Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
26 words
A battery separator material having a laminated construction comprising a first nonwoven web of staple fibers sandwiched between second and third nonwoven webs of spun-bonded fibers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
26 words
A battery separator material having a laminated construction comprising a first nonwoven web of staple fibers sandwiched between second and third nonwoven webs of spun-bonded fibers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 1, wherein at least some of said stable fibers comprise first thermoplastic material and at least some of said spun-bonded fibers comprise second thermoplastic material, said melting temperature of said second thermoplastic material having a melting temperature which is higher than the melting temperature of said first thermoplastic material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 2, wherein said first thermoplastic material is nylon 6 and said second thermoplastic material is nylon 6-6.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 3, wherein said staple fibers comprise nylon 6 fibers and said spun-bonded fibers comprise nylon 6-6 fibers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 4, wherein said staple fibers further comprise nylon 6-6 fibers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 4, wherein 5 to 60 wt. % of said staple fibers are nylon 6 fibers and 40 to 95 wt. % of said staple fibers are nylon 6-6 fibers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 3, wherein said staple fibers comprise bicomponent fibers having a nylon 6 sheath and a nylon 6-6 core and said spun-bonded fibers comprise nylon 6-6 fibers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 7, wherein the material. % of said staple fibers are said bicomponent fibers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 3, wherein the material making up said staple fibers consists of 5-60 wt. % nylon 6 and said spun-bonded fibers comprise nylon 6-6.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
139 words
A battery separator material comprising a first nonwoven web of staple fibers sandwiched between second and third nonwoven webs of spun-bonded fibers, wherein at least some of said stable fibers comprise first thermoplastic material and at least some of said spun-bonded fibers comprise second thermoplastic material, said melting temperature of said second thermoplastic material having a melting temperature which is higher than the melting temperature of said first thermoplastic material, said second and third nonwoven webs being laminated to said first nonwoven web by heating said first thermoplastic material at least to a temperature at which said first thermoplastic material is softened without melting said second thermoplastic material and then cooling said first thermoplastic material such that portions of said first thermoplastic material bond to at least some of said spun-bonded fibers of said second and third nonwoven webs.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
139 words
A battery separator material comprising a first nonwoven web of staple fibers sandwiched between second and third nonwoven webs of spun-bonded fibers, wherein at least some of said stable fibers comprise first thermoplastic material and at least some of said spun-bonded fibers comprise second thermoplastic material, said melting temperature of said second thermoplastic material having a melting temperature which is higher than the melting temperature of said first thermoplastic material, said second and third nonwoven webs being laminated to said first nonwoven web by heating said first thermoplastic material at least to a temperature at which said first thermoplastic material is softened without melting said second thermoplastic material and then cooling said first thermoplastic material such that portions of said first thermoplastic material bond to at least some of said spun-bonded fibers of said second and third nonwoven webs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 10, wherein said first, second and third nonwoven webs are laminated together by calendaring at a temperature greater than the softening temperature of said first thermoplastic material but less than the melting temperature of said second thermoplastic material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 11, wherein said first thermoplastic material is nylon 6 and said second thermoplastic material is nylon 6-6.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 12, wherein said staple fibers comprise nylon 6 fibers and said spun-bonded fibers comprise nylon 6-6 fibers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 13, wherein said staple fibers further comprise nylon 6-6 fibers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 12, wherein 5 to 60 wt. % of said staple fibers are nylon 6 fibers and 40 to 95 wt. % of said staple fibers are nylon 6-6 fibers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 12, wherein said staple fibers comprise bicomponent fibers having a nylon 6 sheath and a nylon 6-6 core and said spun-bonded fibers comprise nylon 6-6 fibers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 16, wherein 10 to 100 wt. % of said staple fibers are said bicomponent fibers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 11, wherein the material making up said staple fibers consists of 5-60 wt. % nylon 6 and said spun-bonded fibers comprise nylon 6-6.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of manufacturing a battery separator material comprising a first nonwoven web of staple fibers sandwiched between second and third nonwoven webs of spun-bonded fibers, wherein at least some of said stable fibers comprise first thermoplastic material and at least some of said spun-bonded fibers comprise second thermoplastic material, said melting temperature of said second thermoplastic material having a melting temperature which is higher than the melting temperature of said first thermoplastic material, comprising the steps of: sandwiching said first nonwoven web between said second and third nonwoven webs; softening said first thermoplastic material without melting said second thermoplastic material; and cooling said first thermoplastic material such that portions of said first thermoplastic material bond to at least some of said spun-bonded fibers of said second and third nonwoven webs.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of manufacturing a battery separator material comprising a first nonwoven web of staple fibers sandwiched between second and third nonwoven webs of spun-bonded fibers, wherein at least some of said stable fibers comprise first thermoplastic material and at least some of said spun-bonded fibers comprise second thermoplastic material, said melting temperature of said second thermoplastic material having a melting temperature which is higher than the melting temperature of said first thermoplastic material, comprising the steps of: sandwiching said first nonwoven web between said second and third nonwoven webs; softening said first thermoplastic material without melting said second thermoplastic material; and cooling said first thermoplastic material such that portions of said first thermoplastic material bond to at least some of said spun-bonded fibers of said second and third nonwoven webs.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of manufacturing a battery separator material as recited in claim 19, wherein said first, second and third nonwoven webs are laminated together by calendaring at a temperature greater than the softening temperature of said first thermoplastic material but less than the melting temperature of said second thermoplastic material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of manufacturing a battery separator material as recited in claim 19, wherein said first thermoplastic material is nylon 6 and said second thermoplastic material is nylon 6-6.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 21, wherein said staple fibers comprise nylon 6 fibers and said spun-bonded fibers comprise nylon 6-6 fibers.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 22, wherein said staple fibers further comprise nylon-6-6 fibers.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 21, wherein 5 to 60 wt. % of said staple fibers are nylon 6 fibers and 40 to 95 wt. % of said staple fibers are nylon 6-6 fibers.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 21, wherein said staple fibers comprise bicomponent fibers having a nylon 6 sheath and a nylon 6-6 core and said spun-bonded fibers comprise nylon 6-6 fibers.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 25, wherein 10 to 100 wt. % of said staple fibers are said bicomponent fibers.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The battery separator material as recited in claim 21, wherein the material making up said staple fibers consists of 5-60 wt. % nylon 6 and said spun-bonded fibers comprise nylon 6-6.