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US 5,848,769 AGranted
Drag reduction article
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsDaniel R. Fronek, Timothy J. Kryzer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article for reducing the drag caused by a fluid flowing over a surface comprises an outer layer having an exposed patterned surface that reduces drag, an inner reinforcing layer, and an intermediate layer for bonding the outer layer to the reinforcing layer.
Claims25
A multilayer drag reduction article comprising:
- (a) an outer layer having an exposed, patterned surface that reduces the drag caused by a fluid flowing over the surface;
- (b) an inner, reinforcing layer;
- and
- (c) an intermediate bonding layer for bonding the outer layer to the reinforcing layer,
- wherein material comprising the inner, reinforcing layer is more elastic than material comprising the intermediate bonding layer.
2 more elements
A multilayer drag reduction article comprising:
- (a) an outer layer having an exposed, patterned surface that reduces the drag caused by a fluid flowing over the surface;
- (b) an inner, reinforcing layer;
- and
- (c) an intermediate bonding layer for bonding the outer layer to the reinforcing layer,
- wherein material comprising the inner, reinforcing layer has at least about 300% elongation without breaking.
2 more elements
A multilayer drag reduction article comprising:
- (a) an outer layer having an exposed, patterned surface that reduces the drag caused by a fluid flowing over the surface;
- (b) an inner, reinforcing layer;
- and
- (c) an intermediate bonding layer for bonding the outer layer to the reinforcing layer,
- wherein the inner, reinforcing layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethanes and poly(vinyl chloride).
2 more elements
A multilayer drag reduction article comprising:
- (a) an outer layer having an exposed, patterned surface that reduces the drag caused by a fluid flowing over the surface;
- (b) an inner, reinforcing layer;
- and
- (c) an intermediate bonding layer for bonding the outer layer to the reinforcing layer,
- wherein material comprising the inner, reinforcing layer is more elastic than material comprising the outer layer.
2 more elements
A multilayer drag reduction article comprising;
- (a) an outer layer having an exposed, patterned surface that reduces the drag caused by a fluid flowing over the surface, wherein:
- (1) the outer layer comprises at least one polymer that includes polymerized units of vinylidene fluoride, and at least one polymer that comprises the polymerization product of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, and blends thereof;
- and
- (2) the exposed, patterned surface is a series of essentially parallel peaks separated by a series of essentially parallel valleys;
- (b) an inner, reinforcing layer;
- (c) an intermediate bonding layer for bonding the outer layer to the reinforcing layer wherein the intermediate bonding layer comprises at least one polymer that includes polymerized units of vinylidene fluoride, and at least one other polymer that comprises the polymerization product of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, and blends thereof,
- wherein material comprising the inner, reinforcing layer is more elastic than material comprising the outer layer;
- and
- (d) a pressure sensitive adhesive on the inner reinforcing layer for bonding the drag reduction article to a surface.
6 more elements
An article that is capable of reducing the drag caused by a fluid flowing, over a substrate to which the article is attached, the drag reduction article comprising:
- (a) an outer layer having an exposed, patterned surface that reduces the drag caused by the fluid flowing over the surface, wherein:
- (1) the outer layer comprises a blend of first and second polymers, the first polymer comprising at least 70% by weight of at least one polymer that is selected from the group consisting of poly(vinylidene fluoride), tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene-vinylidene fluoride terpolymer, and blends thereof, and the second polymer comprising at most 30% by weight poly(methyl methacrylate);
- and
- (2) the exposed, patterned surface is a series of essentially parallel peaks separated by a series of essentially parallel valleys;
- (b) a thermoplastic polyurethane inner, reinforcing layer;
- (c) an intermediate bonding layer for bonding the outer layer to the reinforcing layer wherein the intermediate bonding layer comprises a blend of first and second polymers, the first polymer comprising at most 30% by weight of at least one polymer that is selected from the group consisting of poly(vinylidene fluoride), tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene-vinylidene fluoride terpolymer, and blends thereof, and the second polymer comprising at least 70% by weight poly(methyl methacrylate);
- and
- (d) a pressure sensitive adhesive on the inner reinforcing layer for bonding the drag reduction article to the substrate.
5 more elements
A method of reducing the drag caused by a fluid flowing over a surface, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a surface over which a fluid may flow;
- (b) providing an article capable of reducing the drag created by the fluid flowing over the surface provided in step (a), the article comprising:
- (1) an outer layer having an exposed, patterned surface that reduces the drag caused by the fluid flowing over the surface;
- (2) an inner, reinforcing layer;
- and
- (3) an intermediate bonding layer for bonding the outer layer to the reinforcing layer,
- wherein material comprising the inner reinforcing layer is more elastic than material comprising the outer layer;
- and
- (c) attaching the article from step (b) to the surface provided in step (a) so as to reduce the drag created by the fluid flowing over that surface.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.