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US 6,319,441 B1Granted
Resilient cushion and method of manufacture
OwnerPaul M. Yatesinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for making a resilient material includes providing a particulate polymer, discrete pieces of foam and a plasticizer. The polymer, foam pieces and plasticizer are mixed and disposed in a mold. The mold is heated to cause melting of the polymer without melting of the foam. After coating of the melted polymer, a heterogeneous resilient cushion is formed with gelated polymer surrounding the discrete foam pieces.
Claims13
A method for making a resilient cushion, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a polymer in particulate form;
- providing discrete pieces of foam material;
- providing a foaming agent;
- tumbling the particulate polymer, foam pieces and foaming agent to provide a heterogeneous mixture;
- disposing the heterogeneous mixture into a mold;
- heating the mold to cause melting of the polymer without melting of the foam;
- and
- allowing the melted polymer to gelate around the foam pieces to form a heterogeneous resilient cushion.
5 more elements
A method for making a resilient cushion, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a polymer in particulate form;
- providing discrete pieces of foam material;
- providing a foaming agent;
- tumbling the particulate polymer, foam pieces and foaming agent to coat the foam pieces with particulate polymer;
- disposing the coated pieces of foam into a mold;
- heating the mold to cause melting of the polymer without melting of the foam;
- and
- allowing the melted polymer to gelate around the foam pieces to form a resilient cushion.
5 more elements
A method for making a resilient cushion, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first amount polymer in particulate form;
- mixing the first amount of particulate polymer with a plasticizer;
- providing a second amount of polymer in particulate form;
- providing discrete pieces of foam material;
- providing a foaming agent;
- tumbling the second amount of particulate polymer, foam pieces and foaming agent to provide a heterogeneous mixture;
- disposing the first amount of particulate polymer into a mold;
- disposing the heterogeneous mixture into the mold without substantial commingling with the first amount of particulate polymer;
- heating the mold to cause melting of both amounts of polymer without melting of the foam;
- allowing both amounts of melted polymer to gelate, the first amount of melted polymer gelating into a homogeneous gel, the second amount of melted polymer gelating around the foam pieces to form a heterogeneous resilient cushion having a homogeneous gel on at least a portion thereto.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.