Foam Furniture Molded Around a Core with a Lumbar Support Protrusion

Abstract

A foam seating article includes an outer foam layer molded around an inner core of molded foam or expanded polystyrene that includes a lumbar support protrusion. The lumbar support protrusion has a convex outer surface disposed inside the seat back area of the outer foam layer and that is not visible on the outer contour of the seat back area. The inner core is made from polyurethane polyol and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and has a hardness greater than 25 Shore A and a density less than two pounds per cubic foot. The polymer material of the inner core has a hardness greater than that of the outer foam. The outer layer of molded foam is high density (HD) foam, memory foam or latex foam. A fabric covering encloses the inner core and molded outer foam layer. The foam seating article can be a chair, sofa, chaise lounge or bench.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A method of manufacturing a seating article, comprising:
 molding a foam core of foam having a first hardness, wherein a portion of the foam core forms a seat back, and wherein a lumbar support protrusion is disposed on the seat back portion of the foam core;   placing the foam core in a mold;   molding an outer layer of foam completely around the foam core, wherein the outer layer of foam has a second hardness, and wherein the first hardness is greater than the second hardness; and   placing a covering around the outer layer of foam and the foam core.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the first hardness is greater than 25 Shore A, and the second hardness is less than 20 Shore A. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the lumbar support protrusion is disposed inside a seat back area of the outer layer of foam. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the lumbar support protrusion has a convex outer surface. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the seat back area has an outer contour adapted to face the lower back of an occupant of the seating article, and wherein the lumbar support protrusion is not visible on the outer contour of the seat back area of the outer layer of foam. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising:
 gluing a layer of memory foam on top of the outer layer of foam, wherein the covering encloses the layer of memory foam.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the lumbar support protrusion has a convexity shaped to conform to a lordotic curve portion of a seated person's spine. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the outer layer of foam is taken from the group consisting of: HD foam, memory foam and latex foam. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein wherein the foam core is made of a polyether-derived polyurethane polyol and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the foam core contains between 100 kg and 120 kg of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate for every 100 kg of polyether-derived polyurethane polyol. 
     
     
         47 . A method comprising:
 molding a foam core of foam having a hardness of greater than 25 Shore A, wherein a portion of the foam core forms a seat back, and wherein a lumbar support protrusion is disposed on the seat back portion of the foam core;   placing the foam core in a mold;   molding an outer layer of foam completely around the foam core, wherein the outer layer of foam has a hardness of 25 Shore A or less; and   placing a covering around the outer layer of foam and the foam core.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising:
 gluing a layer of memory foam on top of the outer layer of foam, wherein the covering encloses the layer of memory foam.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the lumbar support protrusion is disposed inside a seat back area of the outer layer of foam. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the seat back area has an outer contour, and wherein the lumbar support protrusion is not visible on the outer contour of the seat back area of the outer layer of foam. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the lumbar support protrusion has a convex outer surface. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the foam core is made of a polyether-derived polyurethane polyol and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the foam core contains between 100 kg and 120 kg of the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate for every 100 kg of the polyether-derived polyurethane polyol. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the outer layer of foam is taken from the group consisting of: HD foam, memory foam and latex foam. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the lumbar support protrusion has a convexity shaped to conform to a lordotic curve portion of a seated person's spine. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the outer layer of foam has a hardness of less than 20 Shore A.