Fastener and fastening method for non-foam cushion

Abstract

A fastener and method for connecting tangled or intertwined polymer strands of non-foam cushions. In a first embodiment of the fastener, the fastener includes a retainer portion that secures the fastener to the polymer strands of the cushion and a protrusion that extends through the polymer strands of the cushion to another fastener. The retainer portion can have a larger size, area, or cross-sectional area than the retainer portion so as to be inhibited from penetrating the polymer strands.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 422,708, filed November 4, 2022, and claims priority to Danish Patent Application No. PA202370420, filed August 16, 2023, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0002] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to cushion assemblies, fasteners for securing cushions, and methods of fastening cushions. More specifically, a non-foam cushion assembly of intertwined polymer strands and fasteners therefor are disclosed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0003] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective partial cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a seat assembly. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a front view of first and second non-foam or non-foam cushions with first and second fasteners positioned thereon. [Figure 3] 3 is a front view of the first and second fasteners of FIG. 2 coupled together. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of first and second fasteners coupled together. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of first and second cushions with first and second fasteners disposed thereon. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the first and second fasteners of FIG. 5 coupled together. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a first fastener. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a second fastener. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a third fastener. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the fourth and fifth fasteners. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a sixth fastener. [Figure 12] 1 is a flowchart of a method for assembling a seat assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples, and that other embodiments may take various alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale. Some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art how to employ various embodiments of the present invention. As those skilled in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments not explicitly shown or described. The combinations of illustrated features provide representative embodiments for typical applications. However, various combinations and modifications of features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desired for particular applications or implementations.

[0005] Except in the examples or where otherwise expressly indicated, all numerical values ​​in this specification expressing amounts of materials or conditions of reaction and / or use should be understood as modified by the word about in describing the broadest scope of the invention. Practice within the stated numerical limits is generally preferred. Also, unless otherwise expressly stated, percent, "part," and ratio values ​​are by weight. The term "polymer" includes "oligomer," "copolymer," "terpolymer," etc. The description of a group or class of materials as suitable or preferred for a given purpose in connection with this invention implies that mixtures of any two or more members of the group or class are equally suitable or preferred. The molecular weight provided for any polymer refers to the number average molecular weight. The description of components in chemical terms refers to the components when added in any combination specified in the description and does not necessarily exclude chemical interactions between the components of the mixed mixture. The initial definition of an acronym or other abbreviation applies to all subsequent uses of the same abbreviation herein, and applies mutatis mutandis to normal grammatical variations of the initially defined abbreviation. Also, unless expressly stated to the contrary, measurements of properties are determined by the same techniques as previously or later referenced for the same property.

[0006] Because specific components and / or conditions may vary, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described below. Further, the terminology used herein is used only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the invention and is not intended to be limiting in any way.

[0007] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, reference to an element in the singular is intended to include plural elements.

[0008] The terms "substantially," "generally," or "about" may be used herein to describe disclosed or claimed embodiments. The terms "substantially," "generally," or "about" may indicate that a value or relative property disclosed or claimed in this disclosure may vary within manufacturing tolerances and / or within ±0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, or 10% of the value or relative property.

[0009] With respect to the terms "comprising," "consisting of," and "consisting essentially of," when one of these three terms is used herein, the presently disclosed and claimed subject matter can include use of either of the other two terms.

[0010] It should also be understood that integer ranges explicitly include all integers therebetween. For example, the integer range 1-10 explicitly includes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Similarly, the range 1 to 100 includes 1, 2, 3, 4, ..., 97, 98, 99, and 100. Similarly, when any range is mentioned, intermediate numbers that are increments of 10 from the difference between the upper and lower limits can be taken as alternative upper or lower limits. For example, if the range is 1.1 to 2.1, the following numbers 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, and 2.0 can be selected as lower or upper limits.

[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a seat assembly 100 for a vehicle (e.g., automobile, motorcycle, train, aircraft, watercraft, etc.). In one or more embodiments, the seat assembly 100 includes a trim cover 102 disposed over a cushion assembly 104 and a frame 106. In a variation, the frame 106 supports the cushion assembly 104 as well as an occupant. In a refinement, the frame 106 supports other components, such as a massage assembly, a ventilation assembly, a temperature control assembly, a sensor assembly, and / or an electronic assembly. In a refinement, the cushion assembly 106 includes one or more cushions, such as, for example, a first cushion 108 (e.g., a seat bottom) and a second cushion 110 (e.g., a seat back).

