Michael Chase Houston

US Patent:

6380314, Apr 30, 2002

Filed:

Feb 22, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/511661

Inventors:

David S. Soane - Piedmont CA
Michael R. Houston - Berkeley CA
Toshiaki Hino - Berkeley CA

Assignee:

ZMS, LLC - Emeryville CA

International Classification:

C08F25500

US Classification:

525242, 525292

Abstract:

This disclosure describes a processing approach for the rapid and efficient in-situ polymerization of specially prepared precursor mixtures to achieve near-net-shape production of objects/articles with exact dimensions. The process relies on the use of polymerizable compositions comprised of a mixture of a dead polymer, a reactive plasticizer and an initiator, which compositions are semi-solid-like prior to curing and induce low shrinkage upon curing as a result of their partially polymerized nature prior to processing. The partially polymerized nature of the precursor mixtures also allows extremely impact-resistant objects/articles to be fabricated. Other desirable engineering property attributes can similarly be achieved via the judicious blending of starting ingredients in formulating the polymerizable (curable) mixtures.

US Patent:

6387492, May 14, 2002

Filed:

Apr 23, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/840317

Inventors:

David S. Soane - Piedmont CA
Michael R. Houston - Berkeley CA

Assignee:

Nano-Tex, LLC - Emeryville CA

International Classification:

D01F 600

US Classification:

428376, 428398, 428221

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to thermo-expandable fibers and to the expanded hollow fibers or microtubes, microcellular foam or foamed composite material that results upon heating the expandable fibers. The thermo-expandable fiber of the present invention is characterized by having a polymeric wall surrounding one or more pockets or particles of blowing agent or propellant within the fiber. The polymeric wall may have reactive functional groups on its surface to give a fusible fiber. When the expandable fibers are heated, they expand to form hollow fibers or microtubes comprising polymeric shells surrounding one or more internal gaseous voids, and when the fibers are expanded while in contact with each other, a microcellular foam may be formed. The foam consists of a plurality of hollow fibers fused together, optionally aided by functional groups present on the surface of the heated fibers that act to crosslink the material. When expandable microspheres are mixed with a matrix, which can optionally react with functional groups on the fiber surface, and the resulting combination is heated, the fibers expand to give a foamed composite material in which the hollow fibers or microtubes may optionally be fused or chemically crosslinked to the matrix.

US Patent:

6416690, Jul 9, 2002

Filed:

Feb 16, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/505260

Inventors:

David S. Soane - Piedmont CA
Michael R. Houston - Berkeley CA

Assignee:

ZMS, LLC - Emeryville CA

International Classification:

B29D 1100

US Classification:

264 17, 264 136, 264 138

Abstract:

The invention is directed to a method for making composite optical lenses, which includes the steps of obtaining an optical lens âcoreâ; placing a semi-solid-like polymerizable composition in contact with at least one of the front or back surface of the core; compressing or heating the resulting semi-solid/core sandwich between two mold halves, where the mold contacting the semi-solid polymerizable material has a desired surface geometry; and exposing the semi-solid/core sandwich to a source of polymerizing energy. The resulting composite lens has the desirable characteristics of the core but is also easily fabricated with both toroidal curves and multi-focal pockets as a result of the semi-solid molding process. Also included within the present invention is a composite optical lens comprising a core portion and at least one layer of a cured resin bonded to the core portion, the cured resin comprising an interpenetrating crosslinked polymer network of reactive plasticizer within an entangled dead polymer. In one embodiment, the reactive plasticizer polymer network is further crosslinked to the dead polymer.

US Patent:

6570714, May 27, 2003

Filed:

Dec 5, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/004455

Inventors:

David S. Soane - Piedmont CA
Michael R. Houston - Eagle River WI
Toshiaki Hino - Berkeley CA

Assignee:

ZMS, LLC - Emeryville GA

International Classification:

G02B 2500

US Classification:

359646, 264 11, 264 132, 264 136, 264 138, 264 17, 525 89, 525 90, 525 91, 525 92, 525 94, 525 98, 525107, 525123, 525191, 5253303, 522 6, 428441, 428500, 428515, 428522

Abstract:

The invention is directed to a method for making composite articles, including optical lenses, which includes the steps of obtaining a substrate; placing a semi-solid-like polymerizable composition in contact with at least one of the front or back surface of the substrate; compressing or heating the resulting semi-solid/substrate sandwich between two mold halves, where the mold contacting the semi-solid polymerizable material has a desired surface geometry; and exposing the semi-solid/substrate sandwich to a source of polymerizing energy. The resulting composite article has the desirable characteristics of the substrate but is also easily fabricated as a result of the semi-solid molding process. Also included within the present invention is a composite article comprising a substrate portion and at least one layer of a cured resin bonded to the substrate portion, the cured resin comprising an interpenetrating crosslinked polymer network of reactive plasticizer within a dead polymer. In one embodiment, the reactive plasticizer polymer network is further crosslinked to the dead polymer.

