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[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a surface cover material or what is called “trim cover” for vehicle or automobile, which covers a body of automotive seat, headrest, armrest or the like. In particular, the invention is directed to a trim cover assembly of this kind formed by sewing together cover materials into a three-dimensional configuration which is suited for a foaming process where a liquid foaming agent is injected in the trim cover assembly and subjected to foaming and curing therein.
[0003] 2. Description of Prior Art
[0004] Among various sorts of trim cover assemblies, there has been known such trim cover assembly as disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No 63-35314, which is formed by sewing together a plurality of three-layer laminated cover materials each comprising an air permeable top cover layer, a slab foam layer (i.e. an urethane soft foam layer) adhered to the reverse side of the top cover layer, and an impermeable film laminated to the slab foam layer.
[0005] The foregoing publication teaches a foaming process involving the steps of placing the thus-formed three-dimensional trim cover assembly in a foaming die, then injecting a liquid foaming agent into the inside of that trim cover assembly, and finally having the agent foamed and cured into an increased mass of foam padding body which is filled in the trim cover assembly at a predetermined degree of foaming pressure, while simultaneously, the trim cover assembly is forcibly brought by that foaming pressure to intimate contact with a whole of inner walls of a foaming die. As consequence thereof, a desired shape of foamed product, such as a headrest, is formed.
[0006] It has been found defective that this sort of trim cover assembly having an impermeable film therein is prone to partial breakage and opening, such as a local opening along a seam, due to the increased foaming pressure in the die, thus undesirably resulting in leakage of the liquid foaming agent through the opening to the outside, and further, it has been frequently the case that, during that foaming process, an air is trapped in the curing foam layer portion adjoining with the impermeable film to form undesired hollow regions in the resultant foamed padding since the air is not escaped through such impermeable film. It has been therefore necessary to provide a special step or material for preventing the breakage and leakage problem as well as for avoiding the air trap problem.
[0007] On the other hand, the foregoing problems are not found for such a permeable two-layered lamination of trim cover assembly that comprises an air permeable top cover layer and a slab foam layer, which allows for escape of air therethrough and decrease foaming pressure in the foaming die. Nonetheless, another problem has been with this two-layered type of trim cover assembly. That is, during the foaming process, it has been the frequent case that the air is easily escaped through the two layers of trim cover assembly, thereby making it difficult to retain a proper degree of forming pressure in the die, as a result of which, some of the resultant foamed products can not achieve a desired precise outer configuration and might create objectionable creases and slack portions on the resultant trim cover assembly. Moreover, in this case, during the foaming steps, the liquid foaming agent is impregnated in the inner cellular structure of the slab foam layer and cured therein to create hardened portions which will impair the cushiony touch of the trim cover assembly.
[0008] In view of the above-stated drawbacks, it is a purpose of the present invention to provide an improved trim cover assembly having a neatly finished outer surfaces without any crease and slack portion therein, with a normal soft touch given thereto.
[0009] In order to achieve such purpose, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a trim cover assembly formed by sewing together a plurality of cover materials into a three-dimensional configuration which is to undergo a foaming process in which a liquid foaming agent is injected in the trim cover assembly and filling a resultant foam padding therein, wherein each of the plurality of cover materials comprises:
[0010] a top cover layer having an outer surface side and a reverse side; and
[0011] a slab foam wadding layer integrally laminated on the reverse side of top cover layer,
[0012] and wherein the slab foam wadding layer is of a continuous cellular structure having an air permeability of from 0.2 cc/cm
[0013] Accordingly, owing to such air permeability of from 0.2 cc/cm
[0014] Other various aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading of the description, hereinafter, with reference to the annexed drawings.
[0015]
[0016]
[0017]
[0018]
[0019] Referring to FIGS.
[0020] As can be seen from the cross-sectional view of
[0021]
[0022] In accordance with the present invention, each cover material (A) of the trim cover assembly (T) is comprised of a top cover layer (
[0023] The top cover layer (
[0024] But, the slab foam wadding layer (
[0025] Now, a description will be made of a foaming operation to subject the above-described trim cover assembly (T) to foaming in the dies (
[0026] At first, a preformed three-dimensional trim cover assembly (T) with the above-discussed two-layer and air-permeable structure is provided. A pair of suitable first and second die elements (
[0027] Then, as shown in
[0028] At this stage, it is important to preset the amount of the liquid foam agent (L) to be injected in the trim cover assembly (T), because it is a factor for determining the degree of foaming pressure as known in the art. Thus, a proper amount of the liquid foaming agent (L) is injected in the trim cover assembly (T) in order to impregnate that particular liquid foam agent in a predetermined depth of the slab foam wadding layer (
[0029] For that purpose, for example, suppose that the thickness of the slab foam wadding layer (
[0030] Now, in practice, a foaming is effected to an entirety of the trim cover assembly (T), frame (C) and injected liquid foaming agent (L) within the tightly engaged dies (
[0031] a) The air permeability of the slab foam wadding layer (
[0032] b) The degree of foaming pressure is set to be approximately 0.1 kg, and
[0033] c) The thickness of the slab foam wadding layer (
[0034] Note: As known in the art, the degree of foaming pressure depends on an amount of liquid foaming agent to be injected in the trim cove assembly with respect to an inner volume defined in the dies (
[0035] As a result thereof, there was produced a resulting headrest body (P) as shown in
[0036] (i) The liquid foaming agent (L) is impregnated evenly in the slab foam wadding layer (
[0037] Also, the liquid foaming agent (L) is impregnated and cured in the sewn connection portions (A
[0038] In this context, experiments show that use of slab foam wadding layer (
[0039] (ii) Even if an air is trapped in the boundary between the liquid foaming agent (L) and slab foam wadding layer (
[0040] (iii) As stated above, the liquid foaming agent (L) is impregnated in the slab foam wadding layer (
[0041] While having described the present invention, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, but other modification, replacement, and addition may be applied thereto without departing from the scopes of the appended claims.