[0012] In one or more embodiments, the trim cover 102 is positioned to contact the occupant. For example, the trim cover 102 is made of leather, synthetic leather, woven fabric, polyurethane, and / or polyester. In various embodiments, the seat frame 102 is made of a rigid material such as metal, plastic, wood, or a combination thereof. For example, a steel and / or aluminum seat frame 106 is used.

[0013] In various embodiments, unlike conventional cushions, which are generally molded foams, one or more of the cushions are constructed of a non-foamed or unfoamed material, such as a plurality of entangled and / or intertwined polymer strands defining one or more cushion bodies, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 2-4. In other words, some of the various polymer strands intertwine with some of the other polymer strands such that the multiple polymer strands function as a single unit, piece, cushion, pillow, pad, or mat. In a variant, the polymer strands are any suitable polymer material, such as, for example, a thermoplastic polymer (e.g., polyolefin, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, and / or polyvinyl chloride). For example, the polymer strands may be low-density or high-density polyethylene. Hereinafter, this cushion may simply be referred to as a non-foamed or unfoamed cushion. The application identified by Application No. 17 / 741,639, filed May 11, 2022, further describes a non-foamed or unfoamed cushion and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. While the term cushion is used herein, it should be understood that a non-foamed or unfoamed body of polymer strands may also be referred to as a pad or pillow.

[0014] The structure of a non-foamed or non-foamed cushion can be difficult to secure with, for example, conventional fasteners designed to secure foam. Accordingly, in one or more embodiments, the cushion assembly 200 includes one or more fasteners, as shown in FIGS. 2-11 . In a refinement, the one or more fasteners secure one or more cushions in place and / or connect the cushions to one another. For example, the cushion assembly 200 includes a first (e.g., male) fastener 202 disposed on the first cushion 204 and a second (e.g., female) fastener 206 disposed on the second cushion 208. In various embodiments, the cushions or cushion bodies each have sides defining a surface or surface portion and have slots below the surface or surface portion. For example, the first cushion 204 includes a first side (e.g., top) defining a first surface with a first slot 210 below the first surface (e.g., top), and the second cushion 208 includes a second side (e.g., bottom) defining a second surface with a second slot 212 below the second surface (e.g., bottom). In one or more embodiments, the first and / or second slots 210, 212 are cut into the cushion after extrusion. Alternatively, the slots may be defined by a breaker plate die during extrusion. Surfaces or surface portions described herein refer to the cushion body formed by the polymer strands, rather than individual polymer strands. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the first cushion 204 exhibits a first surface 214 corresponding to a first surface plane defined by axes X and Y. While the cushions are depicted herein as rectangular or cubic, the shape and size of the cushions are not particularly limited to that shape or size, and the surfaces are not limited to being planar. In a refinement, the first and second fasteners are coupled such that the surfaces of the first and second cushions are adjacent to one another.

[0015] In the variation shown in FIG. 4, fastener 300 includes a retainer or anchor portion 302 that serves to hold or secure fastener 300 in the multiple polymer strands. In a refinement, fastener 300 also includes a protrusion 304 extending from retainer or anchor portion 302. In various embodiments, protrusion 304 is configured to be received by another fastener, such as shown in FIGS. 8-9 and 11. For example, protrusion 304 can include a fastening mechanism 306, such as a screw (i.e., a spiral ramp), a clip (e.g., a Christmas tree clip), a clasp, a hook, a rivet, a snap, or any other known fastening mechanism. In one or more embodiments, fastener 300 is configured to cooperate with a second fastener by coupling together, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6.

[0016] 8 , for example, the second fastener 400 includes a retainer or anchor portion 402 that functions to hold or secure the second fastener 400 to, for example, a second non-foam or non-foam cushion. The second fastener 400 is configured to receive the first fastener 300. In various embodiments, the second fastener 400 includes a protrusion 404 extending from the retainer or anchor portion 402, the protrusion 404 including a fastening mechanism 406 that corresponds to the fastening mechanism 306 of the first fastener 300. For example, the protrusion 404 of the second fastener 400 can define a cavity 408, i.e., a hollow bottle, configured to receive the protrusion 304 of the first fastener 300. In yet another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9 , the second fastener 500 includes a retainer or anchor portion 502 defining an orifice 504 configured to receive the first fastener 300. For example, in some embodiments, the protrusion 304 of the first fastener 500 includes threads (i.e., a spiral ramp), and the second fastener 400 / 500 is configured to receive the threads. For example, the hollow pin of the second fastener 400 includes grooves corresponding to the threads for coupling the first and second fasteners 300, 400. In yet another example, the first fastening mechanism 306 is a Christmas tree clip, and the hollow pin of the second fastener 400 includes one or more openings for receiving the clip. In a refinement, as shown in FIG. 11 , the retainer or anchor portion 702 of the fastener 700 includes a plurality of barbs 704. In other words, any of the embodiments described herein can include a retainer or anchor portion with barbs to more securely hold or secure it to the cushion. For example, retainer or anchor portion 702 is configured to receive another fastener through opening 706 and includes a plurality of barbs 704.

[0017] 10, fastener 600 includes a retainer or anchor portion 602 and a protruding shaft portion 604 extending therefrom. In a variation, fastener 600 also includes a head portion 606 located on the shaft portion 604 opposite retainer or anchor portion 602. In a refinement, head portion 606 has a length greater than the shaft portion dimension W s Dimension W greater than or equal to h The head portion 606 has a length (e.g., width). The head portion 606 is configured to prevent the second fastener from slipping or sliding off the shaft portion. In one or more embodiments, the second fastener 608 is configured to cooperate with the shaft portion 604, such as by coupling (e.g., snapping and / or clipping) to the shaft portion 604. For example, the first fastener 600 is positioned on the first cushion such that the head portion 606 and shaft portion 604 protrude through the first cushion and into the second cushion. Once protruding into the second cushion, the second fastener 608 is clipped onto the shaft portion 604 such that the two cushions are coupled to one another. In a refinement, the protruding portion of the first fastener 600 defines a first axis A and is coupled to the second fastener 608, such as by sliding or lateral movement along a second axis B defined by the second fastener. In other words, the fasteners can be coupled by engaging from a non-parallel direction or from a substantially perpendicular direction (e.g., within ±10°, ±20°, ±30°, or ±45° of perpendicular).

[0018] In various embodiments, the fasteners described herein may be made of any suitable material. For example, the fasteners are composed of a thermoplastic polymer (e.g., polyolefin, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, and / or polyvinyl chloride). In a refinement, the fasteners are low-density or high-density polyethylene. In a variation, the fasteners are made of the same polymer material as the cushions (i.e., polymer strands) so that they can be reused with the cushions and do not need to be removed. In a refinement, the cushions are connected adhesivelessly via the fasteners described herein. In other words, the cushion assembly can be free or substantially free of adhesive (i.e., less than 1%, 0.5%, or 0.1% by weight).

[0019] Referring to FIG. 3, the shape of the retainer or anchor portion is not particularly limited, but in various embodiments, for example, the width W of the protrusion sThe retainer or anchor portion may have a width Wa that is 2, 3, 5, or 10 times the width of the polymer strands, as shown in FIG. 3 , and may include a generally flat portion that extends along the width of the multiple polymer strands and sterically restrains the polymer strands from moving the fastener along the first axis D1. For example, the retainer or anchor portion may be circular, rectangular, square, diamond, triangular, S-shaped, or any other suitable shape. The shape of the protruding member is not particularly limited. For example, the shape may be cylindrical, hook-shaped, or pointed. In a refinement, the protruding portion has a shape and width that allows it to more easily pass through multiple polymer strands. For example, the protruding portion may include a pointed or rounded tip that allows it to more easily penetrate the strands. In variations, the protrusion extends from the surface of the first cushion, or more preferably from the slot through the surface of the first cushion, or more preferably from the slot through the first surface of the first cushion through the second (e.g., adjacent) surface of the second cushion, or even more preferably, the protrusion is of a length such that it extends from the first slot of the first cushion through the first surface of the first cushion through the second (e.g., adjacent) surface of the second cushion to the second slot of the second cushion. In various embodiments, the retainer or anchor portion has a larger cross-sectional area along axis B than the protruding shaft portion and head portion, as shown in FIG. 10 . In a refinement, the head portion has a larger cross-sectional area than the protruding shaft portion.

[0020] 12 , a method 800 of manufacturing a cushion assembly is disclosed. Method 800 includes one or more steps of extruding one or more cushion bodies (i.e., step 802), molding one or more fasteners as described herein (i.e., step 804), defining one or more slots in the one or more cushion bodies (i.e., step 806), disposing at least one of the one or more fasteners in the one or more slots (i.e., step 808), coupling the one or more fasteners in position or to one another (i.e., step 810), and assembling the cushion assembly into a seat assembly for a vehicle or the like (i.e., step 812).

[0021] In various embodiments, one or more cushion bodies are unfoamed or non-foamed cushions comprising a plurality of tangled or intertwined polymer strands, as described above. In a refinement, slots can be cut into the cushions after they are extruded. Alternatively, a breaker plate die can be used to define cavities or slots in the cushions during extrusion. In one or more embodiments, the fasteners can be made from the same polymeric material as the cushion. Alternatively, the fasteners and cushions can be made from polymeric materials that can be recycled together without separation. For example, the cushion and fasteners are made from different grades of polymeric materials or polymeric materials with similar melting points.

[0022] In a variant, the fasteners are coupled to a position or to one another by threading them together, clipping them together, snapping them together, or any other suitable attachment mechanism. For example, a first fastener having a retainer or anchor portion and a protrusion is placed in a first cushion, e.g., a first slot in the first cushion, moved in a first direction through the slot until it is in a desired or intended position (e.g., a predetermined position), and then extended or pushed through the cushion in a second direction different from the first direction until the protrusion extends or penetrates a first surface of the cushion. For example, the first and second directions are perpendicular. In a refinement, the protrusion is pushed until it penetrates a surface (e.g., a second surface) of a second cushion (e.g., an adjacent cushion) and coupled to a second fastener placed in the second cushion, e.g., a slot in the second cushion.

[0023] In one or more embodiments, the second fastener is positioned within the second cushion by moving it laterally along the slot in a third direction, which may be the same as or substantially similar to the first direction. The second fastener is moved to a position corresponding to the first fastener. In a refinement, the second fastener is moved in a fourth direction different from the third direction (e.g., opposite the second direction) to couple with the first fastener, such as with a protrusion on the first fastener. Alternatively, the second fastener may be moved laterally in the third direction until it couples with the first fastener, such as by clipping or snapping onto a protruding shaft portion of the first fastener. Thus, in some embodiments, the first fastener may be pushed through the surface of the second cushion and the second cushion until it reaches the slot in the second cushion. In other embodiments, the protrusion on the first fastener is pushed through the first cushion, and the protrusion on the second fastener is pushed through the second cushion until they meet and couple. In various embodiments, the fasteners may be adjustably secured, such as in predetermined increments, to adjust the distance between the first and second retainers or anchor portions. For example, the fasteners may be secured so that the cushions contact each other, as in FIG. 4. Alternatively, the fasteners may be secured to define a gap 216, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0024] In one or more embodiments, the cushion assembly or portions thereof are recycled. Because the cushion and fasteners are made of compatible, similar, substantially similar, or the same materials, separation or removal of the fasteners is not necessary before recycling. In a variant, recycling involves shearing the cushion assembly into smaller pieces or fragments, such as by grinding, smashing, tearing, shredding, and / or milling. In a refinement, the cushion assembly is melted into a polymer resin so that it can be reused, for example, after a specific particle size is achieved or after a specific shear period. In one or more embodiments, the polymer resin is filtered, refined, or purified after melting and before reuse. In one or more embodiments, multiple cushion assemblies are recycled without removing the fasteners. In yet other embodiments, one or more cushion assemblies can be manufactured from recycled polymer resin.

[0025] According to a first aspect of the cushion assembly described herein, the assembly includes a first body including a first plurality of polymer strands, a first fastener disposed on the first body, a second body including a second plurality of polymer strands, and a second fastener disposed on the second body, the first fastener being configured to cooperate with the first fastener. In a variation, the first body includes a first side defining a first surface, and the second body includes a second side defining a second surface. In a refinement, the first fastener includes a retainer portion configured to be disposed on the first body and a protrusion extending or protruding from the retainer portion through the first surface such that the second fastener cooperates with the protrusion to connect the first and second cushions to one another.

[0026] According to a second aspect, the first body of the first aspect or any of the subsequent aspects defines a first slot disposed beneath a first surface of the first body, and a first fastener is disposed in the first slot.

[0027] According to a third aspect, the second body of either the preceding or subsequent aspects defines a second slot disposed beneath a second surface of the second body, and a second fastener is disposed in the second slot.

[0028] According to a fourth aspect, the protrusion of either the preceding or subsequent aspects is configured to extend through the second surface of the second body to the second slot.

[0029] According to a fifth aspect, the second fastener of either the preceding or subsequent aspects is configured to receive a protrusion of the first fastener.

[0030] According to a sixth aspect, the second fastener of either the preceding or following aspects includes a retainer portion.

[0031] According to a seventh aspect, the first fastener or the second fastener of either the preceding or following aspects is barbed.

[0032] According to an eighth aspect, the second fastener of either the preceding or subsequent aspects includes a retainer portion and a corresponding protrusion extending from the retainer portion of the second fastener through the second surface and configured to receive the protrusion of the first fastener.

[0033] According to a ninth aspect, the first fastener of either the preceding or subsequent aspects comprises a shaft portion and a head portion opposite the retainer portion, the head portion having a larger dimension than the shaft portion such that the second fastener cooperates with the shaft portion to engage the first and second fasteners with each other.

[0034] According to a tenth aspect, the retainer portion of either the preceding or following aspects (ie, the first and / or second fastener) has a cross-sectional area that is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the protrusion.

[0035] According to an eleventh aspect, the fastener of any of the preceding or subsequent aspects comprises a thermoplastic polymer material.

[0036] According to a twelfth embodiment, the polymer strands of either the preceding or subsequent embodiments comprise the same thermoplastic polymer material as the fastener.

[0037] According to a thirteenth aspect, the cushion assembly of either the preceding or following aspect can be disposed in a vehicle seat assembly and supported by a seat frame.

[0038] According to a fourteenth aspect, a cushion assembly includes a first cushion and first and second fasteners. In a variation, the first cushion includes a first side defining a first surface and a first slot disposed below the first surface. In a refinement, the first fastener includes a retainer portion disposed in the first slot and a protrusion extending or protruding from the retainer portion through the cushion and the first surface, and the second fastener is configured to cooperate with the protrusion of the first fastener.

[0039] According to a fifteenth aspect, the cushion assembly of any of the preceding or subsequent aspects includes a second cushion, wherein a second fastener is disposed on the second cushion such that the first and second cushions are connected when the first and second fasteners are coupled to each other.

[0040] According to a sixteenth aspect, the first cushion and the second cushion of either the preceding or subsequent aspects are connected to one another without adhesive.

[0041] According to a seventeenth aspect, the second cushion of either the preceding or subsequent aspect includes a second side defining a second surface and a second slot disposed below the second surface such that a second fastener is disposed in the second slot.

[0042] According to an eighteenth aspect, the first and / or second cushion of any of the preceding or subsequent aspects is a body of polymer strands.

[0043] According to a nineteenth aspect, a method of connecting cushions includes placing a first fastener on the first cushion, placing a second fastener on the second cushion, and coupling the first fastener and the second fastener to one another. In a variation, the first fastener includes a retainer portion and a protrusion configured to penetrate the first cushion and a first surface portion of the first cushion. In a refinement, the second fastener is configured to be coupled to the first fastener and includes the retainer portion. In one or more embodiments, the first and second fasteners cooperate to connect the first and second cushions to one another.

[0044] According to a twentieth aspect, the first fastener of either the preceding or subsequent aspect is positioned in a first slot of the first cushion below a first surface portion of the first cushion, and the second fastener is positioned in a second slot of the second cushion below a second surface portion of the second cushion.

[0045] According to a twenty-first aspect, the method of any of the preceding or subsequent aspects includes defining a first slot in the first cushion and a second slot in the second cushion.

[0046] According to a twenty-second aspect, the first and second slots of either the preceding or subsequent aspects are defined by cutting into the first and second cushions.

[0047] According to a twenty-third aspect, the first and second slots of either the preceding or subsequent aspects are defined by a breaker plate used to push out the first and second cushions.

[0048] According to a 24th aspect, the method of any of the preceding or subsequent aspects includes extending a protrusion through the first surface portion and into the second surface portion such that the protrusion penetrates the second surface portion and is coupled to a second fastener.

[0049] According to a twenty-fifth aspect, the first and / or second cushion of any of the preceding or subsequent aspects comprises a plurality of polymeric strands.

[0050] According to a twenty-sixth aspect, the method of any of the preceding or subsequent aspects includes molding the first and second fasteners from the same polymer as the aforementioned polymer strands.

[0051] According to a twenty-seventh aspect, the method of any preceding or subsequent aspect includes recycling the first and / or second cushions without removing the first and / or second fasteners.

[0052] According to a twenty-eighth embodiment, the recycling of any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments includes shearing into smaller pieces and melting to form a polymer resin.

[0053] According to a twenty-ninth aspect, the method of any of the preceding or subsequent aspects includes assembling first and second cushions on a seat frame of a vehicle seat.

[0054] While exemplary embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms encompassed by the scope of the claims. The terms used herein are terms of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. As noted above, features of various embodiments can be combined to form additional embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments have been described as advantageous or preferred over other or prior art embodiments with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those skilled in the art will recognize that one or more characteristics may be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes depending on the particular application and embodiment. These attributes may include, but are not limited to, cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, maintainability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. Thus, to the extent that any embodiment is described as less desirable than other or prior art embodiments with respect to one or more characteristics, these embodiments are not outside the scope of the disclosure and may be desirable for particular applications.

Claims

1. a first plurality of polymer strands defining a first body including a first side defining a first surface; a first fastener including a retainer portion disposed on the first body and a protrusion protruding from the retainer portion through the first surface; a second plurality of polymer strands defining a second body including a second side defining a second surface; a second fastener disposed on the second body and configured to cooperate with the protrusion to connect the first and second cushions to one another; A cushion assembly comprising:

2. The cushion assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first body defines a first slot below the first surface, and the first fastener is disposed in the first slot.

3. The cushion assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second body defines a second slot below the second surface, and the second fastener is disposed in the second slot.

4. The cushion assembly of claim 3 , wherein the protrusion is configured to extend through the second surface of the second body to the second slot.

5. The cushion assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second fastener is configured to receive the protrusion of the first fastener.

6. The cushion assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second fastener includes a retainer portion, and the retainer portion of the first or second fastener has barbs.

7. 2. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the second fastener includes a retainer portion and a corresponding protrusion extending from the retainer portion of the second fastener through the second surface and configured to receive the protrusion of the first fastener.

8. 2. The cushion assembly of claim 1, wherein the first fastener includes a shaft portion and a head portion opposite the retainer portion, the head portion having a larger dimension than the shaft portion such that the second fastener cooperates with the shaft portion to engage the first and second fasteners with each other.

9. The cushion assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retainer portion has a cross-sectional area that is greater than a cross-sectional area of ​​the protrusion.

10. The cushion assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises a thermoplastic polymer material.

11. The cushion assembly of claim 10 , wherein the polymer strands comprise the same thermoplastic polymer material.

12. A vehicle seat assembly comprising a frame supporting the cushion assembly of claim 1.

13. a first cushion including a first side defining a first surface and a first slot disposed below the first surface; a first fastener including a retainer portion disposed in the first slot and a protrusion protruding from the retainer portion through the first surface; a second fastener configured to cooperate with the protrusion; and A cushion assembly comprising:

14. 14. The cushion assembly of claim 13, further comprising a second cushion, the second fastener being disposed on the second cushion such that the first and second cushions are coupled to one another when the first and second fasteners are coupled to one another.

15. The cushion assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first and second cushions are connected to one another without adhesive.

16. 15. The cushion assembly of claim 14, wherein the second cushion includes a second side defining a second surface and a second slot disposed below the second surface, the second fastener being disposed in the second slot.

17. The cushion assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first cushion is a body of polymer strands.

18. disposing a first fastener on a first cushion defining a first surface portion, the first fastener including a first retainer portion and a protrusion configured to extend through the first surface portion; disposing a second fastener on a second cushion defining a second surface portion, the second fastener configured to be coupled to the first fastener, the second fastener including a second retainer portion; coupling the first and second fasteners together such that the protrusion extends through the first surface portion to the second fastener, connecting the first and second cushions together; A method for connecting cushions, comprising:

19. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first fastener is disposed in a first slot of the first cushion below the first surface portion of the first cushion and the second fastener is disposed in a second slot of the second cushion below the second surface portion of the second cushion.

20. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising defining the first slot in the first cushion and the second slot in the second cushion.

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