US5526664A — Method of forming a textured pattern on a metal p…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 115 words

A method for imparting a textured surface on a metal plate, comprising the step of: providing a metal plate having a hardness of Rockwell C40 or less; projecting a stream of spherical steel balls against a surface of the metal plate at an angle substantially perpendicular to said surface, said balls having a hardness greater than the surface of said plate and having a velocity sufficient to create impressions in said surface, such impressions having a relief ranging from 0.02 to 2.0 millimeters; and each steel ball having a substantially uniform diameter in the range of 0.5 and 1.0 millimeters, said steel balls imparting a generally uniform rough texture to said surface of the plate.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 115 words

A method for imparting a textured surface on a metal plate, comprising the step of: providing a metal plate having a hardness of Rockwell C40 or less; projecting a stream of spherical steel balls against a surface of the metal plate at an angle substantially perpendicular to said surface, said balls having a hardness greater than the surface of said plate and having a velocity sufficient to create impressions in said surface, such impressions having a relief ranging from 0.02 to 2.0 millimeters; and each steel ball having a substantially uniform diameter in the range of 0.5 and 1.0 millimeters, said steel balls imparting a generally uniform rough texture to said surface of the plate.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 78 words

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of projecting said stream of steel balls against the surface of the work piece includes feeding said steel balls into a stream of compressed air; entraining said steel balls in said stream of compressed air; and blasting said stream of compressed air and entrained steel balls from a nozzle of a blasting gun used to control the projection of said steel balls against the surface of the plate.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method as defined in claim 2, further including providing said steel balls with a surface hardness within the range of Rockwell C42 and C52.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method as defined in claim 3, further including the step of providing said steel balls with a surface hardness with the range of Rockwell C50 and C55.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method as defined in claim 2, further including the step of providing said steel balls with a hardened and tempered surface having an average case depth of 0.635 millimeters.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method as defined in claim 2, further including providing said steel balls with a case hardness not less than Rockwell C45.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method as defined by claim 2, further including providing said steel balls with a core hardness ranging between Rockwell C40 and C55.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method as defined by claim 7, wherein said core hardness ranges between Rockwell C42 and C52.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 47 words

The method as defined in claim 1, further including impacting said steel balls at a substantially right angle against said surface of the work piece to produce said generally rough texture along said surface, said rough texture having a relief ranging between 2.0 millimeters and 0.02 millimeters.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method as defined by claim 9, wherein said generally rough texture is substantially uniform across a predetermined region of said surface of said work piece.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method as defined in claim 1, further including providing said steel balls with a polished surface substantially free of cracks, flat spots or laps, pits, and surface flaws when examined at 20× magnification.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 175 words

A method for producing a generally uniform textured pattern on at least one surface of a metal press plate used to impress said uniform pattern on a work piece, comprising the steps of: providing a metal plate having a hardness of Rockwell C40 or less; projecting a stream of substantially spherical balls at a generally right angle to the surface of the steel platen at a velocity sufficient to create an impression on said surface; and causing said stream of substantially spherical balls to impact at generally said right angle to the surface of the steel platen, such that each ball creates an impression on the surface of the steel platen to create the generally uniform pattern each of said impressions having a relief ranging from 0.02 to 2.0 millimeters; each of said balls formed from a material having a substantially uniform diameter ranging between 0.50 and 1.0 millimeters, a surface hardness ranging between Rockwell C40 and C65, a core hardness ranging between Rockwell C35 and C65, and a case hardness greater than Rockwell C45.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 175 words

A method for producing a generally uniform textured pattern on at least one surface of a metal press plate used to impress said uniform pattern on a work piece, comprising the steps of: providing a metal plate having a hardness of Rockwell C40 or less; projecting a stream of substantially spherical balls at a generally right angle to the surface of the steel platen at a velocity sufficient to create an impression on said surface; and causing said stream of substantially spherical balls to impact at generally said right angle to the surface of the steel platen, such that each ball creates an impression on the surface of the steel platen to create the generally uniform pattern each of said impressions having a relief ranging from 0.02 to 2.0 millimeters; each of said balls formed from a material having a substantially uniform diameter ranging between 0.50 and 1.0 millimeters, a surface hardness ranging between Rockwell C40 and C65, a core hardness ranging between Rockwell C35 and C65, and a case hardness greater than Rockwell C45.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 66 words

The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the step of projecting includes: placing said balls in fluid communication with a pressurized stream of gas in a nozzle; entraining said balls in said pressurized stream of gas within said nozzle; and ejecting said pressurized stream of gas and said balls entrained therein from said nozzle at a velocity ranging between 1.0 and 10.0 meters per second.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the step of causing said ball to impact the surface of the steel platen to create said impression includes forming a plurality of impact craters each having a relief ranging between 0.01 and 1.0 millimeters.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method as defined in claim 14, further including the step of coalescing said plurality of impact craters to produce a generally uniform textured pattern.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method as defined in claim 12, further including providing said balls with a polished surface substantially free of cracks, flat spots or laps, pits, and surface flaws when examined at 20× magnification.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 141 words

A method for imparting a textured surface on a plastic part, comprising the step of: providing a metal plate; projecting a stream of spherical steel balls against a surface of said metal plate at an angle substantially perpendicular to said surface, said balls having a hardness greater than the surface of said plate and having a velocity sufficient to create an impression in said surface; each steel ball having a substantially uniform diameter in the range of 0.5 and 1.0 millimeters, said steel balls imparting a generally uniform rough texture to said surface of the plate; providing a plastic part; and transforming said texture to said plastic part by pressing said surface of said plate on said plastic part to provide a texture on the surface of said part, such texture corresponding to the texture on said surface of said plate.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 141 words

A method for imparting a textured surface on a plastic part, comprising the step of: providing a metal plate; projecting a stream of spherical steel balls against a surface of said metal plate at an angle substantially perpendicular to said surface, said balls having a hardness greater than the surface of said plate and having a velocity sufficient to create an impression in said surface; each steel ball having a substantially uniform diameter in the range of 0.5 and 1.0 millimeters, said steel balls imparting a generally uniform rough texture to said surface of the plate; providing a plastic part; and transforming said texture to said plastic part by pressing said surface of said plate on said plastic part to provide a texture on the surface of said part, such texture corresponding to the texture on said surface of said plate.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 78 words

The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the step of projecting said stream of steel balls against the surface of the work piece includes feeding said steel balls into a stream of compressed air; entraining said steel balls in said stream of compressed air; and blasting said stream of compressed air and entrained steel balls from a nozzle of a blasting gun used to control the projection of said steel balls against the surface of the plate.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method as defined in claim 17, further including providing said steel balls with a surface hardness within the range of Rockwell C42 and C52 and the hardness of said plate being Rockwell C40 or less.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method as defined in claim 19, further including the step of providing said steel balls with a surface hardness with the range of Rockwell C50 and C55.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method as defined in claim 17, further including impacting said steel balls at a substantially right angle against said surface of the work piece to produce said generally rough texture along said surface, said rough texture having a maximum relief ranging between 2.0 millimeters and 0.02 millimeters.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method as defined by claim 21, wherein said generally rough texture is substantially uniform across a predetermined region of said surface of said work piece and plastic part.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-06-18	1999-12-18	2000-06-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-06-18	2003-12-18	2004-06-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-06-18	2007-12-18	2008-06-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of forming a textured pattern on a metal plate which pattern is transformed to a plastic part, and a press plate and plastic part produced thereby

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