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Seat cushion using vertically lapped fiberSeat cushion using vertically lapped fiber description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070200417, Seat cushion using vertically lapped fiber. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority upon U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/738,074 filed Nov. 19, 2005. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] In the office landscape environment, much of the furniture, including chairs and seating units utilize a mesh or woven fabric supporting member as a seat bottom. While providing good aesthetic properties, mesh seating bottoms frequently suffer from limited comfort and cushioning qualities. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved seating system that can be readily used with such mesh seating bottoms. [0003] Removable seat cushions are known in the art. These cushions typically include a padded member that can be placed on a seating surface. Although satisfactory in many regards, conventional seat cushions generally utilize a flat base member which does not conform to contoured seat bottoms used in many of today's office furniture. Accordingly, there is a need for a removable seat cushion that is readily adapted for use with a contoured seat. [0004] Provisions are known in the art for attaching a seat or seat cushion to an underlying seat or chair. Such provisions include straps that are attached to one another such as by buckling, or tie downs that are secured to the underlying seat. It is often tedious and difficult to tie or otherwise secure such tie downs or snaps, and equally difficult to release them after use, in order to remove the seat cushion. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved strategy by which a removable seat cushion can readily be secured to an underlying seat or supporting surface. [0005] Furthermore, fire retardancy is an increasing concern for office furniture. As efforts are underway by suppliers of office furniture systems and seating units to increase the degree of fire retardancy of such products, it would be desirable to also impart fire retardant properties to components used in conjunction with such products. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0006] The present invention achieves all of the foregoing objectives and provides, in a first aspect, a furniture component comprising a frame member and a cushion member disposed on the frame member. The cushion member has first and second oppositely directed faces. The cushion member includes a region of vertically lapped fibers. The region extends generally across a face of the cushion member. At least a majority of the fibers in the region extend in a direction generally transverse to a face of the cushion member. [0007] In another aspect, the present invention provides a removable seat cushion adapted for use with a chair having a mesh seat defining a collection of small apertures extending through the thickness of the seat. The seat cushion comprises a cushion member defining an upper surface and an oppositely directed bottom surface. The cushion member includes a region of a nonwoven mat of vertically lapped fibers. The seat cushion also comprises a frame component generally extending along at least one of the bottom surface of the cushion member, and the outer periphery of the cushion member. The seat cushion also comprises a collection of downwardly extending engagement members affixed to the frame component and adapted to releasably engage the mesh seat of the chair. [0008] In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of forming a seat cushion having a region of vertically lapped fibers. The method comprises forming a frame component by placing a thin layer of a moldable polymeric material into a first mold and heating to thereby form the frame. The method also comprises positioning the frame in a second mold in conjunction with a collection of fasteners adapted to be molded to or otherwise affixed to the frame, and a layer of a nonwoven batt of vertically lapped fibers, and heating the frame, fasteners, and layer to thereby form an intermediate assembly. The method also comprises positioning the intermediate assembly into a third mold in conjunction with a layer of a covering material in position to cover a face of the intermediate assembly, and heating the intermediate assembly and covering material to thereby form the seat cushion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] The present invention will be described in detail with several preferred embodiments and illustrated, merely by way of example and not with intent to limit the scope thereof, in the accompanying drawings. [0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical chair utilizing a contoured mesh seat bottom. [0011] FIG. 1A is a detailed view of a mesh material used in the seat portion of the chair shown in FIG. 1. [0012] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating placement of a preferred embodiment seat cushion on the chair of FIG. 1. [0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating components of a preferred embodiment seat cushion. [0014] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a cushion member of the seat cushion shown in FIG. 3 taken along line 4-4. [0015] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a frame component taken across line 5-5 in FIG. 3, illustrating a preferred embodiment engagement member. [0016] FIG. 6 is a view of another preferred embodiment engagement member used in the seat cushion described herein. [0017] FIG. 7 is a view of another preferred embodiment engagement member. [0018] FIG. 8 illustrates another preferred embodiment engagement member. [0019] FIG. 9 illustrates yet another preferred embodiment engagement member. [0020] FIG. 10 illustrates another preferred embodiment engagement member. Continue reading about Seat cushion using vertically lapped fiber... Full patent description for Seat cushion using vertically lapped fiber Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Seat cushion using vertically lapped fiber patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Seat cushion using vertically lapped fiber or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Drop-in seat unit Next Patent Application: Loaded weight measurement method and loaded weight measurement device for dump truck Industry Class: Chairs and seats ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Seat cushion using vertically lapped fiber patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.19496 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf 174 |
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