US4643924A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Protective article comprising an elastic gel
Assignee: Tyco International Ltd Bermuda
•
Filing: 1985-05-02
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Granted: 1987-02-17
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Expires: 2005-05-02
Abstract
Abstract An article for protecting a substrate includes a preshaped member having a shape similar to that of the substrate being protected, the article having a thin layer of gel disposed in intimate contact with an inner surface of the member such that the gel is disposed in intimate contact with the substrate when the member is disposed therearound. Preferably, the gel comprises an open looped three-dimensional network, the gel being relatively soft, elastic, and having an ultimate elongation in excess of 100%.
Inventors
- 👤 William D. Uken
- 👤 Robert S. Dubrow
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 15:21
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02G; H02G15/00; H02G15/08; H02G15/18; B; B65; B65D; B65D75/00; B65D75/28; B65D75/30; B65D75/32; B65D75/36; F; F16; F16L; F16L58/00; F16L58/18; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4439; G02B6/444; G02B6/4441; G02B6/4446; G02B6/4447; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/46; H01R13/52; H01R13/5216; H01R4/00; H01R4/70; H01R43/00; H01R43/005; H02G15/003; H01R4/72; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/13; Y10T428/1352; Y10T428/1386; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249994; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31551; Y10T428/31554; Y10T428/31652; Y10T428/31663
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
An article for protecting a substrate, comprising: a first preshaped member having an internal surface shape shaped similr to an outer surface shape of at least part of the substrate to be protected, the member having an open side; and a thin layer of gel secured to the member for protecting the substrate when the member is disposed over the substrate, the gel being elastic and having a cone penetration between 150 and 350 (10 -1 mm) and an ultimate elongation in excess of 100%, a volume of the gel being substantially less than a volume enclosed by the internal surface shape and the open side of the member, the gel being cured prior to coming into contact with any part of the substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
An article for protecting a substrate, comprising: a first preshaped member having an internal surface shape shaped similr to an outer surface shape of at least part of the substrate to be protected, the member having an open side; and a thin layer of gel secured to the member for protecting the substrate when the member is disposed over the substrate, the gel being elastic and having a cone penetration between 150 and 350 (10 -1 mm) and an ultimate elongation in excess of 100%, a volume of the gel being substantially less than a volume enclosed by the internal surface shape and the open side of the member, the gel being cured prior to coming into contact with any part of the substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The article as claimed in claim 1, the thin layer of gel being secured to the member so as to be disposed across the open side of the member so as to form an open cavity between the gel and the internal surface shape of the member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, an internal surface shape of the preshaped member being substantially a mirror image of at least part of the outer surface shape of the substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, an internal surface shape of the article being substantially the same as at least part of the outer surface shape of the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, the volume enclosed by the internal surface shape and the open side of the preshaped member being slightly smaller than a volume defined by the at least part of the outer surface shape of the substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, the volume enclosed by the internal surface shape and the open side of the preshaped member being substantially the same as a volume defined by at least part of the outer surface shape of the substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, the gel being secured about a perimeter of the preshaped member by an adhesive, the gel being a polysiloxane material, and the adhesive being a silicone pressure sensitive adhesive.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, the gel being secured about a perimeter of the preshaped member by a mechanical clamp.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, the member being disposed around the substrate and being sized so as to urge the gel into intimate contact with the substrate to protect the substrate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, the gel comprising a material having a cone penetration between 200 and 300 (10 -1 mm).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article as claimed in claim 10, the gel comprising a material having a cone penetration between 260 and 280 (10 -1 mm).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article as claimed in claim 10, the gel comprising a material having an ultimate elongation in excess of 200%.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article as claimed in claim 12, the gel comprising a material having an ultimate elongation in excess of 400%.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The article as claimed in claim 10, the gel being disposed in a flexible matrix.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The article as claimed in claim 14, the flexible matrix comprising a material having a plurality of open interstices having an average volume of less than 0.01 inch 3 , the gel including a plurality of interconnected segments which lie within the interstices of the matrix.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The article as claimed in claim 15, the matrix and the impregnant being such that when the gel and the matrix are stretched, the matrix reaches its ultimate elongation before the gel reaches its ultimate elongation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article as claimed in claim 16, an outer surface of the gel being tacky and being covered by a release sheet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, further comprising means for keeping the member around the substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
