Process for making a laminated sheet
AssigneeR.A. Investment Management S.A.R.L.
InventorsRay ARBESMAN, Nghi PHAM, Winston MACKELVIE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process is provided for making stiff, lightweight laminate materials. At least one sheet of textured lamina having raised pointed structures is forced against a softer plain lamina so as to embed the structures therein. The pointed structures raised from grooves carved into the surface of the sheet material by means of a set of teeth carried on a knife element. The pointed structures may pierce through the softer lamina such that the protruding tips may be bent over or clinched to prevent their easy withdrawal. Two such texturized lamina may be used to sandwich and pierce through the softer lamina and are co-clinched by the other. In this way a light and stiff laminate is created.
Claims16
A continuous process for making a laminate sheet, comprising:
- a) supplying a metal sheet from a continuous roll, the metal sheet having a textured face textured with a plurality of piercing structures, each piercing structure having a respective pointed tip;
- b) bringing the textured face into contact with a second material softer than the metal sheet;
- c) forcing the metal sheet and the second material together to pierce the second material with the plurality of piercing structures;
- and
- d) after step c), bending over at least some of the pointed tips to lock the metal sheet and the second material together.
The continuous process of 1, further comprising, prior to step b), supplying the second material from a continuous roll of the second material.
A continuous process for making laminate sheets, comprising:
- a) supplying a metal sheet from a continuous roll, the metal sheet having a textured face textured with a plurality of piercing structures, each piercing structure having a respective pointed tip;
- b) supplying a second material from a second continuous roll, the second material being softer than the metal sheet;
- b) bringing the textured face of the first metal sheet adjacent the second material;
- and
- c) continuously feeding the first metal sheet and the second material between pressure rollers to force the first metal sheet and the second material together, to pierce the second material with the plurality of piercing structures of the first metal sheet and secure the first metal sheet and second material together to form a laminate sheet;
- and
- d) collecting the laminate sheet on take-up reel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.