EP0008986A1 - Method and means for covering stuffing with an upholstery sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Method of covering a stuffing (2) with a cover sheet (1), on which said cover sheet (1) is maintained in a conveniently stretched and folded state by button (3, 4, 11) which are maintained in a pressed condition against the stuffing (2) in which they produce a hollow zone, characterized by the steps of realizing each button with two parts (3, 4), placing a first part (3) of the button under the sheet which is folded around and under said part, locking the second part (4) of the button under the first part (3) by enclosing between said two button parts (3, 4) a sheet portion (1a) surrounding said first part of the button and folded back under it, and positioning on said stuffing said second part (4) for anchoring and hooking it in said stuffing.

Description

The present invention relates generally to a method and to means allowing the covering with a trim sheet such as fabric or leather for example of a padding such as seat cushions, backrests, decorative panels, bedding, soundproofing panels , etc ...

The dressing process concerned by the invention is of the type according to which the trim sheet is kept suitably stretched and pleated by buttons which are kept pressed against the padding in which they print a hollow part. These processes are well known and used by upholsterers. Usually, the button which is dressed so as to harmonize with the trim sheet has on its rear face a ring in which the upholsterer passes a cord which he comes to anchor by means of an upholsterer needle on the face of the padding opposite to that which receives the trim sheet, a counter-button being frequently used to ensure the correct anchoring of the cord under the padding.

This classic process is appreciated because it gives an aesthetic appearance called "upholsterer" to the covering thus realized. on the other hand, it has the disadvantage of being relatively slow and difficult to execute, requiring specialized labor. In other words, this artisanal process is very expensive.

The subject of the invention is a new process making it possible to achieve the "upholsterer" effect sought by the use of industrializable means much more economical than the known artisanal method. In addition, it is even possible, according to the invention, to accentuate the "upholsterer" effect obtained according to the artisanal process by creating around the button placed more pronounced folds of the trim sheet than when it is simply stretched by the upholstered button handcrafted.

To this end, the method according to the invention is characterized in that in order to keep said buttons pressed against the padding, they are made integral with a harpoon which is pressed through the padding and which is anchored therein ensuring the holding the button in place. It immediately appears that the fitting of such a button is simple and automatic since it suffices to simply press it at the desired location through the trim sheet and the padding.

According to another very advantageous characteristic of the invention, with a view in particular to increasing the wrinkling effect of the lining around the button, the latter is made up in two parts, a first part of the button is placed under the lining that the '' we fold around and under this part, and we lock the second part of the button under the first part by enclosing between said two parts of the button a portion of trim surrounding said first part of button and folded under it, and we position on the padding said second part which includes said harpoon. When the dressing is carried out in this way, it also appears that the button is covered on the visible face of the upholstered article, seat or the like, by a very part of the trim sheet, which makes it possible to use one and the same simple standard button devoid of any coating to obtain the desired upholstery effect with buttons coated automatically in the same shade as the trim sheet itself since they are in fact on their visible face covered by this leaf.

According to another important characteristic of the invention, in order to ensure good attachment of the harpoon in the padding, it is provided with a frame, a trellis; a resistant canvas, a panel pierced with holes or the like through the meshes of which or from which said harpoons can be anchored. If lion chooses the mesh of the mesh, the reinforcement or the like tight enough, we thus obtain a perfect positioning of the button and we avoid any local fatigue of the padding by distributing the tensile force well over the entire surface of the mesh or the like used and it avoids the tearing of the buttons. Thus, the upholstered object is better held over time, in particular in the case of motor vehicle seats subjected to particularly accentuated fatigue stresses.

• La figure 1 est une vue en coupe faite à travers un bouton conçu selon l'invention et maintenant en place une feuille de garniture sur la matelassure par exemple d'un siège tout en assurant le plissement de la feuille de garniture autour du bouton; la figure 2 montre en coupe la partie du bouton illustrée à la figure 1 et autour de laquelle sera pincée une portion de la feuille de garniture; la figure 3 montre en coupe l'autre partie formant harpon du bouton et coopérant avec la partie de bouton illustrée à la figure 2;
• la figure 4 montre en coupe une première phase du processus de mise en place du bouton sous la garniture; les figures 5 et 6 montrent comme la figure 4 deux phases successives de la mise en place du bouton sous la garniture; la figure 7 montre, vu par-dessous, une garniture équipée d'un certain nombre de boutons; la figure 8 montre une matelassure repérée prête à recevoir la garniture équipée des boutons de la figure 7;
• la figure 9 montre en coupe, sensiblement selon un plan IX-IX des figures 7 et 8, le siège après mise en place des boutons; la figure 10 montre une variante d'un bouton réalisé en une seule pièce permettant d'obtenir des résultats assez voisins de ceux obtenus avec le bouton en deux parties illustré aux figures précédentes; la figure 11 montre en perspective et schématiquement un bouton type "tapissier" auquel est attaché une cordelette sur laquelle est enfilé une aiguille conçue selon l'invention pour fixer le bouton après pose sous la matelassure; la figure 12 montre à plus grande échelle le détail de l'aiguille; la figure 13 montre le bouton après sa pose et mise en place de l'aiguille sous la matelassure; la figure 14 illustre un siège pour véhicule tapissé selon l'invention.

The invention will appear more clearly with the aid of the description which follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, which give only by way of illustration a few embodiments of the invention. In these drawings:

• Figure 1 is a sectional view through a button designed according to the invention and now in place a trim sheet on the padding for example of a seat while ensuring the folding of the trim sheet around the button; Figure 2 shows in section the part of the button illustrated in Figure 1 and around which will be pinched a portion of the trim sheet; Figure 3 shows in section the other harpoon part of the button and cooperating with the button part illustrated in Figure 2;
• Figure 4 shows in section a first phase of the process of placing the button under the trim; Figures 5 and 6 show like Figure 4 two successive phases of the establishment of the button under the trim; Figure 7 shows, seen from below, a trim fitted with a number of buttons; Figure 8 shows a padding marked ready to receive the trim fitted with the buttons of Figure 7;
• Figure 9 shows in section, substantially along a plane IX-IX of Figures 7 and 8, the seat after placement of the buttons; Figure 10 shows a variant of a button made in one piece to obtain results fairly similar to those obtained with the two-part button illustrated in the previous figures; Figure 11 shows in perspective and schematically a button type "upholsterer" to which is attached a cord on which is threaded a needle designed according to the invention to fix the button after installation under the padding; Figure 12 shows on a larger scale the detail of the needle; Figure 13 shows the button after installation and placement of the needle under the padding; FIG. 14 illustrates a seat for an upholstered vehicle according to the invention.

We will first refer to Figure 1 in which we see a trim or trim sheet 1 for example of fabric, leather or synthetic covering, which comes to dress a padding which can be constituted for example of synthetic foam, material vegetable or animal, armed or not with springs for example for the constitution of a seat base.

At the place of the cut made in Figure 1, the trim sheet 1 is pressed on the padding 2 by means of a button which essentially consists of a first part 3 and a second part 4 The first part 3 or head of the button which appears on the top of the upholstered piece, is for the most part covered and coated in the lining 1. More specifically, a portion 1a of the lining is folded under the head 3 of the button and is pinched between this part 3 of the button and the surface 4a opposite part 4 of the button.

More precisely, and as it appears more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower face 3a of the head 3 of the button comprises teeth 3b which engage and wedge the lining 1 against the surface 4a of the part 4 of the button , which surface also advantageously has teeth or cooperating hooks 4b.

On the other hand, it appears that the part 4 of the button has at its upper part an axial bead 4c which engages by forcibly snapping into an axial bore 3c suitably formed from the head 3 of the button. When the locking is ensured in the position illustrated in FIG. 1, the trim sheet 1, leather, fabric or synthetic covering, is strongly pinched and elastically jammed by the teeth 3b, 4b of the two parts of the button and by a certain elastic deformation of the surface 4a of the plate 4d of the button part 4. The two parts of the button are advantageously made of a light plastic material molded with mechanical characteristics of resistance and elasticity.

It also appears that the part 4 of the button is extended under the plate 4d and axially by a rod 4e which ends in a harpoon 4f with two hooks in the example illustrated.

The length of the rod 4e is calculated so that when the button locked under the lining 1 is pushed through the padding 2, the harpoon crosses and hangs under a frame, a trellis, a resistant canvas, a pierced panel of holes or the like 6 suitably positioned in the padding and for example under it, ensuring the desired penetration of the padding at this location to give the desired "upholsterer" effect.

The trellis or reinforcement 6 can for example be produced by a weft of synthetic or metallic wires or a suitable resistance fabric or by a rigid or semi-rigid panel. The trellis or frame can constitute a structural element such as the bottom of a seat or a decorative support.

The positioning of the button under the lining will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

To put the button under the lining, the head 3 of the button is placed under the lining, at the desired location, and this part 3 of the button under the lining is pushed, as illustrated in FIG. 4, through a orifice 7 of a matrix 8. The thickness of the matrix is chosen so as to leave under the head 3 of the button, over a depth e, a certain portion of the lining entrained in the orifice 7.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the die 8 is pushed and in the axis of the orifice 7, the second part of the button 4 which comes with its plate 4d hold the lining 1 in place around the orifice 7.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 6, it suffices to push back, according to arrow 9, the head 3 of the button against the part 4 to ensure the mutual locking of the parts 4c, 3c of the button while pinching and making captive between the two parts. of the button close together and locked the portion 1a of the lining which had been previously reserved in the orifice 7 of the matrix.

