Support elements for the human body, including recycled materials, and methods for manufacturing the same.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a support element for the human body comprising recycled material in the form of granules, wherein these granules are composed of at least two materials that differ in type and / or hardness and / or density and / or stiffness, and the present invention relates to a method for making a support element or for making a filling element for such a support element.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Designated Inventors: Matteo Mason and Barbara Bigolin The present invention relates to support elements for the human body, such as saddles for bicycles or vehicles in general, seats, and grips for handlebars of bicycles or vehicles in general, which contain recycled materials. Furthermore, the present invention also refers to a method for manufacturing such support elements.

Background Art

[0002] The issue of whether sustainable products can be obtained from an environmental perspective has now spread to all fields.

[0003] Similarly, the need to reduce waste and production waste is increasingly felt.

[0004] It should be noted that, in particular, frequently used items such as bicycle saddles made of different types of materials cannot be recycled, and the materials constituting them can only be recovered in a minimal part as much as possible.

[0005] On the side note, one must not forget the huge costs that each company has to bear regarding the disposal of waste and production waste, which results in being unsustainable from both economic and ecological perspectives.

[0006] The present applicant has been working for many years on creating increasingly environmentally friendly products. For example, refer to Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. However, none of these products can reach an environmentally friendly level that can meet the current needs.

[0007] Patent Document 3 describes a mold in which small pieces or flakes of polyurethane foam are led into a closed mold together with a binder. A compression step is performed within this mold, and then steam is introduced to polymerize the resulting product, such as cushions for chairs and stools, and then cooled.

[0008] Patent document 4 describes a vehicle seat comprising a cushion having at least one foam element, a cover that at least partially covers the outer surface of the cushion, and a heating device for the seat itself. The foam element includes metal granules designed to act as a heat conductor.

[0009] Patent Document 5 describes a method for manufacturing a cushion for an automobile seat element, the method comprising the step of mixing elastically compressible foam and / or regenerated fiber particles with a precursor mixture of flexible polyurethane resin to bond the particles and / or fibers together to obtain a mixture suitable for forming a padding block for the cushion itself.

[0010] Furthermore, this method includes a step of compressing the material inserted into the mold so that it takes the shape of the cavity in which the material is placed.

[0011] Therefore, the possibility of developing further products and methods that are more ecologically sustainable, help reduce or completely eliminate waste and scrap, while simultaneously maintaining the functional properties of the resulting products, such as mechanical and comfort properties, is of considerable importance. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] EP2139751 specification [Patent Document 2] EP2736795 specification [Patent Document 3] International Application No. WO2007 / 049973 Specification [Patent Document 4] German Patent Application Publication No. 102021115436 Specification [Patent Document 5] EP3838543 specification [Overview of the project]

[0013] The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the known art.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a support element for the human body containing recycled materials.

[0015] A further object of the present invention is to provide an environmentally friendly support element for the human body.

[0016] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a support element for the human body having optimal functionality with respect to mechanical performance and comfort characteristics.

[0017] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a support element for the human body according to claim 1.

[0018] The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and rapid manufacturing method for a support element for the human body.

[0019] A further object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method for a support element for the human body that is more ecologically sustainable.

[0020] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a support element for the human body that is substantially compatible with conventional manufacturing plants.

[0021] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a support element for the human body according to claim <0,000,012> and a method for manufacturing a filling element according to claim <0,000,019>.

[0022] The dependent claims refer to preferred and advantageous embodiments of the present invention.

[0023] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the description of the embodiments of the present invention shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

[0024] In the attached drawings, identical parts or components are identified by the same reference number. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0025] [Figure 1A] One top view shows two versions of a support element for the human body according to the present invention, in the form of a bicycle saddle. [Figure 1B] This is a top view of one of two versions of a support element for the human body according to the present invention, in the form of a bicycle saddle. [Figure 2] This is a top view of a further embodiment of a support element for the human body according to the present invention in the form of a bicycle saddle. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a support element for the human body according to the present invention, in the form of a grip for a bicycle handlebar. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a support element for the human body according to the present invention, in the form of a grip for a bicycle handlebar. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram relating to at least a portion of the steps of the method according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Human support elements, such as bicycle saddles, comprise a padding that may or may not have an external cover (also called a cover) enclosing the outer or visible surface, and a plastic base support, such as a "hull" or "felt" in the case of bicycles. In most cases, a "fork," made of a metal material, can be attached to the plastic base to connect the saddle to the seat post of the bicycle frame.

[0027] Naturally, adhesive material may be present between the filling and the support base and / or between the filling and the cover.

[0028] The support element 1 according to the present invention can be a saddle or seat for a bicycle or vehicle, a grip for the handlebars of a bicycle or vehicle, etc. Essentially, the support element 1 can support the weight of the user or a part of the user's body while simultaneously ensuring an appropriate level of comfort.

[0029] The support element 1 includes a packing element 2 that can be restrained to at least one surface of the support base 3.

[0030] In at least one version of the present invention, a support base 3 is present and constrained by a filling element 2.

[0031] In at least one version of the present invention, for example, if the support element 1 is a bicycle or vehicle saddle, seat, etc., the support base 3 is not embedded inside the padding element 2 and constitutes an element that is at least partially visible in the finished support element 1 and at least one of its surfaces remains constrained to the padding element 2.

[0032] The filling element 2 is generally a foamed polyurethane polymer, foamed thermoplastic, or EVA, 50 kg / m², formed by the reaction of at least one gel or elastomer insert, which is generally placed on and / or near the outer or visible surface of the support element 1, with material A, such as a foaming material, e.g., foam, e.g., polyurethane foam, self-skinning polyurethane foam, e.g., isocyanate, and material B, such as a polyol formulation containing at least one polyol and at least one additive, such as at least one catalyst, cell modifier, colorant, etc. 3 ~600kg / m 3 It may include components in a foam material having a density of, or a foam material made from a combination thereof.

[0033] At least one gel or elastomer insert can be made from polyurethane gel or elastomer material.

[0034] In the alternative version, filling element 2 is entirely composed of foam material components.

[0035] The filling element 2 and / or its components in the foamed material include the filling material in the form of granular material 4.

[0036] Therefore, the granular material 4 acts as a filler material for the material used to make the filling element 2.

[0037] In this specification, the terms “granular material” and “filler” can be considered equivalent unless the opposite is explicitly indicated.

[0038] A particular aspect of the present invention is that the filler material contains and / or is made of recycled material. More specifically, the granular form of the filler material contains and / or is made of recycled material, for example, is made entirely of recycled material.

[0039] Preferably, the filling material consists only of granular material 4.

[0040] In particular, the recycled material of the granular material 4 is derived from waste from the manufacturing process of the support element, the discarded support element or its discarded parts, such as outer covers or covers, such as those made of PVC and / or TPU, filling elements made of foamed material, at least one gel or elastomer insert of the filling element, and the support base of the support element for human use, such as rigid or semi-rigid plastic material.

[0041] In particular, this recycled material and / or this waste comprises at least two materials that differ in type and / or hardness and / or density and / or stiffness.

[0042] In particular, the recycled material includes or consists of at least one of the following: foams, such as polyurethane foam or EVA; elastomer materials, foamed thermoplastic materials; gel materials, such as polyurethane gel; PVC; TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane); plastic materials; polypropylene; polyamide; or mixtures thereof. As described above, this recycled material may originate from waste from the manufacturing process of the support element, for example, waste from the manufacturing or foaming process for the production of the support element.

[0043] The recycled material of the present invention does not contain metal or metal alloy materials.

[0044] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each granular body 4 is a mixture of the following materials, namely - Foaming materials (e.g., foams) and gels (or elastomers), or - Foam material (e.g., foam) and PVC / TPU (cover), or - Foamed materials (e.g., foams) and rigid or semi-rigid plastic materials, - Gel (or elastomer) and PVC / TPU (cover), or - Gels (or elastomers) and rigid or semi-rigid plastic materials, - PVC / TPU (cover) and hard or semi-hard plastic materials, - Foam materials (e.g., foams), gels (or elastomers) and PVC / TPU (covers), or - Foamed materials (e.g., foams), gels (or elastomers), and rigid or semi-rigid plastic materials, - Foam materials (e.g., foam), PVC / TPU (cover) and rigid or semi-rigid plastic materials, or - Gel (or elastomer), PVC / TPU (cover) and rigid or semi-rigid plastic materials, -It may consist of, or be made of, foamed material (e.g., foam), gel (or elastomer), PVC / TPU (cover), and rigid or semi-rigid plastic material.

[0045] Naturally, various mixtures of the granular material are possible according to the present invention, depending on the type of recycled material used in the manufacture of the granular material itself.

[0046] Furthermore, or alternatively, each granular body may consist of a single material, but as a whole, granular body 4 includes at least two materials that differ in type and / or hardness and / or density and / or stiffness (for example, considering the possible combinations described above).

[0047] Therefore, as can be seen, the present invention starts with a support element or part thereof that is discarded during the manufacturing process for any reason, and this support element or part thereof is completely recycled and then reused for the manufacture of a new support element, thus ensuring a certain degree of circularity.

[0048] More specifically, taking the example of a bicycle saddle, if the bicycle saddle or a part of the bicycle saddle is discarded directly during the manufacturing step or after the bicycle saddle has been used, the bicycle saddle or a part of the bicycle saddle contributes to the partial or complete formation of the filling material in the form of granular material 4 (except when the fork is made of a metal material), and thus contributes to the formation of the filling element 2 of the present invention.

[0049] The same applies to seats or handlebar grips. Naturally, if recycled material originates from a bicycle saddle, it can be used to make seats or grips, as well as other saddles, and vice versa.

[0050] Therefore, recycled materials typically have a thickness of, for example, 100 to 1000 microns and / or a density of 500 to 1000 kg / m³. 3 Materials for covering or outer covering discarded support elements, in the form of layers or films, such as PVC and / or TPU, e.g., 50-600 kg / m 3Material for filling elements of discarded support elements, such as foamed material having a density of 1000 kg / m³ (e.g., foam, e.g., polyurethane foam), 3 The material comprises at least one of the following: a gel material having a density equal to , for example, a polyurethane gel or elastomer, and / or a sealing material, for example, a plastic material such as polypropylene (PP) or polyamide (PA), such as a rigid or semi-rigid support base material. If present, these materials are all in the form of granular particles 4 and preferably have a substantially irregular shape.

[0051] Density is calculated as mass / volume. For example, in the case of polyurethane foam, the unit of measurement is the mass / volume of the saddle volume in kilograms of foam. 3 It is the result of dividing by .

[0052] Therefore, the filling element 2 of the present invention, or at least its components in the foaming material, comprises a foaming material, such as polyurethane foam, or EVA or foamed thermoplastic resin, and this recycled material is in the form of granules 4.

[0053] Recycled material may be present in a weight percentage such as 1% to 50%, 1% to 35%, 5% to 35%, 1% to 10%, 5% to 15%, less than 25%, or less than 35% of the total material of filling element 2.

[0054] The granular material 4 is uniformly dispersed within the volume of the filling element 2. This dispersion is homogeneous in terms of position, density, type of material constituting the granular material 4, and / or stiffness.

[0055] The presence of granular recycled material 4 did not alter the structural properties, flexibility, elasticity, and / or comfort of the filling element 2, and therefore, it was unexpectedly demonstrated that such material could be inserted at a high rate without any problems for the end user. Similarly, the restraining and / or adhesive ability of the support element 1 to the support base 3 remained unchanged.

[0056] Support element 1 may include an external cover element 5, also called a cover. Alternatively, the foam material constituting the filling element 2 may be a self-skinning polyurethane foam, and therefore a protective film or layer can be formed near the outer surface of the filling element 2 itself during foaming or the foaming step. In that case, of course, a cover is not necessary.

[0057] Therefore, the external cover element can refer to both the actual cover and a film or protective layer formed by self-skinning foam.

[0058] If an external cover element 5 is present, it can present one or more transparent windows 6. The transparent windows are usually made of the same material as the rest of the external cover element 5, but have a transparent appearance. In this way, the underlying filling element 2 is visible, along with the granular material 4 of the filling material. In this way, it is possible to confirm the actual presence of this filling material while simultaneously obtaining the distinctive aesthetic appearance of the support element 1.

[0059] In fact, the possibility of giving the granular material a contrasting color with respect to a specific color and / or the color given to the rest of the material of filling element 2 cannot be ruled out.

[0060] However, the presence of the granular material 4 is perceptible even in the absence of a transparent window 6, because the presence of the granular material 4 within the material constituting the filling element 2 creates a kind of roughness in the outer cover element 5 or the outer cover formed by the self-skinning foam. Therefore, the granular material 4 is present not only within the volume of the filling element 2 but also on its outer surface (the surface in contact with the cover, or the surface that forms the film or protective layer in the presence of the self-skinning foam). Thus, at an aesthetic level, it is possible to glimpse or perceive the granular material 4 present inside, even in the presence of the outer cover 5.

[0061] Therefore, it can be said that the cover or outer cover 5, or even the film or protective layer, has a "granular" texture precisely determined by the granular material 4.

[0062] According to a further version of the present invention, the external cover element 5 is smooth and wrinkle-free in at least one part or region thereof. This part or region may be in contact with at least one gel or elastomer insert.

[0063] The granular material 4 has an average size (or, considering that the shape of the granular material 4 may be irregular and not necessarily spherical, diameter or thickness) of less than 10 mm, or 0.1 mm to 10 mm, or 1 mm to 10 mm, or preferably 3 mm to 6 mm, or more preferably a diameter of less than 4 mm or 6 mm, or less than 4 mm.

[0064] Therefore, the granular material 4 can have different densities for each granular material. In particular, the filling material may include granular materials with higher or lower densities, granular materials with higher or lower rigidity, granular materials made from a single material or mixed granular materials made from two or more materials, and granular materials having different specific weights.

[0065] To obtain such granular material 4, the recycled material is crushed in the crushing step 10, thus obtaining recycled material in the form of granular material.

[0066] This recycled material, in granular form, can be stored in a single container suitable for this purpose.

[0067] This grinding step 10 can be carried out using a conventional industrial grinding mill.

[0068] In at least one version of the present invention, the recycled material is not subjected to any further processing other than crushing in order to obtain granular material 4.

[0069] Therefore, the method for manufacturing a support element for the human body according to the present invention is - Steps include providing recycled materials, - A step of crushing the recycled material to obtain granular material 4 for filling, - A step of providing at least one material for a packing element 2 in a fluid state, preferably a liquid, - Depending on the circumstances, the step of removing granular material 4 from a single container for storage, for example, the step of removing a certain amount of granular material 4 based on a desired percentage, - The step of mixing granular material 4 with a fluid material, preferably a liquid material, to obtain a mixture, - A step of providing a mold having at least one female part that includes a cavity having a shape that at least partially corresponds to the shape of at least a part of the shape of the support element 1 and / or the filling element 2, - The step of pouring or injecting the mixture into the cavity of the mold, -The step of foaming or polymerizing a mixture to obtain a filling element 2 and / or components in the foamed material of the filling element 2, which include a filling material containing and / or granular material 4 made from recycled material.

[0070] In at least one version of the present invention, only the above steps are used to obtain the components in the foamed material containing the granular material 4.

[0071] In the foaming or polymerization step, the components of the foaming material are made up of fluid materials, which react and therefore foam and polymerize. The granular materials 4 present in this material or mixture do not participate in this step. The materials that make them do not participate in the foaming or polymerization reaction, for example, because this material is already foamed and polymerized. It is clear that the liquid material incorporates the granular materials in its foaming and polymerization step.

[0072] "At least one material in a fluid state," preferably a liquid, means, for example, a mixture of two materials A and B mixed in a mixing head, for example, a liquid-state compound of A isocyanate and B polyol that causes the reaction to result in the formation of a foamed polyurethane polymer (i.e., at least a polyol, and additives such as catalysts, cell modifiers, colorants, etc., according to a specific formulation based on the result obtained).

[0073] The granular material 4 obtained in the crushing step 10 can be passed through at least one sieve in the sieving step 20 to recover only the granular material having the desired dimensions shown above.

[0074] This step of passing through at least one sieve can be carried out via a hopper and / or sieve having a diameter of less than 10 mm, or 0.1 mm to 10 mm, or 1 mm to 10 mm, or preferably 3 mm to 6 mm, or more preferably less than 4 mm or 6 mm, or holes of less than 4 mm.

[0075] According to one embodiment, granular materials larger than 6 mm cannot be processed by conventional foaming systems.

[0076] Therefore, the uniqueness of the present invention lies precisely in the crushing and reuse of recycled materials composed of several materials of different types and / or hardness and / or density and / or properties (e.g., thermoplastic and / or thermosetting properties), such as those shown in the present invention.

[0077] Furthermore, another distinctive feature that strongly distinguishes the present invention from conventional grinding methods is the absence of a separation step resulting from the density or properties of the different materials constituting the granules. The granules 4 of the present invention may, in practice, have different characteristics from one granule to another, as shown, but this does not impair the subsequent steps in which they are used.

[0078] Therefore, the granular material 4 can be stored in a single container.

[0079] Next, in mixing step 30, the granular material 4 is mixed with the material constituting the filling element 2 in a fluid state, preferably a liquid, in order to obtain a mixture. Thus, according to one embodiment, the granular material 4 is supplied to the foaming head at the same time as the material constituting the filling element 2, or there is a prior strep to obtain this mixture in which the granular material 4 is mixed with the material constituting the filling element 2 in a fluid state, preferably a liquid, and supplied to the foaming head.

[0080] According to one aspect of the present invention, the mixing step 30 is carried out using a suitable foaming machine or foaming head, which enables the mixing of granules by incorporating granules into at least one material in a fluid state and / or foam and / or foam material constituting / constituting the filling element 2.

[0081] Specifically, to give one example, a foaming machine is a machine that mixes materials A and B as defined above for the production of polyurethane. However, the above definition can be interpreted more broadly when the material constituting the filling element 2 is not polyurethane foam.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the foaming machine or foaming head is provided with a screw that supplies granular material to a mixing chamber along with at least one material (for example, at least one material A and B as defined above, e.g., at least one polyol and at least one isocyanate) in a fluid state, preferably liquid, that constitutes the filling element 2, thereby obtaining a filling element 2 having a foaming material component containing such granular material.

[0083] A similar or identical screw can supply the granules to a mixing chamber along with a fluid, preferably liquid, material (e.g., at least one material A and B as defined above, e.g., at least one polyol and at least one isocyanate) that constitutes at least one gel or elastomer insert containing these granules, if present.

[0084] Since at least one gel insert is a compact material, it is formed (in at least one version of the present invention) by casting and subsequent polymerization rather than by foaming.

[0085] In further versions, at least one insert contains a polyurethane elastomer made by mixing an isocyanate and a polyol mixture. It is compact or foamable, typically has a hardness expressed in Shore, and is used in applications such as rollerblade wheels, bicycle saddle springs, and shoe midsoles. Polyurethane gel can be defined as a soft elastomer.

[0086] The screw described above is equipped with a hopper, which is a funnel that transports granular material into the screw and carries it to the foaming head.

[0087] Therefore, the granular material 4 according to the present invention is conveyed into the screw via a hopper. During this step, separation or splitting does not occur due to the different densities of the constituent components of the granular material and / or the different densities of the constituent components of different granular materials, and although the granular material itself is made from different materials and has different densities and / or different stiffnesses, they maintain their average distribution.

[0088] This aspect was entirely unpredictable. For example, considering that the granules could have different densities, one could assume that heavier materials (e.g., granules predominantly composed of plastic compared to granules predominantly composed of foam) might arrive first in the screw or during the granule dispensing step, but this did not happen.

[0089] As can be seen, at a general level, in at least one version of the present invention, although the material used, which includes the filler material in the form of granular bodies 4, is innovative compared to those commonly used, it is possible to use the same machines and / or the same molds conventionally used for manufacturing the support element 1.

[0090] The subsequent steps may, in fact, be conventional steps for the manufacture of known types of support elements.

[0091] For example, the procedure may include steps of preparing an external cover element 5 and creating a vacuum in the female mold component of the mold to hold and / or fit the external cover element 5 into place.

[0092] There is a closing step of the female mold component with a male mold component having a support base 3 or another component, to obtain a closed cavity.

[0093] Next, a pouring or injection step 40 of the mixture in the mold cavity (i.e., the material constituting the filling element 2, which includes the foaming material components and the filling material in the form of granular particles 4) is performed, followed by a subsequent polymerization or foaming step of this mixture, filling the cavity and obtaining the filling element 2, which is optionally bonded and / or constrained to at least one of the outer cover element 5 and the support base 3. In fact, during the foaming or polymerization or foaming step, a phenomenon occurs in which the filling element 2 is consequently bonded and / or constrained to at least one surface of the support base 3 and / or the outer cover element 5.

[0094] Alternatively, if the filling element 2 is a self-skinning foam, the formation of a film or protective layer that acts as an external cover for the filling element 2 occurs during the foaming, polymerization, or foaming step.

[0095] In at least one version of the present invention, it should be emphasized that the filler material in the form of granular bodies 4 does not contain binders or other adhesives suitable for promoting polymerization of the material itself. That is, the filler material is granular (e.g., consisting only of granular bodies 4 that are "solid" and / or "hard") and is therefore suitable for addition to a material that constitutes a component in the foamed material of the filler element 2.

[0096] As can be seen from the above, the step 40 of pouring or injecting the mixture, and the step of polymerizing or foaming the mixture, allow the material to fill the mold cavity into which it is inserted, and thus occupy the space corresponding to the shape that must be taken after completion, so a compression step is not required in the mold. This is determined by the fact that the mixture containing the granular material 4 is preferably in a liquid state and therefore occupies a portion of the given cavity without requiring compression, and then foams to occupy the entire cavity. In this way, the material of the granular material 4 is not subjected to compression and therefore maintains its original properties without substantially changing them, and does not cause discomfort to the user who is supposed to perceive its presence inside the filling element 2.

[0097] Furthermore, while the fluid material does not act as a bond, binder, or adhesive for the granular particles it contains, from a structural standpoint, it precisely forms the components of the foam material in the filling element, ensuring the comfort required by the user.

[0098] Therefore, in the method according to the present invention, there is no step of compressing the granular body 4 of the filling material, nor a step of compressing the mixture, nor a step of compressing the components in the foaming material of the filling element 2, so as not to change the desired cushioning and / or support properties of the support element 1.

[0099] Furthermore, since the granular material 4 is uniformly dispersed in the mixture and therefore remains uniformly dispersed even during the polymerization or foaming steps that determine the acquisition of the finished filling element 2, there is no need for a step to vibrate the granular material to give it a specific shape or compactness.

[0100] The step of polymerizing or solidifying a gel or elastomer material, which may optionally comprise a filler material in the form of granular matter 4 according to the present invention, by pouring it, for example, into a cavity in a mold or a specific sheet to obtain at least one gel or elastomer insert, may be performed before the step of pouring or injecting the foaming material or material constituting the components in the foam of the filler element 2.

