US5273698A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for shaping cover materials
Assignee: CREME ART Corp A MI CORP
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Filing: 1992-05-28
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Granted: 1993-12-28
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Expires: 2012-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A method for three-dimensionally shaping cover materials such as woven or knitted fabrics, vinyl, leather, and the like is performed by providing a cover material (18) and a layer of foamable liquid reaction mixture such as polyurethane which changes from liquid to a viscous state (16') at the beginning of the gas generating reaction, compressing the combined cover material and the foamed layer in a mold (21,22) having surface configurations corresponding to desired final three-dimensional shapes with the compression being performed when the foam layer has substantially completed rising, but before substantial curing thereof takes place, and then allowing the foamed layer bonded to the cover material to proceed in curing reaction. The three-dimensional cover material shaping is performed by this method without external heat or high pressure so that the cover material can retain its original appearance and high quality. By changing locally the spacings between mold halves (21,22), the resultant foam layer bonded to the cover material can be provided with portions having different local thicknesses and hardnesses.
Inventors
- 👤 Christian Thary
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:59
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C44/00; B29C43/00; B29C43/02; B29C43/18; B29C43/183; B29C43/184; B29C44/02; B29C44/04; B29C44/0446; B29C44/34; B29C44/56; B29C44/569; B29C43/04; B29C2043/043; B29C33/00; B29C33/56; B29C33/68; B29C43/32; B29C43/44; B29C43/46; B29K; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/06; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/30; B29L2031/3005; B29L2031/3017; B29L2031/3041
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for making a three-dimensional cover comprising: providing a flexible sheet-like cover material and a foamable liquid reaction mixture and allowing the mixture to change to a viscous liquid as a gas generation reaction begins to provide a foam that expands and provides a foam layer adjacent the cover material; positioning the cover material and the foam layer in a mold having surface contours; closing the mold after the foam layer has substantially completed its expansion and while still in its viscous liquid state to compress the foam layer and shape the cover material; allowing said foam layer to substantially cure and change to a solid state while within the mold along with the shaped cover material; and thereafter removing from the mold the shaped cover material and cured foam layer which cooperatively provide a shaped cover.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for making a three-dimensional cover comprising: providing a flexible sheet-like cover material and a foamable liquid reaction mixture and allowing the mixture to change to a viscous liquid as a gas generation reaction begins to provide a foam that expands and provides a foam layer adjacent the cover material; positioning the cover material and the foam layer in a mold having surface contours; closing the mold after the foam layer has substantially completed its expansion and while still in its viscous liquid state to compress the foam layer and shape the cover material; allowing said foam layer to substantially cure and change to a solid state while within the mold along with the shaped cover material; and thereafter removing from the mold the shaped cover material and cured foam layer which cooperatively provide a shaped cover.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the foamable liquid reaction mixture is provided on a film outside the mold and immediately begins to expand and provide the foam layer, said flexible cover material being combined with the foam layer on said film, said foam layer being adjusted through said cover material to have a substantially uniform thickness, and the combined cover material and foam layer then being mounted in the mold for the compression within the mold.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said flexible cover material is selected from the group consisting of woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, non-woven fabrics, perforated sheets, vinyls, and leather.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the foamable liquid reaction mixture is provided directly onto a lower mold half of the mold and immediately begins to expand and provide the foam layer, and the cover material then being combined with the foam layer for the compression within the mold.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 4 wherein a film is located over said lower mold half prior to the provision of said foamable liquid reaction mixture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 2 or 5 wherein said foamable liquid reaction mixture is poured by a dispenser onto said film.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 2 or 5 wherein said foamable liquid reaction mixture is sprayed onto said film.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
92 words
A method as in claim 2 or 5 wherein spacer members are disposed around a surface which supports the film on which said foamable liquid reaction mixture is provided, said cover material being mounted on said spacer members to form a space between the film and the cover material into which said foamable liquid reaction mixture is provided to form a composite of substantially uniform thickness of the cover material and film as well as the expanding foam layer therebetween, and the composite then being transferred to and compressed by the mold.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as in claim 2 or 4 wherein said foamable liquid reaction mixture is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane compositions and polyurea compositions, which generate heat in the course of foaming reaction and are in the viscous state before curing and solidifying.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the compression is performed between contoured surfaces of upper and lower mold halves having varied spacing between each other after the mold closing to thereby form the cover with a foam layer having different thicknesses and densities.