Inward hanging method and vehicle seat

• US 8,272,697 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Mashimo, Tomoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US12/669,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20100181818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 297/218.1, 297/218.5, 297/218.3, 297/219.1, 297/452.62, 297/452.6, 29/911, 112/475.01
• US Class Current: 297/452.62
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5825 by hooks, staples, clips, snap fasteners or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5883 by sewing, stitching or threading
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5891 characterised by the manufacturing process; manufacturing seat coverings not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method

Abstract

A trim cover is inwardly hung into inward hanging grooves of a vehicle seat. The vehicle seat includes a cushion pad having right and left bank faces. A number of workpieces are cut out. Portions of the cut out workpieces are gathered. There portions correspond to lateral inward hanging ends located at lateral end portions of inward hanging margins of the cut out workpieces. The gathered portions are sewn so as to curve, into inward hanging directions, the inward hanging margin portions of the workpieces thereby contracting obverse surface materials of the workpieces. Inward hanging members are mounted to the trim cover. the inward hanging members are inserted into longitudinal inward hanging grooves. Fasteners engage the inward hanging members and engagement members of the cushion pad.

Claims

1. An inward hanging method for a trim cover of a vehicle seat, the vehicle seat including a cushion pad having a central part and bank faces developed rightwardly and leftwardly of the central part, the method being configured to inwardly hang the trim cover along boundaries between the central part and the bank faces of the cushion pad, respectively, the method comprising:

cutting out multiple workpieces to be formed into the trim cover;

applying gathers to portions of the cut out workpieces, the gathered portions corresponding to lateral inward hanging ends located at lateral end portions of inward hanging margins of the cut out workpieces for lateral inward hanging;

sewing up the cut out workpieces subjected to the gathering, in a manner to curve, into inward hanging directions, the inward hanging margin portions of the workpieces subjected to the gathering by contraction of obverse surface materials of the workpieces by virtue of the gathering, to thereby form the trim cover;

mounting inward hanging members to sewing edges of the trim cover; and

,

performing inward hanging by covering the sewn trim cover into longitudinal inward hanging grooves formed along boundaries between the central part and the bank faces of the cushion pad, and by engagingly attaching engagement fasteners into and/or between the inward hanging members mounted to the sewing edges of the trim cover and engagement members formed at a cushion pad side or at a frame side on which the cushion pad is placed, to thereby inwardly hang the trim cover.

2. The inward hanging method of claim 1, wherein the inward hanging grooves comprise lateral and longitudinal inward hanging grooves, wherein the central part of the cushion pad is formed with the lateral inward hanging grooves for lateral inward hanging in the lateral direction, wherein the lateral inward hanging grooves are intersected with the longitudinal inward hanging grooves and are connected to the longitudinal inward hanging grooves, respectively, for the inward hanging, and wherein the performing of inward hanging comprises conducting inward hanging into the inward hanging grooves for lateral inward hanging by engagingly attaching the engagement fasteners into and/or between the engagement members formed at the cushion pad side or at the frame side on which the cushion pad is placed.

3. The inward hanging method of claim 1, wherein the applying of gathers to portions of the cut out workpieces comprises applying a gathering length to the sewing portion of each pertinent workpiece that is made to be the same as a gathering length applied to a mated stitching portion of another workpiece which is to be stitched to the pertinent workpiece.

4. An inward hanging method for a trim cover of a vehicle seat, the vehicle seat including a cushion pad having a central part and bank faces rightward and leftward of the central part, the method being configured to inwardly hang the trim cover along boundaries between the central part and the bank faces of the cushion pad, the method comprising:

cutting out multiple workpieces to be formed into the trim cover;

gathering portions of the cut out workpieces to form gathers, the gathered portions corresponding to lateral inward hanging ends located at lateral end portions of inward hanging margins of the cut out workpieces;

sewing the gathered portions so as to curve the cut out workpieces into inward hanging directions and to contract obverse surfaces of the cut out workpieces to thereby form the trim cover;

mounting inward hanging members to sewing edges of the trim cover;

inserting the inward hanging members into longitudinal inward hanging grooves formed along boundaries between the central part and the bank faces of the cushion pad; and

,

attaching engagement fasteners into and/or between the inward hanging members mounted to the sewing edges of the trim cover and engagement members formed at a cushion pad side or at a frame side on which the cushion pad is placed, to thereby inwardly hang the trim cover.

5. The inward hanging method of claim 4, wherein the inward hanging grooves comprise lateral and longitudinal inward hanging grooves, wherein the central part of the cushion pad is formed with the lateral inward hanging grooves for lateral inward hanging in the lateral direction, wherein the lateral inward hanging grooves are intersected with the longitudinal inward hanging grooves and are connected to the longitudinal inward hanging grooves, respectively, for the inward hanging, and wherein the performing of inward hanging comprises conducting inward hanging into the inward hanging grooves for lateral inward hanging by engagingly attaching the engagement fasteners into and/or between the engagement members formed at the cushion pad side or at the frame side on which the cushion pad is placed.

6. A vehicle seat comprising:

a cushion pad having a central part, a first bank face positioned along a first side of the central part, and a second bank face positioned along a second side of the central part opposite the first side, wherein a first boundary is defined between the central part and the first bank face and a second boundary is defined between the central part and the second bank face;

a trim cover comprising a workpiece including an inward hanging margin having a gathered lateral end portion, the inward hanging margin forming a curve in an inward hanging direction of the trim cover;

one or more inward hanging members mounted to the trim cover and positioned within one of the first boundary and the second boundary; and

,

one or more fasteners engaging into and/or between the one or more inward hanging members mounted to the trim cover and engagement members formed at a cushion pad side or at a frame side on which the cushion pad is placed.