Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A metal/organic polymer composite comprising (1) a normally solid thermoplastic, substrate polymer layer; (2) a normally solid, metal layer having two major surfaces wherein the first of said surfaces is adhered to one surface of the substrate polymer layer, said metal layer having a thickness sufficient to form a substantially continuous layer and less than that which inherently delaminates from the substrate polymer layer; and (3) a layer of a soft adhesive polymer adhered to the second surface of the metal layer, said soft adhesive polymer having toughness and modulus such that upon adhering the composite to a rigid substrate the tendency of the metal layer to separate from the substrate polymer layer is measurably reduced.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
A metal/organic polymer composite comprising (1) a normally solid thermoplastic, substrate polymer layer; (2) a normally solid, metal layer having two major surfaces wherein the first of said surfaces is adhered to one surface of the substrate polymer layer, said metal layer having a thickness sufficient to form a substantially continuous layer and less than that which inherently delaminates from the substrate polymer layer; and (3) a layer of a soft adhesive polymer adhered to the second surface of the metal layer, said soft adhesive polymer having toughness and modulus such that upon adhering the composite to a rigid substrate the tendency of the metal layer to separate from the substrate polymer layer is measurably reduced.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The composite of claim 1 wherein the soft adhesive polymer has a Young's Modulus less than 1500 psi, an elongation greater than 50 percent and a tensile strength greater than 10 psi.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
83 words
The composite of claim 2 wherein the metal is indium or an alloy of at least two of cadmium, indium, tin, antimony, lead, bismuth, magnesium, aluminum, zinc, copper or silver; the substrate polymer is polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyester, acrylic resin, monovinylidene aromatic polymer, a polymer of vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or acetal resin; and the soft adhesive polymer is a diene rubber, a block copolymer having (1) polystyrene blocks and (2) blocks of polybutadiene or polyisoprene, flexible polyurethanes and other thermoplastic rubber polymers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
147 words
The composite of claim 2 wherein the substrate polymer is a polycarbonate, a thermoplastic polyester, or a monovinylidene aromatic polymer; the soft adhesive polymer is a flexible polyurethane or a block copolymer of polystyrene and polybutadiene; and the metal is indium, an alloy of about 55 percent tin, about 35 percent bismuth, and about 10 percent silver; an alloy of about 50 percent zinc and about 50 percent cadmium, an alloy of about 80 percent tin, about 15 percent bismuth and about 5 percent copper; an alloy of about 75 percent tin, about 20 percent bismuth and about 5 percent silver; an alloy of about 75 percent tin and about 25 percent silver; an alloy of about 75 percent tin and about 25 percent lead; and an alloy of about 50 percent tin, about 30 percent bismuth and about 20 percent copper, said percentage being by weight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
A formed metal/organic polymer composite made from the composite of claim 1 wherein during forming, at least a portion of the composite undergoes a cumulative surface dimensional change of at least 20 percent, said metal being a metal or a metal alloy of two or more metals that melts at a temperature or over a range of temperatures that is from about 80 to about 135 percent of the temperature used in the forming, said temperatures being in °K.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The composite of claim 1 wherein the liquidus temperature and the solidus temperature of the metal are within the range from about 0.8 T f to about 1.35 T f , wherein T f is the temperature used in forming the composite.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The composite of claim 3 wherein the thickness of the metal layer is from about 0.002 to about 1 micrometer and the thickness of the soft adhesive layer is from about 25 to about 250 micrometers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The composite of claim 1 which also comprises a polymeric material adherent to an exposed major surface of the soft adhesive polymer layer, said polymeric material reinforcing the composite.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The composite of claim 8 wherein the reinforcing polymeric material is a polyurethane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The composite of claim 8 wherein the reinforcing polymeric material is an ABS resin.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The composite of claim 1 wherein the thickness of the metal layer is less than about 1 micrometer.