Integral Elastic Support Waterproof Bead Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for manufacturing integral elastic supports result in water-permeable peripheral edges, leading to potential water infiltration and gel decomposition, with CFC blowing agents causing environmental hazards and excessive resin usage.
Innovation Solution
A process forming a waterproof bead from a low porosity resin along the peripheral portion of the support, using a mold configuration with pivotally coupled male and female parts to inject the waterproof material, ensuring the bead contacts both the pad and frame for enhanced stability and resistance, and using non-CFC blowing agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a highly porous resilient material is used for the padding element, then comfort and elasticity are improved, but water penetration and liquid absorption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different porosity characteristics to different regions of the support. The central area uses highly porous resilient material for comfort, while the peripheral edge uses low porosity material for water resistance. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between comfort (requiring high porosity) and water penetration resistance (requiring low porosity).
Solution Approach 2:
The support is constructed as a composite structure combining two types of resilient material with different porosity properties. The first resilient material (high porosity) provides comfort in the main body, while the second resilient material (low porosity) provides water resistance at the periphery. This composite approach allows both contradictory requirements to be satisfied simultaneously.
2Strength
If CFC blowing agents are used to create the porous structure, then resin expansion and elasticity are improved, but environmental hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the blowing agent, transitioning from CFC-based agents to hydrocarbon-based agents (propane, butane, isobutane). This parameter change maintains the desired resin expansion and elasticity properties while eliminating the environmental hazards associated with CFCs.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If excessive resin is used to form a sealing bead, then water resistance is improved, but material waste and fabrication costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using excessive resin throughout the entire support, the patent applies low porosity material specifically at the peripheral edge where water resistance is needed. This localized application provides effective water protection while minimizing resin consumption and waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the water resistance function from the bulk resin material and concentrates it at the peripheral edge through a separate low porosity material layer. This separation allows water resistance to be achieved with minimal material usage rather than requiring excessive resin throughout the entire support.
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 solution provides waterproof, durable, and comfortable integral elastic supports with minimized waste and environmental impact, reducing reject rates and fabrication costs while extending product life.
Implementation Method 1
Such female mold further has vacuum means for the element to be laid with no surface fold or unevenness
Implementation Method 2
The resilient element is then placed, still in the liquid state, on the cover element. Such resilient element contains blowing agents, usually CFC gases, which will provide the typical highly porous honeycomb structure of such types of padding
Implementation Method 3
The structure is left in the mold, which is adequately heated, for a sufficient time and at a sufficient temperature to allow resin expansion and curing of the resin and/or gel
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is applicable to the field of sport and leisure accessories and particularly relates to a process for making integral elastic supports as well as to integral elastic supports obtainable by such process. The invention also relates to a mold for making such supports, as well as a molding apparatus including such mold, for carrying out the above process. The process includes the step of forming at least one pad element from a resilient material, to be associated to a frame made of a substantially rigid or semirigid material whose outer edge defines a peripheral portion in combination with said pad. The process is characterized further includes the step of forming a bead from a substantially waterproof material near the peripheral portion to prevent any undesired infiltration into such portion.