Process for molding a cloth in a hot mold and molding a cloth covered foam filled product
First Claim
1. A process for molding cloth comprising the steps of:
- drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the cloth including a fabric layer having a heat-fixable fiber, and an elastic composition layer bonded to the fabric layer, the temperature of the mold being at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature;
heating the cloth to at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth; and
cooling the cloth, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber of the cloth to the shape of the mold.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of molding cloth. A special multi-layer cloth is first preheated and then drawn into a heated mold by means of a vacuum between the cloth and the mold. The cloth includes a fabric layer having a heat-fixable fiber, a polyurethane foam layer and a polyvinyl chloride film layer bonded together. The cloth is preheated to at least the greater of the set temperatures of the fabric layer and the polyvinyl chloride film. The mold is heated to at least the same temperature. After the cloth has conformed to the contours of the mold, the cloth is cooled in the mold. The steps of heating the cloth in the mold and then cooling the cloth sets the stitch of the fabric to the contours of the mold. Polyurethane foam may then be poured into the mold and allowed to expand to form a seat cushion or the like.
49 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A process for molding cloth comprising the steps of:
-
drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the cloth including a fabric layer having a heat-fixable fiber, and an elastic composition layer bonded to the fabric layer, the temperature of the mold being at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature; heating the cloth to at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth; and cooling the cloth, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber of the cloth to the shape of the mold. - View Dependent Claims (4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20)
-
-
2. A process for molding cloth comprising the steps of:
-
drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the cloth including a fabric layer having a heat-fixable fiber, and an elastic composition layer bonded to the fabric layer, the elastic composition layer including a thermoplastic film layer, the temperature of the mold being at least the greater of the set temperature of the heat-fixable fiber and the softening temperature of the film layer; heating the cloth to at least the greater of the set temperature of the heat-fixable fiber and the softening temperature of the film layer, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth; and cooling the cloth, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber and the film layer to the shape of the mold.
-
-
3. A process for molding cloth comprising the step of:
-
drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the cloth including a fabric layer having a heat-fixable fiber, and an elastic composition layer bonded to the fabric layer, the elastic composition including a flexible foam layer and a thermoplastic film layer, the temperature of the mold being at least the greater of the set temperature of the heat-fixable fiber and the softening temperature of the film layer; heating the cloth to at least the greater of the set temperature of the heat-fixable fiber and the softening temperature of the film layer, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth; and cooling the cloth, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber and the film layer to the shape of the mold.
-
-
5. A process for molding cloth comprising the steps of:
-
preheating the cloth, the cloth including a fabric layer having a heat-fixable fiber, and an elastic composition layer bonded to the fabric layer, the temperature to which the cloth is preheated being at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature; drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the temperature of the mold being at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature; heating the cloth to at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth; and cooling the cloth, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber of the cloth to the shape of the mold.
-
-
6. The process for molding cloth comprising the steps of:
-
preheating the cloth, the cloth including a fabric layer having a heat-fixable fiber, and an elastic composition layer bonded to the fabric layer, the elastic composition layer including a thermoplastic film layer, the temperature to which the cloth is preheated being at least the greater of the set temperature of the heated-fixable fiber and the softening temperature of the film layer; drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the temperature of the mold being at least the greater of the set temperature of the heat-fixable fiber and the softening temperature of the film layer; heating the cloth to at least the greater of the set temperature of the heat-fixable fiber and the softening temperature of the film layer, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth; and cooling the cloth, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber and the film layer to the shape of the mold.
-
-
7. A process for forming a cloth-covered item comprising the steps of:
-
preheating the cloth, the cloth including a fabric layer having a heat-fixable fiber, and an elastic composition layer bonded to the fabric layer, the temperature to which the cloth is preheated being at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature; drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the temperature of the mold being at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature; heating the cloth to at least the heat-fixable fiber set temperature, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth; cooling the cloth; and pouring foam into the mold, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber of the cloth to the shape of the mold and filling the back side of the molded cloth with foam.
-
-
17. A process for molding cloth comprising the steps of:
-
bonding a flexible foam layer to a thermoplastic film layer, the foam layer and film layer forming an elastic composition layer; bonding the foam layer to a fabric layer having a heat-fixable fiber, the cloth comprising the foam layer, film layer and fabric layer; preheating the cloth to at least the greater of the set temperature of the fabric layer and the softening temperature of the film layer; drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the temperature of the mold being at least the greater of the set temperature of the fabric layer and the softening temperature of the film layer; heating the cloth in the mold to at least the greater of the set temperature of the fabric layer and the softening temperature of the film layer, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth; and cooling the cloth in the mold, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber of the fabric layer and the film layer to the shape of the mold. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
21. A process for forming a cloth-covered item comprising the steps of:
-
bonding a flexible form layer to a thermoplastic film layer, the foam layer and film layer forming an elastic composition layer; bonding the foam layer to a fabric layer having a heat-fixable fiber, the cloth comprising the foam layer, the film layer and the fabric layer; preheating the cloth to a temperature of at least the greater of the set temperature of the heat-fixable fiber and the softening temperature of the film layer; drawing the cloth into a heated mold, the temperature of the mold being at least the greater of the set temperature of the heat-fixable fiber and the softening temperature of the film layer; heating the cloth to at least the greater of the set temperature of the heat-fixable fiber and the softening temperature of the film layer, including the step of transferring energy from the heated mold to the cloth; cooling the cloth; and pouring foam into the mold, the process heat-fixing the heat-fixable fiber of the fabric layer and the film layer to the shape of the mold and filling the back side of the molded cloth with foam.
-
Specification