# US 11,111,361 B2 · Energy absorbing blends > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,111,361 B2 - Document ID: US11111361B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/310,631 - Filed: 2014-06-20 - Published: 2014-10-09 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2003-06-25 - Assignees: Design Blue Limited - Applicants: Design Blue Limited - Inventors: Philip Charles Green; Richard Martin Palmer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111361B2 ## CPC - C08L 23/06: Polyethylene - A41D 13/00: Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches (helmets A42B3/00; clothing affording protection against chemical agents or for use at high altitudes A62B17/00; life-saving garments for use at sea, diving suits B63C; bulletproof or armoured clothing F41H; clothing affording protection against radiation G21F3/02) - A41D 13/065: {Knee protectors} - A41D 31/28: Shock absorbing - A63B 71/08: Body-protectors for players or sportsmen {, i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions} (protective clothing or garments for sporting purposes A41D13/00) - C08J 3/005: {Processes for mixing polymers} - C08J 5/00: Manufacture of articles or shaped materials containing macromolecular substances (manufacture of semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00 - B01D71/00) - C08L 83/04: Polysiloxanes - C08L 83/08: containing silicon bound to organic groups containing atoms other than carbon, hydrogen and oxygen - C08L 85/04: containing boron - D01F 8/06: with at least one polyolefin as constituent - D01F 8/14: with at least one polyester as constituent - D01F 8/16: with at least one other macromolecular compound obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds as constituent - F16F 1/3605: {characterised by their material (F16F1/362, F16F1/364, F16F1/366, F16F1/37 take precedence; composition of macromolecular compounds in general C08L)} - C08L 2207/066: LDPE (radical process) - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) - D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION ## Abstract A composite material which is elastic, which exhibits a resistive load under deformation which increases with the rate of deformation, which is unfoamed or foamed, comminuted or uncomminuted and which comprises i) a first polymer-based elastic material and ii) a second polymer-based material, different from i), which exhibits dilatancy in the absence of i) wherein ii) is entrapped in a solid matrix of i), the composite material being unfoamed or, when foamed, preparable by incorporating ii) with i) prior to foaming. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A molded article comprising an un-comminuted composite material which is elastic, exhibits a resistive load under deformation which increases with the rate of deformation, and comprises: i) a first polymer-based elastic material comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of elastomeric polyurethanes and synthetic thermoplastic elastomers; and ii) a second polymer-based material, comprising a polymer different from the polymer of i), which exhibits dilatancy in the absence of i) wherein ii) is entrapped in a solid matrix of i), the composite material being un-foamed and, the first material i) and second material ii) being in intimate admixture; wherein the second material ii) forms from 5% to 80% by volume of the composite material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A molded article according to claim 1 wherein the second material ii) forms from 10% to 50% by volume of the composite material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A molded article according to claim 1 wherein the admixture is prepared by blending i) and ii) together. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A molded article according to claim 1 wherein the admixture is prepared by mixing i) and ii) in a semi-molten state or a molten state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A molded article according to claim 1, wherein the polymer of the first material i) comprises an elastomeric polyurethane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A molded article according to claim 1, wherein the polymer of the first material i) comprises a polyester. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A molded article according to claim 1 wherein the polymer of the second material ii) comprises a silicone polymer exhibiting dilatant properties. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A molded article according to claim 7 wherein the silicone polymer comprises a borated siloxane polymer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A molded article according to claim 8 wherein the silicone polymer comprises a filled polyborodimethylsiloxane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A process for the preparation of a molded article according to claim 1, which process includes the steps of: (a) melting the polymer of the first material i); and, (b) blending a polymeric dilatant of the second material ii) with the melted polymer of the first material i) to form the composite material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A process according to claim 10 wherein the polymeric dilatant of the second material ii) comprises a silicone polymer exhibiting dilatant properties. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A process according to claim 10 comprising melting the polymeric dilatant prior to and/or during the blending step (b). ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A molded article comprising the composite material prepared by the process of claim 10. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An impact protection system including a molded article as claimed in claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An impact protection system according to claim 14 which is self-molding in service. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A molded article according to claim 1 wherein the first material i) comprises an elastomeric polyurethane or an elastomeric polyester. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A molded article according to claim 1 wherein the first material i) comprises a synthetic thermoplastic elastomer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A molded article according to claim 1, wherein: the polymer of the second material ii) comprises a silicone polymer exhibiting dilatant properties; and, the second material ii) forms from 15% to 40% by volume of the composite material. ### Claim 19 A molded article in the form of a sheet, film, filament, or fiber, said molded article comprising a composite material which is elastic, exhibits a resistive load under deformation which increases with the rate of deformation, and comprises: i) a first polymer-based elastic material comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), elastomeric polyurethanes, and synthetic thermoplastic elastomers; and ii) a second polymer-based material, comprising a polymer different from the polymer of i), which exhibits dilatancy in the absence of i) wherein ii) is entrapped in a solid matrix of i), the composite material being un-foamed and, the first material i) and second material ii) being in intimate admixture; wherein the second material ii) forms from 5% to 80% by volume of the composite material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A molded article according to claim 19 in the form of a fiber. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A fiber according to claim 20 having a hollow core. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) A fiber according to claim 20 wherein the second material ii) comprises a silicone polymer exhibiting dilatant properties. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) A textile or web including filaments or fibers as claimed in claim 19. ### Claim 24 An impact protection system associated with a rigid component, a semi-rigid component, or a textile layer, the impact protection system including a molded article comprising a composite material which is elastic, exhibits a resistive load under deformation which increases with the rate of deformation, and comprises: i) a first polymer-based elastic material comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), elastomeric polyurethanes, and synthetic thermoplastic elastomers; and ii) a second polymer-based material, comprising a polymer different from the polymer of i), which exhibits dilatancy in the absence of i) wherein ii) is entrapped in a solid matrix of i), the composite material being un-foamed; and the first material i) and second material ii) being in intimate admixture; wherein the second material ii) forms from 5% to 80% by volume of the composite material. ### Claim 25 A shaped article in the form of a sheet, film, filament or fiber comprising a composite material which is elastic, exhibits a resistive load under deformation which increases with the rate of deformation, and comprises: i) a first polymer-based elastic material comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), elastomeric polyurethanes, and synthetic thermoplastic elastomers; and ii) a second polymer-based material, comprising a polymer different from the polymer of i), which exhibits dilatancy in the absence of i) wherein ii) is entrapped in a solid matrix of i), the composite material being un-foamed and, the first material i) and second material ii) being in intimate admixture; wherein the second material ii) forms from 5% to 80% by volume of the composite material. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A shaped article according to claim 25 in the form of a fiber. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) A fiber according to claim 26 having a hollow core. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) A fiber according to claim 26 wherein the second material ii) comprises a silicone polymer exhibiting dilatant properties. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The shaped article of claim 28 wherein the first polymer-based elastic material comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of elastomeric polyurethanes and synthetic thermoplastic elastomers. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) A textile or web including filaments or fibers as claimed in claim 25. ### Claim 31 (depends on 25) The shaped article of claim 25 wherein the first polymer-based elastic material comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of elastomeric polyurethanes and synthetic thermoplastic elastomers. ### Claim 32 An impact protection system including a shaped article comprising a composite material which is elastic, exhibits a resistive load under deformation which increases with the rate of deformation, and comprises: i) a first polymer-based elastic material comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), elastomeric polyurethanes, and synthetic thermoplastic elastomers; and ii) a second polymer-based material, comprising a polymer different from the polymer of i), which exhibits dilatancy in the absence of i) wherein ii) is entrapped in a solid matrix of i), the composite material being un-foamed and, the first material i) and second material ii) being in intimate admixture; wherein the second material ii) forms from 5% to 80% by volume of the composite material; and wherein impact protection system is associated with a rigid component or a semi-rigid component. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The impact protection system of claim 32 wherein the first polymer-based elastic material comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of elastomeric polyurethanes and synthetic thermoplastic elastomers. ### Claim 34 An impact protection system including a shaped article comprising a composite material which is elastic, exhibits a resistive load under deformation which increases with the rate of deformation, and comprises: i) a first polymer-based elastic material comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), elastomeric polyurethanes, and synthetic thermoplastic elastomers; and ii) a second polymer-based material, comprising a polymer different from the polymer of i), which exhibits dilatancy in the absence of i) wherein ii) is entrapped in a solid matrix of i), the composite material being un-foamed and, the first material i) and second material ii) being in intimate admixture; wherein the second material ii) forms from 5% to 80% by volume of the composite material; and wherein impact protection system is associated with textile layer. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The impact protection system of claim 34 wherein the first polymer-based elastic material comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of elastomeric polyurethanes and synthetic thermoplastic elastomers.