Method of Manufacturing a vehicle seat with mold-in-face suspension system

• US 4,852,228 A
• Filed: 10/26/1987
• Issued: 08/01/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hoover Universal Incorporated (Adient plc)
• Original Assignee: Hoover Universal Incorporated (Adient plc)
• Inventors: Zeilinger, Randy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eley, Timothy V.
• Application Number:
  US07/113,651
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 29/91.1, 29/91.5, 29/, 29/91.7, 29/458, 264/41, 297/452, 156/245, 156/285
• US Class Current: 29/91.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/282 with mesh-like supports, e.g. elastomeric membranes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly including a seat cushion suspension assembly consisting of a flexible elastic fabric sheet having a foam body molded thereto forming a bun. The bun is formed by attaching the fabric sheet to retainers and in turn the retainers to spaced apart receivers on the inside of a mold. The mold is closed, expandable foam is injectd, and the positioned fabric sheet is thus molded to and bonded to the fabric. The bun so formed is then positioned on a vehicle seat frame by attaching the retainers to laterally separated side rails of the frame thus forming a support for seating loads.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a vehicle seat cushion suspension assembly for mounting on a frame having laterally separated side rails, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a rectangular woven elastic fabric sheet having retaining means attached to a pair of opposing edges of said fabric sheet;

(b) positioning said sheet within a mold cavity;

(c) injecting expandable foam into said mold to form a foam body molded and bonded to said sheet; and

(d) removing said body from said mold with said fabric molded and bonded to said body.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of positioning said sheet further comprises stretching said sheet between a pair of laterally separated support members fixed within said mold and attaching said retaining means to said support members thereby tensioning said sheet.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a pair of plastic strips each having a J-shaped cross section, the method further comprising the step of sewing one of said strips to each of said pair of edges of said fabric sheet.

4. A method of manufacturing a vehicle seat assembly comprising a frame having laterally separated side rails, a load supporting elastic fabric sheet stretched between said rails, a foam body molded and bonded in place on said sheet stretched therebetween, and a seat cover positioned over said body and said rails and secured to said frame, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) attaching retainers to two opposite edges of said fabric sheet;

(b) stretching said sheet and fastening said retainers onto spaced apart mounting members within a first mold member thereby mounting said sheet within said first member;

(c) positioning a second mold member onto said first mold member to form a mold enclosing said sheet;

(d) injecting expandable foam into said mold to form said foam body molded and bonded to said sheet;

(e) removing said body from said mold with said stretched fabric molded and bonded to said body;

(f) coating said body with an adhesive;

(g) placing a set trim cover having a complimentary shape to the shape of the outer surface of said foam body in complimentary position on said foam body;

(h) bonding said seat cover to said body; and

(i) attaching said fabric sheet to said rails and said seat trim cover to said frame thereby completing the assembly of said vehicle seat.

5. The method of manufacturing a vehicle seat assembly according to claim 4 wherein the step of stretching said sheet tensions said sheet between said spaced apart mounting members within said first mold member.