US4098938A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Heat deformable laminates and process of making same
Assignee: Foamex LP
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Filing: 1974-02-12
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Granted: 1978-07-04
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Expires: 1994-02-12
Abstract
Abstract A method for forming a contoured support member from a laminate of a thermoplastic sheet and a layer of resilient, flexible, stretchable, crosslinked, thermoset-type polyurethane foam including the steps of heating the laminate to a temperature at which the thermoplastic sheet is in a plastic state, and the foam layer retains its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties; deforming the laminate while the thermoplastic sheet is in its plastic state such that the thermoplastic sheet and foam layer assume the same general configuration and setting the thermoplastic sheet in its deformed configuration for retaining the foam layer in its deformed configuration. A contoured support member including a stable, contoured, thermoplastic sheet united to a layer of a resilient, flexibly stretchable, crosslinked, thermoset-type polyurethane foam which has the same contour as the thermoplastic sheet and is retained in its contoured configuration by the thermoplastic sheet.
Inventors
- 👤 James C. Arters
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 00:57
CPC Classifications
B; B32; B32B; B32B27/00; B32B27/06; B32B27/065; B29; B29C; B29C51/00; B29C51/14; B32B3/00; B32B3/26; B32B5/00; B32B5/18; B65; B65D; B65D81/00; B65D81/02; B65D81/05; B65D81/127; B32B2266/00; B32B2266/02; B32B2266/0214; B32B2266/0278; B32B2266/06; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24479; Y10T428/24496; Y10T428/24504; Y10T428/24512; Y10T428/24612; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249953; Y10T428/249987; Y10T428/249991; Y10T428/249992
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
A method for forming a contoured support member having a contoured cushioning surface of a desired configuration for supporting an article, said method comprising the steps of: A. uniting a substantially impervious thermoplastic sheet to a layer of resilient, flexible, stretchable, cross-linked, thermoset-type polyurethane foam to form a laminate including a united interface between said thermoplastic sheet and said polyurethane foam layer, said thermoplastic sheet being thermoformable into a contoured configuration and being rigidified in said contoured configuration upon removal of the heat and pressure applied in the thermoforming operation; B. heating the laminate to a temperature at which the thermoplastic sheet is in a plastic state and said foam layer retains its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties; C. applying a force to the laminate while the thermoplastic sheet is in a plastic state to deform the laminate into engagement with a mold surface having the desired configuration of the cushioning surface, said thermoplastic sheet and polyurethane foam layer assuming the same general configuration as said mold surface, said polyurethane foam layer retaining its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties and having an exposed surface opposite its united interface constituting the contoured cushioning surface; and D. removing the heat and force applied to the laminate, said thermoplastic sheet being rigidified in its contoured configuration for retaining said foam layer in its contoured configuration, said foam layer retaining its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties throughout the entire process for forming the contoured support member.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
239 words
A method for forming a contoured support member having a contoured cushioning surface of a desired configuration for supporting an article, said method comprising the steps of: A. uniting a substantially impervious thermoplastic sheet to a layer of resilient, flexible, stretchable, cross-linked, thermoset-type polyurethane foam to form a laminate including a united interface between said thermoplastic sheet and said polyurethane foam layer, said thermoplastic sheet being thermoformable into a contoured configuration and being rigidified in said contoured configuration upon removal of the heat and pressure applied in the thermoforming operation; B. heating the laminate to a temperature at which the thermoplastic sheet is in a plastic state and said foam layer retains its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties; C. applying a force to the laminate while the thermoplastic sheet is in a plastic state to deform the laminate into engagement with a mold surface having the desired configuration of the cushioning surface, said thermoplastic sheet and polyurethane foam layer assuming the same general configuration as said mold surface, said polyurethane foam layer retaining its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties and having an exposed surface opposite its united interface constituting the contoured cushioning surface; and D. removing the heat and force applied to the laminate, said thermoplastic sheet being rigidified in its contoured configuration for retaining said foam layer in its contoured configuration, said foam layer retaining its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties throughout the entire process for forming the contoured support member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the deforming force deforms the laminate into conformity with a mold surface including at least one cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said force is applied to said laminate by applying a vacuum through the mold surface to deform the thermoplastic sheet into engagement with said mold surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said force applied to the laminate deforms the thermoplastic sheet into engagement with said mold surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method according to claim 4, including, prior to said thermoforming step, applying an adhesive to the exposed surface of said form layer and applying generally vertically a fiber flock to said exposed surface whereby said adhesive bonds said fiber flock to the foam layer to form a composite sheet having a flocked surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 5, wherein said force is applied to said laminate by applying a vacuum through the mold surface to deform the thermoplastic sheet into engagement with said mold surface without flattening the fiber flock.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
212 words
