Fabric (woven – knitted – or nonwoven textile or cloth – etc.) – Coated or impregnated woven – knit – or nonwoven fabric which... – Coating or impregnation intended to function as an adhesive...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-22
2001-04-03
Morris, Terrel (Department: 1771)
Fabric (woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile or cloth, etc.)
Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which...
Coating or impregnation intended to function as an adhesive...
C428S137000, C428S138000, C156S272600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06211102
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention generally relates to mats of fibrous materials, and in particular to laminates of fibrous mats with perforated film coverings.
Fibrous mats are used in various applications such as in the construction of automotive trim parts. Prior technology formed the fibrous mats for automotive trim by spraying adhesives onto chopped fiberglass roving. The adhesive bonds the fiberglass together and to substrates. Different layers of fiberglass, foams, adhesives, and other materials were stacked together by hand to construct a sandwich, which is then formed into a biscuit and used for the production of the finished trim part.
However, the use of the prior art fibrous mats required many steps and excessive labor to produce the biscuit for use in the automotive trim parts. Therefore, there is a need for fibrous mats that can be used for the formation of multiple layer structure with fewer steps and less labor. Additionally, there is need for a fibrous mat for use in forming a multiple layer structure that has a lower weight, good thermoformability, good acoustical properties, and improved stiffness.
SUMMARY
In one embodiment, the present invention is a composite structure generally including a fibrous mat, a first film covering, and a second film covering. The fibrous mat has a mat first side and a mat second side, and formed from a plurality of fibers such that a plurality of passages are formed therein. The first film covering is disposed on the mat first side of the fibrous mat, and has a plurality of first film protrusions with first film apertures that extend into the plurality of passages in said fibrous mat. The second film covering is disposed on the mat second side of said fibrous mat and has a plurality of second film protrusions with second film apertures that extend into the plurality of passages in said fibrous mat.
In another embodiment, the present invention is a composite structure including a fibrous mat having a mat first side and a mat second side, and an adhesive film covering disposed on the mat first side of said fibrous mat. The fibrous mat is formed from a plurality of fibers such that a plurality of passages are formed therein. The adhesive film covering has a plurality of adhesive film protrusions with adhesive film apertures that extend into the plurality of passages in the fibrous mat.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a composite structure including a fibrous mat having a mat first side and a mat second side, and a multi layer film covering disposed on the mat first side of said fibrous mat. The fibrous mat is formed from a plurality of fibers such that a plurality of passages are formed therein. The multi layer film covering includes a plurality of multi layer film protrusions with multi layer film apertures, the plurality of multi layer film protrusions extending into the plurality of passages in said fibrous mat.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a process for forming a composite structure including the steps of providing a fibrous mat having a mat first side and a mat second side; placing the mat second side of the fibrous mat on a first perforated screen; disposing a first film covering material on the first side of the fibrous mat disposed on the first perforated screen; applying a vacuum to the back side of the first perforated screen with the fibrous mat and first film covering material disposed thereon to form a first film covering on the first side of the fibrous mat; placing the fibrous mat onto a second perforated screen with the first film covering adjacent to the second perforated screen; and, disposing a second film covering material onto the second side of the fibrous mat disposed on the second perforated screen; applying a vacuum to the back side of the second perforated screen with the first film covering, the fibrous mat, and the second film covering material disposed thereon to form a second film covering on the second side of the fibrous mat.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a process for forming a composite structure including the steps of providing a fibrous mat having a mat first side and a mat second side; placing the mat second side of the fibrous mat on a first perforated screen; coextruding a multiple layer first film covering material on the first side of the fibrous mat disposed on the first perforated screen; and, applying a vacuum to the back side of the first perforated screen with the fibrous mat and first film covering material disposed thereon to form a first film multiple layer covering on the first side of the fibrous mat.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a composite part including a composite mat structure and a foam layer. The composite mat structure includes a fibrous mat having a mat first side and a mat second side, a first film covering disposed on the mat first side of said fibrous mat, a second film covering disposed on the mat second side of said fibrous mat. The fibrous mat of the composite mat structure is formed from a plurality of fibers such that a plurality of passages are formed therein. The first film covering of the composite mat structure has a plurality of first film protrusions with first film apertures, the plurality of first film protrusions extending into the plurality of passages in the fibrous mat. The second film covering of the composite film structure includes a plurality of second film protrusions with second film apertures, the plurality of second film protrusions extending into the plurality of passages in the fibrous mat. The foam layer adheres to the first film covering of said composite mat structure. In a further embodiment, the present invention the first film covering is a multi layer film having a first external adhesive layer adjacent to said first foam layer. In another further embodiment, the present invention includes a second foam layer adhered to the second film covering of the composite mat structure. In yet a further embodiment, the second film covering is a multi layer film having an second external adhesive layer adjacent to the second foam layer.
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Copy of PCT/ISA/220/210 for PCT/US00/06050 dated Jul. 14,2000.
Brechtelsbauer Keith
Jones Damon L.
Ray Carl Douglas
Jenkens & Gilchrist A Professional Corporation
Morris Terrel
Singh Arti
Tredegar Film Products Corporation
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