Thomas William Fields

US Patent:

6440546, Aug 27, 2002

Filed:

Oct 13, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/417506

Inventors:

Thomas Randall Fields - Charlotte NC
Scott William Huffer - Lancaster SC

Assignee:

Ream Industries Corp. - Charlotte NC

International Classification:

B32B 516

US Classification:

428220, 428323, 428328, 428329, 428331, 428332, 428337, 428339, 428409, 4284237, 4284242, 4284749, 4284755, 4284758, 428515, 428518, 428923, 428926

Abstract:

The flexible, weatherable decorative sheet material provided by the present invention comprises a thermoformable decorative paint film having an inner surface and a weatherable, low gloss outer surface suitable for forming an exterior finish for a part, such as an automobile body part. The sheet material further includes an extensible mask layer releasably adhered to the outer surface of the paint film to form a protective film overlying the paint film. The mask layer comprises a film-forming polymer component and a particulate filler, such as silica, dispersed in the polymer component. A method of constructing the decorative sheet material, a method of controlling the gloss appearance of a paint film, and a composite shaped part including the decorative sheet material are also provided.

US Patent:

6565955, May 20, 2003

Filed:

Jun 15, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/882601

Inventors:

Thomas R. Fields - Charlotte NC
Don Smith - Matthews NC
Quan Song - Matthews NC
Mark O. Outlaw - Charlotte NC
Kenneth W. Dick - San Ramon CA

Assignee:

Soliant LLC - Lancaster SC

International Classification:

B32B 1500

US Classification:

428209, 428409, 428421, 4284231, 428500

Abstract:

A bright metallized formable film laminate having excellent optical and deformation properties. The bright metallized formable film laminate preferably includes a formable, weatherable clear coat film comprising polyvinylidene difluoride, a formable clear coat leveling layer on the weatherable clear coat film, and a discontinuous layer of indium islands deposited on the formable leveling layer, opposite said weatherable clear coat film. Also disclosed are methods of making such bright metallized formable film laminates.

US Patent:

6858287, Feb 22, 2005

Filed:

Aug 10, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/927753

Inventors:

Thomas R. Fields - Charlotte NC, US

Assignee:

Soliant LLC - Lancaster SC

International Classification:

B32B015/00
B32B015/04
B32B015/02
B32B027/00
B32B027/06

US Classification:

428209, 428626, 428601, 428609, 428910, 428646, 428642, 428687, 428612, 428156, 428215, 428220, 428457, 428500, 428409

Abstract:

The invention is a formable, bright metallized laminate that has superior optical and deformation properties. The metallized laminate is made from a plurality of discontinuous metal island layers deposited on a formable clear coat film. The invention is also a method that includes depositing a first discontinuous layer of metal islands upon a formable clear coat film and then depositing a second discontinuous layer of metal islands onto the first discontinuous layer of metal islands.

US Patent:

8365646, Feb 5, 2013

Filed:

Jul 17, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/993740

Inventors:

Thomas W. Fields - Wadsworth OH, US

International Classification:

D04C 1/02
D04C 1/06

US Classification:

87 2, 87 6

Abstract:

A securing device is provided comprised of a reactive fiber component and at least one of a terminating fiber component and an initiating fiber component. The reactive fiber component includes at least one of the following: an undrawn polymer fiber and a substantially undrawn polymer fiber, wherein the first reactive fiber component is operative to stretch responsive to a load. The terminating fiber component is in a compressed state and is operative to elongate to a length at which the terminating fiber component is operative to prevent further stretching of the first reactive fiber component responsive to the load. The initiating fiber component is operative to break responsive to a predetermined force and permit the first reactive fiber component to stretch responsive to the load.

US Patent:

20010051255, Dec 13, 2001

Filed:

Mar 23, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/816295

Inventors:

Thomas Fields - Charlotte NC, US
Don Smith - Matthews NC, US
Quan Song - Matthews NC, US
Mark Outlaw - Charlotte NC, US
Kenneth Dick - San Ramon CA, US

International Classification:

B32B003/00

US Classification:

428/209000, 156/333000

Abstract:

Disclosed is a method for forming a bright metallized laminate. In one aspect, the method includes press polishing a polyvinylidene difluoride-containing film, either before or after the deposition of a discontinuous layer of indium islands, so that the polyvinylidene difluoride-containing film becomes microscopically smooth. In another aspect, the method includes applying a thermoplastic leveling layer to a polyvinylidene difluoride-containing film and thereafter depositing a discontinuous layer of indium islands upon the thermoplastic leveling layer.

US Patent:

20020192440, Dec 19, 2002

Filed:

Jun 15, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/882663

Inventors:

Thomas Fields - Charlotte NC, US
Don Smith - Matthews NC, US
Quan Song - Matthews NC, US
Mark Outlaw - Charlotte NC, US

International Classification:

B32B003/00

US Classification:

428/209000, 428/500000, 428/510000, 428/458000

Abstract:

Disclosed is a bright metallized formable film laminate having excellent optical and deformation properties. The bright metallized formable film laminate preferably includes a formable, weatherable clear coat film comprising polyvinylidene difluoride, a formable clear coat leveling layer on the weatherable clear coat film, and a discontinuous layer of tin islands deposited on the formable leveling layer, opposite said weatherable clear coat film. Also disclosed are methods of making such bright metallized formable film laminates.

US Patent:

20130139741, Jun 6, 2013

Filed:

Feb 4, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/758172

Inventors:

Thomas W. Fields - Wadsworth OH, US

International Classification:

B63B 21/20

US Classification:

11423021

Abstract:

A mooring loop is provided for use with connecting a mooring line to a bollard. The mooring loop may stretch and function as a time delay fuse when excessive loads are applied to the mooring line. The mooring loop is comprised of a reactive fiber component in the shape of a continuous loop that includes a plurality of at least one of: an undrawn hydrophobic polymer fiber or a substantially undrawn hydrophobic polymer fiber. At least two jackets are in surrounding relation to portions of the reactive fiber component. The at least two jackets include respective end portions which overlap. As the mooring loop stretches, a visual indicator on an end portion of one of the jackets pulls out of and away from the end portion of the other one of the jackets. The visual indicator serves as a warning that excessive loads are being applied to the mooring line.

US Patent:

56099444, Mar 11, 1997

Filed:

May 11, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/439474

Inventors:

Thomas R. Fields - Charlotte NC
Amy E. Bohr - Matthews NC
Kendalyn R. McCoy - Monroe NC
Lawrence C. Forszen - Novi MI

Assignee:

Rexam Industries Corp. - Charlotte NC

International Classification:

B32B 300
B41C 100
B32B 2706

US Classification:

428207

Abstract:

A gravure roll and associated coating methods are disclosed that produces a uniform coating gradient on a substrate. The gravure roll comprising a series of cells arranged in circumferential line density sections in which the line densities progressively increase from section to section, and in which the cell volumes progressively decrease within each section, and in which the cell volumes at the end of one section are substantially the same as the cell volumes at the beginning of the next adjacent section.