Abstract: A method for producing an elastomeric skin having visually spotted appearance may include providing a liquid skin forming composition having solid spot forming particles having a longest dimension that is at least 40 ?m and spraying the liquid skin forming composition in the form of a spray of droplets onto a mold surface. The provision of solid spot forming particles that are comparable in size to the droplet size may aid in projecting the solid spot forming particles forward upon impact on the mold surface such that a percentage thereof appear visible on the front face of the elastomeric skin after demolding thereby resulting in a front face with a spotted appearance without having to use multiple liquid skin forming compositions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for separating waste polyurethane foams, wherein for each polyurethane sample (1) of a supply stream (2) comprising polyurethane samples (1) from waste at least one respective spectrum (3) is recorded, wherein the at least one respective spectrum (3) is recorded by near-infrared spectroscopy, wherein each polyurethane sample (1) of the supply stream (2) is classified by a classification algorithm (5), which classification algorithm (5) is based on machine learning, based on the respective at least one spectrum (3) into a respective class (8a-e) of at least two classes (8a-e), wherein the supply stream (2) comprising polyurethane samples (1) is separated into at least two streams (11a-e) according to the classification into the respective class (8a-e) and wherein each class (8a-e) corresponds to a type of polyurethane. The invention also relates to a system for separating waste polyurethane foams.

Abstract: An elastomeric composite polyurethane skin having an average flexural modulus, measured in accordance with ASTM D790-03, smaller than 35 MPa is disclosed. The elastomeric composite polyurethane skin includes a first aliphatic polyurethane layer made from a first polyurethane reaction mixture having at least one isocyanate compound with at least two NCO-groups which are not directly attached to an aromatic group, at least one isocyanate-reactive component (B1), and at least one catalyst component (C1) substantially free of lead, and a second aromatic polyurethane layer made from a second polyurethane reaction mixture having at least one aromatic isocyanate compound (A2), and at least one isocyanate-reactive component (B2).

Abstract: A method for alcoholising and hydrolysing polyurethane (PUR) materials made from at least one polyol compound and at least one toluene diisocyanate based compound; wherein the method comprises the following steps: contacting the polyurethane material with at least one alcoholising compound, thereby forming a reaction mixture (M0) and allowing the polyurethane material and the alcoholising compound to react in said reaction mixture (M0), thereby forming a mixture (M); allowing the mixture (M) to separate into at least an upper phase and a lower phase, wherein phase (A) and phase (B) are two immiscible phases; subjecting phase (B) to at least one hydrolysis step, thereby forming a phase (B1); wherein the at least one alcoholising compound is characterized by a melting point of lower than 200° C.; wherein the at least one alcoholising compound is characterized by a hydroxyl functionality of at least 2; and with the proviso that the at least one alcoholising compound is not glycerol.

Abstract: A method for alcoholising polyurethane (PUR) materials made from at least one polyol compound having a hydroxyl value X and at least one polyisocyanate compound; wherein the method includes contacting the polyurethane material with at least one alcoholising compound, thereby forming a reaction mixture (M0) and allowing the polyurethane material and the alcoholising compound to react in the reaction mixture (M0), thereby forming a mixture (M); allowing the mixture (M) to separate into at least two immiscible phases; wherein at least one phase is characterized by a hydroxyl value Y wherein Y?3.5*X; wherein at least one alcoholising compound is characterized by a hydroxyl functionality of at least 4 and by an equivalent weight of at most 65.0 g/mol; with the proviso that when a mixture of alcoholising compounds is used, the average hydroxyl functionality of all alcoholising compounds is at least 4 and the average equivalent weight of all alcoholising compounds is at most 65.0 g/mol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing an elastomeric grained skin which comprises at least an elastomeric skin layer and a coating layer overlying the skin layer. The skin has at least a portion which hasa grained surface, which comprises at least one elastomeric skin layer and which has at least one coating layer overlying the skin layer. To produce the skin a coating composition is applied onto at least a portion of a mould surface, which portion is grained, to produce said coating layer; and the elastomeric skin layer is moulded at least against a back side of said coating layer to produce said portion of the elastomeric skin. In order to accent the grain texture so that it stands out more clearly and so that the visibility thereof is less dependent on the direction of the incident light and the position of the viewer use is made of a coating composition which comprises effect pigment particles contained in a transparent or translucent medium.

