Seating unit with formed cushion, and manufacturing method

• US 7,490,392 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2005
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Peterson, Gordon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Omgba; Essama
• Application Number:
  US11/296,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20070126276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 29/911, 29/91, 29/915, 29/917, 294/46, 294/47, 294/48, 294/50, 297/452.31, 297/452.32, 297/452.37, 297/452.48, 297/452.55, 297/452.58
• US Class Current: 29/91.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/185 with a stiff, rigid support
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/40 for the back
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/146 for making multilayered articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/18 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C43/206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/36 Moulds for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/3607 with sealing means or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/04 by folding, winding, bending or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0092 Producing upholstery articles, e.g. cushions, seats B29C63/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/06 containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3041 Trim panels
• CPC Class Codes: B68G 7/10 Finishing of edges
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/486 Cover stretching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 with prestressing of part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49865 by temperature differential [e.g., shrink fit]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4987 Elastic joining of parts

Abstract

A cushion subassembly includes a support, a cushion of non-woven polymeric (PET) or PETE fibers with a formed edge that wraps over an edge of the support, and an upholstery sock pulled onto and covering the support and the cushion. The formed edge has sufficient structure to retain the cushion in place on the support as the upholstery sock is pulled onto the support. A back support shell supports the cushion assembly, and has first fasteners that engage in a first direction and second fasteners that prevent disengagement. The cushion assembly is stressed during assembly, especially at corners, but is thermally stress-relieved after assembly to relax the polymeric fibers and the upholstery sock to a state of minimized balanced tension. The back support shell includes a shallow depression on its face. The cushion fills the depression sufficient to eliminate loose fabric but provides a same force deflection curve across its shape.

Claims

1. A method for stress-relieving upholstery comprising steps of:

providing a furniture unit including a support having corners;

providing a cushion of formable polymeric fibers and having formed edges;

positioning the cushion on a front of the support with the formed edges extending rearward of the corners of the support;

providing an upholstery cover shaped to cover the support and the cushion including the corners;

positioning the upholstery cover on the support and the cushion to cover the support and the cushion and to form an assembly; and

stress-relieving at least the corners of the assembly including the cushion and the upholstery cover to reduce distortions and objectionable wrinkles in the upholstery cover at the corners by applying hot gases to cause the polymeric fibers and also the upholstery cover to relax to a state of minimized balanced tension.

2. A method of constructing a seating unit comprising steps of:

providing a support panel with a concave front surface;

providing a cushion of non-woven polymeric fibers engaging the front surface, the cushion being formed to have a shape with a rear surface matching the concave front surface and a cushion front surface defining a concave recess;

assembling an upholstery sheet onto the support panel and the cushion, the upholstery sheet being tensioned across the concave recess to define a cavity; and

thermally treating the assembly of the support panel, the cushion and the upholstery sheet to cause at least some of the polymeric fibers of the cushion to take on a relaxed state that both fills the cavity at the concave recess and that also stress-relieves the cushion and the upholstery sheet at upper corners of the assembly to cause a state of minimized tension.

3. A method of upholstering a support member with edges, comprising steps of:

providing a cushion of formable polymeric fibers made from a flat blank but thermally reformed to have at least one formed edge;

mechanically attaching the at least one formed edge of the cushion onto an edge of the support member;

stress relieving and reforming the cushion by thermally treating at least the at least one formed edge with hot gases to rebond some of the polymeric fibers of the formed edge of the cushion while in the attached condition; and

placing an upholstery cover over the cushion, wherein the upholstery cover has a sock shape, and wherein the step of placing an upholstery cover over the cushion includes pulling the upholstery cover onto the cushion and support member prior to the step of stress-relieving.

4. The method defined in claim 3, wherein the blank has a uniform thickness, and the step of providing a cushion with thermally reformed blank includes forming the blank to have a non-uniform thickness, including forming the at least one formed edge.

5. The method defined in claim 4, wherein the step of forming the blank includes forming a perimeter of the blank to have multiple formed edges.

6. The method defined in claim 5, wherein the step of attaching the at least one edge of the cushion includes forming the at least one formed edge to a shape that engages front and rear surfaces of the edge of the support member without requiring deforming or wrapping of the formed edge onto the edge of the support member.