Metal working – Foil or other thin sheet-metal making or treating – Method
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-24
2004-11-30
Compton, Eric (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Foil or other thin sheet-metal making or treating
Method
C029S017200, C029S017300, C029S017700, C270S039010, C270S039050, C270S039070, C428S183000, C428S184000, C428S186000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06823571
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to multilayer metal foil insulating and shielding products which have both thermal and acoustical insulation and shielding utilities.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Multilayer metal foil products are known in the art for heat and acoustical insulation and shielding. One class of such products are generally known as “all metal” shielding and insulation products made from multiple layers of metal foils. Although referred to as all metal heat shields and heat insulation products, it is commonly understood that such products may contain various other materials interspersed between the foil layers such as fibers, adhesives, scrim layer and the like. An example of all metal heat shields is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,905 which discloses multiple layers of metal foils configured in spaced apart layers to provide heat shielding products for the automotive industry and other uses. Another example of such products is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,603 which is directed to similar multilayer metal foil heat shield and insulation products but which are formed as integral products having independent structural strength due to structural features such as a rolled edge which combines all the layers into a fixed rigid structural configuration. Another example of similar multilayer metal products is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,212 which is directed to multilayer metal foil products which are corrugated in nature and which may be formed into flexible or stand-alone structural members by interlocking the corrugations of the multiple metal foil layers together. Multilayer metal foil heat insulation and shielding members are also useful in the food preparation devices, such as those illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,930 and in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/422,140. The disclosures of the above patents and patent application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Another category of multilayer metal foil heat insulation and shielding products are those which include as a significant or major portion of the layered product fibrous insulation materials. Examples of these multilayer metal foil products containing layers of fibrous materials are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,634 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,024. Typically these types of multilayer metal foil shields having significant fiber content are used in lower temperature applications than the above “all-metal” type products. The disclosures of the above patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
While the manufacture of the above multilayer metal foil insulation and shielding products is well-known, there is a need for increased efficiency and increased flexibility in the manufacturing processes which can be used for production of those products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides new and improved manufacturing methods and manufacturing apparatus for production of multilayer metal foil insulation and shielding products. The present inventions are useful in the production of both the “all-metal” type products as well as fiber containing products. The present inventions also include certain new and novel multilayer metal foil products themselves.
In one aspect this invention provides a method of forming a multilayer metal foil product comprising providing a continuous stack of metal foil layers; separating at least two of the layers of the stack; imparting a pattern or surface treatment to at least one of said separated layers of metal foil; recombining the separated metal foil layers into a continuous stack of metal foil layers; and forming and cutting individual multilayer metal foil parts from said recombined continuous stack of metal foil layers. In this method of the invention each layer of the stack of metal foils can be either smooth or can be individually previously patterned with embossments, corrugations or other desired patterns. In this method, the stack of metal foil layers is separated usually into individual layers for the purpose of treating each individual layer with either patterns, such as embossments or corrugations, or surface treatment of each layer such as with adhesives or other materials. Once the individual layers are patterned or treated as desired, the layers are recombined into the continuous stack of metal foil layers, which continuous stack is then used for forming and cutting individual multilayer metal foil parts and devices from the recombined continuous stack of metal foil layers. As will be recognized from the disclosure herein, the initial continuous stack of metal foil layers may also comprise intermediate layers of fiber material or other desired materials, or alternatively, once the individual metal foil layers are separated in the process of this invention, the additional layers, such as fiber layers can be inserted between the separated metal foil layers before the separated layers are recombined into the continuous stack of metal foil layers used for cutting and forming individual multilayer metal foil parts.
In another aspect of this invention an apparatus is provided for producing and a multilayer metal foil product comprising a separator for receiving a continuous multilayer stack of metal foil layers and separating at least two layers of said stack; a tool for imparting a pattern or surface treatment to at least one of said layers of metal foil; a feeder for feeding the separated layers through a slot for recombining the layers into a continuous multilayer stack of metal foil layers; and a second tool for receiving the recombined multilayer stack and for forming and cutting individual multilayer metal foil parts from said stack. The above apparatus is adapted to separate the layers of the metal foil stack, treat certain layers by surface treatment or patterns, such as embossments or corrugations, and recombining the layers into the stack of metal foil layers and finally, forming and cutting individual multilayer metal foil parts from the recombined stack of layers. The apparatus can optionally include additional intermediate feeder for inserting and feeding an additional layer of material into the stack between the separated layers before the separated layers are recombined into the continuous stack for forming and cutting individual parts from the stack.
In another aspect this invention provides a method of forming a multilayer metal foil product comprising providing a continuous stack comprising patterned and nested metal foil layers; separating at least two of the nested layers of the stack; recombining the separated metal foil layers into a continuous stack of the metal foil layers in a manner to prevent the layers from nesting; and forming and cutting individual multilayer metal foil parts from said recombined stack of metal foil layers. In this aspect of the invention, the nested preformed patterned layers are separated and recombined in a non-nested form to provide gaps between the metal foil layers before the multilayer stack is used to form and cut individual multilayer metal foil parts from the recombined stack of spaced apart metal foil layers. In this aspect of the invention, the continuous stack of patterned and nested metal foil layers is provided by combining multiple layers of smooth metal foil into a stack and then embossing or corrugating or otherwise forming a patterned texture in all of the layers of the stack at the same time, which results in the stack of patterned metal foil layers being nested. Such a stack of metal foil layers is then subjected to the above method of separating the layers and recombining the layers in a manner to prevent the layers from nesting. Such a method can include offsetting the patterns of each individual layer from the similar patterns of an adjacent layer to prevent the layers from nesting. Then the layers are recombined into the multilayer stack for forming and cutting individual multilayer metal foil parts from the recombined stack.
In another aspect, this invention provides apparatus for producing a multilayer metal foil product com
Pearce J. Bradley
Ragland Christopher V.
Ragland G. William
ATD Corporation
Compton Eric
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