Lear Seating Corporation

Magna Lomason, Inc.

William F Klems

Donald F Marfilius

Iftikhar Kamil

A method and apparatus is disclosed whereby an assist fixture is provided to clamp about a seat assembly, whereupon both are immersed in a bed apparatus and into a pressed relation against a cushion of hot air. The seat assembly includes a preformed flexible pad having an appearance surface and a cover adapted to be adhesively bonded to the pad during the immersion. The assist fixture includes tubular members which press the cover into preformed indentations in the appearance face of the pad to assist in enhancing surface definition, the tubular members can be adapted to pass hot or cold air depending on the stage of the process.

Method for bonding a cover to a flexible pad

An apparatus (10, 10', 10'') for adhesively bonding a fabric layer (16) to a cellular foam pad (18) using a heat-sensitive adhesive (14) to produce a seat cushion assembly (12). The apparatus (10, 10', 10'') includes a microwave radiation source (22, 22', 22'') for emitting microwaves to selectively heat the adhesive (14) above its melting temperature to adhesively bond the fabric layer (16) to the foam pad (18). A method is also provided for fabricating a cushion assembly (12) in accordance with the subject invention.

Microwave bonding of foam to fabric using water as a susceptor

A locator strip (10) accurately positions upholstering fabric (12) upon a seat cushion (16) in the manufacture of seats. The locator strip (10) includes an array of U-shaped pockets (30) along one edge which are separated by finger-like projections (32). A thin filament (40) is fixedly attached to the distal ends (34) of the projections (32) and is formed with notches (39) or cuts (39') between the projections (32). The locator strip (10) is sewn between the edges (18,20) of two fabrics (12,14) with thread (36) stitches passing through the pockets (30) and around the projections (32). The locator strip (10) functions to guide the edges (18,20) of the two fabric covers (12,14) into an elongated slot (22) in the cushion (16). After the fabric covers (12,14) have been bonded to the cushion (16), the locator strip (10) is pulled against the stitches and the thin filament (40) yields at the notches (39) or cuts (39') and bends around the stitches so that the entire locator strip (10) is removed from the two covers (12,14) and the cushion (16) in one piece.

Growing community of inventors

Troy, MI, United States of America

William F Klems