Cushion body of seat cushion and method of manufacturing the cushion body

• US 7,056,457 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2003
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yasumasa Senoo
• Original Assignee: Yasumasa Senoo
• Inventors: Senoo, Yasumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuhns, Allan R.
• Application Number:
  US10/471,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20040090106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 264/46.4, 264/46.7, 264/102, 264/271.1, 425/812
• US Class Current: 264/46.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/18 having foamed material included in cushioning part foamed material mattresses A47C27/14
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1209 by impregnating a preformed part, e.g. a porous lining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/588 with means for venting, e.g. releasing foaming gas
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/68 Seat frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7017 characterised by the manufacturing process; manufacturing upholstery or upholstery springs not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0647 Seats characterised by special upholstery or cushioning features
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 425/812 Venting

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide a cushion body of a seat cushion that can be easily reinforced in low cost, to provide a method for manufacturing such a cushion body and to provide an apparatus for manufacturing such a cushion body. A cushion body 10 of a seat cushion has a main part and a side part generally corresponding to a main part and a side part of the seat cushion. The cushion body 10 comprises a foamed body 11 formed in a shape generally corresponding to an outline of the cushion body 10, an air-permeable material 12 fixed to the cushion body 10 and an impregnation layer 13 that serves to reinforce a portion of the cushion body 10 where the air-permeable material 12 is fixed to the foamed body 11. The foamed body his made of cold urethane foam. The thickness of the impregnation layer 13 has a thickness that can provide a predetermined strength to reinforce a portion of the cushion body 10 where the air-permeable material 12 is fixed to the foamed body 11.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a cushion body using a foaming apparatus,

said cushion body having a main part and a side part generally corresponding to a main part and a side part of a seat cushion,

said cushion body comprising:

a foamed body made of cold urethane foam, a shape of said foamed body being generally corresponding to an outline of said cushion body;

an air permeable material fixed to said foamed body; and

an impregnation layer that is a layer formed in an overlapped portion of said foamed body and said air-permeable material, said air-permeable material being fixed to said foamed body by this layer, the thickness of said impregnation layer being thinner than that of said air-permeable material so that a surface layer of a portion of said cushion body where said air-permeable material is fixed to said foamed body is formed of a non-impregnation part outside of said air-permeable material adjacent to said impregnation layer, the thickness of said impregnation layer having a thickness that can at least provide a predetermined strength of reinforcement to the portion of said cushion body where said air-permeable material is fixed to said foamed body, so that the portion of said cushion body where said air-permeable material is fixed to said foamed body is reinforced,

said foaming apparatus comprising a molding device, said molding device comprising;

an upper mold having an inside corresponding to a back part of said cushion body; and

a lower mold having an inside corresponding to said main part and said side part of said cushion body, wherein an inner space corresponding to an outline of said cushion body is formed inside said molding device, when said molding device is clamped,

said upper mold having means for exhausting comprising a valve and a vent hole connected to the exterior through said valve, said method comprising the steps of,

positioning said air-permeable material inside said molding device such that said vent hole is covered with said air-permeable material;

opening said valve, and damping said molding device after injecting an undiluted solution of cold urethane foam inside said molding device, said undiluted solution being expanded; and

closing said valve at the time elapsed for a predetermined time period after the undiluted solution is completely injected inside said molding device, wherein the undiluted solution of cold urethane foam is expanding at said time so that said foamed body is formed and a predetermined thickness of said impregnation layer is formed to fix said air-permeable material to said foamed body, said time being between the time when the undiluted solution of cold urethane foam is completely injected inside said molding device and the time when the expansion rate of the undiluted solution of cold urethane foam is maximum.

2. A method for manufacturing a cushion body using a foaming apparatus,

said cushion body having a main part and a side part generally corresponding to a main part and a side part of a seat cushion,

said cushion body comprising:

a foamed body made of cold urethane foam, a shape of said foamed body being generally corresponding to an outline of said cushion body;

an air-permeable material fixed to said foamed body; and

an impregnation layer that is a layer formed in an overlapped portion of said foamed body and said air-permeable material, said air-permeable material being fixed to said foamed body by this layer, the thickness of said impregnation layer being thinner than that of said air-permeable material so that a surface layer of a portion of said cushion body where said air-permeable material is fixed to said foamed body is formed of a non-impregnation part outside of said air-permeable material adjacent to said impregnation layer, the thickness of said impregnation layer having a thickness that can at least provide a predetermined strength of reinforcement to the portion of said cushion body where said air-permeable material is fixed to said foamed body, so that the portion of said cushion body where said air-permeable material is fixed to said foamed body is reinforced,

said foaming apparatus comprising a molding device,

said molding device comprising;

an upper mold having an inside corresponding to a back part of said cushion body; and

a lower mold having an inside corresponding to said main part and said side part of said cushion body, wherein an inner space corresponding to an outline of said cushion body is formed inside said molding device, when said molding device is clamped,

said upper mold having means for exhausting comprising a piston cylinder and a vent hole connected to said piston cylinder, wherein the pressure inside said molding device is reduced, when said piston cylinder is operated,

said method comprising the steps of;

positioning said air-permeable material inside said molding device of said apparatus such that said vent hole is covered with said air-permeable material;

operating said piston cylinder, and damping said molding device after injecting an undiluted solution of cold urethane foam inside said molding device, said undiluted solution being expanded; and

stopping the operation of said piston cylinder at the time elapsed for a predetermined time period after the undiluted solution is completely injected inside said molding device, wherein the undiluted solution of cold urethane foam is expanding at said time so that said foamed body is formed and a predetermined thickness of said impregnation layer is formed to fix said air-permeable material to said foamed body, said time being between the time when the undiluted solution of cold urethane foam is completely injected inside said molding device and the time when the expansion rate of the undiluted solution of cold urethane foam is maximum.