Upholstered furniture having improved flame resistance

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the neoprene foam layer is at least 1/16 inch thick.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein the neoprene foam layer is about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrated inorganic compound is selected from hydrated alumina, hydrated magnesia, magnesium oxychloride, hydrated zinc borate, and hydrated calcium borate.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein the carboxylic acid is acrylic acid or methacrylic acid.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein the proportion of the carboxylic acid is such that the weight contribution of the carboxyl groups will be 5 percent or less of total polymer weight.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein the neoprene foam is an integral part of the cover fabric.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein the foam is applied to the top side of the fabric.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8 wherein the foam is applied between the fabric and a continuous layer of an elastomeric or plastic material.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 wherein the neoprene foam is an integral, outer layer of the padding.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 wherein the neoprene foam is a separate interliner.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1, wherein the neoprene is a copolymer of chloroprene with another organic monomer.

Claim 14

Furniture upholstery fabric having improved flame resistance, said fabric having integrally attached to it a layer of neoprene foam which contains, in parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the neoprene, about 5-15 parts of a char promoter selected from the group consisting of urea/formaldehyde resins, melamine/formaldehyde resins, melamine phosphate, phthalic anhydride, pyromellitic anhydride, sodium borate, calcium borate, zinc borate, and boric acid and a hydrated inorganic compound containing an amount of hydration water equivalent to 10-180 parts of alumina hydrate, said hydrated inorganic compound retaining most of its hydration water at the foam drying and curing temperatures but losing it below about 500° C.; the neoprene being a homopolymer of chloroprene or a copolymer of chloroprene with another ethylenically unsaturated organic monomer, the proportion of such other monomer being at most about 20 weight percent of the total polymer; with the proviso that when the neoprene is a copolymer of chloroprene with acrylonitrile or with an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, the proportion of acrylonitrile or of the α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid is such that the proportion of the copolymer weight which is contributed by the nitrile or carboxyl groups is about 2-20 percent, and the char promoter may be absent.

Claim 15

Furniture upholstery fabric having improved flame resistance, said fabric having integrally attached to it a layer of neoprene foam which contains, in parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the neoprene, about 5-15 parts of a char promoter selected from the group consisting of urea/formaldehyde resins, melamine/formaldehyde resins, melamine phosphate, phthalic anhydride, pyromellitic anhydride, sodium borate, calcium borate, zinc borate, and boric acid and a hydrated inorganic compound containing an amount of hydration water equivalent to 10-180 parts of alumina hydrate, said hydrated inorganic compound retaining most of its hydration water at the foam drying and curing temperatures but losing it below about 500° C.; the neoprene being a homopolymer of chloroprene or a copolymer of chloroprene with another ethylenically unsaturated organic monomer, the proportion of such other monomer being at most about 20 weight percent of the total polymer; with the proviso that when the neoprene is a copolymer of chloroprene with acrylonitrile or with an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, the proportion of acrylonitrile or of the α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid is such that the proportion of the copolymer weight which is contributed by the nitrile or carboxyl groups is about 2-20 percent, and the char promoter may be absent.

Claim 16

The fabric of claim 13 wherein the neoprene foam layer is about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.

Claim 17

The fabric of claim 13 wherein the hydrated inorganic compound is selected from hydrated alumina, hydrated magnesia, magnesium oxychloride, hydrated zinc borate, and hydrated calcium borate.

Claim 18

The fabric of claim 13 wherein the other monomer is acrylonitrile, acrylic acid, or methacrylic acid.

Claim 19

The fabric of claim 16 wherein the proportion of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid is such that the weight contribution of the carboxyl groups is about 5 percent or less of the total weight of the polymer.

Claim 20

The fabric of claim 13, wherein the neoprene is a copolymer of chloroprene with another organic monomer.

Claim 21

The fabric of claim 13 which is a nonwoven fabric.

Claim 22

Furniture padding having improved flame resistance, said padding having integrally attached to its outer surfaces a layer of neoprene foam which contains, in parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the neoprene, about 5-15 parts of a char promoter selected from the group consisting of urea/formaldehyde resins, melamine/formaldehyde resins, melamine phosphate, phthalic anhydride, pyromellitic anhydride, sodium borate, calcium borate, zinc borate, and boric acid and a hydrated inorganic compound containing an amount of hydration water equivalent to 10-180 parts of alumina hydrate, said hydrated inorganic compound retaining most of its hydration water at the foam drying and curing temperatures but losing it below about 500° C.; the neoprene being a homopolymer of chloroprene or a copolymer of chloroprene with another ethylenically unsaturated organic monomer, the proportion of such other monomer being at most about 20 weight percent of the total polymer; with the proviso that when the neoprene is a copolymer of chloroprene with acrylonitrile or with an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, the proportion of acrylonitrile or of the α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid is such that the proportion of the copolymer weight which is contributed by the nitrile or carboxyl groups is about 2-20 percent, and the char promoter may be absent.

