Method for manufacturing a cushioning element from at least one nonwoven fiber element and with a cushioning heating element, vehicle seat with such a cushioning element and vehicle with such a vehicle seat

Abstract

A method (500) for manufacturing a cushioning element (10) of a vehicle seat (30) is described, comprising the steps: providing (S501) at least one plate-like nonwoven fiber element (12); inserting (S502) the at least one nonwoven fiber element (12) into a forming tool (50); arranging (S503) an electric cushion heating element (14) with at least one electrical connector (16) in the forming tool (50), wherein the electrical connector (16) and at least one section (18) of an electrical cable (18k) connected to the electrical connector (16) are received in a separate cavity (52) formed in the forming tool (50); closing (S504) the forming tool (50), wherein the cushion heating element (14) is or is arranged on the at least one nonwoven fiber element (12);Swelling and forming (S505) of the at least one nonwoven fiber element (12) under the influence of increased pressure and increased temperature, wherein the cushion heating element (14) is bonded to the at least one nonwoven fiber element (12) in a material-bonded manner; opening (S506) of the forming tool (50) and removal of the formed cushion element (10) with the cushion heating element (14) connected thereto, wherein the electrical connector (16) and the section (18) of the electrical cable (18k) are arranged to be freely movable on the cushion element (10). Furthermore, a vehicle seat with such a cushion element and a motor vehicle with such a vehicle seat are described.

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing a cushion element of a vehicle seat, a vehicle seat having at least one such cushion element and a motor vehicle having at least one such vehicle seat.Currently, because of sustainability reasons, efforts are being made to produce cushioning elements from fiber materials in order to be able to avoid foamed plastics. In the case of cushioning elements made of foamed plastic materials, a cushioning heating element, which can also be referred to as seat heating, is attached as a separate element in a separate processing step to the completely formed foamed cushioning element and bonded thereto.DE 10 2022 130 108 A1 discloses a production method for an interior component for a vehicle, wherein the interior component is suitable for heating a vehicle interior. WO 2006 / 015 588 A1 relates to a vehicle component having a rigid foam body and an electrical heating element. DE 101 52 719 C1 discloses a method for foaming cables in a steering wheel skeleton. With regard to the further prior art, reference is also made to DE 10 2010 005 994 A1 and DE 698 13 691 T2.The object on which the invention is based is to specify a method for producing a cushioning element from at least one nonwoven element having a cushioning heating element, in which a subsequent attachment of the cushioning heating element can be avoided.This object is achieved by a method, a vehicle seat and a motor vehicle having the features of the respective independent claim. Advantageous embodiments with expedient refinements are specified in the dependent patent claims.A method for producing a cushion element of a vehicle seat is therefore proposed, comprising the steps:Provision of at least one plate-like nonwoven element; insertion of the at least one nonwoven element into a forming tool; arrangement of an electric cushioning heating element with at least one electric plug in the forming tool, wherein the electric plug and at least one section of an electric cable connected to the electric plug are accommodated in a separate cavity formed in the forming tool; closing of the forming tool, wherein the cushioning heating element is or is arranged on the at least one nonwoven element; swelling and forming of the at least one nonwoven element under the influence of elevated pressure and elevated temperature, in particular by injection of a vaporous fluid, in particular steam, wherein the cushioning heating element is connected to the at least one nonwoven element in a materially continuous manner; opening the forming tool and removing the formed cushioning element with the cushioning heating element connected thereto, wherein the electrical plug and the section of the electrical cable are removed from the separate cavity and are arranged in a freely movable manner on the cushioning element.Since no liquid plastic material, in particular to be foamed, is used in such a method, the electrical plug connection of the cushioning heating element can remain in the forming tool during the forming of the cushioning element by means of the separate cavity, so that the complete cushioning heating element can also be connected to the cushioning element in the same way during the forming of the cushioning element. Thus, separate attachment of the cushioning heating element after the cushioning element is formed is unnecessary.In the method, the cushioning heating element can have a heating wire connected to the electrical plug and the section of the electrical cable, wherein the heating wire is arranged on a heating wire carrier element, and wherein the heating wire