Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
A method of forming a gasket in a machine or engine in-situ wherein the method comprises: 1) mating two components of the machine or engine in a face-to-face relationship, each of said components having a mating face, at least one of said faces having a groove therein for defining the gasket and an inlet thereto for injecting a gasket forming composition into the groove; 2) injecting into the groove a curable gasket forming composition comprising one or more cross-linkable, free-radically polymerizable vinyl esters, a free radical polymerization initiator therefor, alone or in combination with an activator for said free-radical polymerization initiator and, optionally, a free-radical inhibitor, said composition having a Brookfield viscosity at the time of injection of from about 2,000 to about 15,000 mPas at 25° C. and gelling to a non-flowable state within five (5) minutes of the initiation of the cure and having the consistency of a flexible solid upon full cure, wherein the composition further comprises one or more constituents for minimizing volume reduction otherwise manifested on curing of the composition; and 3) allowing or enabling the composition to cure.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
184 words
A method of forming a gasket in a machine or engine in-situ wherein the method comprises: 1) mating two components of the machine or engine in a face-to-face relationship, each of said components having a mating face, at least one of said faces having a groove therein for defining the gasket and an inlet thereto for injecting a gasket forming composition into the groove; 2) injecting into the groove a curable gasket forming composition comprising one or more cross-linkable, free-radically polymerizable vinyl esters, a free radical polymerization initiator therefor, alone or in combination with an activator for said free-radical polymerization initiator and, optionally, a free-radical inhibitor, said composition having a Brookfield viscosity at the time of injection of from about 2,000 to about 15,000 mPas at 25° C. and gelling to a non-flowable state within five (5) minutes of the initiation of the cure and having the consistency of a flexible solid upon full cure, wherein the composition further comprises one or more constituents for minimizing volume reduction otherwise manifested on curing of the composition; and 3) allowing or enabling the composition to cure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the composition comprises: (A) a moderate-to-long chain di- or polyfunctional prepolymer having vinyl reactive ends; (B) a cross link controlling monomer which is (i) reactive with said moderate-to-long chain di- or polyfunctional prepolymer, and (ii) soluble in or miscible with the moderate-to-long chain prepolymer; (C) a free radical polymerization initiator; and (D) a polymerization activator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the composition is a multi-part composition wherein one part contains the initiator and another part contains the activator, the method further comprising the step of mixing the parts at the time of injection to initiate cure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the composition is a 2-part composition formulated as follows: ______________________________________
Part I
Prepolymer (A), monomer (B) and initiator (C);
Part II
Prepolymer (A), monomer (B) and activator (D).
______________________________________
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the consituent for minimizing volume reduction is a liquid filler.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the constituent for minimizing volume reduction is a volume expansion system and the method further comprises effecting expansion of said volume expansion system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the volume expansion system comprises two expansion reactants, each in a separate part of the composition prior to injection, which react at room temperature to form a gas in-situ in the composition.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein one of the reactants is an acid and the other is a bicarbonate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the surface of the groove is primed with an activator prior to mating the two components.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the cure intiator is activated at the time of injection.