Apparatus for bonding a cover material to foam
First Claim
1. An assembly for bonding a cover of material over the surface of a foam cushion with an adhesive, said assembly comprising;
- a support structure;
a tool supported by said support structure and presenting a working surface for receiving the finished side of the cover;
an array of needles supported by said support structure for piercing the cushion;
said assembly characterized by a compression plate having holes extending therethrough with said needles extending through said holes and a mounting mechanism for allowing movement of said compression plate relative to said needles to hold the cushion against the cover and the tool as said needles are extracted from the cushion.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for bonding a cover (22) over the undulating surface of a foam cushion (10) by placing the foam cushion (10) on a tool (18), piercing the cushion (10) with a plurality of needles (44), lifting the needles (44) to lift the cushion (10) as the cushion is frictionally retained on the needles (44), heating ambient air and ejecting the hot air from the needles (44) and into the cushion to elevate the temperature of the cushion. A compression plate (58) with holes (60) extending therethrough is disposed against the backside of the cushion (10) with the needles (44) extending through the holes (60). The needles (44) with the cushion (10) thereon are lowered to place the undulating surface of the cushion against an adhesive film (82) on the backside of the cover (22) so that heat is transferred from the cushion (10) to melt the adhesive. The needles (44) are extracted from the cushion (10) as the compression plate (58) is held against the backside of the cushion to hold the cushion (10) against the cover (22) and the tool (18) and immediately thereafter cool air is ejected from passages (68) in the compression plate (58) and into the cushion (10) to cure the adhesive and bond the cover (22) to the cushion (10).
17 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An assembly for bonding a cover of material over the surface of a foam cushion with an adhesive, said assembly comprising;
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a support structure; a tool supported by said support structure and presenting a working surface for receiving the finished side of the cover; an array of needles supported by said support structure for piercing the cushion; said assembly characterized by a compression plate having holes extending therethrough with said needles extending through said holes and a mounting mechanism for allowing movement of said compression plate relative to said needles to hold the cushion against the cover and the tool as said needles are extracted from the cushion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification