Blow mold and backfill manufacturing process

• US 7,922,944 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hsu, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson; Christina
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHIFFMAN, BENJAMIN A
• Application Number:
  US11/538,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20070166529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 264/46.7
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/001 Shaping in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/00 Shaping techniques involving a cutting or machining operation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/0036 Slitting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/009 after shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/0288 Controlling heating or curing of polymers during moulding, e.g. by measuring temperatures or properties of the polymer and regulating the process controlling or regulating chemical, physical or physico- chemical processes in general B01J19/0006
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/14 the preformed part being a lining B29C44/1209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/18 Filling preformed cavities B29C44/1204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/04 Extrusion blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/60 Blow-needles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3026 Arm-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/443 Chairs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/233 Foamed or expanded material encased
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24314 Slit or elongated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]

Abstract

A method for forming a foam product comprises forming a skin and inserting a bracket at least partially into the skin. Another method for manufacturing a foam product comprises sealing a tube of material in a cavity of a mold, blowing air into the tube of material to form a skin comprising an interior surrounded by a wall, cutting an incision in the skin wall, inserting a bracket through the incision and into the skin interior, filling the skin interior with foam, and curing the foam.

A foam product comprises a skin with an interior surrounded by a wall, a bracket within the skin interior, a foam substantially filling the skin interior and securing the bracket in place, a recessed region configured to mate with a mounting assembly on a chair, and an incision in the skin wall, the incision positioned outside of the recessed region.

Claims

1. A method for forming a foam product, the method comprising:

forming a skin comprising;

a unitary skin wall surrounding an interior;

a mounting area on an underside of the skin wall, the mounting area having a width and a length;

and a bracket insertion area on the underside of the skin wall, the bracket insertion area separate from the mounting area; and

inserting a bracket at least partially into the skin interior through the bracket insertion area;

wherein the mounting area is configured to receive a mounting assembly attached to an article of furniture;

wherein the underside of the skin wall has a width;

the bracket insertion area has a width;

the width of the mounting area is less than the width of the underside of the skin wall;

the width of the bracket insertion area is less than the width of the underside of the skin wall; and

the width of the bracket insertion area is greater than the width of the mounting area.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

filling the skin with foam.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

closing and sealing the bracket insertion area after inserting the bracket.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the bracket is wider than the width of the mounting area.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the foam product is asymmetrical along a longitudinal plane of the foam product.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein no material is removed from the skin to insert the bracket into the skin.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the skin is formed without using a liquid skin material.

8. A method for manufacturing a foam product, the method comprising:

sealing a tube of material in a cavity of a mold;

blowing air into the tube of material through an aperture to form a skin comprising an interior surrounded by a wall that conforms to the shape of the cavity;

cutting an incision forming a closeable slit in the skin wall;

inserting a bracket through the incision and into the skin interior;

filling the skin interior with foam through the aperture; and

curing the foam;

wherein the skin comprises a recessed region on an underside of the skin wall configured to mate with a mounting assembly, the recessed region having a length and a width; and

wherein the incision slit is located on the underside of the skin wall but is separate from the recessed region, the incision slit has a width, the underside of the skin wall has a width, and the incision is wider than the recessed region but less than the width of the underside of the skin wall.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

removing the skin from the mold and trimming excess material from the skin.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

sealing the incision closed.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the bracket is inserted without removing any material from the skin wall.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the bracket is wider than the width of the recessed region.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the skin further comprises:

a bracket insertion area on the underside of the skin wall and located outside of the recessed area; and

wherein the incision is located in the bracket insertion area.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the foam product is an asymmetrical along a longitudinal plane of the foam product.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the skin wall comprises an underside, a top, and sides, and wherein the incision slit allows skin distortion to form an opening for inserting the bracket upon application of pressure to the sides of the skin, with the opening closing upon release of pressure.

16. A method for forming a foam product, the method comprising:

blow molding a tube of polymeric material by blowing air through an aperture to form a skin comprising a skin wall surrounding an interior;

cutting an incision into an underside of the skin wall;

inserting a bracket at least partially into the skin interior through the incision without removing any material from the skin wall;

filling the skin interior with foam through the aperture; and

curing the foam;

wherein the skin comprises a recessed region in the underside of the skin wall configured to mate with a mounting assembly, the recessed region having a length and a width;

wherein a portion of the bracket is wider than the width of the recessed region;

wherein the incision is located entirely on the underside of the skin wall, has a width, and is separate from the recessed region;

wherein the skin wall underside has a width, and the incision is wider than the recessed region but less than the width of the underside of the skin wall; and

wherein the incision allows skin distortion to form an opening for inserting the bracket upon application of pressure, with the opening closing upon release of pressure.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising closing and sealing the incision shut before filling the skin interior with foam.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the bracket is entirely enclosed within the skin interior after sealing the incision shut.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising creating dimples in the skin wall corresponding to screw apertures in the bracket when the bracket is inserted into the skin interior.