A method of sub-ambient pressure processing of blow-molded polymer foams and skin-over-foam sandwich panel configurations for lightweight components having improved structural properties. The method can create either skinned or un-skinned foams that offer smooth interior and exterior surfaces, zero or controlled surface porosity, skins of pre-defined thickness, and foam cells that are expanded and oriented normal to the material plane, effectively spherical or polyhedral in nature, and offering improved bending and compressive strength.

The mat of the present invention includes a main body integrally formed by a plastic material. The main body at least has a first surface and a second surface adjacent to the first face. The first face and the second face have different surface physical characteristics. The first surface and the second surface are shaped into a third surface and a fourth surface respectively. The third surface and the fourth surface have a substantially same surface physical characteristic. An angle between the third surface and the fourth surface outside the main body is a specific value.

A method for filling a cavity with an expanding insulating foam component includes the following. First, providing a closed cavity comprising at least one elongated wall surface that extends along a first direction and includes first and second opposite sides, a top side and a bottom side. Next, forming a plurality of openings in the elongated wall surface arranged along the first direction and being alternating close to the first or the second opposite sides. Next, inserting a dispense tube through a first opening of the plurality of openings, and injecting a first portion of the expanding insulating foam into the closed cavity. The first opening is located close to the bottom side and close to the first side of the elongated wall surface. The injected foam expands along the bottom side and the first side and forms a first sloped top surface that has a positive slope angle. Next, inserting the dispense tube through a second opening of the plurality of openings located close and above the first opening and close to the opposite second side, and injecting a second portion of the expanding insulating foam into the closed cavity. The injected foam expands along the first sloped top surface and the second side and forms a second sloped top surface that has a negative slope angle.

Disclosed are methods and systems for preparing open-celled polyurethane foams by a discontinuous box foam process in which (a) a polyurethane foam-forming composition is deposited into a container having a gas-permeable base and (b) the polyurethane-foam forming composition is allowed to form an open-celled polyurethane foam in the container. In these methods and systems, the gas-permeable base is heated before, during, and/or after step (a) and heating is continued during at least a portion of step (b).

Composite materials having superior material properties useful as impact absorbing devices can be fabricated by embedding a lattice structure (e.g., polymer lattice structure) within a foam, so that the foam reinforces the lattice structure under impact. Materials and dimensions of the foam and the lattice structure may be selected to achieve composite materials having tailored impact absorbing elastic and/or viscoelastic responses over a wide range of temperatures.

Provided are a lubricating material which is made of a non-fluorine-based compound and thus has a surface that is slippery enough for liquid such as water or oil, a lubricant-holding base material which holds a fluorine-based lubricant and thus can be used as a lubricating material, and methods for producing the same. A slippery film has a holding base and a lubricant. The holding base has pillar structure portions and fluorine-containing portions, and the fluorine-containing portions are provided on outer surfaces of a plurality of pillar portions in the pillar structure portion. The lubricant is a fluorine-based liquid, and the fluorine-containing portion has a CF bond. The lubricant is loaded into a region surrounded by a plurality of the pillar portions and is held in this region.

A seat trim cover for an automotive seat is formed into a 3-dimensional shape by compression molding a laminated moldable foam in a 3-dimensional. The laminated moldable foam comprises at least a layer of cellular polyurethane foam compression moldable in a temperature range of about 220? F. to about 260? F. The 3-dimensional mold is heated to a temperature range of about 150? F. to about 320? F. The layer of cellular foam is adhered to a cover material layer and precut into a pre-laminated blank prior to molding into the 3-dimensional shape. Optionally, seat heaters or other components can be integrated with the laminated foam prior to compression molding the seat trim cover.

A method of sub-ambient pressure processing of blow-molded polymer foams and skin-over-foam sandwich panel configurations for lightweight components having improved structural properties. The method can create either skinned or un-skinned foams that offer smooth interior and exterior surfaces, zero or controlled surface porosity, skins of pre-defined thickness, and foam cells that are expanded and oriented normal to the material plane, effectively spherical or polyhedral in nature, and offering improved bending and compressive strength.

A cellular cushioning system includes cells or support units arranged in one or more stacked arrays. The cells are hollow chambers that resist deflection due to compressive forces, similar to compression springs. The arrays are attached to one or more intermedial binding layers. The intermedial binding layer(s) links the cells together while allowing the cells to deform independently of one another. An external load compresses one of the void cells within an independent compression range without significantly compressing at least one void cell adjacent the compressed void cell. The independent compression range is the displacement range of the compressed void cell that does not significantly affect the compression of adjacent void cells. If the void cell is compressed beyond the independent compression range, the intermedial binding layers may be deflected and/or the void cells adjacent the compressed void cell may be compressed.

A moulded trim part for a vehicle, comprising at least one open cell polyurethane foam layer and wherein the trim part further comprises at least one tape consisting of continuous mineral filaments aligned substantially unidirectional and extending longitudinal parallel to the main direction of the at least one tape and wherein the continuous filaments are embedded in a thermoplastic polymer matrix and wherein the at least one tape abuts against and is laminated to at least one surface of the at least one open cell polyurethane foam layer.