Process for forming gelatinous elastomer materials

• US 6,413,458 B1
• Filed: 05/03/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edizone LC (Edizone)
• Original Assignee: Edizone LC (Edizone)
• Inventors: Pearce, Tony M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silbaugh, Jan H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eashoo, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/303,979
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 264/141, 264/176.1, 264/211.21, 264/330, 264/331.11, 264/331.13, 264/171.1
• US Class Current: 264/141
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/085 of liquid type, e.g. filled with water or gel
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/144 inside the mattress or cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/15 consisting of two or more layers A47C27/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/54 Inflatable chairs connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/021 Detachable or loose seat cushions
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/009 after shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/50 using pressure difference, e.g. by extrusion or by spraying B29C44/468 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/583 for making articles with cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/022 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/11 comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/9135 of flat articles, e.g. using specially adapted supporting means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/919 using a bath, e.g. extruding into an open bath to coagulate or cool the material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/60 Multitubular or multicompartmented articles, e.g. honeycomb
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0016 Plasticisers
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/01 Hydrocarbons C08K5/0091 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/006 grafted on to block copolymers containing at least one sequence of polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/02 : of vinyl-aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/025 : modified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/909 : Flowable viscous, e.g. gel material containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/948 : Body support with unique, specific filler material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/953 : Comprising structurally defined foam material or configuration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24322 : Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 : including nonapertured component

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a gelatinous elastomer article comprising a series of steps. The steps include selecting a plasticizer, selecting a triblock copolymer of the general configuration A-B-A, mixing the plasticizer and triblock copolymer such as by melt blending or use of a compounding screw in order to produce a gelatinous elastomer, permitting the gelatinous elastomer to cool, selecting a forming device such as a die or mold, melting the gelatinous elastorner, and forcing the gelatinous elastomer into the forming device in order to form a gelatinous elastomer part.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a gelatinous elastomer article comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a plasticizer,

(b) selecting a triblock copolymer of the general configuration A-B-A,

wherein A is selected from the group consisting of monoalkenylarene polymers;

wherein B is a hydrogenated polymer including a plurality of isoprene monomers and a plurality of butadiene monomers;

wherein said isoprene monomers comprise at least about 30 weight percent of said hydrogenated polymer B;

wherein said butadiene monomer comprise at least about 30 weight percent of said hydrogenated polymer B;

wherein a mixture including about 20 weight percent of said triblock copolymer and about 80 weight percent toluene, the weight percentages based on the total weight of the mixture, at from about 25 degrees Celsius to about 30 degrees Celsius, does not form a solution;

wherein said plasticizer associates with said hydrogenated polymer B;

wherein said triblock copolymer has a measurable percent elongation at break;

wherein said plasticizer tends to increase the percent elongation at break of said triblock copolymer;

wherein said triblock copolymer has a rigidity measurable on the Gram Bloom scale; and

wherein said plasticizer tends to decrease the Gram Bloom rigidity of said triblock copolymer;

(c) mixing said plasticizer and said triblock copolymer by a method selected from the group consisting of melt blending and use of a compounding screw in order to produce a gelatinous elastomer,

(d) permitting said gelatinous elastomer to cool,

(e) selecting a forming device either a die or mold,

(f) melting said gelatinous elastomer, and

(g) forcing said gelatinous elastomer into said forming device in order to form a gelatinous elastomer part.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said triblock copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of at least about 300,000.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said plasticizer includes an oil.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising shaping said gelatinous elastomer into pellets prior to melting said gelatinous elastomer.

5. A method for manufacturing a gelatinous elastomer article comprising the steps of:

selecting a plasticizer,

selecting a triblock copolymer of the general configuration A-B-A,

wherein B is a hygrogenated polymer including ethylene/propylene and ethylene/butylene;

wherein the combined weights of said ethylene/propylene and said ethylene/butylene comprise more than about 50 weight percent of said hydrogenated polymer B;

wherein said plasticizer associates with said hydrogenated polymer B;

wherein said triblock copolymer has a measurable percent elongation at break;

wherein said plasticizer tends to increase the percent elongation at break of said triblock copolymer;

wherein said triblock copolymer has a rigidity measurable on the Gram Bloom scale; and

wherein said plasticizer tends to decrease the Gram Bloom rigidity of said triblock copolymer;

mixing said plasticizer and said triblock copolymer by a method selected from the group consisting of melt blending and use of a compounding screw in order to produce a gelatinous elastomer,

permitting said gelatinous elastomer to cool,

selecting a forming device either a die or mold,

melting said gelatinous elastomer, and

forcing said gelatinous elastomer into said forming device in order to form a gelatinous elastomer part.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said triblock copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of at least about 300,000.

7. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said plasticizer includes an oil.

8. A method as recited in claim 5 further comprising shaping said gelatinous elastomer into pellets prior to melting said gelatinous elastomer.

9. A method for manufacturing a gelatinous elastomer article comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a plasticizer that includes a plurality of plasticizing polymer molecules,

(b) selecting an elastomer comprising a plurality of elastomeric triblock copolymers of the general configuration A-B-A, each of said triblock copolymers having;

two end blocks A and

one mid block B, and

a plurality of hollow spherical objects;

wherein each of said mid block B is covalently linked to one of said end blocks A;

wherein said end blocks A are non-elastomeric polymers;

wherein said mid block B is an elastomeric polymer,

wherein said mid block B of at least some of said triblock copolymers includes a plurality of backbone carbon molecules and a plurality of side chains;

wherein said elastomer has a weight average molecular weight of at least about 300,000 when determined by gel permeation chromatography;

wherein said plasticizing polymer molecules, upon placement of the material under a load, tend to facilitate disentanglement and elongation of said mid blocks B during elongation of the material;

wherein said plasticizing polymer molecules, upon release of the load from the material, tend to facilitate recontraction of the material;

wherein said plasticizing polymer molecules comprise at least about 60 weight percent of the material, based on the combined weights of said triblock copolymers and said plasticizing polymers;

wherein said elastomer has a measurable percent elongation at break;

wherein said plasticizer tends to increase the percent elongation at break of said elastomer;

wherein said elastomer has a rigidity measurable on the Gram Bloom scale, and

wherein said plasticizer tends to decrease the Gram Bloom rigidity of said elastomer;

(c) mixing said plasticizer and said triblock copolymer by a method selected from the group consisting of melt blending and use of a compounding screw in order to produce a gelatinous elastomer,

(d) permitting said gelatinous elastomer to cool,

(e) selecting a forming device,

(f) melting said gelatinous elastomer, and

(g) using said forming device in order to form said gelatinous elastomer into a desired shape.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising mixing microspheres with said plasticizer and said elastomer in order to form a gelatinous elastomer in which an amount of physical volume is occupied by said microspheres so that a gelatinous elastomer is achieved which has a lower specific gravity than said gelatinous elastomer without said microspheres.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said plasticizer includes an oil.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising shaping said gelatinous elastomer into pellets prior to melting said gelatinous elastomer.