Patent US4624720A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4624720A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Dimensionally heat-recoverable article
Assignee: Tyco Electronics UK Ltd
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Filing: 1983-12-30
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Granted: 1986-11-25
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Expires: 2003-12-30
Abstract
Abstract A recoverable article comprising a recoverable fabric having a recovery of at least 40% may be used for providing environmental protection.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth B. Pithouse
- 👤 Thomas A. Kridl
- 👤 James T. Triplett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:35
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29D; B29D23/00; B29D23/001; B29D23/003; B29D23/008; B29C; B29C61/00; B29C61/06; B29C61/0608; B29C61/0633; B29C61/0658; B29C65/00; B29C66/00; B29C66/50; B29C66/51; B29C66/52; B29C66/522; B29C66/53; B29C66/532; B29C66/5324; B32; B32B; B32B27/00; B32B27/12; H; H02; H02G; H02G15/00; H02G15/08; H02G15/18; H02G15/1806; H02G15/1813; B29C61/0666; B29C2061/0683; B29C2793/00; B29C2793/0081; B29C57/00; B29C65/56; B29C65/62; B29C66/70; B29C66/71; B29C66/72; B29C66/721; B29C66/729; B29C66/7294; B29C66/72941; B29C66/73; B29C66/737; B29C66/7375; B29C66/73753; B29C66/73755; B29C66/7377; B29C66/73771; B29C66/73775; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/7394; B29C66/73941; B29K; B29K2313/00; B29K2995/00; B29K2995/0037; B29K2995/0049; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S174/00; Y10S174/08; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/13; Y10T428/1328; Y10T428/1331; Y10T428/28; Y10T428/2813; Y10T428/2817; Y10T428/2826; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/30; Y10T442/3854; Y10T442/3976
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A dimensionally heat-recoverable fabric which comprises fibres that will recover when heated to a recovery temperature thereof, wherein the recoverable fibres have a tensile strength of at least 0.1 MPa at their recovery temperature and have been stretched to an extent that will cause the fabric to recover by at least 40% when heated to the recovery temperature of the recoverable fibres.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
62 words
A dimensionally heat-recoverable fabric which comprises fibres that will recover when heated to a recovery temperature thereof, wherein the recoverable fibres have a tensile strength of at least 0.1 MPa at their recovery temperature and have been stretched to an extent that will cause the fabric to recover by at least 40% when heated to the recovery temperature of the recoverable fibres.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 1, which recovers by at least 50% when heated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 1, which recovers by at least 60% when heated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recoverable fibres have a recovery ratio of at least 2:1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recoverable fibres have a recovery ratio of at least 3:1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 1, which is a woven fabric.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 1, which includes dimensionally heat-stable fibres.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 7, wherein the heat-stable fibres lie substantially perpendicularly to the heat-recoverable fibres.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 7, which is woven so that the heat-recoverable fibres have a float of at least 4.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 7 which is constructed so that the heat-recoverable fibres will not move laterally by more than 10 times the heat-recoverable fibre diameter when subjected to a lateral force per fibre equal to the recovery force of an individual recoverable fibre.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 7, which is woven so that the heat-recoverable fibres have a weave density of at least 20 fibres per centimetre.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 11, wherein the heat recoverable fibres have a weave density of at least 30 fibres per centimetre.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 7 which is woven so that the weave density of recoverable fibres is greater than the weave density of heat-stable fibres.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 7 wherein the heat recoverable fibres are laterally distortable under their own recovery force.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 7 which is woven so that the heat-recoverable fibres have a crimp of not more than 50%.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 15, wherein the heat-recoverable fibres have a crimp of not more than 20%.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 7 which is woven so that the heat-stable fibres have a crimp of at least 20%.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 17, which is woven so that the heat-stable fibres have a crimp of at least 30%.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 7, which is woven so that the heat-stable fibres have a float of 1 or 2.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 7 which is woven so that the product of the weave density of the heat-recoverable fibres and their diameter is in the range of from 0.4 to 1.3 mm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 1, which is provided with a sealant or adhesive.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
A fabric as claimed in claim 20, which is provided with a heat curable adhesive.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
A composite structure which comprises fabric as claimed in claim 1, and a heat softenable polymeric matrix material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
A composite structure as claimed in claim 23, wherein the matrix material is cross-linked.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A composite structure as claimed in claim 24, wherein the matrix has been subjected to an irradiation dose of 10 megarads or less to cause the cross-linking.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
A composite structure as claimed in claim 23, having a recovery ratio at least 65% of that of the free fabric.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
A composite structure according to claims 23, having a recovery of at least 50%.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method of environmentally protecting a substrate of non-uniform cross-sectional size which comprises positioning around the substrate a structure according to claim 23, and causing recovery of the fabric.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 28, wherein the substrate is a cable splice or pipe joint.
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US3945493A
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US4148957A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-11-24 | 1990-05-26 | 1990-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-11-24 | 1994-05-26 | 1994-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-11-24 | 1998-05-26 | 1998-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |