Abstract: This invention relates to novel airbag coating compositions and systems comprising pre-expanded or non-expandable microspheres that provide effective insulation for the target airbag fabric during exothermic inflation. The inventive airbag fabrics are either pre-calendered prior to application of this composition or are coated through a gap (floating) knife method with such heat-expandable microsphere-containing compositions. The coated airbag fabrics and cushions may then be heated to evaporate the solvent within the coating composition. The resultant fabric thus exhibits the presence of the microsphere constituents of the coating compositions both within the interstices between the individual yarns of the fabric and over the raised yarns of the fabric.

Abstract: Certain non-silicone pre-vulcanized raw rubber formulations that include silver-based compounds to provide highly desirable long-term antimicrobial characteristics within the ultimate cured rubber articles made therefrom are provided. Such formulations are intended to be vulcanized to provide solid or blown (foam or sponge) rubber articles which can be utilized in a variety of different applications (as well as multi-layered composites including such antimicrobial rubber. As silver-based compounds are deleteriously affected by utilization of standard curing agents and curing accelerators, such as sulfur-based compounds and/or systems, the ability to provide such an effective antimicrobial vulcanized rubber article is rather difficult.

Abstract: Specific transfer methods and articles to impart a metal-ion based antimicrobial finish to recipient textile surfaces. Such treatments preferably comprise silver ions, particularly as constituents of inorganic metal salts or zeolites. In particular, the inventive method involves the application of a solid, inorganic antimicrobial material to a donor substrate (such as a dryer sheet), and the subsequent placement of such a substrate within a tumble drying machine containing textile fabrics and operating the machine. The donor substrate, upon contact with the recipient textile fabrics, transfers antimicrobially effective amounts of the metal-ion based compounds to such recipient fabrics thereby imparting at least a temporary antimicrobial finish over at least a portion of such fabrics. The donor substrates, with either the antimicrobial compound alone or mixed with standard tumble dryer additives (such as perfumes, fabric softeners, fiber lubricants, and the like) are also contemplated within this invention.

Abstract: Novel thermoplastic pipes which can withstand internally generated and/or applied pressures for utilization within, primarily, underground liquid and gas transport systems are provided. Such pipes are improvements over standard metal (i.e., steel, lead, and the like) pipes due to construction costs, shipping costs, implementation costs (particularly underground), flexibility (and thus modulus strength allowances) to compensate for underground movements (i.e., earthquakes and tremors), non-rusting characteristics, reduced crack propagation possibilities, and ease in manufacture. Such pipes are preferably reinforced with specific textile reinforcement materials that permit a lower thickness of plastic to be utilized than is generally required to withstand high pressure situations and also serve to prevent propagation of any cracks which may develop within the thermoplastic or thermoset materials.

Abstract: An inflatable gas bag (10) for an occupant restraint system of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle. In order to avoid the formation of creases in the inflated state, which occurs with conventional gas bags and in order to be able to employ more lightweight textile materials for the manufacture of a gas bag, the gas bag (10) consists of a multilayered textile composite material which comprises at least one layer of a textile material and one layer of a polymer material whose melting range is lower than the melting range of the textile material. The textile composite material is formed into a specified three-dimensional shape which is to develop during inflation of the gas bag (10), and the individual layers of the textile composite material are joined together in this three-dimensional shape.

Abstract: Coated inflatable fabrics, more particularly airbags to which very low add-on amounts of coating have been applied, are provided which exhibit extremely low air permeabilities. The inventive fabrics are primarily for use in automotive restraint cushions which require low permeability characteristics (such as side curtain airbags). Traditionally, heavy, and thus expensive, coatings of compounds such as neoprene, silicones and the like, have been utilized to provide such required low permeability. The inventive fabric utilizes an inexpensive, very thin coating to provide such necessary low permeability levels. Thus, the inventive coated airbag possesses a coating of at most 3.0 ounces per square yard, most preferably about 0.

Abstract: This invention relates to colorants comprising organic chromophores, in particular reactive dyes, which comprise electrophilic reactive groups, and which are also covalently bonded to fatty amine moieties through amino linking groups. Such colorants provide excellent colorability and long-term stability, both within (or on) colored substrates and upon long-term storage. Such colorants exhibit particularly good coloring and stability within hydrocarbon compositions, such as fuels, mineral oil, and the like, and wax compositions, including candles, crayons, and the like. Methods of making such colorants as well as methods of coloring hydrocarbon and wax compositions are also contemplated within this invention.

Abstract: Novel addition products of isocyanates with oxyalkylene-substituted aminophenol compounds as intermediates for the production of urethane-substituted xanthene colorants, particularly triphenylmethane derivatives such as rhodamines, are provided. The xanthene colorants exhibit improved wax and/or oil solubility and high purity. The urethane-substituted xanthene colorant features very good wax and/or oil solubility, and is believed to be relatively nontoxic. A method for producing this novel colorant is also provided.

Abstract: Certain butadiene and/or natural rubber articles, such as acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), natural rubber, and derivatives thereof, that exhibit highly desirable long-term effective antimicrobial characteristics. Such formulations are intended to be vulcanized to provide solid or foam rubber articles which can be utilized in a variety of different applications. Preferably such butadiene rubber formulations comprise silver-based antimicrobial compounds. As such silver-based compounds are deleteriously affected by utilization of standard non-silicone-rubber curing agents, such as sulfur-based catalysts, the ability to provide such an effective antimicrobial vulcanized rubber article is rather difficult. However, the invention encompasses the utilization of different catalyst species that permit vulcanization and silver stability for long-term antimicrobial performance of the silver-based compounds.

Abstract: A composition for the promotion of adhesion between a rubber formulation and a textile substrate is provided. The inventive composition comprises either a mixture of specific amine functional silanes and organo-functional silanes having reactive groups or groups with an affinity for rubber. The inventive method entails the use of the inventive composition or a silane compound having both an amine moiety and a reactive group having an affinity for rubber formulations, particularly an unsaturated carbon-carbon bond. The composition may be utilized to adhere any standard reinforcement-type textile, such as polyester or polyamide, to a standard rubber composition, such as SBR, NBR, or EPDM. A method for adhering textiles to rubber formulations is also provided involving a pre-dip, -spray, -coat, and the like, of the inventive composition on a reinforcement-type textile surface followed by the contacting of the rubber formulation.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel airbag coating compositions and systems comprising heat-expandable microspheres that provide effective insulation for the target airbag fabric during exothermic inflation. The inventive airbag fabrics are either pre-calendered prior to application of this composition or are coated through a floating knife method with such heat-expandable microsphere-containing compositions. The coated airbag fabrics and cushions may then be heated to expand the microsphere constituents of the coating compositions both within the interstices between the individual yarns of the fabric and over the raised yarns of the fabric. Such a coating system thus provides an extremely high degree of protection from heat exposure that permits structural integrity of the target airbag cushion airbag and provides protection from such high inflation temperatures to a vehicle passenger cushion during such a highly exothermic inflation event.

Abstract: Coated inflatable fabrics, more particularly airbags to which very low add-on amounts of coating have been applied, are provided which exhibit extremely low air permeability. The inventive inflatable fabrics are primarily for use in automotive restraint cushions that require low permeability characteristics (such as side curtain airbags). Traditionally, heavy, and thus expensive, coatings of compounds such as neoprene, silicones and the like, have been utilized to provide such required low permeability. The inventive fabric utilizes an inexpensive, very thin coating to provide such necessarily low permeability levels. Thus, the inventive coated inflatable airbag comprises a film laminated on at least a portion of the target fabric surface wherein the film possesses a tensile strength of at least 2,000 and an elongation at break of at least 180%.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a floor mat and method for producing the same. The floor mat includes a plurality of tufts extending from a carrier fabric which is joined by a layer of adhesive to a backing having at least one layer of vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer. The process for production of the floor mat includes applying an olefin based adhesive to the back of a primary tufted fabric which has been preheated. The process for production includes the further separate step of applying a sheet of vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer of between about 20 and 40 mils thickness with or without a layer of reinforcing material to the preheated adhesive backed primary tufted fabric. A second layer of vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer may thereafter be applied following another heating step.