A method for forming a contoured support member from a laminate comprising a substantially impervious thermoplastic sheet united to a layer of resilient, flexible, stretchable, cross-linked thermoset-type polyurethane foam, said thermoplastic sheet being thermoformable into a contoured configuration and being rigidified in said contoured configuration upon removal of the heat and pressure applied in the thermoforming operation, said method comprising the steps of: A. heating the laminate to a temperature at which the thermoplastic sheet is in a plastic state and said foam layer retains its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties; B. applying a force to the laminate while the thermoplastic sheet is in a plastic state to deform the laminate into engagement with a mold surface having the desired configuration of the cushioning surface, said thermoplastic sheet and polyurethane foam layer assuming the same general configuration as said mold surface, said polyurethane foam layer retaining its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties and having an exposed surface opposite its united surface constituting the contoured cushioning surface; and C. removing the heat and force applied to the laminate, said thermoplastic sheet being rigidified in its contoured configuration for retaining said foam layer in its contoured configuration, said foam layer retaining its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties throughout the entire process of forming the contoured support member.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
212 words
A method for forming a contoured support member from a laminate comprising a substantially impervious thermoplastic sheet united to a layer of resilient, flexible, stretchable, cross-linked thermoset-type polyurethane foam, said thermoplastic sheet being thermoformable into a contoured configuration and being rigidified in said contoured configuration upon removal of the heat and pressure applied in the thermoforming operation, said method comprising the steps of: A. heating the laminate to a temperature at which the thermoplastic sheet is in a plastic state and said foam layer retains its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties; B. applying a force to the laminate while the thermoplastic sheet is in a plastic state to deform the laminate into engagement with a mold surface having the desired configuration of the cushioning surface, said thermoplastic sheet and polyurethane foam layer assuming the same general configuration as said mold surface, said polyurethane foam layer retaining its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties and having an exposed surface opposite its united surface constituting the contoured cushioning surface; and C. removing the heat and force applied to the laminate, said thermoplastic sheet being rigidified in its contoured configuration for retaining said foam layer in its contoured configuration, said foam layer retaining its resilient, flexible, stretchable properties throughout the entire process of forming the contoured support member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 7, wherein the deforming force deforms the laminate into conformity with a mold surface including at least one cavity.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 7, wherein said force is applied to said laminate by applying a vacuum through the mold surface to deform the thermoplastic sheet into engagement with said mold surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 7, wherein said force applied to the laminate deforms the thermoplastic sheet into engagement with said mold surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method according to claim 10, including, prior to said thermoforming step, applying an adhesive to the exposed surface of said foam layer and applying generally vertically a fiber flock to said exposed surface whereby said adhesive bonds said fiber flock to the foam layer to form a composite sheet having a flocked surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
133 words
A contoured support member having a contoured cushioning supporting surface of a desired configuration for supporting an article, said support member comprising: (a) a stable, contoured, thermoplastic sheet having an inner surface contour substantially the same as the contour of said supporting surface; (b) a layer of resilient, flecibly stretchable, cross-linked thermoset-type polyurethane foam having a surface secured to said inner surface of said thermoplastic sheet, said polyurethane foam layer having generally the contour of said inner surface of the thermoplastic sheet whereby the exposed surface of the polyurethane foam layer opposite from said secured surface has the same general configuration as the inner surface of the thermoplastic sheet and constitutes the supporting surface of the support member; and (c) said stable thermoplastic sheet retaining said polyurethane foam layer in its contoured configuration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
133 words
A contoured support member having a contoured cushioning supporting surface of a desired configuration for supporting an article, said support member comprising: (a) a stable, contoured, thermoplastic sheet having an inner surface contour substantially the same as the contour of said supporting surface; (b) a layer of resilient, flecibly stretchable, cross-linked thermoset-type polyurethane foam having a surface secured to said inner surface of said thermoplastic sheet, said polyurethane foam layer having generally the contour of said inner surface of the thermoplastic sheet whereby the exposed surface of the polyurethane foam layer opposite from said secured surface has the same general configuration as the inner surface of the thermoplastic sheet and constitutes the supporting surface of the support member; and (c) said stable thermoplastic sheet retaining said polyurethane foam layer in its contoured configuration.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The contoured support member according to claim 12, wherein said contoured supporting surface includes at least one cavity.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The contoured support member according to claim 12, wherein said contoured supporting surface includes a cavity configuration generally conforming to the shape of an article to be supported therein.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The contoured support member according to claim 12, including a fiber flock adhesively secured to the supporting surface of the polyurethane foam layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The contoured support member according to claim 15, wherein said fiber flock is comprised of fibers arranged generally vertically with respect to the layer of foam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
77 words
The contoured support member according to claim 15, wherein said polyurethane foam layer is reticulated and possesses at its surface a series of interconnected strands defining cage-like cavities, and the fibers of said fiber flock being adhesively secured to the foam layer within a preselected depth of the cavities for adhesively securing some of said fibers to said reticulated foam at more than one point to thereby provide improved attachment and an increased depth of cushioning effect.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The contoured support member according to claim 12, wherein said polyurethane foam layer has a thickness of from about 1/16 inch to about 3/8 inch.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The contoured support member according to claim 18, wherein said foam layer is an open-celled polyurethane foam.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The contoured support member according to claim 18, wherein said foam layer is a reticulated polyurethane foam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-07-03 | 1982-01-02 | 1982-07-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-07-03 | 1986-01-02 | 1986-07-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-07-03 | 1990-01-02 | 1990-07-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |