Pillow

Abstract

A cushion is provided with a uniform fabric of expanded thermoplastic resin filaments. A weld seam is formed at least partially along the fabric.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Danish patent application serial number PA 2023 70421, filed on August 16, 2023, which in turn claims priority to US application serial number 18 / 087,852, filed on December 23, 2022, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Technical area

[0002] Various embodiments relate to cushions formed from a uniform fabric of expanded thermoplastic resin filaments. Short description of the figures Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a seat assembly according to one embodiment; Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view of cushions of the seat assembly of Fig. 1 according to one embodiment; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a manufacturing method according to an embodiment; Fig. 4 is another perspective view of the manufacturing process of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is another perspective view of the manufacturing process of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a manufacturing method according to another embodiment; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the manufacturing process of Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the manufacturing process of Fig. 7. Detailed description

[0003] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the various described embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.

[0004] It should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary, and that various and alternative forms are possible. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or reduced to show details of particular components. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ embodiments in accordance with the disclosure.

[0005] “One or more” includes a function performed by one element, a function performed by more than one element, e.g., in a distributed form, multiple functions performed by one element, multiple functions performed by multiple elements, or any combination of the above.

[0006] It should also be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., are used in some instances herein to describe various elements, those elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first contact could be referred to as a second contact, and likewise, a second contact could be referred to as a first contact, without departing from the scope of the various described embodiments. The first contact and the second contact are both contacts, but they are not the same contact.

[0007] The terminology used in the description of the various embodiments described herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of the various embodiments and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It is also to be understood that the term "and / or," as used herein, refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements.Furthermore, the terms "includes", "containing", "comprises" and / or "comprising", when used in this specification, are understood to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

[0008] As used herein, the term "if" is understood to mean "when" or "at" or "in response to the determination" or "in response to the detection," depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase "when it is determined" or "when [a particular condition or event] is detected" is optionally interpreted to mean "at the determination" or "in response to the determination" or "at the detection of [the particular condition or event]" or "in response to the detection of [the particular condition or event]," depending on the context.

[0009] Fig. 1 shows a seat assembly 20 as a vehicle seat assembly 20 according to one embodiment. Although the vehicle seat assembly 20 is shown and described, any seat assembly 20 may be used. The seat assembly 20 may be used in a land vehicle, an aircraft, a watercraft, or the like. The seat assembly 20 may also be used as an office chair, a comfort chair, or the like.

[0010] The illustrated seat assembly 20 includes a seat bottom cushion 22 to support the pelvis and thighs of a seated occupant. The seat assembly 20 also includes a seatback cushion 24 to support the back and shoulders of the occupant. A trim cover 26 is mounted over the seat cushions 22, 24 to conceal the cushions 22, 24 and provide a uniform and smooth contact surface for the occupant.

[0011] In Fig. 2, two cushions 28, 30 are partially shown removed from the seat assembly 20. Each cushion 28, 30 is formed from a plurality of filaments 32 of an extruded, expanded thermoplastic resin as disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63 / 357,163 by Geisler et al., filed June 30, 2022, by Lear Corporation, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0012] The cushion 28 is provided by two fabric pieces 34, 36, each formed from a uniform, non-foamed fabric of thermoplastic resin filaments 32. The fabric pieces 34, 36 are joined together, at least partially along mating surfaces 40, 42 between the fabric pieces 34, 36. A weld seam 38 is formed at least partially along the mating surfaces 40, 42 of the fabric pieces 34, 36. The two fabric pieces 34, 36 may be separately formed fabric layers 34, 36 or integrally formed as two separate sections 34, 36 that are folded to overlap for welding.

[0013] The fabric pieces 34, 36 may each include a skin 40, 42 shaped as the mating surfaces 40, 42 of the fabric pieces 34, 36 to increase a contact area for the weld seam 38. The skins 40, 42 may be formed by a denser concentration of the threads 32 at the mating surfaces 40, 42 to form the skins 40, 42 from a denser area of ​​threads 32. The weld seam 38 extends along the fabric pieces 34, 36 as a seam therebetween, enclosing the fabric pieces 34, 36 and / or abutting the separate segments 34, 36.

[0014] Fig. 3 shows the fabric parts 34, 36 stacked on top of each other. The fabric parts 34, 36 are located under a welding device 44. The welding device 44 can be operated automatically or manually. According to one embodiment, the welding device 44 is an ultrasonic welding device 44. However, any other welding device 44 can also be used, e.g., a heated welding device or a friction stir welding device. The welding device 44 includes a welding arm 46 with a welding tip 48 at a distal end of the welding arm 46. In Fig. 4, the welding arm 46 with the welding tip 48 extends until it comes into contact with the fabric part 34, thereby pressing the fabric parts 34, 36 together to improve the contact between the fabric parts 34, 36. In Fig. 4, the welding tip 48 is also ultrasonically vibrated under the pressure of the welding device 46 to create friction between the fabric parts 34, 36 and melt the fabric parts 34, 36 at the mating surfaces 40, 42. The molten mating surfaces 40, 42 of the fabric parts 34, 36 cool to solidify and form the weld seam 38.

[0015] In Fig. 5, the welding arm 46 is retracted to allow the fabric pieces 34, 36 to expand into a uniform welded cushion 28. The weld seam 38 contains a uniform depth, e.g., a number of threads 32 beyond the mating surfaces 40, 42. The number of threads 32 can be, for example, up to three threads 32. The uniform depth of the weld seam 38 is more consistent and repeatable than an adhesive, which often drips beyond the mating surfaces and creates a denser and inconsistent bond beyond the lower mating surface. By eliminating the use of adhesives, the cushion 28 is formed from a uniform material, which simplifies recyclability. In addition, the weld seam 38 provides flexibility that is less rigid compared to a comparable adhesive bond.

[0016] The welded cushion 28 provides a lightweight, sustainable comfort solution for seat assemblies 20 that reduces vehicle weight while supporting the occupant to reduce costs and improve fuel efficiency. The threads 32 of the fabric pieces 34, 36 provide a reduced area for joining. However, compressing the fabric pieces 34, 36 together increases the density and area of ​​the mating surfaces 40, 42 to create the weld 38, which is stronger than adhesives in application tests such as shear strength. Although two fabric pieces 34, 36 are shown welded together, any number of fabric pieces 34, 36 and any number of welds 38 can be used to fabricate various cushions 28.

[0017] Various parameters of the welding process can be varied for different specifications or applications. For example, the power, voltage, and current of the welding device 44 can be adjusted to adapt the quality of the weld 38. The proximity of the contact point between the welding tip 48 and the fabric piece 34, as well as the pressure exerted on the fabric pieces 34, 36 by extending the welding arm 46, can also change the quality of the weld 38. The time of the weld 38 can also be varied to vary the quality. At the welding tip 48, the frequency of the tip 48 can be varied to vary the weld quality. Furthermore, the shape of the welding tip 48 can be adjusted to change the quality to create a surface weld, a spot weld, or the like.

[0018] Different configurations of the mating surfaces 40, 42 can also be used to achieve different mating configurations. For example, both mating surfaces 40, 42 can contain a layer. Alternatively, one of the mating surfaces 40 can contain a layer, while the other mating surface 42 contains a less dense surface with threads 32. In another embodiment, both mating surfaces 40, 42 do not contain skin layers. Furthermore, the weld seam 38 can be varied by varying the material of the fabric pieces 34, 36, adjusting the area of ​​the mating surfaces 40, 42, or changing the number of weld seams between the fabric pieces 34, 36. Various materials can include polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyester elastomer, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyoxymethylene, or the like.

[0019] As in Fig. 1, the cushion 28 is mounted with the seat assembly 20 on a support 50 below the trim cover 26, according to one embodiment. In another embodiment, the cushion 28 is mounted on a frame 52 and is concealed by the trim cover 26. In Fig. 1, portions of the trim cover 26 are partially removed to expose the threads 32 of the cushion 28.

[0020] Referring to Fig. 2, the cushion 30 is provided by a fabric member 54 formed from a unitary, non-foamed web of thermoplastic resin filaments 32. A support body 56 is attached to the fabric member 54. The support body 56 may be a trim component 56, such as a tab 56, as shown. The fabric member 54 and the tab 56 are at least partially joined together along mating surfaces 58, 60 between the fabric member 54 and the tab 56. A weld 62 is formed at least partially along the mating surfaces 58, 60 of the fabric member 54 and the tab 56. In another embodiment, the support body 56 is a suspension component. In another embodiment, the support body 56 is a beam. The support body 56 may be any weldable component used to attach the fabric member 54 to another seat component 56.

[0021] The fabric portion 54 may include a skin 60 shaped as the mating surfaces 60 of the fabric portion 54 to increase a contact area for the weld seam 62. The skin 60 may be formed by a denser concentration of the threads 32 at the mating surfaces 60 to form the skin 60 from a denser area of ​​threads 32. The weld seam 62 extends along the fabric portion 54 and the flap 56 as an intermediate seam, thereby enclosing the fabric portion 54 and the flap 56 and / or being adjacent to the fabric portion 54 and the flap 56.

[0022] Fig. 6 illustrates the support body 56 resting on the fabric part 54. The fabric part 54 and the tab 56 are located under the welding device 44. In Fig. 7, the arm of the welding device 46 with the welding tip 48 extends until it comes into contact with the support body 56, thereby compressing the fabric part 54 to improve the contact between the fabric part 54 and the support body 56. In Fig. 7, the welding tip 48 is also ultrasonically vibrated under the pressure of the welding device 46 to create friction between the fabric part 54 and the support body 56 and to melt the fabric part 54 and the support body 56 at the mating surfaces 58, 60. The molten mating surfaces 58, 60 of the fabric part 54 and the tab 56 cool to solidify and form the weld seam 62.

[0023] In Fig. 8, the welding arm 46 is retracted to allow the fabric portion 54 to expand as a welded cushion 30. The weld seam 62 contains a uniform depth, e.g., a number of threads 32 beyond the mating surface 60. The number of threads 32 can be, e.g., up to three threads 32. The uniform depth of the weld seam 62 is more consistent and repeatable than an adhesive, which often drips beyond the mating surfaces and creates a denser and inconsistent bond beyond the lower mating surface.

[0024] By eliminating the use of adhesives, the cushion 30 is formed from a uniform material, which simplifies recycling.

[0025] The welded cushion 30 provides a lightweight, sustainable comfort solution for seat assemblies 20 that reduces vehicle weight while supporting the occupant to reduce costs and improve fuel efficiency. The threads 32 of the fabric member 54 provide a reduced area for joining. However, compressing the fabric member 54 increases the density and area of ​​the mating surfaces 60 to create the weld 62, which is stronger than adhesives in application tests such as shear strength. Although one fabric member 54 and one support body 56 are shown welded together, any number of fabric members 54 and support bodies 56, as well as any number of welds 62, may be used to create various cushions 30.

[0026] Various parameters of the welding process can be varied for different specifications or applications. For example, the power, voltage, and current of the welding device 44 can be adjusted to adapt the quality of the weld 62. The proximity of the contact point between the welding tip 48 and the fabric part 54, as well as the pressure exerted on the support body 56 and the fabric part 54 by extending the welding arm 46, can also change the quality of the weld 62. The time of the weld 62 can also be varied to vary the quality. At the welding tip 48, the frequency of the tip 48 can be varied to vary the quality of the weld. Furthermore, the shape of the welding tip 48 can be adjusted to adjust the quality to create a surface weld, a spot weld, or the like.

[0027] Different configurations of the mating surfaces 58, 60 can also be used to achieve different mating configurations. For example, the mating surface 60 of the fabric part 54 can include a skin layer. Furthermore, the weld seam 62 can be varied by varying the material of the fabric part 54 and the support body 56, adjusting the area of ​​the mating surfaces 58, 60, or changing the number of weld seams between the fabric part 54 and the support body 56. Various materials can include polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyester elastomer, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyoxymethylene, or the like.

[0028] As in Fig.1, according to one embodiment, the cushion 30 is attached to the seat assembly 20 below the fairing cover 26 on the fairing support 50. The cushion 30 may be welded directly to the support 50. Alternatively, the tab 56 may be attached to the support 50. In another embodiment, the cushion 30 is attached to the frame 52 by attaching the tab 56, and the cushion 30 is concealed by the fairing cover 26.

[0029] According to a first aspect, a cushion is provided with a uniform fabric of expanded thermoplastic resin filaments. A weld seam is formed at least partially along the fabric.

[0030] According to a second aspect, the cushion of the first aspect is provided, wherein the weld seam is formed at least partially along a surface of the fabric.

[0031] According to a third aspect, the cushion of the first aspect or the second aspect is provided, wherein the fabric is further defined as a first fabric part. A second unitary fabric part made of thermoplastic resins is provided and is welded to the first fabric part.

[0032] According to a fourth aspect, the cushion of the third aspect is provided, wherein the first fabric part is further provided with a first fabric segment. The second fabric part is provided with a second fabric segment.

[0033] According to a fifth aspect, the cushion of any one of the first to fourth aspects is provided with a skin that is welded to the fabric.

[0034] According to a sixth aspect, the cushion of any of the first to fifth aspects is provided with a first skin that is integrally bonded to the fabric. A second skin is welded to the first skin.

[0035] According to a seventh aspect, the cushion of any of the first to sixth aspects is provided, wherein the weld extends along a portion of the fabric as a seam.

[0036] According to an eighth aspect, the cushion of any of the first to seventh aspects is provided with a covering component welded to the fabric.

[0037] According to a ninth aspect, the cushion of the eighth aspect is provided, wherein the trim component is further provided with a tab for attachment to another trim component.

[0038] According to a tenth aspect, the cushion of the eighth or ninth aspect is provided, wherein the fabric and the trim component are formed from a similar recyclable material.

[0039] According to an eleventh aspect, the cushion of any one of the first to tenth aspects is provided with a support body welded to the fabric.

[0040] According to a twelfth aspect, the cushion of the eleventh aspect is provided, wherein the support body is further provided with a trim support.

[0041] According to a thirteenth aspect, the cushion of any one of the first to twelfth aspects is provided, wherein the weld seam is provided with a uniform amount of threads.

[0042] According to a fourteenth aspect, there is provided the cushion of any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, wherein the cushion is not provided with adhesives.

[0043] According to a fifteenth aspect, there is provided a seat cushion comprising the cushion of any one of the first to fourteenth aspects.

[0044] According to a sixteenth aspect, a seat assembly is provided with a seat frame. A cushion is provided according to any one of the first to fifteenth aspects.

[0045] According to a seventeenth aspect, a method is provided in which a first region of a fabric of expanded thermoplastic resin filaments is welded to a second region of a fabric of thermoplastic resin filaments.

[0046] According to an eighteenth aspect, the method of the seventeenth aspect is further provided with stacking the first portion of the fabric and the second portion of the fabric prior to welding.

[0047] According to a nineteenth aspect, the method of the seventeenth aspect or the eighteenth aspect is further provided with stacking the first region of a first layer of the fabric and the second region of a second layer of the fabric prior to welding.

[0048] According to a twentieth aspect, the method of any of the seventeenth to nineteenth aspects is further provided with compressing the first portion of the fabric and the second portion of the fabric prior to welding.

[0049] According to a twenty-first aspect, the method of any of the seventeenth to twentieth aspects is further provided with extending a welding device onto the first region or the second region of the fabric to weld the first region and the second region of the fabric.

[0050] According to a twenty-second aspect, the method of the twenty-first aspect is further provided with withdrawing the welding device after welding the first region and the second region of the fabric.

[0051] According to a twenty-third aspect, the method of any of the seventeenth to twenty-second aspects is further provided with ultrasonically welding the first region and the second region of the fabric.

[0052] According to a twenty-fourth aspect, the method of any of the seventeenth to twenty-third aspects is further provided with welding the first portion of the fabric to the second portion of the fabric of a unitary layer of the fabric.

[0053] According to a twenty-fifth aspect, the method of any of the seventeenth to twenty-fourth aspects is further provided with welding the first portion of the fabric to the second portion of the fabric without adhesives.

[0054] According to a twenty-sixth aspect, the method of any of the seventeenth to twenty-fifth aspects is further provided with varying the power, voltage, current, welding device extension distance, or welding frequency of a welding device to vary a weld.

[0055] According to a twenty-seventh aspect, a pillow is formed by the method according to any one of the seventeenth aspects to the twenty-sixth aspect.

[0056] According to a twenty-eighth aspect, a seat cushion is formed by the method according to any one of the seventeenth aspects to the twenty-sixth aspect.

[0057] According to a twenty-ninth aspect, the method of any of the seventeenth to twenty-sixth aspects is further provided with attaching the welded portions of the fabric in a seat assembly.

[0058] According to a thirtieth aspect, a method is provided in which a first portion of a fabric of expanded thermoplastic resin filaments is welded to a trim component or support body.

[0059] According to a thirty-first aspect, the method of the thirtieth aspect is further provided with compressing the first portion of the fabric prior to welding.

[0060] According to the thirty-second aspect, the method of the thirtieth aspect or the thirty-first aspect is further provided with extending a welding device onto the first region of the fabric to weld the first region and the trim component or the support body.

[0061] According to a thirty-third aspect, the method of the thirty-second aspect is further provided with retracting the welding device after welding the first region and the trim component or the support body.

[0062] According to a thirty-fourth aspect, the method of any of the thirty-third to thirty-third aspects is further provided with ultrasonically welding the first region and the trim component or the support body.

[0063] According to a thirty-fifth aspect, the method of any of the thirtieth to thirty-fourth aspects is further provided with welding the first portion of the fabric to the trim component.

[0064] According to a thirty-sixth aspect, the method of any of the thirtieth to thirty-fifth aspects is further provided with welding the first portion of the fabric to the support body.

[0065] According to a thirty-seventh aspect, the method of any of the thirtieth to thirty-sixth aspects is further provided with welding the first portion of the fabric to the trim component or the support body without adhesives.

[0066] According to a thirty-eighth aspect, the method of any of the thirtieth to thirty-seventh aspects is further provided with varying the power, voltage, current, welding device extension distance, or welding frequency of a welding device to vary a weld.

[0067] According to a thirty-ninth aspect, a pillow is formed according to the method of any one of the thirtieth to thirty-eighth aspects.

[0068] According to a fortieth aspect, a seat cushion is formed by the method of any one of the thirtieth aspects to the thirty-eighth aspect.

[0069] According to a forty-first aspect, the method according to any one of the thirtieth to thirty-eighth aspects further comprises attaching the welded portion of the fabric and the trim component or support body into a seat assembly.

