Patent Application
20240108145
This invention relates generally to the field of furniture, and, more particularly, to Furniture having structural portions formed from a quick setting composite materials having a polymer matrix and a dispersed second phase that can be used as structural materials.
One of the effects of the recent pandemic is that people have been spending much more time at home, both working and relaxing. In addition to work, people are spending more time doing other things at home, including enjoying their media areas. This has resulted in an increased amount of wear and tear on home furniture, as well as the need for efficient and reconfigurable furniture. Also, there is an increased need for storage. Thus, there remains a need for improved furniture that resists wear, is easily reconfigurable, and provides some modicum of storage space. The present invention addresses these needs.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention and presenting its currently understood best mode of operation, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, with such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
The present novel technology relates to a modular, sectional furniture assembly 10 having modular units 15 that may be assembled together any number of configurations as envisioned by the end user and without the need for tools. As illustrated in
The apertures 25 are likewise positioned to accept back/side portions 40, 45 having their own connector legs 50 affixed thereto and extending therefrom. A cushion portion 55 may then be placed atop the base portion 20. All portions 20, 40, 45 may be covered with a removable seat cover 60 that may be machine washed. The side portions 45 may be thought of as an endless portion/member/band 45 extending between top and bottom sides 30, 75.
The removeable cover 60 is typically fastened by a pair of overlapping lengths of fabric that cross the portion 20, 40, 45 to be covered, such as the base portion 20, and are secured to one another and/or the frame by matable connectors 65, such as hook and eye, hook and loop, or the like.
The structural members 61 defining the base portion 20 may be wood, metal, or may be made from a quick-set composite construction material which eliminates the requirement of binder (such as a glue) as well as additional water such as is required by cements during hydration. The composite sets in minutes rather than hours or days. This novel technology incorporates the polymeric compound disclosed below, comprising combinations of various isocyanates and polyol resins, combined with a dispersed second phase, such as with rock aggregate, cement, and the like. Another object of this invention is to increase the strength (tensile and/or compressive), toughness, and impact resistance, so as to minimize crack initiation and/or propagation, spalling, and creep associated with standard cement-based concrete. The second phase may likewise include HT fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, graphite, graphene, and the like.
The structural members 61 are connected together to define a (typically orthorhombic parallelopiped) frame 62. The frame 62 is typically upholstered or covered with upholstery material 63.
The modular units 15 typically include a hollow storage volume 70 accessible from the bottom side 75. One or more cover flaps 80 are operationally connected to the modular unit 15 and are engageable to cover the open storage volume 70 and may be secured thereto such as by hook and loop connectors 65. Optionally, solid members 85 may be engaged with the bottom side 75 to provide a structure against which stored items may rest. Solid members 85 may be wooden slats, metal members, polymer composite materials (as described below), or the like. During transport, the cushion 55 may be stored therein, while when deployed as part of a furniture assembly 10 the storage volume may be filled to contain whatever items are desired to be stored.
In operation, the base portions 20 are typically delivered with one or more cushions 55 positioned within the storage volume 70. The storage volume 70 is unpacked and the cushions 55 are removed and set aside for later deployment. Next, base units 20 are positioned adjacent one another to define a desired modular furniture assembly 10; given enough base units 20, a nigh-infinite number of combinations may be made to yield desirable furniture configurations.
Once the desired furniture 10 configuration is achieved, the base units 20 are connected together by inserting connectors 35 thereinto, with each connector 35 spanning two adjacent base units 20. Side and back units 40, 45 are then inserted as desired, with connector legs 50 engaging apertures 25.
Items to be stored may be placed within the storage cavity 70 and supported by the engaged flaps 80 and/or engaged storage members 85 prior to the interconnection of base units 20.
Once configured as desired, the furniture assembly 10 may be enjoyed. Further, the furniture assembly 10 may be totally or partially disassembled and reconfigured to yield a different desired configuration at will.
The embodiments discussed below and given in the following examples relate to composite materials, each having a matrix phase and most having at least one dispersed second phase suspended therein. The matrix phase is a formulation capable of rapidly polymerizing on site without the application of heat to provide relatively lightweight structural materials but with compressive strength, toughness, and wear resistance comparable to structural materials such as wood, concrete, steel, and the like.
