MXPA96000203A - Method of joining a seat adhesive cover to a foam cushion using an aceler adhesive activator - Google Patents

Abstract

The method of manufacturing a cushion assembly (10) uses an ornament layer (12) and cushion pad (14) with an adhesive (16) therebetween. The adhesive (16) is a hot melt adhesive applied to the contoured surface of the cushion pad (14) and reheated in the cushion pad (14) before use in the process of the present invention. An adhesive activator (30) is applied to the ornament layer (12), which had previously been placed in a mold (22). The cushion pad (14) and the trim layer (12) are pressed against each other with the adhesive (16) and the activator (30) in between to join the cushion pad (14) and the trim layer (1).

Description

METHOD OF JOINING A SEAT ADHESIVE COVER TO A FOAM CUSHION USING AN ACCELERATED ADHESIVE ACTIVATOR.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the fastening of an ornamental layer, in general fabric or other upholstery material, to a foam pad, and in particular of the type used for seat and back cushions in automobile seats. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 10 Various methods are used to attach and attach a decorative layer to a foam pad. A method developed by the assignee of the present invention is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,692,199 issued September 8, 1987 in the name of Kozlowski et al. The patent describes a method of fastening a fabric to a foam pad that includes putting the fabric on top of a porous contoured mold, put a film of air-tight adhesive on top of the fabric layer, apply vacuum to the mold to draw the adhesive film against the fabric layer to adjust the fabric layer to the contours of the surface of the fabric. ^ w mold and remove wrinkles, put a contour foam pad similar in coupling coupling with the adhesive film when it is held by vacuum, compress the foam pad against the mold with a perforated top roller, and apply steam through the mold to heat and diffuse the adhesive film to the fabric layer and the cellular foam pad to securely bond the two together with adhesive. This procedure is very suitable for most materials. However, the heating of the mold and the rollers can damage some types of «tft- layers of the upholstery, that is, leather, making them undesirable. U.S. Patent No. 4,925,513 issued May 15, 1990 in the name of Witzke et al. Describes a method for manufacturing contoured seats that includes applying a layer of heat-activated adhesive to the upholstery, spraying an adhesive onto the foam cushion. , and compress the foam cushion against the upholstery and against the thermoactivated adhesive layer. The final step is to apply heat to the heat-activated adhesive layer to melt the adhesive and bond the upholstery and foam cushion. In any of these methods it is necessary to reduce the processing time for Attach the appliqué layer to the foam pad, and eliminate the use of heat when using leather upholstery. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES The invention includes a method of manufacturing a cushion assembly that includes the steps of: applying a layer of liquid hot melt adhesive to a cushion of foam, the method being characterized by applying a spray of adhesive activator to a decorative layer, and compressing the foam pad against the decorative layer with ¿The hot melt adhesive adjacent to the adhesive activator for bonding the foam layer to the decorative layer. The advantages include the ability to use leather as an ornament layer without damaging the leather by the direct application of heat. In addition, the activator decreases the processing time for attaching the decorative layer to the foam pad. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as it is better understood with reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus of the preferred embodiment used in the method according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the mist activator applied to the ornament layer in a mold. And Figure 3 is a schematic view of the foam pad placed on top of the trim layer and in compression with it. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention is directed to the method of manufacturing a cushion assembly 10 with a trim layer 12 and a foam or cushion pad 14. In general, the resulting cushion assembly is used for vehicle seats, as is commonly known in the art. However, such a method can be applied to other types of seating devices or similar sets. The method or method of manufacturing the cushion assembly 10 includes the steps specific to apply a layer of liquid hot melt adhesive 16 to the contoured side of the foam pad 14. Such adhesive 16 may be partially or completely hardened in the foam pad 14 before being used in the WL procedure of the present invention. However, before processing, and preferably within two hours of the original application of the liquid adhesive of hot melt 16 to the foam pad 14, the hot melt adhesive 16 is reheated to soften or liquefy it on the foam pad 14. At the same time, the garment layer 12 is put with its finished side down against a mold surface 20 of a porous mold 22. The porous mold 22 includes a plurality of openings 24 for allowing air to pass through. Vacuum 26 is applied to the back side 28 of the mold 22 to suck vacuum through the mold 22 to the mold surface 