Composite foam molded article process for production thereof, and foamable powder composition

{
  "publication_number": "US5532055A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Composite foam molded article process for production thereof, and foamable powder composition",
  "abstract": "An integrally molded composite article comprised of (I) a nonfoam layer formed from a thermoplastic elastomer powder composition (A) and (II) a foam layer formed from a foamable composition comprised of (i)(B) a thermoplastic synthetic resin powder, and (C) a heat decomposable foaming agent or (ii)(B) a thermoplastic synthetic resin powder, (C) a heat decomposable foaming agent and (D) a liquid coating agent, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer powder (A) is comprised of a composition of an ethylene- alpha -olefin copolymer rubber and a polyolefin resin or a thermoplastic elastomer powder comprised of a partially cross-linked composition of an ethylene- alpha -olefin copolymer rubber and a polyolefin resin, the thermoplastic elastomer powder having a complex dynamic viscosity eta *(1) at 250 DEG C. and a frequency of 1 radian/sec of not more than 1.5x105 poise and having a Newtonian viscosity index n, calculated by the following formula using the above-mentioned complex dynamic viscosity eta *(1) and the complex dynamic viscosity eta *(100) at a frequency of 100 radians/sec, of not more than 0.67: n={(log eta *(1)-log eta *(100)}/2.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A foamable powder molding composition which comprises 2 to 11 parts by weight of a heat decomposable foaming agent and 100 parts by weight of a thermoplastic elastomer powder selected from the group consisting of (a) a composition of an ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer rubber and a polyolefin resin, and (b) a composition obtained by partially cross-linking an ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer rubber and a polyolefin resin, said thermoplastic elastomer powder having a complex dynamic viscosity η*(1) at 250° C. and a frequency of 1 radian/sec of not more than 1.5× 10 5 poise and having a Newtonian viscosity index n, calculated by the following formula using the above-mentioned complex dynamic viscosity η*(100) at a frequency of 100 radians/sec, of not more than 0.67: n={log η*(1)-log η*(100)}/2 wherein the Mooney viscosity (ML 1+4 100° C.) of the ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer rubber is 130 to 350.",
    "2. The foamable powder molding composition according to claim 1, wherein the process further comprises a liquid coating agent in an amount of 0.1 to 8 parts by weight of the thermoplastic elastomer.",
    "3. The foamable powder molding composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer rubber is an ethylene-propylene-ethylidene norborane rubber.",
    "4. The foamable powder molding composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer is an oil-extended olefin copolymer rubber.",
    "5. The foamable powder molding composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the polyolefin resin is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, a copolymer of propylene and ethylene and a copolymer of propylene and butene.",
    "6. The foamable powder molding composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer rubber and the olefin resin is 5:95 to 80:20 by weight.",
    "7. The foamable powder molding composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat decomposable foaming agent is selected from the group consisting of an azo compound and a sulfonyl-hydrazide compound.",
    "8. The foamable powder molding composition according to claim 2, wherein the liquid coating agent is selected from the group consisting of polysiloxane, an epoxy resin and an acrylic resin."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/886,410, filed on May 21, 1992, which was abandoned upon the filing hereof.\n\n1. Field of the Invention\n\nThe present invention relates to an integrally formed composite foam molded article comprising a nonfoam layer formed from a thermoplastic elastomer powder composition and a foamed layer formed from a foamable powder composition, a process for production thereof, and a foamable powder composition.\n\n2. Description of the Related Art\n\nIn recent years, there has been a demand for covering materials for the interior of automobiles etc. which are light in weight, excellent soft feelings, and of high quality feelings and which are given complicated patterns such as a leather grain pattern or stitch pattern.\n\nOn the other hand, as a method for producing a cushiony covering material, there is known a method of forming a covering material from a vinyl chloride based resin composition by a powder molding method, then filling and causing to foam a urethane material in the same way as conventional vacuum molded articles so as to produce a covering material with a layer of urethane bonded to it.\n\nFurther, there has been proposed a method for simultaneously integrally forming a nonfoam layer comprised of a vinyl chloride based resin and a foamed layer comprised of a vinyl chloride based resin by a powder molding method.",
  "cpc": [
    "B32B 5/18",
    "B29C 41/003",
    "B29C 41/006",
    "B29C 41/04",
    "B29C 41/08",
    "B29C 41/10",
    "B29C 41/18",
    "B29C 41/22",
    "B29C 44/04",
    "B29K 2023/00",
    "B29K 2023/16",
    "B29K 2083/00",
    "B29K 2105/0094",
    "B29K 2105/043",
    "B29K 2105/24",
    "B29K 2105/251",
    "B29K 2995/00",
    "B32B 2305/72",
    "B32B 2307/718",
    "B32B 25/045",
    "B32B 25/14",
    "C08L 23/16",
    "Y10T 428/249988",
    "Y10T 428/249989",
    "Y10T 428/249992",
    "Y10T 428/249993"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B29C 41/00",
    "B29C 41/22",
    "B29C 44/04",
    "B32B 5/18",
    "C08J 3/24",
    "C08J 9/06",
    "C08L 23/00",
    "C08L 23/16"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Sumitomo Chemical Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Toshio Igarashi",
    "Sueharu Shinohara",
    "Masayuki Tatsumi",
    "Tadashi Hikasa",
    "Hiroaki Mendori"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1992-11-13",
  "publication_date": "1996-07-02",
  "grant_date": "1996-07-02",
  "priority_date": "1991-05-23",
  "application_number": "US-97596692-A",
  "family_id": "27526812",
  "cited_by_count": 27,
  "citations": [
    "JPS49129757A",
    "US4212787A",
    "US4247652A",
    "JPS58132507A",
    "US4913944A",
    "US4721643A",
    "US5075162A",
    "EP0409992A1",
    "JPH02255738A",
    "EP0479580A2"
  ]
}