Formulations for the matrix phase typically include a polymeric isocyanate, a monomeric diisocyante, or mixtures thereof, a polyol, and a catalyst. Formulations can optionally contain fatty acids, fatty acidesters, polyphenols, polyphenolic epoxides, antioxidants (such a hydroxylamine), surfactants, blowingagents, colorants, flame retardants, and plasticizers. Suitable polymeric isocyanates can be providedin their polymeric form or formed in situ, and include polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate, diphenylmethane diisocyanate, triphenylmethane triisocyanate, toluene diisocyanate, and methyldiisocyanate. Preferred isocyanates include the polymeric isocyanate polymethylenepolyphenylisocyanate, and the monomeric diisocyanate MDI. Preferred amounts of the polymericisocyanate (or its monomeric precursor) include from about 20-50 wt. %, more preferably from about25-45 wt. %, and most preferably from about 30-40 wt. %. Certain polyols include polyolethers and polyesters derived from sucrose, sorbitol, and/or glycerol. Other polyols include polyether polyols, which are ethylene oxide adducts of polyoxypropylene triol. Preferred amounts of the polyol include from about 15-50 wt. %, more preferably from about 20-45 wt. %, and most preferably from about 25-40 wt. %. Suitable catalysts include, but are not limited to, amines such astrimethylhexamethylenediamine, tetramethylbutanediamine, triethylenediamine, and 2-hydroxypropylethylene-diamine, and dialkyl tin derivatives. Preferred amounts of an amine catalyst include from about 3-8 wt. %, more preferably from about 4-7 wt. %, and most preferably from about 5-6 wt. %. Fatty acid and fatty acid esters can be provided by vegetable oil components such as soy oil, olive oil, corn oil and the like. Preferred amounts of a vegetable oil containing fatty acids and fatty acidesters include from about 0.1-10 wt. %, more preferably from about 1-7 wt. %, and most preferably from about 2-6 wt. %.
The dispersed second phase may include Portland cement powder, graphite, graphene, carbon nanotubes, poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide fibers, aramid fibers, polymer fibers, organic fibers (hemp, cotton, and the like), metal powders, metal filings, metal oxides, combinations thereof, and the like. Preferred amounts of dispersed second phase materials range from 1-65 wt. %, more preferably from about 5-40 wt. %, and most preferably from about 15-30 wt. %. In some embodiments, the dispersed second phase is absent.
Suitable polyphenols include 4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol and the like. Suitable surfactants can include polalkylene polysiloxane, dimethyl silicone polymer, and the like. Examples of blowing agents capable of producing a closed cell structure include, but are not limited to, water, fluorocarbons, such as trichloromonofluoromethane, methylene chloride, and the like. Ester such as butyl benzyl phthalate, other phthalate esters and the like can similarly be included to reduce water vapor permeability, reduce cell volume, and increase the number of closed cells.
Polymerizable formulations according to this disclosure can also include polyphenolic epoxides, such as for example the adduct of 4,4′-(1 Methylethylidene) bisphenol polymer with (chloromethyl)oxirane or the components utilized to prepare the adduct.
The matrix phase formulations described hereinabove can be formed at ambient temperatures and handled for about 30-120 seconds before polymerization initiates, and further handled for 1-10 minutes before sealing the mold. Cooling the components prior to and during mixing can lengthen the formulation's pot life. Polymerization of the matrix phase formulation, once initiated, is exothermic, proceeds under substantially adiabatic conditions and is complete within minutes.
The second phase material is added to the matrix phase precursors and is typically homogenously mixed therewith to yield an admixture having a homogeneously dispersed second phase. The second phase is typically provided as a powder or quantity of short (micro-) fibers. The second phase material may be a unitary phase or an admixture.
The presence of the dispersed second phase typically allows for the composite material to achieve enhanced physical properties, such as compressive strength, tensile strength, shear strength, and the like while remaining relatively light weight and often retaining the desirable property of being able to hold nails. The suspended second phase material is typically dispersed homogeneously so that the composite material has isotropic physical and chemical properties; however, it is possible to orient some additive phases, such as fibrous materials, to yield anisotropic properties if so desired.
The composite material remains relatively lightweight, especially when compared to concrete, iron, steel, and like structural materials. The composite density ranges from about 0.15 to about 1.2 g/cc, while steel is typically about 8 g/cc and concrete is typically about 2.3 g/cc.
For comparison, steel has a compression strength of about 152 Mpa, a tensile strength of about345 Mpa, and a shear strength of about 65.5 MPa; concrete has a compression strength of about 24 Mpa, tensile strength of about 3.4 Mpa, and a shear strength of about 5.0 MPa; hard wood has a compression strength of about 58.6 MPa with grain/6.9 MPa against grain, a tensile strength of about70 MPa with grain/3.4 MPa against grain, and a shear strength of about 12.4 Mpa.
In some cases, the molds used to receive and contain the admixture are made of rigid structural materials and are reinforced with clamps and/or belts, and are typically capable with containing reactions generating 4.0 MPa or greater, often up to 7.0 MPa. These pressure ratings were necessary for early, less refined formulations that would react more quickly and generate higher pressures over shorter periods of time. However, as the process and formulations have become more refined and with the advent of flexible, self-sealing elastomeric mold materials, such a silicone rubber and like polymeric compositions, the molds are typically required to contain pressures between 0.15 and 0.7 MPa, with a pressure rating of 0.4 MPa usually being sufficient. The current silicone rubber or like molds also lend themselves to more intricate detailing and design of the final molded bodies.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that the embodiments have been shown and described in the foregoing specification in satisfaction of the best mode and enablement requirements. It is understood that one of ordinary skill in the art could readily make a nigh-infinite number of insubstantial changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments and that it would be impractical to attempt to describe all such embodiment variations in the present specification. Accordingly, it is understood that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
This application claim priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Applications serial nos. 63/418,753, filed on Oct. 24, 2022, and 63/412,938, filed on Oct. 4, 2022, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63418753 | Oct 2022 | US | |
| 63412938 | Oct 2022 | US |
