GB1204128A - Improvements in or relating to cushioning material and to a process for making the same - Google Patents

Abstract

1,204,128. Foamed plastics laminate. SCHOLL MFG. CO. Ltd. 7 Sept., 1967, No. 41023/67. Addition to 896,623. Heading B5N. A foam material is prepared or produced by a process according to any of claims 1 to 15 of Specification 896,623 and comprises a substantially open-celled polyurethane foam impregnated with a flexible, thermoplastic vinyl resin, and a covering layer of fabric or thermoplastic sheet material contiguous with and bonded to at least a portion of a surface of the impregnated foam. When the covering layer is of fabric, which may be of woven or knit natural or synthetic fibres such as cotton or nylon, and which may include water- or stain-repellants, the covering layer is bonded to the impregnated foam by rendering the vinyl resin tacky using heat, e.g. infra-red heaters, flame jets, hot air, or dielectric heating, and/or a solvent, and applying the covering layer to the foam under pressure. The heat may be applied simultaneously with the pressure by using heated rolls or dies. When the covering layer is a thermoplastic sheet, e.g. polyvinyl chloride or acetate, it may be applied to the foam by the above method, or may be applied as an incompletely set still tacky film to the untackified foam and pressed thereagainst. In another method a fabric covering layer is applied to the foam while the impregnant is still tacky. The covering layer may be bonded to the foam only at spaced areas, and may be bonded to one or both surfaces of the foam. Auxiliary adhesives such as vinyls, acrylic compounds, or polyurethanes may be used to assist the bonding. The foam may be at least 75% open-celled. The impregnant may be P.V.C. or polyvinyl acetate applied as a solution, emulsion, or plastisol, and may also include plasticizers, e.g. phthalates. The cushioning material may be provided with a contoured surface by embossing whilst the vinyl resin is tacky using heated dies or embossing rolls. The embossing may take place during bonding of the layers, and the embossed assembly may be cooled under pressure. In the example, a woven cotton fabric is roller-coated with a vinyl chloride copolymer emulsion, heated, and laminated to an impregnated polyether polyurethane foam. The impregnant is a vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate resin and is applied to the foam by roller coating and then reducing the ambient pressure to draw the resin into the foam. The foam and fabric are heated and bonded together using a vinyl adhesive under pressure.