Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02863962 2014-09-19
Apparatus and Method for Producing a Ventilated Chair Backing Assembly
Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for producing a
ventilated chair
backing assembly. In particular the present invention relates to a ventilated
molded back
sectional component along with a method for producing the molded back
sectional component.
Background of Invention
Traditional chairs tend to be of a solid, dense mass. Although this solid,
dense mass allows for
support of the occupant, it does not allow for air circulation between the
chair and the occupant.
Consequently, such lack of air circulation can create extreme heat
accumulation where the
occupant's body contacts the chair causing excessive sweating. With an open
foam material, the
moisture build up can provide an environment for mould or bacteria to thrive.
Although the occupant may control the climate around them, the lack of airflow
between the
chair and the occupant's body prevents any kind of climate control in that
area. Furthermore, in
cold climates, the reverse happens wherein the area where the occupant's body
contacts the chair
does not allow for heat flow; thus, creating cold pockets preventing heating
of that area of the
body. Prior art has attempted to solve this ventilation problem.
U.S. Patent Nos. 7, 100, 978, 6,840,576, and 6,629,724 to Ekern et al.
disclose a portable
ventilated seat assembly. The seat assembly consists of a porous material
forming an upper
surface layer, a non-porous first inner layer adjacent to the upper surface
layer, a non-porous
layer forming a lower surface layer and an expanded space material between the
non-porous
layer. The assembly further consists of a fan coupled with the air space
between the non-porous
layers for ventilating the seat assembly. Although the invention is a porous
structure with a self
12323937 1
CA 02863962 2014-09-19
contained ventilation system, which may provide ventilation to the occupant,
this ventilation is
limited. The ventilation is limited by the fact that this assembly is portable
and is to be placed on
a traditional chair, which has minimal ventilation; thus, the problem remains
wherein airflow is
minimized between the chair and the seat assembly. Furthermore, the fan used
in this assembly
may be costly to maintain and repair, making this invention uneconomical.
U.S. Patent No. 6,629,728 to Losio et al. discloses a bicycle seat, which
comprises of an aperture
that is connected to the anterior portion of the seat frame. The aperture is
position in a direction
of forward travel of the bicycle. Furthermore, the aperture is connected to an
air distribution
channel and also to a plurality of air discharge openings to ventilate the
seat surface. Although
this invention allows for ventilation of the seat, the ventilation is only
directed to certain areas of
the seat. The directional airflow is controlled by the aperture and the air
distribution channel
which is only located at the anterior of the seat; thus, ventilation only
occurs at the anterior of the
seat. Furthermore, this ventilated seat system is designed for a bicycle;
thus, it only addresses
ventilation problems for the seating area and does not address ventilation for
the back rest area.
Another solution to solving the ventilation problem of a traditional chair is
the process by which
the materials of the chair are made. The use of foam as a material to make
traditional chairs has
been well documented due to its malleability and porous nature. However,
problems of rigidity
and durability have arisen when the foam is molded to form holes for air
circulation. Due to the
foam's soft, malleable nature, its rigidity is lost when ventilation holes are
cut into the foam to
increase its airflow nature; thus, limiting its ability to create an effective
ventilated chair. The
prior art has attempted to solve this problem in its different methods of
producing the foam
material.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0125780 to Shiina et al discloses a process
for producing
plastic foam composite. Specifically the invention relates to a foam composite
with a skin that is
formed "in one shot" by charging plastic powders or minute particles together
with polyolefin
2
12323937.1
CA 02863962 2014-09-19
pellets that can be cross-linked and foamed in a mold, and heating the mold
while rotating. This
composite absorbs almost no moisture, and has satisfactory strength. The
process disclosed
produces foam that is strong and rigid; however, the foam produced is not very
porous and does
not have uniformly shaped air holes, which allow for air circulation. Thus,
the foam formed
from this process is not ideal for use in making ventilated chairs.
Summary of Invention
An aspect of this invention comprises an apparatus for a ventilated chair
backing assembly
comprising a foam chair backing component with a first plurality of
ventilation holes extending
from a front surface to a back surface, said plurality of holes having a skin.
