JPS618339A - Form composite product and forming method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application] The present invention relates to a multilayer molded foam composite product and its manufacturing method.

[Prior art]

It is often desirable to make products from flexible foam materials. For example, when assembling or manufacturing a simple rectangular cushion without a raised pattern, a ready-made form that can be purchased in any desired size is used. However, flexible foams are elastic.

If you bend it, twist it, or curve it,
The flexible form tends to return to its original shape.

Such a form can be easily deformed into a desired shape, such as an arcuate profile.

Some applications require the creation of products with complex non-linear shapes, and traditional manufacturing methods do not allow the use of off-the-shelf rectangular foam blocks. Rather, such conventional methods require cutting flexible foam blocks to produce such shaped foam products.

For example, to conventionally manufacture products with pointed protrusions, such as edge protrusions on foam seat cushions, a rectangular foam block is typically fabricated for use as a cushion base. prepare. or,
A second rectangular block placed on top of the first block is cut cleanly along its edges to match the sharp rounded protrusions on the edges of the cushion. Cutting the foam in this example is tedious, tedious, and time consuming. Also, when it is necessary to add curves or curves to a complex shape or a large number of songs, it becomes difficult to cut the foam. This typically requires special cutting tools and special skills to use them. Also, such cutting operations significantly increase costs and reduce the efficiency of mass production of foam products.

Furthermore, by using a mold, it is also possible to manufacture a flexible foam product having a large number of bends and curves. Of course, in this case it is not possible to obtain cheap ready-made forms for manufacturing the product. Rather,
The process involves injecting the foam-forming compound into a mold with suitable frames, webs, or other design features to create the shape of the flexible foam product. However, this makes #i manufacturing method significantly more expensive.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention relates to a method of making a three-dimensional shaped article consisting of two or more sections of soft foam. The invention is particularly suitable for producing complex shapes from ready-made foam sheets that cannot otherwise be achieved using kernel seed soft foam. After selecting each appropriate foam section, an intermediate layer of adhesive is applied to the adjacent surfaces of the joint sections.

After joining the parts, the product is transformed into the selected shape. Allow the adhesive to cure while holding the product in this selected shape. After this hardening, the product retains its shape without returning to its previous position under the stress.

Although it is not necessary to apply a vacuum to form the article, a vacuum can also be used to hold the textile and/or vinyl material in place during placement and molding.

an additional layer or portion of flexible foam; and/or
Alternatively, by warping the thickness of the foam section, the internal resultant forces that prevent the product from returning to its unstressed I,q state can be increased. This company also ensures that its products retain their shape forever.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing molded foam products using readily available, off-the-shelf flexible foam materials that can be deformed into desired shapes. Other objects and advantages of the method of the present invention and the manufactured products formed thereby will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same parts throughout.

〔Example〕

The present invention relates to molded composite foam products and methods of manufacturing such products. In order to produce a molded foam product according to the method of the invention 1. With reference to FIG. 1, a suitable portion 10.12 of foam material is selected. These parts are rectangular in shape and are, for example, in the nature of ready-made flexible foams that can be purchased at any foam store.

The range of densities of flexible foams suitable for use in the present invention is from about 8.01 to 80.1 cubic feet
kl? (about 0.5 bonds to at least 5 bonds per cubic foot). However, others may be used as appropriate for the particular application.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, the first portion 10 and second portion 12 of flexible foam are rectangular layers of prefabricated foam. After selecting a first portion and a second portion of appropriate dimensions, at least one of the portions has a surface 14 thereof.
is treated with adhesive 13 along and the surface of and is joined to the surface 16 of the other part. However, in order to make the adhesion permanent and complete along the adjacent interface of the joint,
Either the joint surfaces of the image parts are treated with adhesive or the foam layer is completely saturated with adhesive. The adhesive used can be either hard or soft depending on the application. A suitable hard adhesive is U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,05'
These include hard urethane adhesives, epoxy adhesives, and hard latex adhesives as shown in Nos. 7 and 4, 395, and 530. Suitable soft adhesives include soft urethane adhesives as shown in the aforementioned patents, soft latex adhesives, contact cements, and the like. These surfaces are then joined by applying inward pressure, pressing the surfaces tightly together. The surfaces are joined and pressed together by hand or with a hydraulic press.

The composite multilayer product is then deformed along the bonded adhesive interface as follows. The individual layers are successively placed in a suitable mold, after which the mold is closed and the product is held in the mold until the adhesive hardens. During the adhesive curing process, contours, tab bites, etc. are formed,
Apply enough pressure to hold.

It should be noted that the shape of the product is not limited to the normally elastic flexible foam section, ie the foam layer. Thus, the product can be stratified and bent as desired to create the profile and shape of the scale. For example, by using the method of the present invention, simple arcuate profiles with smooth, interlocking curvatures can be easily formed.

Other shapes with a strict radius of curvature can also be formed, such as a horseshoe. Similarly, L-shape, S-curve,
Alternatively, multiple curves can also be formed. Furthermore, the curvature or profile is not limited to curves along a single axis. Rather, three-dimensional contours and shapes can be formed as well.

Once the product is formed into the desired shape, the adhesive will hold it in that shape while it dries. For example, when forming a product into a desired shape by pressing the product into a mold having the desired shape, the product is held in the mold until the adhesive hardens. Thus, when the cured product is removed from the mold, it retains the desired shape.

The reason for this is that the compressive force generated in the ciform layer due to deformation and the fascia do not cancel each other out. Rather, the compressive and tensile forces created by bending, stretching, and compressing the part along the adhesive interface result in a resultant force that causes the flexible form to avoid its initial stress. After curing, the product retains its deformed shape rather than returning to its original state.

If necessary, to facilitate forming the product into the desired shape,
Alternatively, the product may be hot pressed in a mold according to well-known methods by those skilled in the art to achieve rapid curing.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a cross-section of an S-shaped composite foam product made according to the method of the present invention is shown.

The invention is not limited to using only two sections of flexible foam. Molded articles using a suitable adhesive coating 20 sandwiched between layers 18 may also be used. When multi-layered, the thickness of adjacent parts, ie, adjacent layers, becomes thinner, so that the shape of the cured product can be better maintained. Furthermore, the cover material 22 can be adhesively fixed to the outer surface of the product as desired depending on the application. Suitable covering materials that can be utilized in the present invention are well known in the art and include woven and non-woven fabrics, vinyl,
Other flexible plastic films (or sheets), leather, etc. are included. The same adhesive used to bond the flexible foam sections together can also be used to attach the covering to the surface of the foam article, and
Other suitable adhesives well known in the art may also be used. Of course, if necessary, the cover material can be attached to the product by hot pressing the cover onto the product when the product is hot pressed in the mold.

By using the method of the present invention, other features can also be simultaneously incorporated into multilayer foam products. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, a hinge line or bend line 24 can be formed, for example, by cutting the line deeply into the product at any location to emphasize different designs. Such bending lines are formed by pressing a steel rule into the surface of the product at the desired location and to the desired depth.

It is also possible to add a decorative pattern to the product, for example as shown in FIG. In this embodiment of the invention, a plurality of bend lines 24 can be formed by using a steel ruler with hand bending and deformation, or by using a mold or mechanical frame and bending device as an additional process step. Designs and decorative patterns such as contours 25 and contours 25 can be indented and contoured.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 5, additional multiple sheets of flexible foam 26 and inserts, such as inserts 28, may be incorporated into the product to further emphasize the design and provide a more comfortable padding. You can also do it.

In another embodiment of the invention, the molded article is molded in a rigid shell made of, for example, ABS plastic or fiberglass. An adhesive layer is then placed between the product and the shell and the two are glued together. Composite product 2
By placing a rigid material between two or more parts,
A W4il support structure is formed, which also maintains the desired product shape.

It will also be clear that various embodiments of products made according to the method of the invention can be embellished with supports and other features that enhance the design. For example, between the foam layers or on top of the foam layers, spring bodies, rigid foams, rigid inserts, additional foams, mesh materials, cloths, or ties can be placed.

It is also clear that each layer of the product can have the same contour or a diverging contour, giving the product different contours and different layers. Mold expansion and die tools for forming products,
It may be configured with a variety of raised pattern marking tools such as photoetch plates, wire batons, and the like. Therefore, any design can be formed on the cover material or support material simultaneously with the molding and curing of the product. The molds can also be constructed to have thermal adhesive means, such as decals or trims, in place during curing. Articles made according to the method of the invention may also be made using vacuum forming molds to provide a more defined raised design, ie, deeper contours.

Use of this vacuum forming mold allows the use of thick cover materials that are difficult to form, as well as support materials that are heavy (such as ABS shells).

Additionally, if desired, one or more of the foam layers and/or adhesives may be modified to provide further desired characteristics in the finished product.

Such desirable features include improved acoustic insulation, flammability resistance, and finishes that give the product a different feel. Thus, by adding one or more additives, such as acoustic modifiers, flame retardants, or smoke-reducing materials, to alter the surface or dimensional properties of the foam, the finish can modify the characteristics of the product as desired. It can be changed.

In particular, acoustic modifiers can be added to the adhesive during the manufacturing process. Representative materials suitable for such purposes are alumina (bauxite), magnesium carbonate, lead dust and other dense materials. The exact amount to add is not critical and depends primarily on the desired level of sound isolation.

Adding dense materials, such as such materials, to the adhesive rather than to the foam creates friction and is less likely to cause the foam to break during manufacturing.

Regarding combustion retardant materials, a typical combustion retardant material used in foam is Sta-uffe.
r) Fyrol CEF manufactured by Chemical Company
and liquid sinter retardants such as tricresyl phosphate. To add such a material to the foam, the material is placed on a roller and the foam is run through the roller so that the liquid is evenly distributed and absorbed by the foam.

The amount is not critical and depends on the desired end use.

When using a solid flame retardant such as a halogenated hydrocarbon such as decrolane plus antimony oxide, as in the case of the acoustic modifier mentioned above,
Such substances are mixed into the adhesive during manufacturing. Again, the amount of solid combustion retardant material to be added is not critical and generally depends on the end use of the product.

The continuous smoke reducing material is a mixture of alumina and calcium hydroxide, which is mixed into the adhesive.
The mixture has a foam of about 30011G by weight, and the ratio of alumina to calcium hydroxide is about 3:1 to 4:1.
It is.

If it is desired to change the surface and size characteristics of the foam, for example to give the foam a rubbery feel, a urethane elastomer can be applied to the foam using a roller. A suitable mixture for that purpose is 100 parts Mobay'm Multrinol.
) 3901 and 9th part Upjohns isonate (
Upjohn'g l5onat+e) 143L, which is about 50% of the foam by weight.
Apply it to the foam so that it is ~300%. The elastomer is applied to the foam by coating the surface of the foam with the elastomeric material by running the foam past an elastomer-coated roller.

The advantage of including an addendum such as that described above is that only one grade of foam need be stored. Typically, when it is desired to manufacture products with different properties, the desired finish will require different types of foams with the properties of the product. However, with the present invention, forms can be tailored to specific needs without having to wait for a supplier to make and/or ship a custom form. Joined the substrate four,
It can have a greater and more uniform drawbar and breaking strength than the custom form attached to it. For example, specialty combustion low smoke foams typically do not have sufficient draw strength to withstand conventional coating and manufacturing methods. Moreover, by using the method of the invention, several different modifiers can be applied in one step or in several successive steps. in this way,
Substances that do not mix well with each other can also be used.

Obviously, other embodiments, other materials, other designs, and other steps may be incorporated into the method of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a two-layer molded flexible foam article having a contoured shape made according to the method of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a multilayer flexible foam article made according to the method of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a multilayer molded flexible foam product made in accordance with the present invention having deep penetration lines; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a multi-layer molded flexible foam article having a top sheet and contour; FIG. It is a diagram. 10.12... Foam material part, 13... Adhesive, 14.16... Surface.

Claims (26)

[Claims] (1) (a) a first foam portion; (b) said first foam portion so as to be adhesively bonded as one product;
(c) a second foam portion having at least one surface that conforms to the contour of the surface of the foam portion; (c) disposed between the mating surfaces to adhesively bond the first and second foam portions; and adhesive means, the parts of which are held in a permanently elastically deformed state. 2. The foam composite product of claim 1, wherein the shape of the product is formed by at least one arcuate profile. (3) The foam composite product according to claim 2, further comprising a flexible covering material adhesively fixed to the surface of the product. (4) A foam composite product according to claim 3, wherein the foam composite product includes a raised pattern on selected portions of the surface of the product. (5) (a) providing a first portion of foam; (b) treating a first surface of the first portion of foam with an adhesive; and (c) a surface that joins a surface of the first portion. (d) treating at least one of said surfaces to be joined with a suitable adhesive; (e) joining and selecting said treated surfaces of said foam; (f) deforming the bonded portion into the selected shape; and (g) curing said adhesive such that said bonded portion of the foam remains elastically deformed and forms the selected shape. A method of forming a multilayer molded foam product with retention. (6) between said (c) and (d), at least one surface having a surface that joins with a surface of said second portion of the flexible foam;
preparing a flexible foam with additional parts;
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising reinforcing bodies to permanently hold the multilayer molded product in the selected deformed shape. (7) The step of deforming the joint portion and curing the adhesive includes placing the composite product in a suitable mold and curing the adhesive within the mold. The method described in scope item 5. 8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of pressing the product with heat within the mold. (9) preparing a covering material to cover the surface of the composite product, treating the covering material with a suitable adhesive, attaching the covering material to the composite product, and heating the product in the mold; 9. A method of multilayer molded foam products according to claim 8, including the additional step of simultaneously hot pressing the cover onto the product during pressing. (10) The additional step of placing a mesh material between two adjacent sections of the composite article at least in one location between the sections to further support the multilayer molded foam article. The method described in Scope Item 8. 11. The method of claim 8 including the additional step of attaching a fixture to the composite product to attach the product to a support member. (12) The additional step of disposing a substantially rigid material between at least two portions of the composite product to provide a rigid support structure to further retain the selected shape of the product. The method described in Section 8. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein said substantially rigid material is ABS plastic. (14) The method of claim 12, wherein the material is fiberglass. 15. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of adding at least one acoustic modifier to the adhesive before treating the bonding surface with the adhesive. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the acoustic modifier is selected from the group consisting of alumina, magnesium carbonate, and lead powder. (17) The method according to claim 5, which comprises the step of adding a combustion retardant substance. (18) The flame retardant substance is a liquid flame retardant substance that is applied to the foam by placing it on a roller and running the foam through the roller, thereby applying the flame retardant substance to the foam. 18. The method of claim 17, characterized in: 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the liquid flame retardant material is selected from the group consisting of tricresyl phosphate and Fireall CEF. (20) The method of claim 17, wherein the combustion retardant material is a solid combustion retardant material that is mixed into the adhesive before the bonding surface is treated with the adhesive. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the solid combustion retardant material is selected from the group consisting of antimony oxide and halogenated hydrocarbons. 22. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of adding a smoke-reducing substance to the adhesive before treating the bonding surface with the adhesive. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the smoke reducing material is alumina and calcium hydroxide in a ratio of about 3:1 to 4:1. (24) A method according to claim 5, comprising the step of applying a urethane elastomer to change the surface and dimensional properties of the foam. (25) The method according to claim 24, wherein the urethane elastomer is applied to the surface of the foam by running the foam through a roller coated with the elastomer. (26) A method for forming a multilayer molded foam product, the method comprising: (
a) preparing a multi-layered elastic foam; (b) treating the surfaces of said layers with a suitable adhesive; (c) joining said adhesive-treated parts; and (d) ensuring that the shape of said product is at least deforming the composite multilayer product to be formed by an arcuate profile; (e) curing said adhesive to adhesively secure adjacent layers of flexible foam; A method of forming a multilayer molded foam product that retains its deformed shape without elastically returning to a previously unstressed state.