Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A method for producing cured rubber material with a desired property, said method including the steps of establishing a desired property for the cured material according to the equation: ##EQU9## where: τ=τo(H/RT) and where: G(t) is a desired property of rubber at time t; G e is a constant representing the property; E is an activation energy for viscous flow; H is an activation energy for cure reaction; R is a gas constant, i.e., 1.98 cal./°K.-mole; T is a temperature; G.sub.∞ is a property after complete cure; T C is an equilibrium cure temperature; t f is a final cure time; t o is an induction time at T C ; t is a time; τ o is a constant of the polymeric system; and β is a filler loading constant, introducing into a cavity of a mold a selected mass of rubber material having a preselected composition for curing said material in said mold, initiating curing of said material, and terminating curing of said material in said mold when the quantity G(t) attains a value according to said equation corresponding to the desired property by said step of establishing.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
190 words
A method for producing cured rubber material with a desired property, said method including the steps of establishing a desired property for the cured material according to the equation: ##EQU9## where: τ=τo(H/RT) and where: G(t) is a desired property of rubber at time t; G e is a constant representing the property; E is an activation energy for viscous flow; H is an activation energy for cure reaction; R is a gas constant, i.e., 1.98 cal./°K.-mole; T is a temperature; G.sub.∞ is a property after complete cure; T C is an equilibrium cure temperature; t f is a final cure time; t o is an induction time at T C ; t is a time; τ o is a constant of the polymeric system; and β is a filler loading constant, introducing into a cavity of a mold a selected mass of rubber material having a preselected composition for curing said material in said mold, initiating curing of said material, and terminating curing of said material in said mold when the quantity G(t) attains a value according to said equation corresponding to the desired property by said step of establishing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of establishing a desired property includes determining the value of the term G(t) according to said equation before said step of introducing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of establishing a desired property includes determining the value of the term G(t) according to said equation after said step of introducing and before said step of terminating.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of establishing a desired property includes determining the value of the term G(t) according to said equation before said step of introducing and wherein said method includes the further step of determining the value of the term G(t) according to said equation during curing of said material in the mold and before said step of terminating the cure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the value of the term G(t) defines the shear storage modulus of the rubber material and cure time t and wherein the value of the term G e defines a modulus constant of the rubber material in an uncured state.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the value of the term G(t) defines viscosity of the rubber material at cure time t and wherein the value of the term G e representing the viscosity of the rubber material in an uncured state.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 1 including the further step of clocking the cure time t and using the clocked cure time t for determining the property of said rubber material during curing thereof and before said step of terminating.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
205 words
Apparatus for controlling the curing of rubber material, said apparatus including the combination of a mold wherein said material can be cured, means for heating said material in said mold, means for clocking the cure time of the material in said mold, electrical circuit means for determining the value of a desired property of said material before curing and during curing thereof in said mold according to the equation: ##EQU10## where: τ=τo(H/RT) and where: G(t) is a desired property of rubber at time t; G e is a constant representing the property; E is an activation energy for viscous flow; H is an activation energy for cure reaction; R is a gas constant, i.e., 1.98 cal./°K.-mole; T is a temperature; G.sub.∞ is a property after complete cure; T C is an equilibrium cure temperature; t f is a final cure time; t o is an induction time at T C ; t is a time; τ o is a constant of the polymeric system; and β is a filler loading constant, and means for terminating the cure of material in said mold when the value of the term G(t) is determined to correspond to the desired value thereof by operation of said electrical circuit means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
205 words
Apparatus for controlling the curing of rubber material, said apparatus including the combination of a mold wherein said material can be cured, means for heating said material in said mold, means for clocking the cure time of the material in said mold, electrical circuit means for determining the value of a desired property of said material before curing and during curing thereof in said mold according to the equation: ##EQU10## where: τ=τo(H/RT) and where: G(t) is a desired property of rubber at time t; G e is a constant representing the property; E is an activation energy for viscous flow; H is an activation energy for cure reaction; R is a gas constant, i.e., 1.98 cal./°K.-mole; T is a temperature; G.sub.∞ is a property after complete cure; T C is an equilibrium cure temperature; t f is a final cure time; t o is an induction time at T C ; t is a time; τ o is a constant of the polymeric system; and β is a filler loading constant, and means for terminating the cure of material in said mold when the value of the term G(t) is determined to correspond to the desired value thereof by operation of said electrical circuit means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 further including means for providing a signal to said electrical circuit means corresponding to cure temperature, and means for producing a signal by said electrical circuit means corresponding to a final cure time.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 further including means for providing a signal to initiate clocking of the cure time of said material by said mold.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said electrical circuit means includes a computer.