US3919381A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for expanding a thermoformable preform network configuration
Assignee: Union Carbide Corp
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Filing: 1973-12-26
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Granted: 1975-11-11
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Expires: 1993-12-26
Abstract
Abstract The cross-sectional configuration of netting made from fusible plastic materials is expanded by fusing the netting between a pair of platens having surfaces that are wet by the fused material, and then pulling the platens apart a predetermined distance to expand the cross-sectional area of the fused material which adheres to the platens.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter H Smarook
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 08:53
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C67/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S425/00; Y10S425/812; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24149; Y10T428/24174
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
A PROCESS FOR EXPANDING THE CROSS-SECTION OF A PREFORMOR BLANK HAVING A LATTICE OR NETWORK TYPE OF CONFIGURATION FORMED FROM A THERMOFORMABLE MATERIAL EXHIBITING A TA WHICH COMPRISES PSITIONING SAID PERFORM OR BLANK BETWEEN A PAIR OF PLATENS WHILE SAID PERFORM OR BLANK IS HEATED TO A TEMPEATURE WHICH IS THE TA SAID THERMOFORMABLE MATERIAL, EACH OF SAID PLATENS HAVING SURFACES WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO CONTACTED SAID PERFORM OR BLANK AND BEING WET BY SAID THERMOFOMABLE MATERIAL AT SUCH CONTACT SURFACES AT THE TA OF SAID THERMOFORMABLE MATERRIAL, BRINGING SAID PLATENS TOGETHER SO AS TO CAUSE THEM TO CONTACT SAID SURFACES OF SAID PERFORM OR BLANK, ADHESIVELY ONDING SAID PERFORM OR BLANK BY HOT TACK ADHESION TO SAID CONTACTING SURFACES OF SAID PLATENS, ULLING SAID PLATENS APART, WHILE SAID PERFORM OR BLANK IS THUS ADHESIVELY BOMDED THERETO, SO AS TO THEEBY EPAND THE CROSS-SECTION OF SAID PERFORM O BLANK, COOLING THE EXPANDED PERFORM OR BLANK TO A TEMPERATURE BELOW THE HEAT DISTORTION TEMPERATUE OF SAID PERFORM O BLANK, AND SEPARATING THE COOLED, EXPANDED PERFORM OR BLANK FROM SAID PLATENS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
179 words
A PROCESS FOR EXPANDING THE CROSS-SECTION OF A PREFORMOR BLANK HAVING A LATTICE OR NETWORK TYPE OF CONFIGURATION FORMED FROM A THERMOFORMABLE MATERIAL EXHIBITING A TA WHICH COMPRISES PSITIONING SAID PERFORM OR BLANK BETWEEN A PAIR OF PLATENS WHILE SAID PERFORM OR BLANK IS HEATED TO A TEMPEATURE WHICH IS THE TA SAID THERMOFORMABLE MATERIAL, EACH OF SAID PLATENS HAVING SURFACES WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO CONTACTED SAID PERFORM OR BLANK AND BEING WET BY SAID THERMOFOMABLE MATERIAL AT SUCH CONTACT SURFACES AT THE TA OF SAID THERMOFORMABLE MATERRIAL, BRINGING SAID PLATENS TOGETHER SO AS TO CAUSE THEM TO CONTACT SAID SURFACES OF SAID PERFORM OR BLANK, ADHESIVELY ONDING SAID PERFORM OR BLANK BY HOT TACK ADHESION TO SAID CONTACTING SURFACES OF SAID PLATENS, ULLING SAID PLATENS APART, WHILE SAID PERFORM OR BLANK IS THUS ADHESIVELY BOMDED THERETO, SO AS TO THEEBY EPAND THE CROSS-SECTION OF SAID PERFORM O BLANK, COOLING THE EXPANDED PERFORM OR BLANK TO A TEMPERATURE BELOW THE HEAT DISTORTION TEMPERATUE OF SAID PERFORM O BLANK, AND SEPARATING THE COOLED, EXPANDED PERFORM OR BLANK FROM SAID PLATENS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process as in claim 1 in which said preform or blank comprises thermoplastic material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process as in claim 2 in which said thermo-plastic material comprises synthetic resin.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process as in claim 3 in which said synthetic resin comprises vinyl resin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process as in claim 4 in which said vinyl resin comprises hydrocarbon resin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process as in claim 5 in which said hydro-carbon resin comprises polyolefin resin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process as in claim 6 in which said polyolefin resin comprises polyethylene resin.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process as in claim 6 in which said polyolefin resin comprises polypropylene resin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process as in claim 1 in which the cross-section of said preform or blank is expanded at least twice its original thickness.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process as in claim 9 in which the cross-section is expanded up to about 20 times its original thickness.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process as in claim 1 in which said preform or blank comprises strands thereof which are not all coplanar with each other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