[0101] The process may be followed by steps depending on the type of support element 1 to be created, such as trimming the external cover element 5 if present, further finishing processes, applying a release agent to remove the material from the mold wall if applicable, placing decorative elements, logos, etc. if applicable, and obtaining a portion having different properties of compactness and / or rigidity and / or deformability compared to support element 1 or the rest of it.

[0102] If a gel or elastomer insert is present within the support element according to the present invention, it can be placed in at least one transparent window 6. The gel or elastomer is actually usually transparent, which allows for better visibility of the granular material 4 present in the gel or elastomer itself and / or the foam material or foam components constituting the filling element 2.

[0103] Furthermore, thanks to the specific characteristics of the gel or elastomer, it becomes even more possible to not perceive the presence of such granular material inside the support element 1.

[0104] Furthermore, if the gel or elastomer insert does not contain the granular material according to the present invention and is generally placed between the contact surface with the user and the components in the foam material of the filling element 2, the gel or elastomer insert "separates" or "keeps away" the granular material 4 present in the filling element 2 from the user. Thus, user comfort is hardly impaired by the presence of the filling material in the form of granular material 4, or by the mixing and / or rigid nature of the granular material 4 itself in the recycled material.

[0105] Thus, the comfort of the support element is indistinguishable from that of a similar support element that does not contain the filling material of the present invention.

[0106] Naturally, the granular material 4 of the present invention may be present on the outer cover that essentially forms the self-skinning foam itself when the packing element 2 is formed of a self-skinning foam, or in either case, on the outermost or visible surface of the support element 1, i.e., a surface that can come into contact with the user.

[0107] According to a further version of the present invention, the support base 3 may also be provided with at least one "transparent" window to reveal the presence of the granular material 4 from the outside. Thus, this transparent window can be opened (to directly access the material constituting the filling element 2) or closed by a transparent material of the same type as, or different in properties or resistance from, that constituting the support base 3.

[0108] According to one version of the present invention, the granular material 4 may also consist of aggregates of the granular material 4. For example, granular material obtained by grinding the foamed portion of a foamed material or recycled material may exhibit adhesion phenomena and promote the formation of granular aggregates compared to granular material obtained from different materials. Granular material formed by grinding a gel or elastomer portion may have similar properties. In this case, the aggregates may have an average size, diameter, or thickness of less than 10 mm, less than 6 mm, less than 5 mm, or less than 4 mm. The minimum size of the granular material and / or aggregates according to at least one version of the present invention is equal to 1 mm, 2 mm, or 3 mm.

[0109] As can be seen herein, no chemical additives or compatibilizers of any kind are used to enable the insertion of granular material 4 into the material constituting the packing element 2. In fact, granular material 4 is exactly the same as that which comes out of the grinding and sieving process.

[0110] Therefore, thanks to the present invention, all of the waste materials shown are not ultimately discarded or disposed of at considerable cost in both economic and environmental terms, but are instead cyclically returned to form new support elements of the same or similar type, or entirely different type, from which such waste materials originate. In this way, these waste materials are 100% recovered, do not need to be separated by type or properties of material, and do not require chemical agents or compatibilizers for further use.

[0111] Therefore, it was found that this process and the resulting product are very simple and do not require complex separation operations of materials with different properties from the waste from which granular material 4 originates.

[0112] In fact, for example, in the manufacture of bicycle saddles, it is necessary to consider that, for example, 5% of the waste is "physiological" waste. However, in this invention, this waste is eliminated because the discarded materials are reused in the manufacture of new saddles.

[0113] Features defined for one variation or embodiment may also exist for other variations or embodiments unless the opposite features are explicitly provided.

[0114] Modifications and alterations of the present invention are permitted within the scope of protection as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A support element (1) for human use, wherein the support element is a saddle, seat, handlebar for a bicycle or vehicle, or grip for a vehicle, and the support element (1) comprises a filling element (2), the filling element (2) comprising at least one component in a foam material and restrainable on at least one surface of a support base (3), the component in the foam material comprising granular material (4), the granular material (4) comprising and / or made from recycled material, the recycled material of the granular material (4) being made from at least two materials of different types and / or hardness and / or density and / or stiffness, and the support element (1) is characterized in that it originates from waste of the manufacturing process of the support element, a discarded support element or a discarded part thereof, e.g., an outer cover or at least one part of a cover, a filling element made of at least one foam material, at least one gel or elastomer insert, and at least one of the waste of a support base for human use made of, for example, a rigid or semi-rigid plastic material.

2. The granular material (4) containing and / or made from the recycled material is a foaming material, such as foam, such as polyurethane foam, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), foamed thermoplastic material, 50 kg / m ３ ~600 kg / m ３ A foamed material having a density of, and / or an elastomer material, gel material, such as polyurethane gel, or, for example, 1000 kg / m³ ３ Elastomers having a density equal to, and / or PVC, TPU, and / or rigid or semi-rigid plastics or polymer materials, polypropylene, polyamide, for example, 500-1000 kg / m³ ３ The support element according to claim 1, comprising or consisting of at least one or at least two plastic or polymer materials having a density, or mixtures thereof.

