Process for curing a porous muffler preform
First Claim
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1. A process for curing a porous muffler preform defined by a plurality of glass fibers and a heat-curing thermoset or thermoplastic material applied to the plurality of glass fibers, the process comprising:
- retaining the muffler preform in a mold, the mold including a plurality of openings;
enclosing the mold including the muffler preform in a chamber;
introducing a flow of steam into the chamber through an inlet port such that the steam travels along a path toward the mold; and
positioning a baffle in the path between the flow of steam and the mold,wherein the flow of steam contacts the baffle and diffuses prior to the steam passing through the openings in the mold.
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Abstract
A process for curing a porous muffler preform defined by a plurality of glass fibers and a heat-curing thermoset or thermoplastic materials applied to the plurality of glass fibers is disclosed herein. The process includes the step of enclosing the muffler preform in a chamber. The process also includes the step of surrounding the muffler preform with steam. The process also includes the step of causing steam to enter the muffler preform from multiple directions.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A process for curing a porous muffler preform defined by a plurality of glass fibers and a heat-curing thermoset or thermoplastic material applied to the plurality of glass fibers, the process comprising:
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retaining the muffler preform in a mold, the mold including a plurality of openings; enclosing the mold including the muffler preform in a chamber; introducing a flow of steam into the chamber through an inlet port such that the steam travels along a path toward the mold; and positioning a baffle in the path between the flow of steam and the mold, wherein the flow of steam contacts the baffle and diffuses prior to the steam passing through the openings in the mold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22)
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18. A process for curing a porous muffler preform defined by a plurality of glass fibers and a heat-curing thermoset or thermoplastic material applied to the plurality of glass fibers, the process comprising:
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retaining the muffler preform in a mold, the mold including a plurality of openings; enclosing the mold including the muffler preform in a chamber; directing steam into the chamber so that the steam does not directly impinge on the muffler preform; redirecting the flow of steam within the chamber prior to the steam passing through the openings in the mold; raising the temperature of the muffler preform to substantially the temperature of the steam by contacting the muffler preform with the steam; raising the pressure in the chamber through the introduction of the steam to the chamber; condensing water on the muffler preform to impart heat to the heat-curing thermoset or thermoplastic material; maintaining the temperature and pressure of the steam in the chamber for the time required to cure the binder or cause the binder to flow sufficiently that the preform will have mechanical integrity when cooled; and venting the chamber after the maintaining step such that the pressure in the chamber returns to atmospheric in less than 1 minute. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification