US5589243A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reinforced foam cores and method and apparatus of production
Assignee: Milliken and Co
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Filing: 1995-07-17
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Granted: 1996-12-31
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Expires: 2015-07-17
Abstract
Abstract Rigid foam boards and alternating absorptive fibrous web sheets are adhered to form core panels or billets. Porosity is maintained in the webs for forming integral structural ties by absorbing resin applied to overlying sandwich panel skins. Beveled foam recesses adjacent web edge portions form structural resin fillets, and protruding edge portions form expanded connections to the skins. Core panels oriented with their webs crossing are layered with web sheets to form enhanced panels. Boards or core panels and web sheets arranged in inclined stacks form second core panels having webs intersecting panel edges or faces at acute angles. Boards of alternating different physical properties and web sheets are bonded to form reinforced panels having differing interior and exterior densities. Compressible foam panels are used in place of or with web sheets to make bendable core panels. Foam between web edge portions is recessed for bonding a settable material to the edge portions.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephen W. Day
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 17:47
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29D; B29D99/00; B29D99/001; B29C; B29C44/00; B29C44/34; B29C44/56; B29C44/5627; B29C44/5654; B29C70/00; B29C70/04; B29C70/06; B29C70/08; B29C70/086; B32; B32B; B32B37/00; B32B37/12; B32B37/1207; E; E04; E04C; E04C2/00; E04C2/02; E04C2/10; E04C2/20; E04C2/22; E04C2/26; E04C2/284; E04C2/296; E04C2/30; E04C2/34; E04C2/36; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/18; Y10T428/183; Y10T428/187; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249953; Y10T428/249981
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
A reinforced foam core panel adapted for use between generally parallel skins, comprising a plurality of boards of rigid plastics foam material with each board having opposite faces, a strip of porous and fibrous flexible web material overlying at least one of said faces of each said board, said boards of foam material arranged in a stack with said strips of web material disposed between said boards, means for connecting said boards of rigid foam material and said strips of porous and flexible fibrous web material together while maintaining substantial porosity throughout said strips of web material to form a core panel with said boards having opposite side surfaces and with said strips of web material having edge portions extending to said opposite side surfaces, said side surfaces of said boards being exposed for receiving an adhesive resin for attaching the skins to said side surfaces and to said edge portions of said strips of web material, the porosity of said strips of web material providing for the flow of resin through said strips to form integral tie webs connecting the skins, said boards of foam material defining fillet recesses within said side surfaces adjacent said edge portions of said strips of web material, and said recesses are adapted to receive the resin for increasing the bond of said strips to said skins.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
A reinforced foam core panel adapted for use between generally parallel skins, comprising a plurality of boards of rigid plastics foam material with each board having opposite faces, a strip of porous and fibrous flexible web material overlying at least one of said faces of each said board, said boards of foam material arranged in a stack with said strips of web material disposed between said boards, means for connecting said boards of rigid foam material and said strips of porous and flexible fibrous web material together while maintaining substantial porosity throughout said strips of web material to form a core panel with said boards having opposite side surfaces and with said strips of web material having edge portions extending to said opposite side surfaces, said side surfaces of said boards being exposed for receiving an adhesive resin for attaching the skins to said side surfaces and to said edge portions of said strips of web material, the porosity of said strips of web material providing for the flow of resin through said strips to form integral tie webs connecting the skins, said boards of foam material defining fillet recesses within said side surfaces adjacent said edge portions of said strips of web material, and said recesses are adapted to receive the resin for increasing the bond of said strips to said skins.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
A reinforced foam core panel as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said boards of foam material includes flexible facer sheets bonded to said opposite faces, said foam material is expanded between said facer sheets, and said strips of porous and fibrous web material are disposed between said facer sheets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
A reinforced foam core panel as defined in claim 1 wherein each said strip of web material includes adjacent layers of generally parallel linear fibers, and said fibers forming one said layer extend at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to said side surfaces and cross said fibers forming the adjacent said layer, and said fibers in said adjacent layer extend at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to said side surfaces in the opposite direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A reinforced foam core panel as defined in claim 3 and including groups of spacer fibers separating said layers of linear fibers and defining passages between said spacer fibers for distributing resin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
A reinforced foam core panel as defined in claim 1 where in said edge portions of said strips of web material protrude outwardly from said side surfaces of said boards and are adapted to flare out against said side surfaces in response to attachment pressure of the skins.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
A reinforced foam core panel as defined in claim 1 where in said core panel includes intersecting said strips of web material all having said edge portions extending to said opposite side surfaces of said boards, and all of said strips of web material provide for receiving the resin to form a grid-like pattern of said tie webs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A reinforced foam core panel as defined in claim 6 and including intermediate strips of said porous and fibrous flexible web material extending within said core panel generally parallel to said opposite side surfaces of said boards and intersecting said tie webs to form a box-like pattern of intersecting said webs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A reinforced foam core panel as defined in claim 7 wherein said boards of foam material define fillet recesses adjacent said edge portions of said strips and extending through said panel at said intersections of said strips.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
A reinforced foam core panel as defined in claim 6 wherein said boards of foam material define fillet recesses within said side surfaces adjacent said edge portions of said intersecting strips of web material and through said panel at said intersections, and said recesses provide for receiving the resin to increase the bond of said strips to the skins.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
201 words
