Method of forming an upholstered foam plastic seat cushion

• US 5,851,457 A
• Filed: 06/28/1996
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc. (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Peterson, Gordon J., Punches, Edward H., Groendal, Dale M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuhns, Allan R.
• Application Number:
  US08/669,774
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 264/46.5, 264/46.8, 264/257, 264/156, 264/102
• US Class Current: 264/46.5
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/146 Shaping the lining before foaming
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/3438 Bursting the cell walls by a sudden pressure release

Abstract

A method for making upholstered articles comprising a foam core, an integrally attached cover assembly, and an integrally attached scrim is provided. The method includes the step of positioning an air-impermeable cover assembly over a mold cavity of a molding apparatus, applying a vacuum to the fabric through a plurality of apertures in the walls defining the mold cavity to cause the fabric to conform to the shape of the mold cavity, depositing a foam precursor into the mold cavity, positioning an air-impermeable scrim over the foam, and allowing the foam precursor to expand to form the article. The method allows upholstered articles having an integrally attached cover assembly to be manufactured using a pour-in-place process which does not utilize abherents, while still preventing bonding of the foam core to the lid and/or other surfaces of the molding apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for making an upholstered article comprising:

positioning an air-impermeable cover over a mold cavity of a molding apparatus;

applying a vacuum to the cover through a plurality of apertures in walls defining the mold cavity to cause the cover to conform to the shape of the mold cavity;

depositing a foam precursor into the mold cavity in which the cover is conformedly positioned;

positioning an air-impermeable scrim over the foam precursor;

allowing the foam precursor to expand into the volume of the mold cavity to form an upholstered article having a foam core, an integrally attached cover, and an integrally attached scrim; and

removing the upholstered article from the mold cavity, permeating the scrim, and applying a vacuum to the scrim side of the upholstered article to crush the foam core.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising securing the permeated scrim side of the upholstered article to a rigid plastic substrate to form a seat member.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said rigid plastic substrate includes a plurality of channels formed on a side of the substrate joined to the upholstered article, the channels being in communication with the surrounding atmosphere to allow air to escape easily.