Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or...
Patent
1993-05-04
1996-02-27
Sluby, P. C.
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or...
428240, 428283, 428284, 525122, 525115, 525189, 5253318, 525403, 427202, B32B 2740, C08L 8104
Patent
active
054947294
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to substantially non-skid, non-abrasive surfaces, and to methods of preparing such surfaces. More particularly, the invention relates to a coating which includes a polysulfide based binder or vehicle in which a plurality of solid elastomer particles are embedded. This coating is applied to a substrate to make a substantially non-skid, non-abrasive surface. The invention is particularly useful in wet environments.
Existing non-skid, non-abrasive surfaces have met with limited success. Existing surfaces that are non-skid tend to also be abrasive to human skin. Existing surfaces that are non-abrasive to human skin tend to wear quickly and be weak and unstable.
The problems with non-skid, non-abrasive surfaces are magnified in wet environments, especially swimming pools and swimming pool areas. Wet environment surfaces must have improved traction since water tends to lubricate these surfaces and make them more slick. Surfaces for swimming pool areas must be less abrasive since they are generally contacted by bare skin instead of shod feet. In addition, wet environment surfaces must be more wear resistant than dry surfaces since the presence of water tends to cause increased surface degradation.
Persons skilled in the art have searched for surfaces that would be non-skid, non-abrasive and wear resistant, especially in wet environments. For example, non-skid, non-abrasive surfaces for swimming pools have included such surfaces as roughened concrete, cloth impregnated surfaces, artificial turf such as Astroturf, and laminated sand. All of these surfaces, however, have inherent problems associated with them. Roughened concrete surfaces are generally too abrasive when contacted by bare skin. Cloth impregnated surfaces and astroturf are slippery when wet and tend to wear relatively quickly. Cloth impregnated surfaces also tend to provide a good bacteria environment (especially when wet), thus causing increased odor and health concerns. Laminated sand is too abrasive for many applications and tends to wear unevenly, causing dangerously slick smooth spots. Laminated sand has been found to cause painful "strawberry" injuries to human skin, especially when the skin has been softened by prolonged water immersion in swimming pools. In addition, laminated sand is difficult to apply evenly, since it is difficult to see which areas have been adequately covered.
In addition to the above, persons skilled in the art have attempted to adhere rubber or foam particles to substrates by spreading the particles on the surface and then laminating the surface. Surfaces prepared in this manner have tended to wear quickly, especially in wet environments, because the particles tend to break loose from the surface.
Thus persons skilled in the art have searched for a surface that would be (1) non-skid, (2) non-abrasive to human skin, (3) easy to apply, (4) highly resistant to wear, especially in wet environments, and (5) stable in dry and wet environments.
Polysulfide polymers are well-known and are available in many formulations for a variety of uses. Polysulfides are marketed as solids and also as liquids. The liquids are typically thiol-terminated polymers which may be cured or converted to solid form by oxidizing the terminal thiols. Inorganic oxides such as lead dioxide and zinc peroxide may be used for this purpose. Curing may also be obtained in conjunction with epoxy resins by tertiary amine catalysis, and by reaction with an oxirane. When cured with epoxy resins, the resulting product may be considered to be a copolymer, an epoxidized polysulfide, or the like. When cured with an oxirane, the resulting product may be considered to be an adduct.
Solid polysulfide polymers are very resistant to solvents and find wide application as sealants. They have also been applied as epoxy flexibilizers, concrete coatings, and gaskets. They are known, however, to have relatively poor tensile strength and abrasion resistance. See Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary at page 943, 11th Edition (Van Nostrand Reinhold, New Yor
REFERENCES:
patent: 3152002 (1964-10-01), Wisotzky et al.
patent: 3676208 (1972-07-01), Griffin
patent: 3717897 (1973-02-01), Amos et al.
patent: 3801347 (1974-04-01), Keller
patent: 3816234 (1974-06-01), Winfield
patent: 3892899 (1975-07-01), Klein
patent: 3945972 (1976-03-01), Sakamoto
patent: 4108813 (1978-08-01), Roberts
patent: 4141187 (1979-02-01), Graves
patent: 4189548 (1980-02-01), Sakashita et al.
patent: 4348233 (1982-09-01), Simic
patent: 4477610 (1984-10-01), Ishimura et al.
patent: 4501783 (1985-02-01), Hiragami et al.
patent: 4607078 (1986-08-01), Dergazarian
patent: 4882205 (1989-11-01), Valenduc
patent: 5110657 (1992-05-01), Ainslie
Brochure, MC.TM.-2027 Masonry Coating.
"Thiokol.RTM.Coatings and Sealants," Morton International, Inc.
"Polysulfide resins," McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Chemistry.
"Polysulfides," Encyclopedia of Clinical Technology, vol. 18, Kirk-Othomer, McGraw-Hill.
Dialog Search.
PCT Search Report dated Dec. 21, 1992.
Henry Jeffery W.
McCaw Blair C.
Impact Coatings, Inc.
Sluby P. C.
LandOfFree
Non-slip, non-abrasive coated surface does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Non-slip, non-abrasive coated surface, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Non-slip, non-abrasive coated surface will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1677541