Patent ID: 6488799
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: B29C,B29D,B29L,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of forming a structure suitable for use as a core member, comprising:forming a row of aligned segments having an elongated tubular shape, each of said segments having a thermoplastic composition, a pair of spaced apart ends defining the length of said segments, and a longitudinal axis extending along said length, said aligned segments being in substantially abutting contact along their respective lengths and said row having a preselected width; assembling said rows of the aligned segments in abutting relationship with another one of said rows to form a stack of said rows of aligned segments, said stack having a width substantially equal to the width of said rows of aligned segments, a depth substantially equal to the preselected length of said segments, and a height determined by one of the number of rows of aligned segments assembled in said stack and the preselected width of said rows, and simultaneously cutting said stack of assembled rows of aligned segments in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axes of the aligned segments at a plurality of preselected spaced apart distances in a direction along said longitudinal axes and forming a plurality of separate structures each having a width and height substantially equal to the width and height of said stack and a thickness determined by the preselected distance between said transverse cuts, and simultaneously fusing adjacently disposed aligned segments to each other at at least one of the respective cut ends of the segments.