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the compression is performed without application of external heat.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for making a three-dimensional cover comprising: providing a flexible sheet-like cover material; providing a foamable liquid reaction mixture on a film and allowing the mixture to change to a viscous liquid as a gas generation reaction begins to provide a foam that expands and provides a foam layer; positioning the cover material and the film with the foam layer thereon in a mold having surface contours; closing the mold after the foam layer has substantially completed its expansion and while still in its viscous liquid state to compress the foam layer and shape the cover material; allowing said foam layer to substantially cure and change to a solid state while within the mold along with the shaped cover material; and thereafter removing from the mold the shaped cover material and cured foam layer which cooperatively provide a shaped cover.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for making a three-dimensional cover comprising: providing a flexible sheet-like cover material; providing a foamable liquid reaction mixture on a film and allowing the mixture to change to a viscous liquid as a gas generation reaction begins to provide a foam that expands and provides a foam layer; positioning the cover material and the film with the foam layer thereon in a mold having surface contours; closing the mold after the foam layer has substantially completed its expansion and while still in its viscous liquid state to compress the foam layer and shape the cover material; allowing said foam layer to substantially cure and change to a solid state while within the mold along with the shaped cover material; and thereafter removing from the mold the shaped cover material and cured foam layer which cooperatively provide a shaped cover.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for making a three-dimensional cover comprising: providing a flexible sheet-like cover material and a foamable liquid reaction mixture and allowing the mixture to change to a viscous liquid as a gas generation reaction begins to provide a foam that expands and provides a foam layer adjacent the cover material; positioning the cover material and the foam layer in a mold having surface contours with varied spacing between each other in a closed position of the mold; closing the mold after the foam layer has substantially completed its expansion and while still in its viscous liquid state to compress the foam layer and shape the cover material; allowing said foam layer to substantially cure and change to a solid state while within the mold along with the shaped cover material with the foam having different thicknesses and densities due to the varied spacing between the surface contours; and thereafter removing from the mold the shaped cover material and cured foam layer which cooperatively provide a shaped cover.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for making a three-dimensional cover comprising: providing a flexible sheet-like cover material and a foamable liquid reaction mixture and allowing the mixture to change to a viscous liquid as a gas generation reaction begins to provide a foam that expands and provides a foam layer adjacent the cover material; positioning the cover material and the foam layer in a mold having surface contours with varied spacing between each other in a closed position of the mold; closing the mold after the foam layer has substantially completed its expansion and while still in its viscous liquid state to compress the foam layer and shape the cover material; allowing said foam layer to substantially cure and change to a solid state while within the mold along with the shaped cover material with the foam having different thicknesses and densities due to the varied spacing between the surface contours; and thereafter removing from the mold the shaped cover material and cured foam layer which cooperatively provide a shaped cover.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
167 words
A method for making a three-dimensional cover comprising: providing a flexible sheet-like cover material; providing a foamable liquid reaction mixture on a film and allowing the mixture to change to a viscous liquid as a gas generation reaction begins to provide a foam that expands and provides a foam layer; positioning the cover material and the foam layer in a mold having surface contours with varied spacing between each other in a closed position of the mold; closing the mold after the foam layer has substantially completed its expansion and while still in its viscous liquid state to compress the foam layer and shape the cover material; allowing said foam layer to substantially cure and change to a solid state while within the mold along with the shaped cover material with the foam having different thicknesses and densities due to the varied spacing between the surface contours; and thereafter removing from the mold the shaped cover material and cured foam layer which cooperatively provide a shaped cover.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
167 words
A method for making a three-dimensional cover comprising: providing a flexible sheet-like cover material; providing a foamable liquid reaction mixture on a film and allowing the mixture to change to a viscous liquid as a gas generation reaction begins to provide a foam that expands and provides a foam layer; positioning the cover material and the foam layer in a mold having surface contours with varied spacing between each other in a closed position of the mold; closing the mold after the foam layer has substantially completed its expansion and while still in its viscous liquid state to compress the foam layer and shape the cover material; allowing said foam layer to substantially cure and change to a solid state while within the mold along with the shaped cover material with the foam having different thicknesses and densities due to the varied spacing between the surface contours; and thereafter removing from the mold the shaped cover material and cured foam layer which cooperatively provide a shaped cover.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-12-27 | 1997-06-28 | 1997-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-12-27 | 2001-06-28 | 2001-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-12-27 | 2005-06-28 | 2005-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |