Patent · US Expired

Method for manufacturing porous fluoropolymer films

US5552100A · kind A · utility

97Cited by
24References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 2, 1995
Grant dateSep 3, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 2, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB29K2027/18
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method for preparing thin fluoropolymer (PTFE) films, said method generally having the steps of: a) providing an unsintered fluoropolymer film; b) pre-sintering expansion of the film; c) sintering the expanded film with dimensional restraint to prevent shrinkage; and d) post-sintering stretching of the film to a final thickness preferably less than 0.002 inches. The post-sintering stretching of the film in step d may be accomplished in a single step, or may include a series of post-sintering stretching steps. Steps b and c of the method may be carried out bypassing the calendared film through a machine direction orienter device and, thereafter, step d of the method may be accomplished by subsequently repassing the sintered film through the machine direction orienter device, one or more additional times.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.