Process for the manufacture of moulded material-covered product

• US 5,324,462 A
• Filed: 01/16/1992
• Issued: 06/28/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atoma International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Atoma International, Inc.
• Inventors: Rohn, Wolfgang K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuhns, Allan R.
• Application Number:
  US07/821,774
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 264/46.4, 264/46.6, 264/46.8, 264/511, 264/278, 264/553
• US Class Current: 264/46.4
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/12 with incorporated means for positioning inserts, e.g. labels positioning reinforcements B29C70/541
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/143 Means for positioning the lining in the mould in general B29C33/12
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/148 Applying the foaming resin, moulding the lining or the like, with the lining turned inside out
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/56 After-treatment of articles, e.g. for altering the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/58 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/04 Combined thermoforming and prestretching, e.g. biaxial stretching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/06 using pressure difference for prestretching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/08 Deep drawing or matched-mould forming, i.e. using mechanical means only
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/10 Forming by pressure difference, e.g. vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/771 Seats

Abstract

A process for the manufacture of moulded material-covered products is provided wherein material is placed over a mould and held by clamping means proximate the periphery of the mould and thereafter material is drawn into the mould to conform to the shape of the interior surface of the mould prior to the injection of foamable thermoplastics material into the mould to form the product. The process includes the step of disposing a stop at predetermined positions on the material so that when the material is drawn into the mould, the stop precludes further material from ingressing into the mould and any further movement of material into mould is by the stretching of material. A mould for moulding the moulded product is also provided which includes a bottom and side wall formation surrounding the bottom proximate the periphery of the bottom, the bottom carrying on its surface a design to be carried by the moulded product, the bottom being separate from the side wall formation sot hat the side wall formation can be spaced from the bottom and be lowered to engage the bottom proximate the periphery of the bottom. The bottom may be one piece or may include a base supporting a tongue movable to a raised position for receiving a bag or sack of material for the purposes of injecting foamable thermoplastics material onto the bag or sack.

Claims

1. A process for the manufacture of a seat back product capable of being mounted in use so as to present a back engaging surface of a predetermined shape, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a bag comprising seat back material, side edge material, and back material joined together to define a generally bag-like shape having an open end and a closed end, the material of said bag having exterior and interior surfaces, the exterior surfaces being presented exteriorly when the seat back product is mounted in use,

mounting the open end of said bag in an inside-out condition onto a tongue-like mould part having the complement of said predetermined shape on a mould surface thereof so that the exterior surface of said seat back material faces toward said mould surface and the interior surface faces away from said mould surface,

shaping the exterior surface of said seat back material of said bag into the predetermined shape by conforming it to the mould surface of said tongue-like mould part,

moulding and curing a foamable material between the interior surface of the seat back material and spaced cooperating mould surfaces while the exterior surface is conformed to said mould surface so as to form a foam pad bonded to the interior surface of said seat back material capable of retaining the predetermined shape of the exterior surface thereof,

removing said seat back material and said foam pad bonded thereto from said mould surfaces and said bag and bonded pad from said tongue-like mould part, and

inverting said bag and bonded pad so that the exterior surfaces of the material of the bag are exposed exteriorly and said foam pad is enclosed within the bag.

2. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the conforming o the exterior surface of the seat back material to said mould surface includes the step of applying a vacuum through openings in the tongue-like mould part extending to said mould surface to draw the exterior surface of the seat back material into conformity with the mould surface.

3. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein the conforming of the exterior surface of said seat back material to said mould surface includes the step of moving a cooperating peripheral mould part into cooperating relation with an inner marginal peripheral edge of the interior surface of the seat back material so as to position a peripheral seam between the seat back material and said side edge material exteriorly of and between said cooperating peripheral mould part and a marginal edge surface of said mould surface of said tongue-like mould part so that the peripheral seam acts as a stop against the cooperating mould part to the ingress of the seat back material during the conforming procedure.

4. A process as defined in claim 3 wherein the conforming of the exterior surface of the seat back material to said mould surface includes the step of moving plunger means toward the interior surface of the seat back material so as to move the exterior surface thereof toward the mould surface prior to the application of the vacuum.