carrier element is inserted into the forming tool on the at least one nonwoven element.The heating wire carrier element can be, for example, a planar nonwoven fabric on which the heating wire is provided in particular in a loop-like or meandering manner. Alternatively, a loop-like or meandering heating wire can also be arranged on an adhesive strip which serves as a heating wire carrier element.In the method, the at least one fibrous nonwoven element and / or the heating wire carrier element can have a coating made of a temperature-activatable, superficially adhesive material in such a way that the heating wire carrier element and the at least one fibrous nonwoven element are connected, in particular bonded, to one another in a materially continuous manner in the closed forming tool.In this case, for activating the coating of adhesive material, a heat input can take place in the forming tool, for example by an increase in the temperature in the forming tool which is required anyway for the forming process of the cushioning element.In the method, as an alternative or in addition to activating the coating of adhesive material, the electrical plug of the upholstery heating element can be electrically connected to an electrical socket arranged in the separate cavity, wherein current flows through and is heated by the heating wire during the forming. As a result, a specific temperature level can be reached locally in a targeted manner in the region of the upholstery heating element or of the heating wire, which temperature level enables or supports the material-bonding connection between heating wire carrier element and upholstery element.In the method, according to an alternative, the cushioning heating element can have a heating wire connected to the electrical plug and the section of the electrical cable, wherein the heating wire is fixed to a tool half of the forming tool when the forming tool is open, in particular by means of a plurality of fixing mandrels. For example, the at least one fiber fleece element can be arranged in a lower tool half and the heating wire can be arranged in an upper tool half, so that the heating wire is arranged on the at least one fiber fleece element when the tool halves are closed.In this case, when the forming tool is closed, the heating wire can be arranged directly on the at least one fiber fleece element and connected thereto in a materially integral manner. The method can therefore be carried out in such a case without a heating wire carrier element.In the method, the electrical plug of the upholstery heating element can be electrically connected to an electrical socket arranged in the cavity, wherein current flows through and is heated by the heating wire during the forming, in particular in such a way that the heating wire has a temperature which is greater than a melting temperature of the at least one non-woven element. In other words, the heating wire melting the fibrous nonwoven element over a small area is directly connected to the fibrous nonwoven element in a materially continuous manner or integrated therein.A vehicle seat with at least one cushion element, which has been produced according to the method described above, is also proposed, wherein the cushion element with cushion heating element is a seat cushion and / or a back cushion and / or a cheek cushion. A cheek cushion can be understood to mean, for example, a lateral leg guide in the region of the seat cushion or a lateral body guide in the region of the back cushion.Furthermore, a motor vehicle having at least one such vehicle seat is also proposed.Further advantages and details of the invention are evident from the following description of embodiments with reference to the figures. The following shows: FIG. 1 is a simplified sectional view of a method for producing a cushion element of a vehicle seat; FIG. 2 shows simplified and schematic plan views of cushioning heating elements with and without a heating wire carrier element; FIG. 3 is a simplified sectional view of a slightly modified method for producing a cushion element of a vehicle seat; FIG. 4 shows a simplified top view of a cushioning element with a cushioning heating element and schematically a vehicle seat and a motor vehicle.FIG. 1 shows a simplified and schematic diagram of a method 500 for producing a cushioning element 10.According to a step S 501, at least one plate-like nonwoven element 12 is provided, wherein a forming tool 50 is inserted in the nonwoven element according to a step S 502.It is pointed out in this connection that a plurality of plate-like nonwoven elements 12 can also be arranged one above the other in the forming tool, from which the formed cushioning element 10 is then produced.According to a step S 503, an electrical cushioning heating element 14 having at least one electrical plug 16 is arranged in the forming tool 50, wherein the electrical plug 16 and at least one section 18 of an electrical cable 18 kconnected to the electrical plug 16 are accommodated in a separate cavity 52 formed in the forming tool 50.According to a step S 504, the forming tool 50 is closed, wherein the cushioning heating element 14 is or is arranged on the at least one non-woven element 12.According to a step S 505, the at least one nonwoven element 12 is swollen and formed under the influence of elevated pressure and elevated temperature, in particular by injection of a vaporous fluid, in particular water vapor, wherein the cushioning heating element 14 is connected to the at least one nonwoven element 12 in a materially integral manner.According to a step S 506, the forming tool 50 is opened and the formed cushioning element 10 with the cushioning heating element 14 connected thereto is removed, wherein the electrical plug 16 and the section 18 of the electrical cable 18 kare removed from the separate cavity 52 and are arranged on the cushioning element 12 in a freely movable manner.FIG. 2 shows, in simplified form, possible configurations of the upholstery heating element 14. Each of the cushion heaters 14 includes a heater wire 20 connected to the electrical connector 16 and the portion 18 of the electrical cable 18k. The heating wire is shown here in a simplified zigzag-like manner. The heating wire 20 can, however, also be formed in turns, loops or other courses, for example meandering.It can be seen from FIGS. 2A and 2B that the heating wire 20 is arranged on a heating wire carrier element 22. In the example of FIG. 2A, the heating wire carrier element 22 is designed as a planar nonwoven fabric. In the example of FIG. 2B, the heating wire carrier element 22 is formed by two strips, in particular adhesive strips, on which longer sections of the heating wire 20 are arranged.In the method 500 shown in FIG. 1, cushioning heating elements 14 with a heating wire carrier element 22 (FIGS. 2A, 2B ) can be inserted into the forming tool 50 in the step S 503 such that the heating wire carrier element 22 rests on the at least one nonwoven element 12. In other words, the cushion heater 14 with heater wire support member 22 may be disposed on top of a top layer of nonwoven members 12.The at least one fibrous nonwoven element 12 or / and the heating wire carrier element 22 (FIGS. 2A, 2B ) used in the method 500 can have a coating of a temperature-activatable, superficially adhesive material in such a way that the heating wire carrier element 22 and the at least one fibrous nonwoven element 12 are bonded to one another in a materially continuous manner in the closed forming tool 50, which is effected in particular in step S 505. In this case, in step S 505 for activating the coating of adhesive material, a heat input takes place in the forming tool 50.FIG. 3 shows the method 500 of FIG. 1 at least partially again, wherein a cushioning heating element 14 according to FIG. 2C is used here, which heating element has the heating wire 20 connected to the electrical plug 16 and the section 18 of the electrical cable 18 k, but no heating wire carrier element 22, In step S 503, the cushioning heating element is introduced into the forming tool, wherein in this example, the heating wire 20 is fixed, when the forming tool 50 is open, to a, here upper, tool half 50 aof the forming tool 50, in particular by means of a plurality of fixing mandrels 54. In other words, FIG. 3 shows a method 500 in which a cushion heating element 14 without a heating wire carrier element 22 is used.Otherwise, steps S 501, S 502, S 504 to S 507 are substantially the same as described above with reference to FIG. 1.FIG. 3 shows an optional electrical bushing 56 in the separate cavity 52 of the forming tool 50. In particular, the plug 16 of the cushion heater 14 may be connected to this socket 56 during step S 503. This can be done not only in the method 500 shown in FIG. 3, but also in the method shown in FIG. 1, even if the bushing 56 is not shown in FIG. 1.Referring to the method 500 of FIG. 1 described above, to activate the adhesive material coating, the electrical plug 16 of the cushion heating element 14 may be electrically connected to the electrical socket 56 disposed in the separate cavity 52, with current flowing through and heating the heating wire 20 during the forming (S 504, S 505).In a similar manner, in the method 500 described with reference to FIG. 3, the electrical plug 16 of the upholstery heating element 14 can likewise be electrically connected to the electrical socket 56 arranged in the separate cavity 52, wherein current flows through and is heated by the heating wire 20 of the upholstery heating element 14 during the forming (S 504, S 505), in particular in such a way that the heating wire (20) has a temperature which is greater than a melting temperature of the at least one nonwoven element 12.For the sake of completeness, it is also pointed out that the final step S 506 is also carried out in the method 500 described in FIG. 3, so that here too a cushioning element 10 having the properties already described above can be removed from the forming tool 50.FIG. 4 shows, in simplified form and schematically in a plan view, a cushioning element 10 with a cushioning heating element 14 accommodated therein in a materially integral manner.It is furthermore evident from FIG. 4 that a cushioning element 10 produced according to the method 500 described above can be part of a vehicle seat 30, which is illustrated here as a dash-dotted rectangle. Furthermore, FIG. 4 also shows that a motor vehicle 200 can have at least one such vehicle seat 30.

Claims

Method (500) for producing a cushioning element (10) of a vehicle seat (30), comprising the steps of: providing (S501) at least one plate-like nonwoven element (12); inserting (S502) the at least one nonwoven element (12) into a forming tool (50); arranging (S503) an electrical cushioning heating element (14) having at least one electrical plug (16) in the forming tool (50), wherein the electrical plug (16) and at least one section (18) of an electrical cable (18k) connected to the electrical plug (16) are accommodated in a separate cavity (52) formed in the forming tool (50); closing (S504) the forming tool (50), wherein the cushioning heating element (14) is arranged on the at least one nonwoven element (12); Swelling and forming (S 505) of the at least one fibrous nonwoven element (12) under the influence of elevated pressure and elevated temperature, in particular by injection of a vaporous fluid, in particular water vapor, wherein the cushioning heating element (14) is connected to the at least one fibrous nonwoven element (12) in a materially integral manner; opening (S 506) the forming tool (50) and removing the formed cushioning element (10) with the cushioning heating element (14) connected thereto, wherein the electrical plug (16) and the section (18) of the electrical cable (18k) are removed from the separate cavity (52) and are arranged in a freely movable manner on the cushioning element (10).The method (500) of claim 1, wherein the cushion heating element (14) comprises a heating wire (20) connected to the electrical connector (16) and the portion (18) of the electrical cable (18k), wherein the heating wire (20) is disposed on a heating wire support member (22), and wherein the heating wire support member (22) is inserted (S503) into the forming tool (50) on the at least one non-woven fabric member (12).Method (500) according to claim 2, wherein the at least one fibre fleece element (12) and / or the heating wire carrier element (22) have a coating of a temperature-activatable, superficially adhesive material such that the heating wire carrier element (22) and the at least one fibre fleece element (12) are connected to each other in a materially integral manner in the closed forming tool (50).Method (500) according to Claim 3, wherein a heat input takes place in the forming tool (50) in order to activate the coating of adhesive material.Method (500) according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein, in order to activate the coating of adhesive material, the electrical plug (16) of the upholstery heating element (14) is electrically connected to an electrical socket (56) arranged in the separate cavity (52), and wherein current flows through and is heated by the heating wire (20) during the forming (S504, S505).Method (500) according to Claim 1, wherein the upholstery heating element (14) has a heating wire (20) connected to the electrical plug (16) and to the section (18) of the electrical cable (18k), wherein the heating wire (20) is fixed to a tool half (50a) of the forming tool (50), in particular by means of a plurality of fixing mandrels (54), when the forming tool (50) is open.Method (500) according to Claim 6, wherein, when the forming tool (50) is closed (S504), the heating wire (20) is arranged directly on the at least one fibre fleece element (12) and is connected thereto in a materially integral manner.Method (500) according to Claim 6 or 7, wherein the electrical plug (16) of the upholstery heating element (14) is electrically connected to an electrical socket (56) arranged in the separate cavity (52), and wherein current flows through and is heated by the heating wire (20) during the forming (S504, S505), in particular in such a way that the heating wire (20) has a temperature which is greater than a melting temperature of the at least one fibre fleece element (12).Vehicle seat (30) having at least one upholstery element (10) which has been produced according to the method (500) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the upholstery element (10) with upholstery heating element (14) is a seat cushion and / or a back cushion and / or a cheek cushion.Motor vehicle (200) having at least one vehicle seat (30) according to Claim 9.

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