Cushions including a coated elastomeric cushioning element and related methods
A cushion includes a cushioning element and a coating material provided on a surface of the cushioning element. The cushioning element includes an elastomeric material forming a plurality of intersecting buckling walls defining a plurality of hollow columns in an expanded form. The coating material includes stearic acid, a metal stearate, propylene glycol, and triethanolamine. The cushioning element is configured to be compressed, such as by a roll-packing machine, into the compressed form and subsequently released from the compressed form to transform to the expanded form. Methods of forming the cushion include forming the cushioning element comprising an elastomeric material, coating a surface of the cushioning element with the coating material, and compressing the cushioning element into a compressed form.
1. A cushion, comprising:
a cushioning element comprising an elastomeric material forming a plurality of intersecting buckling walls defining a plurality of hollow columns in an expanded form, wherein the elastomeric material comprises an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer comprising oil; and
a coating material comprising stearic acid, a metal stearate, propylene glycol, and triethanolamine on at least one surface of the intersecting buckling walls to prevent the at least one surface from sticking to other surfaces of the intersecting buckling walls.
2. The cushion of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a mass of the coating material to a mass of the elastomeric material is from about 0.1:100 to about 3.0:100.
3. The cushion of claim 2 , wherein a ratio of a mass of the coating material to a mass of the elastomeric material is about 0.7:100.
4. The cushion of claim 1 , wherein the cushioning element is packaged into a compressed form.
5. A compressed cushion, comprising
a cushioning element comprising an elastomeric material compressed into a package, wherein the elastomeric material comprises an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer comprising oil; and
a coating provided on a surface of the cushioning element, comprising stearic acid, a metal stearate, propylene glycol, and triethanolamine, the coating preventing the surface from sticking to other surfaces of the cushioning element while the cushioning element is in a compressed state.
6. The compressed cushion of claim 5 , wherein the cushioning element comprises a plurality of intersecting buckling walls pressed together when the cushioning element is compressed into the package.
7. The compressed cushion of claim 5 , further comprising a foam base secured to the cushioning element.
8. The compressed cushion of claim 5 , further comprising a fabric adjacent to the cushioning element.
9. A cushion, comprising:
a cushioning element comprising an elastomeric material comprising an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer comprising oil, the elastomeric material forming a plurality of intersecting buckling walls, the cushioning element having an expanded state in which the plurality of intersecting buckling walls define a plurality of hollow columns and a compressed state in which surfaces of the plurality of intersecting buckling walls contact each other; and
a coating composition comprising a blend of fatty acids and a magnesium stearate, the coating composition provided over the surfaces of the plurality of intersecting buckling walls to hinder adhesion of the surfaces that contact each other when the cushioning element is in the compressed state.
10. The cushion of claim 9 , wherein a ratio of a mass of the coating composition to a mass of the elastomeric material is from about 0.1:100 and 3.0:100.
11. The cushion of claim 9 , wherein a ratio of a mass of the coating composition to a mass of the elastomeric material is about 0.7:100.
12. The cushion of claim 9 , further comprising:
at least one layer of foam superimposed with the cushioning element.
13. The cushion of claim 12 , wherein the at least one layer of foam comprises a bottom layer of foam beneath a bottom surface of the cushioning element.
14. The cushion of claim 13 , wherein the at least one layer of foam comprises:
a top layer of foam over a top surface of the cushioning element; and
the bottom layer of foam beneath the bottom surface of the cushioning element.
15. The cushion of claim 9 , wherein the blend of fatty acids comprises stearic acid.
16. The cushion of claim 9 , wherein the coating composition further comprises propylene glycol.
17. The cushion of claim 9 , wherein the coating composition comprises triethanolamine.
18. The cushion of claim 9 , wherein the coating composition is provided over all surfaces of the intersecting buckling walls.
19. A cushion, comprising:
a cushioning element comprising an elastomeric material comprising an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer comprising oil, the elastomeric material forming a plurality of intersecting buckling walls, the cushioning element having an expanded state in which the plurality of intersecting buckling walls define a plurality of hollow columns and a compressed state in which surfaces of the plurality of intersecting buckling walls contact each other; and
a coating composition comprising a blend of fatty acids, a metal stearate, and triethanolamine, the coating composition provided over the surfaces of the plurality of intersecting buckling walls to hinder adhesion of the surfaces that contact each other when the cushioning element is in the compressed state.
20. The cushion of claim 19 , wherein the blend of fatty acids comprises stearic acid.
21. The cushion of claim 19 , wherein the coating composition is provided over all surfaces of the plurality of intersecting buckling walls.