DK167490B1 - PROCEDURE AND APPARATUS FOR CLOTHING AN OBJECTIVE OF AT LEAST ONE FLEXIBLE SUBJECT - Google Patents

Abstract

In a process for covering an object by means of at least one flexible piece, a fluidized bed of particles (8) is covered by a flexible cloth (10), the flexible covering piece (12) is placed above said cloth, the object (13, 14) is placed above said cloth, pressure is applied to said object, deforming the flexible sheet and immersing the object in the fluidized bed until a mating imprint is formed in the latter. The covering can be effected by gluing, in particular with a previously applied heat-activated adhesive in which case the fluidized bed is obtained by means of a current of hot air at a temperature above the activation temperature of the adhesive. The process is particularly suitable for assembling and mounting seat covers. Also described is a device for implementing the process.

Description

DK 167490 B1

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for covering an article by means of at least one flexible material. It is particularly applicable to the production of composite seats with a rigid support, an elastic 5 foam cushion and a fabric fabric cover.

When an article is to be covered with a flexible material which is to fit its contours, it is usually held by means of holding molds adapted to the object to be covered. This is e.g. in the case of the method of covering with a seat cover described in EP patent specification 0 223 312. The main disadvantage of the holding molds is that they are specifically adapted to an object of predetermined dimensions and shapes, and the manufacturer must therefore dispose of as many molds as there are 15 types of the items to be covered. Furthermore, methods of machine retention exist, but these usually require a long start-up time, are unsuitable for automation, and are useless when an article is to be fully lined, since there are no suitable zones where the object 20 can be gripped.

The present invention provides a novel method of covering an article and apparatus for practicing the method to alleviate the disadvantages of the known coating methods.

The method of the invention, which allows coating of an article with at least one flexible piece of material, includes: providing a fluid bed of particles covered with a flexible canvas, placing the flexible blank or material piece on top of the canvas covering the fluidized bed applying the article to the flexible material piece, applying a pressure to the article so that the canvas 35 and the flexible material piece are deformed and the article is pressed into the fluidized material until a recess is formed, the flexible material piece being formed. pressed against the shapes of the article and fitting exactly to them, and attaching the flexible piece of material to the article.

The attachment of the flexible material piece to the article can be carried out while maintaining the bed in a fluidized state and permanently applying the pressure to the article. It is also possible to stop the fluidization of the particles after the depression of the object in the fluidization bed (by interrupting the gas flow which produces it) and when the particles lie motionless against each other, interrupt the pressure effect on the object which is now in the depression which is formed in the bearing (which has now become 15 fixed). Optionally, after the fluidization has stopped, the bed may be subjected to suction in order to block the particles relative to each other.

If a series of identical objects is to be considered, the first procedure for each object may be repeated. It is also possible to cover the first article using the second embodiment of the method, and then pick up said first article while maintaining the bed in a solid state, and place each subsequent article with its flexible piece of material 25 in the recess which with the first article is formed in the fixed bed so that said flexible material piece can be attached to the article.

With the method according to the invention one can cover objects of any shape without having to produce a handling form by casting or machining for each type of object. This approach is particularly important when the garment is to be made on objects which can assume many different shapes or dimensions.

It is noted that the attachment of the flexible material piece according to EP patent application no. 0 223 312 can be carried out by means of a strap arranged around the piece of the flexible material and tightened at the end of the working operation to fold the edges of the item and tighten them around this.

This attachment can also be performed in many other ways such as by bonding to the back of the article, bonding, etc. Adhering the flexible material to the article's shapes can be combined with the method of the aforementioned patent (which allows the edges of the piece of material to be tightened behind the article) .

The invention also relates to a particular method of attachment which utilizes adhesive by means of a thermo-activatable glue which is activated by the fluidization gas stream which is heated to a temperature above the activation temperature of the glue.

The object to be covered may be formed of several parts to be assembled, in particular a rigid frame and a foam cushion, in the case of equipment for a seat. The method according to the invention with adhesive with thermo-activatable glue then makes it possible to carry out the coating and the joint with glue in a single working operation thanks to the hot fluidizing gas flow which ensures that the glue is activated.

The invention also relates to an apparatus for covering an article by means of at least one flexible blank or piece of material. The apparatus includes the following combination: an upwardly open recess provided at the bottom with a gas feeding system and a distributor disposed under a particle bed for fluidizing the bed, a flexible canvas fabric placed over the particle bed 30 and secured to the periphery of the recess deformed, a compression member positioned opposite the open side of the recess and arranged to be subjected to a relative movement away from and towards said recess, and means to produce displacement of the compression member relative to the recess.

DK 167490 B1 4

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a vertical axial section through an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention; FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the bed in the fluidized state; FIG. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 illustrate various stages 10 during the coating process, and FIGS. 8 shows a variation of the apparatus according to the invention.

The press illustrated in FIG. 1 is of the type shown in FIG. 8 and 9 of the aforementioned 15 EP patent specification 0 223 312. It is intended to provide assembly and coating of a seat. The press consists of the parts already mentioned in the aforementioned patent, namely a piston 1, a compression member consisting of a plate, an arm cross or a cross beam 2, a jack 3 carrying the compression member 2 so that it can be moved vertically, a plate 4 positioned opposite the compression member 2 and grippers 5 to produce a pull at the ends of a tensioning thread behind the padding. Reference is made to said patent specification for further details regarding the various parts and their function.

According to the invention, the plate 4 has a frame or a recess 6 in fixed connection with the plate. This open recess on the top of the plate 4 has at its lower part a fluidisation distributor 7 e.g. consisting of a micro-30 porous sheet of agglomerated wood. Above this distributor is a particle bed 8 consisting of a plurality of small glass balls. The distributor 7 can be flowed by fluidizing air which is passed through the plate 4 and the bottom of the recess from a feed line 9.

The glass beads have a granulometry of between 75 and 150 microns and a space weight of between 2.3 and 2.8 (in Example 2.5).

5 DK 167490 B1

The conduit 9 is connected to an air feeding system not shown, which is associated with flow heating means. In the example described, the air feeding system and distributor 7 are arranged to perform a distribution of air in the recess 5 at a linear velocity of between 1.5 Vmf and 6 Vmf (at the level of the recess cross section), where Vmf is the minimum fluidization rate of the glass balls ( in the example of the order of 0.9 m / s).

The heating means for the air may consist of an electrical resistance element of the order of 2 kilowatts, and the blower for extraction of the air may have an output of a magnitude of 1.5 m3 / mn at a relative pressure of 60 mb. The air flow can thus be heated to a temperature of the order of 80 ° to 100 ° C.

In FIG. 1, the particle bed is assumed to be at rest (in the absence of distribution air). Above the bed is a flexible piece of fabric 10 secured along the periphery of the recess. This piece of fabric is porous so that the air flow can pass through it while stopping the glass beads. The fabric piece may be a fine-mesh, woven synthetic material (or be formed by a combination of several air-permeable layers).

In the example shown, the fabric piece 10 is lined with a pad of highly flexible foam fabric which can adapt to the shape of an object pressed against the fabric. The foam fabric helps to smooth and smooth the edges of the cover.

FIG. 2 shows the bed of fluidized state when fluidizing air is supplied through conduit 9. The bed 30 is inflated and acts in the same manner as a waterbed (but compressible) having a median weight of the order of 1.5.

In the method according to the invention, first, a piece of woven fabric 12 intended for upholstery of the seat is placed on top of the bed (Fig. 3). This woven fabric is cut and cut into a suitable shape, and it can be provided at its edge 12a with a tensioning thread according to EP patent 6 DK 167490 B1 no. 0 223 312. The seat parts are then placed on the cover 12, e.g. a rigid support 13 and a foam pad 14 (Fig. 4). In advance, the facing sides of the woven fabric 12 and the foam pad 14 and of the foam pad 5 14 and the rigid plate 13 have been applied glue. A thermo-activatable glue is used which becomes adhesive upon heating to approx. 65 ° C. Specifically, the adhesive may be an "Chimipréne C-GEX" polyurethane based adhesive.

Then, the crossbeams or arm crossings 2 as compression means are moved vertically downwards and push the article down into the fluidized bed, as shown in Example 5. The immersion occurs to such a depth that the cover 12 is brought to fully adapt to the shape of the foam pad 14 and to to compress this slightly in a very uniform way. In this position, the parts are stably positioned.

The resistance heater is started and hot air at a temperature of 80-85 ° c activates the glue. Heating for 15 to 30 seconds provokes this reactivation of the glue.

During this period, the ends of the drawstring cord running along the edge 12a of the woven cover 12 are subjected to a tensile effect and fixed so that the cover 12 is folded and retained on the back of the seat portions (Fig. 6).

The finished object is lifted by the pressing member 2 moving upwards, and possibly. another object of 25 different shape and dimensions can then be processed immediately.

It should be noted that the airflow may be interrupted before the finished article is lifted, in which case the bed (which has become fixed) retains the shape of the article, as shown in FIG. 7. In this method, if desired, identical objects (in the absence of distribution air) can be placed in the recess formed by a first object.

FIG. Figure 8 shows a variation in the form of an apparatus which allows the balls to be completely blocked relative to one another, so that deformations of the recess are avoided by the method mentioned above. In this case, the flexible garment 7 DK 167490 B1 10 'is sealed and the recess is for evacuating distributed gas provided with a device 15 with a closing tap 16, so that the device allows air to escape in the phases where the air is distributed ( 5 more outflow lines are arranged around the recess to maintain a symmetrical outflow).

The access line to the recess can, by a damper 17, branch into a conduit for the air supply system 18 and to a suction device 19. After disconnecting the connection to the air-10 supply system 18, the tap 16 and the damper 17 are switched so that the recess is connected to the suction device. that has started. The bed of particles is thus subjected to a suction which blocks the particles relative to each other and allows a better impression of the first object 15 to be obtained and to keep this impression stable.

Claims (13)

A method of coating an article using at least one flexible blank, characterized in that it comprises: producing a fluidized bed of particles (8) covered with a flexible piece of fabric (10), applying the flexible blank ( 12) on top of the flexible piece of fabric covering the fluidized bed, placing the article (13, 14) on the flexible article, applying pressure to the article so that the flexible piece of fabric and the flexible article are deformed, and thus the article being pressed into the fluidized bed to form a recess, the flexible blank attaching to and adapting to the shape of the article, and attaching the flexible blank to the article. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the bed is maintained in a fluidized state by permanently applying the pressure to the article while the flexible blank is attached to the article. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the fluidisation after the article is pressed into the fluidized bed is stopped and the application of the pressure to the article is discontinued after the particles have become motionless relative to each other, where the article is held. in the formed recess in the bed while the flexible workpiece is attached to the object. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that, after the cessation of fluidization, the bed is subjected to suction in order to block the particles relative to each other. A method of covering a series of identical articles one after the other, wherein the first article is lined by the method of claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said first article is then lifted while maintaining the solid state of the bed, and each 9 DK 167490 B1, the following article and its flexible workpiece or cover are placed in the recess formed by the first workpiece in the bed for fastening the flexible workpiece to the workpiece. Method according to one of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that glue is applied to at least one of the opposite sides of the flexible workpiece and article, so that the fastening is done by gluing after it flexible item is loaded against the 10 item. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the flexible workpiece (12) and / or the object (13, 14) is pre-lubricated or impregnated with a thermo-activatable adhesive, the fluidized bed being provided by a flow of hot air, which is distributed at the bottom of the bed at a temperature greater than the activation temperature of the adhesive and the article is left in place until the flexible workpiece is adhered to it. The method of claim 7, wherein the article is a seat structure with a rigid support (13) and a foam pad (14), wherein the method 25 and the pad are assembled and covered by a flexible blank (12), ke n designated by the following step: applying thermo-activatable adhesive to at least one of the facing surfaces of the support (13) and foam pad (14), applying thermo-activatable adhesive to at least one of the facing surfaces of the flexible workpiece (12) and the foam pad (14), placing the flexible blank (12) on top of the flexible piece of fabric covering the fluidized bed, and then placing the foam pad (14) in contact with the flexible blank (12) and the support. (13) in contact 10 DK 167490 B1 with the foam pad (14), applying a pressure to the support (13) such that the assembled parts are pressed into the fluid bed during light compression of the foam pad (14), and 5 withdrawal of the total object after the glue is activated. 8 DK 167490 B1 PATENT REQUIREMENT Apparatus for covering an article, characterized by the following combination: an upwardly open recess or cavity (6), said bottom cavity being provided with a gas feeding system (9) and a distributor (7) over which is provided a bed of particles (8) for fluidizing the bed, a flexible piece of fabric (10) disposed above the particle bed (8) and fixed so along the periphery of the cavity 15 that it can be deformed, a compression member (2) disposed over for the open side of the recess (6) and arranged to be able to perform relative movement towards or away from said recess, and 20 means for displacing the compression member relative to the recess. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the particle bed (8) is a bed of balls having a granulometry between 75 and 150 microns and a space weight of between 2.3 and 2.8, that the gas feeding system (9) and the distributor (7) is adapted to induce gas distribution in the well at a linear velocity of between 1.5 Vmf and 6 Vmf, where Vmf is the minimum fluidization rate of the balls. Apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the flexible piece of fabric (10) over the particle bed (8) is a porous garment which permits air flow but stops the balls. Apparatus according to claim 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that it has means for heating the air flow. Apparatus according to claim 9, 10 or 12, characterized in that the flexible piece of fabric (10 ') is sealed and that means (15) exist for dispensing distribution gas and a suction device connected to the depression. (19), with which the particle bed can be subjected to suction.