LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
B32B
Note(s)
The classification of layered products is provided for in many classes. However, most of these classes are confined to a particular kind of material. This sub-class provides for the classification of those inventions dealing with different kinds of material or where the characteristic feature of the invention does not reside in the particular kind of material used. Furthermore, in order that this sub-class may provide a basis for making a complete search with respect to layered products, all relevant inventions are classified here even though they may also be classified elsewhere.
In this sub-class, a "layer" is a sheet or strip or anything else having a small thickness relatively to its other dimensions which, together with at least one other layer, exists in a product, whether it pre-existed, e.g. as a separate sheet or strip, or was formed during the production of the layered product. It may or may not be homogeneous or cohesive; it may be an assembly of fibres or pieces of material. It may be discontinuous, e.g. in the form of a grating, honeycomb, or frame. It may or may not be in complete contact with the next layer, e.g. a corrugated layer against a flat layer.
A film formed on a layer by spreading a substance thereon is not considered to constitute a layer itself if it serves only as an adhesive or its purpose is merely to finish a surface of a product.
A layered product comprises at least two layers secured together. The term "secured" is to be interpreted broadly to include any method of uniting layers, e.g. needling, stitching, gluing, nailing, dove-tailing or the interposition of an adhesive or adhesive impregnated support. The layers are preformed layers or layers formed in situ on a preformed layer and may consist of coherent solid materials, including honey-combs and other cellular materials or of non-coherent solid materials composed of assemblies of strands, strips, fibres, tiles or the like.
This sub-class also includes a product similar to that described in (c) but comprising only material in the form of a sheet or network embedded in a mass of plastics or of physically-similar substances which mass penetrates the said sheet or network and lies on both sides of the latter (e.g. so that the sheet or network reinforces the plastics substance) provided that the embedded sheet or network extends coherently or connectedly over substantially the whole area of the product; thus the embedded sheet or network may be a fabric or a series of rods connected by cross wires. The manner of making such a product is, however, classified here only if it is essentially a process of building-up an assembly of layers of which at least one outer layer is preformed. If the embedded material comprises only a series of unconnected rods, the product is not classified here.
A layered product may be an intermediate stage in the production of an article which is not layered in its final form, e.g. a panel with a protective layer which is stripped off when the panel is placed in its position of use.
Compositions and preparation or treatment thereof, unless the invention is essentially restricted to layered products and cannot be fully classified in another class without ignoring this restriction.
Etched metallic pattern on the surface of a printed circuit board. [3]
The following observations are of importance in considering the elaborations of this sub-class:
In so far as methods and apparatus are classified in this sub-class, groups designating products cover also methods and apparatus specially adapted for producing such products.
The term "filamentary layer" means a layer of threads or filaments of any substance (e.g. wires) of more or less unlimited length placed in an orderly arrangement and secured together; it may be woven, knitted, braided, or netted, or formed of threads crossed or laid side by side and bonded together.
The term "fibrous layer" means a random assembly of fibres or filaments, usually of limited length, e.g. felt, fleece; the fibres may or may not be interengaged or connected, e.g. by adhesive.
At each level of indentation, subject matter covered by two or more of the groups of this sub-class is classified in the first appropriate place, except where the contrary is indicated by precedence notes.
B32B 1/00
Layered products essentially having a general shape other than plane
B32B 1/00
Note(s)
For classification of a product in this group, surface unevennesses or non-uniformities and the shape of individual layers are ignored.
B32B 1/02
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Receptacles, e.g. tanks
B32B 1/04
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characterised by feature of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions
B32B 1/06
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characterised by fillings or added members in hollow portions
B32B 1/08
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Tubular products
B32B 1/10
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Methods specially adapted for forming such products, e.g. by applying layers successively to a shaped base
Channels, voids, and cavities may be filled otherwise than with air, e.g. with gas, with liquid, with other material different from that of the layer in which they occur.
B32B 3/02
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characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions
B32B 3/04
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characterised by a layer folded at the edge, e.g. over another layer
B32B 3/06
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for securing layers together; for attaching the product to another member, e.g. to a support (use or provision of nails, stitches, or similar separate fastening elements for these purposes Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B32B 7/08)
B32B 3/08
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characterised by added members at particular parts
B32B 3/10
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characterised by a discontinuous layer, i.e. apertured or formed of separate pieces of material
B32B 3/10
Note(s)
A series of spaced separate elements forming in effect a broken surface should be regarded as a layer.
