Method of making a gelatinous composite

• US 6,843,873 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Purple Innovation LLC (Global Partner Acquisition Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gaymar Industries Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Jusiak, Joel T., Flick, Roland E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Copenheaver, Blaine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Musser, Barbara J
• Application Number:
  US10/170,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20020151243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 156/196, 156/221, 156/226, 156/227, 156/292, 428/52, 428/58, 428/61, 428/306.6, 428/304.9, 561/3, 562/0, 590/9, 442/370
• US Class Current: 156/226
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05715 with modular blocks, or inserts, with layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/026 Porous
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 25/04 comprising rubber 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 B32B9/043; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/044; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/042; next to a metal layer B32B15/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/063; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/043; next to a wood layer B32B21/045; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/046
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/04 characterised by the partial melting of at least one layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/909 Flowable viscous, e.g. gel material containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1043 Subsequent to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1049 Folding only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1051 by folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/169 Sections connected flexibly with external fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/192 Sheets or webs coplanar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/197 with noncoplanar reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249955 Void-containing component partially impregnated with adjacent component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/60 Nonwoven fabric [i.e., nonwoven strand or fiber material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/647 Including a foamed layer or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/674 Nonwoven fabric with a preformed polymeric film or sheet

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gelatinous composite article. The article has a first and a second heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material, a first permeable layer, and a control gap. Each of the gelatinous materials is a three-dimensional shape having an upper side, a base side and at least one connecting side. The first connecting side and the second connecting side are adjacent to each other so the first and second materials are essentially side-by-side within the same horizontal plane. The first permeable layer has a top side and a bottom side. The top side attaches to the first and second connecting side. The control gap is interspaced between the bottom side of the first permeable layer. This gap degrades the rigidity between each connecting side and provides an equivalent structural property throughout the article.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an elastomer composite article comprising:

providing a first elaslomer material having an upper side, a base side and at least one connecting side;

providing a second elastomer material having an upper side, a base side and at least one connecting side;

providing a first permeable layer having first and second opposing surfaces;

attaching a first portion of the first surface of the first permeable layer to the at least one connecting side of the first material and attaching a second portion of the first surface of the first permeable layer to the at least one connecting side of the second material;

positioning the first and second materials so that a first portion of the second surface of the first permeable layer faces a second portion of the second surface in between the at least one connecting sides of the first and second materials; and

forming a control gap interspaced between the first portion and the second portion of the second surface of the first permeable layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second portions of the first surface of the first permeable layer attach to the at least one connecting sides of the first and second materials by an attachment device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the attachment device is selected from the group consisting of an adhesive, nail, hook and loop fasteners, magnetism, and screws.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second materials comprise a high viscosity triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a third portion of the second surface of the first permeable layer attaches to the base side of either the first or second material.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a second permeable layer attaches to at least a portion of the base side of each first and second material and at least a portion of the first permeable layer.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

arranging a sealant layer that melts within a first temperature range upon the second surface of the first permeable layer, wherein the first permeable layer melts at a second temperature greater than the first temperature range, and the first and second heat materials melt within the first temperature range; and

applying a heating element having a temperature within the first temperature range to the sealant layer so the sealant layer and first and second materials fuse together to secure the first permeable layer to the first and second materials.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first temperature range is between 250°

and 450°

F.

9. A method of fabricating a gelatinous composite article comprising the steps of:

placing a first heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material having an upper side, a base side and at least one connecting side upon an upper side of a second heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material having an upper side, a base side and at least one connecting side, wherein the at least one connecting side of the first material and the at least one connecting side of the second material are in the same plane;

attaching a first portion of a top side of a first permeable layer to the at least one connecting side of the first material and attaching a second portion of the top side of the first permeable layer to the at least one connecting side of the second material;

positioning the first and second materials side-by-side so that a first portion of a bottom side of the first permeable layer faces a second portion of the bottom side in between the at least one connecting sides of the first and second materials;

inserting a spacer between the at least one connecting side of the first material and the at least one connecting side of the second material so the spacer contacts at least the first and second portions of the bottom side of the first permeable layer;

securing the base side of the first material to the base side of the second material; and

removing the spacer to form a control gap interspaced between the first portion and the second portion of the bottom side of the permeable layer.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second portions of the top side of the first permeable layer attach to the at least one connecting sides of the first and second materials by an attachment device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the attachment device is selected from the group consisting of an adhesive, nail, hook and loop fasteners, magnetism, and screws.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the gelatinous elastomer material comprises a high viscosity triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).

13. The method of claim 9 wherein a third portion of the bottom side of the first permeable layer attaches to the base side of either the first or second material.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein a second permeable layer attaches to at least a portion of the base side of each first and second material and at least a portion of the first permeable layer.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

arranging a sealant layer that melts within a first temperature range upon the bottom side of the first permeable layer, wherein the first permeable layer melts at a second temperature greater than the first temperature range, and the first and second heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer materials melt within the first temperature range; and

applying a heating element having a temperature within the first temperature range to the sealant layer so the sealant layer and first and second heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer materials fuse together to secure the first permeable layer to the first and second heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer materials.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first temperature ranges between 250°

and 450°

F.