Abstract: Colored polyester plastics produced through the introduction of coloring agents prior to extrusion but after pellet production of the base polymer are provided. As a result, the plastic is melt-extruded and mixed with the coloring agent and subsequently subjected to solid stating wherein the base polymer is accorded an increase in molecular weight and the coloring agent becomes integrated therein. Such a method permits avoidance of introduction of a coloring agent to the polymerization reaction chamber that results in extensive staining (particularly upon a change of desired colors for the next batch of plastic). Such a method also permits avoidance of the introduction of a coloring agent to an injection molding process that results in uneven color dispersion and sub-optimal physical properties within the ultimate article. The inventive procedure produces colored thermoplastics of substantially the same shades and uniformity as with the aforementioned precoloring or masterbatch process.

Abstract: Colored detergent bars are provided comprising water soluble polymeric colorants that exhibit excellent non-staining performance on fabrics and other contacted surfaces, including manufacturing and/or washing equipment, are easy to process into the desired detergent bar compositions, and do not exhibit any appreciable harmful effects to the environment. The particular polymeric colorants utilized in this respect are of very high molecular weight (in order to assure staining will not occur on target cleaning surfaces), are extremely water soluble, provide excellent vivid and aesthetically pleasing color shades within the target bar compositions, and are present as liquid or waxy pastes at room and at processing temperatures. The ultimate laundry bar product thus exhibits highly pleasing colors for product distinction as well as for aesthetic purposes.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel airbag coating compositions and systems comprising heat-expandable microspheres that provide effective insulation for the target airbag fabric during exothermic inflation. The inventive airbag fabrics are either pre-calendered prior to application of this composition or are coated through a floating knife method with such heat-expandable microsphere-containing compositions. The coated airbag fabrics and cushions may then be heated to expand the microsphere constituents of the coating compositions both within the interstices between the individual yarns of the fabric and over the raised yarns of the fabric. Such a coating system thus provides an extremely high degree of protection from heat exposure that permits structural integrity of the target airbag cushion airbag and provides protection from such high inflation temperatures to a vehicle passenger cushion during such a highly exothermic inflation event.

Abstract: New, useful and surprisingly effective polymeric triphenylmethane colorant-containing compositions which exhibit very low color degradation within polyurethane foams. Generally during polyurethane foam production, certain amine-based hydroxyl-group containing catalysts deleteriously attack the nitrogen linking groups within triphenylmethane polymeric colorants. Such compositions require the presence of nominal yet effective amounts of organic cyclic ester materials. The ring systems of such materials appear to open during exposure to heat (during the foaming procedure) and release carboxylic acids into the foaming formulation. The tertiary amines become quenched by the carboxylic acids and thus do not exhibit degradation of the TPM-based chromophore. The resultant foams exhibit substantially uniform color throughout. The processes and resultant foams are also contemplated within this invention.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved dosing assembly (valve/feed line/liquid collecting vessel) which permits nearly immediate response time to an actuator signal. Such an assembly is used for the controlled introduction of any liquid through a valve into a collecting vessel. In particular, the inventive assembly exhibits substantially no leakage from the feed line into the liquid collecting vessel when the valve is closed and an instantaneous introduction of the feed line liquid into the liquid collecting vessel upon opening of the valve, both when a liquid possessing a surface tension of about 50 dynes/cm2 is used as the measurement standard. This assembly is particularly and preferably suited for injecting colorants into reactants for the production of polyurethane slabstock foam and permits a substantial reduction in foam waste due to low colorations during an on/off cycle.

Abstract: This invention relates to washable coloring compositions comprising specific low-molecular weight styrene-maleic anydride copolymers. Such copolymers provide excellent washability enhancing performance in association with colorants and inks. Also, these specific compounds exhibit low viscosities which allow for greater amounts of washability enhancing copolymers to be added within colorant and ink formulations while simultaneously permitting the retention of sufficiently low overall viscosities of the target compositions. Such copolymers provide highly effective prevention of permanent colorations to certain substrates, such as skin, clothing, and the like, by the inks, dyes, and the like, within the target compositions. Marker styluses, writing implements, and other colorant transfer devices, containing these inventive compositions, are also encompassed within this invention.

Abstract: A female member of a hook and loop attachment structure enables a one to one correspondence between loops and stitches in the knitted structure. The female member comprises individual wales of chain stitches with loops, wherein the wales of chain stitches are knitted on a supporting background, such that there is a corresponding number of loops to stitches. Each stitch may be associated with a respective loop or each loop may be attached to two respective stitches. The loops may be formed using a single guide bar, and the wales of chain stitches with loops may be made either with a single yarn or with two yarns.