Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for measuring binder characteristics in a mat of binder-coated glass fibers, said binder having a cure indicator constituent, the amount of which changes as said binder is cured, comprising radiating said mat and said binder with first, second and third energies, said first energy having a wavelength which is absorbed by said binder, but is substantially not absorbed by said cure indicator constituent, said second energy having a wavelength which is absorbed by said binder including said cure indicator constituent, and said third energy having a wavelength which is substantially not absorbed by either said binder or said cure indicator constituent; sensing the amount of said first, second and third energies transmitted through said mat; and, determining the amount of binder contained in said mat from the sensed energies.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for measuring binder characteristics in a mat of binder-coated glass fibers, said binder having a cure indicator constituent, the amount of which changes as said binder is cured, comprising radiating said mat and said binder with first, second and third energies, said first energy having a wavelength which is absorbed by said binder, but is substantially not absorbed by said cure indicator constituent, said second energy having a wavelength which is absorbed by said binder including said cure indicator constituent, and said third energy having a wavelength which is substantially not absorbed by either said binder or said cure indicator constituent; sensing the amount of said first, second and third energies transmitted through said mat; and, determining the amount of binder contained in said mat from the sensed energies.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 in which said binder comprises a phenolic resin in which an amine absorbs said first energy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of determining the amount of said cure indicator constituent in said binder from the sensed energies.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 3 comprising determining the degree of cure of said binder from the amount of said cure indicator constituent.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
26 words
The method of claims 3 or 4 in which said binder comprises a phenolic resin, and said cure indicator constituent comprises the hydroxyl functional group, OH.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
212 words
The method of claims 1 or 3 in which each determining step comprises solving first and second equations for ρ 1 where said first equation is defined as (1/t) 1n [(I.sub.2 I.sub.01)/(I.sub.02 I.sub.1)]=ρ.sub.1 (μ.sub.11 -μ.sub.12)+ρ.sub.2 (μ.sub.21 -μ.sub.22) and said second equation is defined as (1/t) 1n (I.sub.03 /I.sub.3)=ρ.sub.1 μ.sub.13 -ρ.sub.2 μ.sub.23 where I 01 : intensity of said first energy; I 02 : intensity of said second energy; I 03 : intensity of said third energy; I 1 : sensed intensity of said first energy; I 2 : sensed intensity of said second energy; I 3 : sensed intensity of said third energy; p1 t: thickness of said mat; ρ 1 : density of said binder; ρ 2 : density of said glass fibers; μ 11 : absorption cross-section of the binder and cure indicator constituent for said first energy; μ 12 : absorption cross-section of the binder and cure indicator constituent for said second energy; μ 13 : absorption cross-section of the binder and cure indicator constituent for said third energy; μ 21 : absorption cross-section of said glass fibers for said first energy; μ 22 : absorption cross-section of said glass fibers for said second energy; and μ 23 : absorption cross-section of said glass fibers for said third energy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 6 comprising solving said first and second equations for ρ 2 to determine the density of the glass fibers.