Patent US4768678A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4768678A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for manufacturing a composite foamed water-heater body from a foamed fiber-reinforced polyester resin and the resultant product
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1986-10-09
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Granted: 1988-09-06
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Expires: 2006-10-09
Abstract
Abstract Method for obtaining a plastic water-heater body, wherein (1) a plastic shell is used which is intended to form the interior of the water heater and also serves as an internal molding wall, the said shell having at least one orifice, (2) the said shell is positioned inside a mold consisting of two parts, while providing a space between the outside of the shell and the inside of the mold, the mold having an opening, (3) water is introduced into the internal shell via the said orifice, (4) a liquid mixture consisting essentially of a polyester resin composition capable of foaming and polymerizing is cast via the said opening of the mold, by cooling the outside of the mold to a temperature of approximately 10° to 15° C. during casting of the resin, so as to obtain a skin effect on the surface of the foam which comes into contact with the mold during polymerization of the said foam, by controlling the temperature of the expanding and polymerizing resin so that it does not exceed approximately 40° C.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Nusbaumer
- 👤 Paul-Joseph Eynard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 06:10
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C44/00; B29C44/02; B29C44/12; B29C44/1271; B29C44/04; B29C44/0407; F; F24; F24H; F24H1/00; F24H1/0027; F24H1/0045; F24H1/18; F24H1/181; B29C33/00; B29C33/12; B29C33/14; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/712; B29L2031/7152; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S264/00; Y10S264/05
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
A water heater body which is devoid of internal and external metallic walls consisting essentially of a unitary structure having a plastic shell forming the interior of the water heater body, a molded in situ layer of foamed glass-fiber reinforced polyester resin surrounding and integral with said shell, at least one surface of said polyester resin layer comprising an integral skin.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
61 words
A water heater body which is devoid of internal and external metallic walls consisting essentially of a unitary structure having a plastic shell forming the interior of the water heater body, a molded in situ layer of foamed glass-fiber reinforced polyester resin surrounding and integral with said shell, at least one surface of said polyester resin layer comprising an integral skin.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The water heater claimed in claim 1 wherein both surfaces of the polyester resin layer comprise integral reinforcing skins.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The water heater claimed in claim 1 wherein said water heater body has a coefficient of thermal conduction at 15° C. of from 0.01 to 0.13 ks/m/°C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The water heater claimed in claim 1 wherein a perforated metallic part is incapsulated in said layer of foamed glass-fiber reinforced polyester resin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
220 words
Method of fabricating a plastic water heater body which has no metallic walls, either on the outside or on the inside, which comprises: (1) providing a plastic shell having at least one orifice therein which forms the interior of the water heater body and also serves as an interior molding wall, (2) providing a mold having an opening therein and consisting of at least two parts, placing said shell inside said mold and providing a space between the outside of the shell and the inside of said mold, said shell and at least one part of the mold having cooperating means for centering and holding the shell inside the mold, (3) introducing a liquid into the inside of said shell through the orifice therein, (4) casting a liquid mixture consisting essentially of a polyester resin composition capable of foaming and polymerizing in said mold through the opening therein, controlling the temperature of the expanding and polymerizing resin during casting so that it does not exceed about 40° C. by cooling the outside of the mold to a temperature of from about 10° C. to about 15 ° C. so as to obtain a skin effect on the surface of the cast resin in contact with the mold, and thereafter removing the mold to provide a reinforcing plastic water heater body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
220 words
Method of fabricating a plastic water heater body which has no metallic walls, either on the outside or on the inside, which comprises: (1) providing a plastic shell having at least one orifice therein which forms the interior of the water heater body and also serves as an interior molding wall, (2) providing a mold having an opening therein and consisting of at least two parts, placing said shell inside said mold and providing a space between the outside of the shell and the inside of said mold, said shell and at least one part of the mold having cooperating means for centering and holding the shell inside the mold, (3) introducing a liquid into the inside of said shell through the orifice therein, (4) casting a liquid mixture consisting essentially of a polyester resin composition capable of foaming and polymerizing in said mold through the opening therein, controlling the temperature of the expanding and polymerizing resin during casting so that it does not exceed about 40° C. by cooling the outside of the mold to a temperature of from about 10° C. to about 15 ° C. so as to obtain a skin effect on the surface of the cast resin in contact with the mold, and thereafter removing the mold to provide a reinforcing plastic water heater body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method claimed in claim 5 including the step of reinforcing the polyester resin with fibers by coating the external surface of the shell with fibers prior to casting the polyester resin.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method claimed in claim 6 including the step of reinforcing the polyester resin by lining the inner surface of at least one of the mold parts with fibers prior to casting the polyester resin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method claimed in claim 5 including the step of reinforcing the polyester resin by introducing cut fibers into the polyester resin composition prior to casting.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method claimed in claim 5 wherein the shell is formed from polypropylene.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method claimed in claim 5 wherein the shell comprises two thermoformed half-shells.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method claimed in claim 5 wherein said shell comprises a unitary blow molded shell.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method claimed in claim 5 wherein the orifice in said shell is centered on its axis of symmetry.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method claimed in claim 5 wherein the cooperating means for centering and holding the shell inside the mold comprises a protuberance located opposite the orifice in the shell and on the axis of symmetry of the shell at its end opposite said orifice.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method claimed in claim 5 including the step of additionally controlling the temperature of the polymerizing and expanding polyester resin by introducing a heat-transfer fluid into the interior of the shell prior to casting.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method claimed in claim 14 including the step of circulating the heat-transfer fluid within the shell during polymerization of the polyester resin.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method claimed in claim 5 wherein the polyester resin composition includes a foaming agent, a polymerization catalyst, and a filler.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method claimed in claim 16 wherein said filler is calcium carbonate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method claimed in claim 17 wherein the polyester resin composition has the following composition: Polyester resin: 100 parts by weight filler (calcium carbonate): 50 parts by weight foaming agent (isocyanate): 7 parts by weight catalyst (peroxide): 4 parts by weight.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method claimed in claim 18 wherein the average expansion factor of the polyester resin is 3-4.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method claimed in claim 5 including the step of improving the external insulation of the water heater body by duplicate molding using polyurethane foam.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method claimed in claim 5 including the step of inserting a perforated metallic part in at least a part of the space between the internal shell and the external mold prior to casting the polyester resin, whereby the metallic part is incorporated in the polyester resin as an incident of its polymerization.
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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) | 1991-09-06 | 1992-03-07 | 1992-09-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-09-06 | 1996-03-07 | 1996-09-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-09-06 | 2000-03-07 | 2000-09-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |