Foam cushion forming apparatus and methods

Abstract

An apparatus includes a containment member having a containment member interior cavity to contain foam precursor compartments, and a release member to release foam precursor components contained within the foam precursor compartments in response to a specific relative movement produced between the release member and the containment member. The apparatus may form a portion of a foam cushion forming apparatus.

1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a containment member having a containment member interior cavity to contain foam precursor compartments; and    a release member to release foam precursor components contained within the foam precursor compartments in response to a specific relative movement produced between the release member and the containment member.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the containment member comprises: 
 a bottom portion, which defines a bottom of a containment member interior cavity; and    one or more sidewalls, which define sides of the containment member interior cavity.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein containment member comprises: 
 one or more openings, which are covered during at least a portion of the specific relative movement, and which become uncovered as the foam precursor components released from the foam precursor compartments react to form an expansive foam.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the release member comprises: 
 one or more precursor release portions;    one or more release member sidewalls sized to slidably contact one or more containment member sidewalls, wherein the one or more release member sidewalls define sides of a release member interior cavity; and    a release member top portion, which defines a top of the release member interior cavity.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the one or more precursor release portions comprise: 
 one or more openings through which the foam precursor components are to move into the release member interior cavity during the specific relative movement.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 the foam precursor compartments, which include one or more first foam precursor compartments for containing one or more polyol-including foam precursor components, and one or more second foam precursor compartments for containing one or more isocyanate-including foam precursor components.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the foam precursor compartments are separable from the containment member.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the foam precursor compartments are fixed to the containment member.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the release member comprises: 
 one or more release member openings, which are covered during at least a portion of the specific relative movement, and which become uncovered as the foam precursor components released from the one or more foam precursor compartments react to form an expansive foam.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a dispersal member engaged with release member, wherein the dispersal member includes 
 a structure, which substantially covers the one or more release member openings during the specific relative movement, and which is to move away from the one or more release member openings when the expansive foam presses against the structure, and  
 one or more dispersal member openings in the structure, to enable the expansive foam to escape from the apparatus.  
   
   
   
       11 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a first chamber portion; and    a second chamber portion, engaged with the first chamber portion, wherein the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion are to form a chamber when the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion have a compressed relative orientation, and wherein foam precursor components are mixable within the chamber, and wherein openings in the chamber are to result when an expansive foam is produced from a mixture of the foam precursor components, and wherein the openings are to enable release of the expansive foam from the chamber.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 two or more foam precursor compartments, which include one or more first foam precursor compartments to contain one or more isocyanate-including foam precursor components, and one or more second foam precursor compartments to contain one or more polyol-including foam precursor components; and    wherein the second chamber portion includes a precursor compartment opening mechanism to open the one or more precursor compartments as the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion are moved into the compressed relative orientation.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the second chamber portion comprises: 
 a first structure, which forms a portion of the chamber; and    first openings in the first structure, to enable release of the resulting foam from the chamber.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a dispersal member engagable with the second chamber portion, wherein the dispersal member includes 
 a second structure, which substantially covers the first openings when the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion are in the compressed relative orientation, and which is to move away from the first openings when the resulting foam presses against the second structure, and  
 second openings in the second structure, to enable release of the resulting foam from the apparatus.  
   
   
   
       15 . A foam cushion forming apparatus comprising: 
 a flexible carrier; and    a mechanism that includes two or more members, wherein the mechanism forms a chamber within which foam precursor components are mixable when the two or more members have a first orientation relative to each other, and the mechanism includes one or more openings to allow a foam to disperse into the flexible carrier when the two or more members have a second orientation relative to each other.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 one or more first foam precursor compartments, within the mechanism, to hold one or more isocyanate-including foam precursor components; and    one or more second foam precursor compartments, within the mechanism, to hold one or more polyol-including foam precursor components.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the mechanism comprises: 
 a containment member having a containment member interior cavity;    a release member engaged with the containment member, wherein the release member is to release foam precursor components from two or more foam precursor compartments within the mechanism, in response to a specific relative movement produced between the release member and the containment member; and    a dispersal member, which is in contact with the release member in the first orientation.    
   
