Method of manufacturing cushion construction for seating unit

• US 6,880,215 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Peterson, Gordon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Omgba, Essama
• Application Number:
  US10/136,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20020125759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 29/911, 294/48, 297/180.1, 297/180.11, 297/180.13, 297/180.14, 297/452.31, 297/452.32, 297/452.33, 297/452.42, 297/452.43, 297/452.3, 297/452.46, 297/452.47, 297/452.48, 297/452.55, 297/452.56
• US Class Current: 29/91.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/023 connecting upholstery to frames, e.g. by hooks, clips, snap fasteners, clamping means or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/24 Upholstered seats A47C7/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/46 with special, e.g. adjustable , lumbar region support profile; "Ackerblom" profile chairs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49867 of skin on frame member

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a seating unit, such as a chair, includes manufacturing a cushion made from a non-woven fibrous material, and attaching the cushion to the seating unit for comfortable support. The cushion is made by cutting a blank from non-woven fibrous sheet material, steam-forming the blank into a pre-formed cushion shaped to support a user, and attaching a stiffener panel to the pre-formed cushion to provide a stiffened cushion assembly. The cushion assembly is aesthetically covered and assembled to seating unit. Advantageously, trimmings from the fibrous material can be recycled.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

cutting a blank from a sheet of non-woven fibrous material;

forming the blank into a pre-formed cushion shaped as a back for a seating unit;

attaching a cushion stiffener to the cushion to provide additional structure to the cushion;

providing a back support panel having a stiff thoracic section and a flexible lumbar section, and the cushion stiffener having a vertical length not substantially greater than the thoracic section so that the lumbar section maintains a flexibility; and

attaching the cushion stiffener to the support panel to define a back support assembly by engaging first mechanical connectors on the cushion stiffener with second mechanical connectors on the support panel, with the cushion stiffener extending across a substantial portion of the thoracic section, such that the cushion stiffener does not substantially increase the stiffness of the back support assembly in the region of the flexible lumbar section of the support panel.

2. The method defined in claim 1, including covering the cushion with a cover assembly that forms a sock around the cushion.

3. The method defined in claim 2, including covering the cushion with fabric material and:

providing a high-stretch material along a lower portion of the cushion;

stretching the high-stretch material across the lumbar section of the support panel;

attaching the high-stretch material to the support panel.

4. The method defined in claim 2, wherein the support panel is shaped to support a seated user'"'"'s back, and including steps of providing a chair with a back frame and attaching the support panel to the back frame.

5. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the fibrous material includes PET material.

6. The method defined in claim 1, wherein:

the cushion stiffener includes an enlarged, generally rectangular opening therethrough.

7. A method comprising the steps of:

cutting a blank from a sheet of non-woven fibrous material;

forming the blank into a pre-formed cushion shaped as a back for a seating unit;

covering the cushion with a cover assembly that forms a sock around the cushion;

providing a back support panel having a stiff thoracic upper section, and a lower lumbar section having a plurality of elongated horizontal slots therein providing flexibility in the lumbar section, the support panel having a pivot connector at a lower portion to pivotably connect the back support panel to a seating unit; and

attaching a subassembly of the cushion and the cover assembly to the support panel, with both the support panel and the subassembly permitting air flow therethrough.

8. The method defined in claim 7, wherein the cover assembly includes a fabric panel of stretch material, and including stretching the fabric panel when attaching the cover assembly over and onto the cushion.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the support panel is shaped to support a seated user'"'"'s back, and including steps of providing a chair with a back frame and attaching the support panel to the back frame.

10. A method of manufacturing a seating unit comprising the steps of:

providing a seat support that is air permeable and adapted to be supported by a base;

providing a back upright adapted to be operably supported by one of the base and the seat support for movement between an upright position and an angled position;

attaching a back support to the back upright, the back support being air permeable and defining a stiff upper thoracic section and a flexible lower lumbar section;

assembling a cushion assembly including providing a non-woven fibrous mat of cushioning material that is air-permeable, and attaching a stiffener panel to the cushion material; and

positioning the cushion assembly on the back support and wherein the stiffener panel does not substantially stiffen the back assembly in the region of the lower lumbar section.

11. The method defined in claim 10, including pre-forming the cushion material to include a feature line formed into the cushion material.

12. The method defined in claim 10, wherein the step of pre-forming the cushion material includes forming depressions in the cushion material, but with the cushion material maintaining a predetermined uniform density and an absence of flash lines or parting lines.

13. The method defined in claim 10, wherein:

the stiffener panel includes an enlarged, generally rectangular opening therethrough.

14. A method of manufacturing a seating unit comprising the steps of:

providing a non-woven fibrous mat of cushioning material that is air-permeable;

trimming the fibrous mater to a predetermined shape;

pre-forming the fibrous mat by using a heating process;

attaching a stiffener panel to the cushion material to form a cushion assembly;

positioning the cushion assembly on a back support having a flexible lower lumbar portion on a seating unit for comfortably supporting a seated user; and

attaching the cushion assembly to the support by releasably engaging hooks on the stiffener panel with apertures in the support, wherein the stiffener comprises a panel that extends over an upper portion of the back support, and defines a generally horizontal lower edge above the lumbar portion of the back support.

15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein the step of pre-forming include heating the fibrous mat in a manner not causing a parting line on the pre-formed fibrous mat.

16. A method comprising the steps of:

cutting a blank from a sheet of non-woven fibrous material;

forming the blank into a pre-formed cushion shaped as a back or seat on a seating unit;

attaching a cushion stiffener to the cushion to provide additional structure to the cushion;

providing a support panel and attaching the cushion stiffener to the support panel by engaging first mechanical connectors on the cushion stiffener with second mechanical connectors on the support panel;

covering the cushion with a cover assembly that forms a sock around the cushion, the cover assembly including stretchable material extending along a lower portion of the cover assembly, and a stiffening flange attached to a lower edge of the stretchable material, and wherein;

the cover assembly is attached to the support panel by connecting the stiffening flange to the support panel.

17. The method defined in claim 16, wherein the first back panel is stretchable material the support panel includes a horizontally elongated recess that opens generally downwardly, and:

connecting the stiffening flange to the support panel includes inserting the stiffening flange in the elongated recess such that tension in the stretchable material retains the stiffening flange in the recess.