80 words
A process as in claim 11 in which void areas having a partial vacuum therein form within the expanding cross-section of said preform or blank during the pulling apart of said platens, and said void areas are vented so as to equilibrate the lower level of pressure within said voids with the higher level of ambient pressure without said preform or blank and thereby regulate the uniformity and integrity of the resulting expanded cross-sectional geometry of said preform or blank.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process as in claim 1 in which the lattic or network type of configuration of said preform or blank comprises strands thereof which are all coplanar with each other.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
80 words
A process as in claim 13 in which void areas having a partial vacuum therein form within the expanding cross-section of said preform or blank during the pulling apart of said platens and said void areas are vented so as to equilibrate the lower level of pressure within such voids with the higher level of ambient pressure without said preform or blank and thereby regulate the uniformity and integrity of the resulting expanded cross-sectional geometry of said preform or blank.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process as in claim 12 in which said venting is accomplished through at least one of said platens.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as in claim 15 in which said venting is accomplished through both of said platens.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as in claim 12 in which said venting is accomplished between coplanar strands of the lattice or network type of configuration of said preform or blank.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process as in claim 14 in which said venting is accomplished through at least one of said platens.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as in claim 18 in which said venting is accomplished through both of said platens.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
175 words
A process for expanding the cross-section of a preform or blank having a lattice or network type of configuration formed from a thermoformable material exhibiting a Ta which comprises positioning said preform or blank between a pair of platens while said preform or blank is heated to a temperature which is > or = the Ta of said thermoformable material, each of said platens havaing surfaces which are adapted to contact said preform or blank and to being wet by said thermoformable material at such contact surfaces at > or = the Ta of said thermoformable material, bringing said platens together so as to cause them to contact said surfaces of said preform or blank, adhesively bonding said preform or blank by hot tack adhesion to said contacting surfaces of said platens, pulling said platens apart, while said preform or blank is thus adhesively bonded thereto, so as to thereby expand the cross-section of said preform or blank, and cooling the expanded preform or blank to a temperature below the Ta of said thermoformable material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
175 words
A process for expanding the cross-section of a preform or blank having a lattice or network type of configuration formed from a thermoformable material exhibiting a Ta which comprises positioning said preform or blank between a pair of platens while said preform or blank is heated to a temperature which is > or = the Ta of said thermoformable material, each of said platens havaing surfaces which are adapted to contact said preform or blank and to being wet by said thermoformable material at such contact surfaces at > or = the Ta of said thermoformable material, bringing said platens together so as to cause them to contact said surfaces of said preform or blank, adhesively bonding said preform or blank by hot tack adhesion to said contacting surfaces of said platens, pulling said platens apart, while said preform or blank is thus adhesively bonded thereto, so as to thereby expand the cross-section of said preform or blank, and cooling the expanded preform or blank to a temperature below the Ta of said thermoformable material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-10 | 1979-05-12 | 1979-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-10 | 1983-05-12 | 1983-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-10 | 1987-05-12 | 1987-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |