Gelatinous composite article and construction

• US 20020187332A1
• Filed: 08/07/2002
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Purple Innovation LLC (Global Partner Acquisition Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Joel T. Jusiak, Roland E. Flick
• Inventors: Jusiak, Joel T., Flick, Roland E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,767,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/306.6
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05715 with modular blocks, or inserts, with layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/026 Porous
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 25/04 comprising rubber as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/043; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/044; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/042; next to a metal layer B32B15/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/063; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/043; next to a wood layer B32B21/045; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/046
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/04 characterised by the partial melting of at least one layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/909 Flowable viscous, e.g. gel material containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1043 Subsequent to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1049 Folding only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1051 by folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/169 Sections connected flexibly with external fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/192 Sheets or webs coplanar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/197 with noncoplanar reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249955 Void-containing component partially impregnated with adjacent component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/60 Nonwoven fabric [i.e., nonwoven strand or fiber material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/647 Including a foamed layer or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/674 Nonwoven fabric with a preformed polymeric film or sheet

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gelatinous composite article. The article has a first and a second heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material, a first permeable layer, and a control gap. Each of the gelatinous materials is a three-dimensional shape having an upper side, a base side and at least one connecting side. The first connecting side and the second connecting side are adjacent to each other so the first and second materials are essentially side-by-side within the same horizontal plane. The first permeable layer has a top side and a bottom side. The top side attaches to the first and second connecting side. The control gap is interspaced between the bottom side of the first permeable layer. This gap degrades the rigidity between each connecting side and provides an equivalent structural property throughout the article.

Claims

1. A gelatinous composite article comprising:

a first and a second heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material, each material has a three-dimensional shape, the shape has an upper side, a base side and at least one connecting side, the first connecting side and the second connecting side are adjacent to each other so the first and second materials are essentially side-by-side;

a first permeable layer having a top side and a bottom side, wherein the top side attaches to the first and second connecting side; and

a control gap interspaced between the bottom side of the first permeable layer to degrade the rigidity of between each connecting side and provide an equivalent structural property throughout the article.

2. The gelatinous composite article of claim 1 wherein the first permeable layer is selected from the group consisting of polyester and non-woven nylon.

3. The gelatinous composite article of claim 1 wherein the first permeable layer attaches to the first and second connecting sides by an attachment layer.

4. The gelatinous composite article of claim 3 wherein the attachment layer is selected from the group consisting of a polyolefin, adhesive, nail, velcro, magnetism, and screws.

5. The gelatinous composite article of claim 1 wherein the gelatinous elastomer material comprises a high viscosity triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).

6. The gelatinous composite article of claim 1 wherein the first permeable layer attaches to the first and second connecting sides and the base side of either the first or second material.

7. The gelatinous composite article of claim 1 wherein the first permeable layer attaches to the first and second connecting sides, and a second permeable layer attaches to the base side of each first and second material and the first permeable layer.

8. A method of fabricating a gelatinous composite article comprising the steps of:

placing a first heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material having an upper side, a base side and at least one connecting side upon the upper side of a second heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material, wherein the connecting side of the first and second material are in the same plane;

attaching the top side of a first permeable layer to the first and second connecting sides;

positioning the first and second materials side-by-side so the first and second materials are in the same plane;

inserting a spacer between the first and second connecting sides so the spacer contacts the bottom side of the first permeable layer;

securing the base side of the first material to the base side of the second material; and

removing the spacer to form a control gap interspaced between the bottom side of the permeable layer to degrade the rigidity of between each connecting side and provide an equivalent structural property throughout the article.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first permeable layer attaches to the first and second connecting sides by an attachment layer.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the attachment layer is selected from the group consisting of a polyolefin, adhesive, nail, velcro, magnetism, and screws.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the gelatinous elastomer material comprises a high viscosity triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the first permeable layer attaches to the first and second connecting sides and the base side of either the first or second material.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the first permeable layer attaches to the first and second connecting sides, and a second permeable layer attaches to the base side of each first and second material and the first permeable layer.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

arranging an attachment layer that melts within a first temperature range upon the bottom side of the permeable layer that melts at a second temperature greater than the first temperature, and the first and second heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material melts within the first temperature range; and

applying a heating element having a temperature within the first temperature range to the sealant layer so the sealant layer and gelatinous elastomer material fuse together to secure the permeable layer to the gelatinous layer.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first temperature ranges between 250°

and 450°

F.

17. The gelatinous composite article of claim 16 wherein the permeable layer is selected from the group consisting of polyester and non-woven nylon.

18. The gelatinous composite article of claim 16 wherein the sealant layer is selected from the group consisting of a polyolefin, adhesive, nail, velcro, magnetism, and screws.

19. The gelatinous composite article of claim 16 wherein the gelatinous elastomer material comprises a high viscosity triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).

20. The gelatinous composite article of claim 16 wherein the first temperature ranges between 250°

and 450°

F.

21. The gelatinous composite article of claim 16 wherein the area of the permeable layer is greater than the area of the gelatinous elastomer material.

22. The gelatinous composite article of claim 16 wherein the foam crib comprises the upper foam crib, the lower foam crib, and an adhesive material;

the adhesive layer is between the upper and lower foam cribs, and attaches the first and second permeable layers to the foam crib.

23. The gelatinous composite article of claim 16 wherein the foam crib is along the perimeter of the heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material.

24. The gelatinous composite article of claim 16 wherein the distal portion of each of the finger-like structures has an aperture.

25. The gelatinous composite article of claim 16 wherein the palm-base portion of the second permeable layer has apertures.

26. The gelatinous composite article of claim 16 wherein the first gelatinous elastomer material is a first section and a second section, each section has a three-dimensional shape, the shape has an upper side, a base side and at least one connecting side, the first connecting side and the second connecting side are adjacent to each other so the first and second sections are essentially side-by-side;

a first permeable layer having a top side and a bottom side, wherein the top side attaches to the first and second connecting side; and

a control gap interspaced between the bottom side of the first permeable layer to degrade the rigidity of between each connecting side and provide an equivalent structural property throughout the first gelatinous elastomer material.

27. The gelatinous composite article of claim 16 wherein the second gelatinous elastomer material is a first section and a second section, each section has a three-dimensional shape, the shape has an upper side, a base side and at least one connecting side, the first connecting side and the second connecting side are adjacent to each other so the first and second sections are essentially side-by-side;

a first permeable layer having a top side and a bottom side, wherein the top side attaches to the first and second connecting side; and

a control gap interspaced between the bottom side of the first permeable layer to degrade the rigidity of between each connecting side and provide an equivalent structural property throughout the first gelatinous elastomer material.

16. A gelatinous composite article in a mattress unit comprising:

a foam crib in the mattress unit divided into an upper crib and a lower crib;

a sealant layer that melts within a first temperature range;

a first permeable layer over the sealant layer that attaches to the underside of the upper foam crib and melts at a second temperature greater than the first temperature range;

a first heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material over the first permeable layer that fuses to the sealant layer within the first temperature range thereby securing the permeable layer to the gelatinous layer and the first material to the upper crib;

a second heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material having a set of apertures within the lower crib; and

a second permeable layer having a palm-base attached to the underside of the lower crib, and a set of finger-like structures wherein each finger-like structure secures the second material to the lower crib by having each finger inserted into a corresponding aperture to the top side of the lower crib wherein the distal part of the finger-like structure fuses between the top side of the lower crib and the sealant layer to secure the second material to the mattress unit.