Medical Materials Corporation

Thermocomp Corporation

Douglas R Fitchmun

Niran Perera

David M Blakeman

Stuart E Jenkins

Thomas W Smith

A thermoplastic thermoformable composite material for shaping and stretching into a desired form without voids and holes, including a core formed by at least one layer of chopped fibers enveloped and impregnated by thermoplastic material to form a fabric layer. Layers of thermoplastic material respectively positioned on opposite sides of the fabric layer core, and the layers of thermoplastic material provided with a sufficient thickness to flow into and heal any voids or holes formed in the core as the composite material is shaped and stretched into a desired form.

Thermoplastic thermoformable composite material and method of forming

A thermoplastic resin defines a core of a thermoformable thermoplastic composite material. The core is sufficiently thick to provide for a shaping of the composite material at an elevated temperature to any desired configuration. First and second layers of fabric material are disposed on opposite sides of the core. The fabric material may be formed of glass, carbon or aramid and may be formed from woven fibers, unidirectional or chopped fibers or random strand mats. The fabric layers have a thickness sufficient to impart strength and rigidity to the fabric material. Layers of a thermoplastic thermoformable resin material may be disposed on the layers of the fabric material. The thermoplastic layers impregnate the fabric layers, bond the fabric layers to the core and provide a smooth external surface to the composite material. The thermoplastic layers are of a sufficient thickness to maximize the flexural load strength of the composite material and to eliminate the formation of any rippling or buckling of the composite material. The core and the additional resin layers may be an acrylic, a polycarbonate or ABS. The core may be thicker than the combined thicknesses of the fabric layers and the thermoplastic layers. For example, each of the fabric layers may have a thickness in the order of eight mils (0,008') to nine mils (0,009'). The thickness of each of the thermoplastic layers may be in the order of seven mils (0,007') to nine mils (0.009'). The thickness of the thermoplastic composite material may be in the order of eighty five mils (0.085') to one hundred and twenty five mils (0. 125') .

A thermoplastic composite material may be formed by supplying the thermoplastic material to the opposite surfaces of the fabric material and by then passing the resultant material through the spaces between progressive pairs of rollers. The rollers in each progressive pair have a decreased spacing relative to the rollers in the previous pair so as to squeeze the thermoplastic material into the interstices between the fabric threads without compressing the fabric material. The resultant material may also be moved in a tortuous path, such as formed by a pair of rollers defining an S-configuration relative to the resultant material, to engage the opposite surfaces of the resultant material and squeeze air from the resultant material without compressing the fabric.

Method of making thermoplastic composite material

A thermoplastic resin defines a core of a thermoformable thermoplastic composite material. The core is sufficiently thick to provide for a shaping of the composite material at an elevated temperature to any desired configuration. First and second layers of fabric material are disposed on opposite sides of the core. The fabric material may be formed of glass, carbon or aramid and may be formed from woven fibers, unidirectional or chopped fibers or random strand mats. The fabric layers have a thickness sufficient to impart strength and rigidity to the fabric material. Layers of a thermoplastic thermoformable resin material may be disposed on the layers of the fabric material. The thermoplastic layers impregnate the fabric layers, bond the fabric layers to the core and provide a smooth external surface to the composite material. The thermoplastic layers are of a sufficient thickness to maximize the flexural load strength of the composite material and to eliminate the formation of any rippling or buckling of the composite material. The core and the additional resin layers may be an acrylic, a polycarbonate or ABS. The core may be thicker than the combined thicknesses of the fabric layers and the thermoplastic layers. For example, each of the fabric layers may have a thickness in the order of eight mils (0.008') to nine mils (0.009'). The thickness of each of the thermoplastic layers may be in the order of seven mils (0.007') to nine mils (0.009'). The thickness of the thermoplastic composite material may be in the order of eighty five mils (0.085') to one hundred and twenty five mils (0.125').

A thermoformable thermoplastic composite material has a core sufficiently thick to provide for a shaping of the composite material at an elevated temperature to any desired configuration. Layers of a fabric material disposed on opposite sides of the core may be formed of glass, carbon or aramid and from woven fibers, unidirectional or chopped fibers or random strand mats. The fabric layers are sufficiently thick to impart strength and rigidity to the composite material. Layers of a thermoplastic thermoformable resin material may be disposed on the fabric layers. The thermoplastic layers impregnate the fabric layers, bond the fabric layers to the core and provide a smooth external surface to the composite material. The core is preferably thinner than the combined thicknesses of the fabric layers and the thermoplastic layers. For example, the thickness of each fabric layer may be 0.008'-0.009', of each thermoplastic layer may be 0.0005'-0.002' and of the thermoplastic composite material may be 0.035'-0.060'. A thermoplastic layer of an elastomer such as urethane is bonded to one of the thermoplastic layers with a thickness of approximately 0.010'-0.020' to impart abrasion resistance and high impact strength to the thermoplastic composite material. The composite material may illustratively be disposed externally in the sole of a shoe with the elastomer facing outwardly.

