Patent US3616149A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3616149A
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Dimensionally-stable fabric and method of manufacture
Assignee: ROBERT C WINCKLHOFER
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Filing: 1968-05-07
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Granted: 1971-10-26
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Expires: 1988-05-07
Abstract
Abstract Articles are manufactured from heat-treated fabric composed of filaments prepared from blended fiber-forming polymers having different chemical properties, at least one of the fiber-forming polymers being dispersed as fibrils in a lower melting point polymeric matrix. The article is produced by preforming the fabric, during production of the fabric itself or by subsequent operation, and heating the latter to a temperature above the melting point of the matrix forming material but below the melting temperature of the dispersed fibrils to set the fabric in its preformed shape. In general the treated fabric is characterized by high stiffness, moldability, dimensional stability, and resistance to mechanical abuse and wrinkling.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert C Wincklhofer
- 👤 Gene C Weedon
- 👤 George H Collingwood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:34
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02B; F02B53/00; D; D02; D02G; D02G3/00; D02G3/22; D02G3/40; D02G3/402; D03; D03D; D03D1/00; D03D15/00; D03D15/20; D03D15/283; D03D15/292; D03D15/50; D03D15/587; D04; D04B; D04B1/00; D04B1/14; D04B1/16; D04H; D04H1/00; D04H1/40; D04H1/54; D06; D06M; D06M23/00; D06M23/06; D06N; D06N3/00; D06N3/0002; D06N3/0004; D10; D10B; D10B2331/00; D10B2331/02; D10B2331/04; D10B2401/00; D10B2401/04; D10B2401/041; D10B2401/06; D10B2401/062; D10B2403/00; D10B2403/01; D10B2403/011; D10B2403/0114; D10B2501/00; D10B2501/04; D10B2501/043; D10B2501/06; D10B2503/00; D10B2503/04; D10B2505/00; D10B2505/08; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/2481; Y10T428/24818; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2913; Y10T428/2929; Y10T428/2973; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/30; Y10T442/3146; Y10T442/40; Y10T442/444; Y10T442/60; Y10T442/608; Y10T442/609; Y10T442/611; Y10T442/637
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
15 words
An article as defined in claim 1 wherein the fabric is comprised of multifilament yarns.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
An article as defined in claim 2 wherein the filaments comprising said multifilament yarns are at least partially fused together.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An article as defined in claim 1 wherein said filaments are fused together and retain their approximate original fabric-forming appearance and shape.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
An article as defined in claim 1 wherein the fabric is a knitted construction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
An article as defined in claim 1 wherein the fabric is a nonwoven construction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
An article as defined in claim 1 wherein the fabric is a woven construction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
An article as defined in claim 1 in which the matrix forming polymeric material is comprised of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamides and polyesters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
An article as defined in claim 8 in which the dispersed polymeric material is comprised of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polysulfones, polyphenylene oxides and polycarbonates.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
An article as defined in claim 9 in which the matrix forming polymeric material is a polyamide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
An article as defined in claim 10 in which said polyamide is polycaproamide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
An article as defined in claim 10 in which said polyamide is a reaction product of hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
An article as defined in claim 9 in which said dispersed polymeric material is a polyester.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
An article as defined in claim 13 wherein said polyester is polyethylene terephthalate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
An article as defined in claim 9 in which the matrix forming polymeric material has a melting point at least 25* C. lower than the dispersed polymeric material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
An article as defined in claim 9 wherein said matrix forming polymer is a polyolefin.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
An article as defined in claim 16 in which said polyolefin is polypropylene.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
An article as defined in claim 16 in which said dispersed polymeric material is a polyolefin.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
An article as defined in claim 18 in which said polyolefin is polyethylene.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
An article as defined in claim 1 in which the dispersed polymeric material is comprised of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polysulfones, polyphenylene oxides and polycarbonates.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
An article as defined in claim 1 in which the fabric is heat-treated on only one side thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
An article as defined in claim 1 wherein the matrix and fibril dispersions are fused to each other.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
An article as defined in claim 1 wherein at least part of the fibrils are bonded together.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the textile material has been heat-treated under sufficient pressure that an area of its surface is solid and indistinguishable.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
An article as defined in claim 1, in which the textile material is heat-treated on both sides thereof.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
200 words
The method of manufacturing the dimensionally-stable fabric as defined by claim 1, comprising: a. providing textile material comprised of multiconstituent filaments spun from at least two different polymeric materials such that, in a given filament, a first fiber-forming polymeric material defines a matrix and a second polymeric material is dispersed therein in the form of discontinuous fibrils, said matrix comprising at least about 50 percent by weight of the filament and having a lower melting point than said dispersed fibrils; b. shaping said textile material to the configuration of the fabric desired; c. heat-treating and fusion bonding said textile material at a temperature in the range above the melting point of the matrix but below the melting point of the dispersed fibrils such that the multiconstituent filaments thereof are set and fusion bonded at least at their cross points without substantial polymer flow, disfiguration, and cross-sectional flattening, whereby a textile appearance is retained and the resultant fused textile material is characterized by an enhanced stiffness ranging from a minimum value sufficient that articles shaped thereof maintain their structural rigidity to a maximum value whereat the rigidity of the fused material approaches that of a solid molded plaque of comparable thickness.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as defined in claim 26 wherein said matrix material and said dispersed material each is comprised of at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polycarbonates, polysulfones and polyphenylene oxides.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as defined in claim 27 wherein said textile material is comprised of a matrix of polyamide and a dispersion of polyester therein and said heat-treating is carried out by subjecting the fabric to approximately 230*-250* C.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as defined in claim 27 wherein the textile material is a knitted construction.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as defined in claim 27 wherein the textile material is a woven construction.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as defined in claim 27 wherein the textile material is a nonwoven.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as defined in claim 26 wherein the textile material is heat-treated on one broad surface only.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as defined in claim 32 wherein the textile material is simultaneously cooled on the other broad surface.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as defined in claim 26 wherein the heat-treating step precedes the shaping of the textile material.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as defined in claim 26, wherein the textile material is heat-treated on both broad surfaces thereof.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 26, wherein the textile material is heat-treated under sufficient pressure that an area of its surface is rendered solid and indistinguishable.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-25 | 1975-04-26 | 1975-10-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-25 | 1979-04-26 | 1979-10-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-25 | 1983-04-26 | 1983-10-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |