RU2764745C2 - Method for obtaining an inflatable product with an attached foam finish - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: pneumatic structures.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to inflatable products used in various types of activities on the water. A method for producing an inflatable product for use as a device for water activities having an attached external foam finish includes providing the surface of the inflatable product, modifying the molecular structure of at least one sheet of foam material. The modification includes one of the following treatments: flame treatment or corona discharge treatment of at least one sheet of foamed material. Then, a flexible material suitable for gluing or suitable for welding is glued to a modified sheet of foamed material to form a bonded structure. After that, the lower part of the bonded structure is glued to the surface of the inflatable product in such a way that a sheet of foam material is located on the outer surface of the inflatable product to ensure a non-slip surface.

EFFECT: providing a non-slip outer surface of the product and protect it from puncture.

11 cl, 6 dwg

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The present invention relates to a method for producing an inflatable product with an attachable foam trim and an inflatable product with an attachable foam trim obtainable by said method.

PRIOR ART

Surface inflatable platforms have already become a popular solution for various activities on the water. For example, such inflatable platforms make it easy to carry out maintenance work on a ship or yacht. Other examples of their use include leisure activities such as sunbathing or diving from inflatable platforms. They can also serve as easily expandable deck space or additional working space on a ship or yacht. In addition, water activities include berths for watersports equipment, water skis, seabobs (underwater tows), surfboards, stand-up paddle boards (SUP for short) and etc. In addition, various water sports equipment, such as surfboards and SUPs, can also benefit from the ability to create different types of surfaces on it.

To avoid slippage, to create an aesthetic appearance and to protect the inflatable platform from puncture, it is important that the outer layer of the manufactured inflatable platform is obtained from a suitable material. Surfaces of overwater inflatable platforms are often made of non-skid materials, such as layers of non-skid polyvinyl chloride (PVC™, English designation - PVC™ non-skid) or Hyapalon™ for platforms and other equipment. The subsequent bonding of a suitable non-slip foam surface to the product to form a long-term stable bond has been a major problem in the industry for many years. Until now, many manufacturers have not been able to solve the problem of the formation of an adhesive bond with the surface of the inflatable platform. It is known that similar problems exist for smaller products, such as water sports equipment, for example surfboards, SUPs, whose surfaces must also be non-slip, in particular if polyethylene (PE) foam is used.

For larger inflatable platform equipment that has a large surface area and needs to be level (i.e. free of bubbles or bulges), it is important to provide a durable bond. It is known that some manufacturers have tried to fix on the surface of the surface of the inflatable platforms foamed ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), but this material turned out to be unreliable in terms of bonding durability. Some success has been achieved with attaching small EVA foam panels (ie well under 1 m in size in at least one of the main directions (length and width)). However, this bonding technique does not work on larger surfaces (where this finish is short-lived, unstable and/or has air bubbles) or on materials with other "finishing effects" such as PE.

On FIG. 1 are three views 110, 120, 130 showing the effect of swelling 115, 125, 135 of the teak surface of an overwater inflatable platform to which the PE foam has been attached. PE foam adheres well to PE foam as well as to hard panels such as fiberglass panels. However, the bond formed when two surfaces of PE foam and PVC or Hypalon™ or Neoprene™ come into contact is not durable. Surface platform manufacturers who are trying to connect different surfaces to each other have known this problem for a long time.

To overcome this problem, some inflatable platform manufacturers produce various teak-like surfaces containing small abrasive particles that create the effect of sandpaper on the surface of brown stripes, which are then fixed on a black base to form sealing lines, resulting in a non-slip surface. However, such a surface creates an uncomfortable feeling in contact with the soles, similar to walking on sanding paper. Thus, these materials have not been widely used, and another solution is required to eliminate this problem.

The present inventors recognize and understand the need for an improved method of forming a fixed foam finish, such as a foam surface attached to, for example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC™), Hypalon™, or neoprene™ on the surface of an inflatable surface platform such as pool side, mooring for water skiing, a mooring place for a sea bob, or a ground platform such as a gymnastic mat, or water sports products such as a single paddle stand-up surfboard (SUP) or other application, examples of which are given below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the object of the invention is to mitigate, level or eliminate one or more of the above disadvantages, as such or any combination thereof. Aspects of the invention relate to a method for producing an inflatable article with an attachable foam trim and an inflatable product with an attachable foam trim obtainable by the process of the invention.

These and other aspects of the invention are discussed and disclosed below in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF GRAPHICS

Additional details, aspects and examples of the invention are discussed below with the help of illustrative examples, accompanied by drawings. In graphic materials, such numerical designations are used to identify similar or functionally similar elements. For simplicity and clarity, the elements depicted in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

On FIG. 1 shows various types of above-water inflatable platforms where the well-known bulging effect occurs due to the failure of the adhesive bond between the PE foam and the PVC platform.

On FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart of a method for obtaining a platform according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention.

On FIG. 3 shows various views of the first step of the method for producing the foam surface of an above-water inflatable platform according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention.

On FIG. 4 shows various views of the second step of the method for producing a foamed surface of an above-water inflatable platform, according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention.

On FIG. 5 shows various views of the third step of the method for producing a foamed surface of an overwater inflatable platform, according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention.

On FIG. 6 shows various views of the fourth step of the process for producing the foamed surface of an overwater inflatable platform and high pressure system according to some illustrative embodiments of the present invention.

INFORMATION CONFIRMING THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

Since most of the embodiments of the present invention presented may utilize electronic components and circuits known to those skilled in the art, discussion of such components will be limited to what the authors deem necessary for the discussion below to be sufficient to understand and understand the basic concept of the present invention. , and so as not to mislead or detract from the objectives of the present invention.

In particular, the present invention relates to a process for producing an inflatable article with an attachable foam trim by combining the foam material with a flexible bondable and/or weldable material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC™), Hypalon™ or neoprene™, resulting in a suitable attachment surface for a foam finish suitable for attachment to an inflatable or inflated or partially inflated or deflated (deflated) article. In addition, the present invention also relates to a method for producing an inflatable article with an attachable foam finish by modifying the molecular structure of the foam and attaching the treated foam directly to the article, such as the platform surface, for example, using a compression roll system (high pressure roll system).

While various sizes and shapes of inflatable platforms are mentioned in the description of the exemplary embodiments, the concept of the present invention is intended to be applicable to inflatables of other sizes and shapes.

According to the invention, the term "flexible glueable and/or weldable material" is used to refer to any of the following materials: PVC™, Hypalon™ or neoprene™ (or any other material that can be used in the manufacture of inflatable products , such as polyurethane) that is flexible enough for its intended application and suitable for gluing and/or welding with another object, unless otherwise specifically stated.

In some examples, inflatable products may include different finishes to suit different surface designs, such as a) foamed PE trim that simulates teakwood in various colors, b) foamed EVA or EVA/PE blend trim that simulates teakwood in various colors, c ) PE foam trim in a different design and color, d) EVA foam or EVA/PE blend trim in a different design and color. According to the invention, the term "foamed (or foam)" includes any type of foam or foam trim that can be bonded to a flexible, adhesiveable and/or weldable material, unless specifically stated otherwise. Aspects discussed herein relate to the manufacture and application of finishes, such as a non-slip finish, to an inflatable that may be inflated, partially inflated, or deflated.

Applications include attachable foam trim for an inflatable overwater platform such as one or more of the following: inflatable overwater platform such as a water ski berth, sea bob berth, inflatable swimming pool edge, "landing pad" type inflatable platform, jetties , custom-made, mooring areas for other surface vehicles such as seaplanes, floating bases, etc., inflatable beach clubs, inflatable boat bottoms, surface apparatus, inflatable surface seats or land platforms such as gymnastic mats or mattresses, inflatable ground seats, or objects for water sports, such as a single-paddle stand-up surfboard (SUP), surfboards. Further, the term "inflatable product" includes any and all inflatable products, including each of the products listed above.

It is also contemplated that some embodiments of the invention are equally applicable to the attached foam finish of cover strips or parts of an article, and not necessarily to the entire surface.

As a result of many months of persistent research and testing, the inventors of the present invention have been able to determine that in the early stages of manufacture, flame treatment, for example, using a gas cylinder, can be applied to create a high-intensity flame to treat the back of the PE foam before gluing. One of the problems posed by flame treatment is that when bonding flame treated foam to a flexible bondable and/or weldable surface material of the inflatable, the bonded or weldable surface must be partially inflated so that, after full inflation, the foam will assume the desired shape. Essentially, this means that the formation of an adhesive bond is difficult, because when pressing the soft foam surface against the underlying also soft surface, it is difficult to obtain good adhesion. This is especially true in the case of large areas such as the surfaces of inflatables.

The present inventors have found that with flame-treated foam, bubbles begin to appear under the teak foam immediately after high-intensity flame treatment on the back of the PE foam in places where no connection to the inflatable has been made. The same result is expected to be expected with EVA foam. For example, it has been shown that in the sun the inflatable will heat up, causing the air in the air sacs in the non-adhered parts of the product to expand, causing the foam to swell and the top of the inflatable to look sloppy.

The present inventors have also subsequently found that the corona treatment has the same effect on the back surface of the PE foam as the high-intensity flame treatment, i.e. allows the flexible bondable and/or weldable material to be bonded to the foam. In this case, swelling also occurs in the place where the bond is not formed.

Additionally, it was found that the effect of treatment with both flame and corona discharge is not long-term. It should be noted that the present inventors have found that this short term effect is due to the corona or flame treatment changing the molecular structure of the foam surface. As a result of laboratory tests of corona treatment only, the authors found that 100% molecular change lasts only about 20 minutes. In some examples, it has been observed that after 20 minutes some molecular changes still exist (eg, approximately 70%), which still allows (to some extent, but worse than ideal) bonding to the foam. In addition, when producing an inflatable article with an appropriate finish according to the present invention, less than ideal results may be achieved after a longer period of time before the surface of the flexible bondable and/or weldable material is bonded to the foam, provided that perfect bonding can be formed, for example, after a time ranging from 30 minutes to, say, two hours; however, it is possible that a much longer period of time (of the order of days or weeks) may also be appropriate following treatment with, for example, corona or flame. Thus, it should be noted that the authors of the present invention have found that adhesion is not the result of a change in the surface of the foam during firing; more important is the change in molecular structure, the existence of which is limited in time.

Based on the results obtained, the present inventors have developed a method for manufacturing a foamed surface of an overwater inflatable article, which comprises applying a layer of adhesive to the back of the foam as soon as possible after the foam has been treated, which in some examples is either corona or flame treatment, preferably within 20 minutes after processing the foam, in order to preserve changes in the molecular structure. In some examples, bonding involves applying two or three layers of adhesive, initially applying one layer of adhesive to the foam and one layer of adhesive to the surface of the flexible bondable and/or weldable material.

In some examples of preparation, the first layer applied to both surfaces must dry to the disappearance of tack (ie, dry to the touch). After that, in some examples, a second layer of adhesive is applied to both surfaces, and while both layers are adhesive, they are connected to each other, obtaining a strong bond.

In alternative examples, once the first molecular sealing adhesive layer, thus isolating the molecules in the foam, has been applied to the foam, it is allowed to dry until it is tack free. In some examples, the first layer of adhesive may also be applied to a flexible bondable and/or weldable material. In some examples, a second layer of adhesive is then applied to both surfaces, which is left to dry completely, and then a third layer of adhesive can be applied to both surfaces, and while these surfaces are still tacky, they are connected to each other, obtaining a strong bond.

In some examples, in order to form a strong bond, a flexible bondable and/or weldable sheet material (or other material that can be used to form inflatables) can be placed on the back surface of the PE foam and the foam surface placed on a solid surface. Neoprene™ is bonded to the Hypalon™ material, and thus, in some examples, neoprene™ is used to bond foam backed with neoprene™ to Hypalon™ articles. The advantage of this method is that the worker can see and understand that the adhesive is still "fresh" and assess how well the two surfaces of the material are bonding to each other. The hard surface of the table also allows the worker to apply pressure with a hard tool and handle/remove air bubbles. Only the foam material successfully attached to the flexible bondable and/or weldable material is sent to the next production step. This eliminates the possible problem of later air bubbles on the surface of the product, for example, when the foam is heated in the sun.

In addition, the inventors note that gluing the entire foam surface having a flexible backing suitable for gluing and/or suitable for welding material with an inflatable product can lead to high adhesive costs as well as serious labor costs. Thus, in some embodiments, only certain portions of the foam, on the back of which a flexible bondable and/or weldable material is fixed, are bonded to the surface of the inflatable. For example, the parts to be bonded may include one or more of the following locations: around the perimeter of the foam, at the joints (usually the foam is attached every 1 m (approximately)), for example, under Velcro™ strips, to which auxiliary parts can be attached and there where it is important that the foam does not separate from the base when the auxiliary parts are tensioned.

However, reducing the applied amount of adhesive by gluing the foam, on the back of which a flexible, suitable for gluing and/or suitable for welding material is fixed, does not lead to problems with the entire surface of the inflatable platform, namely, it can lead to the formation of small air pockets between the back of the inflatable platform. a foam material on which a flexible bondable and/or weldable material is applied, and the top surface of the platform. It has been observed that when heated (eg in the sun), such small air pockets can cause the foam to swell. Such air pockets are formed between the glued areas approximately every 1 m or at a similar distance across the entire width of the inflatable platform (typically either 1.5 m or 2.0 m). To eliminate this effect, in some examples, the inventors propose to create air outlet holes along the edge sections, in the non-glued part, for example, about 1.5 to 3 cm long. In some examples, the outlet holes for the heated and expanded air can be located at a distance approximately every 1 meter or the same distance on both sides on each glued area.

The inventors have found that neoprene™ adheres to the Hypalon™ material and thus, in some examples, strips of neoprene™, such as 6 cm wide strips, are used to bond the foam to the Hypalon™ material of the platforms, the length of which corresponds to the length of the foam. Similarly, foam surfaces can be connected to PVC platforms (or any of the above products) using PVC strips. In some instances, the mass of flexible bondable and/or weldable material adhered to the back of the foam also contributes to pressing the foam against the base and reducing blistering (e.g., when heated in the sun) or reducing foam expansion to form bubbles.

In some instances, the concepts outlined in this paper can be applied to the construction of ground platforms such as gymnastic equipment air walkers, etc. Unlike surface platforms, land platforms do not require ballast.

In some examples, the main advantages disclosed in this work can be achieved by applying a vacuum to create pressure between the respective adhesive layers, for example, to minimize the occurrence of air pockets. According to the invention, for gluing foam material, on the back of which PVC (or other flexible material suitable for gluing and/or suitable for welding) is applied, and gluing the foam to the entire surface of the product or to the surface of the product only at the edges and at the joints of the foam, it can be a vacuum method is used because vacuum can create the pressure needed to reduce or remove air pockets formed between the sections. In alternative embodiments of the invention, to minimize the volume of air under the foam layer and release air from under the foam layer, to adhere a sheet of foam material, on the back of which PVC (or other flexible suitable for gluing and / or suitable for welding material) is applied, which the entire surface of the platform or product, or only at the edges and at the joints, a compression roll system can also be used.

In some embodiments, the method of obtaining an inflatable product may include modifying the molecular structure of at least one foam surface; and adhering a flexible, adhesive and/or weldable material directly to the modified at least one foam surface and simultaneously adhering the modified at least one foam surface to the inflatable article using, for example, a compression roll system or vacuum pressure, which allows to obtain strong bonding of the inflatable product with the foam material over the entire surface (or part of the surface, for example, along the edges and/or joints). According to the invention, the simultaneous gluing of the modified at least one foam surface to the inflatable product can be particularly suitable in the manufacture of small products or products that are not exposed to sunlight, since PVC-free foam, etc. on the back surface, may expand and swell when heated in the sun on the entire non-glued area.

Thus, it is possible to adhere the entire sheet of corona or flame treated foam without the use of an intermediate flexible bondable and/or weldable material. The foam sheet must be applied quickly while the adhesive is still tacky, that is, during the period of time that the adhesive is still tacky. According to the invention, the "adhesive time" (sometimes referred to as "adhesive open time") also depends on the type of adhesive, and in some instances, with some adhesives, the "adhesive time" may exceed 30 minutes or less than 30 minutes. In some embodiments, the "adhesive open time" of some adhesives can be increased by heating the adhesive with a warm air spray gun.

The inventors have found that a teak-like appearance as well as a reduced slip surface create three types of foams, namely, closed cell foams such as ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and closed cell polyethylene foam, also called PE foam. , and PE/EVA foam blend. In alternative examples, other foam materials that do not have a teak-like appearance can be used. All types of foam do not bond well with PVC or Hypalon™ or Neoprene™. Hypalon™ is a synthetic rubber based on chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSM, from chlorosulfonated polyethylene (abbreviated as CSPE) synthetic rubber) with high resistance to chemicals, high temperatures and ultraviolet radiation. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a common thermoplastic polymer used in construction, which is available in two forms, rigid and flexible, and is well known for its hardness. Neoprene™ rubber is a highly durable synthetic material used in a variety of outdoor and marine applications. It is also known as polychloroprene, which was invented by DuPont in 1931 and is produced by polymerizing chloroprene. Neoprene™ rubber is more resistant to degradation than natural or synthetic rubber.

The inventors have found that PE does not adhere to a flexible bondable and/or weldable material because it has a slightly shiny back surface and a molecular structure that does not allow bonding and simply peels off. The EVA bond initially functions better, but gradually fades away. Fasteners based on flexible foam material suitable for gluing and/or suitable for welding are also used, for example, in PVC surfboards with standing single paddle operation. It is a small area that can be replaced. In the examples of the inflatable platform, the usual thickness of the foam layer is on the order of 6 mm, for example, a 3 mm thick layer of brown foam and a 3 mm thick layer of black foam, stacked on top of each other, for example, having carved lines to create a suitable visual effect. On the contrary, in a PVC SUP, a layer of foam approximately 3 mm thick can be applied.

According to the invention, in the manufacture (or repair) of a SUP or surfboard, the panel to be placed on the SUP or surfboard is first treated with flame or corona, after which the molecular change is fixed with adhesive. While gluing the panel to the board, the SUP or surfboard may be partially inflated. Alternatively, according to the invention, the panel may first be placed on an inflated SUP or surfboard, after which the board may be deflated, allowing the panel to be pressed against, for example, a hard table surface to create a strong bond. The board can then be immediately inflated to spread the adhesive over the desired area. In some alternative embodiments of the invention, the SUP can be inflated to a pressure of, for example, 1378 millibars (or 20 psi, which is approximately 1.38×10 ⁵ Pa), which provides a very rigid and hard surface, allowing put foam on it and press down a layer of foam, i.e. position after full inflation. In some instances, the application of the foam sheet to the SUP or surfboard can also be automated, such as with a compression roll system.

Although the embodiments of the invention have been described in terms of the method for producing inflatable products with the visual effect of teak, the invention may include other examples of obtaining with a different type of foam surface (for example, different from teak).

On FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart 200 of a method for producing an inflatable article according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Unlike known approaches to bonding foam sheets, i.e., gluing directly to the surface of the platform, which has been shown to be an unreliable and short-lived bond, exemplary embodiments first apply flame or corona treatment 202 to the undersides of the foam, and after bonding the surface cut to desired shape. Flame or corona treatment to modify the molecular structure promotes bonding with a flexible bondable and/or weldable material.

However, as found by the inventors, it is the connection of the foam material with a partially inflated platform creates additional problems that need to be addressed. In short, an operator making inflatables using known methods cannot apply enough force to create a high enough grip when pressing the soft foam against the soft surface of a partially inflated platform. Even if the product (or platform in some examples) is fully inflated to, for example, 5.5 psi (or 379 millibars), it will still be difficult enough to press the soft surface of the foam and create a strong bond. .Regardless of the amount of pressure, the connection requires first pressing on the soft foam, that is, when applied manually, it is difficult to achieve a sufficiently strong connection.In addition, it should be noted that it is usually difficult for the operator to see the bonding area, since the operator processes the foam from top to bottom, which makes it difficult or it is impossible to assess whether the entire surface of the foam is attached.

Thus, according to the embodiments of the invention, the inventors have determined that at step 204 a layer of adhesive should be applied to the back of the foamed surface (which in some examples may be in the form of a foam sheet), treated with flame or corona, to fix the change in molecular structure, created by flame or corona treatment. In some examples, at step 204, a layer of adhesive can be applied to the flame or corona treated foam surface within a relatively short period of time, such as within 20 minutes (however, this time range may depend on the type of application and materials used). In some instances, during bonding, the operator may apply all or part of the foam surface, such as applying adhesive every 1 m. material (such as PVC), for example, at the same time as the adhesive is applied to the flame or corona treated foam. Additionally, the adhesive is left to dry until the tack disappears. Flame-treated or corona-treated foam surfaces must be quickly applied, for example, with an adhesive sealing the molecular change in the foam. Ideally, flamed or corona-treated foam surfaces are not touched, or only minimally touched, as physical touching may interfere with the fixation of the molecular change.

In accordance with the embodiments of the invention, the inventors have found that at step 206 a second (and optionally third) adhesive coating can be applied to the back side of a flexible suitable for gluing and / or suitable for welding sheet material (for example, a sheet of PVC or Hypalon or neoprene™) and flame-treated or corona-treated foam, and they can be bonded together with a slight excess of PVC, Hypalon™ or neoprene™ material over the edge of the backing, which is left for testing. A second layer of adhesive is applied to both surfaces and joined while they remain tacky. If a third layer of adhesive is applied, the second layer is allowed to dry until tack-free before the third layer is applied, and both surfaces are joined while they remain tacky. The connection of the surfaces at this moment under pressure allows the formation of a reliable and durable bond and prevents the formation of large air bubbles. It should be noted that it is important to apply pressure to squeeze out air bubbles. During gluing, the operator can notice air bubbles and apply pressure to suitable areas. In some examples, a heat gun can be used to change the drying time of the adhesive and to re-tack it. Also according to the invention, in some examples, a hot air gun can be directed at the adhesive on the foam. In some examples according to the invention, in order to quickly form an effective bond, the manufacturing method can be fully automated.

At step 208, excess material that protrudes from the edge can be trimmed and foam surfaces backed with PVC, Hypalon™, or neoprene™ (eg, in sheet form) bonded to each other (eg, on a solid table). Bonding should be checked before trimming excess material that protrudes from the edge. The adhesive must be dry before testing. Thus, in some embodiments, depending on the type of adhesive used, the delay time may be at least one day. The present inventors have found that a typical adhesive takes approximately 3 days to dry, but a bond test can be performed after 1 day. The excess material protruding beyond the edge is pulled away from the foam sheet along the entire perimeter. It is especially important to test on the sides of the foam that will be bonded. If the bond is not satisfactory, for example due to poor flame or corona finish, the foam may be sheared off and the test re-run prior to final bonding. This test is suitable for determining the success of a corona or flame treatment.

Then, at step 209, cutting and/or shaping of the foam surfaces (eg, foam sheets) can be performed, for example, carried out in the middle parts of the respective sheets, which can be displaced relative to each other during the flame or corona treatment. In this way, foamed surfaces (eg foam sheets) are bonded to each other, giving the appearance of one large piece of foam that mimics the appearance of teak. In other examples, foam surfaces (eg, foam sheets) may be cut and/or shaped at any time after step 202. The inventors have also found that, unlike flame treatment, corona treatment does not affect the shape of the foam, and thus, in some examples of the invention, the foam may be cut and shaped prior to corona treatment.

At this point, in some examples, and at step 210, the inflatable article may be partially inflated (or fully inflated in some examples). According to the invention, in the example of an inflatable platform, in some cases, the inflatable platform must be fully (or almost completely) inflated in order for the foam to be measured and cut into the desired shape. In some examples, when applying adhesive to some or all of the edges, at 216, the article is partially inflated and then coated with foam backed with PVC, Hypalon™, or neoprene™. After the product is fully inflated, it stretches the foam sheet exactly over the surface, which causes wrinkles to disappear from the foam surface.

According to the invention, the manufacturer can find the right balance between the need to glue the entire PVC, Hypalon™ or Neoprene™ backed foam sheet to the platform surface and the degree of partial inflation. The inventors have found that in order to tightly stretch the PVC backed foam on an inflated inflatable product and at the same time without forming a banana shape, the amount of adhesive and the level of partial inflation may depend on the size of the inflatable product and the degree of foam coverage. A balance between bonding, partial (or full) inflation, and no banana shape can be achieved by partially (or fully) bonding the foam sheet only around the edge of the foam and along each joint.

Then, in step 211, each individual platform is measured and the foam surface (eg, foam sheets) is cut and molded to the specific dimensions of the platform. Additionally, in some platform examples, D-ring pads can be glued to the back of the foam surface (e.g., foam sheets) and left to dry, Velcro™ sections can be sewn to the top, and the foam is sewn around the edge. According to the invention, in other examples, some manufacturing steps can be ordered differently, for example, the foam can be sewn on the edge first, and then the D-ring patches are glued on. Alternatively, for example, another order may include gluing the sheets to each other and then cutting and shaping.

Then, in step 212, all sheets (e.g., 1 m x 2 m) of foam having the appropriate material on the back are bonded to each other with a flexible bondable and/or weldable material (e.g., PVC, Hypalon or neoprene), for example, in the form of connecting strips of material with a width of 6 cm and a length equal to the length of the foam surface or the sheets to be joined. The bonding strip material must match the material on the back of the foam sheet, e.g. PVC to PVC, although Hypalon™ can be bonded to Neoprene™ and sheets backed with Hypalon™ or Neoprene™ can be bonded to any of these. two materials.

In other examples of the invention, the foam can be bonded with these bonding strips after flame and corona treatment without the need to pre-apply PVC, Hypalon™ or Neoprene™ to the back of the foam. Thus, PVC, Hypalon™ or Neoprene™ can then be applied to the remaining uncovered portion of the foam, or if the remaining uncovered portion has a small surface area (e.g. "spot"), or if a high pressure application system is used, etc. ., then no PVC, Hypalon™ or neoprene™ is applied to the remainder.

Then, in step 214, in the platform examples, D-rings are glued to the underside of the D-ring patches. However, in other examples of the invention, the D-rings can be glued to the wrong side at any stage of the method.

Finally, at step 216, in some examples, the bonded structure is then glued to the partially inflated platform with adhesive applied all around the edge with air vents, completely under the D-rings (very important to ensure a strong connection), under the foam joints. material, under Velcro™, etc. In some instances, when gluing a whole sheet of foam to the surface of a partially inflated platform, air outlets may be located approximately every 2 cm along either edge of each section to allow air to be vented. As noted, the platform may be fully inflated or, in other examples, deflated in the final bonding of the article, or in this particular example. Also, as noted in other examples, final bonding can be done at the edges of the product, or in a specific example of a platform, but not under every joint or under every Velcro strip, etc. Thus, according to the invention, the finished bonded structure can be obtained by various types of gluing, both partially and completely.

Thus, the combination of approaches taken to perform step 202, at step 206, solves the problems of known methods and allows you to attach a reliable and durable surface to an inflated or partially inflated (or even deflated) article.

In alternative examples of the invention, a high pressure system may be applied after the foam or corona treatment step to modify the molecular structure and provide the joint with a flexible bondable and/or weldable material. In this example, at step 204, a layer of adhesive is applied to the back side of the flame or corona treated foam surface (which in some examples may be a foam sheet) to capture the changes in molecular structure caused by the flame or corona treatment. For subsequent operations, a first layer of adhesive must be applied to the top surface of the platform, after which the second and third layers are applied to both the foam surface and the platform surface, which are then connected to each other to create a strong bond while the adhesive still retains adhesive ability. At this stage, a particularly important factor in the production method is the "open time of the adhesive", ie the rapid (or automated) application of the adhesive to both surfaces is important. For example, to create a bond, the "open time" on both surfaces can be 15 to 30 minutes, and then a high pressure system can be applied (eg, in an automated process). Then, after step 205, another path can be applied, and further in the method according to the invention, the high pressure system 207 can be used at step 216 to adhere the flame-treated or corona-treated foam, in which the molecular changes are fixed with adhesive, directly to the product, for example, platform, which may be deflated, partially inflated or inflated. In some examples, the high pressure system may be a roller-equipped system in which the roller is designed to exert pressure on the product and the flame or corona treated foam while the adhesive retains sufficient tack. Likewise, in some examples, the high pressure system may be a vacuum applied system in which a vacuum is created in a sealed space to apply pressure to the product and the flame or corona treated foam while the adhesive retains sufficient tack. In these examples, no intermediate bonding structure is used.

Also in this high pressure system example, it is contemplated that the examples may include one or more intermediate steps relating to constructing the product or foam into a suitable shape, for example, may include correcting and joining one or more sheets in step 208 or cutting or shaping 209 foam, or the use of a partially inflated, deflated, or inflated product in step 210, or, for example, applying other features to the product, such as D-rings, Velcro sewing, or stitching, in step 211.

On FIG. 3 shows various views of the first step of the method for producing the foam surface of an above-water inflatable platform according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention. The first illustration 310 shows a PE foam sheet. In this example, the PE foam sheet has the following dimensions: width - 102 cm, length - 203 cm. However, in other embodiments of the invention, sheets of larger or smaller sizes can be used, for example, a width of 1.5 m and a shorter length of 1, 5 m, or for use in custom moorings or very long inflatable platforms, sheets 102 cm wide and 10 m long can be used. The second image 320 shows a foam with a slightly shiny backside. The third image 330 shows the foam material after high intensity flame treatment. The fourth image 340 shows a comparison of the foam materials before and after the high intensity foam treatment. In some examples of the invention, EVA foam or PE/EVA foam blend can also be flame treated.

On FIG. 4 shows various views of the second step of the method for producing a foamed surface of an above-water inflatable platform according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention. The second step follows the first step, i.e. the flame or corona treatment, and includes the application of an adhesive and a flexible bondable and/or weldable sheet material.

The first illustrative image 410 shows a sheet of foam, on the back of which is placed black PVC, which serves as a flexible suitable for gluing and/or suitable for welding material. In some examples, a black version of PVC can be used as a flexible bondable and/or weldable material because the lines on the teak foam are black and the color of the PVC material is chosen accordingly. The foam is joined along the lines, and if the color of the PVC matches the color of the lines, then the joints may not be visible. In other examples, lines of other colors may be applied to the foam, and in such situations a different color of PVC may be chosen to match the color of the lines. In the second image 420, an excess of PVC material sheet extending over the edge is pulled back to check the adhesive bond, either partially or around the entire perimeter. When partially bonded, e.g. on three sides, the first edge can be aligned so that there is no excess material protruding from the edge, and the excess material protruding beyond the edge is only sufficient for the PVC to cover the sheet and need not be further leveled when gluing. The third image 430 shows the foam cut along the black lines for bonding. The fourth image 440 shows sections of foam stacked together to connect along the black lines. At this stage, the foam is cut to the desired shape so that the joints are seamless and invisible. For example, in some applications, the foam may shrink or lose shape when fired.

On FIG. 5 shows various views of the third step of the method for producing a teak-like PE foam surface for an overwater inflatable platform according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention.

The first illustrative image 510 shows foam sheets stacked with each other along the joints after cutting and molding. At this stage the bonding has not yet been done as the foam sheets are only bonded to each other for overmolding and trimming. The second illustrative image 520 shows an inflated or partially inflated platform from which measurements can be taken for the location of the foam. The platform can be inflated at any time during the execution of the method.

The third illustration 560 shows two sheets of teak imitation PE foam, on the back of which there is a sheet of black PVC attached to the back with a strip of black PVC. In exemplary embodiments of the invention, the bonding of PVC to PVC is very strong. Thus, the PVC on the back of the foam adheres very well to the black PVC strip. In other examples, two sheets of teak-like foam, each having a sheet of neoprene™ on the back, may be connected with a strip of black neoprene™. In other examples, the foam sheet with the Hypalon™ material on the back can be bonded with either a neoprene™ strip or a Hypalon™ strip. Hypalon™ and neoprene™ bond well with each other but do not bond well with PVC due to plasticizing migration, i.e. the transition of polymers from PVC, which over time spreads onto Hypalon™ and degrades it.

The fourth image 570 shows the shape of the bonded foam sheets after gluing and after cutting the bonded foam to the desired shape, gluing the D-ring covers, sewing Velcro™ to the foam, and sewing the foam to the edge.

On FIG. 6 is an image of an above-water inflatable platform resulting from the implementation of the production method discussed in this paper, according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention. View 620 shows foam 622 glued to the inflatable platform, all around the edge 624, under the Velcro™ strips, under each joint (approximately every 1 m) and all the way under the D-rings as shown. A problem with prior art foam sheets is the possible edge delamination. Thus, according to the embodiments of the invention, in the fourth step 630 sewing (stitching) is performed through the foam with PVC on the back side, which prevents the foam from fraying and wear at the edges, for example, as a result of repeated collisions, for example, that occur during the operation of water skis and etc.

In some examples, inflatables may include surface finishes in various designs, such as a) PE foam trim to simulate teak in various colors, b) EVA foam or EVA/PE foam blend trim to simulate teak in various colors, c) PE foam to simulate teak. other design and color finishes, d) EVA or EVA/PE blend for other design and color finishes.

On FIG. 6 also shows one example of a high pressure system 650 that may be used in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. The high pressure system 650 includes an inlet 652 coupled to a motor 654 that drives a high pressure system, such as a vacuum system 656. The motor may also drive a pressure controller 662 that controls the amount of pressure generated when the inflatable is bonded to the attached foam. finishing, for example, using a high vacuum station 660.

In the foregoing description, the invention has been disclosed with the help of the specific exemplary embodiments presented. However, it is obvious that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments of the invention without going beyond the scope of the invention.

The dimensions and location of specific components do not have to be as specified, since after reviewing the drawings and reading the description, those skilled in the art can reproduce the concepts disclosed in the present description.

Any combination of components that can achieve the same functionality as the desired functionality means that the components are "in effective interaction". In addition, according to the invention, the order of operations shown in FIG. 2 may be varied, for example, depending on the process conditions, the materials used and the type of product obtained. Thus, any two components discussed in this paper, combined to achieve a certain functionality, can be "in effective interaction" with each other to achieve the desired functionality, regardless of the architecture or intermediate components. Likewise, two components linked in this manner may also be considered to be "operably linked" or "operably connected" to each other to achieve the desired functionality.

Although the present invention has been disclosed with the help of some examples of implementation, it is not limited to the specific forms considered. On the contrary, the scope of the present invention is limited to the scope defined by the claims. In addition, although some element may be discussed in connection with specific embodiments, a person skilled in the art should be clear that various elements of the disclosed embodiments can be combined according to the invention.

Thus, an improved solution for the method of obtaining an inflatable product with an attachable foam trim is considered. The system discussed in this paper provides a reliable mechanism for bonding a layer of flexible, bondable and/or weldable material to PE foam, PE/EVA blend or EVA foam, preferably for attaching the foam to products operating in water or on land or any other the areas mentioned above. Thus, the authors of the present invention considered a number of problems associated with existing structures, which were essentially eliminated by the present invention.

Claims (15)

1. A method (200) for producing an inflatable product for use as a water activity device having an attachable outer foam finish, comprising: providing the surface of the inflatable product; modifying (202) the molecular structure of at least one foam sheet, comprising one of the following treatments: flame treatment of at least one foam sheet, corona treatment of at least one foam sheet; adhering (206) a flexible bondable or weldable material to the modified at least one foam sheet to form a bonded structure; and gluing (216) the bottom of the bonded structure to the surface of the inflatable so that the foam sheet is on the outer surface of the inflatable to provide a non-slip surface. 2. A method (200) for producing an inflatable article with an attachable outer foam trim according to claim 1, wherein the flexible bondable or weldable material comprises at least one material from the group consisting of: PVC or Hypalon™ or Neoprene™, polyurethane. 3. A method (200) for producing an inflatable article with an attachable foam exterior according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein modifying (202) the molecular structure of at least one sheet of foam comprises modifying (202) the molecular structure prior to applying the adhesive for a limited period of time where the application of the adhesive essentially fixes the modified molecular structure. 4. The method (200) for producing an inflatable article with an attachable outer foam trim according to claim 3, wherein the limited time period during which the modified molecular structure is substantially fixed is less than six months. 5. The method (200) for producing an inflatable article with an attachable outer foam trim according to claim 4, wherein the limited time period during which the modified molecular structure is substantially fixed is less than thirty minutes. 6. The method (200) for producing an inflatable article with an attachable outer foam trim according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising initially partially inflating the inflatable article such that the adhesive or weldable flexible suitable for gluing or suitable for welding takes the desired shape after full inflation. 7. A method (200) for producing an inflatable article with an attachable outer foam trim according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising gluing (206) a flexible bondable or weldable material directly onto the modified at least one foam sheet and gluing (216) modified at least one sheet of foam material to the inflatable product using a high pressure system. 8. The method (200) for producing an inflatable article with an attachable outer foam trim according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one sheet of foam material comprises at least one of the following materials: polyethylene foam, PE, ethylene vinyl acetate foam, EVA, foam blend PE/EVA. 9. A method (200) for producing an inflatable article with an attachable outer foam trim according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein gluing (216) the bonded structure to the inflatable article comprises applying adhesive to at least one or more portions of at least one sheet of foam material. 10. The method (200) for producing an inflatable article with an attachable outer foam trim according to claim 9, wherein gluing (216) the bonded structure to the inflatable article includes providing air outlets along edge portions between the bonded structure and the inflatable article. 11. An inflatable article with an attachable external foam trim obtained by the method of any one of the preceding claims.

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