A reinforced core panel having opposite side surfaces adapted to be attached to corresponding skins, comprising a plurality of pieces of rigid plastics foam material arranged to form a panel and with adjacent pieces having opposing faces, a plurality of strips of porous and fibrous flexible web material extending between and separating said opposing faces of said adjacent pieces, means for holding the adjacent said pieces and said strips together while maintaining substantial porosity throughout said strips to form a core panel with said pieces and edge portions of said strips of web material forming said opposite side surfaces of said core panel, said pieces and said edge portions of said strips of web material being exposed for receiving a curable adhesive resin for attaching the skins to said pieces and to said edge portions of said strips of web material, the porosity of said strips of web material providing for the flow of resin through said strips to form integral tie webs connecting the skins, said pieces defining fillet recesses adjacent said edge portions of said strips of web material, and said recesses are adapted to receive the resin for increasing the bond strength of said strips to the skins.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
201 words
A reinforced core panel having opposite side surfaces adapted to be attached to corresponding skins, comprising a plurality of pieces of rigid plastics foam material arranged to form a panel and with adjacent pieces having opposing faces, a plurality of strips of porous and fibrous flexible web material extending between and separating said opposing faces of said adjacent pieces, means for holding the adjacent said pieces and said strips together while maintaining substantial porosity throughout said strips to form a core panel with said pieces and edge portions of said strips of web material forming said opposite side surfaces of said core panel, said pieces and said edge portions of said strips of web material being exposed for receiving a curable adhesive resin for attaching the skins to said pieces and to said edge portions of said strips of web material, the porosity of said strips of web material providing for the flow of resin through said strips to form integral tie webs connecting the skins, said pieces defining fillet recesses adjacent said edge portions of said strips of web material, and said recesses are adapted to receive the resin for increasing the bond strength of said strips to the skins.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
181 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly having opposite sides formed by corresponding rigid skins, comprising a plurality of pieces of rigid plastics foam material arranged to form a panel, each said piece having opposite side surfaces adjacent said skins and with adjacent pieces having opposing faces, a plurality of thin webs of porous and fibrous flexible material disposed between and separating said opposing faces of said adjacent pieces, each of said webs having opposite edge portions terminating adjacent said skins and said opposite side surfaces of said pieces, means attaching the adjacent said pieces and said webs together while maintaining substantial porosity throughout said webs to form a core panel with said pieces and said edge portions of said webs forming opposite sides of said core panel, a curable adhesive resin attaching said skins to said pieces of foam material and to said edge portions of said webs, and said resin extends throughout said porous webs and impregnates said webs to bond the fibers of said edge portions to said skins and to form separate integral tie webs connecting said skins.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
181 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly having opposite sides formed by corresponding rigid skins, comprising a plurality of pieces of rigid plastics foam material arranged to form a panel, each said piece having opposite side surfaces adjacent said skins and with adjacent pieces having opposing faces, a plurality of thin webs of porous and fibrous flexible material disposed between and separating said opposing faces of said adjacent pieces, each of said webs having opposite edge portions terminating adjacent said skins and said opposite side surfaces of said pieces, means attaching the adjacent said pieces and said webs together while maintaining substantial porosity throughout said webs to form a core panel with said pieces and said edge portions of said webs forming opposite sides of said core panel, a curable adhesive resin attaching said skins to said pieces of foam material and to said edge portions of said webs, and said resin extends throughout said porous webs and impregnates said webs to bond the fibers of said edge portions to said skins and to form separate integral tie webs connecting said skins.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said pieces of foam material define fillet recesses adjacent said skins and said edge portions of said webs, and said recesses receive said resin for increasing the bond strength of said webs to said skins.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said edge portions of said webs protrude outwardly from said side surfaces of said pieces of foam material and flare laterally outwardly against said skins.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said core panel includes intersecting said webs all having said edge portions extending to said opposite side surfaces of said pieces, and all said webs receive said resin to form a grid-like pattern of intersecting said tie webs.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 14 and including intermediate said porous and fibrous flexible webs extending within said core panel generally parallel to said opposite side surfaces of said pieces and intersecting said the webs to form a box-like pattern of intersecting said webs.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein said pieces of foam material define fillet recesses adjacent said edge portions of said intersecting webs and extending through said panel at said intersections of said webs, and said recesses receive said resin to increase the bond of said webs to said skins and said intersecting webs.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
63 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein said pieces of foam material define fillet recesses within said side surfaces adjacent said edge portions of said webs and through said panel at said intersections, and said recesses receive said resin to increase the bond of said webs to said skins and to enhance the strength of said tie webs.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
55 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said core panel is generally rectangular and has two pairs of opposite generally parallel edge surfaces, and said webs extend transversely at acute angles with respect to both pairs of said edge surfaces of said panel and intersect all of said edge surfaces.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 18 wherein said pieces of foam material define fillet recesses within said side surfaces adjacent said edge portions of said webs, and said recesses receive said resin for increasing the bond of said webs to said skins.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
55 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 11 and including a plurality of said core panels in stacked relation with said weds of each core panel extending transversely across said webs of the adjacent said core panel, and a sheet of porous and fibrous flexible material extending between adjacent said core panels.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein sale core panel includes secondary said webs extending parallel to said side surfaces and intersecting said tie webs for supporting said tie webs against buckling.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said core panel includes an outer layer of foam material with a density higher than the density of an adjacent inner layer of foam material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein adjacent said webs converge within said core panel in lateral cross-section and have alternately adjacent said edge portions.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
A reinforced foam core panel assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said webs cross within said core panel between said opposite sides and form webs having an X-shape cross-sectional configuration.
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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) | 1999-12-31 | 2000-07-01 | 2000-12-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-12-31 | 2004-07-01 | 2004-12-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-12-31 | 2008-07-01 | 2008-12-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |