Foamex L.p.

Scotfoam Corporation

Wm. T. Burnett & Company

David J Kelly

Rocco P Triolo

Sharon A Free

Paul Haslanger

Paul J Cacciatore

Richard A Rossow

Dai W Kim

Beat Niederoest

George J Tolen

Robert A Volz, Deceased

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for producing a discretely striped, multi-property foam and the products and articles produced thereby. The invention provides a pre-foam stream at a first pressure and intermittently injects at least one additive into the pre-foam stream at a pressure higher than the first pressure, providing a laminar flow pre-foam stream with alternating segments having different properties. The pre-foam stream is poured onto a surface and cures into a discretely striped foam product which may be used for many purposes such as but not limited to padding, clothing, toys, or bedding.

Method and apparatus for producing discretely striped multi-property foam

The invention is a hydrophobic polyurethane foam prepared from a conventional PO/EO polyether polyol, a graft polyol and a hydrophobicity inducing surfactant. The foam is sufficiently hydrophobic to pass a stringent water impermeability test.

Hydrophobic polyurethane foam

Modified or filled rebond polyurethane foam structures having desired plushness and compression without adversely affected tensile strength at a given density as compared to unfilled rebond polyurethane foams are formed from an admixture of shredded or chopped polyurethane foam particles and a finely divided inorganic mineral filler, such as barium sulfate or calcium carbonate or mixtures of these and like mineral fillers, that is further mixed with a substantially non-foam forming liquid prepolymer binder that is free of surfactants in foam-stabilizing amounts. A portion of the polyurethane foam particles, from about 10 to about 60 parts by weight based upon 100 parts by weight, is replaced with filler. For each 100 parts by weight of the combined foam particles and filler, about 10 to about 30 parts by weight of prepolymer is added. After the wetted admixture is compressed to the required density, the prepolymer binder is cured with heat and/or steam. Surprisingly, the resultant filled rebond polyurethane foam structure is more plush and softer than unfilled rebond foam, and the filler is uniformly distributed throughout the cured binder and external to the foam cells of the foam particles.

Modified rebond polyurethane foam structure and method of making such

The present invention relates to very fine cell flexible polyurethane foams having at least 87 pores per linear inch (as measured by pressure drop techniques) wherein at least 65% of the isocyanate equivalents of said polyurethane are obtained from MDI. The invention also relates to processes for preparing the very fine cell polyurethane foams.

Very fine cell polyurethane foams and processes for producing the same

Polyurethane foams formed at elevated pressure using a graft polyol, or mixture of polyols to form a polyol system, having a low functionality and a high solids content, exhibit superior dynamic shock cushioning characteristics (energy absorption) as illustrated by the drop curves of deceleration versus static load. The foam-forming ingredients are mixed together and foamed under controlled pressures in the range of 1.2 to 1.5 bar, preferably 1.3 to 1.4 bar. The polyol preferably has a functionality in the range of about 2.0 to 2.5, a hydroxyl number in the range of about 50 to 90, a solids content above about 35%, preferably about 50 to 55%.

Energy absorbing foams

A seat cushion assembly is formed by (a) placing a foam-fabric laminate (14, 15) and an air impervious adhesive film (16) over a mold (18); (b) drawing the adhesive against the foam and urging the fabric against the mold by vacuum; (c) placing a foam pad (12) adjacent to the adhesive film; (d) heating the film and diffusing it into the foam pad and into the foam of the foam-fabric laminate; and (e) curing the film adhesive. The foam layer laminated to the fabric is formed as the reaction product of a polyether polyol or a graft polyether polyol with about 30 to 60 parts by weight of an MDI or polymeric MDI/TDI blended isocyanate with the major portion MDI or mixtures thereof, about 1.5 to 3.0 parts by weight water as a blowing agent, about 0.05 to about 0.90 parts by weight amine catalyst and about 0.5 to about 1.5 parts by weight silicone surfactant, wherein all amounts are based on 100 parts by weight polyol.

Foam-fabric laminate for a cushion assembly

In a method for bonding a foam-fabric composite to a molded foam core, particularly suitable for use as an automotive cushion assembly, specific advantageous polymeric MDI-based foams are used to achieve consistently excellent bond strength. In the method, a foam layer is flame laminated to a fabric layer. Then the foam-fabric laminate and an air impervious adhesive film are placed over a mold surface, and the adhesive is drawn against the foam of the foam-fabric laminate and the fabric layer is urged against the mold surface by applied vacuum. The foam core pad is placed adjacent to the adhesive film. The film is heated and diffused into the foam pad and into the foam of the foam-fabric laminate, respectively, and allowed to cure. The foam layer laminated to the fabric is formed as the reaction product of a polyether polyol or a graft polyether polyol with from about 30 to about 60 parts by weight of an MDI or a polymeric MDI/TDI blended isocyanate or mixtures thereof, from about 1.5 to 3.0 parts by weight water as blowing agent, from about 0.05 to about 0.20 parts by weight tin catalyst, from about 0.15 to 0.90 parts by weight amine catalyst and from about 0.5 to about 1.5 parts by weight silicone surfactant, wherein all amounts are based on 100 parts by weight polyol.

Method of forming foam-fabric laminates

Modified or filled rebond polyurethane foam structures having desired plushness and compression without adversely affected tensile strength at a given density as compared to unfilled rebond polyurethane foams are formed from an admixture of shredded or chopped polyurethane foam particles and a finely divided inorganic mineral filler, such as barium sulfate or calcium carbonate or mixtures of these and like mineral fillers, that is further mixed with a substantially non-foam forming liquid prepolymer binder. A portion of the polyurethane foam particles, from about 10 to about 60 parts by weight based upon 100 parts by weight, is replaced with filler. For each 100 parts by weight of the combined foam particles and filler, about 10 to about 30 parts by weight of prepolymer is added. After the wetted admixture is compressed to the required density, the prepolymer binder is cured with heat and/or steam. Surprisingly, the resultant filled rebond polyurethane foam structure is more plush and softer than unfilled rebond foam, and the filler is uniformly distributed throughout the cured binder and external to the foam cells of the foam particles.

A low density, open cell polymeric body is formed by coating or filling a reticulated polymeric foam with a liquid-form polymer which is resistant to high temperatures, curing the liquid form polymer in and on the foam and then removing the foam skeleton by dissolving and leaching the foam out of the solid polymeric body which remains.

Low density, high temperature resistant polymeric bodies

A highly hydrophilic polyurethane article, which is the skeletal network of a cellular polyurethane foam subjected to a reticulation process wherein the polyurethane contains up to 100 parts of a superabsorbent material per hundred parts of polyol used in preparing the polyurethane, is useful in absorbing and holding large amounts of aqueous liquids is prepared by:

Highly absorbent polyurethane foam

An improved process for in situ production of a reticulated, open-cell polyurethane foam which comprises reacting a polyester/polyether polyol mixture with an aromatic polyisocyanate having a ratio of isocyanate moieties to aromatic moieties of about 2:1 in the presence of a catalyst and a blowing agent,

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Chadds Ford, PA, United States of America

David J Kelly