Automated trench manufacturing and assembly for attaching trim covers to a cushion assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12509343-B2
Application number	US-202318176164-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2023
Priority date	Feb 28, 2023
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

Cushions, methods, and manufacturing systems for making the same are disclosed. The cushions may be foamless such as being made from a body of entangled and/or intertwined polymeric strands. The manufacturing systems may include a die such as die bars having a plurality of orifices that cooperate with a plurality of receptacles and actuators for discharging a plurality of fasteners from the receptacles, through the die into the cushions. In a refinement, the die may be heated such that a skinned over membrane is created in the cushion to retain the plurality of fasteners. A trim cover may cooperate with the plurality of fasteners such that it is attached to the cushion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
a cushion; a die configured to form a cavity in the cushion, the die comprising an orifice; a receptacle cooperating with the die and aligned with the orifice, the receptacle arranged to receive a fastener; and an actuator to drive the fastener from the receptacle and through the orifice into the cushion such that the fastener is disposed in the cavity of the cushion formed by the die.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heating element connected to the die, wherein the heating element is configured to heat the die.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the receptacle is insulated for reducing heat received from the die to the fastener, wherein the fastener comprises a penetrating portion and a cooperating portion, the penetrating portion is configured to engage with the cushion and the cooperating portion is configured to attach the fastener to a trim cover, and wherein the cooperating portion comprises a pointed tip and a plurality of retaining elements comprising at least one of barbs or flat ridges that extend along a periphery of the penetrating portion.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the heating element is an ultrasonic heater.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a solenoid actuator.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener cooperates with a trim cover to fasten the trim cover to the cushion.

7 . A system, comprising:
one or more robotic arms; a cushion assembly; a plurality of die bars comprising a plurality of orifices and the plurality of die bars disposed on the one or more robotic arms such that when the plurality of die bars is heated and engaged with the cushion assembly, the plurality of die bars is configured to form depressed channels in the cushion assembly; a plurality of hollow jackets cooperating with the plurality of die bars to receive a plurality of fasteners such that each fastener of the plurality of fasteners is aligned with a respective orifice of the plurality of orifices; and an actuator arranged to drive the plurality fasteners from the plurality of hollow jackets through the plurality of orifices into the cushion assembly such that the plurality of fasteners is disposed in the depressed channels.

8 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instruction thereon to be executed by a processor cooperating with the one or more robotic arm, and the actuator.

9 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a heating element configured to heat the plurality of die bars.

10 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a controller programmed to:
heat the plurality of die bars; engage the plurality of die bars with the cushion assembly after reaching a threshold temperature; and actuate the actuator to drive the fasteners into the depressed channels of the cushion assembly.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the fasteners cooperate with a trim cover to attach the trim cover to the cushion assembly.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of die bars includes a thermal conductor and the plurality hollow jackets include a thermal insulator.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of die bars includes at least one of iron, aluminium, and copper and the plurality of hollow jackets includes at least one of plastic, fiberglass, and foam.

14 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the cushion assembly includes cushion bodies of entangled polymeric strands and the depressed channels are formed in the cushion bodies.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Hudson Curtis
• Swikoski Lisa
• Pereny Michelle A
• Kandasamy Jaiviknesh

Classifications

• B29C51/20

  having movable moulds or mould parts · CPC title

• B29C51/428

  of moulds or mould parts · CPC title

• B29C59/02

  by mechanical means, e.g. pressing {(B29C59/007 takes precedence; embossing expanded porous articles B29C44/5627)} · CPC title

• B29C51/265

  Auxiliary operations during the thermoforming operation (B29C51/42, B29C51/46 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29C59/007

  Forming single grooves or ribs, e.g. tear lines, weak spots (by moulding B29C37/0057; folding lines B29C53/06; in metal articles B21D17/00; by cutting B26D3/08) · CPC title