Method of making a gelatinous composite

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.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention joins at least two gelatinous composite articles together.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The gelatinous elastomer material used in the present invention is fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,369,284, 4,618,213, 5,262,468, 5,336,708, and 5,508,334, (the inventor in each patent is Chen) which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. These patents disclose the various embodiments of the gelatinous elastomer material. This gel material has many attributes that are sufficiently set forth in the cited patents. However, the gel material has some problems. One such problem occurs when a parallel force is applied to the gel material. The parallel force pushes the gel material so it slides and gathers as a compressed state.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,708, Chen discloses a gelatinous elastomer composite article. These articles, as disclosed by Chen, “include: GMG, MGM, MG1G2M, M1M2G1G2, M2M1G1G2, G1MG1G2, MG1G2, G1G2M, G2G1M, GM1M2G, G1M1G2M2M1, M1GM2GM3GM4, (sic) ect, where G=gel and M=material. The subscript 1, 2, 3, and 4 are different and are represented by n which is a positive number. The material (M) suitable for forming composite articles with the gelatinous elastomer compositions can include foam, plastic fabric, metal, concrete, wood, wire screen, refractory material, glass, synthetic resin, synthetic fibers, and the like. Sandwiches of gel/material . . . are ideal for use as shock absorbers, acoustical isolators, vibration dampers, vibration isolators and wrappers. For example the vibration isolators can be (sic) use under research microscopes, office equipment, tables, and the like to remove background vibrations.” U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,708, col. 3, lines 35-51. Chen further discloses, “generally the molten gelatinous elastomer composition will adhere sufficiently to certain plastics (e.g., acrylic, ethylene copolymers, nylon, polybutylene, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, styrene copolymers, and the like) provided the temperature of the molten gelatinous elastomer composition is (sic) sufficient high to fuse or nearly fuse with the plastic. In order to obtain sufficient adhesion to glass, ceramics, or certain metals, sufficient temperature is also required (e.g., above 250° F. [121° C.]).” U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,708, col. 9, lines 8-18 (emphasis added and brackets added for consistency of temperature comparison).

Chen provides antecedent basis for the phrase “the molten gelatinous elastomer composition” by defining it as follows: “the gelatinous elastomer composition of the present invention are prepared by blending together the components including other additives as desired at about 23° C. (73.4° F.) to about 100° C. (212° F.) forming a paste like mixture and further heating said mixture uniformly to about 150° C. (302° F.) to about 200° C. (392° F.) until a homogeneous molten blend is obtained.” U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,708, col. 6, lines 52-58 (parenthesis added for consistency of temperature comparison). As such, the term “molten” has the standard definition of “1a obs: formed in a mold: cast b: fused or liquefied by heat: melted.” Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged 1456 (1966). In other words, the process to fabricate the gelatinous elastomer composite article requires the gelatinous elastomer material be in a melted state and formed upon the material (M). The resulting product, as illustrated inFIGS. 2a-2c, is the gelatinous elastomer material, G, lying on or within the material, M. In no instance does the gelatinous elastomer material of Chen penetrate through a first material, M1, to contact a second material, M2, underlying the first material (M). Likewise Chen fails to disclose an underlying second material, M2, that penetrates through a first material, M1, to contact a gelatinous elastomer material.

In some instances, two gelatinous articles must be joined together. Prior to this invention, articles,102aand102b, were merely attached along a respective side104a,104bof each article102a,102b. In many instances, the articles are attached with a common adhesive106to form an elongated article108, as shown inFIG. 4(prior art).

As shown inFIG. 5, when a person110lies on the elongated article108, the article108is excessively rigid along the sides104a,104b. It is well known that the sides104a,104bare not structurally equivalent to the remainder of the article108. As such, the elongated article108is uncomfortable to the person110.

A problem to solve is to fabricate an elongated gelatinous article that provides equivalent structural properties when a person lies on the article. The present invention solves this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

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 sides. 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.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1illustrates a gelatinous composite article10. Article10has a sealant layer12, a permeable layer14and a heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer material16. The gelatinous elastomer material16used in the present invention is fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,369,284, 4,618,213, 5,262,468, 5,336,708, and 5,508,334, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. The gelatinous elastomer material16, without any material (M), is obtained from Applied Elastomerics, Incorporated of South San Francisco, Calif. Preferably, the material16is a lattice structure having a height ranging from about 1 cm to about 5 cm. The material16also has a high viscosity triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) and a gel rigidity of from about 20 to about 700 gram Bloom. The material16fuses to other surfaces at a first temperature range. The first temperature range is between 150° F. (65° C.) and 450° F. (232° C.), preferably 200° F. (93.3° C.) and 250° F. (121° C.). This material16by itself will go into the compressed state with any parallel force (F1).

To avoid the compressed state, the present invention uses the sealant layer12and permeable layer14. The permeable layer14is between the sealant layer12and the material16. Acceptable materials for the permeable layer14include polyester materials, nonwoven nylon materials and any other similar materials. The permeable layer14provides the support to the material16to prevent the compressed state. Preferably, the permeable layer14does not actually fuse with the material16. Rather, the permeable layer14melts at a second temperature. The second temperature is greater than the first temperature range so the permeable layer14, preferably, does not fuse to the material16. Even though the permeable layer14, preferably, does not fuse to the material16the permeable layer14is secured to the material14by the underlying sealant layer12.

The sealant layer12fuses to the material16at a temperature within the first temperature range. The sealant material12, when melted, permeates through the permeable layer14to essentially secure the layer14to the material16. The inventors attempted to use various sealant materials such as Superglue™ and other conventional adhesives. Those adhesives, however, did not sufficiently secure the layer14to the material16. Polyolefins such as polyethylene and other similar polymeric compositions when melted are sealant layer12materials that secure the layer14to the material16, for example, by thermo-bonding.

The gelatinous composite article10is manufactured in a three-step process as shown inFIGS. 2a-c. The first step, as shown inFIG. 2a, entails arranging the elements12,14, and16in order. This order is as follows: the gelatinous elastomer material16is over the permeable layer14which is over the sealant layer12; preferably, the gelatinous elastomer material16is on the permeable layer14which is on the sealant layer12. The second step requires heating a heating element98, such as an iron, within the first temperature range as shown inFIG. 2b. The third step, illustrated inFIG. 2c, entails applying the heated heating element to the underside18of the article10. The heating element transfers sufficient heat to the sealant layer12that the sealant layer12melts. The melted sealant layer12penetrates through the permeable layer14without effecting the layer14, such as by melting layer14, and contacts the material16. Upon contact the melted sealant layer12fuses with the material16by melting the underside18of the material16.

Turning toFIG. 3, another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, the article10is used in a mattress unit such as the mattress unit identified as170. The other components172-190, excluding180, of the mattress unit170are fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,289, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Two of those components are an upper crib178and a lower crib176. A conventional adhesive secures the upper crib178and the lower crib176together.

The area of the permeable layer14is greater than the area of the gelatinous elastomer material16. Preferably, the gelatinous elastomer material16has a length and width equal to or less than the area encompassed by the inner perimeter99of the upper crib178so the material16fits within the crib178. In contrast, the permeable layer14has a length and width greater than the area encompassed by the inner perimeter99of the crib178. As for the position of the material16in relation to the layer14, the perimeter of the gelatinous elastomer material16does not contact the periphery of the permeable layer14. The periphery of the permeable layer14, not the material16, is securely attached between the adhesively connected upper crib178and lower crib176. As such, the cribs178,176secure the article10into place within the mattress unit170.

The mattress unit170also comprises a mattress180. Mattress180is any conventional mattress such as those made with springs, air, liquid, or gel. In any case, mattress10fits within the crib178and upon article10. Article10prevents mattress180from sliding and also prevents decubitus ulcers from forming on bed-ridden individuals.

FIG. 6ashows how to join two heat-formable and heat-reversible gelatinous elastomer materials16a,16btogether. Each gelatinous material16a,16bis a three-dimensional shape having an upper side200a,200b, a base side210a,210band at least one connecting side8a,8b. The second material16bis placed upon the first material16aso the first connecting side8aand the second connecting side8bare in the same plane as shown.

