Venting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016236440-A1
Application number	US-201615042529-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A venting apparatus is disclosed herein. The venting apparatus comprises a substrate, such as a metal substrate or a specialty plastic substrate, having an opening therein and a fluoropolymer membrane, such as ePTFE, disposed over said opening and thermally bonded using a thermoplastic material to said substrate. This allows the fluoropolymer membrane to be directly bonded to the said substrate without using an adhesive layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a. a substrate having an opening therein; and b. a fluoropolymer membrane disposed over said opening and thermally bonded using a thermoplastic material to said substrate.

2 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said fluoropolymer membrane is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, fluorinated ethylenepropylene, and perfluoroalkoxy polymer.

3 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said fluoropolymer membrane is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

4 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said apparatus does not comprise an adhesive layer between said substrate and said fluoropolymer membrane.

5 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene (EFEP), tetrafluoroethylene hexafluoropropylene vinylidene fluoride (THV), poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoro-propylene) (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), ethylene tetratfluorothethylene (ETFE), and blends of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins and nitrile rubber.

6 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic material is at least partially wetted into said fluoropolymer membrane.

7 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic material comprises a colorant.

8 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic material comprises an opening that is aligned with the opening of the substrate.

9 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said substrate is a metal substrate.

10 . The apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein said metal substrate is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, carbon steel, and stainless steel.

11 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a specialty plastic substrate.

12 . The apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein said specialty plastic substrate is selected from the group consisting of glass filled polyphenylene sulfide (PPS); polybutylene terephthalate (PBT); polyether ether ketone (PEEK); polypthalam ides (PPA); acetal homopolymers; polyethylene terephthalate (PET); thermoset epoxies; and thermoset elastomers.

13 . The apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein said thermoset elastomers are selected from the group consisting of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), nitrile rubber (NBR), silicone, and fluoroelastomers.

14 . A method of assembling a venting apparatus comprising:
providing a thermoplastic material between a fluoropolymer membrane and a substrate; and thermally bonding said fluoropolymer membrane to said substrate by heating said thermoplastic material at a temperature from 250° C. to 500° C.

15 . The method as defined in claim 14 , wherein the thermally bonding step is not greater than 15 seconds.

Assignees

• Gore & Ass

Inventors

• Bacino John E

Classifications

• B32B2309/04

  Time · CPC title

• B32B2307/724

  Permeability to gases, adsorption · CPC title

• B29C66/919

  characterised by specific temperature, heat or thermal flux values or ranges (specific electrical resistance values B29C66/81262) · CPC title

• B29C66/723

  being multi-layered (B29C66/7292, B29C66/72941 take precedence) · CPC title

• B32B2037/1223

  film-shaped · CPC title