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US4743323A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of molding a composite article

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1986-11-04
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Granted: 1988-05-10
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Expires: 2006-11-04
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Abstract

Abstract The method of this invention provides for the molding of a composite article such as a woven seat for use in furniture or automobiles wherein a woven fabric material and a plastic frame structure coact to enhance their respective strength characteristics. The fabric material is maintained under tension during the molding operation concurrently with the perimetral portion thereof being imbedded in a bonded relation with the frame structure. The strength characteristics of the woven fabric material are thus increased due to the uniform load distribution over the total area of the fabric seat resulting from the bonded securement of the perimetral portion with the frame structure.

Inventors

  • 👤 Siebolt Hettinga

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 08:31
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C41/00; B29C70/00; B29C70/04; B29C70/28; B29C70/40; B29C70/42; B29C70/46; B29C70/48; B29C45/00; B29C45/14; B29C45/1418; B29C45/14336; B29C70/54; B29C70/541; B29C70/68; B29C70/74; B29K; B29K2713/00; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/58

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 155 words
The method of molding a composite article having a stretchable fabric material stretched in tension across a central opening defined by a continuous plastic frame structure, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a male mold and a female mold which on being clamped together form a mold cavity for the frame structure, (b) supporting the fabric material across the open side of the male mold, (c) clamping the two molds together so that the female mold engages and stretches the fabric material in tension of the male mold concurrently with locating the perimetral portion of the fabric material within the mold cavity, (d) injecting a plastic material into the mold cavity in bonding securement with the perimetral portion of the fabric material, and then (e) removing the article from the mold, with the bonding of the fabric perimetral portion with the frame structure maintaining the fabric material in tension across said central opening.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 155 words
The method of molding a composite article having a stretchable fabric material stretched in tension across a central opening defined by a continuous plastic frame structure, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a male mold and a female mold which on being clamped together form a mold cavity for the frame structure, (b) supporting the fabric material across the open side of the male mold, (c) clamping the two molds together so that the female mold engages and stretches the fabric material in tension of the male mold concurrently with locating the perimetral portion of the fabric material within the mold cavity, (d) injecting a plastic material into the mold cavity in bonding securement with the perimetral portion of the fabric material, and then (e) removing the article from the mold, with the bonding of the fabric perimetral portion with the frame structure maintaining the fabric material in tension across said central opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method of molding a composite article according to claim 1, including the steps of: (a) applying an initial tension to the fabric material when supported across the open side of the male mold, and applying a final tension when the two molds are clamped together.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of molding a composite article according to claim 1, wherein: (a) the perimetral portion of the fabric material, on clamping the two molds together, is extended diagonally transversely across the mold cavity to reinforce the strength characteristics of the frame structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 36 words
The method of molding a composite article according to claim 2, wherein: (a) the fabric material under said final tension lies in a plane common to one side of the frame structure in the removed article.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 50 words
The method of molding a composite article according to claim 4, wherein: (a) the frame structure is in a bonding relation with said perimetral portion of the fabric material to rigidly secure said perimetral portion to said frame structure when the fabric material is flexed laterally of said common plane.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 219 words
The method of molding a composite article having a stretchable fabric material stretched in tension across a central opening defined by a continuous plastic frame structure and a resilient pad member supported on said fabric material having a fabric cover, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a male mold and a female mold which, on being clamped together, form a mold cavity for the frame structure, (b) supporting the fabric material across the open side of the male member (c) providing a recess in the female mold for the pad member and fabric cover, (d) positioning the fabric cover and the pad member in a back-to-back relation in the recess of the female mold, (e) clamping the two molds together so that the female mold engages and stretches the fabric material in tension on the male mold and locates the perimetral portion of the fabric material within the mold cavity concurrently with compressing the pad member in the recess and placing the perimetral portion of the fabric cover within and against the outer perimetral side surface of the cavity. (f) injecting a plastic material into the mold cavity in bonding securement with the perimetral portion of the stretchable fabric material and the perimetral portion of the fabric cover, and then (g) removing the article from the mold.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 219 words
The method of molding a composite article having a stretchable fabric material stretched in tension across a central opening defined by a continuous plastic frame structure and a resilient pad member supported on said fabric material having a fabric cover, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a male mold and a female mold which, on being clamped together, form a mold cavity for the frame structure, (b) supporting the fabric material across the open side of the male member (c) providing a recess in the female mold for the pad member and fabric cover, (d) positioning the fabric cover and the pad member in a back-to-back relation in the recess of the female mold, (e) clamping the two molds together so that the female mold engages and stretches the fabric material in tension on the male mold and locates the perimetral portion of the fabric material within the mold cavity concurrently with compressing the pad member in the recess and placing the perimetral portion of the fabric cover within and against the outer perimetral side surface of the cavity. (f) injecting a plastic material into the mold cavity in bonding securement with the perimetral portion of the stretchable fabric material and the perimetral portion of the fabric cover, and then (g) removing the article from the mold.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method of molding a composite article according to claim 6 including the steps of: (a) applying an initial tension to the fabric material when supported across the open side of the male mold, and applying a final tension when the two molds are clamped together.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of molding a composite article according to claim 7 wherein: (a) the fabric material under said final tension lies in a plane common to one side of the frame structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of molding a composite article according to claim 8 where: (a) the frame structure is in a bonding relation with the perimetral portion of the fabric material to maintain the perimetral portion rigidly secured to said frame structure when the fabric material is flexed laterally of said common plane.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 47 words
The method of molding a composite article according to claim 8 wherein: (a) the perimetral portion of the fabric cover is in bonded securement with the outer perimetral surface of the frame structure to confine the pad member between the fabric cover and the stretchable fabric material.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3214314A Cited
US3915775A Cited
US3932252A Cited
US4149919A Cited
US4174245A Cited
JPS5789944A Cited
US4568455A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-05-10 1991-11-09 1992-05-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-05-10 1995-11-09 1996-05-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-05-10 1999-11-09 2000-05-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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