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:
Jul. 01, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 20, 2000
Gene Mullins, Cookeville, TN (US);
David Dickerson, Livingston, TN (US);
Karen Ramsey-Idem, Monterey, TN (US);
Lee Currier, Cookeville, TN (US);
Fleetguard, Inc., Nashville, TN (US);
Abstract
A process for enhancing the pleatability of a meltblown web uses ultrasonic bonding wheels to create bond lines in the machine direction as the web is being produced. In addition to, or in place of, the bond lines, ribbons made of the web material, a thermoplastic polymer, string saturated with a phenolic or ultraviolet curing resin, or beads of an ultraviolet curing resin may be ultrasonically bonded to the web to enhance its stiffness. A heated scoring bar or ultrasonic horn forms pleats in the web by heating the web above its glass transition temperature and deforming the web into the pleated configuration. Cooling of the web locks the pleats into position.