Sofa and method of manufacturing same

• US 7,040,700 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2003
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Leather Operations LLC (American Leather Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Leather, Inc.
• Inventors: Nguyen, Kevin, Gasal, Doug, Panceri, Henry, Duncan, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US10/726,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20050017553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 297/218.1, 2972182-2185, 297/228.13, 297/226, 297/225, 297/228, 297/440.11, 297/229, 540/2, 540/3, 540/9
• US Class Current: 297/218.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/02 Upholstery attaching means quilting, quilting means, fastening, fixing or finishing upholstery B68G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/54 Supports for the arms

Abstract

A backrest and deck subassembly for a sofa includes: a frame having a generally horizontal deck section, the deck section including a top portion and an underlying bottom portion, the frame also having a generally upright backrest section attached to and extending upwardly from the deck section; and an integrated upholstery piece that covers the deck and backrest portions of the frame and underlies the bottom section of the deck portion. The integrated upholstery piece can reduce manufacturing time by eliminating the need to separately attach the upholstery and dust cover. In some embodiments, the upholstery piece includes a zipper that can markedly facilitate enclosing of the frame within the upholstery piece.

Claims

1. A backrest and deck subassembly for a sofa, comprising:

a frame having a generally horizontal deck section, the deck section including a top portion and an underlying bottom portion, the frame also having a generally upright backrest section attached to and extending upwardly from the deck section; and

an integrated upholstery piece that covers the deck and backrest sections of the frame and underlies the bottom portion of the deck section;

wherein the upholstery piece includes a front panel portion and a dust cover portion, and wherein the dust cover portion underlies the deck section and is formed of a different material than the front panel portion.

2. The backrest and deck subassembly defined in claim 1, wherein the upholstery piece includes a zipper.

3. The backrest and deck subassembly defined in claim 2, wherein the zipper is positioned along a side panel.

4. The backrest and deck subassembly defined in claim 2, wherein the upholstery piece includes lateral panels that overlie lateral surfaces of the frame, and wherein the lateral panels include windows that permit access to recesses in the lateral surfaces.

5. The backrest and deck subassembly defined in claim 1, wherein the upholstery piece includes a backrest/deck portion that is formed of leather.

6. The backrest and deck subassembly defined in claim 1, wherein the upholstery piece is attached to the frame without staples.

7. The backrest and deck subassembly defined in claim 1, wherein the upholstery piece further includes a deck panel.

8. The backrest and deck subassembly defined in claim 7, wherein the deck panel includes laterally-extending pockets configured to receive elongate slats.

9. The backrest and deck subassembly defined in claim 8, wherein the deck top section includes laterally-extending slots, and wherein the elongate slats are received in the slots.

10. A backrest and deck subassembly for a sofa, comprising:

a frame having a generally horizontal deck section, the deck section including a top portion, the frame also having a generally upright backrest section attached to and extending upwardly from the deck section, the deck section top portion having front and rear laterally-extending slots;

a fabric deck panel; and

a pair of slats attached to the deck panel, the slats being received in the front and rear slots of the deck section top portion;

further comprising an upholstery piece that covers the backrest and deck sections of the frame, and wherein the deck panel is attached to the upholstery piece.

11. The backrest and deck subassembly defined in claim 10, wherein the slats are separated from each other and the slots are spaced apart from each other such that the deck panel is taut when the slats are inserted into the slots.

12. The backrest and deck subassembly defined in claim 10, wherein the deck panel includes laterally-extending pockets, and wherein each slat is received in a respective pocket of the deck panel.

13. The backrest and deck subassembly defined in claim 10, wherein the front and rear slots are formed in the top portion of the deck section such that their upper ends flare away from one another.

14. A backrest and deck subassembly for a sofa, comprising:

a frame having a generally horizontal deck section, the deck section including a top portion and an underlying bottom portion, the frame also having a generally upright backrest section attached to and extending upwardly from the deck section; and

an integrated upholstery piece that covers the deck and backrest sections of the frame and underlies the bottom portion of the deck section;

wherein the upholstery piece includes a front panel portion and a dust cover portion, and wherein the dust cover portion underlies the deck section and is formed of a different material than the front panel portion; and

wherein the upholstery piece includes lateral panels that overlie lateral surfaces of the frame, and wherein the lateral panels include windows that permit access to recesses in the lateral surfaces.