90 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a second preshaped member having an internal surface shape shaped similar to another part of the external surface shape of the substrate and having an open side; a second thin layer of gel disposed across the open side of the second member, a volume of the second thin layer of gel being substantially less than a volume enclosed by the internal surface shape and the open side of the second member, and means for securing the first and second members together.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, the internal surface shape of the member corresponding to a shape of an outer surface of a bolt and nut.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, the internal surface shape of the member corresponding to part of a shape of tube-like members interconnected by a fitting.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, the member having a hole through an otherwise closed surface thereof for allowing communication between the cavity and an atmosphere.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, the member and thin layer of gel together forming a completely closed surface.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article as claimed in claim 2, the thickness of the thin layer of gel being less than 10 mm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The article as claimed in claim 24, the thickness being less than 1 mm.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The article as claimed in claim 24, the thickness being less than 1 mm.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
The article as claimed in claim 18, the internal surface shape of the member having ridges and recesses which correspond respectively to similar recesses and ridges on the substrate to aid in maintaining the member on the substrate.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
54 words
The article as claimed in claim 1, the thin layer of gel being disposed in contact with at least a major portion of the inner surface shape of the member such that a volume defined by the gel on the internal surface shape and the open side of the member forms an open cavity.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
37 words
The article as claimed in claim 28, the internal surface shape of the preshaped member and a shape of the thin layer of gel being substantially a mirror image of the outer surface shape of the substrate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
The article as claimed in claim 28, the internal surface shape of the member and a shape of the gel being substantially the same as the outer surface shape of the substrate.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article as claimed in claim 28, the gel being secured to substantially the entire inner surface of the member.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
The article as claimed in claim 31, further comprising means for securing the gel to the inner surface of the member.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
13 words
The article as claimed in claim 32, the securing means comprising an adhesive.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article as claimed in claim 33, the gel being a polysiloxane material, and the adhesive being a silicone pressure sensitive adhesive.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
The article as claimed in claim 31, the gel being secured to the substrate by crosslinks.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
12 words
The article as claimed in claim 35, the crosslinks being chemically produced.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
13 words
The article as claimed in claim 35, the crosslinks being produced by radiation.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
The article as claimed in claim 37, the radiation being beta particles or ultraviolet radiation.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
41 words
The article as claimed in claim 28, the volume defined by the gel and the open side of the member being substantially the same as a volume defined by the at least part of the outer surface shape of the substrate.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
40 words
The article as claimed in claim 28, the volume defined by the gel and the open side of the member being slightly smaller than a volume defined by the at least part of the outer surface shape of the substrate.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article as claimed in claim 28, the gel comprising a material having a cone penetration between 200 and 300 (10 -1 mm).
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
The article as claimed in claim 41, the cone penetration being between 260 and 280.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
15 words
The article as claimed in claim 41, the ultimate elongation being in excess of 400%.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
15 words
The article as claimed in claim 43, the ultimate elongation being in excess of 200%.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
15 words
The article as claimed in claim 41, the gel being disposed in a flexible matrix.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
46 words
The article as claimed in claim 45, the flexible matrix comprising a material having a plurality of open interstices having an average volume of less than 0.01 inch 3 , the gel including a plurality of interconnected segments which lie within the interstices of the matrix.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
36 words
The article as claimed in claim 46, the matrix and the gel being such that when the gel and the matrix are stretched, the matrix reaches its ultimate elongation before the gel reaches its ultimate elongation.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
29 words
The article as claimed in claim 47, an outer surface of the gel being tacky, and further comprising a release sheet disposed across the open side of the member.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
36 words
The article as claimed in claim 47, an outer surface of the gel being tacky, and further comprising a release sheet disposed in contact with a substantial porton of an upper surface of the deformed gel.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
60 words
The article as claimed in claim 28, further comprising: a second preshaped member having an internal surface shape shaped similar to another part of the external surface shape of the substrate; a second thin layer of gel disposed across the internal surface shape of the second member; and means for securing the first and second members together around the substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4466843A
Cited
US4504699A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-02-16 | 1990-08-18 | 1991-02-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-02-16 | 1994-08-18 | 1995-02-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-02-16 | 1998-08-18 | 1999-02-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |