# US 10,369,727 B2 · Blow-molded foam and process for producing the same

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- Number: US 10,369,727 B2
- Document ID: US10369727B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/156,297
- Filed: 2016-05-16
- Published: 2016-09-08
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2008-03-31
- Assignees: Kyoraky Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Kyoraku Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Masaaki Onodera; Takehiko Sumi; Teruo Tamada; Yu Igarashi; Yoshinori Ohno
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369727B2

## CPC

- B29C 44/02: for articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
- B29C 44/3442: {Mixing, kneading or conveying the foamable material (mixing plastics B29B7/00; mixing in general B01F)}
- B29C 44/3469: {Cell or pore nucleation}
- B29C 44/352: {Means for giving the foam different characteristics in different directions}
- B29C 49/0005: {characterised by the material}
- B29C 49/04114: {for keeping constant thickness}
- B29C 49/0691: {using sheet like material, e.g. sheet blow-moulding from joined sheets}
- B60H 1/00564: {of air ducts}
- B29C 49/4802: {with means for locally compressing part(s) of the parison in the main blowing cavity}
- B29K 2023/00: Use of polyalkenes {or derivatives thereof} as moulding material
- B29K 2023/10: {Polymers of propylene}
- B29K 2023/12: {PP, i.e. polypropylene}
- B29K 2105/046: {with closed cells}
- B29L 2022/00: Hollow articles (tubular articles B29L2023/00; pneumatic tyres B29L2030/00)
- B29L 2023/004: {Bent tubes (for use as pipe couplings B29L2031/24)}
- B29L 2031/3005: {Body finishings}
- Y10T 428/1376: Foam or porous material containing
- Y10T 428/24355: Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide a blow-molded foam which has homogeneous foamed cells in size, is light in weight, and is excellent in surface smoothness, and a process for producing the same. The invention is directed to a blow-molded foam 1 having a wall portion formed in such a manner that a thermoplastic resin containing a foaming agent mixed therewith is subjected to blow molding. Herein, the wall portion has a closed cell structure in which a plurality of foamed cells are contained. The wall portion has an expansion ratio of not less than 2.0 times. The wall portion has an outer face having a center-line average surface roughness Ra of less than 9.0 μm. The foamed cell has a cell diameter having a standard deviation of less than 40 μm in a thickness direction of the wall portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A blow-molded foam configured for use for a climate control duct for a vehicle, said blow-molded foam comprising:
a wall portion formed in such a manner that a thermoplastic resin containing a foaming agent mixed therewith is subjected to blow molding,
wherein
the wall portion has a closed cell structure in which a plurality of foamed cells are contained,
the wall portion has an outer face configured to be provided on an inner side of the climate control duct and having a center-line average surface roughness Ra of less than 9.0 μm to reduce frictional resistance against flowing air and to improve ventilation efficiency,
the foamed cell has a cell diameter having a standard deviation of not more than 20 μm in a thickness direction of the wall portion, and
the blow-molded foam comprises a main body including an air inlet and an air outlet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 1, wherein
the thermoplastic resin is a polyolefin-based resin.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 2, wherein
the polyolefin-based resin is a propylene homopolymer having a long-chain branched structure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 3, wherein
an average cell diameter of the foamed cell in the thickness direction of the wall portion is less than 300 μm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 3, wherein
an average cell diameter of the foamed cell in the thickness direction of the wall portion is less than 100 μm, and the standard deviation of the cell diameter of the foamed cell in the thickness direction of the wall portion is less than 30 μm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 2, wherein
an average cell diameter of the foamed cell in the thickness direction of the wall portion is less than 300 μm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 2, wherein
an average cell diameter of the foamed cell in the thickness direction of the wall portion is less than 100 μm, and the standard deviation of the cell diameter of the foamed cell in the thickness direction of the wall portion is less than 30 μm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 1, wherein
an average cell diameter of the foamed cell in the thickness direction of the wall portion is less than 300 μm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 1, wherein
an average cell diameter of the foamed cell in the thickness direction of the wall portion is less than 100 μm and the standard deviation of the cell diameter of the foamed cell in the thickness direction of the wall portion is less than 30 μm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 1, wherein the closed cell structure has a closed cell ratio of not less than 70%.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 1, wherein the wall portion has an average thickness of not more than 3.5 mm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 1, wherein a parting line is formed between the air inlet and the air outlet.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 12, wherein the parting line is formed by having a parison made of the thermoplastic resin between split mold blocks, and extends between the air inlet and the air outlet along a side face of the main body.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 12, wherein the parting line is formed at a parison made of the thermoplastic resin, and extends between the air inlet and the air outlet along a side face of the main body.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 1, wherein the main body has a hollow structure surrounded by the wall portion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The blow-molded foam according to claim 15, wherein the blow-molded foam defines a climate control duct configured to cause climate control air that flows into the air inlet, to flow, through the hollow structure, out from the air outlet.