Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for manufacturing a plastic article comprising at least two foamed layers which have different densities comprising: (a) mixing together in a first zone an unsaturated polyester and a foaming agent, said foaming agent being present in a first concentration and said first zone being maintained at a first pressure; (b) providing a curing agent for said unsaturated polyester in the mixture of unsaturated polyester and foaming agent to provide a first sprayable mixture; (c) spraying said first sprayable mixture into a second zone and onto the outer surface of an open mold which is within said second zone, and said second zone being maintained at a second pressure which is less than said first pressure in said first zone to form, on said mold, a first plastic layer having a first density; (d) forming and spraying into said second zone and onto said first plastic layer formed in step (c), a second sprayable mixture of unsaturated polyester and foaming agent which had been mixed together in said first zone together with a curing agent for said unsaturated polyester, said second sprayable mixture containing said foaming agent in a second concentration sufficiently different from the concentration of foaming agent in said first sprayable mixture to produce a second layer of plastic bonded to said first layer, said second layer having a density which is different from the density of said first layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for manufacturing a plastic article comprising at least two foamed layers which have different densities comprising: (a) mixing together in a first zone an unsaturated polyester and a foaming agent, said foaming agent being present in a first concentration and said first zone being maintained at a first pressure; (b) providing a curing agent for said unsaturated polyester in the mixture of unsaturated polyester and foaming agent to provide a first sprayable mixture; (c) spraying said first sprayable mixture into a second zone and onto the outer surface of an open mold which is within said second zone, and said second zone being maintained at a second pressure which is less than said first pressure in said first zone to form, on said mold, a first plastic layer having a first density; (d) forming and spraying into said second zone and onto said first plastic layer formed in step (c), a second sprayable mixture of unsaturated polyester and foaming agent which had been mixed together in said first zone together with a curing agent for said unsaturated polyester, said second sprayable mixture containing said foaming agent in a second concentration sufficiently different from the concentration of foaming agent in said first sprayable mixture to produce a second layer of plastic bonded to said first layer, said second layer having a density which is different from the density of said first layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first pressure in said first zone is at least atmospheric pressure and said second pressure in said second zone is from about 0.05 bar to about 0.4 bar.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first pressure in said first zone is about atmospheric pressure and said second pressure in said second zone is from about 0.10 bar to about 0.3 bar.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first pressure in said first zone is about atmospheric and said second pressure in said second zone is from about 0.10 bar to about 0.15 bar.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said curing agent is provided in a concentration to result in a curing time of from about 30 seconds to about 20 minutes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said curing agent is provided in a concentration to result in a curing time of from about 2 minutes to about 10 minutes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein foaming agent produces gases as a result of a chemical reaction and said foaming agent is present in at least one of said spraying mixtures in a concentration from about 0.2 to about 1.0 percent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said foaming agent is a physical agent and is present in at least one of said spraying mixtures in a concentration from about 0.05 to about 0.5 percent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the concentration of foaming agents in said first and second sprayable mixtures are controlled to produce a first plastic layer which has a higher density than the density of said second plastic layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the concentrations of foaming agent in said first and second sprayable mixtures are controlled to produce a first plastic layer which has a lower density than the density of said second plastic layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the second sprayable mixture is sprayed onto said first plastic layer while said first plastic layer is wet.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein reinforcing fibers are added to the sprayable mixture as it is being sprayed into the mold.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein reinforcing fibers selected from chopped glass fibers and chopped carbon fibers in a concentration of about 10 to about 40 percent by weight are added to the sprayable mixture as it is being sprayed into the mold.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said curing agent is introduced into said mixture of said unsaturated polyester and said foaming agent under said first pressure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said curing agent is introduced into said mixture of said unsaturated polyester and said foaming agent under said second pressure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said curing agent is a peroxide.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the quantity of foaming agent is selected to produce a density in the range of 170-600 Kg/m 3 for at least one of said layers.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
257 words
A method for manufacturing a plastic article comprising at least three layers comprising: (a) mixing together in a first zone an unsaturated polyester and a foaming agent, said foaming agent being present in a first concentration and said first zone being maintained at a a pressure of at least about 1 atmosphere; (b) providing a curing agent for said unsaturated polyester in the mixture of unsaturated polyester and foaming agent to provide a first sprayable mixture; (c) spraying said first sprayable mixture into a second zone and onto the outer surface of an open mold which is within said second zone, said second zone being maintained at a second pressure from about 0.05 bar to about 0.4 bar to form, in said mold, a first plastic layer; (d) forming and spraying into said second zone and onto said first plastic layer formed in step (c), a second sprayable mixture of unsaturated polyester and foaming agent which had been mixed together in said first zone together with a curing agent for said unsaturated polyester, said second sprayable mixture containing said foaming agent in a concentration sufficiently higher than the concentration of foaming gent in said first sprayable mixture to produce a second layer of plastic bonded to said first layer, said second layer having a density which is lower than the density of said first layer; and (e) repeating steps (a) and (b) and spraying the resulting sprayable mixture on the low density plastic formed in step (d), thereby forming a plastic structure having a low density core.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
257 words
A method for manufacturing a plastic article comprising at least three layers comprising: (a) mixing together in a first zone an unsaturated polyester and a foaming agent, said foaming agent being present in a first concentration and said first zone being maintained at a a pressure of at least about 1 atmosphere; (b) providing a curing agent for said unsaturated polyester in the mixture of unsaturated polyester and foaming agent to provide a first sprayable mixture; (c) spraying said first sprayable mixture into a second zone and onto the outer surface of an open mold which is within said second zone, said second zone being maintained at a second pressure from about 0.05 bar to about 0.4 bar to form, in said mold, a first plastic layer; (d) forming and spraying into said second zone and onto said first plastic layer formed in step (c), a second sprayable mixture of unsaturated polyester and foaming agent which had been mixed together in said first zone together with a curing agent for said unsaturated polyester, said second sprayable mixture containing said foaming agent in a concentration sufficiently higher than the concentration of foaming gent in said first sprayable mixture to produce a second layer of plastic bonded to said first layer, said second layer having a density which is lower than the density of said first layer; and (e) repeating steps (a) and (b) and spraying the resulting sprayable mixture on the low density plastic formed in step (d), thereby forming a plastic structure having a low density core.