US5702810A — Cushioning composite molded article and a process…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 209 words

A process for producing a cushioning composite molded article comprising the steps of: providing a rigid substrate in a mold having a space larger than said substrate, said substrate having been provided by one of the steps of placing a rigid substrate previously molded in a desired shape in a mold having a space larger than the rigid substrate, and injecting a resin into a mold having a desired shape and then enlarging the inside of the mold so that it has a space larger than said mold; injecting an expandable elastomer of a saturated-type styrene-based elastomer having an average molecular weight greater than 30,000 but not more than 70,000 as measured by a GPC method, and an A-hardness according to JIS K6301 of greater than 50 but not more than 100 into the space to form integrally on the rigid substrate an expanded layer of elastomer and a skin layer of the same elastomer over the expanded layer, said skin layer having been formed by cooling a portion of the expandable elastomer against the mold, said expandable elastomer filling said space; and then enlarging the inside of the mold further to expand said layer of the expandable elastomer to form a cushioning material coated with said surface material.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 209 words

A process for producing a cushioning composite molded article comprising the steps of: providing a rigid substrate in a mold having a space larger than said substrate, said substrate having been provided by one of the steps of placing a rigid substrate previously molded in a desired shape in a mold having a space larger than the rigid substrate, and injecting a resin into a mold having a desired shape and then enlarging the inside of the mold so that it has a space larger than said mold; injecting an expandable elastomer of a saturated-type styrene-based elastomer having an average molecular weight greater than 30,000 but not more than 70,000 as measured by a GPC method, and an A-hardness according to JIS K6301 of greater than 50 but not more than 100 into the space to form integrally on the rigid substrate an expanded layer of elastomer and a skin layer of the same elastomer over the expanded layer, said skin layer having been formed by cooling a portion of the expandable elastomer against the mold, said expandable elastomer filling said space; and then enlarging the inside of the mold further to expand said layer of the expandable elastomer to form a cushioning material coated with said surface material.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

A cushioning composite molded article produced by a process set forth in claim 1.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

An automotive part comprising a cushioning composite molded article produced by a process set forth in claim 1.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 80 words

A process set forth in claim 1, wherein the elastomer is a compound further comprising a polyolefin, said compound having an A-hardness according to JIS K6301 of greater than 50 but not greater than 100, and a melt viscosity at a temperature of injection of not less than 300 poise but not greater than 3,000 poise at a shear rate of 1,000/sec and not less than 5,000 poise but not greater than 50,000 poise at a shear rate of 10/sec.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 86 words

A cushioning composite molded article produced by a process set forth in claim 1, wherein the saturated-type styrene-based elastomer compound includes a polyolefin, said compound having an A-hardness according to JIS K6301 of greater than 50 but not greater than 100, and a melt viscosity at a temperature of injection of not less than 300 poise but not greater than 3,000 poise at a shear rate of 1,000/sec and not less than 5,000 poise but not greater than 50,000 poise at a shear rate of 10/sec.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 165 words

A process for producing a cushioning composite molded article comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having a predetermined shape in a first portion of said cavity; injecting an expandable material to fill a second portion of said cavity under sufficient pressure so as to maintain said material in a non-expanded state, said second portion comprising the remainder of said cavity; maintaining an inner surface of said mold against a first portion of said expandable material for a predetermined time interval so as to form a skin layer from said expandable material; and moving said mold members away from each other so as to allow a second portion of said expandable material to expand and form a cushioning material; wherein said expandable material is a compound comprising at least one saturated-type styrene-based elastomer and a polyolefin, said compound having an A-hardness according to JIS greater than 50 but not greater than 100, a melt viscosity between 500 and 5,000 at a shear rate of 10/sec.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 165 words

A process for producing a cushioning composite molded article comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having a predetermined shape in a first portion of said cavity; injecting an expandable material to fill a second portion of said cavity under sufficient pressure so as to maintain said material in a non-expanded state, said second portion comprising the remainder of said cavity; maintaining an inner surface of said mold against a first portion of said expandable material for a predetermined time interval so as to form a skin layer from said expandable material; and moving said mold members away from each other so as to allow a second portion of said expandable material to expand and form a cushioning material; wherein said expandable material is a compound comprising at least one saturated-type styrene-based elastomer and a polyolefin, said compound having an A-hardness according to JIS greater than 50 but not greater than 100, a melt viscosity between 500 and 5,000 at a shear rate of 10/sec.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 158 words

