GB2259003A - Upholstery is performed by shaping material and sealing one or more edges thereof by welding - Google Patents

Abstract

An upholstered article is formed by securing a PVC coated fabric cover (12) around a foamed plastics support (11) by way of high frequency welding at adjacent edges (13, 14) of the cover thereby rendering the finished upholstered article substantially waterproof. If desired, an imitation button effect can be applied to the article also by way of high frequency welding. <IMAGE>

Description

A METHOD OF FORMING UPHOLSTERED ARTICLES This invention relates to a method of forming upholstered articles and in particular a method of forming upholstered cushions for use on garden furniture.

Conventional upholstered cushions for use with garden furniture are formed from textiles materials sewn together with a yarn thread.

The problem arises with such cushions that, since the cushions are produced by stitching, production times are relatively long and furthermore the finished cushions are not of a particularly waterproof nature, which is usually considered to be advantageous for goods intended for outdoor use. However, if conventional cushions are waterproofed it can increase production costs and time still further by an unacceptable amount.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of forming upholstered articles which will allow the faster production thereof and which will produce an article which is substantially waterproof.

Thus, and in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention therefore, there is provided a method of forming upholstered articles comprising forming a shaped body of material and sealing one or more edges of the body by welding.

With this method it is possible to produce upholstered articles in a fast and efficient manner, the finished articles being substantially waterproof.

Preferably the forming of a shaped body of material is effected automatically, however the forming may be effected manually if desired or as appropriate. The forming of a shaped body of material may be effected by covering a shaped support material with a cover and said covering of the support may be effected in such a way as to leave overlapping portions of said cover at at least one edge of said shaped body of material so formed.

Said support may comprise a foamed plastics material and said cover may comprise a PVC coated fabric or yarns, for example nylon or polyester yarns.

Preferably said sealing of one or more edges of the body is achieved by way of high frequency welding to form said upholstered article.

If desired, an imitation "button" effect can also be applied to said article by way of high frequency welding.

Thus, and in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention therefore, there is provided an upholstered article comprising a support, a cover covering said support, adjacent edges of said cover being sealed together by welding whereby said article is substantially completely waterproof.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of an article prior to sealing of the cover; Fig. 2 is a side view of the article with the cover sealed; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the article of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the figures, there is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 an upholstered cushion 10 constructed in accordance with the method of the present invention.

The cushion 10 is generally rectangular in shape and comprises a foam interior body 11 sealed within a cover 12 of a plastics or plastics coated material.

The cushion 10 is formed in the following manner.

Firstly, a single shaped piece of a material such as polyvinylchloride (PVC) coated fabric or yarns, for example nylon or polyester yarns, is cut from a source of such material (not shown). Of course, any suitable material can be used as appropriate or as desired.

To construct the form of cushion 10 shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the piece of material cut is of generally rectangular form having two generally straight ends 13, 14, linked by two generally straight side edges 16, 17.

The piece of material is placed around and over a body of foam 11 of generally rectangular form as shown in Fig. 1 so as to cover the body of foam 11. The piece of material and body of foam 11 are dimensioned such that when the material is placed around and over the body of foam 11 the ends 13, 14 of the material overlap at one end of the body of foam and each side edge 16, 17 of the material 12 overlaps with itself at each side of the body of foam, as shown in Fig. 2. The overlapped side edges 16, 17 and ends 13, 14 of the material are then sealed together by forming a seal 18 thereby using a high frequency welding machine thereby enclosing the body of foam 11 within the cover of material.

It will be appreciated, of course, that since the material used is a plastics or plastics coated material and the edges 16, 17 and ends 13, 14 of the material are permanently sealed, the finished cushion 10 is waterproof to a substantial degree.

If desired, during the welding process described above, welds which simulate the presence of buttons on the fabric can be made, as appropriate.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

Claims (11)

1. A method of forming upholstered articles comprising forming a shaped body of material and sealing one or more edges of the body by welding.

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein the forming of a shaped body of material is effected by covering a shaped support material with a cover.

3. A method according to Claim 2 wherein said covering of the support is effected in such a way as to leave overlapping portions of said cover at at least one edge of said shaped body of material so formed.

4. A method according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein said support comprises a foamed plastics material.

5. A method according to any one of Claims 2 to 4 wherein said cover comprises a PVC coated fabric.

6. A method according to any one of Claims 2 to 4 wherein said cover comprises a PVC coated yarn, for example nylon or polyester yarn.

7. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein said sealing of one or more edges of the body is achieved by way of high frequency welding to form said upholstered article.

8. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 further comprising the application of an imitation button effect to said article by way of high frequency welding.

9. An upholstered article comprising a support, a cover covering said support, adjacent edges of said cover being sealed together by welding whereby said article is substantially completely waterproof.

10. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. An upholstered article substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.