The permeable layer14has a top side88, a bottom side89and the top side88attaches to the connecting sides8a,8b. In this embodiment, the permeable layer14has a length greater than the height of the connecting sides8a,8bas shown in FIG.6A. This extra material is referred to as extension67. The attachment method is shown as item44aand can be any type of method, such as the method illustrated inFIGS. 1-2or by other conventional methods. Examples of these other conventional methods include, and not limited to, polyolefin films (melted), nails, velcro, magnetism, screws, adhesives like glue or other polymeric curing agents set forth, and in some cases the gelastic material16itself if it contains sufficient amounts of oil (melted).

As shown inFIG. 6b, the materials16a,16bare repositioned so the base side210bis in the same horizontal plane as the upper side200a. The resulting effect is that materials16a,16bare in the same horizontal plane, connecting sides8b,8aare adjacent to each other, and the bottom side89of the layer14contacts itself.

A spacer55is inserted between the contacting bottom side89, as shown inFIG. 6c. The spacer55can be any material that fits and separates the contacting bottom side89.

The extension6l extends beyond the second material16b, and as shown inFIG. 6dattaches to the base side210a. The attachment is shown as44b. Attachment44bis selected from the same material as44a, except the attachment44bmay be the same or different material than attachment44a.

After the extension67is secured to base side200b, then spacer55is removed to form a control gap77. The control gap77degrades the rigidity between each connecting side8a,8band provides an equivalent structural property throughout the article10when the upper side200acontacts the base side210balong corresponding side8a,8b.as shown inFIG. 6e.

Obviously, the extension67can extend beyond the first material16a. Thereby, the extension67would bind to the upper side200a.

FIGS. 7a-eare extremely similar toFIGS. 6a-e, except there is no extension67.FIG. 7d-euse a second permeable layer14athat connects the upper side200bto the base side210a. The second permeable layer14ais selected from the same materials as permeable layer14, except the second layer14amay be the same or different from the layer14.

Turning toFIG. 8, the present invention secures to the mattress crib176,178by alternative embodiments. The gelastic material16c,16dis a triblock material with numerous apertures87. The gelastic material16c,16dmoves about the mattress unit170, therefore, the material16c,16dmust be secured.

The material16csecures to the upper crib by the method described for FIG.2. To secure the underlying material16dto the lower crib176, applicants have created an alternative permeable layer14c. The alternative layer14chas a palm-base61attached to the underside of the lower crib176, and a set of finger-like structures62as shown inFIG. 8a. Returning toFIG. 8, each finger-like structure62extends from the bottom side of the material16d, through a corresponding aperture87, to the topside of the lower crib176. The palm-base61attaches to the lower crib176by attachment44c. Attachment44cis selected from the same material as44a, except the attachment44cmay be the same or different material than attachment44a.

Likewise, each finger-like structure62attaches to the lower crib176by attachment44d. Attachment44dis selected from the same material as44a, except the attachment44dmay be the same or different material than attachment44a.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention shown inFIG. 8a, the palm-base61and the distal portion of the finger-like structures62have apertures63that ensure the respective attachment44d,44cpermeates to other adjacent structures,172,178.

Other embodiments of the present invention include those shown inFIGS. 9 and 10.FIGS. 9 and 10show alternative embodiments of the elements44a-d. Elements44a-dcan be a melted film12or a melted gelastic material16. If the film12is used, as shown inFIG. 9, the film12is originally positioned between the permeable layer14and gelastic material16. As shown inFIGS. 2a-c, the user melts the film12so it adheres to the material16and layer14.

In some cases as shown inFIG. 10, the gelastic material16contains a sufficient quantity of oil wherein the film12is not necessary. In those cases, the user places the permeable layer14to the gelastic material16, and melts the gelastic material16. The melted gelastic material16adheres to the permeable layer14.

In any of these embodiments described above, the user110lies upon a mattress unit10having equivalent structural properties as shown in FIG.11.

Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the invention defined by the claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows.