at a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the resin.

Claim 3

The method of claim l wherein the opposed clamping surfaces comprise a first major clamping surface and a plurality of second minor clamping surfaces.

Claim 4

The method of claim l wherein the clamping surfaces are forced together under a pressure of from about 100,000 to 200,000 pounds per square inch.

Claim 6

The method of claim l wherein the metal foil of the first and second laminates is aluminum.

Claim 8

The method of claim l including the step of subsequently flattening the laminates in a region wherein the metal layers are bonded.

Claim 9

The method of claim l wherein the first and second laminates each have a third layer of synthetic resinous material, the second and third resinous layers being separated by the first layer.