The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 11, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 25, 1996
Kenneth R Parrish, Detroit, MI (US);
Lear Corporation, Southfield, MI (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for bonding a cover (22) over the undulating surface of a foam cushion (10) includes placing the foam cushion (10) on a tool (18), piercing the cushion (10) with a plurality of needles (44), lifting the needles (44) to lift the cushion (10) as the cushion is frictionally retained on the needles (44), heating ambient air and ejecting the hot air from the needles (44) and into the cushion to elevate the temperature of the cushion. A compression plate (58) with holes (60) extending therethrough is disposed against the backside of the cushion (10) with the needles (44) extending through the holes (60). The needles (44) with the cushion (10) thereon are lowered to place the undulating surface of the cushion against an adhesive film (82) on the backside of the cover (22) so that heat is transferred from the cushion (10) to melt the adhesive. The needles (44) are extracted from the cushion (10) as the compression plate (58) is held against the backside of the cushion to hold the cushion (10) against the cover (22) and the tool (18) and immediately thereafter cool air is ejected from passages (68) in the compression plate (58) and into the cushion (10) to cure the adhesive and bond the cover (22) to the cushion (10).