DE4029685A1 - Foamed component for protection of parts of human body - comprises foamed layer with fabric mesh facing penetrated and held by small knobs of foam during moulding - Google Patents

Abstract

A foamed plastic component for protection of parts of the body has a reinforcing fabric (30) held in position from the back by small knobs (44) of foam which conform to the size of the fabric mesh (30). A mfg. process for the component involves placing a foamable plate together with reinforcing fabric (30) in a mould with a grooved base. After forming the foam by heat and pressure the knobs (44) are created by polymer forcing a path through the mesh (30) in areas opposite the grooves. USE/ADVANTAGE - The prod. can be used for protection of body parts, e.g. elbows, knees, has reduced cost and an improved visual aspect. (7pp Dwg.No.2/4)

Description

The invention relates to a foam molding according to the upper Concept of claim 1, and a method for its manufacture position according to the preamble of claim 10.

It is known to foam molded parts for the protection of Tei len of the human body. For example it is known knee or elbow pads, light cycling protective helmets or so-called back protectors as Form foam molded parts. In an emergency, that is such as in the event of a fall are such foam molds parts subject to high mechanical stress, which can either lead to the molded part in particular a point-like load Do not absorb forces sufficiently and dissipate them laterally can, so that the molded part quasi through the forces can be and no underlying body parts are adequately protected. There is also the risk that when shear forces or the like occur Foam molding tears and the body to be protected parts no longer covered.

It is therefore also known to through the foam molding a plastic armor or a hard shell in front of the door tend to protect mechanical loads such that the Molded part serves as a shock or impact absorption element and the outer plastic cover for a better distribution of forces on the one hand and to protect the foam molding before destruction. Which became known in practice  test designs of such armored foam Molded parts are crash helmets, shin guards, knee and Elbow pads for skateboarders and the like.

The disadvantage here is initially an increased production effort, which in turn leads to increased costs. Farther lose the foam shape due to the plastic armor share their natural flexibility so that a flawless anatomical adaptation to the body part to be protected often sometimes only with elaborate hinges, bellows connections or the like is possible in the plastic armor. Wei Furthermore, the plastic armor is particularly useful for larger ones Foam moldings a very considerable additional Ge weight factor.

Finally, the plastic is often somewhat bulky armor perceived as aesthetically unattractive.

In contrast, the invention is based on the object Foam molding, in particular to protect parts of the human body so that it can be raised without Manufacturing effort safe, light and inexpensive at the same time appealing optical appearance.

This object is achieved according to the invention by features specified in claim 1.

A molded foam part according to the invention is characterized by a reinforcing fabric made of the material of the Foam molding at least partially pimpled behind is gripped, the size of the individual knobs in the we considerably corresponds to the mesh size of the fabric.

Due to the reinforcing fabric there is a very substantial one Solidification of the foam molding in such a way that selectively Forcing forces evenly radially into the foam  molded part redirected and derived and thus essentially absorbed be beer and shear forces not the foam molding bring more to tearing. The foam molding can do so with fully as a shock or impact absorption element work, but does not require plastic armor or the same, so that manufacturing costs, manufacturing costs and Weight compared to plastic armored foam molded parts are significantly reduced.

The fact that the material of the foam molding Ver Reinforcement tissue at least partially pimpled behind engages, the size of the knobs essentially the Ma size of the fabric, there is an optical extremely attractive design of the visible surface of the Foam molding, because of the knot an optical The visible surface is loosened. The optical one The visible surface pressure can be varied by varying the Mesh size of the reinforcement fabric as required be put.

Finally put the knobs on the visible surface of the Foam molded part still additional shock or blow off sorbent elements, which are already part of the derive impact or impact energy or absorb before putting on the reinforcement fabric and the one underneath practically solid foam molded part.

Advantageous further developments of the invention result from the subclaims.

According to claim 2, the material of the foam molding the reinforcing fabric in different areas reach behind, in particular according to claim 3 this areas delimited from one another in strips could be. The separation or deposition of the stripe-shaped areas are separated from each other by spaces, in  which the material of the foam molding the reinforcement the reinforcing fabric visible on the surface of the foam molding lies. Due to the stripe-shaped contrast with the knobs areas provided an improvement of the optical Appearance on the one hand and an improvement in ana Tomic adjustment possibilities of the foam molding in total on the other hand.

