The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 01, 1998
Filed:
Aug. 20, 1997
Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A fiber-reinforced article includes an expanded core layer having opposing first and second surfaces with a thickness defined therebetween. The expanded core layer is formed from a composition comprising a thermoplastic material and fibers with average length of not less than about 1 mm, with at least a portion of the fibers being coated with the thermoplastic material. The fibers collectively define a network structure in which the fibers are interconnected with each other and fixed relative to each other via the thermoplastic material so that the coated fibers define interstitial voids therebetween. The article further includes first and second skin layers, the first skin layer having a surface integrally connected to the first surface of the expanded core layer and the second skin layer having a surface integrally connected to the second surface of the expanded core layer.