20 to suck the embossing layer 12 against the mold surface 20. The vacuum 26 sucks the embossing layer 12 against the mold surface 20 in contour complementary with it. Then, an adhesive activator mist 30 is applied by spraying to the trim layer 12 on the mold 22. Then, the foam pad 14 with the heated hot melt adhesive 16 is placed on top of the trim layer 12 with the hot melt adhesive 16 adjacent to the adhesive activator 30. An upper roller 32 is passed against the foam pad 14 to compress the foam pad 14 against the trim layer 12 in the mold 22. In general, the compression is extends for at least eight minutes; after this time the cushion assembly 10 can be removed with the decorative layer 12 attached to the foam pad 14. Said compression time can be decreased or increased when necessary. More specifically, the adhesive 16 can be of the hot melt type, such as that of National Starch and Chemical, number 34-9001, which has an application temperature of 118.3 ° C +/- 2.77 ° C ( 245 ° F +/- 5 ° F) and a mass of 0.35 +/- 0.05 g / 5.08 cm (2 inches). The activator 30 is generally composed of 1/3 water, 1/3 H2O2 concentrated to 3%, 1/3 2- parts of propanol per volume. The unit for applying the hot melt adhesive can be provided by Hot Melt Technologies, Inc., Unit PF-305-15 MC. To reheat the hot melt adhesive 16, the foam pad 14, with the hardened adhesive 16 on top, can be put in an oven to reheat the glue line to 121, 1 ° C (250 ° F). Radiant type heating is preferred. It is desirable to reheat the hot melt adhesive 16 within two hours of application to the foam pad 14 at approximately 121.1 ° C (250 ° F). Compression with the upper roller 32 is performed at a minimum nominal compression of 2.54 +/- 0.31 cm (1.0 inch +/- 1/8) for at least 8 minutes (or preferably less, depending on precise). The procedure for making the cushion assembly 10 can be carried out through the mold apparatus 40 set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,199 incorporated by reference herein, and illustrated in Figure 1. The general ideas are they will describe in the present memory. The mold apparatus 40 includes the mold 22 having the top surface 20 with the openings 24 to allow air to pass therethrough. The mold 22 has a contoured mold surface 20. The decorative layer 12 is contoured to the mold surface 20 by application of vacuum 26. The decorative layer 20 is generally pre-sewn to a finished contour. The foam pad 14 has the joining contour similar to the mold surface 20. A casing 42 is disposed below the mold 22 to provide an air-tight chamber and fluid communication with the passages or openings 24 located in the mold 22 The mold 22 is preferably made of porous material such as compacted granular particles and fibers fixedly bonded with adhesive, but through them fluids can pass or flow freely in the form of gases or liquids. The mold is preferably made with metal and carbide particles mixed with metal needles and glass fibers in a binder, compacted and cured to form a rigid porous structure having a relatively smooth surface. The mold 22 can alternatively be made of aluminum, die casting, ceramic or any other suitable mold material. The vacuum 26 is connected to the housing 42 to supply vacuum through the porous passages or openings 24 of the mold 22. The vacuum 26 includes a vacuum pump and an i, reservoir connected by fluid lines to the housing 42. A circuit of control 44 is connected to vacuum 26 to control its operation as needed, as described in the referenced patent, without application of heat or steam. The upper roller 32 is suspended from a support structure 46 for vertical movement relative to the mold 22 to compress the foam pad 14 against the garment layer 12 on the mold 22. A pneumatic cylinder includes a rod for moving the roller 32 vertically relative to the mold 22. A similar apparatus 40 can be used to compress the embellishment layer 12 and the cushion 12. ^^ foam 14 during the assembly of the cushion assembly 10. The foam pad 14 may be composed of several different known materials that are now used as cushion materials, such as the polyester or polyurethane type. The foam pad 14 is pre-contoured to the shape of the finished seating surface and complements the contour of the mold surface 20 and the trim layer 12. The trim layer 12 can also be made of various materials or fabrics commonly used as decorative layers for upholstered seats in motor vehicles. The trim layer 12 is pre-stitched or formed with well-known methods so as to have the outline of the desired final product. The method is particularly useful when leather or vinyl is used as an air-impermeable garment layer 12 such that the vacuum 26 can suck the garment layer 12. against the mold 22, and the leather trim layer 12 will not be destroyed by the direct application of heat to the mold as in the above U.S. Patent No. 4,692,199. The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology used must be understood according to the nature of the descriptive terms, and not in a limiting sense. Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the foregoing ideas. Accordingly, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, where the reference numbers are merely for the purpose of convenience and in no way restrictive, the invention may be carried out in a manner other than that specifically described. "* *

