Seat insert for transit vehicle seat

Abstract

A seat insert for a seat and a method for making the seat insert includes providing a fiberglass portion comprising fiberglass matting and providing a cover portion having an inner surface and an outer surface. The fiberglass portion and the cover portion may be positioned within a mold cavity and a resin material may be introduced into the mold cavity and absorbed by the fiberglass portion. The resin material bonds the inner surface of the cover portion to the fiberglass portion and the resin material when the resin material cures. The seat insert thus comprises an integrally or unitarily formed and bonded body and cover for a seat.

1 . A seat insert for a seat, said seat insert comprising: 
 a fiberglass portion comprising fiberglass matting;    a cover portion having an inner surface and an outer surface; and    a polyester resin, said polyester resin being absorbed by said fiberglass portion, said polyester resin bonding said inner surface of said cover portion to said fiberglass portion and said polyester resin as said polyester resin cures.    
   
   
       2 . The seat insert of  claim 1 , wherein said seat insert comprises a vandal resistant seat insert, said cover portion being substantially bonded to said polyester resin and said fiberglass portion and being resistant to cuts that are readily visible.  
   
   
       3 . The seat insert of  claim 2 , wherein said cover portion comprises a pile fabric, said outer surface of said pile fabric comprising a plurality of fibers extending outwardly from a backing material of said pile fabric.  
   
   
       4 . The seat insert of  claim 1 , wherein said inner surface of said cover portion comprises substantially microscopic fibers extending at least partially inwardly from said inner surface.  
   
   
       5 . The seat insert of  claim 4 , wherein said polyester resin bonds to said substantially microscopic fibers and does not substantially soak into and through said cover portion.  
   
   
       6 . The seat insert of  claim 1 , wherein said polyester resin is introduced into a mold cavity containing said fiberglass portion and said cover portion, whereby said seat insert is formed via a single molding process.  
   
   
       7 . The seat insert of  claim 1  including at least one fastener extending from an opposite side of said seat insert than said cover portion, said at least one fastener being adapted to attach said seat insert to a seat frame of said seat.  
   
   
       8 . The seat insert of  claim 1 , wherein said fiberglass portion is pre-formed to substantially correspond to a contour of a mold cavity that receives said fiberglass portion and said polyester resin to form said seat insert.  
   
   
       9 . A method of forming a seat insert for a seat, said method comprising: 
 providing a mold cavity;    placing a cover portion in said mold cavity, said cover portion having an inner surface and an outer surface; and    introducing a resin material into said mold cavity, said resin material forming a body portion of said insert and bonding said inner surface of said cover portion to said resin material as said resin material cures.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said seat insert comprises a vandal resistant seat insert, said cover portion being substantially bonded to said resin material and being resistant to cuts that are readily visible.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said cover portion comprises a pile fabric, said outer surface of said pile fabric comprising a plurality of fibers extending outwardly from a backing material of said pile fabric.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said inner surface of said cover portion comprises substantially microscopic fibers extending at least partially inwardly from said inner surface, said resin material bonding to said substantially microscopic fibers as said resin material cures.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9  including placing at least one fastener in said mold cavity before introducing said resin material, said at least one fastener being molded into said resin material, said at least one fastener extending from an opposite side of said seat insert than said cover portion, said at least one fastener being adapted to attach said seat insert to the seat.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9  including placing a fiberglass matting portion in said mold cavity and adjacent to said inner surface of said cover portion, wherein said resin material is absorbed into said fiberglass matting portion to form said body portion.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said resin material and said fiberglass matting material form said body portion and said resin material bonds said cover portion to said body portion when said resin material cures.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein introducing said resin material into said mold cavity comprises one of injecting, pouring and dispensing said resin material into said mold cavity.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing a mold cavity comprises providing a substantially closed mold cavity, said resin material being introduced into said substantially closed mold cavity and cured therein.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing a mold cavity comprises providing an open mold cavity, said resin material being introduced into said open mold cavity and cured therein.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said resin cures via one of a heat curing process, a UV curing process, and an activator curing process.