3. Each granular body (4) is made of the following material, namely - Foamed materials, such as recycled foam or filling elements, and / or - Gel or elastomer material, for example recycled from inserts of filling elements, and / or - PVC and / or TPU, for example, recycled from covers, and / or - Hard or semi-hard A support element according to claim 1 or 2, comprising or made from a mixed material including at least two of plastic materials, for example, recycled from support bases of support elements for the human body.

4. The support element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the recycled material resulting from the waste of the support element manufacturing process is waste from the foaming process for manufacturing the support element, and / or the recycled material does not contain any metal or metal alloy material.

5. The support element according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, wherein the granular body (4) is uniformly distributed in the packing element (2) and / or the components in the foam material from the viewpoint of at least one of position, density, properties, type of material constituting the granular body (4), and / or rigidity, and / or the granular body (4) has an irregular shape, and / or the granular body (4) has a diameter of less than 10 mm, or 0.1 mm to 10 mm, or 1 mm to 10 mm, or preferably 3 mm to 6 mm, or more preferably 4 mm or less than 6 mm, or an average size of less than 4 mm.

6. The component in the foaming material of the filling element is a foamed polyurethane polymer, foamed thermoplastic, EVA, 50 kg / m³, formed by the reaction of material A, such as a foam, such as polyurethane foam, self-skinning polyurethane foam, such as isocyanate, and material B, such as a polyol compound containing at least one polyol and at least one additive such as a catalyst, a cellular modifier, or a colorant. ３ ~600 kg / m ３ A support element according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, made from a foamed material having a density, or a combination thereof.

7. The support element according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, wherein the packing element (2) comprises at least one gel or elastomer insert in addition to the components of the foaming material, and the granular body (4) is present in the components of the foaming material and optionally also in the at least one gel or elastomer insert.

8. The support element according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, wherein the recycled material is present in a weight percentage of 1% to 50%, or 1% to 35%, or 5% to 35%, or 1% to 10%, or 5% to 15%, or less than 25%, or less than 35%, relative to the total material of the packing element (2).

9. The support element according to one or more of claims 1 to 8, wherein the support element (1) includes an external cover element (5) having one or more transparent windows (6) in order to allow the granular material (4) to be seen from the outside.

10. The support element according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, wherein the packing element (2) comprises a self-skinning polyurethane foam that essentially forms an outer cover element during foaming or polymerization, and the granular material (4) is optionally also present in the outer cover element.

11. The support element according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the external cover element has a rough or granular appearance, and this appearance is determined by the presence of at least the granular body (4) inside.

12. A method for realizing a support element (1) for the human body, wherein the support element is a bicycle or vehicle saddle, seat, bicycle handlebar or vehicle grip as described in one or more of claims 1 to 11, the support element (1) comprises a packing element (2) that can be restrained on at least one surface of a support base (3), the packing element (2) comprises a granular material (4), and the method comprises the following steps, namely, - A step of providing recycled materials resulting from waste such as a manufacturing process for support elements, discarded support elements or their discarded parts, e.g., an outer cover or at least one of covers, a filling element made of at least one foamed material, at least one gel or elastomer insert, or at least one of a support base for a support element for the human body made of a rigid or semi-rigid plastic material, wherein the waste comprises at least two materials that differ in type and / or hardness and / or density and / or stiffness, - A step of crushing (10) the recycled material to obtain the granular material (4), wherein the recycled material of the granular material (4) is made from at least two materials that differ in type and / or hardness and / or density and / or stiffness, - A step of providing at least one material for the packing element (2) in a fluid state, - The step of mixing (30) the granular body (4) with the at least one material in a fluid state to obtain a mixture, - A step of providing a mold having at least one female part having a cavity having a shape at least partially corresponding to the shape of at least a part of the support element (1) and / or the filling element (2), - The step of pouring or injecting (40) the mixture into the cavity of the mold, - The step of foaming or polymerizing the mixture to obtain at least one component in the foaming material of the filling element (2), - The step of providing a support base (3), - The step of closing the cavity of the mold with the support base (3) positioned and / or constrained male mold component, thereby obtaining a closed cavity, allowing the step to foam or polymerize within the closed cavity, and consequently adhering and / or constraining the filler element (2) to at least one surface of the support base (3), A method characterized by obtaining at least one component in the foaming material of the filling element (2), which includes the granular body (4) containing and / or made from the recycled material.