Shoe sole constructed of composite thermoplastic material including a

A thermoplastic resin defines a core of a thermoformable thermoplastic composite material. The core is sufficiently thick to provide for a shaping of the composite material at an elevated temperature to any desired configuration. First and second layers of fabric material are disposed on opposite sides of the core. The fabric material may be formed of glass, carbon or aramid and may be formed from woven fibers, unidirectional or chopped fibers or random strand mats. The fabric layers have a thickness sufficient to impart strength and rigidity to the fabric material. Layers of a thermoplastic thermoformable resin material may be disposed on the layers of the fabric material. The thermoplastic layers impregnate the fabric layers, bond the fabric layers to the core and provide a smooth external surface to the composite material. The thermoplastic layers are of a sufficient thickness to maximize the flexural load strength of the composite material and to eliminate the formation of any rippling or buckling of the composite material. The core and the additional resin layers may be an acrylic, a polycarbonate or ABS. The core may be thicker than the combined thicknesses of the fabric layers and the thermoplastic layers. For example, each of the fabric layers may have a thickness in the order of eight mils (0.008' ) to nine mils (0.009' ). The thickness of each of the thermoplastic layers may be in the order of seven mils (0.007' ) to nine mils (0.009' ). The thickness of the thermoplastic composite material may be in the order of eighty five mils (0.085' ) to one hundred and twenty five mils (0.125' ).

A thermoformable thermoplastic composite material has a core sufficiently thick to provide for a shaping of the composite material at an elevated temperature to any desired configuration. Layers of a fabric material disposed on opposite sides of the core may be formed of glass, carbon or aramid and from woven fibers, unidirectional or chopped fibers or random strand mats. The fabric layers are sufficiently thick to impart strength and rigidity to the composite material. Layers of a thermoplastic thermoformable resin material may be disposed on the fabric layers. The thermoplastic layers impregnate the fabric layers, bond the fabric layers to the core and provide a smooth external surface to the composite material. The core is preferably thinner than the combined thicknesses of the fabric layers and the thermoplastic layers. For example, the thickness of each fabric layer may be 0.008'-0.009' of each thermoplastic layer may be 0.0005'-0.002' and of the thermoplastic composite material may be 0.035'-0.060'. A thermoplastic layer of an elastomer such as urethane is bonded to one of the thermoplastic layers with a thickness of approximately 0.010'-0.020' to impart abrasion resistance and high impact strength to the thermoplastic composite material. The composite material may illustratively be disposed externally in the sole of a shoe with the elastomer facing outwardly.

Composite thermoplastic material including a compliant layer

A thermoplastic thermoformable resin material defines a core of a thermoformable thermoplastic composite material. First and second layers of fabric material are disposed against opposite sides of the core. An additional layer of a fabric material is positioned on the first fabric layer to impart a particular color to the composite material. A resin envelopes and impregnates the different fabric layers and bonds these layers to the core. The fabric layers have a total thickness sufficient to impart strength and rigidity to the fabric material. The core is sufficiently thick to provide for a shaping of the composite material at an elevated temperature to any desired configuration without any rippling or buckling of the composite material. Additional layers of a thermoplastic thermoformable resin material may be disposed on the outer layers of the fabric material. They impregnate the fabric layers, provide a continuity with the core and provide a smooth external surface to the composite material. The core and the additional resin layers may be an acrylic. The two fabric layers may be made from carbon and may be woven or formed from discrete particles. The additional fabric layer may be woven from a warp and a woof. The warp may be made from a high strength fiber and the woof may be formed from a colored fiber. Another embodiment of the composite material may be formed from the core, one additional layer of the fabric material and the colored fabric. The invention also relates to methods of forming the composite material.

A thermoplastic composite having a plurality of layers of material each having a particular total thickness and a particular total volume, including a first layer of thermoplastic resin materal forming a core. At least two layers of fabric material each disposed on an opposite side of the first layer and impregnated with the core material to define an outer skin on the core. Two layers of thermoplastic resin material each overlaying one of the at least two layers of fabric and each bonded to the thermoplastic material impregnated in the adjacent layer of fabric material to define an outer covering for protecting the layers of fabric and providing a covering for protecting the layers of fabric and providing a smooth exterior. The thickness of the core forming a substantial percentage of the total thickness of the composite and the fiber volume of the at least two layers of fabric material forming less than one third (1/3) of the total volume of the composite.

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Woodland Hills, CA, United States of America

Douglas R Fitchmun