Method for manufacturing automotive seat assemblies using pre-bonded adhesives

• US 5,858,159 A
• Filed: 02/19/1997
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hoover Universal Incorporated (Adient plc)
• Original Assignee: Hoover Universal Incorporated (Adient plc)
• Inventors: Holbrook, Annette H., Pehur, Peter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUDLOW, JAN M
• Application Number:
  US08/802,217
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 156/256, 156/278, 156/510, 297/452.61, 297/452.62, 297/452.38
• US Class Current: 156/256
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/049 using steam or damp
• 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: B29C 65/64 Joining a non-plastics element to a plastics element, e.g. by force B29C65/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7484 Leather
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7485 Natural fibres, e.g. wool, cotton
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/771 Seats
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 Prior to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/12 Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with cutting, punching, piercing, severing or tearing

Abstract

A method for manufacturing automotive seat assemblies using fabrics with pre-bonded adhesives. Adhesives are pre-bonded to the back surface of fabric material using a variety of processes. The fabric with pre-bonded adhesive is then cut into pieces, which may be joined with other pieces, to form a trim cover assembly. Heat is then applied to activate the adhesive and attach the trim cover assembly to a cushion pad to manufacture a complete automotive seat assembly. The invention methodology allows the use of shorter bonding cycle times to achieve a suitable bond and reduces the likelihood of omitting, improperly positioning or wrinkling the adhesive.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing automotive seat assemblies including a cushion pad and a trim cover assembly made from fabric with a front surface and a back surface, the method comprising the steps of:

pre-bonding heat-activatable adhesive to said back surface of said fabric to produce fabric with pre-bonded adhesive;

cutting said fabric with pre-bonded adhesive to produce a first piece of fabric with pre-bonded adhesive;

joining said first piece of fabric with pre-bonded adhesive to a second piece of fabric which is free of adhesive to form said trim cover assembly;

placing said back surface of said first piece of fabric with pre-bonded adhesive forming said trim cover assembly adjacent to said cushion pad; and

applying heat to activate said adhesive and intrude a portion of said adhesive into said cushion pad, thereby attaching said first piece of fabric and thus said trim cover assembly to said cushion pad.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of pre-bonding heat-activatable adhesive is performed on one of a continuous lamination machine, porous coating machine, rotogravure process machine, and roll coating machine.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said adhesive is pre-bonded to said fabric as a continuous film.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said adhesive is pre-bonded to said fabric as a pattern.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said adhesive is pre-bonded to said fabric as part of a backcoat layer.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said back surface of said fabric is free of a backcoat layer prior to said step of pre-bonding heat-activatable adhesive to said back surface of said fabric.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of joining said first piece of fabric with pre-bonded adhesive to said second piece of fabric comprises sewing said first piece of fabric with pre-bonded adhesive to said second piece of fabric.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said second piece of fabric comprises a different fabric than said first piece of fabric with pre-bonded adhesive.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said applying heat step comprises passing saturated steam through said first piece of fabric into said cushion pad.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said applying heat step comprises passing superheated stream through said first piece of fabric into said cushion pad.