Here, according to claim 4, the spaces in which the foam molding does not leave the reinforcement fabric behind takes hold of further gaps of the same design be cut across. The separated areas with the nub-like gripping becomes square, rectangular, diamond-shaped or the like. This is an even better adaptation to strongly curved body parts, for example elbows, shoulders or the like possible.

Due to the features of claims 5 to 7, a partial configuration of the reinforcing fabric in such a way that it is a mass-produced item that is available via the specialized trade can be purchased easily and inexpensively.

By the feature of claim 8, according to which the reinforcement fabric is a plastic mesh, is advantageously a closer connection between reinforcing fabric and material of the foam molded part in the area of the knob-like hin seizure is to be expected as the nop a partial melting of the Plastic material of the network through the material of the Foam molded part with subsequent curing of the melted zones is to be expected.

According to claim 9, the fabric compared to the material of the Contrast colored foam part, the  Visible surface of the foam molding visually appealing and make it interesting.

For the production of the foam molding according to the invention is preferably proceeded according to claim 10 so that the Ma material of the foam molding together with the material of the reinforcing fabric in a mold of the corresponding Contour of the finished molded foam part inserted and with a stamp under the action of heat against the bottom of the Press mold is thermally deformed under pressure, the Kon corresponds to the negative contour of the foam molding. Furthermore, there are depressions in the contour of the mold trained where in the later finished foam molding the pimpled undergrowth of the reinforcement fabric through the material of the foam molding. In the course of pressing into the mold under simultaneous The plastic material becomes saturated with heat of the molded foam part the mesh-like reinforcing fabric where the depressions exist in the bottom of the mold are and forms when passing through the mesh of the Ver strengthening tissue the individual immediately adjacent nop pens that melt together in their foot area and so the reinforcing fabric in the material of the foam molding set or embed les.

Further details, aspects and advantages of the present Invention result from the following description with reference to the drawing.

It shows:

Fig. 1 is a foam molding according to one embodiment of the present invention in finished state;

FIG. 2 shows a section through the foam molding of FIG. 1 along the line II-II there;

Fig. 3 schematically simplified an arrangement for the produc- tion of a foam molding according to the invention before the manufacturing step; and

Fig. 4 is a Fig. 3 corresponding view after the manufacturing step.

The present invention will now be explained by way of example with reference to FIGS . 1 to 4, with FIG. 1 showing a possible configuration of the foam molding according to the invention (hereinafter referred to as "molding") in the form of a so-called protector for protecting the spine in two-wheelers. Other configurations of the molded part, for example as elbow pads or the like, are also possible.

In the embodiment as a protector according to FIG. 1, the molded part designated overall by 2 in the drawing essentially has a back part 4 with an upper end region 6 and a lower end region 8 . To attach the molded part 2 on the back of a person wearing the protector shoulder straps 10 and 12 are integrally formed on the upper end region 6 in a known manner and in the area of the end region 8 fastening straps 14 and 16 are formed, which are placed around the stomach of the wearer.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged sectional view along line II-II in FIG. 1 through the molded part 2 in the region of the back part 4 there . As is apparent from Fig. 2, the molded part 2 is constructed in the illustrated embodiment, multi-layer or multi-layer with a lying on the body of the wearer lying pad layer 18 made of a suitable material, for example, a rigid foam or the like, the increase in the comfort of the body of the wearer facing side of the cushion layer 18 is provided with a coating 20 of Ve lourstoff, terry cloth or the like. Furthermore, the cushion layer 18 according to FIG. 2 is equipped with a plurality of elevations 22 , so that there is a plurality of air channels when the molded part 2 rests on the back of the wearer, which increases the overall comfort of the molded part 2 .

On an upper side facing away from the cover 20 or surface 24 of the cushion layer 18 , a foam molded layer 26 is arranged. The connection of the foam molded layer 26 to the surface 24 is carried out, for example, by gluing, so that the foam molded layer 26 is practically insoluble in connection with the surface 24 of the cushion layer 18 .

In the selected exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the foam molded layer is not of constant thickness, but rather has a mountain and valley shape. This external contouring or shaping of the foam molded layer 26 and, moreover, the provision of the cushion layer 18 with the cover 20 are dependent on the particular intended use of the molded part 2 ; so under certain circumstances, the pole layer 18 can be dispensed with and / or the contouring or shaping of the foam molded layer 26 can be completely different than as shown in FIG. 2.

