Apparatus and methods for the attachment of materials to polyurethane foam, and articles made using them

Abstract

One aspect of the present invention relates to a laminated foam product, wherein the adhesive binding the foam to the laminate comprises the mixture from which the foam is made. Another aspect of the present invention relates to methods for making a laminated foam product. A third aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus for making a laminated foam product.

1 . A composition comprising a first material bound to a second material by an adhesive, wherein 
 first material is a plastic, metal-containing sheet, cellulose-containing material, glass, fiberglass, textile, latex, rubber, or silicone;    second material represents a first hydrophilic or hydrophobic polyurethane foam; and    adhesive represents a second hydrophilic or hydrophobic polyurethane foam.    
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said second material is a polyurethane foam prepared from water, a surfactant, and a prepolymer mixture selected from the group consisting of branched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), unbranched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), branched aromatic-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), unbranched aromatic-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), branched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, unbranched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, branched aromatic-isocyanate-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, unbranched aromatic-isocyante-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, and any one of them comprising a biodegradable moiety.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said second material is a polyurethane foam prepared from water, a surfactant, and a prepolymer mixture selected from the group consisting of Trepol®, HYPOL™, Prepol, Hydropol, Aquapol, and Urepol.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said second material is a polyurethane foam prepared from water, a surfactant, and a prepolymer mixture selected from the group consisting of Trepol® and HYPOL™.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said second material is a polyurethane foam prepared from Trepol®.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said adhesive consists essentially of water and a prepolymer mixture selected from the group consisting of branched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), unbranched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), branched aromatic-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), unbranched aromatic-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), branched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, unbranched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, branched aromatic-isocyanate-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, unbranched aromatic-isocyante-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, and any one of them comprising a biodegradable moiety.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said adhesive consists essentially of water and a prepolymer mixture selected from the group consisting of Trepol®, HYPOL™, Prepol, Hydropol, Aquapol, and Urepol.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said adhesive consists essentially of water and a prepolymer mixture selected from the group consisting of Trepol® and HYPOL™.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said adhesive consists essentially of water and Trepol®.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition of said adhesive foam is the same as or substantially similar to the composition of said second material.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said second material is prepared from the prepolymer mixture Trepol® and said adhesive consists essentially of water and Trepol®.  
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said second material is prepared from the prepolymer mixture HYPOL™ and said adhesive consists essentially of water and Trepol®.  
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said second material is prepared from the prepolymer mixture Trepol® and said adhesive consists essentially of water and HYPOL™.  
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said second material is prepared from the prepolymer mixture HYPOL™ and said adhesive consists essentially of water and HYPOL™.  
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said adhesive is less than about 0.5 inches.  
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said adhesive is less than about 0.25 inches.  
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said adhesive is less than about 0.1 inches.  
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said adhesive is less than about 0.05 inches.  
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said adhesive is less than about 0.025 inches.  
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said adhesive is less than about 0.005 inches.  
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said first material is selected from the group consisting of cotton, wool, silk, jute, linen, rayon, acetate, polyesters, polyethyleneterephthalate, polyamides, nylon, acrylics, olefins, aramids, azlons, glasses, fiberglass, modacrylics, novoloids, nytrils, rayons, sarans, spandex, vinal, vinyon, foams, films, foamed sheets, natural leathers, split hides, synthetic leathers, vinyl, urethane, filtration membranes, polysulfones, polyimides, nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose, regenerated cellulose, alginates, hydrocolloids, metalized films, foils, silicones, latex, and polycarbonate, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said first material is selected from the group consisting of cotton, wool, linen, rayon, acetate, polyesters, polyethyleneterephthalate, polyamides, nylon, acrylics, olefins, aramids, glasses, fiberglass, modacrylics, foams, foamed sheets, and cellulose, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said first material is polyurethane foam, polyurethane film, polyethylene, polymeric silicone layers, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition of said first material is the same as or substantially similar to the composition of said second material.  
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said first material is a hydrophilic polyurethane foam, said second material is a hydrophilic polyurethane foam; and said adhesive is a hydrophilic polyurethane foam.  
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a third material selected from the group consisting of fabrics composed of natural fibers and fabrics composed of synthetic fibers.  
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein said third material is a natural gauze or synthetic gauze.  
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein said third material is positioned between said first material and said second material.  
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein said third material is not positioned between said first material and said second material.  
     
     
         30 . A composition comprising a substrate coated with a thin layer of a hydrophilic polyurethane foam prepared from water, a surfactant, and a prepolymer mixture selected from the group consisting of branched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), unbranched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), branched aromatic-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), unbranched aromatic-isocyanate-capped poly(ether), branched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, unbranched alkyl-isocyanate-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, branched aromatic-isocyanate-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, unbranched aromatic-isocyante-capped poly(ether)-poly(ester) copolymer, and any one of them comprising a biodegradable moiety; wherein said substrate is a textile or non-woven material.  
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein said hydrophilic polyurethane foam prepared from water, a surfactant, and a prepolymer mixture selected from the group Trepol®, HYPOL™, Prepol, Hydropol, Aquapol, and Urepol  
     
     
         32 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein said substrate is a textile.  
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein said substrate is a non-woven material.  
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of cotton, wool, silk, jute, linen, rayon, acetate, polyesters, polyamides, nylon, olefins, aramids, azlons, modacrylics, novoloids, nytrils, rayons, spandex, vinal, foams, foamed sheets, natural leathers, split hides, synthetic leathers, urethane, filtration membranes, polysulfones, polyimides, nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose, regenerated cellulose, alginate, and hydrocolloid, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         35 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of cotton, wool, linen, rayon, acetate, polyesters, polyamides, nylon, olefins, aramids, modacrylics, foams, foamed sheets, and cellulose, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         36 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of cotton, wool, linen, rayon, or nylon.  
     
     
         37 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein said substrate is cotton.  
     
     
         38 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein said thin layer of hydrophilic polyurethane foam is prepared from a prepolymer mixture selected from the group consisting of Trepol®, HYPOL™, and Prepol.  
     
     
         39 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein said thin layer of hydrophilic polyurethane foam is prepared from a prepolymer mixture of Trepol®.  
     
     
         40 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein the thickness of said thin layer of hydrophilic polyurethane foam is less than about 0.5 inches.  
     
     
         41 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein the thickness of said thin layer of hydrophilic polyurethane foam is less than about 0.25 inches.  
     
     
         42 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein the thickness of said thin layer of hydrophilic polyurethane foam is less than about 0.1 inches.  
     
     
         43 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein the thickness of said thin layer of hydrophilic polyurethane foam is less than about 0.05 inches.  
     
     
         44 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein the thickness of said thin layer of hydrophilic polyurethane foam is less than about 0.025 inches.  
     
     
         45 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein the thickness of said thin layer of hydrophilic polyurethane foam is less than about 0.005 inches.