US 4,115,170 A · Cushion or seat structure of plastic foam with integrated cover and incorporated reinforcing grid or skeleton, and method of making same

Abstract

An integrated cushion structure, such as automobile or aircraft seat or seat back, an office chair, or the like and the method of making it, are disclosed. The cushion structure is comprised of fabric or other pliable cover sheet material forming an envelope constituting the exposed surface as well as defining the shape or configuration of the cushion structure. The structure includes at least one internal pliable sheet material partitioning member disposed parallel to and co-extensive area-wise with the active seat or back-forming area of the finished product. The envelope is thus divided interiorily by the partitioning member into several compartments into which a foam mix is introduced. The method of manufacture involves first peripherally bonding together an assemblage of congruent cover and internal partitioning sheets, together with one or more similarly configured annular profile strips, to form a peripherally closed envelope. The envelope is provided with an access opening which permits the envelope to be inverted on itself (i.e., turned inside-out) upon completion of the seaming operation, preliminary to introduction of plastic foam mix. Such access opening may also serve to allow introduction of reinforcing grids, attachment fittings, etc., before introducing the plastic foam mix.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method of making integrated cushion structures having opposed pliable congruent cover sheet members and at least one partitioning sheet means coextensive with said cover sheets, all of said sheets being joined peripherally to define an enclosing envelope having a plurality of coextensive interior compartments, and plastic foam filling at least some of said compartments, said method comprising:

forming an assemblage of said pliable congruent cover sheet members and partitioning sheet means;
bonding said assemblage together peripherally to form said envelope;
forming an aperture in an exposed sheet of said envelope, said aperture being suitably sized and located to enable remaining portions of the envelope to be inverted therethrough;
drawing the remaining portions of said envelope through said aperture and thereby turn said envelope inside-out to dispose cover sheet members externally and partitioning sheet means internally of said inverted envelope, said partitioning sheet means dividing the interior of said envelope into at least two coextensive interior compartments;
and
placing said envelope into a forming mold and introducing a foamable plastic mix into at least one of said interior compartments, and allowing said mix to expand and become integrally bonded on polymerization to the surface of the respective sheets defining said compartments while in said mold.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cushion or seat structure of plastic foam with integrated cover and incorporated reinforcing grid or skeleton, and method of making same

Life of this patent

Cushion or seat structure of plastic foam with integrated cover and incorporated reinforcing grid or skeleton, and method of making same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12