Vulcanization of dip-molded rubber articles with reduced molten media bath times
AssigneeApex Medical Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMark W. McGlothlin, Scott Herrick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Pore-free rubber articles are prepared by dip-molding in a dipping medium that includes a vulcanizing agent, then partially-cured by immersing the dip former in a heated liquid bath that is chemically inert. A particularly effective liquid bath is a molten, nitrite free inorganic salt. The partially-cured rubber is then maintained at a desired curing temperature in a low/no oxygen heating oven to complete curing. Alternatively, upon removal from the molten salt bath, the latex film is quenched.
Claims16
A method for the preparation of an article of rubber, the method comprising:
- dipping a forming member in a latex;
- withdrawing the forming member from the latex in a manner to leave a film of the latex over an outer surface of the forming member;
- immersing the forming member with the latex film thereon in a chemically inert liquid bath, for a duration of time, to partially-cure and heat the latex film to a predetermined temperature, wherein the duration of time is less than a time it would take to fully cure the latex film;
- withdrawing the forming member from the chemically inert liquid bath;
- placing the forming member with the partially-cured latex film into a substantially oxygen free oven maintained at or above the predetermined temperature to fully cure the latex film;
- and
- separating the cured latex film from the forming member.
A method for forming a dip-molded article of a rubber comprising:
- dipping a forming member in a latex comprising a rubber and an organic peroxide;
- withdrawing the forming member from the latex in a manner to leave a film of the latex over an outer surface of the forming member;
- immersing the forming member with the latex film thereon in a chemically inert liquid bath, for a duration of time, to partially-cure and heat the latex film to a predetermined temperature, wherein the duration of time is less than the time it would take to fully cure the latex film;
- withdrawing the forming member from the chemically inert liquid bath;
- quenching the forming member with the partially-cured latex film thereon to form a cured latex film;
- separating the cured latex film from the forming member;
- and
- extracting residual and unreacted organic peroxide from the separated cured latex film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.