Abstract: The compressible sealing element (1) comprises at least one piece made of a resilient foam (17). This foam has an open-cell content of at least 50% and has such a hardness that it requires a force of less than 2000 N to compress the sealing element (1) per meter length thereof to such an extent that the volume of a rectangular cuboid circumscribing the sealing element is reduced by 40%. The sealing element comprises a water-impermeable cover layer (18) which extends at least over its top surface. The sealing element is intended for filling at least partially the gaps between the stock rails (13) and the switch rails (12) in a railway switch to prevent the switch from being blocked in particular by snow. Advantages of the new sealing element is that it can easier be inserted in these gaps and that it has a smaller effect on the force required to close the switch so that it can also be applied closer to the free extremity of the switch rail (12).

Abstract: An elastomeric composite polyurethane skin having an average flexural modulus, measured in accordance with ASTM D790-03, smaller than 35 MPa is disclosed. The elastomeric composite polyurethane skin includes a first aliphatic polyurethane layer made from a first polyurethane reaction mixture having at least one isocyanate compound with at least two NCO-groups which are not directly attached to an aromatic group, at least one isocyanate-reactive component (B1), and at least one catalyst component (C1) substantially free of lead, and a second aromatic polyurethane layer made from a second polyurethane reaction mixture having at least one aromatic isocyanate compound (A2), and at least one isocyanate-reactive component (B2).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a flexible skin which has at least one insert adhered thereto. In a first step, the skin is molded on a mold surface. In order to adhere the insert to the skin, an opening is first made in the skin giving access to the back face of the insert. The insert is positioned with its back face against the front face of the skin and an adhering layer is provided which is adhesively connected to the back face of the skin layer which surrounds the opening in the skin layer and, through this opening, to the back face of the insert. The adhering layer is preferably produced by applying a layer of a hardenable material, in particular a curable polyurethane composition. Since the back face of the insert engages the front side of the skin penetration of hardenable material to the front face of the insert is avoided.

Abstract: The thermoset, phase-separated polyurethane material of the flexible skin layer is produced from a reactive mixture which is made of one or more isocyanate compounds and isocyanate reactive compounds which include one or more polyol compounds, flexibilizers, chain extenders and/or crosslinkers and amine-initiators. Apart from at least one crosslinking amine-initiator, these amine-initiators further include at least one extender amine-initiator.

Abstract: The invention relates to an elastic vehicle tire (1) comprising a tire cavity. Said cavity is enclosed by a running strip (2) supporting the tread surface (3) and a side wall (4, 4.1) formed on each side of the running strip (2). A noise dampening insert (9) or a noise dampening insert arrangement disposed therein is provided in the tire cavity. A ventilation layer (13) having a structure permeable to air at least in the transverse and/or longitudinal direction of the running strip (3) is disposed between the noise dampening insert (9) or noise dampening insert arrangement and connected to the inner side (10) of the running strip (2) supporting the running surface (3). Said layer is suitable for passing an air flow at least partially in contact with the inner wall (10) of the running strip (2).

Abstract: A human powered land vehicle has two steered front wheels (3, 3.1) and at least one rear wheel (2) driven by a drive train. The drive train incorporates a human powered actuator (13) to be actuated for propulsion of the vehicle (1) by a person driving the vehicle (1). This actuator (13) is cinematically coupled to the rear wheel (2) for propulsing the vehicle in at least one driving direction. A first suggestion is defined—in that the axis A3 of the human powered actuator (13) is arranged in the longitudinal extension of the vehicle (1) in front of the axis A1, A11 of rotation of the front wheels (3, 3.1), —in that three dimensions are defined in the x-y plane of the vehicle, which are (a) a distance d1 between the centre B of rotation of the axis A2 of the rear wheel (2) and the centre D of rotation of the axis A3 of the human powered actuator (13), (b) a distance d2 between the centre A of rotation of the axis (A1, A1.1) of the front wheel (3, 3.

