Method of producing skin-covered pad for seat

• US 5,106,548 A
• Filed: 02/15/1990
• Issued: 04/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Matsuura, Ichiro, Chiyoshi, Toyoharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kuhns, Allan R.
• Application Number:
  US07/480,668
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 264/45.1, 264/46.4, 264/46.6, 264/46.8, 264/321
• US Class Current: 264/46.6
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1209 by impregnating a preformed part, e.g. a porous lining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/16 shaped by the expansion of the material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material

Abstract

A method of producing a skin-covered pad for a seat, which includes (a) preparing a lower mold which has a cavity formed therein; (b) putting a bag-shaped outer skin member into the cavity, the outer skin member including an innermost foamed layer which includes first and second parts which are exposed to the interior of the bag-shaped outer skin member, the first and second parts being wettable and non-wettable with respect to a given liquid material for foamed plastic; (c) pouring the liquid material into the bag-shaped outer skin member held in the lower mold, so that the innermost layer of the outer skin member is in contact with the liquid material for foamed plastic; and (d) putting an upper mold on the lower mold to close the cavity.

Claims

1. A method of producing a skin-covered pad for a seat, comprising:

(a) preparing a lower mold which has a cavity formed therein;

(b) placing a bag-shaped outer skin member into said cavity, said bag-shaped outer skin member including an innermost layer which has first and second portions being wettable and non-wettable, respectively, by a foamable liquid material;

(c) pouring said foamable liquid material into said bag-shaped outer skin member placed in said cavity so that said innermost layer of said bag-shaped outer skin member is in contact with said foamable liquid material;

(d) placing an upper mold on said lower mold to close said cavity;

(e) foaming and curing said foamable liquid, wherein during said foaming

said non-wettable second portion is compressed relative to said wettable first portion via foaming pressure generated during said foaming;

(f) dismantling said upper mold from said lower mold upon sufficient hardening of said foamable material; and

(g) removing a product formed of said foamable material from said lower mold, wherein upon removal said non-wettable second portion then projects outward relative to said wettable first portion due to the removal of the lower mold against which said second portion was compressed in step (e).

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said innermost layer comprises a polyurethane foam sheet.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first portion of said innermost layer comprises an open-cell polyurethane foam, and said second portion of said innermost layer comprises a closed-cell polyurethane foam.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first portion of said innermost layer comprises an open-cell polyurethane foam, and said second portion of said innermost layer comprises an open-cell polyurethane foam having a baked outer surface.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said foamable liquid material is a foamable polyurethane.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bag-shaped outer skin member is of a layered structure comprising an outer layer, a non-wettable backing sheet lined on said outer layer with said innermost layer lined on said backing sheet.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein aid outer layer comprises knitted cloth.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said innermost layer comprises polyurethane foam.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second portions are bonded by an adhesive.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second portions are bonded by high frequency welding.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bag-shaped outer skin member comprises three parts which are stitched to one another.