BREATHABLE GEL

• US 20120244312A1
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edizone LC (Edizone)
• Original Assignee: Edizone LC (Edizone)
• Inventors: Pearce, Tony M., Whatcott, Russell B., Bennett, LaVon Lee
• Granted Patent: US 9,603,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/136
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/00 Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/10 with two or more independently-fillable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/15 consisting of two or more layers A47C27/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/20 with springs moulded in, or situated in cavities or openings in foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/116 permeable to liquid or air in a special way
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/30325 making use of cavities belonging to at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/30326 in the form of porosity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/472 said single elements being substantially flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/727 being porous, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/729 Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73181 permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2021/003 Thermoplastic elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/58 Upholstery or cushions, e.g. vehicle upholstery or interior padding mattresses, cushions B29L2031/751
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7138 Shock absorbing
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/751 Mattresses, cushions upholstery B29L2031/58
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/16 secured to a flexible backing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/22 : of spaced pieces not used
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/266 : characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: B68G 5/00 : Resilient upholstery pads finished upholstery B68G11/00 ; making upholstery from plastics B29D99/0092
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2201/042 : Cellulose fibres, e.g. cotton
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2203/042 : Polyolefin (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/123 : Breathable
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2211/14 : Furniture, upholstery
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/106 : Elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 7/0092 : Non-continuous polymer coating on the fibrous substrate, e.g. plastic dots on fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24273 : including aperture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24314 : Slit or elongated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24322 : Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 : including nonapertured component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 : Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2481 : including layer of mechanically interengaged strands, strand-portions or strand-like strips

Abstract

Cushioning elements include a breathable material configured to allow gases to pass through at least a portion thereof, and a plurality of discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel (“gel”) heat-fused or otherwise attached to the breathable material. The gel comprises an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer, with a plasticizer-to-polymer ratio of from about 0.3 to about 50. The plurality of discrete segments defines at least one breathable gap between adjacent discrete segments. Methods of forming cushioning elements include forming a plurality of discrete segments of gel, securing each segment to a breathable material, and providing a gas path through the breathable material and between adjacent segments. Another method includes providing molten gel within a mold, providing at least a second portion of the gel within a permeable material, and solidifying the gel to form discrete segments of gel.

Claims

1. A cushioning element, comprising:

a breathable material configured to allow gases to pass through at least a portion thereof; and

a plurality of discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel heat-fused to the breathable material, the thermoplastic elastomeric gel comprising an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer;

wherein a ratio of a weight of the plasticizer to a weight of the elastomeric polymer is from about 0.3 to about 50; and

wherein the plurality of discrete segments defines at least one breathable gap between adjacent discrete segments.

2. The cushioning element of claim 1, wherein the plurality of discrete segments comprises a plurality of segments each having a generally square cross section.

3. The cushioning element of claim 1, wherein the plurality of discrete segments comprises a plurality of continuous segments.

4. The cushioning element of claim 1, wherein at least one discrete segment of the plurality defines at least one internal gap within the segment.

5. The cushioning element of claim 4, wherein the at least one internal gap has an aspect ratio of from about 1 to about 20.

6. The cushioning element of claim 4, wherein the at least one discrete segment of the plurality comprises a thermoplastic elastomeric gel material disposed between adjacent internal gaps.

7. The cushioning element of claim 1, wherein a portion of each of the discrete segments permeates the breathable material.

8. The cushioning element of claim 1, wherein each segment of the plurality has a thickness of less than about 25.4 mm (about 1.0 in).

9. The cushioning element of claim 8, wherein each segment of the plurality has a thickness of less than about 12.7 mm (0.50 in).

10. The cushioning element of claim 1, wherein the plurality of discrete segments defines a generally planar surface, broken by the at least one breathable gap between adjacent discrete segments.

11. The cushioning element of claim 1, wherein the cushioning element is free of a continuous impermeable barrier.

12. The cushioning element of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric polymer comprises an A-B-A triblock copolymer.

13. A method of forming a cushioning element, comprising:

forming a plurality of discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel, the thermoplastic elastomeric gel comprising an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer, wherein a ratio of a weight of the plasticizer to a weight of the elastomeric polymer is from about 0.3 to about 50;

securing each discrete segment of thermoplastic elastomeric gel to a breathable material configured to allow gases to pass through at least a portion thereof; and

providing a gas path through the breathable material and between adjacent discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising permeating the breathable material with at least a portion of each of the discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein permeating the breathable material with at least a portion of each of the discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel comprises applying pressure to the thermoplastic elastomeric gel.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein permeating the breathable material with at least a portion of each of the discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel comprises permeating a fabric with at least a portion of the discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein forming a plurality of discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel comprises:

providing molten thermoplastic elastomeric gel within a mold; and

solidifying the molten thermoplastic elastomeric gel.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising moving at least one of the mold and the breathable material such that the mold is adjacent a portion of the breathable material substantially free of the thermoplastic elastomeric gel.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising securing at least a portion of the breathable material to another cushioning element.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the plurality of discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel comprises continuously forming the plurality of discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel on a roll of the breathable material.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein forming a plurality of discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel comprises selecting the elastomeric polymer to comprise an A-B-A triblock copolymer.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising quilting at least a portion of the breathable material to a cover.

23. A method of forming a cushioning element, comprising:

disposing a permeable material adjacent a mold;

providing at least a first portion of a molten thermoplastic elastomeric gel within the mold, the thermoplastic elastomeric gel comprising an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer, wherein a ratio of a weight of the plasticizer to a weight of the elastomeric polymer is from about 0.3 to about 50;

providing at least a second portion of the molten thermoplastic elastomeric gel within the permeable material;

solidifying the molten thermoplastic elastomeric gel to form discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel; and

separating the mold from at least a portion of the permeable material.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein disposing the permeable material adjacent the mold and separating the mold from at least a portion of the permeable material each comprises translating the permeable material adjacent a rotating drum.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising unwinding the permeable material from a first roll and winding the permeable material having discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel to form a second roll.

26. A cushioning element, comprising:

a breathable material configured to allow gases to pass through at least a portion thereof; and

a plurality of discrete segments of thermoplastic elastomeric gel attached to the breathable material, the plurality of discrete segments heat-fused to the breathable material;

wherein the plurality of discrete segments and the breathable material together define at least a portion of at least one void, wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric gel comprises an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer, and wherein a ratio of a weight of the plasticizer to a weight of the elastomeric polymer is from about 0.3 to about 50.

27. The cushioning element of claim 28, wherein the breathable material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a woven fabric, a knit fabric, a mesh fabric, a spacer fabric, a fabric laminated to a vapor-transmissible film, and a porous foam having an open-pore network.