US 11,987,023 B2
Method for producing a composite material and composite material
Philipp Schaefer, Hannover (DE); and Birgit Kammerer, Kupferzell (DE)
Assigned to Konrad Hornschuch AG, Weisshach (DE)
Appl. No. 15/779,113
Filed by Konrad Hornschuch AG, Weissbach (DE)
PCT Filed Nov. 2, 2016, PCT No. PCT/EP2016/076338
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 25, 2018,
PCT Pub. No. WO2017/089081, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 1, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. A 51019/2015 (AT), filed on Nov. 27, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2018/0345634 A1, Dec. 6, 2018
Int. Cl. B32B 3/24 (2006.01); B32B 3/26 (2006.01); B32B 5/02 (2006.01); B32B 5/18 (2006.01); B32B 5/24 (2006.01); B32B 7/12 (2006.01); B32B 9/02 (2006.01); B32B 9/04 (2006.01); B32B 27/08 (2006.01); B32B 27/30 (2006.01); B32B 27/40 (2006.01); B60N 2/00 (2006.01); B60N 2/58 (2006.01)
CPC B32B 27/08 (2013.01) [B32B 3/263 (2013.01); B32B 3/266 (2013.01); B32B 5/022 (2013.01); B32B 5/024 (2013.01); B32B 5/026 (2013.01); B32B 5/18 (2013.01); B32B 5/245 (2013.01); B32B 7/12 (2013.01); B32B 9/025 (2013.01); B32B 9/046 (2013.01); B32B 9/047 (2013.01); B32B 27/304 (2013.01); B32B 27/40 (2013.01); B60N 2/00 (2013.01); B60N 2/58 (2013.01); B60N 2/5891 (2013.01); B32B 2266/0278 (2013.01); B32B 2307/4026 (2013.01); B32B 2601/00 (2013.01); B60N 2205/30 (2013.01); Y10T 428/24331 (2015.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for the production of a composite material, the process comprising:
forming a composite material comprising a supportive layer and an upper layer, wherein the supportive layer is a textile material selected from a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a nonwoven microfiber fabric, or a leather, and wherein the upper layer is comprised of individual layers comprising at least two polyurethane (PU) layers or at least two flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) layers bonded to one another, and wherein each of the individual layers is doped with a different visually distinguishable color pigment;
pressing a middle layer between the supportive layer and the upper layer, wherein the middle layer consists of foamed flexible PVC, foamed PU, or high-solids PU;
ablating the composite material with a laser proceeding from a surface of the upper layer to form channel-shaped cavities for the passage of water vapor and/or air, wherein at least some of the channel-shaped cavities penetrate an entire thickness of the upper layer and/or terminate before entry into a region of volume of the supportive layer that is free from the upper layer, thereby fusing the individual layers of the upper layer to one another in a region surrounding the channel-shaped cavities,
applying a finish layer comprised of PVC or PU having a thickness of less than 0.010 mm to the upper layer after ablating; and
removing any residual polymer vapors from the composite material by applying suction directly where they arise from the cavities and neutralizing the vapors,
wherein the channel-shaped cavities are formed with a largest dimension in a surface of the upper layer of from 40 μm to 0.90 mm;
wherein the cavities form a patchwork pattern,
wherein, per unit of area, the channel-shaped cavities are provided to at most 35% of the unit of area; and,
wherein an adhesive or adhesive layer is not present between a surface of the upper layer immediately adjacent to and contacting the middle layer, and between a further surface of the middle layer immediately adjacent to and contacting the support layer.