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US 6,177,173 B1Granted
Damped laminates having welded through holes and/or edges with decreased spring back and improved fastener force retention and, a method of making
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorA. Dwayne Nelson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to vibration damped laminate articles having improved force (torque and/or pressure and/or stress) retention and decreased or eliminated spring back. An area defining a through hole and/or the periphery of the article is welded. Methods of making the articles and fastening assemblies including the articles are provided.
Claims31
A laminate article comprising:
- a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer;
- at least one layer of vibration damping material comprising a viscoelastic material positioned between said first and second substrate layers;
- optionally one or more additional substrate layers positioned between said first and second substrate layers;
- optionally one or more bonding material layers bonded between a substrate layer and a vibration damping layer, wherein the storage modulus of each bonding material layer is higher than the storage modulus of the viscoelastic material contained in a vibration damping layer to which it is bonded;
- wherein the storage modulus of each substrate layer is greater than that of the viscoelastic material in any vibration damping material layer with which it is in contact;
- wherein the laminate article has at least one through hole extending completely therethrough, wherein an area of the article which defines at least one through hole is welded via weld(s) such that the first substrate layer is welded to the second substrate layer at the through hole.
3 more elements
A method of preparing a laminate article comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a laminate article comprising at least one layer of vibration damping material, the vibration damping material comprising a viscoelastic material, wherein the vibration damping material is positioned between a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer, and optionally one or more additional substrate layers positioned between said first and second substrate layers wherein each substrate layer has a higher storage modulus than the viscoelastic material in any vibration damping material layer with which it is in contact, optionally 1 or more bonding material layers bonded between a substrate layer and a vibration damping layer, wherein the storage modulus of each bonding material layer is higher than the storage modulus of the viscoelastic material contained in a vibration damping layer to which it is bonded;
- and
- (b) providing at least one through hole in the laminate article;
- (c) welding an area of the laminate article defining at least one through hole, such that the first substrate layer is welded to the second substrate layer via weld(s) at the through hole, wherein force is optionally applied to the laminate article during welding such that the layers of the laminate article are in a desired position.
1 more element
A method of preparing a laminate article comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a laminate comprising at least one layer of vibration damping material, the vibration damping material comprising a viscoelastic material, wherein the vibration damping material is positioned between a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer, and optionally one or more additional substrate layers positioned between said first and second substrate layers wherein each substrate layer has a higher storage modulus than the viscoelastic material in any vibration damping material layer with which it is in contact, optionally 1 or more bonding material layers bonded between a substrate layer and a vibration damping layer, wherein the storage modulus of each bonding material layer is higher than the storage modulus of the viscoelastic material contained in a vibration damping layer to which it is bonded;
- and
- (b) stamping a laminate article out of the laminate wherein the laminate article has at least one through hole therein;
- (c) welding an area of the laminate article defining at least one through hole, such that the first substrate layer is welded to the second substrate layer via weld(s) at the through hole, wherein force is applied to the laminate during welding to maintain the substrate layers in a parallel position.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.