molded foam chair construction

I am looking for some help with the design of the structure of upholstered molded foam furniture. If anyone can give me some leads, links, or books it would be appreciated.
Thanks

Are you talking about molding polyurethane foam into a form and then upholstering it? I did something similar in the past. There’s a company based in Cincinnati that might be able to help you out…if I can remember what the name of it is, I’ll let you know.

www.sealedair.com

They have an office in Cincinnati that deals with their “Instapak” product, an industrial packing material: urethane foam. You can get all kinds of different densities, and I think colors now too.

I used the product to make a chair in a furniture design studio in college. You can see a few pics of it on my website.

It’s under Concepts / Foamcrete Seat

WWW.THENATE.COM

nate,
Not exactly what I was refering to, but liked you stuff.

I am talking about flexible polyurethane (dow refers to it as Copolymer Polyether Polyols) and the structure which would be used within to act the the support frame.

Is this kind of thing typically just a metal frame with the foam acting as the sole the cushion or is a spring system required.

Knowing that polyurethane foam is produced in a variety of densities and rigidity ratings, I would think that you could make an entire chair from foam without the need for any support frame or cushion springs. For instance, a more rigid foam core, with softer, more flexible foam molded onto the core in different thicknesses to give the right amount of cushioning, or even separate cushions instead of differing foam molded together.

I have not seen any furniture constructed like this, but I believe that the TempurPedic mattress is made in a similar manner (although much too soft for a chair).

Pics may be a bit misleading. The chair is very flexible. (It’s not the polystyrene foam used to make rough models) I “foamed” the structure of the chair into a mold. You could cover with fabric after molding the desired shape. I covered mine with a waterproof, elastomeric coating, but you could use just about anything that “flexes” just as the foam will flex.

In more traditional chair-making I think foam is the only cushion, though I’m sure springs are used as well.

What are you trying to accomplish with your design?

Your right I did misunderstand your images.
To answer your question.
I don’t know just yet. I want to experiment, it is my hope to exploit the properties of the foam and molding processes to the fullest. However, I am also interested in understanding more about the composition of more the traditionally constructed/manufactured chairs which use this type of foam as a cushion.
I am in a foreign country (philippines) and an opportunity has presented itself to cheaply use a factory’s facilities. The factory manufactures all of the auto seat cushions for the cars produced in the philippines. I just don’t want to go into the process blind and I don’t have the advantage of the library back at home (UC). The library system here leaves much to be desired. Additionally there is a bit of a language barrier.
I have done some research via the internet but, have not turned up anything very useful.

did you try looking at Wendall Casle’s molar chairs?

Hi all,

I am trying to find the best way to give some major structure to flexible polyurethane foam on the exterior of the foam. Any tips? I will look into that elastomeric coating, if any one else has tip please holler!!

Thanks