Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
248 words
A method for determining the degree of cure in a mat of binder-coated mineral fibers, said binder having a first cure indicator constituent, the amount of which changes at a first rate as said binder is cured, and a second cure indicator constituent, the amount of which changes at a second rate, different from said first rate, as said binder is cured, comprising: (a) radiating said mat and said binder with first, second, third and fourth wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation; said first wavelength being absorbed by said binder including said first cure indicator constituent; said second wavelength being a reference for said first wavelength and being substantially not absorbed by either said binder or said first or second cure indicator constituents; said third wavelength being absorbed by said binder including said second cure indicator constituent; said fourth wavelength being a reference for said third wavelength and being substantially not absorbed by either said binder or said first or second cure indicator constituents; (b) sensing the amount of energy of said first, second, third and fourth wavelengths transmitted through said mat and said binder; (c) determining a first cure-biased value for the amount of binder on said mat from the sensed energy of said first and second wavelengths, and determining a second cure-biased value for the amount of binder on said mat from the sensed energy of said third and fourth wavelengths; and (d) determining the degree of cure of said binder from said first and second cure-biased values.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
248 words
A method for determining the degree of cure in a mat of binder-coated mineral fibers, said binder having a first cure indicator constituent, the amount of which changes at a first rate as said binder is cured, and a second cure indicator constituent, the amount of which changes at a second rate, different from said first rate, as said binder is cured, comprising: (a) radiating said mat and said binder with first, second, third and fourth wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation; said first wavelength being absorbed by said binder including said first cure indicator constituent; said second wavelength being a reference for said first wavelength and being substantially not absorbed by either said binder or said first or second cure indicator constituents; said third wavelength being absorbed by said binder including said second cure indicator constituent; said fourth wavelength being a reference for said third wavelength and being substantially not absorbed by either said binder or said first or second cure indicator constituents; (b) sensing the amount of energy of said first, second, third and fourth wavelengths transmitted through said mat and said binder; (c) determining a first cure-biased value for the amount of binder on said mat from the sensed energy of said first and second wavelengths, and determining a second cure-biased value for the amount of binder on said mat from the sensed energy of said third and fourth wavelengths; and (d) determining the degree of cure of said binder from said first and second cure-biased values.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of claim 1 comprising determining the degree of cure from the sensed energies according to the following equation ##EQU5## where a, b, c and d are the sensed energies of said first, second, third and fourth wavelengths, respectively, transmitted through said mat and said binder, A, B, and B' are calibration constants, and f(a/b) and f(c/d) are ratios of transmitted energies suitably modified to be proportional to the amount of binder and cure indicator constituent (a or c) on the mat.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 in which the amount of one of said cure indicator constituents increases upon an increase in the degree of cure, and the amount of the other of said cure indicator constituents decreases upon an increase in the degree of cure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 in which at least one of said first and third energies have wavelengths selected from the following group of wavelengths: ______________________________________
Wavelength (Microns) Constituent
______________________________________
2.52 OH
2.35 C--H
2.28 C--H
2.16 Aromatic C--H
1.93 Water
1.75 C--H
1.69 C--H
1.56 OH
1.45 OH
______________________________________
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 4 in which said binder comprises a phenol-formaldehyde urea resin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 in which said second wavelength equals said fourth wavelength.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
246 words
A method for determining the amount of binder in a mat of binder-coated mineral fibers, said binder having a first cure indicator constituent, the amount of which changes at a first rate as said binder is cured, and a second cure indicator constituent, the amount of which changes at a second rate, different from said first rate, as said binder is cured, comprising: (a) radiating said mat and said binder with electromagnetic radiation having first, second, third and fourth wavelengths; said first wavelength being absorbed by said binder including said first cure indicator constituent; said second wavelength being a reference for said first wavelength and being substantially not absorbed by either said binder or said first or second cure indicator constituents; said third wavelength being absorbed by said binder including said second cure indicator constituent; said fourth wavelength being a reference for said third wavelength and being substantially not absorbed by either said binder or said first or second cure indicator constituents; (b) sensing the amount of energy of said first, second, third and fourth wavelengths transmitted through said mat and said binder; (c) determining a first cure-biased value for the amount of binder on said mat from the sensed energy of said first and second wavelengths, and determining a second cure-biased value for the amount of binder on said mat from the sensed energy of said third and fourth wavelengths; and (d) determining the amount of said binder from said first and second cure-biased values.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
246 words
A method for determining the amount of binder in a mat of binder-coated mineral fibers, said binder having a first cure indicator constituent, the amount of which changes at a first rate as said binder is cured, and a second cure indicator constituent, the amount of which changes at a second rate, different from said first rate, as said binder is cured, comprising: (a) radiating said mat and said binder with electromagnetic radiation having first, second, third and fourth wavelengths; said first wavelength being absorbed by said binder including said first cure indicator constituent; said second wavelength being a reference for said first wavelength and being substantially not absorbed by either said binder or said first or second cure indicator constituents; said third wavelength being absorbed by said binder including said second cure indicator constituent; said fourth wavelength being a reference for said third wavelength and being substantially not absorbed by either said binder or said first or second cure indicator constituents; (b) sensing the amount of energy of said first, second, third and fourth wavelengths transmitted through said mat and said binder; (c) determining a first cure-biased value for the amount of binder on said mat from the sensed energy of said first and second wavelengths, and determining a second cure-biased value for the amount of binder on said mat from the sensed energy of said third and fourth wavelengths; and (d) determining the amount of said binder from said first and second cure-biased values.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method of claim 7 comprising determining the amount of binder from the sensed energies according to the following equation Amount of Binder=C[f(a/b)]+D[f(c/d)] where a, b, c and d are the sensed energies of said first, second, third and fourth wavelengths, respectively, transmitted through said mat and said binder, C and D are calibration constants, and f(a/b) and f(c/d) are ratios of transmitted energies suitably modified to be proportional to the amount of binder and cure indicator constituent (a or c) on the mat.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 7 in which the amount of one of said cure indicator constituents increases upon an increase in the degree of cure, and the amount of the other of said cure indicator constituents decreases upon an increase in the degree of cure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 7 in which at least one of said first and third energies have wavelengths selected from the following group of wavelengths: ______________________________________
Wavelength (Microns) Constituent
______________________________________
2.52 OH
2.35 C--H
2.28 C--H
2.16 Aromatic C--H
1.93 Water
1.75 C--H
1.69 C--H
1.56 OH
1.45 OH
______________________________________
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 10 in which said binder comprises a phenol-formaldehyde urea resin.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 7 in which said second wavelength equals said fourth wavelength.