US Patent:

6617364, Sep 9, 2003

Filed:

Sep 5, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/235367

Inventors:

David S. Soane - Piedmont CA
Michael R. Houston - Berkeley CA

Assignee:

Nano-Tex, LLC - Emeryville CA

International Classification:

C08J 916

US Classification:

521 56, 521 59, 521 60, 521149

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to thermo-expandable microspheres and to the expanded microballoons, microcellular foam or foamed composite material that results upon heating the microspheres. The thermo-expandable microsphere of the present invention is characterized by having a polymeric wall surrounding one or more pockets or particles of blowing agent or propellant within the microsphere. The polymeric wall may have reactive functional groups on its surface to give a fusible microsphere. When the microspheres are heated, they expand to form microballoons comprising polymeric shells surrounding one or more internal gaseous voids, and when the microspheres are expanded while in contact with each other, a microcellular foam may be formed. The foam consists of a plurality of microballoons fused together, optionally aided by functional groups present on the surface of the heated microspheres that act to crosslink the material. When microspheres are mixed with a matrix, which can optionally react with functional groups on the microsphere surface, and the resulting combination is heated, the microspheres expand to give a foamed composite material in which the microballoons may be fused or chemically crosslinked to the matrix.

US Patent:

6638984, Oct 28, 2003

Filed:

Sep 5, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/235418

Inventors:

David S. Soane - Piedmont CA
Michael R. Houston - Berkeley CA

Assignee:

Nano-Tex, LLC - Emeryville CA

International Classification:

C08J 932

US Classification:

521 56, 521 59, 521 60, 521149, 521134

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to thermo-expandable microspheres and to the expanded microballoons, microcellular foam or foamed composite material that results upon heating the microspheres. The thermo-expandable microsphere of the present invention is characterized by having a polymeric wall surrounding one or more pockets or particles of blowing agent or propellant within the microsphere. The polymeric wall may have reactive functional groups on its surface to give a fusible microsphere. When the microspheres are heated, they expand to form microballoons comprising polymeric shells surrounding one or more internal gaseous voids, and when the microspheres are expanded while in contact with each other, a microcellular foam may be formed. The foam consists of a plurality of microballoons fused together, optionally aided by functional groups present on the surface of the heated microspheres that act to crosslink the material. When microspheres are mixed with a matrix, which can optionally react with functional groups on the microsphere surface, and the resulting combination is heated, the microspheres expand to give a foamed composite material in which the microballoons may be fused or chemically crosslinked to the matrix.

US Patent:

6749779, Jun 15, 2004

Filed:

Sep 14, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/952661

Inventors:

David S. Soane - Piedmont CA
Michael R. Houston - Eagle River WI
Toshiaki Hino - Berkeley CA

Assignee:

ZMS, LLC - Emeryville CA

International Classification:

B29D 1100

US Classification:

264 11, 264 17, 264 26, 264405, 264446, 264494

Abstract:

This disclosure describes a processing approach for the rapid and efficient in-situ polymerization of specially prepared precursor mixtures to achieve near-net-shape production of objects/articles with exact dimensions. The process relies on the use of polymerizable compositions comprised of a mixture of a reactive plasticizer and an initiator, optionally also including a dead polymer, which compositions are semi-solid-like and induce little shrinkage upon curing as a result of their partially polymerized nature prior to processing. The articles of the invention have a surface and an interior core, the composition of the surface material being distinct from the composition of the core material while at the same time the surface and the core are an integral, monolithic entity. In addition, the articles are dimensionally stable and exhibit high fidelity replication.

US Patent:

6821458, Nov 23, 2004

Filed:

Dec 5, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/004453

Inventors:

David S. Soane - Piedmont CA
Michael R. Houston - Eagle River WI
Toshiaki Hino - Berkeley CA

Assignee:

ZMS, LLC - Emeryville CA

International Classification:

B29D 1100

US Classification:

264 11, 359642, 525242

Abstract:

This disclosure describes a processing approach for the rapid and efficient in-situ polymerization of specially prepared precursor mixtures to achieve near-net-shape production of objects/articles with exact dimensions. The process relies on the use of polymerizable compositions comprised of a mixture of a dead polymer, a reactive plasticizer and an initiator, which compositions are semi-solid-like prior to curing and induce low shrinkage upon curing as a result of their partially polymerized nature prior to processing. The partially polymerized nature of the precursor mixtures also allows extremely impact-resistant objects/articles to be fabricated. Other desirable engineering property attributes can similarly be achieved via the judicious blending of starting ingredients in formulating the polymerizable (curable) mixtures.