CUSHION WITH PLURAL ZONES OF FOAM

• US 20100148562A1
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
• Inventors: McClure, Theodore R., Hawkins, Steven D., McClung, Mark D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,141,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/452.580
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/148 of different resilience
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/15 consisting of two or more layers A47C27/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/282 with mesh-like supports, e.g. elastomeric membranes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A cushion assembly defining a thickness direction comprises at least one covering layer and a core layer. The core layer comprises a first member and a second member. The covering layer spans continuously across both the first and second members in a direction generally transverse to the thickness direction, and the first member is disposed adjacent a forward area of the cushion assembly. The second member is disposed adjacent a back surface of the first member. The second member has a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the first member, and the first member has a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the at least one covering layer.

Claims

1. A cushion assembly defining a thickness direction comprising:

at least one covering layer; and

a core layer including a first member and a second member, the at least one covering layer spanning continuously across both the first and second members in a direction generally transverse to the thickness direction, the first member being disposed adjacent a forward area of the cushion assembly, the second member being disposed adjacent a back surface of the first member, the second member having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the first member, and the first member having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the at least one covering layer.

2. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first member, the second member, and the at least one covering layer include a foam material.

3. The cushion assembly of claim 2, wherein the second member has an indentation force deflection characteristic above approximately 27 lb IFD.

4. The cushion assembly of claim 2, wherein the first member has an indentation force deflection characteristic above approximately 24 lb IFD.

5. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the core layer further includes a third member disposed adjacent a rearward end of the cushion assembly such that the second member is disposed between the first and third members, and wherein the first member has a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the third member.

6. The cushion assembly of claim 5, wherein the at least one covering layer spans continuously across each of the first, second, and third members in a direction generally transverse to the thickness direction.

7. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second members continuously extends between a first transverse side and a second transverse side of the cushion assembly, the first and second transverse sides extending generally transverse to the forward area of the cushion assembly.

8. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second members have a substantially straight axis.

9. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one covering layer includes at least one upper covering layer and at least one lower covering layer, and wherein the core layer is disposed between the at least one upper covering layer and the at least one lower covering layer.

10. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one covering layer includes a first covering layer and a second covering layer, the first covering layer abutting and overlapping the second covering layer in a direction generally transverse to the thickness direction, the second covering layer having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the first covering layer.

11. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the second member abuts the back surface of the first member.

12. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one covering layer abuts the first and second members.

13. The cushion assembly of claim 1, further comprising a filler layer that includes at least one of batting material and feathers.

14. The cushion assembly of claim 13, wherein the filler layer spans continuously across an upper side of the cushion assembly, across a forward end of the cushion assembly, and across a lower side of the cushion assembly.

15. The cushion assembly of claim 1, further comprising a jacket, the at least one covering layer and the core layer being encapsulated within the jacket.

21. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one covering layer is spaced apart at a distance from at least one of the first member and the second member.

16. A method of manufacturing a cushion assembly comprising:

arranging a first member of a core layer relative to a second member of the core layer such that the second member is disposed adjacent a back surface of the first member and the first member of the core member is disposed adjacent a forward area of the cushion assembly;

covering the core layer with at least one covering layer such that the at least one covering layer spans continuously across both the first and second members in a direction generally transverse to a thickness direction of the cushion assembly, the second member having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the first member, and the first member having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the at least one covering layer; and

encapsulating the core layer and the at least one covering layer in a jacket.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising arranging a third member of the core layer adjacent a rearward end of the cushion assembly such that the second member is disposed between the first and third members, and wherein the first member has a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the third member.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising continuously extending the first and second members between a first transverse side and a second transverse side of the cushion assembly, the first and second transverse sides extending generally transverse to the forward area of the cushion assembly.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising covering the core layer with a first covering layer and a second covering layer, the second covering layer having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the first covering layer.

20. A cushion assembly for a piece of furniture that provides cushioned support of a seated person, the cushion assembly comprising:

an upper covering layer comprising a foam material;

a lower covering layer comprising a foam material; and

a core layer comprising a first member and a second member, the first and second members comprising a foam material, the upper and lower covering layers each spanning continuously across both the first and second members in a direction generally transverse to the thickness direction such that the first and second members are disposed between and abut the upper and lower covering layers, the first member being disposed adjacent a forward area of the cushion assembly to support a lower thigh area of the seated person, the second member abutting a back surface of the first member to support a hip area of the seated person, the second member having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the first member, and the first member having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the upper and lower covering layers.

22. A cushion assembly defining a thickness direction comprising:

a covering layer;

a core layer including a first member and a second member, the covering layer at least partially lying over each of the first member and the second member in the thickness direction, the second member having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the first member, and the first member having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the covering layer.

23. The cushion assembly of claim 22, wherein the covering layer is spaced apart at a distance from the second member.

24. The cushion assembly of claim 22, wherein the first member is disposed adjacent a forward area of the cushion assembly, and the second member is disposed rearward relative to the first member.

25. The cushion assembly of claim 22, wherein the first member and the second member are each elongate with a longitudinal axis that extends in a width direction of the cushion assembly.

26. The cushion assembly of claim 22, wherein at least one of the first member and the second member has a generally rectangular cross section taken in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a width direction of the cushion assembly.