To make the upholstered article, for example a seat cushion, it is therefore sufficient first of all to provide the upholstery or cover of the seat, at the places previously and suitably marked 10 as illustrated in FIG. 7 with the number of buttons desired by following the implementation process which has just been described.

In FIG. 7, five buttons 11 have been located, four locations 10 still having to receive buttons. It is clear that by having a matrix of suitable shape and dimensions, the operation of fitting all the buttons on the surface of the entire cap can be done simultaneously.

When the cap or trim has been suitably provided with all of its buttons, each having their harpoon, it suffices to present the cap thus equipped. above the padding of the seat suitably marked as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 8. It suffices to apply each harpoon of each button 11 through the padding 2 at the place indicated by the marks 12.

The finished seat is thus obtained as illustrated in section in FIG. 9 with the harpoons of each button 11 coming to anchor under the fabric 6 _; arranged in the example illustrated, under the padding.

According to the variant embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, the button 13 is formed separately independently of the lining 1. It essentially comprises an aspect part 14 which is integral with a harpoon part 15, the two parts 14, 15, can be joined for example by crimping or counter-riveting.

For the fitting of the lining 1 on the padding 2, it suffices to depress the composite button 13 at the place suitably marked on the lining. The length h of the harpoon is calculated so that the desired effect of local insertion of the padding by the button 13 is obtained when the harpoon has come to anchor in a resistance sheet such as a trellis 16 similar to the trellis 6 of FIG. 1. In the example illustrated in FIG. 10, the trellis 16 is embedded in the mass of the lining 2 and not placed under it as in FIG. 1.

According to the variant embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, the button used 17 is an ordinary upholstery button comprising a ring 18 in which a cord forming a loop 19 is passed and at the end of which is hung a needle 20.

This needle, specially made up according to the invention, is advantageously molded from a plastic material. It comprises, as illustrated in FIG. 12, an eye 21 with a part 22 making it possible to hang the loop of the cord 19 and to pass it as illustrated in FIG. 13 through the lining 1 and the padding 2.

In addition, the eye 21 of the needle is extended to approximately the middle of the needle where there is provided a little set back from the bottom 23 one or two small hooks 25 which allow the passage of the cord in the direction of the arrow 24 but prohibit it in the other direction.

For the establishment of the button, it is enough to pull the cord 19 by means of the needle 20 through the lining 1 and the padding 2, then then, as illustrated in FIG. 13 fold the needle 20 parallel to the padding and under it by locking the cord 19 towards the bottom 23 of the eye of the needle behind the hooks 25. Thus, the needle for placing the button 17 in the form of a lost pin locking the button 17 and making any sewing or use of counter button.

Of course, the length of the cord 19 is calculated so as to obtain the desired depression of the button 17 in the padding 2.

In Figure 14, we can see the aesthetic aspect obtained using the means of the invention and in particular those illustrated in relation to Figures 1 to 3 with a very pronounced accentuation of the "upholsterer" effect sought.

Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the illustrated and described embodiments which have been given only by way of example, the invention comprising all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these are carried out according to its spirit and implemented within the framework of the claims which follow.

Claims (5)

1. Method for covering with a lining sheet a padding on which said sheet is kept suitably stretched and pleated by buttons which are kept pressed against the padding in which they print a hollow part, characterized in that makes each button in two parts, we place a first part of the button under the trim that we fold around and under this part, we lock the second part of the button under the first part by enclosing between said two parts of the button a portion of lining surrounding said first button part and folded under it, and positioning said second part on the padding to then anchor or hang it in said padding. 2. Means for implementing the method according to claim 1;
characterized in that the button comprises a first aforementioned part in the form of a flat button comprising on its underside of teeth, hooks or the like capable of catching in said portion of lining folded under said face as well as a complementary locking means d another locking means carried by said second part of the button opposite its end which forms a harpoon, said second part further comprising a surface against which said teeth of the first part come to bear when said two parts of the button are locked together. 3 _" Means according to claim 2,
characterized in that said bearing surface of said second button portion is elastically deformable and comprises teeth, lugs, projections or the like cooperating with the teeth of the first part. 4. Means according to claim 2 or claim 3,
characterized in that said cooperating locking means of said two button parts are constituted by an axial bead formed on one of the parts which is force fitted into an axial bore formed in the other part. 5. Seat, the padding of which comprises the means according to one of claims 2 to 4.

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