Cushion with plural zones of foam

• US 8,141,957 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
• Inventors: McClure, Theodore R., Hawkins, Steven D., McClung, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allred, David E
• Application Number:
  US12/334,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20100148562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452.27, 574/0, 572/7, 565/3
• US Class Current: 297/452.27
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/148 of different resilience
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/15 consisting of two or more layers A47C27/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/282 with mesh-like supports, e.g. elastomeric membranes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A cushion assembly defining a thickness direction comprises at least one covering layer and a core layer. The core layer comprises a first member and a second member. The covering layer spans continuously across both the first and second members in a direction generally transverse to the thickness direction, and the first member is disposed adjacent a forward area of the cushion assembly. The second member is disposed adjacent a back surface of the first member. The second member has a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the first member, and the first member has a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the at least one covering layer.

Claims

1. A cushion assembly defining a thickness direction comprising:

a covering layer;

a core layer including a first member and a second member, the first member disposed adjacent a forward area of the cushion assembly, and the second member disposed rearward relative to the first member, the covering layer at least partially lying over each of the first member and the second member in the thickness direction and extending continuously between opposed transverse sides of the cushion assembly, the second member having an indentation force deflection characteristic between approximately 35 lb to 40 lb IFD defining a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the first member, and the first member having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the covering layer, a central area of the cushion assembly covered by the covering layer positioned directly above the second member, and the forward area of the cushion assembly covered by the covering layer positioned directly above the first member; and

the core layer further including a third member positioned rearward of the second member, a width of the third member selected such that a back cushion of a furniture member substantially covers the third member, the first member having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the third member and the third member having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the covering layer.

2. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the covering layer is spaced apart at a distance from the second member.

3. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the first member and the second member are each elongate with a longitudinal axis that extends in a width direction of the cushion assembly.

4. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first member and the second member has a generally rectangular cross section taken in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a width direction of the cushion assembly.

5. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first member, the second member, and the covering layer include a foam material.

6. The cushion assembly of claim 5, wherein the first member has an indentation force deflection characteristic between approximately 25 lb to 30 lb IFD.

7. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the covering layer spans continuously across each of the first, second, and third members in a direction generally transverse to the thickness direction.

8. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second members continuously extends between a first one of the transverse sides and a second one of the transverse sides of the cushion assembly, the first and second ones of the transverse sides extending generally transverse to the forward area of the cushion assembly.

9. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second members is elongate and rectangular, and has a substantially straight axis extending in a side-to-side direction.

10. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the covering layer includes at least one upper covering layer and at least one lower covering layer, and wherein the core layer is disposed between the at least one upper covering layer and the at least one lower covering layer.

11. The cushion assembly of claim 1, further comprising a jacket, the covering layer and the core layer being encapsulated within the jacket.