Plastic laminate, article and method of making same

• US 3,941,633 A
• Filed: 03/27/1974
• Issued: 03/02/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seton Company (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seton Company (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Tsu-Huai, Key, Edgar T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Van Balen, William J.
• Application Number:
  US05/455,472
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 156/77, 156/78, 156/222, 156/224, 156/243, 156/246, 161/159, 428/311, 428/315, 428/321, 428/424, 428/425, 428/904
• US Class Current: 156/77
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/0076 Curing, vulcanising, cross-linking
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/0278 Polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/02 Gloves, shoes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2601/00 Upholstery
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/065 of foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/40 comprising polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/245 another layer next to it being a foam layer
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/0095 by inversion technique; by transfer processes
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/14 with polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/904 Artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/906 Roll or coil
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1044 of parallel stacked sheets only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1048 to form dished or receptacle-like product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249988 Of about the same composition as, and adjacent to, the void-containing component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249992 Linear or thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31554 Next to second layer of polyamidoester

Abstract

A plastic laminate and shaped article having a polyurethane film substrate, a fabric superstrate and an intermediate layer of polyurethane foam. The polyurethane foam layer is cast upon the polyurethane film to provide a substantially integral laminate. The fabric layer is also bonded to the foam layer, preferably prior to complete curing, permitting the use of unnapped fabrics.

Claims

1. A method of making a laminate, comprising the steps of:

a. casting a layer of substantially fully reacted polyurethane as a substrate on a carrier treated with a release agent,

b. drying of said polyurethane substrate layer,

c. casting a layer of substantially completely foamed polyurethane on said polyurethane substrate,

d. heating said laminate to at least partially curing said polyurethane foam layer,

e. bonding a flexible sheet over said polyurethane foam layer,

and

f. completely curing the polyurethane layer.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said polyurethane foam layer is cured until tack-free, and said flexible sheet is bonded to said foam layer by applying an adhesive to the interface between said foam layer and flexible sheet.

3. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said polyurethane foam layer is partially cured, but remains tacky and said flexible sheet is applied under pressure directly to said foam layer.

4. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said polyurethane is substantially completely foamed prior to application to said unfoamed polyurethane substrate, said foamed layer having a density of about thirty-three to fifty pounds per cubic foot and greater than 120 cells per linear inch.

5. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible sheet is a sheet of fabric, including bonding an unnapped face of a fabric sheet to said polyurethane foam layer by applying a polyurethane adhesive to said polyurethane foam when said foam is tack-free, but not completely cured.

6. The method defined in claim 1, including the additional steps of:

a. removing the plastic laminate from the treated surface; and

b. heating and forming under pressure a shaped article having concave surfaces with said fabric layer forming a supporting substrate and the finish layer forming the exterior finish layer.