Method and apparatus for fabricating composite protective material

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a composite, foam/fabric material for use as protective material in products, and utilizes an apparatus which includes a punch press with punches arranged in rows and correspondingly aligned dies for receiving the punches therethrough. The system operates by punching a sheet of foam material into a plurality of discrete foam elements which are transferred onto a heated fabric substrate, and retained thereon by heat bonding. The apparatus consists, in one preferred embodiment, of a clamp plate which clamps a sheet of foam material onto a die plate, and after a punching sequence, the sheet of foam material, along with the sheet of fabric material, are indexed downstream, and the process repeats.

1 . Apparatus for cutting and depositing a plurality of discrete foam elements onto a fabric substrate comprising: a punch assembly provided with a plurality of elongate punches extending from a platen, and having free distal ends extending perpendicularly from the platen; a die plate provided with a plurality of spaced-apart die apertures extending therethrough, each alignable with a corresponding elongate punch to enable extension of the punch therethrough to cut individual foam elements from a foam sheet laid on a top surface of the die plate; wherein the platen and punches move in relation to the die plate between a first position with the punch ends separate and spaced from the die apertures; and a second position with the punches engaged in and passed through the die apertures; and in moving from the first position to the second position the punch distal ends pass through the die apertures and shear the sheet, cutting out the elements, and transferring them to a fabric sheet disposed therebeneath. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a first apertured clamp plate positioned between and spaced from the platen and the die plate to clamp the foam sheet during cutting and with the platen in the second position the punches pass through the apertures in the clamp plate and the die plate; 
     
     
         3 . The assembly system of  claim 1  wherein the sheet, at least in part, comprises closed cell foam. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly system of  claim 1  wherein the fabric substrate is heated and when pressed against the fabric substrate the cut element at least in part melts in order to fix the cut element to the fabric substrate. 
     
     
         5 - 6 . (canceled)