Hot melt thermoplastic elastomer compositions for molding and heating pot apparatus for same

Abstract

A bench-top molding process is disclosed in combination with an apparatus designed to heat a molding composition. In accordance with the present invention, the molding composition contains a thermoplastic elastomer and a plasticizer. The thermoplastic elastomer can be, for instance, a styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene block copolymer. The plasticizer, on the other hand, can be mineral oil. The block copolymer can be chosen in conjunction with the plasticizer so as to have a bubble rise rate when heated equal to at least one half of the bubble rise rate of glycerin at room temperature. By having a bubble rise rate in the above range, it has been found that no significant amounts of air will be trapped in the molding composition when formed into a casting.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.