Claim 23

Furniture padding having improved flame resistance, said padding having integrally attached to its outer surfaces a layer of neoprene foam which contains, in parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the neoprene, about 5-15 parts of a char promoter selected from the group consisting of urea/formaldehyde resins, melamine/formaldehyde resins, melamine phosphate, phthalic anhydride, pyromellitic anhydride, sodium borate, calcium borate, zinc borate, and boric acid and a hydrated inorganic compound containing an amount of hydration water equivalent to 10-180 parts of alumina hydrate, said hydrated inorganic compound retaining most of its hydration water at the foam drying and curing temperatures but losing it below about 500° C.; the neoprene being a homopolymer of chloroprene or a copolymer of chloroprene with another ethylenically unsaturated organic monomer, the proportion of such other monomer being at most about 20 weight percent of the total polymer; with the proviso that when the neoprene is a copolymer of chloroprene with acrylonitrile or with an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, the proportion of acrylonitrile or of the α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid is such that the proportion of the copolymer weight which is contributed by the nitrile or carboxyl groups is about 2-20 percent, and the char promoter may be absent.

Claim 24

Furniture padding of claim 20 wherein the neoprene foam layer is about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.

Claim 25

Furniture padding of claim 20 wherein the hydrated inorganic compound is selected from hydrated alumina, hydrated magnesia, magnesium oxychloride, hydrated zinc borate, and hydrated calcium borate.

Claim 26

Furniture padding of claim 20 wherein the other monomer is acrylonitrile, acrylic acid, or methacrylic acid.

Claim 27

The furniture padding of claim 23 wherein the proportion of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid is such that the weight contribution of the carboxyl groups is 5 percent or less of the weight of the polymer.

Claim 28

The padding of claim 20, wherein the neoprene is a copolymer of chloroprene with another organic monomer.

Claim 29

An article of upholstered furniture having improved flame resistance, said article having interposed between the cover fabric and the padding or applied to the top side of the cover fabric a layer of neoprene foam which contains, in parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the neoprene, about 5-15 parts of a char promoter selected from the group consisting of urea/formaldehyde resins, melamine/formaldehyde resins, melamine phosphate, phthalic anhydride, pyromellitic anhydride, sodium borate, calcium borate, zinc borate, and boric acid and a hydrated inorganic compound containing an amount of hydration water equivalent to 10-180 parts of alumina hydrate, said hydrated inorganic compound retaining most of its hydration water at the foam drying and curing temperatures but losing it below about 500° C.; the neoprene being a homopolymer of chloroprene or a copolymer of chloroprene with another ethylenically unsaturated organic monomer, the proportion of such other monomer being at most about 20 weight percent of the total polymer; with the proviso that when the neoprene is a copolymer of chloroprene with acrylonitrile or with an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, the proportion of acrylonitrile or of the α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid is such that the proportion of the copolymer weight which is contributed by the nitrile or carboxyl groups is about 2-20 percent, and the char promoter may be absent.

Claim 30

An article of upholstered furniture having improved flame resistance, said article having interposed between the cover fabric and the padding or applied to the top side of the cover fabric a layer of neoprene foam which contains, in parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the neoprene, about 5-15 parts of a char promoter selected from the group consisting of urea/formaldehyde resins, melamine/formaldehyde resins, melamine phosphate, phthalic anhydride, pyromellitic anhydride, sodium borate, calcium borate, zinc borate, and boric acid and a hydrated inorganic compound containing an amount of hydration water equivalent to 10-180 parts of alumina hydrate, said hydrated inorganic compound retaining most of its hydration water at the foam drying and curing temperatures but losing it below about 500° C.; the neoprene being a homopolymer of chloroprene or a copolymer of chloroprene with another ethylenically unsaturated organic monomer, the proportion of such other monomer being at most about 20 weight percent of the total polymer; with the proviso that when the neoprene is a copolymer of chloroprene with acrylonitrile or with an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, the proportion of acrylonitrile or of the α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid is such that the proportion of the copolymer weight which is contributed by the nitrile or carboxyl groups is about 2-20 percent, and the char promoter may be absent.

Claim 31

An article of upholstered furniture of claim 26 wherein the neoprene foam layer is at least 1/16 inch thick.

Claim 32

An article of upholstered furniture of claim 27 wherein the neoprene foam layer is about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.

Claim 33

An article of upholstered furniture of claim 26 wherein the hydrated inorganic compound is selected from hydrated alumina, hydrated magnesia, magnesium oxychloride, hydrated zinc borate, and hydrated calcium borate.

Claim 34

An article of upholstered furniture of claim 26 wherein the carboxylic acid is acrylic acid or methacrylic acid.

Claim 35

An article of upholstered furniture of claim 30 wherein the proportion of the carboxylic acid is such that the weight contribution of the carboxyl groups is about 5 percent or less of the total weight of polymer.

Claim 36

An article of upholstered furniture of claim 26 wherein the neoprene foam is an integral part of the cover fabric.

Claim 37

An article of claim 32 wherein the foam is applied to the top side of the fabric.

Claim 38

An article of claim 33 wherein the foam is applied between the fabric and a continuous layer of an elastomeric or plastic material.

Claim 39

An article of upholstered furniture of claim 26 wherein the neoprene foam is an integral, outer layer of the padding.

Claim 40

An article of upholstered furniture of claim 26 wherein the neoprene foam is a separate interliner.

Claim 41

The article of claim 26, wherein the neoprene is a copolymer of chloroprene with another organic monomer.