B32B 3/12
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characterised by a layer of regularly-arranged cells whether integral or formed individually or by conjunction of separate strips, e.g. honeycomb structure
B32B 3/14
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characterised by a face layer formed of separate pieces of material
B32B 3/16
· · ·
secured to a flexible backing
B32B 3/18
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characterised by an internal layer formed of separate pieces of material
B32B 3/20
· · ·
of hollow pieces, e.g. tubes; of pieces with channels or cavities
characterised by a particular shape of the outline of the cross-section of a continuous layer; characterised by a layer with cavities or internal voids (regular cells Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B32B 3/12)
Fibres, filaments, granules, or powder forming or included in a layer may be impregnated, bonded together, or embedded in a substance such as synthetic resin. If the substance of the fibres, etc., or the impregnating, bonding, or embedding substance, is important it is classified in the relevant group for the substance.
B32B 5/02
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characterised by structural features of a layer comprising fibres or filaments (formed of particles, e.g. chips, chopped fibres, powder, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B32B 5/16)
one or both of the layers having adhesive or inter-reactive properties
B32B 7/12
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using an adhesive
B32B 7/14
· · ·
applied in stripes or other spaced arrangement
B32B 9/00 - B32B 29/00
Layered products characterised by particular substances used
B32B 9/00 - B32B 29/00
Note(s)
In the groups under this heading
the term "specific substance" covers specified alternative substances if they are all covered by a single main group;
the term "particulate layer" means a layer of particles, e.g. chips, chopped fibres, powder.
The term "essentially" is used with the meaning that if an alteration or removal of such a layer occurred it would alter the scope of the invention. [3]
as the main or only constituent of a layer next to another layer of a specific substance
B32B 27/08
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of synthetic resin of a different kind
B32B 27/10
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of paper or cardboard
B32B 27/12
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next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
B32B 27/14
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next to a particulate layer
B32B 27/16
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specially treated, e.g. irradiated
B32B 27/18
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characterised by the use of special additives
B32B 27/20
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using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents
B32B 27/22
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using plasticisers
B32B 27/24
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using solvents or swelling agents
B32B 27/26
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using curing agents
B32B 27/28
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comprising copolymers of synthetic resins not wholly covered by any one of the following sub-groups
B32B 27/30
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comprising vinyl resin; comprising acrylic resin
B32B 27/32
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comprising polyolefins
B32B 27/34
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comprising polyamides
B32B 27/36
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comprising polyesters
B32B 27/38
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comprising epoxy resin
B32B 27/40
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comprising polyurethanes
B32B 27/42
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comprising melamine, urea, phenol, or similar aldehyde condensation resins
B32B 29/00
Layered products essentially comprising paper or cardboard
B32B 29/02
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next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
B32B 29/04
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next to a particulate layer
B32B 29/06
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specially treated, e.g. surfaced, parchmentised
B32B 29/08
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Corrugated paper, corrugated cardboard [3]
B32B 31/00
Making layered products (making non-planar products Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B32B 1/00; making products characterised by particular features of structure or of composition, see the relevant groups for such products)
B32B 31/00
Note(s)
Layered products may also be classified here if the invention does not reside in their structure or composition per se.
B32B 31/02
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involving assembly of a non-flat intermediate product, e.g. forming a tube and then flattening it
B32B 31/04
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characterised by assembling pre-formed layers
B32B 31/06
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accompanied by formation of a layer between them
B32B 31/08
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involving the assembly of two or more webs of indefinite length
B32B 31/10
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involving the assembly of a web or webs together with a succession of separate panels or pieces of material
B32B 31/12
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combined with coating or other treatment of a layer before or during assembly
characterised by layered material being formed by means of extruding apparatus
B32B 33/00
Layered products characterised by particular properties or particular surface features, e.g. particular surface coatings (surface unevennesses or non-uniformities Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B32B 3/00); Layered products designed for particular purposes not covered by another single class
B32B 35/00
Operations or devices concerned specially with layered products and not otherwise provided for, e.g. for repairing