Another aspect of the present invention is a ventilated chair backing assembly
comprising a foam
chair backing component with a first plurality of ventilation holes extending
from a front surface
to a back surface; an internal support component with a second plurality of
ventilation holes
extending from a front surface to a back surface aligned to the first
plurality of ventilation holes;
and an outer ventilated backing support component including a plurality of
ventilation ribs
wherein the ventilation ribs permit airflow from the aligned first and second
plurality of
ventilation holes.
A further aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a foam
molded back
sectional component for a ventilated chair assembly comprising placing an
upper mold section
with a plurality of rods adjacent to a lower mold section in an open position;
moving the upper
mold section to the lower mold section in a closed position to define an
internal cavity wherein
the rods extend into the cavity; injecting a foam into the cavity; allowing
the foam to set; moving
the upper mold section from the lower mold section to the open position to
remove the molded
component.
3
12323937.1
CA 02863962 2014-09-19
,
Brief Description of the Figures
Fig. 1: illustrates an exploded view of the ventilated chair back assembly.
Fig. 2: illustrates a vertical cross sectional view (along line 2-2 (see
Figure 3)) of the ventilated
chair back assembly.
Fig. 3: illustrates a side view of the assembled ventilated chair back.
Fig. 4: illustrates a rear perspective view of the ventilated chair assembly.
Fig. 5: illustrates a perspective view of the internal ventilated support
component being placed
adjacent to the bottom reservoir.
Fig. 6: illustrates an exploded perspective view of the foam mold injection
utility.
Fig. 7: illustrates the foam mold injection utility.
Fig. 8A: illustrates a cross sectional view of the foam mold injection utility
along line 8A.
Fig. 8B: illustrates a cross sectional view of the foam mold injection utility
along line 8A after
the foam has been injected.
Fig. 9: illustrates a perspective view of the foam mold injection utility
without the upper mold
section .
Fig. 10: illustrates a perspective view of the injected foam molded component.
Fig 11: illustrates the chair back seen from the front, where the fabric
displays the plurality of
holes and ribs there through.
Detailed Description
The present invention pertains to both a ventilated chair assembly in addition
to the method for
producing the molded foam of the back support sectional component of the
ventilated chair
assembly. As depicted in Fig. 1 the ventilated chair assembly is comprised of
three components:
an injected foam molded component 11, an internal ventilated support component
13, and an
outer ventilated backing cover component 15. The injected foam molded
component 11 is
further comprised of a first plurality of holes 17 which extend through the
foam molded
component 11. The first plurality of holes 17 provide for airflow thereby
assisting in overall
4
12323937.1
CA 02863962 2014-09-19
ventilation of the seat. To further ensure that the airflow passageway is kept
open, the first
plurality of holes 17 are aligned to a second plurality of holes 19 located in
the internal ventilated
support component 13. The internal ventilated support component 13 mirrors or
conforms to the
shape of the injected foam molded component 11 and subsequently readily
receives the injected
foam molded component 11 as shown in the assembled state of Fig. 3. In
addition, the injected
foam molded component 11, may be affixed with a permeable fabric 12 to ensure
that airflow is
maintained through the fabric, aligned holes 17 and 19 and support component
13.
Fig. 2 further depicts the cross section of an individual airflow hole 23
through the injected foam
molded component 11. In addition it can be further shown that the plurality of
holes 17 have an
outer skin 14a, 14b, 14c that continues along both the front and back surfaces
of the injected
foam molded component 11. The plurality of holes 17 are formed during the
injection molding
step further described by Figs. 5 to 8.
Fig. 3 illustrates the ventilated chair back in an assembled state with all
three components 11, 13,
15 in close association with each other. Fig.3 further illustrates that once
the chair is in an
assembled stated, the first plurality of holes 17 from the injected foam
molded component 11 are
aligned to the second plurality of holes 19 of the internal ventilated support
component 13.
Further, it can be viewed that the plurality of ventilation ribs 21 permit the
circulation of airflow
through the assembled chair.
The fabric 12 can be secured to the injected foam molded component 11 by an
adhesive, staples,
stitching or other known fastening mechanism. In particular, the outer
periphery 14 overlaps the
injected foam molded component and contacts the outer periphery 16 of the
internal ventilated
support 13 as depicted in the assembly shown in Figs.1 and 3.
