U.S. patent application number 11/834316 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-31 for multi-axially stretchable polymer shock absorbing pad.
Invention is credited to Matthew Kriesel.
Application Number | 20080026658 11/834316 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38986897 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080026658 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kriesel; Matthew |
January 31, 2008 |
MULTI-AXIALLY STRETCHABLE POLYMER SHOCK ABSORBING PAD
Abstract
Disclosed is a multi-axial stretchable, viscoelastic,
shock-attenuating elastomeric pad or fabric comprising a polymeric
gel forming an inner core. The polymeric gel may be sandwiched
between two opposed layers of multi-axial stretchable fabric having
open ends or enclosed within an envelope having opposed layers of
multi-axial stretchable fabric whereby impact can be absorbed and
dissipated.
Inventors: |
Kriesel; Matthew; (Melrose,
WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Steven L. Schmid
1824 Hickory Trace Dr.
Fleming Island
FL
32003
US
|
Family ID: |
38986897 |
Appl. No.: |
11/834316 |
Filed: |
August 6, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11430187 |
May 8, 2006 |
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11834316 |
Aug 6, 2007 |
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10681831 |
Oct 8, 2003 |
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11430187 |
May 8, 2006 |
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10672706 |
Sep 26, 2003 |
7041719 |
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10681831 |
Oct 8, 2003 |
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10613740 |
Jul 3, 2003 |
6896065 |
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10672706 |
Sep 26, 2003 |
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10094030 |
Mar 7, 2002 |
6588511 |
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10613740 |
Jul 3, 2003 |
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60821604 |
Aug 7, 2006 |
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60821587 |
Aug 7, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
442/182 ; 156/70;
428/221 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 71/081 20130101;
Y10T 428/249921 20150401; Y10T 442/3008 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
442/182 ;
156/070; 428/221 |
International
Class: |
D03D 15/08 20060101
D03D015/08; B65B 9/02 20060101 B65B009/02 |
Claims
1. A multi-axial stretchable pad comprising; a first and a second
opposed multi-axial stretchable layers; and a shock absorbing a
polymer gel residing between the first and second opposed
multi-axial stretchable substrate layers.
2. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 1, wherein the layers
are formed from a resilient polymeric material.
3. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 1, wherein the opposed
layers are sealed to form an envelope containing the shock
absorbing a polymer gel.
4. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 1, wherein the layers
are formed from a woven material.
5. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 1, wherein the
polymeric material comprises at least greater than 50% by weight of
an epoxidized vegetable oil, a thermoplastic polymer; and a
prepolymer.
6. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 5, further including an
activator.
7. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 6, wherein the
activator is an alkyl tin compound.
8. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 5, wherein the
epoxidized vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of
soybean oil, linseed oil, and combinations thereof.
9. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 5, wherein the
prepolymer comprises an isocyanate selected from the group of
aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic
polyisocyaniates and combinations thereof.
10. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 5, wherein in the
thermoplastic polymer is substantially free of a polyurethane.
11. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 5, wherein the
thermoplastic polymer comprises a polydiene.
12. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 5, wherein the
thermoplastic polymer is a polybutadiene.
13. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 5, wherein the
polymeric gel comprises on a percent weight basis of the gel at
least greater than about 50% of a vegetable based plasticizer,
between about 20% and about 40% of a thermoplastic polymer, and
between about 5% and about 20% of a prepolymer.
14. A method of forming a multi-axial stretchable pad comprising:
forming a shock absorbing envelope by sealing within a first and a
second opposed multi-axial stretchable layers a polymeric gel.
15. The method of forming a multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 14
wherein the polymeric gel if formed by combining an epoxidized
vegetable oil, a polydiene and a cyano group.
16. The method of forming a multi-axial stretchable pad of claim
15, wherein the polydiene is selected from polybutadiene,
polyisoprene, polychloroprene, polynobornene, copolymers,
terpolymers and combinations thereof.
17. The method of forming a multi-axial stretchable pad of claim
15, wherein the opposed first and second layer are sealed by fusing
the two layers along the periphery of the pad.
18. A multi-axial stretchable pad comprising; a first and a second
opposed multi-axial stretchable layers; and a shock absorbing a
polymer gel residing between the first and second opposed
multi-axial stretchable substrate layers, wherein the shock
absorbing a polymer gel comprises at least greater than 50% by
weight of an epoxidized vegetable oil.
19. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 18, wherein the gel
comprises between about 20% to about 40% of the polydiene.
20. The multi-axial stretchable pad of claim 18, wherein the gel
comprises up to about 5% by weight of the alkyl tin compound.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/430,187 filed Apr. 8, 2006, which is a
continuation-in-part U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/681,831,
filed Oct. 8, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat.
No. 7,041,719, filed Sep. 26, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part
of U.S. Pat. No. 6,896,064, filed Jul. 3, 2003, which is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,511, filed Mar. 7,
2002, the present application further relies upon U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 60/821,604 filed Aug. 7, 2006 and U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 60/821,587 also filed Aug. 7,
2006; the contents of which all the applications listed above are
hereby incorporated in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention generally relates to stretchable
fabrics and in greater detail the invention relates to a
multi-axial stretchable, viscoelastic, shock-attenuating
elastomeric pad or fabric.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Enhanced participation in contact sports, such as football,
soccer, and rugby, along with enhanced participation in other high
impact energy activities, such as inline skating and white water
kayaking, has fueled the demand and need for improved impact
absorbing materials. These types of contact sports and high-impact
activities often cause application of high energy impacts against
discrete portions of the human body that often cause bruises and
even more serious injuries, such as broken or fractured bones.
