The present invention describes various methods for manufacturing gel composite sheets using segmented fiber or foam reinforcements and gel precursors. Additionally, rigid panels manufactured from the resulting gel composites are also described. The gel composites are relatively flexible enough to be wound and when unwound, can be stretched flat and made into rigid panels using adhesives.

Multifunctional surfacing materials for use in composite structures are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the surfacing material includes (a) a stiffening layer, (b) a curable resin layer, (c) a conductive layer, and (d) a nonwoven layer, wherein the stiffening layer (a) and the nonwoven layer (d) are outermost layers, and the exposed surfaces of the outermost layers are substantially tack-free at room temperature (20° C. to 25° C.). The conductive layer may be interposed between the curable resin layer and the stiffening layer or embedded in the curable resin layer. According to another embodiment, the surfacing material includes a fluid barrier film between two curable resin layers. The surfacing materials may be in the form of a continuous or elongated tape that is suitable for automated placement.

A floor panel including at least one substrate and a top layer, where the substrate includes at least one first layer of a first thermoplastic material and a second layer of a second thermoplastic material. The second layer is adjacent to a first side of the first layer and the second layer provides the floor panel with its underside. The first layer is characterized by a first colour with saturation value S1 in the HSL colour space and the second layer is characterized by a second colour with saturation value S2 in the HSL colour space, where S1 is less than S2.

Roof covering (I) for flat roofs, comprises (A) a polymeric sealing layer and (C) a self-adhesive layer, separated by a soft elastomeric intermediate layer (B).

The invention relates to a padding for a motor vehicle seat having a sheet for measuring multizone pressure. The sheet has a flexible support layer, with a first electrode having first contact elements, a second electrode having second contact elements and a plurality of intermediate contact elements having piezoresistive properties, each of the intermediate elements being inserted between a first and a second element to form a plurality of pressure sensors. The support layer is made of mesh. The first electrode is made from conductive ink printed on the support layer. The second electrode is made from printed conductive ink, and the intermediate contact elements are made from printed conductive ink with less conductivity than the inks of the electrodes.

The invention relates to a decorative panel, in particular a floor panel, ceiling panel or wall panel, and to a method for manufacturing such decorative panel. The panel according to the present invention comprises includes at least one foamed layer comprising including an upper side and a lower side, and at least one decorative solid layer either directly or indirectly, affixed on said upper side of the foamed layer, wherein both the foamed layer and the decorative solid layer are wood based materials. The invention also relates to a floor covering consisting of a plurality of such panels.

A polymer floor element includes a decorative top layer on a substrate made of polymer. The floor element has a rectangular or square surface, for which it is valid that for a strip of the floor element with a first point Q defined as a vertex of the strip, and a point P at a distance of 40 cm with respect to Q along a side of the strip, suspended over a rod with diameter 2 cm with its side on which P and Q are defined, perpendicular to the axis of the rod, so that P is located in the vertical direction at the highest point where the floor element touches the rod. The strip, with point Q along one side, hangs down from the rod under the strip's own weight; the straight line PQ intersects the vertical through P at an angle less than 15°.

A dual-reinforced construction board is disclosed comprising a core having an upper surface and an opposing lower surface, a first reinforced fibrous facer adhered to the upper surface of the core and a second fibrous facer adhered to the lower surface of the core. Each of the first and second fibrous facer comprise a non-woven mat coated on a first surface with a coating composition. The first fibrous facer and optionally the second fibrous facer further include a reinforcement layer adhered to at least a portion of the first surface of the non-woven mat. The dual-reinforced construction board has a fastener pull-through strength of at least 400 lbf.

A sandwich-type, composite component having an injection molded backside protective covering including 3-D structures which provide at least one pattern at an outer surface of the component is provided. The component includes a first outer layer having an outer surface, a second outer layer and a core bonded to and positioned between the outer layers and having a plurality of cavities. The covering is integrally formed from at least one elastomeric material and includes the 3-D structures bonded to the outer surface by injection molding. The 3-D structures are sized, shaped and arranged in one or more patterns at the outer surface. The one or more patterns may form a textured surface finish, a logo or indicia such as instructions at the outer surface. The component may be a vehicle interior component such as a vehicle load floor component.

A light-translucent artificial leatherette (e.g., for use in an automotive interior) consists of a surface treating agent layer and a multilayer polymer material construction. The multilayer polymer material construction is comprised of at least an epidermal layer, which is a pigmented layer, and a surface treating agent layer, which is affixed to the epidermal layer. The light-translucent artificial leatherette is further comprised of a light-shielding layer, within which an inverse mask or light-transparent patterned structure is incorporated. The light-shielding layer is positioned between two laminates of the multilayer polymer construction adjacent thereto. The light-shielding layer is positioned directly between two laminates of the multilayer polymer construction adjacent thereto, and an inverse mask pattern is embedded into the light-shielding layer. A light source can illuminate the inverse mask structure and thereby display an inverse mask pattern on the light-translucent artificial leatherette surface.