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US 5,059,476 AGranted
Hinged rigid or semirigid product
AssigneeThe B. F. Goodrich Company
InventorsJohn L. Steiniger, Glen D. Schaaf, William S. Greenlee, Elaine A. Mertzel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hinged flexible article is provided which has rigid or semirigid substrate means with an insert of a hinge material which permits repeated flexing of the article about the hinge without failure. The substrate means has a hardness of at least about 35 Shore D as measured by ASTM test D-2240, while the hinge material has a hardness of from about 25 to about 60 Shore D as measured by ASTM test D-2240.
Claims18
An article having a smooth planar flexible section, said article comprising:
- rigid or semirigid substrate means having a hardness of greater than about 35 Shore D as measured by ASTM test D-2240, said substrate means including at least one substrate adhering interface,
- hinge means having a hardness of from about 25 to about 60 Shore D as measured by ASTM test D-2240 and said hinge means either being softer than said substrate means as measured by ASTM test D-2240 or having a greater flex fatigue resistance said hinge means including at least one hinge means adhering interface and said hinge means adhering interface adhering with said substrate means adhering interface to form said flexible section, said flexible section having a first exterior surface and a second exterior surface, said first and said second exterior surfaces both being substantially coplanar, continuous and unbroken, whereby said article is capable of repeated distortion through at least 90.degree. within said flexible section without failure.
A foldable article having a smooth, planar flexible section, said article comprising:
- rigid or semirigid thermoplastic substrate means comprises of a polyvinyl chloride or a copolymer or blend or plasticized composition which is at least 50 percent polyvinyl chloride by weight and having a hardness as measured by ASTM test D-2240 of greater than about 60 Shore D, said substrate means including at least one substrate adhering interface;
- hinge means comprised of a polyurethane having a hardness as measured by ASTM test D-2240 of from about 40 to about 50 Shore D, said hinge means being at least 20 Shore D hardness units softer than said substrate means, said hinge means including at least one hinge means adhering interface and said hinge means adhering interface adhering directly with said substrate means adhering interface to form said flexible section, said flexible section having a first exterior surface and a second exterior surface, said first and second exterior surfaces both being substantially coplanar, continuous and unbroken and whereby said article is capable of being bent back on itself along said flexible section at least fifteen times without failure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.