A surface or visible surface 28 of the foam molded layer 26 facing away from the connecting surface 24 is provided according to the invention with a reinforcing fabric 30 . The reinforcing fabric 30 is advantageously designed in the manner of a plastic network with a mesh size of a few mm ² to a few tens of mm ² . In a particularly preferred embodiment, the mesh size of the reinforcing fabric 30 is approximately 16 mm ² .

As an alternative to designing the reinforcing fabric 30 in the form of a plastic mesh, the use of a mesh consisting of textile fibers or - in the case of particularly high loads - the use of a reinforcing fabric made of glass fibers, metal fibers or carbon fibers is also conceivable.

In any case, the reinforcing fabric 30 used should be mesh-like with a mesh size of at least a few mm ² .

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an inventive method for preparing the Schaumstofformlage 26 with the Verstär kung fabric 30 in the area of the viewing surface 28. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 3, a foam sheet 26 'which is the blank of the later Schaumstofformlage 26, inserted together with the reinforcing fabric 30 in a press tool 32nd The pressing tool 32 consists in a known manner of a punch 34 and a press mold 36 , the contour of the press mold 36 having the negative contour of the later foam molded layer 26 . A plurality of ribs or webs 38 protrude from the bottom of the mold 36 , the webs according to FIGS . 3 and 4 being able to have different heights. Alternatively, the individual webs 38 can also have the same height, which means that after the manufacturing process, the foam material layer 26 is of uniform thickness. In a contouring of the mold 36 according to Fig. 3 there is a cross-sectional contour of the Schaumstofformlage 26 according to Fig. 2, ie there illustrated mountain and valley shape.

The arrangement of foam sheet 26 'and reinforcement web 30 is after the insertion into the press tool 32 by pressing the plunger 34 in the direction of the die 36 with simultaneous application of thermal energy in the die 36 , as shown in Fig. 4 Darge. The foam sheet 26 'opposite surface of the reinforcing fabric 30 comes here in the course of the downward movement of the punch 34 to lie on the tops of the individual webs 38 and in a further pressing process of the punch 34 in the direction of the die 36 with simultaneous introduction of thermal energy there is a compression and plasticization of the foam material plate 26 '.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the individual webs 38 are separated by valleys or grooves 40 from each other. The plasticized and pressurized material of the foam sheet 26 'now passes in the area of the grooves 40 through the mesh of the reinforcing fabric 30 and forms after passing through the individual meshes of the reinforcing fabric 30 on the outlet surface a variety of immediately adjacent knobs, the also flow together again at their base points and harden there, so that in the area of the grooves 40 , where the passage of the plasticized material as the foam plate 26 'no resistance is set, the mesh fabric of the reinforcing fabric 30 is embedded in the material of the foam plate 26 ' . If the reinforcing fabric 30 made of plastic, there is a melting of the surfaces of the fabric threads, so that an intimate connection between the fabric and foam sheet 26 'takes place. Where the reinforcing fabric 30 onto the tops of the ridges rests 38, there is also no Druchdrin supply of the meshes of the reinforcing fabric 30 by the mate rial of the foam sheet 26 ', so that rich in the local Be 42 the reinforcing scrim 30 visible outside or above the Material of the foam sheet 26 'remains.

In the area of the grooves 40 between the webs 38 , pimples or pimple areas 44 are thus formed on the visible surface 28 of the finished foam molded layer 26 .

In the course of lowering the plunger 34 into the mold 36 he follows over the material of the foam plate 26 'a uniform pressure distribution on the material of the reinforcing fabric 30 , so that the penetration of the reinforcing fabric 30 with the material of the foam plate 26 ' in the entire pressing tool 32 is even. As a result, an elaborate profiling of the working surface of the stamp 34 can be dispensed with, that is to say, said surface can also be designed so that after the foam material layer 26 has been formed, the resulting flat surface, which was facing the stamp 34 during the manufacturing process, in particular Gluing is suitable, for example, with the cushion layer 18 according to FIG. 2.

