Lear Corporation

Lisa Swikoski

Joshua Hallock

David J Abdella

Michelle A Pereny

Samuel Blair

Curtis Hudson

Sam Blair

Eric Repke

Mark Karges

Kevin M Geisler

Haifeng Liu

Ibrahim Valenzuela

Jeanene F Munroe

Jaiviknesh Kandasamy

James Gerry Williams

Christopher D Johnson

Cushions, methods, and manufacturing systems for making the same are disclosed. The cushions may be foamless such as being made from a body of entangled and/or intertwined polymeric strands. The manufacturing systems may include a die such as die bars having a plurality of orifices that cooperate with a plurality of receptacles and actuators for discharging a plurality of fasteners from the receptacles, through the die into the cushions. In a refinement, the die may be heated such that a skinned over membrane is created in the cushion to retain the plurality of fasteners. A trim cover may cooperate with the plurality of fasteners such that it is attached to the cushion.

Automated trench manufacturing and assembly for attaching trim covers to a cushion assembly

A method of manufacturing a product, dispenses, through a tool with an aperture sized to match an overall perimeter of a product, a molten thermoplastic resin. The tool generates a plurality of strands through the tool aperture while maintaining the plurality of strands within the overall perimeter of the product. The strands are buckled by resisting a flow of the plurality of strands. The buckled strands intersect as a unitary non-woven body in a shape of the overall perimeter of the product.

Tool to manufacture a cushion

A method is provided with a stranded mesh material blank inserted into a cavity of a tool assembly shaped to form a cushion member. Fluid is circulated above a first temperature threshold through a series of apertures defined in a forming surface of the tool assembly and into the cavity thereby softening the blank and conforming a shape of the blank to the forming surface. Fluid is circulated below a second temperature threshold through the series of apertures in the forming surface and into the cavity thereby setting the shape of the blank to the forming surface and forming a cushion member. A cushion for a seat assembly is provided by a stranded mesh material member. A system is provided with a first tool, a second tool, and one or more inlet manifolds.

Seat assembly, cushion, and tool and method of forming

An assembly is provided with a funnel having one or more side walls extending from an entrance to an outlet, and a liner having one or more elastic panels, with the liner extending over an inner surface of the one or more side walls. A system is provided with the assembly, a die, a fluid bath, and at least one hose to direct fluid from the fluid bath onto the liner of the assembly. A method includes covering an inner surface of a funnel with a liner comprising one or more elastic panels, wetting the liner, and forming a stranded mesh material member by extruding material from a die and through the funnel. A stranded mesh material member is provided and formed using the method.

Method and apparatus for producing a vehicle interior component

A seat assembly has a seating cushion defining a first surface to support an occupant and a second surface opposite to the first surface, with the first surface further defining a trench. A fastener has a longitudinal body with a central region positioned between a first end region and a second end region, and a base extending outwardly from the second end region and transversely to the body. The first end region tapers in a direction away from the second end region, and the central region of the body defines a recess intersecting a side wall of the body and angled inwardly and towards the first end region to form a hook. The fastener extends through the seating cushion with the base abutting the second surface, and the first end region of the body extending into the trench.

Seat assembly

A retention clip, a seat assembly having a retention clip, and a method of assembly. The retention clip has a spiral anchor and at least one retention feature. The spiral anchor is configured to be screwed into a cushion. The retention feature extends away from the spiral anchor and is configured to secure a seat component to the retention clip.

Retention clip for a seat assembly and method of assembly

Clip for cushion

Growing community of inventors

West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Lisa Swikoski