[0070] Although various embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms according to the disclosure. In this regard, the words used in the description are descriptive rather than limiting, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, the features of the various embodiments may be combined to form other forms according to the disclosure. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DK 2023 70421

[0001] US 18 / 087,852

[0001] US 63 / 357,163

[0011]

Claims

[1] A cushion comprising a unitary web of expanded thermoplastic resin filaments; and a weld seam formed at least partially along the web. [2] The cushion of claim 1, wherein the weld seam is formed at least partially along a surface of the fabric. [3] The cushion of claim 1 or 2, wherein the fabric is further defined as a first fabric part; and wherein the cushion further comprises a second unitary fabric part made of thermoplastic resins and welded to the first fabric part. [4] The cushion of claim 3, wherein the first fabric portion further comprises a first fabric segment; and wherein the second fabric portion further comprises a second fabric segment. [5] The cushion of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a skin welded to the fabric. [6] The cushion of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a first skin unitarily bonded to the fabric; and a second skin welded to the first skin. [7] The cushion of claim 1 or 2, wherein the weld extends along a portion of the fabric as a seam. [8] The cushion of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a trim component welded to the fabric. [9] The cushion of claim 8, wherein the trim component further comprises a tab for attaching to another trim component. [10] The cushion of claim 8, wherein the fabric and the trim component are formed from a similar recyclable material. [11] The cushion according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a support body welded to the fabric. [12] The cushion of claim 11, wherein the support body further comprises a trim support. [13] The cushion of claim 1 or 2, wherein the weld comprises a uniform amount of threads. [14] The pad of claim 1 or 2, wherein the pad does not comprise adhesives. [15] A seat cushion comprising the cushion according to claim 1 or 2. [16] A seat assembly comprising: a seat frame; and a pillow according to claim 1 or 2. [17] A method comprising: Welding a first region of a fabric of expanded thermoplastic resin filaments to a second region of a fabric of thermoplastic resin filaments. [18] The method of claim 17, further comprising stacking the first portion of the fabric and the second portion of the fabric prior to welding. [19] The method of claim 17 or 18, further comprising stacking the first region of a first layer of the fabric and the second region of a second layer of the fabric prior to welding. [20] The method of claim 17 or 18, further comprising compressing the first portion of the fabric and the second portion of the fabric prior to welding. [21] The method of claim 17 or 18, further comprising extending a welding device to contact the first region or the second region of the fabric to weld the first region and the second region of the fabric. [22] The method of claim 21, further comprising retracting the welding device after welding the first region and the second region of the fabric. [23] The method of claim 17 or 18, further comprising ultrasonically welding the first region and the second region of the fabric. [24] The method of claim 17 or 18, further comprising welding the first portion of the fabric to the second portion of the fabric in a unitary layer of the fabric. [25] The method of claim 17 or 18, further comprising welding the first portion of the fabric to the second portion of the fabric without adhesives. [26] The method of claim 17 or 18, further comprising varying the power, voltage, current, welder travel, or welding frequency of a welder to vary a weld. [27] A cushion formed by the method of claim 17 or 18. [28] A seat cushion formed by the method of claim 17 or 18. [29] The method of claim 17 or 18, further comprising attaching the welded portions of the fabric in a seat assembly. [30] A method comprising: Welding a first portion of a fabric of expanded thermoplastic resin filaments to a trim component or support body. [31] The method of claim 30, further comprising compressing the first portion of the fabric prior to welding. [32] The method of claim 30 or 31, further comprising extending a welding device to contact the first portion of the fabric and to weld the first portion and the trim component or the support body. [33] The method of claim 32, further comprising retracting the welding device after welding the first portion and the trim component or the support body. [34] The method of claim 30 or 31, further comprising ultrasonically welding the first region and the trim component or the support body. [35] The method of claim 30 or 31, further comprising welding the first portion of the fabric to the trim component. [36] The method of claim 30 or 31, further comprising welding the first portion of the fabric to the support body. [37] The method of claim 30 or 31, further comprising welding the first portion of the fabric to the trim component or support body without adhesives. [38] The method of claim 30 or 31, further comprising varying the power, voltage, current, welding device travel, or welding frequency of a welding device to vary a weld. [39] A cushion formed by the method of claim 30 or 31. [40] A seat cushion formed by the method of claim 30 or 31. [41] The method of claim 30 or 31, further comprising mounting the welded portion of fabric and the trim component or support body in a seat assembly.

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