By appropriate arrangement and design of the webs 38 and grooves 40 with respect to the course, parallelism or convergence or divergence, distance or width, corresponding courses of the knob areas 44 and the inopened areas 42 can be achieved, as in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 illustrated. Since here the knob areas 44 are somewhat raised compared to the areas 42 , there is first an optically interesting structuring of the areas 4 , 6 , and 8 of the molded part 2, and moreover, by targeted selection of the width and shape of the knobbed areas 44 , dimensional stability or Flexibility of the molded part 2 can be influenced in the desired directions.

For example, in the form of part 2 of FIG. 1 in the loading of the local back portion 4 reaching a parallel course of the nubs regions 44 is selected, which leads to a stiffening of the back part 4 in the longitudinal direction of the regions 44, whereas a certain flexibility of the back part 4 transverse to the Longitudinal course of the areas 44 is possible because the non-nubbed areas 42 are more flexible than the nubbed areas. The non-nubbed areas 42 thus act similarly to hinge connections between the nubbed areas. In the upper shoulder region 6 of the molded part 2 , the arrangement and the course of the regions 42 and 44 is selected such that a better anatomical adaptation to the shoulder region is possible and in the lower region 8 of the molded part 2 is the arrangement of the knob regions 44 separating areas 42 selected so that the individual strip-shaped areas 42 extend transversely to one another and intersect, so that the nubbed areas 44 are rectangular or diamond-shaped, thereby ensuring even better flexibility and adaptation to anatomical conditions.

Due to the material of the reinforcing fabric 30 , the molded part 2 is reinforced in such a way that, in particular, punctual impacts or impacts are better derived into the surrounding material of the molded part 2 and, furthermore, occurring shear forces or the like, which act on the molded part 2 of the reinforcing fabric 30 absorbed and largely absorbed, so that the molded part 2 can perform its protective function proper under heavy loads.

In addition, the material of the reinforcing fabric 30 in its coloring from the coloring of the material of the foam plate 26 'or the foam sheet 26 may be divergent, so that the visible surface 28 of the molded part 2 is not only due to the structuring by the nubbed areas 44 and the nubbed regions is designed interest 42, but a different colored reinforcing fabric 30 stands out beyond the ungenoppten areas 42 on the material of Schaumstofformlage 26th

Claims (10)

1. molded foam part, in particular for protecting parts of the human body, characterized by a reinforcing fabric ( 30 ) which is at least partially nubbed behind by the material ( 26 ) of the molded foam part ( 2 ), the size of the nubs ( 44 ) essentially the Mesh size of the reinforcing fabric ( 30 ) corresponds. 2. molded foam part according to claim 1, characterized in that the material ( 26 ) of the molded foam part ( 2 ) engages the tissue ( 30 ) in separate areas Chen ( 44 ). 3. Foam molding according to claim 2, characterized in that the areas ( 44 ) are stripped with gaps ( 42 ), in the interspaces men ( 42 ) there is no engagement of the reinforcing fabric ( 30 ) by the material ( 26 ). 4. foam molding according to claim 4, characterized in that are provided in addition to the gaps (42) without engaging behind the reinforcing fabric (30) wei tere gaps (42) without engaging behind the Ver reinforcing fabric (30), wherein the interim, the spaces (42) run across each other and intersect. 5. Foam molding according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the reinforcing fabric ( 30 ) is constructed like a net. 6. foam molding according to claim 5, characterized in that the mesh size of the network is a few mm ² to a few tens of mm ² . 7. foam molding according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the mesh size of the network is about 16 mm ² . 8. foam molding according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the reinforcing fabric ( 30 ) is a plastic network. 9. foam molding according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the material of the reinforcing fabric ( 30 ) is contrasted in color from the material ( 26 ) of the foam molding ( 2 ). 10. A method for producing a foam molding, in particular a foam molding according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by the following steps:
Inserting a foam sheet ( 26 ') together with egg nem reinforcing fabric ( 30 ) in a mold ( 36 ), where in the mold ( 36 ) has a negative shape of the later desired ge contour of a foam molded layer ( 26 ) of the molded part ( 2 ) and from Protrude from the bottom of the mold ( 36 ) by means of grooves ( 40 ) webs ( 38 ); and
Deforming the foam sheet ( 26 ') under heat and pressure against the bottom of the mold ( 36 ) such that the plasticized material of the foam sheet ( 26 ') in the region of the grooves ( 40 ) through the reinforcing fabric ( 30 ) with the formation of knobs kicks and reaches behind.