The injected foam molded component 11 and the internal ventilated support
component 13 are
capped by the third component, the outer ventilated backing cover component
15. Similar to the
5
12323937.1
CA 02863962 2014-09-19
internal ventilated support component 13, the outer ventilated backing support
component covers
the injected foam molded component 11 and provides for ventilation in a number
of directions to
be described herein. In addition, the outer ventilated backing cover component
15 is further
comprised of a plurality of ventilation ribs 21 having openings 18 there
between. In a similar
manner as do the plurality of airflow holes 17, 19 of the first two components
of the chair 11, 13
the plurality of ventilation ribs 21 assist in allowing for airflow through
the chair assembly.
The ventilated support component 13 comprises of a shell structure which is
produced in an
injection mold or the like in a manner well known to those persons skilled in
the art. The front
face 20 of the ventilated support component is shown in Fig. 5 and after
production includes a
plurality of cells 22 joined together. Some of the cells have a hole 19 there
through, a landing or
surface 26 which defines the hole 19 and an upstanding wall 28. The cells are
joined together to
form a rigid but lightweight structure and in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5
are honey combed
in shape. Some of the peripheral cells 30 do not have a landing 26. The
ventilated support
component 13 has a peripheral edge 16 which presents a surface that will
receive fastening
means such as staples screws or the like. The back side of the ventilated
support component is
shown in Fig. 1. In one embodiment, the ventilated support component 13
comprises nylon.
Fig. 4 illustrates a rear perspective view of the ventilated chair assembly.
Further, Fig. 4
illustrates the interaction of the ventilated chair backing in an assembled
state with the additional
components of a chair assembly such as a seat, arm rests, and base support (in
stippled lines).
Once the internal ventilated support component 13 is produced as described
above it can be
placed into another mold. Fig. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the
internal ventilated support
component 13 being placed adjacent to the bottom reservoir 35 forming the
bottom section of a
mold to be described herein.
6
12323937.1
CA 02863962 2014-09-19
Fig. 6 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the foam mold injection
utility in an open
position. The utility is comprised of a horizontal upper surface or mold
section 31 which
registers with a lower surface or lower mold section 35 to define an internal
mold cavity 16 there
between. The internal ventilated support component 13 can be placed into the
bottom portion of
the lower mold section 35. The upper mold section 31 is further comprised with
a plurality of
vertical rods 33 that can be controlled by a computer or the like.
In particular each rod 33 of the plurality of rods 33 is individually
controlled as to the length of
projection into the cavity 16. More specifically, one end 70 of each of the
rods is adapted to
contact the landing 26 of a cell 22. The length of projection of the vertical
rods 33 into the
cavity 16 is determined by the shape of the chair back; as the vertical rods
form the plurality of
holes 17 of the foam molded component 11 and therefore extend there through
throughout. The
rods 33 are adapted to move or be displaced in the direction of "V "by a
number of well known
means which can be controlled by a computer. When the ends 70 of the rods 33
contact the
landing 26 the rods will form the plurality of holes 17 once the foam molded
component is
removed from the mold cavity 16.
The horizontal plate or upper mold section 31 closes in a sealed manner to a
bottom mold section
35 to provide a mold cavity 16 there between. Together, the upper mold section
31 and the
bottom mold 35 are individually cast in such a manner as to dictate the shape
of the injected
foam molded component 11. Once the upper mold section 31 and the surface of
bottom mold
section 35 are sealed, the rods 33 of the upper mold 31 are displaced by the
computer controls
(not shown) to meet the bottom mold section 35 in a flush manner. A plastic
foam is injected
into the mold cavity at an elevated temperature by way of an injection opening
37. In one
embodiment of the invention the plastic foam material can comprise
polyurethane, or other
plastic material. Any foam substance can be used to provide a support for a
person resting
against the chair back.
7
12323937 1
CA 02863962 2014-09-19
Alternatively the rods 33 can be fixed to the upper mold section 31.
