# US 12,213,592 B2 · Apparatus and method for manufacturing a fabric suspension seat structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,213,592 B2 - Document ID: US12213592B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/202,044 - Filed: 2023-05-25 - Published: 2023-09-21 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-08-06 - Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Applicants: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Inventors: Craig Martin Oomen; Samuel Smith; Robert A. Bratty; Michael Long; Kelly Washburn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213592B2 ## CPC - A47C 1/03261: {characterised by elastic means} - A47C 7/16: Seats made of wooden, plastics, or metal sheet material; Panel seats - A47C 7/282: {with mesh-like supports, e.g. elastomeric membranes} - A47C 31/02: Upholstery attaching means - B29C 45/14065: {Positioning or centering articles in the mould} - B29C 45/14336: {Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article (B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence)} - B29C 45/14786: {Fibrous material or fibre containing material, e.g. fibre mats or fibre reinforced material} - B29K 2713/00: Use of textile products or fabrics for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts (B29K2105/06 takes precedence) - B29L 2012/00: Frames - B29L 2031/771: {Seats} - A47C: CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A seat assembly includes a fabric component with a seat surface and with an interior segment directly attached to the fabric component. The interior segment extends from an exterior segment that has a greater flexural resistance than the interior segment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing a seat assembly, the method comprising: tensioning a fabric component; and molding a thermoplastic material over the fabric component to form a frame having an inner segment that is directly molded to the fabric component and a skirt that is coupled to the inner segment by a living hinge, the inner segment having a flexural resistance that is greater than a flexural resistance of the skirt. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a flexural resistance of the living hinge is less than the flexural resistance of the inner segment of the frame. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the flexural resistance of the skirt at an interior edge of the skirt is less than the flexural resistance of the skirt at a point between the interior edge of the skirt and the inner segment of the frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the skirt includes a plurality of grooves extending along a bottom surface of the skirt that is opposite the fabric component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of gussets that are integrally formed with at least one of the frame and the skirt. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of gussets includes at least one of a plurality of skirt gussets extending circumferentially along a bottom surface of the skirt; and a plurality of frame gussets extending radially along a bottom surface of the frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the fabric component is tensioned on a stretching assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including attaching a heat shield to a side of the fabric component, wherein the heat shield is a reusable polyester film. ### Claim 9 A method of manufacturing a seat assembly, the method comprising: tensioning a fabric component within a mold; and injecting a thermoplastic material into the mold to form a frame having an inner segment that is directly molded to the fabric component and a skirt that is coupled to the inner segment by a living hinge, wherein a thickness of the skirt at an interior edge thereof is less than the thickness of the skirt at a point between the interior edge and the inner segment of the frame. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the frame has a flexural resistance that is greater than a flexural resistance of the skirt. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the flexural resistance of the skirt decreases moving away from the living hinge to the interior edge of the skirt. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further including attaching a heat shield to a side of the fabric component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the mold includes cooling lines integrally installed within the mold that are configured to remove heat from the mold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the mold includes a first molding block and a second molding block, the fabric component being tensioned to the first molding block. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the fabric component is tensioned on a stretching assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further including trimming excess fabric from the seat assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein a plurality of gussets are integrally formed with at least one of the frame and the skirt, the plurality of gussets including: a plurality of skirt gussets extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the skirt; and a plurality of frame gussets extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the frame. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein a flexural resistance of the living hinge is less than a flexural resistance of the inner segment of the frame. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the skirt includes a plurality of undulations therealong. ### Claim 20 A method of manufacturing a seat assembly, the method comprising: receiving a fabric blank within a first molding block; applying tension to the fabric blank within the first molding block; attaching a heat shield to a side of the fabric blank that is exposed to a second molding block, wherein the heat shield comprises polyester material; moving at least one of the first molding block or the second molding block toward the other; injecting a liquid thermoplastic material through a mold cavity in the first molding block to form a frame; removing the first or second molding block from the other; ejecting the seat assembly, which includes the fabric blank and the frame; discarding excess fabric from the seat assembly; and separating the heat shield from the seat assembly.