Foam Material and Method of Making Same

摘要

1,165,539. Plastics foam laminate. SCHOLL MFG. CO. Ltd. 16 Dec., 1966 [20 Dec., 1965], No. 56483/66. Heading B5N. [Also in Division B2] A wear resistant foam structure comprises a layer of porous open celled polyurethane foam containing a thermoplasic impregnant, and a wear resistant overlying thermoplastic resin layer bonded to the impregnant by fusion and cooling of the layer and the impregnant jointly. The foam structure is made by impregnating the foam with a dispersion of a thermoplastic resin, applying to the impregnated foam a layer of a dispersion of a thermoplastic resin compatible with or the same as the resin of the impregnant, fusing the impregnant and the layer, and cooling the fused materials. The resin dispersions used may be aqueous emulsions or latices but are preferably plastisols containing a thermoplastic resin and a plasticizer and optionally mineral fillers, pigments, and stabilizers. Thermoplastic resins which may be used are vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, vinylidene chloride, acrylic acid or acrylic ester polymers or copolymers, e.g. polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl chloride plus polyvinyl chlorideacetate copolymer, and polymethyl methacrylate. The plasticizers used may be adipates, phthalates, phosphates or polymerized plasticizers, and many examples are given. As described the impregnant resin may be slightly gelled before contact with the plastisol layer, and the latter may be non-gelled, partly gelled, or fully gelled and partly fused before contact with the impregnated foam. In one method of making the products, a polyurethane foam strip 11, Fig. 1, is impregnated with plastisol by spreading, dipping, or spraying at an impregnation zone 13, the plastisol is worked into the pores of the foam by mechanical kneading, vacuum, pressure, or centrifugal force, at an homogenization zone 14, if desired the impregnant resin is partially gelled at a heating zone 16, and the impregnated foam strip is contacted with a layer 19 of plastisol carried on a belt 21 of release material. The foam strip and layer 19 pass between pressure rolls 23, 24 to a heating zone 26 where fusion, and optionally gelling, is effected, and then to a cooling zone 27. The layer 19 may be partly gelled or fully gelled and partly fused at a heating zone before contacting the strip 11. The laminates produced are flexible and may be used in vehicle seats, foot insoles, arm rests, or cushioning.