Thermoplastic sheets and articles with variable lofting capacity

Abstract

Certain configurations are described herein of a thermoplastic sheet or article comprising a plurality of porous layers coupled to each other. In one configuration, the thermoplastic article may comprise a core layer, a first layer disposed on one surface of the core layer and a second layer disposed on another surface of the core layer. In some instances, each of the core layer, the first layer and the second layer may comprises a web of open celled structures formed by a plurality of reinforcing materials bonded together with a thermoplastic material and optionally may also include a lofting agent. The lofting capacity in different layers can be selected or tuned to provide desired properties.

1 . A thermoplastic sheet comprising:
 a core layer comprising a web of open celled structures formed by a plurality of reinforcing materials bonded together with a thermoplastic material, the core layer further comprising a lofting agent, the core layer also comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;   a first layer disposed on the first surface of the core layer, the first layer comprising a web of open celled structures formed by a plurality of reinforcing materials bonded together with a thermoplastic material; and   a second layer disposed on the second surface of the core layer, the second layer comprising a web of open celled structures formed by a plurality of reinforcing materials bonded together with a thermoplastic material.   
     
     
         2 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 1 , in which a basis weight of the first layer is substantially the same as a basis weight of the second layer. 
     
     
         3 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 2 , in which a basis weight of the core layer is greater than the basis weight of the first layer and greater than the basis weight of the second layer. 
     
     
         4 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 1 , in which the reinforcing materials of the first layer, the second layer and the core layer each comprise reinforcing fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 4 , in which the first layer comprises at least one different reinforcing fiber material than the reinforcing fiber materials of the core layer. 
     
     
         6 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 4 , in which the reinforcing fibers of the first layer, the second layer and the core layer comprise at least one common reinforcing fiber material. 
     
     
         7 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 1 , in which the thermoplastic material in the core layer is different than the thermoplastic material in the first layer. 
     
     
         8 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 1 , in which the thermoplastic material in the first layer and the second layer are the same. 
     
     
         9 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 8 , in which the reinforcing materials in the first layer and the second layer are the same. 
     
     
         10 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 8 , in which the reinforcing materials in the first layer and the second layer are the different. 
     
     
         11 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 6 , in which the reinforcing materials of the first layer, the second layer and the core layer each comprise reinforcing fibers. 
     
     
         12 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 11 , in which the first layer comprises at least one different reinforcing fiber than the reinforcing fibers of the core layer. 
     
     
         13 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 11 , in which the reinforcing fibers of the first layer, the second layer and the core layer comprise at least one common reinforcing fiber type. 
     
     
         14 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 1 , in which the lofting agent of the core layer comprises at least one of expandable microspheres and expandable graphite materials. 
     
     
         15 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 14 , in which no lofting agent is present in the first layer or in the second layer. 
     
     
         16 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 15 , in which the thermoplastic material and reinforcing materials of the first layer and the second layer are selected to permit lofting of the first layer and the second layer. 
     
     
         17 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 16 , in which the thermoplastic material and reinforcing materials of the first layer and second layer permit lofting of the first layer and the second layer at a different lofting temperature than a lofting temperature used to loft the core layer. 
     
     
         18 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 1 , further comprising a first adhesive layer disposed on the first surface of the core layer between the first layer and the core layer. 
     
     
         19 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 18 , further comprising a second adhesive layer disposed on the second surface of the core layer between the second layer and the core layer. 
     
     
         20 . The thermoplastic sheet of  claim 19 , in which the first layer is directly disposed on the first adhesive layer and the second layer is directly disposed on the second adhesive layer, in which the first adhesive layer is directly disposed on the first surface of the core layer and in which the second adhesive layer is directly disposed on the second surface of the core layer. 
     
     
         21 - 120 . (canceled)