INFLATABLE FLEXIBLE CONTAINER AND FABRIC FOR MAKING IT

• US 3,705,645 A
• Filed: 04/30/1971
• Issued: 12/12/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Patricia F. Konen
• Original Assignee: Patricia F. Konen
• Inventors: Konen, Patricia F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Van Balen, William J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Epstein, Henry F.
• Application Number:
  US05/139,224
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 5/337,348,348WB 52/2 161/44,88,252,277,256,247,404,249,254,231,89,92 117/161UC 244/118P 280/15AB 9/314 206/46R 138/12S 139/389,390 150/1 229/55 220/83 293/70
• US Class Current: 206/.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1334 Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag [e.g., pouch, envelope, packet, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/231 Filled with gas other than air; or under vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31511 Of epoxy ether
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31739 Nylon type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31928 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31942 Of aldehyde or ketone condensation product

Abstract

Textile fabrics are formed into containers, envelopes, or bags which are adapted to be partially or completely filled with a fluid, e.g. water or other liquid or to be inflated with air or other gas. A coating of an acrylic addition polymer is provided on one face of the flexible fabric and covered with a layer of fibrous material. The fiber-coated face becomes the interior wall of the container and prevents adhesion of adjacent internal walls when the container is in collapsed condition. This permits storage of the container in collapsed condition over long periods of time and at temperatures ranging from -20* to 200*F. without developing cracks in the coating or adhesion of the internal surfaces and thereby interfering with the inflation of the container. Such containers are useful as air-mattresses, waterfilled mattresses, sleeping bags, pillows, lifebelts, lifeboats, air-filled or water-filled chairs, ottomans, etc. They may be stored in automobiles or other vehicles for automatic inflation upon collision impact to protect passengers therein from injury by cushioning effect.

Claims

1. An envelope, enclosing a fluid therein or adapted to be filled with fluid, having a wall formed of a textile fabric coated at least on its internal surface with a continuous film of an acrylic polymer having an apparent second order transition temperature of -20*F. or lower when determined at a modulus of rigidity of 300 kg./cm.2 whereby the coated fabric retains flexibility at least down to -20*F. and is resistant to cracking when flexed at least down to -20*F.

2. An envelope according to claim 1 which is at least partially filled with water.

3. An envelope according to claim 1 which is filled with air or other gaseous fluid.

4. An envelope according to claim 1 wherein the internal acrylic coating carries adhered thereto a layer of fibrous material.

5. An envelope according to claim 4 having a tube communicating the interior with the exterior of the envelope, the envelope being readily fillable with liquid even after storage in collapsed condition wherein juxtaposed internal surfaces of the envelope walls have an extensive area of contact, the juxtaposed fiber-faced internal surfaces being resistant to blocking when pressed together under 0.7 lbs. per sq. in. pressure for 7 days at 200*F.

6. An envelope according to claim 1 in which the polymer of the continuous film is a polymer of butyl acrylate.

7. An envelope according to claim 5 in which the polymer of the continuous film is the heat-cured product of a self-reactive or self-curing copolymer of butyl acrylate.

8. An envelope according to claim 7 in which the polymer of the continuous film is the heat-cured product of a copolymer of butyl acrylate containing about 0.2 percent by weight of units containing glycidyl groups or N-methylol- or N-alkoxymethyl-substituted carboxylamide, ureido, or amino groups, the nitrogen of the amino groups being attached directly to a carbon atom in a 1, 3, 5-triazine ring.

9. An envelope according to claim 8 in which the fabric is a nylon fabric.

10. An envelope according to claim 8 in which the polymer of the continuous film is the heat-cured product of a mixture of (a) a poly(vic-epoxy), an aminoplast, or a phenoplast resin-forming condensate and (b) a copolymer of butyl acrylate with a monomer containing a group that is co-reactive with (a).