Process for comolding a composite cushioning structure from a pneumacel fiber batt and synthetic elastomeric foam
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorFrederick Theodore Wallenberger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for the combination of pneumacel fiber and synthetic elastomeric foam is provided that yields highly desirable, composite cushioning structures. A compressed, resin-bonded pneumacel batt is pre-expanded and combined with a precursor of an elastomeric foam under conditions leading to minor but definite penetration of the batt by the foam to give durably unitary cushioning with the best features of both materials.
Claims9
A process of comolding a resin-bonded nonwoven batt of pneumacel fiber with an elastomeric foam comprising heating while confined a compressed thermoplastic resin-bonded nonwoven batt of pneumacel fiber to soften the binder and expand the batt to about twice its thickness;
- cooling the resulting expanded batt to set it in the expanded form;
- placing the expanded batt in a mold or on a continuous belt having lateral confinement and adding a layer of a precursor of an elastomeric foam to at least one surface of said batt to form thereby a shaped composite, said precursor making a minor but definite penetration of said batt;
- and curing the shaped composite.
A process of comolding a compressed thermoplastic resin-bonded nonwoven batt of pneumacel fiber with an elastomeric foam comprising;
- heating said batt while confined to soften the binder and expand the batt to about twice its thickness;
- cooling said batt to set it in the expanded form;
- placing the expanded batt into a mold having a cavity depth greater than the expanded batt thickness;
- pouring a precursor of an elastomeric foam into the mold over the expanded pneumacel batt;
- allowing the contents of the mold to set at room temperature;
- removing the contents from the mold;
- and curing said contents at an elevated temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.