Medical Materials Corporation

Niran Perera

Douglas R Fitchmun

David M Blakeman

Thomas W Smith

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') .

Thermoplastic thermoformable composite material and method of forming

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.

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Simi Valley, CA, United States of America

Niran Perera