LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM

**Definition:** This place covers:

**Glossary:** - Adhesive: Substance applied in any state or in any manner that has bonding properties. - Coating: A coating in the sense of B32B is obtained by processes such as: (A) Brushing, flowing, spraying, dipping or doctor blading a solution or dispersion; (B) Sputtering, vapour/plasma/vacuum depositing; (C) Deposition of loose particles or fibres, e.g. by sprinkling, flocking, air laying; and (D) Deposition of fibres/pulp/particles in a wet slurry as in paper making (wet laying). Coatings are not considered defined B32B layers (see definition of Layer below). - Discontinuous layer: A layer formed of separate pieces of material having both a physical discontinuity and a continuous path through each of its major directions (e.g. x and y, or length and width). Examples include a grating, a honeycomb, a frame, or separate pieces of material that are juxtaposed side-by-side. Examples of discontinuous layers are as follows: - Embedded layer: A layer that is set, surrounded, enveloped, or enclosed in an impregnating material, mass of plastic or similar substance that penetrates and/or lies on side edges of the layer. - Fibrous layer: Random assembly of fibres or filaments, usually of limited length, e.g. felt or fleece, the fibres being interengaged or connected, e.g. by adhesive. - Filamentary layer: Layer of threads, filaments, tapes or ribbons of any substance (including wires) of more or less unlimited length secured together; it may be, e.g. woven, knitted, braided, netted, spunbonded, or formed of threads or filaments crossed or laid side by side and bonded together. - Film: Within B32B , a film that is formed by extrusion or moulding or that is formed as a self-supporting transfer coating is a layer. A film that is formed in-situ by coating is not considered to be a layer within the scope of B32B . - Impregnated layer: A layer that is at least partially filled by a material and has been obtained by permeating or saturating at least a part of the layer with a liquid substance, e.g. dispersions, uncured polymer, melted or molten polymer, glass, metals, settable compositions. - Juxtaposed side-by-side: In direct contact or with a bonding material, e.g. adhesive or mortar, in between. - Laminating: Laminating is the action of combining previously unconnected, but possibly laid up, layers to become one product whose layers will remain together. - Lay-up: Lay-up is the action of combining separate layers, one on top of the other, in order to form a half-product for entering the laminating process. - Layer: Sheet, strip or stratum having a small thickness relative to its other dimensions. It may be deformed out of the flat plane to form a three-dimensional shape; 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 or a honeycomb. It may or may not be in complete contact with the next layer, e.g. a corrugated layer against a flat layer. The layer has to have one of the following forms: (1) Preformed layer, i.e. taking the form of a layer at some stage before being brought into combination with another layer; (2) Layer formed in-situ, i.e. taking the form of a layer while or after being brought into combination with another layer. Additional explanations of (1) Preformed layer and (2) Layer formed in-situ are located following the Glossary of Terms. In B32B , with the exception of B32B15/01 - B32B15/018 and interlayers/composite interlayers proper for B32B17/10005 - B32B17/1099 , the following is excluded from the definition of a layer: A coating formed directly onto a substrate layer, which at the moment of its contact with the substrate does not have the form of a layer (unless the coating falls within the definition of (2) Layer formed in-situ as further explained below after the Glossary of Terms). - Layered product: Product comprising at least two superposed layers secured together; the term "secured" is to be interpreted broadly to include any method of uniting or securing the layers, e.g. needling, stitching, gluing, nailing, dovetailing, welding or the interposition of an adhesive or adhesive-impregnated support. Products wherein layers are obtained by co-extrusion or by simultaneous injection moulding of materials are included in this definition. It also encompasses two layers of ceramic powders that are pressed together in a press. It may also 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 that is stripped off when the panel is placed in its position of use. It is normally of substantially uniform thickness overall, i.e. ignoring local variations such as are produced by a corrugated face layer. The layered product may be in the form of an article, e.g. a container. - Next to: With no other layer being interposed. - Partial laminating: Partial laminating occurs (1) when one layer does not fully cover a surface of another layer, whereby the layer with the greater surface area is laminated on only part of its surface, or (2) when two coextensive layers are bonded on only part of their facing surfaces. - Particulate layer: Preformed layer of particles, e.g. chips, powder, granules, flakes, in which the particles are bonded together, e.g. sintered or by a binder. - Spaced fabric: A fabric that includes at least two outer fabrics joined together by connecting yarns that create an intermediate gap between the outer fabrics, to form a three-dimensional fabric. The spaced fabric can be a single layer or multiple layers. (1) A spaced fabric is considered a single layer for B32B when woven or knit fabrics are produced in a single step wherein the yarns simultaneously form a fabric that comprises outer plies with middle connecting (spacer) yarns. (2) A spaced fabric is considered to include multiple layers for B32B when the fabric is made from at least two preformed fabrics that are joined together with connecting yarns to create a laminate structure with a space between the outer fabrics.