System comprising a cover fastened to a support by means of self-gripping elements

• US 6,561,581 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2001
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Sieges D'Automobile (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Sieges D'Automobile (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Michot, Nicolas, Yam, Sothy, Houivet, Hélène
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, STEPHEN A
• Application Number:
  US09/874,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 297/218.2, 297/218.3, 297/218.5, 297/219.1, 297/228.13, 297/452.6, 297/DIG.6, 243/06, 244/42
• US Class Current: 297/218.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5833 by hook-and-loop type fasteners

Abstract

A system comprising a cover comprising two adjacent parts joined by a seam and forming a seam flap. The seam comprises first and second threads joined to the two respective faces of the seam flap and forming alternating loops which interlock at the free edge of the seam flap. The loops of the two threads form a mesh in which the seam flap is held tightly and without slack, the loops of the first thread being shorter than the loops of the second thread and forcing the seam flap to fold over towards its first face. The loops of the second thread hook onto hook devices belonging to a self-gripping element.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a support,

a flexible cover that covers the support and comprises at least two adjacent parts joined to each other by a seam along a join line, forming a seam flap comprising two margins that belong to the two respective cover parts and that are folded over towards the support from said join line, the seam flap extending from said join line to a free edge and said seam flap having a first face and a second face that belong to the two respective margins, said seam passing around the seam flap and enclosing the free edge of said seam flap from the join line,

and, fastened to the support, at least one self-gripping element that comprises hook devices that hook into said seam,

wherein the seam comprises at least a first thread and a second thread joined to the first and second faces, respectively, of the seam flap along said join line, the first and second threads forming loops that alternate between the first and second faces of the seam flap, each said loop of the first thread passing through two adjacent said loops of the second thread and each said loop of the second thread passing through two adjacent said loops of the first thread around, the free edge of the seam flap,

wherein said loops of the first and second threads form a mesh in which the seam flap is held tightly and without slack,

wherein the loops of the first thread are sewn and tensioned so that said loops of the first thread force the seam flap to fold over towards said first face,

and wherein the second face of the seam flap faces toward the support and the loops of the second thread hook onto the hook devices of the self-gripping element on said second face of the seam flap.

2. The system according to claim 1, in which the join line comprises parallel third and fourth threads.

3. The system according to claim 1, in which only the second thread is a textured multifilament thread.

4. The system according to claim 3, in which the threads forming the seam have a count of between 80 and 280 Tex.

5. The system according to claim 1, in which the seam is produced on the basis of stitch No. 512 of the ISO 4915 standard.

6. The system according to claim 1, forming a seat part, while the support forms a padding.

7. The system according to claim 1, in which each said hook device of the self-gripping element comprises a stem that rises from the support towards the seam and ends in an enlarged head forming several lobes separated angularly from each other by recessed areas, and each said lobe having a convex face directed away from the support.

8. The system according to claim 7, in which the hook devices extend in different directions away from the support.

9. The system according to claim 8, in which the hook devices are arranged in pairs of adjacent hook devices on the support, the two hook devices of each said pair diverging away from each other and from the support.

10. The system according to claim 9, in which most of the hook devices extend in two distinct main directions.

11. The system according to claim 7, in which the stem of each said shook device is more flexible than the head of said hook device.

12. The system according to claim 7, in which most of the heads of the hook devices each comprise four lobes.

13. The system according to claim 1, in which the seam flap is between 7 and 10 mm wide.