Method for forming decorative creases in a trim cover assembly

• US 5,501,165 A
• Filed: 03/11/1994
• Issued: 03/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Inventors: Nagashima, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Crowder, C. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Izaguirre, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US08/209,784
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 112/2.1, 112/266.1, 112/132, 112/131, 112/439, 112/121.23, 112/262.1, 112/134, 112/470.27, 112/475.06, 297/218, 297/219.1, 297/228.1, 297/452.13, 297/452.25, 297/452.32, 297/452.61
• US Class Current: 112/475.06
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5891 characterised by the manufacturing process; manufacturing seat coverings not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 35/08 for ruching, gathering, casing, or filling lace, ribbons, or bindings; Pleating devices; Cuttlers; Gathering feet; Crimpers; Curlers; Rufflers

Abstract

A method for forming decorative creases in a trim cover assembly for an automotive seat, which basically involves using one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly and effecting a gather sewing to such base trim cover assembly so that at least one decorative crease is formed therein in a fashion developing symmetrically relative to the sewing direction. The resulting decorative crease may be deepened for more aesthetic effect by pinching and sewing a part of reverse side of the trim cover assembly corresponding to the crease, along the sewing direction. Also, an automotive seat with the trim cover assembly made by such method.

Claims

1. A method for forming a decorative crease in a trim cover assembly for an automotive seat, comprising the steps of:

providing one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly;

gathering and sewing said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly in a sewing direction from one side thereof to another side thereof, such that at least one row of plural gathered parts is created along the sewing direction, thus creating a seam which extends generally centrally of and through said plural gathered parts;

whereby each of the thus-sewn gathered parts produces a pair of decorative creases from and in relation to said seam, wherein said pair of decorative creases are formed in a symmetrical pattern relative to said direction of said gather sewing and also such that said decorative creases are formed in a rearwardly slanting direction in reference to said seam.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said automotive seat includes a central seating section and a peripheral bolster section surrounding said central seating section, and wherein said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly comprises a central seating cover section which covers said central seating section of said automotive seat.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein,

said automotive seat includes a central seating section and a peripheral bolster section surrounding said central seating section, wherein said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly comprises a central seating cover section which covers said central seating section of said automotive seat, wherein said gather sewing is effected to a frontal surface of said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly, wherein, after said step of effecting said gather sewing, there are further included the steps of forming an outwardly directed pinch in a part of a reverse side of said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly corresponding to said at least one decorative crease so as to define at least one longitudinally outwardly projecting lug on said reverse side which extends generally in a direction orthogonal with the laterally extending symmetrical decorative creases, and then sewing said at least one lug in the longitudinal direction thereof.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein an anchoring member is sewn integrally with said lug along the longitudinal direction thereof.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said method further includes the steps of providing a foam padding having at least one recessed groove formed therein, placing said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly upon said foam padding, and then effecting said gather sewing to both of said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly and foam padding along said at least one recessed groove.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein said foam padding is equal in length and width to said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly.

7. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly is greater in length than said foam padding, to accommodate a plurality of gathers required for said gather sewing, and wherein said gather sewing is controlled such that only said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly is subject to a gathering process of said gather sewing in the lengthwise direction thereof by a degree corresponding to said number of gathers, while sewing together, at the same time, both of said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly and said foam padding.

8. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the gather sewn portion of said one unitary sheet of trim cover assembly and foam padding comprises a central seating cover section which covers a central seating section of the automotive seat.

9. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein said gather sewing is effected to a frontal surface of the thus-laminated unit of said one unitary sheet of trim cove assembly and foam padding, wherein, after said step of effecting said gather sewing, there are further included the steps of forming an outwardly directed pinch in a part of a reverse side of both said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly and foam padding corresponding to said at least one decorative crease so as to define at least one lug on said reverse side along said direction of said gather sewing, and then sewing said at least one lug in the longitudinal direction thereof, and wherein the thus-formed resultant unit of said one unitary sheet of trim cover assembly and foam padding comprises a central seating cover section which covers a central seating section of the automotive seat.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein an anchoring member is sewn integrally with said lug along the longitudinal direction thereof.

11. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein said method includes the additional step of providing a back cover member and fixing said back cover member to a reverse side of said foam padding, prior to said step of said gather sewing, so as to provide a three-layer lamination structure of base trim cover assembly, and thereafter effecting said gather sewing thereto.

12. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein a plurality of said recessed grooves are formed in said foam padding such that they are defined respectively in correspondence with one lateral end portion of said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly, another lateral end portion of the same, and a central area of the same between said one and another lateral end portions, and wherein said gather sewing is effected to both of said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly and foam padding, firstly at said one lateral end, then at said central area, and finally at said another lateral end portion.

13. An automotive seat with a trim cover assembly made by the method as defined in claim 5.

14. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said gather sewing is effected to one lateral end portion of said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly, another lateral end portion of the same, and a central area of the same between said one and another lateral end portions, and wherein said gather sewing is conducted firstly at said one lateral end portion, secondly at said central area, and finally at said another lateral end portion.

15. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein said gather sewing is effected such that, at both said one and another lateral end portions of said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly, a sewing line, along which said gather sewing goes on, is set adjacent to and along a terminal end each of said one and another lateral end portions, to thereby form, in each of those two lateral portions, a decorative crease in such a fashion developing laterally on one side in reference to a direction of said gather sewing, whereas at said central area of said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly, said gather sewing is effected along at least one sewing line to thereby form, in said central area, at least one decorative crease in such a fashion developing symmetrically relative to a direction of said gather sewing in a same direction.

16. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said gather sewing is effected to one lateral end portion of said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly, another lateral end portion of the same, and a central area of the same between said one and another lateral end portions, and wherein said gather sewing is conducted firstly at said one lateral end portion, secondly at said central area, and finally at said another lateral end portion.

17. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly is formed from either of a leather and synthetic leather made of a synthetic resin material.

18. An automotive seat with a trim cover assembly made by the method as defined in claim 1.

19. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein,

said gather sewing is effected by means of a gather sewing machine and wherein operation of said gather sewing machine forms said pair of decorative creases.