Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Patent
1991-01-14
1993-01-05
Weston, Caleb
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
156285, 1565833, 1565838, 1565839, 264225, 264314, 264570, 4253871, 425388, 425389, 4254051, 4254052, 100295, 100296, 100297, B28B 302
Patent
active
051767775
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a process and apparatus for covering an object with at least one piece of flexible or supple material. It is applicable, in particular, to making seat upholsteries that consist of a rigid support, a resilient foam layer and a fabric cover.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
When an object needs to be covered with a piece of flexible material that is to hug its contours, it is generally maintained by means of holding forms adjusted to the object to be covered. This is the case, for instance, in the European patent application No. 0 223 312 that describes the covering of a seat cushion. The primary drawback of the holding forms resides in their characteristic features designed specifically for an object of given sizes and shapes. The manufacturer needs as many forms as there are types of objects to be covered. Furthermore, there are mechanical holding processes, but the latter require generally long setting-up periods and they are ill-suited for automation and cannot be used in cases of complete covering of the object concerned, considering the absence of areas suitable for gripping the latter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention seeks to provide a new process for covering and object and to provide a device for its implementation in order to remedy the drawbacks of known covering processes.
The process according to the invention allows the covering of an object with a flexible piece of fabric material and comprises: covers the moving bed, the flexible material and to drive the object into the moving bed until an imprint has been made, with the flexible piece of material fitting the forms of the object and hugging the latter,
Fastening the piece of supple material to the object may be carried out while the bed is maintained in fluidized condition and by applying permanent pressure to the object. It is also possible, after the sinking of the object into the moving bed, to stop the fluidization of the particles (by shutting off the gas flow that brings about this fluidization) and, once the particles are immobilized one against the other, to remove the pressure on the object which is then held in the imprint made in the bed (that has become a fixed bed). If need be and after the fluidization has been stopped, the bed can be subjected to suction for the purpose of locking the particles in place, one in relation to the other.
In cases where a series of identical objects has to be covered, it will be possible to repeat the first method for each of these objects. It is also possible to carry out the covering of the first object by using the second method of implementation, by removing this first object while maintaining the bed in fixed condition and by then placing each following object and its flexible piece of material inside the imprint made in the fixed bed by the first object, with a view to fastening this flexible piece of fabric material to the object.
The process according to the invention allows for covering objects of any form without having to first make, by molding or machining, a holding form for each type of object. Such a process is particularly attractive where the covering has to be made on objects likely to display numerous different shapes or sizes.
It should be noted that fastening the piece of flexible material can be carried out in accordance with European patent application No. 0 223 312, by means of a tension string placed around this flexible piece of material, which is tightened at the end of the operation for the purpose of pleating and tightening the edges of this material around the object.
This fastening can also be carried out by any other process, such as by stapling to the back of the object, by gluing, etc. Gluing the piece of material to the forms of the object may be combined with the process of the aforesaid application (that allows for tightening the edges of this material at the back of the object).
The invention extends to a special method of fastening that comprises providing for gluing by means of a thermally activated glue, with
REFERENCES:
patent: 2268262 (1941-12-01), Miller
patent: 2517902 (1950-08-01), Luebkeman
patent: 4828639 (1989-05-01), Aker et al.
patent: 4921561 (1990-05-01), Kinugasa et al.
Dutton Harold H.
Weston Caleb
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