Method for forming a foamed product integral with trim cover assembly

• US 6,663,734 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Inventors: Takei, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Sam Chuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Musser, Barbara J
• Application Number:
  US09/994,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20030098113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 156/78, 156/79, 156/291, 156/292, 156/93, 156/297, 156/344, 156/247, 29/911, 29/915, 264/46.4, 264/46.5, 264/46.6, 264/45.4, 264/271.1, 264/279, 264/212, 264/239, 264/241, 264/261, 264/259, 264/328.1, 264/328.16
• US Class Current: 156/79
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/143 Means for positioning the lining in the mould in general B29C33/12
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0092 Producing upholstery articles, e.g. cushions, seats B29C63/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2711/08 Leather
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7017 characterised by the manufacturing process; manufacturing upholstery or upholstery springs not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1089 of discrete laminae to single face of additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1922 Vibrating delaminating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method

Abstract

Method for forming a foamed product integral with trim cover assembly, in which, at first, a foam padding piece and a surface cover piece are temporarily secured or bonded with each other, at the local points thereof, to thereby provide a temporarily secured cover section unit. A plurality of such cover section units are sewn together to form a three-dimensional body of the trim cover assembly. A liquid foaming material is injected and cured in the inside of the sewn trim cover assembly, and subsequent thereto, the temporarily secured local points of each surface cover piece are removed from the corresponding local points of each foam padding piece, whereby a foamed product integral with the trim cover assembly is obtained, with both surface cover pieces and foam padding pieces being stretched uniformly therein.

Claims

1. Method for forming a foamed product integral with trim cover assembly, comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of surface cover pieces in a predetermined shape, each having ends;

forming a plurality of foam padding pieces, each being generally equal in size to each of said plurality of surface cover pieces and having ends;

temporarily securing local points of each of said plurality of foam padding pieces to respective local points of each of said plurality of surface cover pieces via a securing means, thereby providing a temporarily secured cover section unit;

providing a plurality of said temporarily secured cover section units;

thereafter, sewing together end portions of said plurality of the temporarily secured cover section units, thereby forming said trim cover assembly in a three-dimensional shape;

injecting a liquid foaming material into inside of the thus-formed trim cover assembly;

curing and expanding said liquid foaming material so as to create a foam cushion member filled in the trim cover assembly; and

thereafter, removing said local points of each of said plurality of the cover surface pieces from the respective said local points of said each of said plurality of the foam padding pieces by overcoming a securing strength of said securing means;

whereby the foamed product integral with the trim cover assembly is formed, in which both said plurality of surface cover pieces and said plurality of foam padding pieces are stretched uniformly.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said each of said plurality of cover surface pieces is a piece of natural or artificial leather material.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said local points are defined adjacent to and along the end portions of each of said plurality of surface cover pieces and said plurality of foam padding pieces.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, which further includes the step of sewing peripheral ends of said temporarily secured cover section unit at a line distant from said local points, prior to said step of providing said plurality of said temporarily secured cover section units.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said securing means is an adhesive agent.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, which includes the step of bending the end portions of said plurality of cover section units at substantially a right angle with predetermined bending lines in a direction to a side where said plurality of foam padding pieces lie, prior to said step of sewing together end portions of said plurality of the temporarily secured cover section units.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said foamed product with the trim cover assembly is a headrest or an armrest.