Method for bonding a cover to a flexible pad
AssigneeDouglas & Lomason Company
InventorsDonald F. Marfilius, Michael S. Gignilliat
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An assist fixture is provided to clamp about a seat assembly, whereupon each are immersed into pressed relation against a heated fluidized bed. The seat assembly includes a preformed flexible pad having an appearance surface and a cover adapted to be adhesively bonded to the pad during the immersion. The assist fixture includes tubular members which press the cover into preformed indentations in the appearance face of the pad to assist in enhancing surface definition, the tubular members being adapted to pass hot or cold air depending on the stage of the process.
Claims37
A process for securely bonding a cover having front and back surfaces to a flexible pad having a contoured appearance surface with at least one appearance depression and a peripheral side, said process comprising the steps of:
- positioning the back of said cover on said appearance surface to form an assembly, said back or said appearance surface being coated with a heat-activatable adhesive,
- mounting the assembly to a support frame,
- clamping said cover to the appearance surface of said pad with an assist fixture having a tubular member that forces a portion of said cover into said at least one appearance depression,
- with the assist fixture clamped thereon, substantially simultaneously applying both pressure and heat to substantially the entire area of the front of said cover to force said cover into engagement with substantially the entire area of the appearance surface of said pad and activate the adhesive, including initiating the flow of relatively heated fluid through said tubular member to enhance activation of said adhesive in said appearance depression, and
- terminating the application of heat to the assembly including terminating the flow of heated fluid through said tubular member to cure the adhesive and complete the bonding process of the cover to the appearance surface of the pad including to said appearance depression.
In a process for covering the appearance surface of a flexible pad having at least one appearance depression with at least one flexible cover sheet, the steps of the method comprising:
- preassembling the pad onto a support fixture and securing the cover sheet onto the pad to form an assembly,
- positioning an assist fixture having a member relative to the assembly so that said member is aligned with said appearance depression in said pad and forcing said member against said flexible cover to force a portion of said flexible cover into said appearance depression,
- pressing the assembly with said assist fixture positioned thereon into a heated fluidized bed whereby the bed conforms to the contour of the appearance surface of the pad and presses the cover sheet against substantially the entire area of the appearance surface of the pad,
- maintaining the pressed engagement until a layer of heat-activatable adhesive between the cover sheet and the pad activates and bonds the cover sheet to the pad,
- removing the assembly from the bed and allowing the adhesive to cure while retained by the assist fixture,
- removing the assist fixture from the assembly, and
- removing the assembly from the support fixture.
A process for securely bonding a cover to a flexible pad, said pad having a contoured front appearance surface, a back side and peripheral sides, said process comprising the steps of:
- positioning the back of said cover on said appearance surface and over said peripheral sides of said pad and securing the marginal edge portions of said cover to the back side of said pad to form an assembly,
- mounting the assembly to a support frame including the step of clamping an assist fixture connected to the support frame into releasable engagement with the assembly to mount the assembly to the support frame and maintain the fabric cover in proper registration with the pad;
- and
- with the assist fixture clamped thereon, substantially simultaneously applying both pressure and heat to substantially the entire area of the front of said cover to force said cover into engagement with substantially the entire area of the front appearance surface of said pad until a layer of heat-activatable adhesive between said cover and the front appearance surface of said pad activates and bonds said cover to the pad.
In a process for covering the appearance surface of a flexible pad having at least one appearance depression with at least one flexible cover sheet, the steps of the method comprising:
- preassembling the pad onto a support fixture and securing the cover sheet onto the pad to form an assembly,
- positioning an assist fixture having a tubular frame member relative to the assembly so that said tubular frame member is aligned with said appearance depression in said pad and forcing said tubular frame member against said flexible cover to force a portion of said flexible cover into said appearance depression,
- pressing the assembly with said assist fixture positioned thereon into a heated fluidized bed whereby the bed conforms to the contour of the appearance surface of the pad and presses the cover sheet against substantially the entire area of the appearance surface of the pad,
- maintaining the pressed engagement until a layer of heat-activatable adhesive between the cover sheet and the pad activates and bonds the cover sheet to the pad,
- passing heated fluid through said tubular frame member to enhance activation of said adhesive in said appearance depression,
- removing the assembly from the bed, terminating the flow of heated fluid through said tubular member, and allowing the adhesive to cure while retained by the assist fixture,
- removing the assist fixture from the assembly, and
- removing the assembly from the support fixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.