DRAWINGS
[0004] In the Drawings:
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates the multi-axially stretchable pad
comprising a first and second layer of multi-axially stretchable
fabric substantially surrounding a polymeric gel; and
[0006] FIG. 2 depicts the multi-axially stretchable pad comprising
a first and second layer of multi-axially stretchable fabric
enveloping a polymeric gel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0007] The present invention comprises a multi-axial stretchable,
viscoelastic, shock-attenuating elastomeric pad or fabric
comprising a polymeric gel forming an inner core. The polymeric gel
may be sandwiched between two opposed layers of multi-axial
stretchable fabric having open ends or enclosed within an envelope
having opposed layers of multi-axial stretchable fabric whereby
impact can be absorbed and dissipated.
Opposed Layers
[0008] The opposed multi-axial layers defining an envelope there
between. The layers may be joined using mechanical means such as
stitching, stapling or other fasteners. Adhesives may also be used
to join the layers together, or a combination of any of the methods
mentioned above or those known in the art may be used for joining
the layers. Additionally, the ends may be open such that the
opposed multi-axial layers sandwich the polymeric gel.
[0009] The term multi-axial layer may include any fabric, woven or
nonwoven, that may stretch about an axis in multiple directions. By
way of example and not limitation, the fabric may stretch 360
degrees about an axis or have a 4 way stretchability.
[0010] The multi-axial stretchable pad may be comprised of one or
more envelopes residing in a single larger envelope. The two
opposed layers may be joined at multiple points creating a
plurality of envelopes encompassing the gel compound.
[0011] The opposed layers 2 may be formed from a woven or a
non-woven material capable of containing the gel 4 and able to
withstand rupturing upon impact. Furthermore, it is contemplated
that the envelope may be comprised of more that two layers and that
the envelope may be encased in a further envelope to add protection
and durability to the overall envelope.
Polymeric Gel
[0012] The energy absorbing polymeric compound may be comprised of
most any polymeric gel. The gel incorporated into the envelope is
both viscoelastic and shock-attenuating.
[0013] An example gel compound is one that comprises an epoxidized
vegetable oil combined with a prepolymer and a thermoplastic
polymer. Additionally, a catalyst or an accelerant may be added to
the energy absorbing compound to aid in the formation of the
compound. Typically the activator or accelerant is a metal
activator such as an alkyl tin compound.
[0014] The elastomeric compound includes an epoxidized vegetable
oil which can function as a plasticizer. By way of example, the
epoxidized vegetable oils can include epoxidized soybean oil,
epoxidized linseed oil and epoxidized tall oil. Additional examples
of epoxidized vegetable oils include epoxidized corn oil,
epoxidized cottonseed oil, epoxidized perilla oil and epoxidized
safflower oil. Epoxidized vegetable oils are typically obtained by
the epoxidation of triglycerides of unsaturated fatty acid and are
made by epoxidizing the reactive olefin groups of the naturally
occurring triglyceride oils. Typically, the olefin groups are
epoxidized using a peracid. One example of an acceptable epoxidized
vegetable oil is an epoxidized soybean oil, Paraplex G-62,
available from C.P. Hall Company of Chicago, Ill. Paraplex G-62 can
function as both a plasticizer and a processing aid and is a high
molecular weight epoxidized soybean oil on a carrier having an
auxiliary stabilizer for a vinyl group.
[0015] The elastomeric composition includes a prepolymer. Various
prepolymers may be utilized in the present composition so long as
they do not substantially hinder the desired viscoelastic,
shock-attenuating attributes of the elastomeric compound.
Typically, the prepolymer is an isocyanate.
[0016] The thermoplastic component can include most any
thermoplastic compound having elastomeric properties. In one
embodiment of the gel, thermoplastic compounds comprising
polyurethane are excluded. Acceptable thermoplastic component
includes polydienes. An example polydiene includes polybutadiene.
Typically, the activator or catalyst is an alkyl tin compound is
also added to the gel compound. A specific example of an alkyl tin
compound is a dioctyltin carboxylate.
[0017] It is within the scope of the present invention to
incorporate other additives such as fillers, pigments, surfactants,
plasticizers, organic blowing agents, as stabilizers, and the like,
in the manufacture of the reinforced polymeric shock absorbing
envelope.
[0018] Referring now in greater detail to the drawings in which
like numerals indicate like items throughout the several views,
FIGS. 1 and 2 depict multi-axial stretchable pad in various
embodiments of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present multi-axial
stretchable pad 2 wherein the ends 10 of the pad are left open or
not sealed. Depicted in FIG. 1 is the first opposed multi-axial
stretchable layer 4 and the second opposed multi-axial stretchable
layer 6. Disposed between the two opposed layers (4 and 6) is a
shock absorbing a polymer gel 8.
[0020] FIG. 2 depicts a further embodiment of the present
multi-axial stretchable pad 2 wherein the ends 10 of the pad are
sealed. The ends may be sealed by any conventional means, for
example, such are sewing and/or heat sealing. Further depicted is
the first opposed multi-axial stretchable layer 4 and the second
opposed multi-axial stretchable layer 6. Disposed between the two
opposed layers (4 and 6) is a shock absorbing a polymer gel 8.
[0021] While Applicants have set forth embodiments as illustrated
and described above, it is recognized that variations may be made
with respect to disclosed embodiments. Therefore, while the
invention has been disclosed in various forms only, it will be
obvious to those skilled in the art that many additions, deletions
and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and
scope of this invention, and no undue limits should be imposed
except as set forth in the following claims.
* * * * *