Seating unit with formed cushion, and manufacturing method

• US 20070126276A1
• Filed: 12/07/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Peterson, Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 7,490,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/452.310
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/185 with a stiff, rigid support
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/40 for the back
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/146 for making multilayered articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/18 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C43/206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/36 Moulds for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/3607 with sealing means or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/04 by folding, winding, bending or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0092 Producing upholstery articles, e.g. cushions, seats B29C63/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/06 containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3041 Trim panels
• CPC Class Codes: B68G 7/10 Finishing of edges
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/486 Cover stretching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 with prestressing of part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49865 by temperature differential [e.g., shrink fit]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4987 Elastic joining of parts

Abstract

A cushion subassembly includes a support, a cushion of non-woven polymeric (PET) or PETE fibers with a formed edge that wraps over an edge of the support, and an upholstery sock pulled onto and covering the support and the cushion. The formed edge has sufficient structure to retain the cushion in place on the support as the upholstery sock is pulled onto the support. A back support shell supports the cushion assembly, and has first fasteners that engage in a first direction and second fasteners that prevent disengagement. The cushion assembly is stressed during assembly, especially at corners, but is thermally stress-relieved after assembly to relax the polymeric fibers and the upholstery sock to a state of minimized balanced tension. The back support shell includes a shallow depression on its face. The cushion fills the depression sufficient to eliminate loose fabric but provides a same force deflection curve across its shape.

Claims

1. An upholstered component comprising:

a support having edge portions;

a pad of formable polymeric fibers with at least one formed edge that wraps over at least one of the edge portions of the support; and

an upholstery cover shaped to at least partially cover the support and the pad, the formed edge being sufficiently pre-formed and structural to retain the cushion in place on the support as the upholstery cover is positioned on the support and pad and as the upholstery cover is extended over the formed edge and the one edge portion.

2. The upholstered component defined in claim 1, wherein the pad forms a cushion on a front of the support.

3. The upholstered component defined in claim 1, wherein the support forms a back suitable for a seating unit and includes a front surface configured to comfortably engage and support a seated user'"'"'s upper torso.

4. The upholstered component defined in claim 1, wherein the upholstery cover includes front and rear panels forming a space for receiving the support and pad.

5. The upholstered component defined in claim 1, wherein the upholstery cover forms a sock shaped and adapted to be pulled onto the support.

6. The upholstered component defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one formed edge is adapted to engage a rear surface of the one edge of the support.

7. The upholstered component defined in claim 6, wherein the at least one formed edge includes multiple formed edges engaging multiple of the edge portions of the support.

8. The upholstered component defined in claim 7, wherein the support comprises a polymeric shell.

9. The upholstered component defined in claim 1, wherein the pad is made from a blank of sheet material of uniform thickness, and wherein the at least one formed edge has a formed thickness less than about half the uniform thickness of the blank.

10. The upholstered component defined in claim 1, wherein the pad is made of recycled PET or PETE material.

11. The upholstered component defined in claim 1, wherein at least one formed edge includes formed edges engaging multiple ones of the edge portions of the support.

12. The upholstered component defined in claim 1, wherein the support comprises a polymeric shell.

13. A seating unit comprising:

a back support with a face surface having a first pattern of fasteners;

a cushion assembly engaging the face surface and including a second pattern of fasteners; and

the first and second pattern of fasteners being configured to matingly engage when the cushion assembly is moved in a first direction parallel the face surface during assembly of the cushion assembly onto the back support, and being configured to resiliently interlock in a self-retained position when the cushion assembly reaches a fully-assembled position on the back support.

14. The seating unit defined in claim 13, wherein the cushion assembly includes a cushion stiffener.

15. The seating unit defined in claim 14, wherein the cushion assembly includes a cushion made of polymeric fibers and having at least one formed edge, and wherein the cushion is mechanically attached to the cushion stiffener by the formed edge and is not adheringly attached.

16. The seating unit defined in claim 13, wherein the first and second patterns of fasteners are integrally formed in the back support and the cushion stiffener, respectively.

17. The seating unit defined in claim 13, wherein the first pattern includes first and second fasteners and wherein the second pattern includes third and fourth fasteners that engage the first and second fasteners, the first and third fasteners engaging in the first direction and the second and fourth fasteners engaging in a direction opposite the first direction.

18. The seating unit defined in claim 13, wherein the first and second patterns are all located in a thoracic portion of the back support.

19. The seating unit defined in claim 13, wherein at least some of the first and second patterns of fasteners include hook fasteners, and also at least some others of the first and second patterns of fasteners include resilient fasteners that flex to allow engagement of the hook fasteners but that oppose disengagement of the hook fasteners.

20. A method for stress-relieving upholstery comprising steps of:

providing a furniture unit including a support having corners;

providing a pad of formable polymeric fibers and having formed edges;

positioning the pad on a front of the support but with the formed edges extending to rearward of the corners of the support;

providing an upholstery cover shaped to cover the support and the cushion including the corners;

positioning the upholstery cover on the support and the cushion to cover the support and the cushion; and

stress-relieving at least the corners of the cushion and the upholstery cover to reduce distortions and objectionable wrinkles in the upholstery cover at the corners by applying hot gases to cause the polymeric fibers and also the upholstery cover to relax to a state of minimized balanced tension.

21. A method of constructing a seating unit comprising steps of:

providing a support panel with a concave front surface;

providing a cushion of non-woven polymeric fibers engaging the front surface, the cushion being formed to have a shape with a rear surface matching the front surface;

assembling an upholstery sheet onto the support panel and the cushion, the upholstery sheet being tensioned; and

thermally treating the assembly of the support panel, the cushion and the upholstery sheet to cause the cushion to take on a relaxed state that both fills the concave recess and that also stress-relieves the cushion and upholstery to cause a state of minimized tension.

22. A method of upholstering a support member with edges, comprising steps of:

providing a cushion of formable polymeric fibers with at least one formed edge;

wrapping the at least one edge of the cushion around an edge of the support member; and

setting the formed edge of the cushion in the wrapped condition.

23. The method defined in claim 22, including a step of placing an upholstery cover over the cushion.

24. The method defined in claim 22, wherein the step of providing a cushion includes providing a blank of uniform thickness, and forming the blank to have a non-uniform thickness, including forming the at least one formed edge.

25. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the step of forming the blank includes forming a perimeter of the blank to have multiple formed edges.

26. The method defined in claim 25, wherein the step of wrapping the at least one edge includes forming the at least one edge until it engages front and rear surfaces of the edge of the support member.

27. The method defined in claim 23, wherein the step of placing an upholstery cover over the cushion includes providing a cushion having a sock shape, and pulling the upholstery cover onto the cushion and support member.

28. A method of assembly comprising steps of:

providing a blank of formable polymeric fibers capable of forming a cushion;

forming edges of the blank to define a recess; and

placing a support member into the recess to form a pre-assembly.

29. The method defined in claim 28, wherein the step of forming edges includes both changing a shape and orientation of an edge portion of the blank forming the edges and also changing a thickness of the edge portion of the blank.

30. The method defined in claim 28, including a step of re-forming the edges of the blank onto a rear side of the support member.

31. The method defined in claim 28, wherein the step of forming edges includes forming opposing edges of the blank.

32. The method defined in claim 28, including a step of covering the blank on the pre-assembly with upholstery.

33. A method of assembly comprising steps of:

providing a blank of formable polymeric fibers, the blank including a perimeter;

placing a support member against the blank with at least one edge of the support member extending generally along but inboard of an associated part of the blank'"'"'s perimeter; and

forming the associated part of the blank onto a rear of the one edge of the support member, with the formed associated part mechanically retaining the blank in place on the support member.