US 6,413,458 · Granted 2002-07-02
The Gel-Like Rubber Formula That Changed Soft Material Design
This patent describes a recipe for making a special squishy, gel-like rubber material by mixing a plasticizer with a particular type of polymer and then heating and molding it into shape. Think of it like the science behind creating the perfect texture for soft furniture cushions or flexible parts that need to stay stretchy and comfortable.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a specific manufacturing process: selecting a plasticizer, combining it with a triblock copolymer (a chain-like molecule with three distinct segments), blending them together using heat and mechanical mixing, cooling the resulting gelatinous elastomer, and then melting and forcing that material into a mold or die to shape the final part. What's protected is this exact sequence of steps and the material composition that results.
Why it matters
Gelatinous elastomers are valuable in furniture, automotive seating, and cushioning applications because they combine softness with durability and resilience. By patenting this specific manufacturing method, the assignee protected a way to reliably produce materials with consistent gel-like properties. This kind of process patent is strategically important because competitors would need to use fundamentally different methods to avoid infringing.
Real-world use
You'd encounter this technology in high-end furniture cushions, car seats, or flexible phone cases that maintain their squishy feel while resisting permanent deformation over years of use.
Original USPTO abstract
A method for manufacturing a gelatinous elastomer article comprising a series of steps. The steps include selecting a plasticizer, selecting a triblock copolymer of the general configuration A-B-A, mixing the plasticizer and triblock copolymer such as by melt blending or use of a compounding screw in order to produce a gelatinous elastomer, permitting the gelatinous elastomer to cool, selecting a forming device such as a die or mold, melting the gelatinous elastorner, and forcing the gelatinous elastomer into the forming device in order to form a gelatinous elastomer part.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 6,413,458
- Filing date
- 1999-05-03
- Grant date
- 2002-07-02
- Assignee
- Edizone, Lc
- Inventor(s)
- PEARCE TONY M.
- CPC class
- A43B13/04
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