Upholstery systems and methods for forming a curved surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034576-B2
Application number	US-201916667459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2019
Priority date	May 26, 2017
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

An upholstery system for forming a curved furniture surface includes two surfaces that form a corner, two planar elements that are each positioned on one of the two surfaces, and a plurality of contoured elements positioned between the two planar elements and along the corner. Each of the plurality of contoured elements includes a curved surface. The system also includes at least one piece of fabric that includes at least three sections, which are connected to each other in a series such that adjacent sections form a connection portion. The system further includes a plurality of clips positioned on each of the two surfaces. The at least three sections of the at least one piece of fabric are positioned over the planar elements and the plurality of contoured elements. The connected portion of adjacent sections of the at least one piece of fabric is connected to the plurality of clips.

First claim

We claim:

1. An upholstery system for forming a curved surface, the system comprising:
two surfaces that form a corner;
first and second planar elements, wherein each planar element is positioned on one of the two surfaces;
a plurality of contoured elements positioned between the first and second planar elements and along the corner, wherein each of the plurality of contoured elements comprises a curved surface;
at least one piece of fabric, wherein the at least one piece of fabric comprises at least three sections, and wherein the at least three sections are connected to each other in a series such that adjacent sections form a connected portion; and
a plurality of clips positioned on each of the two surfaces so that at least one clip is disposed between the first planar element and the plurality of contoured elements and at least one clip is disposed between the second planar element and the plurality of contoured elements;
wherein the at least three sections of the at least one piece of fabric are positioned over the planar elements and the plurality of contoured elements; and
wherein the connected portion of adjacent sections of the at least one piece of fabric is connected to the plurality of clips.

2. The upholstery system of claim 1 , wherein a first section of fabric of the at least three sections is positioned over one of the planar elements, a second section of fabric is positioned over the curved surface of the plurality of contoured elements, and a third section of fabric is positioned over the other of the planar elements.

3. The upholstery system of claim 2 , wherein the connected portion of the first and second sections of fabric is connected to the plurality of clips between the first planar element and the plurality of contoured elements; and
wherein the connected portion of the second and third sections of fabric is connected to the plurality of clips between the plurality of contoured elements and the second planar element.

4. The upholstery system of claim 1 , further comprising a curved element that is positioned over the curved surface of the plurality of contoured elements.

5. The upholstery system of claim 1 , further comprising a bar that is connected to the connected portion of adjacent sections of fabric.

6. The upholstery system of claim 5 , wherein the bar is connected to the plurality of clips.

7. The upholstery system of claim 1 , wherein the curved surface of the plurality of contoured elements comprises a concave surface.

8. The upholstery system of claim 1 , wherein the curved surface of the plurality of contoured elements comprises a convex surface.

9. The upholstery system of claim 1 , wherein the two surfaces that form a corner comprise a seat surface and a back surface of furniture.

10. The upholstery system of claim 9 , wherein the seat surface and the back surface comprise a task chair.

11. The upholstery system of claim 1 , wherein the two surfaces that form a corner comprise two furniture screens.

12. An upholstery system for forming a curved surface, the system comprising:
three surfaces that form three corners, wherein first and second of the three surfaces form the first corner, the first and third surfaces form the second corner, and the first, second, and third surfaces form the third corner;
first, second, and third planar elements, wherein each planar element is positioned on one of the three surfaces;
a plurality of contoured elements positioned along the first corner between the first and second planar elements and along the second corner between the first and third planar elements, wherein each of the plurality of contoured elements comprises a curved surface;
a plurality of clips positioned on each of the three surfaces so that at least one clip is disposed between the first planar element and the plurality of contoured elements, at least one clip is disposed between the plurality of contoured elements and the second planar element, at least one clip is disposed between the plurality of contoured elements and the third planar element, and at least one clip is disposed between the second and third planar elements;
at least one piece of fabric, wherein the at least one piece of fabric comprises at least four sections of fabric, and wherein the at least four sections of the at least one piece of fabric are connected to cover the three planar elements and the plurality of contoured elements, wherein adjacent sections of fabric form a connected portion; and
wherein the connected portion of adjacent sections of fabric is connected to the plurality of clips.

13. The upholstery system of claim 12 , wherein the system further comprises a curved element comprising three portions, with a first and a third of the three portions positioned over the plurality of contoured elements, and a second of the three portions positioned over the third corner.

14. The upholstery system of claim 12 , wherein the system further comprises a bar connected to the connected portion of adjacent sections of fabric.

15. The upholstery system of claim 14 , wherein the bar is connected to the plurality of clips.

16. The upholstery system of claim 12 , wherein the curved surface of the plurality of contoured elements comprises a concave surface.

17. The upholstery system of claim 12 , wherein the curved surface of the plurality of contoured elements comprises a convex surface.

18. The upholstery system of claim 12 , wherein the first surface comprises a seat surface and the second and third surfaces each comprise a back surface of furniture.

19. An upholstery method for forming a curved surface, the method comprising:
presenting two surfaces that form a corner;
presenting two planar elements;
positioning each planar element on one of the two surfaces;
presenting a plurality of contoured elements;
positioning the plurality of contoured elements between the two planar elements and along the corner, wherein each of the plurality of contoured elements comprises a curved surface;
presenting a plurality of clips;
positioning the plurality of clips on the two surfaces between a first of the two planar elements and the plurality of contoured elements and between a second of the two planar elements and the plurality of contoured elements;
presenting a piece of fabric comprising at least three sections;
connecting the three sections of fabric to each other in a series such that adjacent sections of fabric form a connected portion;
positioning the three sections of fabric over the curved surfaces of the two planar elements and the plurality of contoured elements; and
connecting the connected portion of adjacent sections of fabric to the plurality of clips.

20. The upholstery method of claim 19 , wherein the positioning of the three sections of fabric comprises positioning a first section of fabric of the at least three sections over one of the planar elements; positioning a second section of fabric over the plurality of contoured elements; and positioning a third section of fabric over the second of the planar elements.

21. The upholstery method of claim 20 , wherein the connecting of the connected portion of adjacent sections of fabric to the plurality of clips comprises:
connecting the connected portion of the first and second sections of fabric to the plurality of clips between the first planar element and the plurality of contoured elements; and
connecting the connected portion of the second and third sections of fabric to the plurality of clips between the pl

Assignees

• Steelcase Inc

Inventors

• Smith Bruce
• Mcgovern Ryan
• Hien Rolf Pascal
• Spoelhof Mark
• Opatik Greg
• Roggentine Kade

Classifications

• A47C31/023

  connecting upholstery to frames, e.g. by hooks, clips, snap fasteners, clamping means or the like · CPC title

• A47C31/02

  Upholstery attaching means · CPC title

• B68G7/12 Primary

  Other elements specially adapted for fastening, fixing, or finishing, in upholstery work · CPC title

• B68G7/10

  Finishing of edges · CPC title

• B68G7/052 Primary

  with webs secured to the core, e.g. by stitching · CPC title