The Dow Chemical Company

Dreamwell, Ltd.

Boral IP Holdings LLC

Dow Global Technolgoies LLC

Ronald M Herrington

Robert B Turner

Michael Stephen DeFranks

Ralph D Priester, Jr

Richard F Gladney

Hui Yang

Douglas L Hunter

Richard D Peffley

James R Porter

Jerram B Nichols

John F Serratelli

David G Carey

Kengqing Jian

Russell Hill

Rahul Kirtikar

Robert M Harnden

Roney J Matijega

Robert A Kuklies

Russell L Hill

Michael S Defranks

François M Casati

Thomas J Woods

Mattresses and methods for processing a flexible foam material for use in a mattress to provide a mattress foam material that has more consistent firmness over time and area. The methods include pre-conditioning the foam pad or mattress by applying a force across a substantial portion of a major surface of the mattress to compress or stretch the height of the foam, the length of the foam, and/or the width of the foam to break or open closed cells. In certain embodiments, the force is applied by repeatedly pressing a platen against the foam pad or placing the foam pad between one or more rollers.

Method of manufacturing an aged mattress assembly

Composite materials and methods for their preparation are described herein. The composite materials include a polyurethane made from the reaction of at least one isocyanate and at least one polyol, and coal ash (e.g., fly ash). The composite materials are highly reactive systems such as through the use of highly reactive polyols, highly reactive isocyanates, or both. The coal ash is present in amounts from about 40% to about 90% by weight of the composite material. Also described is a method of preparing a composite material, including mixing at least one isocyanate, at least one polyol, coal ash, and a catalyst.

Polyurethanes derived from highly reactive reactants and coal ash

The systems and methods described herein relate to providing mattresses with foam that is odor-free. Unpleasant odors can be reduced in foam members by including a source of cyclodextrin during the manufacture of foam. Instead of masking odors with fragrances, the systems and methods described herein reduce odors with the aid of, among other things, a cyclodextrin-water solution. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing an odor-free foam for use in a mattress is provided. The method includes solubilizing cyclodextrin in water to form a cyclodextrin solution, and adding the cyclodextrin solution to a reacting mixture of a polyol and a isocyanate to form an odor-free or reduced-odor foam.

Odorless foam mattress assembly

Composite materials and methods for their preparation are described herein. The composite materials include a polyurethane made from the reaction of an isocyanate and a mixture of polyols, and coal ash (e.g., fly ash). The mixture of polyols comprises at least two polyols including a high hydroxyl number polyol having a hydroxyl number greater than 250 and comprising from about 1% to about 25% by weight of the total polyol content used to form the polyurethane, and a low hydroxyl number polyol having a hydroxyl number of 250 or lower. The coal ash is present in amounts from about 40% to about 90% by weight of the composite material. Also described is a method of preparing a composite material, including mixing an isocyanate, a mixture of at least two polyols, coal ash (e.g., fly ash), and a catalyst.

Filled polyurethane composites and methods of making same

The invention includes a process for preparing a flexible, water-blown polyurea foam by reacting a reaction mixture containing at least one polyisocyanate component and an active hydrogen component, wherein active hydrogen compounds of relatively high equivalent weight have an average of about 1.5 to about 4 active hydrogen-containing groups per molecule, of which active hydrogen-containing groups: an average of (a) from about 5 to about 60 percent are primary aliphatic amine groups or (b) at least about 25 percent are primary aromatic, secondary aliphatic, Lewis acid-blocked primary or secondary aliphatic or aromatic amine groups or mixtures of such groups. An amount of at least one alkali metal halide salt effective to increase load bearing strength of the foam is incorporated into the reaction mixture. Differing amounts of alkali metal halide salts are suitably incorporated into different areas of the foam to produce areas having differing load bearing strengths. The invention includes the foams formed by the processes of the invention as well as active hydrogen compositions containing the alkali metal halide salts and useful in the processes.

Flexible polyurea foams having controlled load bearing qualities

Polyurethane foams having a specified glass transition temperature are densified for transportation or other purposes by heating the foam to a temperature above its T.sub.g, compressing the heated foam, and then cooling the compressed foam to a temperature below its T.sub.g. The cooled foam remains in a densified state until re-heated to a temperature above its T.sub.g, whereupon it re-expands to assume its original dimensions.

Densifiable and re-expandable polyurethane foam

Flexible polyurethane foams are prepared from poly(propylene oxide) polymers having low levels of monofunctional impurities. The resulting foam has improved processing characteristics and compression set.

Flexible polyurethane foams prepared using low unsaturation polyether

A polyurea foam is formed from a reaction mixture comprising at least one polyisocyanate component and an active hydrogen component, wherein active hydrogen compounds of relatively high equivalent weight have an average of about 1.5 to about 10 active hydrogen-containing groups per molecule, of which active hydrogen-containing groups: an average of (a) from about 5 to about 60 percent are primary or secondary aliphatic amine groups or (b) at least about 25 percent are primary aromatic, Lewis acid-blocked primary aliphatic, secondary aliphatic or aromatic amine groups or mixtures thereof. Carbon dioxide is adducted to said active hydrogen component. The adduct releases carbon dioxide to blow the foam.

Use of carbon dioxide adducts as blowing agents in cellular and

Flexible polyurethane foams are prepared using certain high molecular weight, high functionality poly(oxyethylene) compounds as cell openers and softeners. These high functionality polyether polyols have been found to be very effective in opening the cells of the foam, even when used in making foams based on PIPA polyols, which are notoriously closed-celled. They are also quite effective in softening foams made using MDI-based polyisocyanates.

Polyurethane foam prepared using high functionality cell openers

Polyurethane foam prepared using high functionalilty cell openers

Flexible polyurethane foams are prepared by reacting a polyisocyanate with certain amine-terminated compounds. The amine terminated compounds are characterized in having at least 30 percent of their active hydrogen-containing groups in the form of primary aromatic, Lewis acid-blocked primary aliphatic and/or secondary aromatic or aliphatic amine groups. The resulting foams exhibit excellent physical properties, even in the absence of a cross-linker compound.

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Brazoria, TX, United States of America

Ronald M Herrington