Multimaterial stitching skins preparation

• US 7,673,574 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Choquet, Alain, Nelias, Francois
• Primary Examiner(s): Izaguirre; Ismael
• Application Number:
  US11/957,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20080145604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 112/141, 112147-153, 112/475.06, 112/475.08, 112/475.09, 156/93
• 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: B60R 13/02 Internal Trim mouldings ; Internal Ledges; Wall liners for passenger compartments; Roof liners B60R13/01 takes precedence ; padded linings for the vehicle interior B60R21/04; arrangements or adaptations of floor mats or carpets in vehicles B60N3/04; internal lining for trains B61D17/18
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2419 Fold at edge

Abstract

The subject matter of the present invention is a method for joining at least two portions or sections of clothing or covering materials in the form of pieces of flexible skins, the materials of the two pieces of skin having a similar or different thickness and/or rigidity or folding stiffness, the join being formed between and along two edges folded opposite one another and in contact end to end of said pieces of skin, so as to form a joining line.

Claims

1. A method for joining pieces of flexible skin, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first piece of flexible skin and a second piece of flexible skin to be joined;

treating a non-visible surface of at least one border edge of at least one of the first piece of flexible skin and the second piece of flexible skin to be joined using a leveling treatment to provide a treated edge of the first piece of flexible skin and the second piece of flexible skin to be joined having at least one of a substantially equal thickness and a substantially similar flexibility;

joining the first piece of flexible skin and the second piece of flexible skin along a first folded edge formed on the first piece of flexible skin and a second folded edge formed on the second piece of flexible skin, one of the first folded edge and the second folded edge including at least a portion of the treated edge;

disposing at least one of a folded back part of the first folded edge against the non-visible surface of the first piece of flexible skin and a folded back part of the second folded edge against the non-visible surface of the second piece of flexible skin; and

joining at least one of the folded back part of the first folded edge to the non-visible surface of the first piece of flexible skin and the folded back part of the second folded edge to the non-visible surface of the second piece of flexible skin.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a width of the treated edge is at least twice a width of a width of one of the first folded edge and the second folded edge.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a curvature of a folded portion of the first folded edge is substantially equal to a curvature of a folded portion of the second folded edge.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of treating a border edge of the first piece of flexible skin and a border edge of the second piece of flexible skin.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the leveling treatment for the border edge of the first piece of flexible skin is different from the treating step for the border edge of the second piece of flexible skin.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the leveling treatment includes a removal of material.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the leveling treatment includes a compression of material.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the joining step further comprises the step of stitching along a front area of the first folded edge and the second folded edge.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive agent is disposed between the folded back parts of the first folded edge and the second folded edge and the non-visible surfaces of the first piece of skin and the second piece of skin.

10. A method for joining pieces of flexible skin, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first piece of flexible skin and a second piece of flexible skin to be joined;

treating a non-visible surface of at least one border edge of the first piece of flexible skin and the second piece of flexible skin to be joined using a leveling treatment to provide a treated edge of the first piece of flexible skin and the second piece of flexible skin to be joined having at least one of a substantially equal thickness and a substantially similar flexibility, wherein the leveling treatment for the border edge of the first piece of flexible skin is different from the leveling treatment for the border edge of the second piece of flexible skin; and

joining the first piece of flexible skin and the second piece of flexible skin along a first folded edge formed on the first piece of flexible skin and a second folded edge formed on the second piece of flexible skin to form a joining line, one of the first folded edge and the second folded edge including at least a portion of the treated edge, wherein the joining step is one of stitching, adhesion, and welding.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein a width of the treated edge is at least twice a width of a width of one of the first folded edge and the second folded edge.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein a curvature of a folded portion of the first folded edge is substantially equal to a curvature of a folded portion of the second folded edge.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the leveling treatment includes at least one of a removal of material and a compression of material.

14. A covering material for an inside of an automobile comprising:

a first piece of flexible skin; and

a second piece of flexible skin joined with the first piece of flexible skin along a first folded edge formed on the first piece of flexible skin and a second folded edge formed on the second piece of flexible skin, wherein a non-visible surface of at least one border edge of at least one of the first piece of flexible skin and the second piece of flexible skin includes a treated edge to facilitate the first piece of flexible skin and the second piece of flexible skin having at least one of a substantially equal thickness and a substantially similar flexibility, one of the first folded edge and the second folded edge including at least a portion of the treated edge, wherein at least one of a folded back part of the first folded edge is joined to the non-visible surface of the first piece of flexible skin and a folded back part of the second folded edge is joined to the non-visible surface of the second piece of flexible skin.

15. The covering material according to claim 14, wherein a curvature of a folded portion of the first folded edge is substantially equal to a curvature of a folded portion of the second folded edge.

16. The covering material according to claim 14, wherein the treated edge is formed by one of a removal of material and a compression of material.

17. The covering material according to claim 14, wherein a border edge of both the first piece of flexible skin and the second piece of flexible skin include a treated edge.