Claims (9)

1. | fc CLAIMS 1. A method of manufacturing a cushion assembly that includes the steps of: applying a layer of hot melt liquid adhesive (16) to a foam pad (14); 5 the method being characterized by applying a spray of adhesive activator (30) to an ornament layer (12), and compressing the foam pad (14) against the decorative layer (12) in a mold (22) with the adhesive hot melt (16) adjacent to the adhesive activator (30) for attaching the foam pad (14) to the trim layer (12).
2. 2. A method as set forth in claim 1, further including allowing the hot melt adhesive (16) to cure onto the foam pad. (14)
3. 3. A method as set forth in claim 2, further including reheating the hot melt hardened adhesive (16) on the foam pad 15 (14) to soften the hot melt adhesive (16) before placing the hot melt pad. foam (14) against the decorative layer (12).
4. 4. A method as set forth in claim 3, further including putting ^^ the decoration layer (12) on a contoured mold surface (20) of the mold (22).
5. A method as set forth in claim 4, further including applying vacuum (26) through the mold (22) to suck the garment layer (12) against and complement the mold surface (20).
6. 6. A method as set forth in claim 5, further including applying the adhesive activator mist (30) on the embellishment layer (12) sucked against the mold surface (20). ? 7.
7. A method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising placing the foam pad (14) with the superheated hot melt adhesive (16) against the sucked adornment layer (12) on the mold surface (20). .
8. A method as set forth in claim 7, further including applying a pressure roller (32) against the foam pad (14) and moving the pressure roller (32) and the mold (22) relative to each other to compress the foam pad (14) and the trim layer (12) in between.
9. 9. A method of manufacturing a cushion assembly that includes the steps of: placing an ornament layer (12) on a mold surface (20); 10 applying vacuum (26) through the mold surface (20) to suck the garment layer (12) against the mold surface (20); providing a foam pad (14); providing separately and independently a layer of adhesive (16) and an adhesive activator (30) between the foam pad (14) and the trim layer (12); 15 compress the foam pad (14) against the trim layer (12) with the adhesive layer (16) and the adhesive activator (30) between the foam pad (14) and the trim layer (12) for cure the adhesive to join the foam pad (14) to the * ornament layer (12). twenty '! » METHOD OF JOINING A SEAT ADHESIVE COVER TO A FOAM CUSHION USING AN ACCELERATED ADHESIVE ACTIVATOR. SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION The method of manufacturing a cushion assembly (10) uses an ornament layer (12) and a cushion pad (14) with an adhesive (16) therebetween. The adhesive (16) is a hot melt adhesive applied to the contoured surface of the cushion pad (14) and reheated in the cushion pad (14) before use in the process of the present invention. An adhesive activator (30) is applied to the decorative layer (12), ^ P, which had previously been placed in a mold (22). The cushion pad (14) and the decorative layer (12) are pressed against each other with the adhesive (16) and the activator (30) in between to join the cushion pad (14) and the decorative layer (12). ). fifteen me 20