Forming of motor vehicle seat upholstery

• US 10,457,174 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2014
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Sieges D'Automobile (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Sieges D'Automobile (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Rigal, Olivier, Etienne, Fabrice, Gazaniol, Benoit, Kochinski, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Yi, Stella K
• Application Number:
  US14/908,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20160167552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/023 having a plurality of grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/42 characterised by the shape of the moulding surface, e.g. ribs or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0057 Moulding single grooves or ribs, e.g. tear lines folding lines B29C53/06
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/003 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/021 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/184 shaped by the compression of the material during moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/569 Shaping and joining components with different densities or hardness
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0092 Producing upholstery articles, e.g. cushions, seats B29C63/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/58 Upholstery or cushions, e.g. vehicle upholstery or interior padding mattresses, cushions B29L2031/751
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/771 Seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/58 Seat coverings
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5833 by hook-and-loop type fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5891 characterised by the manufacturing process; manufacturing seat coverings not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7017 characterised by the manufacturing process; manufacturing upholstery or upholstery springs not otherwise provided for

Abstract

The invention concerns a mold for forming an element for covering a lining of a seat member for a motor vehicle, comprising: a matrix (62) provided with ribs (624) for defining style extension lines (36); and a punch (64) provided with ribs (642), to either side of a line of the ribs (624) of the matrix (62).

Claims

1. A method of forming at least one style feature line in a cover element for seat upholstery, comprising the steps of:

depositing foam in a viscous state on a support element to create an assembly comprising the support element and the foam in the viscous state;

polymerizing the foam by placing the assembly comprising the support element and the foam in the viscous state in a mold having a matrix and a punch, the matrix comprising one or more matrix ribs, each of the one or more matrix ribs for defining a style feature line and the punch comprising two punch ribs for each of the one or more matrix ribs, each of the one or more matrix ribs aligned between the two punch ribs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the support element and the foam extend on either side of each of the one or more matrix ribs of the matrix.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the foam extends on either side of the punch ribs of the punch.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the support element and the foam fill an entire cavity of the mold at the level of the punch ribs.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the support element and the foam fill an entire cavity of the mold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said assembly is placed in the mold with the support element on the matrix side.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the mold is closed, a ridge of each of the one or more of the matrix ribs of the matrix is between the punch ribs of the punch.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a first spacing between the punch and the matrix in line with the two punch ribs of the punch surrounding each of one or more matix ribs of the matrix is smaller than a second spacing between the punch and the matrix outside of the two punch ribs of the punch.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first spacing between the punch and the matrix between the two punch ribs of the punch is constant.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a spacing between the punch and the matrix in line with the one or more matrix ribs of the matrix is between the first and second spacings.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first spacing is in the approximate range from 2 to 3 mm.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the second spacing is greater than 2.5 mm.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the second spacing is in the approximate range from 2.5 to 13 mm.

14. A method of forming at least one style feature line in a cover element for seat upholstery, comprising the steps of:

depositing foam in a viscous state on a support element to create an assembly comprising the support element and the foam in the viscous state;

placing the assembly comprising the support element and the foam in the viscous state between a matrix and a punch of a mold, the matrix comprising one or more matrix ribs, each of the matrix ribs defining a style feature line and the punch comprising two punch ribs for each of the one or more matrix ribs, each of the one or more matrix ribs aligned between the two punch ribs; and

compressing the foam on each side of each of the one or more matrix ribs of the matrix with the punch.