Gel with wide distribution of Mw in mid-block

• US 7,964,664 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2006
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Purple Innovation LLC (Global Partner Acquisition Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Edizone LC (Edizone)
• Inventors: Pearce, Tony M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zemel; Irina S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LENIHAN, JEFFREY S
• Application Number:
  US11/345,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20060194925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 525/95, 525/98, 525/89, 525/314, 525/326.1, 525/332.9, 525/333.3, 525/338, 524/505, 524/1, 524/543, 524/570, 524/577, 524/578, 524/579, 524/571, 524/575, 565/2, 565/3, 565/4, 565/54, 565/55
• US Class Current: 524/543
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 297/04 polymerising vinyl aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/02 of vinyl-aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/025 modified

Abstract

A gelatinous elastomer comprising an A-B-A triblock copolymer and a plasticizer useful, for example, in casting fine-detail molds at a low processing temperature. The gelatinous elastomer comprises copolymer molecules having a molecular weights generally evenly distributed across a range of molecular weights rather than having a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution centered about a single molecular weight. The A-B-A triblock copolymer may include SEBS, SEEPS, or other triblock copolymers. The plasticizer may include mineral oil or other plasticizing fluids.

Claims

1. A gelatinous elastomer cushion for cushioning a body of a person, comprising:

styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer molecules, and

a plasticizer,

the triblock copolymer molecules and the plasticizer being mixed to form a gelatinous elastomer shaped to form the cushion for cushioning a body of a person,

wherein at least 80% of the triblock copolymer molecules have molecular weights generally evenly distributed between 150,000 and 250,000, and wherein no more than 50% of the styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer molecules have any one molecular weight between 150,000 and 250,000.

2. The gelatinous elastomer cushion of claim 1, wherein the gelatinous elastomer has a lower melt viscosity than another gelatinous elastomer, the another gelatinous elastomer comprising the same ratio of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer and plasticizer as the gelatinous elastomer, and having a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution centered around a single molecular weight within a range extending from 150,000 to 250,000.

3. The gelatinous elastomer cushion of claim 1, wherein the gelatinous elastomer has a lower processing temperature than another gelatinous elastomer, the another gelatinous elastomer comprising the same ratio of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer and plasticizer as the gelatinous elastomer and having a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution centered around a single molecular weight within a range extending from 150,000 to 250,000.

4. The gelatinous elastomer cushion of claim 1, further comprising microspheres.

5. A gelatinous elastomer cushion for cushioning a body of a person, comprising:

styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer molecules, and

a plasticizer,

the triblock copolymer molecules and the plasticizer being mixed to form a gelatinous elastomer and shaped to form the cushion for cushioning a body of a person,

wherein at least 80% of the triblock copolymer molecules have molecular weights generally evenly distributed between 100,000 and 300,000, and wherein a distribution of the molecular weights of the triblock copolymer molecules between 100,000 and 300,000 is not centered about a single data point.

6. The gelatinous elastomer cushion of claim 5, wherein the gelatinous elastomer has a lower melt viscosity than another gelatinous elastomer, the another gelatinous elastomer comprising the same ratio of triblock copolymer and plasticizer as the gelatinous elastomer, and having a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution centered around a single molecular weight within a range extending from 100,000 to 300,000.

7. The gelatinous elastomer cushion of claim 5, wherein the gelatinous elastomer has a lower processing temperature than another gelatinous elastomer comprising the same ratio of triblock copolymer and plasticizer as the gelatinous elastomer and having a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution centered around a single molecular weight within a range extending from 100,000 to 300,000.

8. A gelatinous elastomer cushion for cushioning a body of a person, comprising:

styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer molecules, and

a plasticizer,

the triblock copolymer molecules and the plasticizer being mixed to form a gelatinous elastomer and shaped to form the cushion for cushioning a body of a person,

wherein at least 95% of the triblock copolymer molecules have molecular weights generally evenly distributed between 150,000 and 400,000, and wherein no more than 50% of the styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer molecules have any one molecular weight between 150,000 and 400,000.

9. The gelatinous elastomer cushion of claim 8, wherein the gelatinous elastomer has a lower melt viscosity than another gelatinous elastomer, the another gelatinous elastomer comprising the same ratio of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer and plasticizer as the gelatinous elastomer, and having a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution centered around a single molecular weight between the first molecular weight and the second molecular weight.

10. The gelatinous elastomer cushion of claim 8, wherein the gelatinous elastomer has a lower processing temperature than another gelatinous elastomer, the another gelatinous elastomer comprising the same ratio of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer and plasticizer as the gelatinous elastomer and having a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution centered around a single molecular weight between the first molecular weight and the second molecular weight.

11. The gelatinous elastomer cushion of claim 8, further comprising microspheres.