Foam mat and method for manufacturing a foam mat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025072641-A1
Application number	US-202418950768-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 18, 2024
Priority date	May 18, 2022
Publication date	Mar 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Foam edge waste may be shredded or ground into foam particles rather than discarding them. The particles may be mixed with an adhesive and subject to high temperature and high pressure to form into new foam bodies with configurable densities. Utilizing discarded foam sections this way reduces the waste of foam, reduces environmental pollution caused by foam waste combustion, offers more environmental protection and saves resources. The resulting foam articles have reduced water retention and provide superior comfort by making a foam with consistent properties from inconsistent materials.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A mat comprising:
a cushion layer comprising a thickness, a top side, a bottom side, and wherein the top side is bonded to a fabric layer; wherein the cushion layer comprises a foam sheet having a foam sheet density; and wherein the foam sheet is comprised of a plurality of foam particles, wherein each of the foam particles has a first range of sizes and a first range of densities.

22 . The mat of claim 21 , further comprising an anti-skid layer bonded to the bottom side of the cushion layer.

23 . The mat of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of foam particles is comprised of milled recycled foam.

24 . The mat of claim 23 , wherein each of the particles of the plurality of foam particles is bonded together with glue.

25 . The mat of claim 24 , wherein the foam sheet density is between 40 and 200 kilograms per cubic meter.

26 . The mat of claim 24 , wherein the first range of sizes of the foam particles of the first plurality of foam particles is between 1 mm and 8 mms and the first density of the foam mat is between 100 and 160 kilograms per cubic meter.

27 . The mat of claim 24 , wherein the first range of the sizes of the foam particles of the first plurality of foam particles is between 2 mms and 4 mms and the first density of the foam mat is between 140 and 200 kg/cubic meter.

28 . The mat of claim 24 , wherein the first range of the sizes of the foam particles of the first plurality of foam particles is between 2.5 mms and 3 mms and the first density of the foam mat is between 160 and 180 kg/cubic meter.

29 . The mat of claim 28 , wherein the first range of densities of the foam particles of the first plurality of foam particles is between 10 and 50 kg/cubic meter.

30 . A mat comprising:
a cushion layer comprising a thickness, a top side, a bottom side, and wherein the top side is bonded to a fabric layer; wherein the cushion layer has a cushion layer density and comprises a plurality of foam particles bonded together; wherein the plurality of foam particles has an average particle density; and wherein the cushion layer density is greater than the average density.

31 . The mat of claim 30 , wherein the plurality of foam particles comprises open cell foam particles.

32 . The mat of claim 31 , wherein the cushion layer density is between 40 and 200 kilograms per cubic meter.

33 . The mat of claim 32 , wherein the particle density is between 10 and 50 kilograms per cubic meter.

34 . The mat of claim 33 , wherein the foam particles of the first plurality of foam particles are irregularly shaped and are between 1 mm and 15 mms.

35 . The mat of claim 34 , wherein the size of the foam particles of the first plurality of foam particles is between 2 mm and 4 mms and the cushion layer density of the foam mat is between 100 and 200 kg/cubic meter, and wherein the particle density is between 10 and 50kg/cubic meter.

36 . The mat of claim 34 , wherein the cushion layer comprises polyvinyl acetate glue.

37 . A method of forming a mat comprising:
providing a mold; determining a desired volume of a cushion within the mold; providing a plurality of foam particles, wherein the foam particles in the plurality of foam particles have sizes in a range of between 2 mm and 4 mms; mixing the plurality of foam particles with a glue to form a glue-particle mixture; measuring a weight of the glue-particle mixture into the mold; and applying heat and compression to the glue-particle mixture.

38 . The method of forming the mat of claim 37 , wherein a density of the cushion is determined before the step of measuring a weight of the glue-particle mixture into the mold.

39 . The method of forming the mat of claim 38 comprising a step of providing a fabric layer and providing an antiskid layer; wherein the fabric layer comprises polyester, and the antiskid layer comprises styrene butadiene rubber.

40 . The method of forming the mat of claim 39 , wherein the mold comprises indentations.

Assignees

• Aladdin Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Liu Chunming

Classifications

• B29L2031/7324

  Mats · CPC title

• B29K2995/0063

  Density · CPC title

• B29K2105/26

  Scrap {or recycled material} · CPC title

• B29K2105/251

  Particles, powder or granules (expandable particles B29K2105/046) · CPC title

• B29K2105/045

  with open cells · CPC title