Structured Foam Composite Sheet for Air Permeability and Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing air-permeable composite webs from foam plastic and knitted webs are costly, limited by thickness, and offer either poor air permeability or comfort, requiring expensive adaptations and structures for shape retention.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a structured foam plastic web with varying thicknesses, where the foam plastic web is compressed before melting or adhesive application, allowing for high air permeability and comfort, and eliminating the need for subsequent adjustments by incorporating a structured design that simplifies the lamination process with knitted webs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If foam plastic webs are flame-laminated with knitted webs to produce air-permeable composite webs, then air permeability is achieved, but the thickness is limited and production costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The foam plastic web is pre-structured with varying thicknesses (first thickness 1-10mm and second thickness greater than first) before lamination. This preliminary structuring eliminates the need for subsequent adjustments and reduces production costs while maintaining air permeability.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam plastic web has different thicknesses in different regions (first thickness in some areas, second thickness in others). This local variation in thickness provides both air permeability in thinner areas and comfort in thicker areas, resolving the contradiction between air permeability and manufacturing cost.
2Ease of manufacture
If composite webs are made with constant thickness, then manufacturing is simplified, but air permeability and comfort are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The foam plastic web is manufactured with local quality variations - different thicknesses in different regions. This allows the web to provide both air permeability (in thinner areas) and comfort (in thicker areas) while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness parameter of the foam plastic web is varied locally to optimize both air permeability and comfort. By changing the thickness parameter in different regions, the web achieves multiple functions simultaneously without complex manufacturing.
3Manufacturing precision
If foam plastic webs are compressed before melting or adhesive application, then uniform melting or adhesive application is achieved, but the web thickness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The foam plastic web is compressed before melting or adhesive application to pre-flatten the surface. This preliminary compression ensures uniform contact and uniform melting or adhesive application, improving manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression is applied dynamically during the manufacturing process, allowing the web to be flattened for uniform processing while maintaining the ability to recover its original thickness after the process, thus minimizing permanent thickness reduction.
4Adaptability or versatility
If subsequent adjustments are made to adapt composite webs to shapes, then shape retention is improved, but production costs and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The foam plastic web is pre-structured with varying thicknesses and patterns before lamination. This preliminary structuring allows the web to be easily adapted to different shapes and applications without requiring subsequent adjustments or additional seams, reducing production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The structured foam plastic web design provides universal adaptability to different shapes and applications. The varying thickness pattern can be used for different purposes (air permeability, comfort, shape adaptation) without requiring different components or additional manufacturing steps.
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
This method enables the production of air-permeable and comfortable composite webs that are cost-effective, adaptable to shapes, and maintain high air permeability, suitable for various applications including furniture and vehicle interiors, while reducing production costs and eliminating the need for additional structural adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
Due to the inertia of the relaxation of the foam plastic web, there is the possibility of melting or applying the adhesive substance even after compression, while the foam plastic web returns to its original thickness and shape, but has not yet fully achieved it
Implementation Method 2
the large-area melting of the foamed plastic web or the application of an adhesive substance
Implementation Method 3
the application of an adhesive substance when the foamed plastic web is at least not completely relaxed
Data Source
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AI summary
The method for producing an air-permeable composite sheet from a foam plastic sheet made of polyurethane-ether foam or polyurethane ester foam that is flame-laminated or adhesive-laminated on single-side or double-side with a stretchable knitted fabric sheet made of polyester and/or polyamide or natural material in a sandwich-like manner, comprises structuring the foam plastic sheet, which has several locations or areas with a first thickness of 2 mm and several locations or areas with a second thickness of 5 mm or more, where the second thickness is greater than the first thickness. The method for producing an air-permeable composite sheet from a foam plastic sheet made of polyurethane-ether foam or polyurethane ester foam that is flame-laminated or adhesive-laminated on single-side or double-side with a stretchable knitted fabric sheet made of polyester and/or polyamide or natural material in a sandwich-like manner, comprises structuring the foam plastic sheet, which has several locations or areas with a first thickness of 2 mm and several locations or areas with a second thickness of 5 mm or more, where the second thickness is greater than the first thickness, compressing the foam plastic sheet, melting the foam plastic sheet or applying an adhesive substance in an incomplete relaxed state of the foam plastic sheet in a complete or large-scale manner, and applying the knitted fabric sheet on the areas that are melted or provided with adhesive substance. The thickness of the foam plastic sheet at the areas and/or locations, which have first thickness, is reduced to 0.5-4 mm by melting. A density of the foam plastic sheet is 45 kg/m 3>with a compression hardness of 4.5-7.5 kPa. The knitted fabric sheet is circular knitted fabric or warp knitted fabric, and is used with a stretchability of 10% by a force of 100 N in a longitudinal direction and/or transverse direction. The structuring of the foam plastic sheet contains a wave pattern running the longitudinal direction and/or transverse direction. The application of the knitted fabric sheet on the areas that are melted or provided with adhesive substance takes place by compressing the foam plastic sheet. The compression of the foam plastic sheet is carried out before melting and/or applying the adhesive substance and/or the knitted fabric sheet, so that the foam plastic sheet has uniform thickness in the compressed state. The melting of the foam plastic sheet or the application of the adhesive substance and/or the knitted fabric sheet takes place during the foam plastic sheet has uniform thickness that corresponds to the first thickness. The foam plastic sheet is structured only by one side.