Multi-layer seat having different hardness and method for manufacturing the same

• US 5,850,645 A
• Filed: 03/21/1997
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fumio Goto, Taro Ogawa
• Original Assignee: Fumio Goto, Taro Ogawa
• Inventors: Goto, Fumio, Ogawa, Taro
• Primary Examiner(s): Grosz, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US08/817,455
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 5/653, 5/655.9, 5/922, 297/452.27, 297/452.37, 297/452.61, 297/DIG. 6, 264/46.4, 264/46.6, 264/46.5, 156/78, 29/91, 29/91.1
• US Class Current: 5/653
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/18 having foamed material included in cushioning part foamed material mattresses A47C27/14
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/0446 by increasing the density locally by compressing part of the foam while still in the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/12 Incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0092 Producing upholstery articles, e.g. cushions, seats B29C63/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/30 Vehicles, e.g. ships or aircraft, or body parts thereof vanes or blades B29L2031/08, air bags B29L2022/027
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/771 Seats
• CPC Class Codes: B68G 7/00 Making upholstery manufacturing upholstered panels B68G13/00 ; from plastics B29D99/0092; sewing-machines D05B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/06 Hook and loop type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/922 with hook and loop type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a seat wherein a surface material of the seat is not crumpled by sliding the surface material on a cushioning body thereof and while a person can sit comfortably in the seat, the seat has adequate hardness such that the weight of the person can be supported. A seat (1) comprises a surface material (2) and a cushioning body (6, 12) covered with the surface material. The cushioning body has a shape corresponding to an outline of the seat and is structured of a first cushioning body (6) as an upper layer and a second cushioning body (12) as a lower layer. The first cushioning body is intergral with at least a part of a back surface of the surface material and is connected with the second cushioning body. The first cushioning body has a contact surface (10) corresponding to the shape of a contact surface (13) of the second cushioning body. The first and second cushioning bodies have fasteners (11a, 11b, 14a, 14b), respectively. Those fasteners are intergral with the first and second cushioning body, respectively, and the first cushioning body and the second cushioning body are connected by those fasteners.

Claims

1. A seat comprising a surface material and a first cushioning body and a second cushioning body covered with said surface material,

said first cushioning body and said second cushioning body having a shape generally corresponding to an outline of the seat,

said first cushioning body as an upper layer being integral with at least a part of said surface material and having a main portion of relatively low compressibility and side portions of outwardly increasing relatively higher local compressibility;

and

said second cushioning body as a lower layer being connected to and positioned under said first cushioning body,

wherein said first cushioning body has a contact surface having a shape corresponding to a shape of a contact surface of said second cushioning body, and fastener means integrally formed in said contact surfaces for connecting said first and said second cushion bodies, so that said first and said second cushioning bodies are connected through said fastener means provided on said contact surfaces thereof.

2. A seat of claim 1, wherein the hardness of said first cushioning body is different from the hardness of said second cushioning body.

3. A seat of claim 1, wherein when a foamable mixture solution for forming said first cushioning body is still in a state of flow but a gas reaction thereof has been completed, a pressure molding is carried out, and said first cushioning body is integral with said surface material thereby.

4. A seat of claim 1, wherein one of said fastener means is a fiber material having loop-shaped standing piles and another of said fastener means thereof has hook-shaped fastener threads which can be engaged with said loop-shaped standing piles.

5. A seat of claim 4, wherein a back surface of said fiber material is formed of a base material made of a slab urethane foam and a surface of said fiber material is formed of said loop-shaped standing piles.

6. A seat of claim 1, wherein said first and said second cushion bodies are made of a reactive foamable resin such as a polyurethane foam or a polyrea foam.

7. A seat of claim 6, wherein a base material made of a polyurethane foam is provided on a back surface of said surface material.

8. A seat of claim 1, wherein said surface material is a fiber material of a woven fabric or a knitted fabric, a leather or a synthetic leather.

9. A seat of claim 1, wherein said surface material comprises a main skin sheet portion and side skin portions continued from said main skin sheet portion, said first cushioning body being integral with said main skin sheet portion, said second cushioning body having sides being covered with said side skin sheet portions.

10. A method for manufacturing a seat wherein said seat is structured of a cushioning body which is integral with a surface material and has a shape defining an outline of said seat, said cushioning body comprising a first cushioning body and a second cushioning body, said first and said second cushion bodies being connected to each other, comprising steps of:

placing at least one first fastener for connecting said first cushioning body with said second cushioning body on a surface of a bottom half of a pressure type mold, said pressure type mold being for pressure-molding said first cushioning body, said surface of said bottom half thereof being for defining a first contact surface for connecting with said second cushioning body;

supplying a foamable mixture solution in said bottom half of said pressure type mold;

disposing a surface material between said foamable mixture solution supplied in said bottom half of said pressure type mold and a top half thereof;

closing both said halves of said pressure type mold when said foamable mixture solution is still in a state of flow but has completed a gas reaction thereof;

placing at least one second fastener on a surface of a bottom half of a foaming mold so that said second fastener can be positioned corresponding to said first fastener, said foaming mold being for molding said second cushioning body, said surface of said bottom half thereof having a second contact surface corresponding to said first contact surface;

supplying a foamable mixture solution in said bottom half of said foaming mold and then closing said bottom half of said foaming mold by a top half thereof;

engaging said first fastener of said first cushioning body and said second fastener of said second cushioning body with each other.

11. A method of claim 10, wherein when the hardness of said first cushioning body is locally changed in said step of closing said pressure type mold by the compressibility being changed locally in said foamable mixture solution when said foamable mixture solution is still in a state of flow but said gas reaction thereof has been completed.

12. A method of claim 11, wherein said compressibility is changed by integrating said foamable mixture solution in the same thickness over said surface of said bottom half of said pressure type mold having a narrow space portion between said bottom and said top halves thereof.

13. A method of claim 10, wherein said surface material comprises a main skin sheet portion and side skin sheet portions continued from said main skin sheet portion, said first cushioning body being integral with said main skin sheet portion, said second cushioning body having sides being covered with said side skin sheet portions.

14. A method of claim 13, wherein said main skin sheet portion is made integral with said first cushioning body and then said main skin sheet portion and said side skin sheet portions are stitched.

15. A method of claim 13, wherein said main skin sheet portion and said side skin sheet portions are stitched and said main skin sheet portion is then made integral with said first cushioning body.

16. A method of claim 10, wherein the hardness of said first cushioning body is different from the hardness of said second cushioning body.

17. A method of claim 10, wherein one of said first fastener and said second fastener is a fiber material having loop-shaped standing piles and another thereof is hook-shaped threads for engaging with said loop-shaped standing piles.

18. A method of claim 17, wherein a back surface of said fiber material is formed of a base material of a slab urethane foam and a surface of said fiber material is formed of said loop-shaped standing piles.

19. A method of claim 10, wherein said first and said second cushion bodies are made of a reactive foamable resin such as a polyurethane foam or a polyurea foam.

20. A method of claim 10, wherein said surface material is a fiber material of a woven fabric or a knitted fabric, a leather or a synthetic leather.

21. A method of claim 20, wherein a base material of a slab urethane foam is provided on a back surface of said fiber material of said surface material.

22. A seat having a cushion covered in part by a surface material comprising, a first cushioning body constituting the upper layer of the cushion and having at least part of the surface material formed integrally therewith, a second cushioning body constituting the lower layer of the cushion, said first cushioning body having a main portion of generally uniform thickness and side portions continuing from said main portion and becoming gradually outwardly thinner and progressively outwardly harder, said main portion of said first cushioning body forming a seating surface and a first contact surface for engaging said second cushioning body, a second contact surface formed on said second cushioning body having a shape substantially corresponding to the shape of said first contact surface, at least one first fastener formed integrally in said first contact surface, and at least one second fastener formed integrally in said second contact surface and positioned for engagement with said first fastener, whereby said first and second cushioning bodies are selectively positioned and connected by joining said first and second fasteners.

23. A seat according to claim 22, wherein said side portions of said first cushioning body are harder than said main portion.

24. A seat according to claim 23, wherein the hardness of said second cushioning body differs from the hardness of said main portion and said side portions of said first cushioning body.

25. A seat according to claim 22, wherein said cushion bodies are made of a reactive foamable resin and said fasteners are made of a fiber material, whereby said fiber material is impregnated with foam forming said cushion bodies.