Method of assembling a vehicle seat

• US 5,158,634 A
• Filed: 04/16/1991
• Issued: 10/27/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Inventors: Kasuya, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YODER, MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US07/686,157
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 156/212, 156/213, 156/214, 156/92, 156/78, 156/303.1, 156/293, 156/285, 156/93, 156/245, 297/DIG. 1, 297/DIG. 2, 264/46.7
• US Class Current: 156/212
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/025 applied by a die matching with the profile of the surface of resilient articles, e.g. cushions, seat pads
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/70 Upholstery springs ; Upholstery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/01 Foam
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1028 by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape of configured lamina while in contact therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/103 Encasing or enveloping the configured lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1031 with preshaping of lamina

Abstract

A method of assembling a vehicle seat by bonding adhesively a trim cover assembly to a preformed foam cushion member. In the assemblage, a location board having a serrated part on its side is sewn to the trim cover assembly such that the serrated part projects from the reverse surface of cover assembly, and such assembly is turned over and placed on a lower die having a location groove which includes a vertically curved part. The location board is fitted and bent vertically along such location groove, which permits bonding of the cover assembly neatly over the uneven surface of cushion member, without slack and wrinkles, when pressing the cushion member against the cover assembly by means of an upper die.

Claims

1. A method for assembling a vehicle seat, comprising the steps of:

(a) pre-forming a foam cushion member having a predetermined shape of said seat, through a foaming process using a mold, said cushion member including a vertically curved part;

(b) forming a recessed groove in said cushion member, such as to extend along a contour of said cushion member, thus having a vertically curved groove part conforming to said vertically curved part of said cushion member;

(c) providing a lower die which has a location groove formed therein, said location groove including a vertically curved groove area which is formed correspondingly to said vertically curved groove part of said recessed groove of said cushion member;

(d) sewing a location board to a trim cover assembly along a sewing area, such that said location board projects vertically in relation to said sewing area, defining a second board part projected form a reverse surface of said trim cover assembly and defining a first board part projected from a frontal surface of said trim cover assembly, wherein said location board is made of a semi-hard material, and wherein said second board is formed with a serrated area defined at a location corresponding to said vertically curved groove area of said location groove, to thereby allow said location board to be bendable in the height-wise direction, whereas said first board part is provided with a means for rendering said location board bendable in its height-wise direction in cooperation with said serrated area of said second board part;

(e) turning upside down and placing said trim cover assembly with said location board upon said lower die, while simultaneously fitting said first board part of said location board into said location groove of said lower die, so that said location board, by virtue of said serrated area of said second board part and said means for rendering said location board bendable, bends in the height-wise direction at said location corresponding to said vertically curved groove area, and said second board part of said location board is projected outwardly from said reverse surface of said trim cover assembly;

(f) providing an upper die which is movable vertically toward and away from said lower die;

(g) securing a foam cushion member on said upper die;

(h) applying an adhesive agent to either of said reverse surface of said trim cover assembly and an outer surface of said cushion member;

(i) lowering said upper die towards said lower die;

(j) pressing and bonding said cushion member to said reverse surface of said trim cover assembly, in order that said second board part projected from said trim cover assembly is inserted in and along said recessed groove of said cushion, with said serrated area resting along said vertically curved groove part of said cushion member;

(k) removing a resulting bonded body of said cushion member and trim cover assembly from said upper and lower dies, wherein said second board part is projected from said frontal surface of said trim cover assembly bonded over said cushion member; and

(l) cutting away said second board part from said resulting bonded body, to thereby produce said seat.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said location board is made of a semi-hard synthetic resin material having an elastic and expandable property.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said means associated with said first board part of said location board comprises a serrated part formed similarly to that formed in said second board part, whereby a pair of serrated parts are formed on opposite sides of said location board.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said means associated with said first board part of said location board comprises a thin region. said location board is formed with a perforation dotted along its longitudinal direction to facilitate ease with which said second board part of said location board is cut away from said resulting bonded body.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said location board is formed with a perforation dotted along its longitudinal direction to facilitate ease with which said second board part of said location board is cut away from said resulting bonded body.