13. The step of providing at least one material for the packing element (2) in the fluid state includes providing material A, such as an isocyanate, and material B, such as a polyol compound comprising at least one polyol and at least one additive, such as a catalyst, a cellular modifier, a colorant, etc., wherein material A and material B can react to form a foamed polyurethane polymer, a foam, such as a polyurethane foam, a self-skinning polyurethane foam, a foamed thermoplastic, EVA, 50 kg / m ３ ~600 kg / m ３ The method according to claim 12, which can form a foamed material having a density, or a combination thereof.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, comprising the step of sieving (20) the granular material (4) to select granular material having a diameter of less than 10 mm, or 0.1 mm to 10 mm, or 1 mm to 10 mm, or preferably 3 mm to 6 mm, or more preferably 4 mm or less than 6 mm, or an average size of less than 4 mm.

15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, comprising the steps of: providing a cover element (5) having one or more optional transparent windows (6); creating a vacuum in the cavity of the mold; and positioning and / or molding the cover element (5) in the cavity.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein during the foaming or polymerization step, the filling element (2) is bonded to and / or restrained to the outer cover element (5).

17. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 16, comprising the steps of: providing a gel or elastomer material; optionally mixing the granular material (4) with the gel or elastomer material; pouring or inserting the gel or elastomer material into or around the cavity; and optionally polymerizing or reacting the gel or elastomer material to obtain at least one gel or elastomer insert within the filling element (2), preferably in or near the outer cover element (5), prior to the step of pouring or injecting the mixture constituting the at least one component in the foaming material of the filling element (2).

18. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the step of compressing the granular material (4), the step of compressing the mixture, and the step of compressing the components in the foaming material of the filling element (2) are not included, so as not to change the cushioning and / or support properties of the support element (1).

19. A method for realizing a padding element (2) of a support element (1) for human body, wherein the support element is a bicycle or vehicle saddle, seat, bicycle handlebar or vehicle grip as described in one or more of claims 1 to 11, and the padding element (2) can be restrained to at least one surface of a support base (3) when in use, the method comprising the following steps, namely: - A step of providing recycled materials resulting from waste such as a manufacturing process for support elements, discarded support elements or their discarded parts, e.g., an outer cover or at least one of covers, a filling element made of at least one foamed material, at least one gel or elastomer insert, or at least one of a support base for a support element for the human body made of a rigid or semi-rigid plastic material, wherein the waste comprises at least two materials that differ in type and / or hardness and / or density and / or stiffness, - A step of crushing (10) the recycled material to obtain granular material (4), wherein the recycled material of the granular material (4) is made from at least two materials that differ in type and / or hardness and / or density and / or stiffness, - A step of providing at least one material for the packing element (2) in a fluid state, preferably a liquid, - The step of mixing (30) the granular body (4) with the at least one material in a fluid state to obtain a mixture, - A step of providing a mold having at least one female part that includes a cavity having a shape that at least partially corresponds to the shape of at least a part of the filling element (2), - The step of pouring or injecting (40) the mixture into the cavity of the mold, - The step of foaming or polymerizing the mixture to obtain at least one component in the foaming material of the filling element (2), A method characterized by obtaining at least one component in the foaming material of the filling element (2), which includes the granular body (4) containing and / or made from the recycled material.

20. The step of providing at least one material for the stuffing element (2) in the fluid state includes providing a material A such as an isocyanate, and a material B such as a polyol formulation including at least one additive such as at least one of a catalyst, a cell regulator, a colorant, etc., and at least one polyol, wherein the material A and the material B can react to form a foamed polyurethane polymer, a material capable of forming a foam, such as a polyurethane foam, a self-skinning polyurethane foam, a foamed thermoplastic, EVA, 50 kg / m ３ to 600 kg / m ３ of the foamed material having a density, or a combination thereof, according to claim 19.

21. The following steps, namely, - The step of sieving (20) the granular material (4) to select granular material having a diameter of less than 10 mm, or 0.1 mm to 10 mm, or 1 mm to 10 mm, or preferably 3 mm to 6 mm, or more preferably 4 mm or less than 6 mm, or an average size of less than 4 mm, - A step of providing a cover element (5) having one or more transparent windows (6) in the case thereof, creating a vacuum in the cavity of the mold, and positioning and / or molding the cover element (5) in the cavity, wherein during the foaming or polymerization step, adhesion and / or restraint of the filling element (2) to the outer cover element (5) occurs, The method according to claim 19 or 20, comprising at least one of the following steps: providing a gel or elastomer material; optionally mixing the granular material (4) with the gel or elastomer material; pouring or inserting the gel or elastomer material into the cavity or region; polymerizing or reacting the material or solidifying the gel or elastomer material to obtain at least one gel or elastomer insert in the filling element (2), optionally in or near the outer cover element (5), prior to the step of pouring or injecting the mixture constituting the at least one component in the foaming material of the filling element (2).

Images