Processes for producing flexible polyurethane foam laminates and laminates produced thereby
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing polyurethane foam carpet underlayments using virgin materials are not cost-competitive with rebond foams and lack consistent thickness control, often requiring oven curing with associated high capital and operating costs.
Innovation Solution
A continuous compression molding process involving heated surfaces to form a polyurethane foam laminate by depositing a polyurethane foam-forming composition between two facing materials, allowing it to react and cure without an oven, resulting in a flexible foam with a density of no more than 10 lb/ft3, ensuring consistent thickness and reduced production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If polyurethane foam is produced using virgin materials by conventional continuous processes, then the product quality and consistency are improved, but the production cost increases making it non-competitive with rebond foam
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the density parameter of the polyurethane foam to no more than 10 lb/ft³, which is lower than conventional virgin material foams (10-20 lb/ft³). This parameter change reduces material costs while maintaining adequate performance for carpet underlayment applications, making the product cost-competitive with rebond foam while using virgin materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the oven curing step from the conventional continuous process. By removing this energy-intensive equipment and step, both capital costs and operating costs are reduced, making virgin material foam production cost-competitive with rebond while maintaining product quality
2Reliability
If oven curing is used to cure polyurethane foam, then complete curing is achieved, but capital costs and operating costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the oven from the process entirely. The polyurethane foam cures through ambient or controlled environment conditions during the compression molding process itself, eliminating the need for separate oven curing equipment and reducing both capital investment and operating expenses
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the curing function into the compression molding process itself. The heat and pressure applied during compression molding are sufficient to cure the polyurethane foam, merging two separate operations (molding and curing) into one integrated process, thereby eliminating the need for separate oven equipment
3Ease of manufacture
If recycled foam scraps are used to produce rebond foam, then production cost is reduced, but thickness consistency and product performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a foam density of no more than 10 lb/ft³, which provides optimal balance between cost and performance. This controlled density parameter ensures consistent thickness and performance characteristics that recycled rebond foam cannot achieve, while maintaining cost-effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies controlled local quality through the facing materials and compression molding process. The facing materials provide structural consistency and the compression molding ensures uniform density and thickness throughout the product, achieving consistent quality that recycled foam cannot provide
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process produces cost-competitive polyurethane foam carpet underlayments with consistent thickness and density, eliminating the need for oven curing and associated costs, while maintaining the desired flexibility and performance characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
feeding a first facing material along a first heated surface; feeding a second facing material along a second heated surface
Implementation Method 2
allowing the polyurethane foam-forming composition to react in the vertical space, thereby rising until the rise is restricted by the second facing material
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are continuous compression molding processes for producing a flexible polyurethane foam laminate and laminates produced thereby, which may be suitable for use, for example, as a carpet underlayment.