A process for producing a cushioning composite molded article comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having a predetermined shape in a first portion of said cavity; injecting an expandable material to fill a second portion of said cavity under sufficient pressure so as to maintain said material in a non-expanded state, said second portion comprising the remainder of said cavity; maintaining an inner surface of said mold against a first portion of said expandable material for a predetermined time interval so as to form a skin layer from said expandable material; and moving said mold members away from each other so as to allow a second portion of said expandable material to expand and form a cushioning material; wherein said expandable material comprises a saturated-type styrene-based elastomer having an average molecular weight between 30,000 and 70,000 as measured by a GPC method, and an A-hardness according to JIS K6301 greater than 50 but not greater than 100.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 158 words

A process for producing a cushioning composite molded article comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having a predetermined shape in a first portion of said cavity; injecting an expandable material to fill a second portion of said cavity under sufficient pressure so as to maintain said material in a non-expanded state, said second portion comprising the remainder of said cavity; maintaining an inner surface of said mold against a first portion of said expandable material for a predetermined time interval so as to form a skin layer from said expandable material; and moving said mold members away from each other so as to allow a second portion of said expandable material to expand and form a cushioning material; wherein said expandable material comprises a saturated-type styrene-based elastomer having an average molecular weight between 30,000 and 70,000 as measured by a GPC method, and an A-hardness according to JIS K6301 greater than 50 but not greater than 100.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

The process of claim 7 wherein said mold members are completely separated when they are moved away from each other.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process of claim 7 wherein said second cavity portion is between 1 and 3 mm thick.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 15 words

The process of claim 7 wherein said predetermined time interval is less than 5 seconds.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

The process of claim 7 wherein said substrate is formed from a resin by one of a group of techniques consisting of injection-molding, pressure-molding and vacuum-forming.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 137 words

A process for producing a cushioning composite molded article comprising the steps of: providing a mold, said mold comprising first and second mold members, said mold members defining a first cavity therebetween; injecting a resin into said first cavity to form a substrate; moving said mold members away from each other to create a second cavity next to said substrate; injecting an expandable material to fill said second cavity under sufficient pressure so as to maintain said material in a non-expanded state; maintaining an inner surface of said mold against a first portion of said expandable material for a predetermined time interval so as to form a skin layer; and further moving said mold members away from each other so as to allow a second portion of said expandable material to expand and form a cushioning material.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 137 words

A process for producing a cushioning composite molded article comprising the steps of: providing a mold, said mold comprising first and second mold members, said mold members defining a first cavity therebetween; injecting a resin into said first cavity to form a substrate; moving said mold members away from each other to create a second cavity next to said substrate; injecting an expandable material to fill said second cavity under sufficient pressure so as to maintain said material in a non-expanded state; maintaining an inner surface of said mold against a first portion of said expandable material for a predetermined time interval so as to form a skin layer; and further moving said mold members away from each other so as to allow a second portion of said expandable material to expand and form a cushioning material.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 41 words

The process of claim 12 wherein said expandable material comprises a saturated-type styrene-based elastomer having an average molecular weight between 30,000 and 70,000 as measured by a GPC method, and an A-hardness according to JIS K6301 of between 50 and 100.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 28 words

The process of claim 13 comprising the additional step of replacing the second mold member with a third mold member before the step of injecting the expandable material.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 64 words

The process of claim 12 wherein said expandable material is a compound comprising at least one saturated-type styrene-based elastomer and a polyolefin, said compound having an A-hardness according to JIS K6301 between 50 and 100, a melt viscosity between 300 and 3,000 poise at a shear rate of 1,000/sec and a melt viscosity between 5,000 and 50,000 poise at a shear rate of 10/sec.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 14 words

A cushioning composite molded article produced by a process set forth in claim 15.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-12-29	2001-06-30	2001-12-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-12-29	2005-06-30	2005-12-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-12-29	2009-06-30	2009-12-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Cushioning composite molded article and a process for production thereof

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