Method of sewing a decorative seam and trim component made by that method

• US 7,690,318 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Automotive Components Group North America (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Automotive Components Group North America (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: Dooley, David J., Reed, Randy S., Bush, Thomas K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Izaguirre; Ismael
• Application Number:
  US11/869,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20090090285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 112/470.27, 112137-153, 112/48, 112/51, 112/52, 112/475.06, 112/475.08, 112417-426
• US Class Current: 112/475.17
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14868 Pretreatment of the insert, e.g. etching, cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C45/1671 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/36 Bending and joining, e.g. for making hollow articles B29C53/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/62 Stitching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/135 Single hemmed joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being hemmed in the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/21 said joint lines being formed by a single dot or dash or by several dots or dashes, i.e. spot joining or spot welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/232 said joint lines being multiple and parallel, i.e. the joint being formed by several parallel joint lines
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/305 Decorative or coloured joints optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined B29C66/733
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/431 Joining the articles to themselves B29C66/4322 and B29C66/4332 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/45 Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles methods or apparatus for laminating B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7212 characterised by the composition of the fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/723 being multi-layered B29C66/7292, B29C66/72941 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72327 consisting of natural products or their composites, not provided for in B29C66/72321 - B29C66/72324
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/727 being porous, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/836 Moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined, e.g. transversely to the displacement of the parts to be joined, e.g. using a X-Y table B29C66/65 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/04 Polymers of ethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/10 : Polymers of propylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 : PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 : ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 : cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0845 : Woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0854 : in the form of a non-woven mat
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/08 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2713/00 : Use of textile products or fabrics for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts B29K2105/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 : Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3005 : Body finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3014 : Door linings
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3041 : Trim panels
• 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: D05B 1/16 : Pseudo-lock-stitch seams in which the thread loops do not positively interlock shoe or welt sewing machines D05B15/02
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 15/00 : Machines for sewing leather goods making pseudo-lock-stitch seams D05B1/16

Abstract

A method of sewing a decorative seam includes providing a material suitable for receiving stitches, folding a first portion of the material onto a second portion of the material to form a bend, sewing a first stitch to join the first portion to the second portion, the stitch being substantially parallel to the bend and spaced apart therefrom, the first stitch forming a seam, unfolding the material and sewing a second and third stitch into the material such that the second and third stitches are substantially parallel to the seam and arranged such that the second and third stitches are on opposite sides of the seam.

Claims

1. A method of sewing a decorative seam into a material used in an automotive trim component, the method comprising:

providing a layer of material suitable for receiving stitches;

folding a first portion of the layer of material over onto a second portion of the layer of material to form a bend in the layer of material;

sewing a first stitch along a length of the layer of material to join the first portion of the layer of material to the second portion of the layer of material, the first stitch being substantially parallel to the bend and spaced apart therefrom, the first stitch forming a seam between the first and the second portions of the layer of material;

unfolding the layer of material; and

sewing a second and a third stitch into the layer of material, the second and third stitches being spaced apart from, and substantially parallel to, the seam and arranged such that the second and third stitches are on opposite sides of the seam.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first stitch is sewn proximate the bend.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a single needle sewing machine and a guide, wherein the first stitch is sewn using the single needle sewing machine and wherein the material is positioned such that the bend is disposed against the guide and the material slides along the guide as the first stitch is sewn to provide a substantially constant distance between the first stitch and the bend.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the material has a surface layer and a hidden surface and wherein the material is folded such that the surface layer is interior of the hidden surface when the first stitch is sewn.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second and third stitches are sewn substantially equidistant from the seam.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a double needle sewing machine wherein the double needle sewing machine is used to simultaneously sew the second and the third stitches.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the double needle sewing machine comprises a trough, the method further comprising the step of positioning the bend within the trough prior to sewing the second and third stitches.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the second and the third stitches are sewn such that the seam is substantially centered between the second and the third stitches.

9. A method of fabricating an automotive trim component including material having a decorative seam, the method comprising:

providing a material suitable for receiving stitches;

folding a first portion of the material over onto a second portion of the material to form a bend;

sewing a first stitch along a length of the material to join the first portion of the material to the second portion of the material, the first stitch being substantially parallel to the bend and spaced apart therefrom, the first stitch forming a seam between the first and the second portions of the material;

unfolding the material;

sewing a second and a third stitch into the material, the second and third stitches being spaced apart from, and substantially parallel to, the seam and arranged such that the second and third stitches are on opposite sides of the seam;

providing a substrate; and

attaching the material to the substrate.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of attaching the material to the substrate includes applying an adhesive to at least one of the material and the substrate and then pressing the material onto the substrate.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the substrate includes a trough for receiving the bend, the method further comprising the step of aligning the bend with the trough.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of attaching the material to the substrate comprises insert molding the material onto the substrate.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of providing a single needle sewing machine and a guide, wherein the first stitch is sewn using the single needle sewing machine and wherein the material is positioned such that the bend is disposed against the guide and the material slides along the guide as the first stitch is sewn to provide a substantially constant distance between the first stitch and the bend.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of providing a double needle sewing machine wherein the double needle sewing machine is used to simultaneously sew the second and the third stitches.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the material is a multi-layered material comprising a surface layer, a foam surface adjacent the surface layer and a backing surface adjacent the foam surface and wherein the material is folded such that the surface layer is interior of the foam and the backing surfaces when the first stitch is sewn.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first stitch is sewn proximate the bend.

17. An automotive trim component including a cover stock assembly having a decorative seam, the trim component comprising:

a substrate; and

a cover stock assembly comprising a material having a surface layer and a hidden surface, the material having a bend and a first stitch sewn into the hidden surface of material proximate the bend to form a seam in the surface layer, a second and third stitch sewn into the surface layer of the material and arranged substantially parallel to the seam such that the seam is substantially centered between the second and third stitches, the cover stock assembly being attached to the substrate such that the surface layer, the seam, the second and the third stitches are visible.

18. The trim component of claim 17 wherein the cover stock assembly further comprises a foam layer adjacent the hidden surface.

19. The trim component of claim 18 wherein the cover stock assembly further comprises a backing material adjacent the foam layer.

20. The trim component of claim 17 wherein the material is selected from a group consisting of vinyl and cloth.