Metal fibermat/polymer composite
First Claim
1. A shaped article shaped by thermoforming of a planar sheet, said shaped article having a shape requiring said planar sheet to exhibit a stretch ratio of at least about 300%, said article comprising:
- a shield for electromagnetic interference consisting essentially of a unitary fibrous metal mat, including fused metal fiber-to-fiber contacts, said mat comprising a low melting metal or metal alloy having a melting point in the range from about 70°
C. to about 370°
C., said metal mat being substantially surrounded by a thermoplastic coating, said metal mat further being supported by a non-porous carrier sheet, said shaped article being substantially free from metal bumps and metal mat gaps.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A shaped article having EMI shielding properties, having been shaped by thermoforming of a planar sheet, and having a shape requiring the planar sheet to exhibit a stretch ratio of at least about 300%, and up to about 500%. The article consists essentially of a fibrous metal mat substantially surrounded by a fiber-coat and a polymeric carrier for support of the mat. The fiber mat may also be embedded into the carrier material. The fiber-coat may be sprayed onto the mat or, as a thermoplastic material, may be forced together with the metal fiber mat to surround it, and such procedure may take place before or after attachment to the carrier material.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A shaped article shaped by thermoforming of a planar sheet, said shaped article having a shape requiring said planar sheet to exhibit a stretch ratio of at least about 300%, said article comprising:
a shield for electromagnetic interference consisting essentially of a unitary fibrous metal mat, including fused metal fiber-to-fiber contacts, said mat comprising a low melting metal or metal alloy having a melting point in the range from about 70°
C. to about 370°
C., said metal mat being substantially surrounded by a thermoplastic coating, said metal mat further being supported by a non-porous carrier sheet, said shaped article being substantially free from metal bumps and metal mat gaps.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A composite thermoformable planar sheet consisting essentially of a non-porous carrier sheet with a metal fiber mat of randomly oriented, low melting metal fibers, as a shield for electromagnetic interference, said metal fiber mat being substantially surrounded by a thermoplastic fiber-coat material, said fiber-coat material being attached prior to or after attachment of said low melting metal fibers to the non-porous carrier sheet, said composite thermoformable planar sheet being capable of being formed into a shaped article having fused metal fiber-to-fiber contacts.
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16. A shaped article having been formed by insert injection molding, said shaped article having as an integral portion an EMI shield, consisting of a composite, sheet consisting essentially of a non-porous carrier sheet with a mat of randomly oriented, low melting metal fibers, said mat of randomly oriented, low melting metal fibers being substantially surrounded by a thermoplastic coating material, said thermoplastic coating material being attached prior to or after attachment of the metal fibers to said non-porous sheet, said EMI shield including fused metal fiber-to-fiber contacts said composite sheet fashioned from a planar sheet into said integral portion of said shaped article by inserting said planar sheet into the injection molding mold before infecting resin therein.
Specification