Abstract: A human powered land vehicle 1 has two steered front wheels and one rear wheel driven by a drive train. The drive train incorporates a human powered actuator 13 to be actuated for propulsion of the vehicle by a person driving the vehicle 1 and is cinematically coupled to a driven wheel 2 for propulsing the vehicle 1 in at least one driving direction. The vehicle 1 further disposes of a non-human powered actuator 16 arranged to drive at least one of the wheels of the vehicle. The drive train between the human powered actuator 13 and the driven wheel 2 comprises at least two drive train segments 14, 14.1, whereas between two drive train segments 14, 14.1 the driving power is transferred from a first driving means 21 of a first drive train segment 14 to a second driving means 17 of a second drive train segment 14.1.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of making an elastomeric skin (1) wherein droplets of at least one first skin forming composition (2) are applied onto a mould surface to form a layer of the first skin forming composition thereon and wherein one or more second skin forming compositions (4) are applied at least partially onto the back of the layer of said first skin forming composition (2) to produce the skin (1). In order to obtain a special visual appearance when using of differently colored first and second skin forming materials, or in order to reduce the effect of the first skin forming composition (2) on the overall physical properties of the skin (1), the droplets of the first skin forming composition (2) are applied onto the mould surface and are allowed to coalesce to form a non-continuous layer of the first skin forming composition which comprises a plurality of gaps (3).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a flexible skin which has at least one insert adhered thereto. In a first step, the skin is moulded on a mould surface. In order to adhere the insert to the skin, an opening is first made in the skin giving access to the back face of the insert. The insert is positioned with its back face against the front face of the skin and an adhering layer is provided which is adhesively connected to the back face of the skin layer which surrounds the opening in the skin layer and, through this opening, to the back face of the insert. The adhering layer is preferably produced by applying a layer of a hardenable material, in particular a curable polyurethane composition. Since the back face of the insert engages the front side of the skin penetration of hardenable material to the front face of the insert is avoided.

Abstract: A seat cushion, in particular for an aircraft seat, the seat cushion comprising a seat part having a receiving surface adapted to receive a person and a reinforcing part supporting the seat part, wherein at least the reinforcing part contains expanded polypropylene (EPP), preferably comprising fire retardant properties. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing such a seat cushion, a seat comprising such a seat cushion and a vehicle comprising such a seat.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for functionalizing a thermoset, crosslinked isocyanate-based polymeric solid material which is made of isocyanate and isocyanate reactive components, at least one of which comprises an anchor component which has at least one anchor group. The anchor groups on the solid material are formed by terminal alkene and/or alkyne groups. To functionalize this polymeric solid material it is brought in contact with a solution which contains at least one functional component. This functional component comprises at least one thiol group and is allowed to bind covalently to the polymeric solid material by a free-radical addition reaction between the thiol groups on the functional component and the terminal alkene and/or alkyne anchor groups on the undissolved solid material. An effective functionalization of the polymeric material can thus be achieved notwithstanding the heterogeneous reaction conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing an isocyanate-based polymeric material by polymerizing a reaction mixture which comprises different reaction components, including at least one polyisocyanate component and at least one component which is reactive towards said polyisocyanate component. The reaction components comprise at least one anchor component which has at least one anchor group which enables to bond a functional component covalently to the polymeric material. The anchor group is a reactive unsaturated group which does not react during the polymerization process so that the polymerization process is not interfered. The anchor group is selected to that it can bind the functional component by a click chemistry reaction to the polymeric material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a flexible elastomeric composite polyurethane skin wherein a polyurethane reaction mixture is sprayed onto a mold surface and the polyurethane reaction mixture is allowed to cure to produce the skin layer. The polyurethane reaction mixture is composed of components comprising at least an isocyanate component, isocyanate-reactive components and a catalyst component and the isocyanate component is composed of at least one isocyanate having at least two NCO-groups which are not directly attached to an aromatic group. The catalyst component is substantially free of lead, which leads to a lower flexibility. In accordance with the invention, the flexibility of the polyurethane skin is increased by means of at least one flexibiliser which reduces the flexural modulus of the skin and which comprises at least one isocyanate-reactive group. The flexibiliser is preferably a monofunctional flexibiliser which comprises only one isocyanate-reactive group.

Abstract: The flexible, resilient polyurethane foam is prepared by reacting at least one polyisocyanate with one or more liquid compounds which have at least two isocyanate reactive groups and at least one of which contain one or more solid polymers stably dispersed therein in an amount of 2.5 to 35 parts per 100 parts of said liquid isocyanate reactive groups containing compounds. The wet compression set of the flexible polyurethane foam could be considerably reduced by including in said liquid isocyanate reactive groups containing compounds, per 100 parts thereof, (I) 50 to 80 parts of one or more polyoxyalkylene polyols having an oxyethylene unit content of at least 40 wt. %, a hydroxyl number of between 20 and 100, and a nominal functionality of 2 to 4; and (II) 20 to 50 parts of one or more further polyoxyalkylene polyols containing no oxyethylene units or having an oxyethylene unit content lower than 40 wt. %, and having a hydroxyl number of between 20 and 100 and a nominal functionality of 2 to 4.