Elastic permeable material and method of making same

• US 5,322,860 A
• Filed: 10/22/1993
• Issued: 06/21/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jer-Wen Ou
• Original Assignee: Jer-Wen Ou
• Inventors: Ou, Jer-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lesmes, George F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COPENHEAVER, BLAINE R
• Application Number:
  US08/139,838
• Time in Patent Office: 242 Days
• Field of Search: 264/46.4, 264/46.6, 264/139, 264/321, 521/54, 428/316.6, 428/314.4, 428/71, 428/322.7, 428/320.2
• US Class Current: 521/54
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/00 Shaping techniques involving a cutting or machining operation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/0027 Cutting off
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/0461 by having different chemical compositions in different places, e.g. having different concentrations of foaming agent, feeding one composition after the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/08 using several expanding or moulding steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/56 After-treatment of articles, e.g. for altering the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2331/04 Polymers of vinyl acetate, e.g. PVA
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/02 Gloves, shoes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/06 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 B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/306 comprising vinyl acetate or vinyl alcohol (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/30 characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/233 Foamed or expanded material encased
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249976 Voids specified as closed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249981 Plural void-containing components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249994 Composite having a component wherein a constituent is liquid or is contained within preformed walls [e.g., impregnant-filled, previously void containing component, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249999 Differentially filled foam, filled plural layers, or filled layer with coat of filling material

Abstract

An elastic permeable material and method of making same involves a board-like basic structure made of a foam material having therein close cells. The basic structure is provided with a plurality of recesses which are filled with an emulsified foam body having therein open cells. The basic structure is subjected to a heating and then a curing before the top and the bottom layers of the basic structure are peeled off so that the recesses become through holes. The basic structure is used as a main framework while the foam bodies embedded in the through holes form a permeable framework. The elastic permeable material is provided thereon a permeable outer covering adhered thereto. The basic structure is heated under a pressure so as to bring about a reduction in the thickness of the basic structure, thereby resulting in a formation of corrugated surface of the elastic permeable material.

Claims

1. A method of making an elastic permeable material comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a flat board-like foam material, which has closed cells and a body provided with a plurality of recesses;

(b) filling said recesses with an emulsified rubber foam body or an emulsified polyvinyl chloride foam body;

(c) sulfurizing said emulsified rubber foam body or said emulsified polyvinyl chloride foam body to form a permeable material having open cells; and

(d) removing a bottom layer of said basic structure so that said recesses become through holes.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising beyond said step (d) the steps of:

(e) removing a top layer of said basic structure and an excess of said permeable material; and

(f) adhering a permeable outer covering to a top surface of said basic structure.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein each of said recesses of said basic structure is trapezoidal in shape and has a top opening with a diameter greater than a diameter of a bottom of said each of said recesses.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said basic structure of a thickness is subjected to a molding under a heat and a pressure to bring about a reduction in said thickness of said basic structure so that a permeable material is caused to form a protuberance over said top opening of said each of said recesses.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said basic structure is made of an ethylene vinyl acetate material by foaming.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said basic structure is a thick board made of an ethylene vinyl acetate material by foaming and is cleaved to have a predetermined thickness before said basic structure is arranged in a molding tool in which said basic structure is heated under a pressure so as to form therein said recesses.

7. A method of making an elastic permeable material comprising the steps of:

(a) using an ethylene vinyl acetate material to make by foaming a thick board, which is cleaved to form a board piece which has a predetermined thickness and which is punched to form a basic structure having a plurality of through holes;

(b) arranging said basic structure in a mold cavity of a molding tool and then filling said through holes of said basic structure with liquid polyurethane;

(c) closing said molding tool, which is then heated under a pressure to cause said polyurethane to foam; and

(d) removing from said molding tool an elastic permeable material so made.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said elastic permeable material is peeled upon completion of said step (d).

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein said elastic permeable material is adhered thereto an outer covering of a permeable material upon completion of the peeling of said elastic permeable material.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said elastic permeable material having thereon said outer covering is heated under a pressure so that said basic structure is reduced in thickness so as to bring about the foaming of said polyurethane to form a protuberance over each of said through holes.

11. A method of making an elastic permeable sheet material comprising the steps of:

providing a sheet of closed cellular elastic foam material;

making holes in said sheet of closed cellular elastic foam material so as to provide recesses therewithin;

filling said recesses with a foamable elastomeric composition capable of forming open cell foam; and

foaming and solidifying said foamable elastomeric composition to provide an open cell permeable foam within said recesses, wherein said open cell permeable foam extends entirely through said sheet of closed cellular elastic foam.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of making holes provides recesses which extend entirely through said sheet of closed cellular elastic foam.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said recesses do not originally extend entirely through said sheet of closed cellular elastic foam, and further comprising a subsequent step of removing a bottom layer of said sheet of closed cellular elastic foam so that said open cell permeable foam filled recesses extend entirely through said sheet of closed cellular elastic foam.