   
       18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the release member comprises: 
 one or more release member openings, which are covered by the dispersal member during at least a portion of the specific relative movement, and which become uncovered as the foam precursor components released from the one or more foam precursor compartments react to form the foam.    
   
   
       19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the dispersal member comprises: 
 a structure, which substantially covers the one or more release member openings during at least part of the specific relative movement, and which is to move away from the one or more release member openings when the foam presses against the structure; and    one or more dispersal member openings in the structure, to enable dispersal of the foam into the carrier.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising the foam precursor components contained within the mechanism, wherein the foam precursors comprise: 
 a polyol-including foam precursor component that includes one or more polyols; and    an isocyanate-including foam precursor component that includes one or more isocyanates.    
   
   
       21 . A packaging apparatus comprising: 
 a packaging container; and    a foam cushion forming apparatus having a flexible carrier, and a mechanism that includes two or more members, wherein the mechanism forms a chamber within which foam precursor components are mixable when the two or more members have a first orientation relative to each other, and the mechanism includes one or more openings to allow a foam to disperse into the flexible carrier when the two or more members have a second orientation relative to each other.    
   
   
       22 . The packaging apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the packaging container comprises: 
 a box.    
   
   
       23 . The packaging apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the packaging container comprises: 
 an envelope.    
   
   
       24 . A body-part immobilizing apparatus comprising: 
 a flexible carrier; and    a mechanism that includes two or more members, wherein the mechanism forms a chamber within which foam precursor components are mixable when the two or more members have-a first orientation relative to each other, and the mechanism includes one or more openings to allow a foam to disperse into the flexible carrier when the two or more members have a second orientation relative to each other.    
   
   
       25 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a securement apparatus to secure the flexible carrier to a body part.    
   
   
       26 . A method of making a foam cushion forming apparatus comprising: 
 fabricating two or more members of a mechanism;    inserting foam precursor components into a containment member of the two or more members;    engaging the two or more members in a pre-activation orientation with respect to each other; and    attaching the mechanism to the flexible carrier.    
   
   
       27 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein inserting the foam precursor components into the containment member comprises: 
 dispensing one or more isocyanate-including foam precursor components into one or more first foam precursor compartments;    dispensing one or more polyol-including foam precursor components into one or more second foam precursor compartments; and    positioning the one or more first foam precursor compartments and the one or more second foam precursor compartments within the containment member.    
   
   
       28 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein inserting the foam precursor components into the containment member comprises: 
 dispensing one or more isocyanate-including foam precursor components into one or more first foam precursor compartments attached to the containment member;    dispensing one or more polyol-including foam precursor components into one or more second foam precursor compartments attached to the containment member; and    sealing the one or more first foam precursor compartments and the one or more second foam precursor compartments.    
   
   
       29 . A method of using a foam cushion forming apparatus comprising: 
 applying a physical force to a mechanism of the foam cushion forming apparatus, to cause a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion of the mechanism to obtain a first post-activation orientation, with respect to each other, and to form a chamber within the mechanism;    agitating foam precursor components within the chamber to form a mixture within the chamber; and    releasing the mechanism to allow openings in the chamber to occur as an expansive foam is produced from the mixture of the foam precursor components, wherein the openings are to enable release of the expansive foam from the chamber and into a flexible carrier.    
   
   
       30 . The method as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein applying the physical force comprises: 
 applying a compressive force to the mechanism.    
   
   
       31 . The method as claimed in  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 placing the apparatus into a packaging container, after agitating.    
   
   
       32 . The method as claimed in  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 securing the apparatus to a body part, after agitating.    
   
   
       33 . The method as claimed in  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 preheating the apparatus, prior to applying the physical force.