US5032622A — Densifiable and re-expandable polyurethane foam

Claim 1

Independent Claim 70 words

A densified polyurethane having a bulk density of from about 30 to about 900 kg/m 3 and a T g of at least about 35° C. but below the decomposition temperature of said polyurethane, which densified polyurethane is thermally expandable without the addition of a blowing agent to form a polyurethane foam having a bulk density of about 5 to about 25% of the bulk density of the densified polyurethane.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 70 words

A densified polyurethane having a bulk density of from about 30 to about 900 kg/m 3 and a T g of at least about 35° C. but below the decomposition temperature of said polyurethane, which densified polyurethane is thermally expandable without the addition of a blowing agent to form a polyurethane foam having a bulk density of about 5 to about 25% of the bulk density of the densified polyurethane.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 65 words

The densified polyurethane of claim 1 which is the reaction product of a reaction mixture comprising as a major active hydrogen-containing component a polyol having an equivalent weight from about 125 to about 350, a polyisocyanate, and at least about 5 parts water per 100 parts of combined weight of all active hydrogen-containing components, wherein the isocyanate index is from about 50 to about 110.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 26 words

The densified polyurethane of claim 2 wherein said major active hydrogen-containing component is a polyether polyol having an equivalent weight from about 130 to about 250.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 59 words

The densified polyurethane of claim 3 wherein said reaction mixture further comprises an additional active hydrogen-containing material having an equivalent weight of about 800 to about 3000, and wherein the number of equivalents of said major active hydrogen-containing component constitutes about 60 to about 98% of the total number of equivalents of all active hydrogen-containing materials other than water.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 18 words

The densified polyurethane of claim 4 wherein said polyisocyanate is MDI, polymeric MDI, TDI or a mixture thereof.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 81 words

A polyurethane foam having a T g of at least about 35° C. but below the decomposition temperature of said polyurethane, which foam is the reaction product of a reaction mixture comprising as a major active hydrogen-containing component a polyol having an equivalent weight from about 125 to about 350, a polyisocyanate, and at least about 5 parts water per 100 parts of combined weight of all active hydrogen-containing components, wherein the isocyanate index is from about 50 to about 110.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 81 words

A polyurethane foam having a T g of at least about 35° C. but below the decomposition temperature of said polyurethane, which foam is the reaction product of a reaction mixture comprising as a major active hydrogen-containing component a polyol having an equivalent weight from about 125 to about 350, a polyisocyanate, and at least about 5 parts water per 100 parts of combined weight of all active hydrogen-containing components, wherein the isocyanate index is from about 50 to about 110.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 25 words

The foam of claim 6 wherein said major active hydrogen-containing component is a polyether polyol having an equivalent weight from about 130 to about 250.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 53 words

The foam of claim 7 wherein said reaction mixture further comprises an additional active hydrogen-containing material having an equivalent weight of about 800 to about 3000, and wherein said major active hydrogen-containing component constitutes about 60 to about 98% of the total number of equivalents of all active hydrogen-containing materials other than water.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 17 words

The foam of claim 8 wherein said polyisocyanate is MDI, polymeric MDI, TDI or a mixture thereof.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

The foam of claim 9 further comprising an amount of a non-volatile, ionizable metal salt sufficient to render the foam static dissipative.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 76 words

A re-expanded polyurethane foam having a T g of at least about 35° C. but below the decomposition temperature of said polyurethane, which has been re-expanded by heating a densified polyurethane having a bulk density of about 30 to about 900 kg/m 3 to a temperature above its T g under conditions such that the densified polyurethane re-expands to assume a bulk density of less than about 25% of the bulk density of the densified polyurethane.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 76 words

A re-expanded polyurethane foam having a T g of at least about 35° C. but below the decomposition temperature of said polyurethane, which has been re-expanded by heating a densified polyurethane having a bulk density of about 30 to about 900 kg/m 3 to a temperature above its T g under conditions such that the densified polyurethane re-expands to assume a bulk density of less than about 25% of the bulk density of the densified polyurethane.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 105 words

A method for densifying a polyurethane foam having a T g of at least about 35° C. but below the decomposition temperature of said polyurethane and an initial bulk density, comprising bringing said foam to a temperature in excess of its T g but below said decomposition temperature, then compressing the heated foam sufficiently that the compressed foam has a bulk density from about 4 to about 20 times the initial bulk density of the polyurethane foam, but not greater than about 900 kg/m 3 , then cooling the foam to a temperature below about 30° C. while maintaining the foam in said compressed state.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 105 words

A method for densifying a polyurethane foam having a T g of at least about 35° C. but below the decomposition temperature of said polyurethane and an initial bulk density, comprising bringing said foam to a temperature in excess of its T g but below said decomposition temperature, then compressing the heated foam sufficiently that the compressed foam has a bulk density from about 4 to about 20 times the initial bulk density of the polyurethane foam, but not greater than about 900 kg/m 3 , then cooling the foam to a temperature below about 30° C. while maintaining the foam in said compressed state.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 13 words

A loose-fill packing comprising a foam of claim 6 in a particulate form.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-07-15	1995-01-14	1995-07-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-07-15	1999-01-14	1999-07-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-07-15	2003-01-14	2003-07-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Densifiable and re-expandable polyurethane foam

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