A skin 22 is formed during the cooling of the injected foam material so as to
provide a
polyurethane outer layer or skin 22 having a different density than the
remainder of the part as
the outer surface cools faster than the interior to provide a layer with a
different density than the
interior. In one embodiment the foam material is injected into the cavity 16
at a temperature of
around 170 degrees centigrade under pressure and the foam material expands to
fill the cavity 16.
As the foamed material hits the sides of the upper and lower mold the outer
surface of the foam
will cool faster than the interior, thereby providing a skin. Furthermore the
foam adheres to the
internal ventilated support component 16 as illustrated in Fig. 8b, so that
when the foamed
molded component is removed from the mold cavity 17 the ventilated support
component 13 also
is pulled from the cavity 16 in one unitary piece with the holes 17 and 19
aligned.
Alternatively once the foam mold has set, the mold may then be coated with a
sealant such as a
polyurethane coat or skin. This skin permeates and covers every outer surface
of the foam
molded component 11. The subsequent polyurethane coat assists the foam molded
component
by minimizing moisture absorption thereby prolonging the life of the chair,
assisting with shape
memory and cushioning of the foam component. Also there is less likelihood of
moisture
entering the interior of the foam material where mould or bacteria could form.
This improved
cushioning and shape memory is further improved as the polyurethane coat
extends through the
foam molded component 11, by way of coating the plurality of holes 17.
Fig. 8A illustrates a cross sectional view of the foam mold injection utility
along line 8A. As one
may observe, the rods 33 of the horizontal plate 31 are aligned with the
openings 19 of the
internal ventilated support component 13 in such manner as to define a cavity.
As depicted in
Fig. 8B, the plastic foam is injected into the cavity 11 as defined by the
upper mold section 31
and the internal ventilated support component 13 resting on the lower mold
section 35.
8
12323937.1
CA 02863962 2014-09-19
As depicted by Fig. 9, once the injected foam molded component 11 sets, the
upper molds
section 31 is removed from the lower mold section 35. The injected foam molded
component 11
is then removed from the lower mold section 35 as depicted in Fig. 10.
It should be further noted that the plurality of holes 17 are generally
disposed such that the axis
30 of the plurality of holes 17 are substantially parallel to each other as
depicted in Fig. 2. It has
been found that the plurality of holes 17 each having an outer layer or skin
22 formed during the
molding process provide superior crush resistance or strength when compared to
the same foam
material having the same holes that have been formed after the molding process
but punching or
cutting of the holes 17 after the molding process. The superior crushing
resistance is in the
direction of the axis 30 , that is in the direction of the centre lines of the
holes . The section of the
skin 22 which is disposed substantially parallel to the axis 30 have an
additive effect in providing
increased strength and provide a firmer foam having increased strength
resistance.
In addition, the ventilated back cover component 15 has a generally straight
back 40 portion as
depicted in Figs. 1 and 4 to hide the mechanics of the height adjustment
mechanism 50.
However, the wing portions of the back support component 15 are curved or
convex as
illustrated in Fig. 4. Moreover the lower lumbar section 60 in the medial area
of the internal
ventilated support component 13 is also curved (i.e. concave relative to the
straight portion 40 so
as to provide cross ventilation through the opening 18 between the ribs 21).
In other words, the
chair back is ventilated in the direction of the axis 30 of the plurality of
holes 17 and 19; plus
cross ventilated between the internal ventilated support component 13 and
outer ventilated
backing support component 15 in direction X as shown in Fig. 4 which can be
perpendicular to
the plurality of axis 30, or at an angle therefrom. In other words, the space
18 between the ribs
21 provides ventilation to the holes 17 and 19 and between the internal
ventilated support
component 13 and back support component 15. More specifically there is a space
between the
portion 40 and the lower portion 52 of support 13 so that cross ventilation
can occur in the
direction X.
9
12323937 1
CA 02863962 2014-09-19
The fabric 12 also provides the passage or ventilation of air therethrough. In
other words the
chair described herein enables the flow of air to the body. The airflow
benefits depend on the
fabrics chosen. Fig. 11 illustrates that when the chair is viewed from the
front, one will be able
to make out the outline of the holes 17, 19 and the spaces between the ribs
21.
10
20
12323937.1
