Appeal No. 2002-0679 2
Application No. 08/684,351
THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a sealed bladder inflated with a gas or liquid. The
bladder comprises a laminated membrane having thermoplastic polyurethane as a first layer
of the laminate. A second layer of the laminate is directed to a copolymer of ethylene and
vinyl alcohol. The contact between the first and second layer consists essentially of
hydrogen bonding. Additional limitations are described in the following illustrative claims.
THE CLAIM
Claim 1 is illustrative of appellants’ invention and is reproduced below.
1. A sealed bladder inflated with a media in the form of either a gas or liquid,
comprising:
a laminated membrane comprising
a first layer including a thermoplastic urethane that provides elasticity to said
laminated membrane; and
a second layer including at least one copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, said
second layer providing selective imperviousness from gaseous fluids to said laminated
membrane;
wherein contact between said first and second layers occurs upon laminating said
first and second layers together at a temperature of between about 300/ to about 465/F
and consists essentially of hydrogen bonding.
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