Laminate foam and methods of making laminate foam

Abstract

A laminate foam material and a method of making laminate foam material is provided. The laminate foam material includes a layer of non-foam material sandwiched between two layers of foam material. The non-foam material is bonded to the foam material, such as with a bonding agent and/or by heating respective surfaces of the foam material until the surface softens or melts. When a heating process is utilized, the non-foam material is pressed against the softened or melted foam material. As the foam material begins to cool, the non-foam material becomes bonded to the foam material. The non-foam material is narrower than the foam material and is positioned relative to the foam material such that the edges of the non-foam material are concealed by the foam material. Foam products, such as foam mats, can be formed from the laminate foam material by cutting across the width of the foam material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laminate product comprising:
 a first layer having opposed top and bottom surfaces;   a second layer bonded to said top surface of said first layer; and   a third layer having a bottom surface bonded to at least one of said second layer and said top surface of said first layer,   wherein said first and third layers are each formed from a foam material,   wherein said second layer is formed from a non-foam material, and   wherein a density of the laminate product is less than the density of water.   
     
     
         2 . The laminate product of  claim 1 , wherein the laminate product is a lake pad. 
     
     
         3 . The laminate product of  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth layer having a bottom surface bonded to a top surface of said third layer, said fourth layer being formed from a foam material. 
     
     
         4 . The laminate product of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fourth layer bonded to a top surface of said third layer; and   a fifth layer having a bottom surface bonded to at least one of said fourth layer and said top surface of said third layer,   wherein said fourth layer is formed from a non-foam material, and   wherein said fifth layer is formed from a foam material.   
     
     
         5 . The laminate product of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the first layer is larger than an associated width of the second layer and wherein said second layer is positioned relative to said first layer such that a first edge of said second layer is displaced from an associated first edge of said first layer, thereby creating a first edge region of the laminate product, the first edge region being devoid of said second layer. 
     
     
         6 . The laminate product of  claim 5 , wherein a first edge of said third layer is substantially aligned with the first edge of said first layer such that the first edge region comprises a portion of each of the first and third layers, thereby concealing the first edge of said second layer between the first and third layers. 
     
     
         7 . The laminate product of  claim 6 , wherein a width of the third layer is substantially equivalent to an associated width of the first layer such that a second edge of said third layer is substantially aligned with a second edge of said first layer. 
     
     
         8 . The laminate product of  claim 7 , wherein said second layer is positioned relative to said first and third layers such that a second edge of said second layer is displaced from associated second edges of said first and third layers, thereby creating a second edge region of the laminate product, the second edge region being devoid of said second layer, thereby concealing the second edge of said second layer between the first and third layers. 
     
     
         9 . The laminate product of  claim 8 , wherein said first layer is bonded directly to said third layer in at least one of said first and second edge regions. 
     
     
         10 . The laminate product of  claim 5 , wherein said second layer is positioned relative to said first layer such that a second edge of said second layer is displaced from an associated second edge of said first layer, thereby creating a second edge region of the laminate product, the second edge region being devoid of said second layer. 
     
     
         11 . A method of forming a laminate material for forming a laminate product, the method comprising:
 heating a top surface of a first piece of foam material;   pressing a first piece of non-foam material against the top surface of the first piece of foam material while the top surface is still at an elevated temperature;   retaining the first piece of non-foam material in contact with the top surface of the first piece of foam material while the top surface is allowed to cool;   heating a bottom surface of a second piece of foam material;   pressing the second piece of foam material against the first piece of non-foam material while the bottom surface is still at an elevated temperature; and   retaining the bottom surface of the second piece of foam material in contact with the first piece of non-foam material while the bottom surface is allowed to cool,   wherein the first piece of foam material forms at least part of a first layer of the laminate material,   wherein the first piece of non-foam material forms at least part of a second layer of the laminate material, and   wherein the second piece of foam material forms at least part of a third layer of the laminate material.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of heating the bottom surface of the second piece of foam material occurs after the first pieces of foam material and non-foam material are bonded together. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each heating step and each pressing step occurs substantially contemporaneously with its respective heating or pressing step such that the first layer of non-foam material is simultaneously bonded to each of the first and second pieces of foam material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising positioning the first piece of non-foam material relative to the first piece of foam material such that a first edge of the first piece of non-foam material is displaced from a first edge of the first piece of foam material, thereby forming a first edge region of the laminate material, the first edge region being devoid of the first piece of non-foam material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising positioning a first edge of the second piece of foam material so as to be substantially aligned with the first edge of the first piece of foam material such that the first edge region of the laminate material comprises a portion of each of the first and second pieces of foam material, thereby concealing the first edge of the first piece of non-foam material between the first and second pieces of foam material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a width of the second piece of foam material is substantially equivalent to an associated width of the first piece of foam material such that a second edge of second piece of foam material is substantially aligned with a second edge of the first piece of foam material. 
     
     
         17 . The laminate product of  claim 16 , wherein the first piece of non-foam material is positioned relative to the first and second pieces of foam material such that a second edge of the first piece of non-foam material is displaced from associated second edges of the first and second pieces of foam material, thereby creating a second edge region of the laminate material, the second edge region being devoid of the first layer of non-foam material, thereby concealing the second edge of the first piece of non-foam material between the first and second pieces of foam material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first piece of foam material is bonded directly to the second piece of foam material in at least one of the first and second edge regions of the laminate material. 
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a laminate product from a laminate material, the method comprising cutting the laminate material across an entire width of the laminate material so as to form first and second pieces of laminate material, the first piece of laminate material being sized to form a single laminate product and the second piece of laminate material being sized to form a plurality of laminate products, wherein the laminate material comprises:
 a first layer having opposed top and bottom surfaces;   a second layer bonded to the top surface of the first layer; and   a third layer having a bottom surface bonded to at least one of the second layer and the top surface of the first layer,   wherein the first and third layers are each formed from a foam material,   wherein the second layer is formed from a non-foam material, and   wherein a density of the laminate product is significantly less than the density of water.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising trimming a first edge region of the laminate material so as to form a first edge of the laminate product, the first edge region of the laminate material being defined at least partially by a portion of the first and third layers of the laminate material extending beyond a first edge of the second layer of the laminate material.