Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
327 words
In the method of making an insulated panel comprising tacking a base sheet to one face of an expanded core member, said expanded core member having plural open-ended cells and having coatings of adhesive, one provided on the ends of the cells on each face of said core member; filling the cells of said core member with thermal insulation; depositing a facing sheet on the other face of said core member in confronting relation with the coating of adhesive thereon; and curing the coatings of adhesive under pressure and by heating the coatings to the curing temperature of the adhesive, thereby to reliably bond said facing sheet and said base sheet to said core member; the improvement in the step of tacking said base sheet to said core member comprising: engaging said core member with said sheet so that one said coating of adhesive contacts said base sheet while moving said base sheet and said core member along a rectilinear path of travel; and while engaging said base sheet with said core member, a. heating said base sheet to temperatures within a wetting temperature range of the adhesive, said wetting temperature range being below the curing temperature of said adhesive, b. maintaining said base sheet at temperatures within said wetting temperature range for a time interval sufficient to allow said one said coating of adhesive to be heated to flow, and to form a fillet between said core member and said base sheet, said time interval being insufficient to allow heating of the other said coating of adhesive to temperature within said wetting temperature range, and c. rapidly cooling said base sheet and said one said coating of adhesive and the other coating of adhesive to a discharge temperature below said wetting temperature range, whereby a reliable temporary adhesive bond is formed between the ends of all of the cells and caps the cells on one face of said core member by a reliable temporary adhesive bond.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
327 words
In the method of making an insulated panel comprising tacking a base sheet to one face of an expanded core member, said expanded core member having plural open-ended cells and having coatings of adhesive, one provided on the ends of the cells on each face of said core member; filling the cells of said core member with thermal insulation; depositing a facing sheet on the other face of said core member in confronting relation with the coating of adhesive thereon; and curing the coatings of adhesive under pressure and by heating the coatings to the curing temperature of the adhesive, thereby to reliably bond said facing sheet and said base sheet to said core member; the improvement in the step of tacking said base sheet to said core member comprising: engaging said core member with said sheet so that one said coating of adhesive contacts said base sheet while moving said base sheet and said core member along a rectilinear path of travel; and while engaging said base sheet with said core member, a. heating said base sheet to temperatures within a wetting temperature range of the adhesive, said wetting temperature range being below the curing temperature of said adhesive, b. maintaining said base sheet at temperatures within said wetting temperature range for a time interval sufficient to allow said one said coating of adhesive to be heated to flow, and to form a fillet between said core member and said base sheet, said time interval being insufficient to allow heating of the other said coating of adhesive to temperature within said wetting temperature range, and c. rapidly cooling said base sheet and said one said coating of adhesive and the other coating of adhesive to a discharge temperature below said wetting temperature range, whereby a reliable temporary adhesive bond is formed between the ends of all of the cells and caps the cells on one face of said core member by a reliable temporary adhesive bond.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said base sheet is heated by directing heating radiation to the undersurface thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said base sheet is heated by direct inpingement of a gas flame to the undersurface thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 including, prior to cooling, the step of quenching said base sheet to achieve a precipitous reduction in the temperatures of said base sheet and said one said coating of adhesive to temperatures below said wetting temperature range of the adhesive but above said discharge temperature.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said base sheet is quenched by contacting a liquid coolant with the undersurface of said base sheet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said liquid coolant comprises water at a sub-ambient temperature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 wherein cooling of said base sheet and said adhesive is accomplished by conveying said base sheet and said core member through a confined space, while introducing a cooling medium into said confined space and into direct impingement with the undersurface of said base sheet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said cooling medium comprises conditioned air.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
371 words
In the method of making an insulated panel comprising tacking a base sheet to one face of an expanded core member, said expanded core member having plural open-ended cells and having coatings of adhesive, one provided on the ends of the cells on each face of said core member; filling the cells of said core member with thermal insulation; depositing a facing sheet on the other face of said core member in confronting relation with the coating of adhesive thereon; and curing the coatings of adhesive under pressure and by heating the coatings to the curing temperature of the adhesive, thereby to reliably bond said facing sheet and said base sheet to said core member; the improvement in the step of tacking said base sheet to said core member comprising: engaging said core member with said base sheet so that one said coating of adhesive contacts said base sheet, while moving said base sheet and said core member as a unit along a rectilinear path of travel; while engaging said base sheet with said core member, a. heating said base sheet to temperatures within a wetting temperature range of the adhesive, said wetting temperature range being below the curing temperature of said adhesive, b. maintaining said base sheet at temperatures within said wetting temperature range for a time interval sufficient to allow said one said coating of adhesive to be heated, to flow, and to form a fillet between said core member and said base sheet, said time interval being insufficient to allow heating of the other said coating of adhesive to temperatures within said wetting temperature range, c. quenching said base sheet to achieve a rapid cooling thereof to a temperature below said wetting temperature range of said one said coating of adhesive, d. conveying said base sheet and said core through a confined space, and e. introducing a cooling medium into said confined space to cool said base sheet and said one said coating of adhesive and the other said coating of adhesive to a discharge temperature, whereby a said base sheet is tacked to the ends of all of the cells and caps the cells on one face of said core member by a reliable temporary adhesive bond.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
371 words
In the method of making an insulated panel comprising tacking a base sheet to one face of an expanded core member, said expanded core member having plural open-ended cells and having coatings of adhesive, one provided on the ends of the cells on each face of said core member; filling the cells of said core member with thermal insulation; depositing a facing sheet on the other face of said core member in confronting relation with the coating of adhesive thereon; and curing the coatings of adhesive under pressure and by heating the coatings to the curing temperature of the adhesive, thereby to reliably bond said facing sheet and said base sheet to said core member; the improvement in the step of tacking said base sheet to said core member comprising: engaging said core member with said base sheet so that one said coating of adhesive contacts said base sheet, while moving said base sheet and said core member as a unit along a rectilinear path of travel; while engaging said base sheet with said core member, a. heating said base sheet to temperatures within a wetting temperature range of the adhesive, said wetting temperature range being below the curing temperature of said adhesive, b. maintaining said base sheet at temperatures within said wetting temperature range for a time interval sufficient to allow said one said coating of adhesive to be heated, to flow, and to form a fillet between said core member and said base sheet, said time interval being insufficient to allow heating of the other said coating of adhesive to temperatures within said wetting temperature range, c. quenching said base sheet to achieve a rapid cooling thereof to a temperature below said wetting temperature range of said one said coating of adhesive, d. conveying said base sheet and said core through a confined space, and e. introducing a cooling medium into said confined space to cool said base sheet and said one said coating of adhesive and the other said coating of adhesive to a discharge temperature, whereby a said base sheet is tacked to the ends of all of the cells and caps the cells on one face of said core member by a reliable temporary adhesive bond.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the adhesive comprises a thermoplastic-thermoset structural adhesive.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said reliable temporary adhesive bond comprises substantially uncured adhesive.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said expanded core member comprises a non-metallic honeycomb core member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said thermal insulation comprises granular insulation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the adhesive comprises a thermoplastic-thermoset structural adhesive.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said reliable temporary adhesive bond comprises substantially uncured adhesive.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said expanded core member comprises a non-metallic honeycomb core member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said thermal insulation comprises granular insulation.