Reinforced polymer shock absorbing pad

Abstract

Disclosed is a reinforced polymeric pad comprising a polymeric gel and a substrate encapsulated within an envelope. The substrate can have a density less than that of the gel. The gel typically comprises an epoxidized vegetable oil, a thermoplastic polymer and a prepolymer and the substrate may be formed from a foamed plastic. The reinforced polymeric pad exhibits low rebound velocity and hysteresis, and possesses good energy-attenuating properties and is capable of absorbing repeat shocks without structural damage.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A reinforced polymeric pad comprising: 
 a shock absorbing envelope comprising a polymer gel substantially surrounding a substrate.    
     
     
         2 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 1 , wherein the pad comprises a top layer and a bottom layer.  
     
     
         3 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 2 , wherein the layers are formed from a resilient polymeric material.  
     
     
         4 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 2 , wherein the layers are formed from a woven material.  
     
     
         5 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a density less than the polymeric gel.  
     
     
         6 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is formed from a foamed polymeric material.  
     
     
         7 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 6 , wherein the substrate is formed from a foamed PVC.  
     
     
         8 . The reinforced polymeric paid of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises at least greater than 50% by weight of an epoxidized vegetable oil, a thermoplastic polymer; and a prepolymer.  
     
     
         9 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 8 , further including an activator.  
     
     
         10 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 9 , wherein the activator is an alkyl tin compound.  
     
     
         11 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 8 , wherein the epoxidized vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of soybean oil, linseed oil, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 8 , wherein the prepolymer comprises an isocyanate selected from the group of aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic polyisocyaniates and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 8 , wherein in the thermoplastic polymer is substantially free of a polyurethane.  
     
     
         14 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 8 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a polydiene.  
     
     
         15 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 8 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polybutadiene.  
     
     
         16 . A reinforced polymeric pad comprising: 
 a shock absorbing envelope comprising a top and bottom layer forming the envelope containing a polymeric gel and a substrate having a density less than the density of the polymeric gel.    
     
     
         17 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 16 , wherein the substrate is formed from a foamed polymeric material.  
     
     
         18 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 16 , wherein the top and bottom layers are formed from a resilient non-woven material.  
     
     
         19 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 16  comprising an epoxidized vegetable oil, a thermoplastic polymer substantially free of a polyurethane and a prepolymer.  
     
     
         20 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 16 , further including an activator.  
     
     
         21 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 20 , wherein the activator is an alkyl tin compound.  
     
     
         22 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 16 , wherein the prepolymer comprises an isocyanate selected from the group of aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic polyisocyaniates and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 16 , wherein the polymeric gel comprises on a percent weight basis of the gel at least greater than about 50% of a vegetable based plasticizer, between about 20% and about 40% of a thermoplastic polymer, and between about 5% and about 20% of a prepolymer.  
     
     
         24 . A method of forming a reinforced polymeric pad comprising: 
 forming a shock absorbing envelope by sealing within a top and bottom layer a polymeric gel and a substrate having a density less than the density of the polymeric gel.    
     
     
         25 . The method of forming a reinforced polymeric of  claim 24  wherein the polymeric gel if formed by combining an epoxidized vegetable oil, a polydiene and a cyano group.  
     
     
         26 . The method of forming a reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 24 , wherein the polydiene is selected from polybutadiene, polyisoprene, polychloroprene, polynobornene, copolymers, terpolymers and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         27 . The method of forming a reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 24 , wherein the top and bottom layer are sealed by fusing the two layers along the periphery of the pad.  
     
     
         28 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 24 , wherein the gel comprises about 20% to about 40% of the polydiene.  
     
     
         29 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 24 , wherein the cyano group is an isocyanate group.  
     
     
         30 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 24 , further comprising an alkyl tin compound.  
     
     
         31 . The reinforced polymeric pad of  claim 30 , wherein the gel comprises up to about 5% by weight of the alkyl tin compound.