Woodbridge Foam Corporation

Michael J Cicone

Edward T Kuczynski

An improved energy management device comprises a substrate body and at least one permeable insert sheet disposed in the substrate body. The shape and orientation of the sheet may be varied. In the various embodiments, the insert sheet has a wall substantially transverse to the energy absorbing surface of the energy management device. The substrate body and the at least one energy absorbing insert sheet are engaged with respect to one another. This may be achieved by having at least a portion of the substrate body disposed in the permeable portion of the insert sheet thereby &ldquo;locking&rdquo; in place the insert sheet. It has been discovered that such a combination of a substrate body and an insert sheet surprisingly and unexpected results in improved energy management properties when compared to the independent energy management properties of the substrate body and the insert sheet. The energy management device is useful, for example, in the construction of a vehicular bumper.

Energy management device

An improved energy management device comprises a substrate body and at least one permeable insert sheet disposed in the substrate body. The shape and orientation of the sheet may be varied. In the various embodiments, the insert sheet has a wall substantially transverse to the energy absorbing surface of the energy management device. The substrate body and the at least one energy absorbing insert sheet are engaged with respect to one another. This may be achieved by having at least a portion of the substrate body disposed in the permeable portion of the insert sheet thereby 'locking' in place the insert sheet. It has been discovered that such a combination of a substrate body and an insert sheet surprisingly and unexpected results in improved energy management properties when compared to the independent energy management properties of the substrate body and the insert sheet. The energy management device is useful, for example, in the construction of a vehicular bumper.

A process for producing a polyurethane foam includes the steps of (a) providing a substantially uniform mixture having an isocyanate, an active hydrogen-containing compound, a blowing agent, and a catalyst to form a reaction mixture, and (b) expanding the reaction mixture to produce the polyurethane foam. The active hydrogen-containing compound has from about 50 to 100 parts-by-weight of a first active hydrogen-containing compound having an equivalent weight of from about 200 to about 800 and from 0 to about 50 parts-by-weight of a second active hydrogen-containing compound. The average equivalent weight of the active-hydrogen containing compound is in the range of from about 150 to about 700.

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Orchard Lake, MI, United States of America

Michael J Cicone