Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
207 words
The method of fabricating a composite plastic product having at least one hardened outer surface comprising the steps of: preparing a relatively thin, flexible plastic sheet by implanting a hardening film on at least one side of the sheet, said implanting step including placing the sheet in a vacuum chamber in a position to be bombarded along one surface by an ionized particle beam, which vacuum chamber is equipped with an electron beam source for vaporizing material to comprise said implanted film, directing the ionized particle beam from the source to bombard the plastic sheet, and applying electrical potentials to accelerating and ionizing structure imposed between the source and the sheet to further ionize the particles in said beam by field emission of charges from the ionizing structure; removing the thin plastic sheet with the implanted film thereon from the vacuum chamber; preparing a relatively thick sheet of plastic in the form desired for said product, which thick sheet of plastic has the desired physical properties of said product except that of surface hardness; affixing said thin plastic sheet along one surface of the thick plastic sheet so that the surface with the implanted film faces out; and shaping the composite product to the desired dimensions thereof.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
207 words
The method of fabricating a composite plastic product having at least one hardened outer surface comprising the steps of: preparing a relatively thin, flexible plastic sheet by implanting a hardening film on at least one side of the sheet, said implanting step including placing the sheet in a vacuum chamber in a position to be bombarded along one surface by an ionized particle beam, which vacuum chamber is equipped with an electron beam source for vaporizing material to comprise said implanted film, directing the ionized particle beam from the source to bombard the plastic sheet, and applying electrical potentials to accelerating and ionizing structure imposed between the source and the sheet to further ionize the particles in said beam by field emission of charges from the ionizing structure; removing the thin plastic sheet with the implanted film thereon from the vacuum chamber; preparing a relatively thick sheet of plastic in the form desired for said product, which thick sheet of plastic has the desired physical properties of said product except that of surface hardness; affixing said thin plastic sheet along one surface of the thick plastic sheet so that the surface with the implanted film faces out; and shaping the composite product to the desired dimensions thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling the particle beam to implant the hardening material to a selected depth within a range from several hundred Angstroms to a few microns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the selected depth of implantation is approximately one micron.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 2 or claim 3 further including the step of continuing the bombardment of the surface until a film layer is built up to a thickness of approximately two microns on said surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1 further including preparing a second thin flexible sheet by repeating the steps of preparation of the first-mentioned thin, flexible sheet and affixing the second sheet to the second side of the relatively thick plastic sheet with the hardened surface facing outward, away from the thick plastic sheet, prior to the shaping step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the composite article is a vehicle windshield.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the composite article is a spectacle lens.