GB2144628A

GB2144628A - Vehicle seat cover

Info

Publication number: GB2144628A
Application number: GB08418015A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Morteza Baroumand
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-08-10
Filing date: 1984-07-16
Publication date: 1985-03-13
Also published as: GB8321462D0; GB8418015D0

Abstract

A vehicle seat cover is provided with stiffening strips 10 in pockets 7', 7'' at the end edges. Straps 11, 12 secure the seat cover to a vehicle seat. The stiffening strips spread the tension of the straps across the width of the cover, thereby obviating rumpling. The cover which comprises a covering material 3 and a latex foam backing may be provided with electric heating elements (33, Fig. 3). The cover may cover the seat cushion or backrest. A modified cover (21, 22, Figs. 4 and 5) covers both the seat cushion and the backrest. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vehicle seat cover Background of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle seat cover, in particular of the type intended to be placed over original vehicle seat upholstery fabric.

However it is envisaged that the seat cover of the invention may be employed to provide the original cover where there is a requirement for the fabric to be removable for cleaning.

As used herein the terms:- "cushion" means that part of a seat on which a user sits, and "backrest" means that part of a seat on which a user leans his back.

Seat covers are available on the market for covering seats whose upholstery has become worn or badly soiled, and for improving the standard of comfort and appearance of seats, especially where the seats are upholstered in vinyl material. Such covers often suffer from the disadvantage of becoming loose and consequently rumpling following deflection of the seat upholstery in use.

This can be both unsightly and uncomfortable.

Some such seat covers have portions extending down the sides of the seat cushion. However, these portions scarcely assist in reducing lateral movement of the seat cover. Also they introduce other attendant problems, particularly in that a range of different widths of seats have to be catered for, sometimes by use of elasticated material, and they waste material. Other such seat covers do not have side portions and are prone to movement on the seat being inadequately secured or not secured at all.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved vehicle seat cover.

Summary of the Invention According to the invention there is provided a vehicle seat cover comprising a cover portion having straight end edges, pockets formed in the cover portion at the straight end edges, stiffening strips acommodated in the pockets, and strap means provided at the end edges for strapping the cover portion to a vehicle seat.

In use the cover portion is laid on a seat cushion or backrest with the stiffening strips extending laterally thereof at the front and rear of the seat cushion or top and bottom of the backrest respectively. The strap means tension the cover portion between the stiffening strips; whilst the stiffening strips distribute this tension across the width of the cover portion, whereby rumpling movement inwards of the outer edges of the cover portion is avoided.

For seats having marked contours, such as those of sports cars, further strips may be provided in further pockets along the length of the cover portion. These strips are bent to the contour of the seat cushion and backrest respectively and obviate rumpling which might otherwise occur due to the cover portion not following the seat's contour.

Surprisingly it is found that these further strips do not cause discomfort.

The strips may be permanently enclosed in their pockets. However the pockets are preferably openended to allow removal of the strips for cleaning of the seat cover. The strips themselves are preferably rectanguiar and of manually bendable to shape material, for instance aluminium strip ' (12.5 mm) wide by rye (1.5 mm) thick, although other metals may be suitable. The width of the strips gives them sufficient stiffness to distribute the strap tension whilst their thickness allows them to be bent to seat contour.

The cover portion preferably is of porous material to allow it to "breathe" and transmit moisture away from a user in hot conditions. This porous nature of the cover portion renders the seat more comfortable than it would otherwise be when its upholstery fabric is impervious.

The strap means preferably includes a resilient portion, whereby tension is maintained even when the seat cushion is deflected in use.

A complete seat cover for one seat may comprise two separate cover portions, one for the cushion and one for the backrest. Alternatively the cover may be provided with an intermediate strapping position and stiffening strip for location at the joint between the cushion and the backrest. Normally, in cars at least, the cushion and backrest have a smali gap therebetween into which the seat cover can extend. It will not normally be necessary to provide separate resilient portions in the straps for the backrest section of the seat cover since the backrest does not deflect appreciably in use.

To help understanding of the invention two specific embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Description ofthe Drawings Figure lisa plan view of a seat cover in accordance with the invention and of a version intended to cover only the seat cushion; Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view at one end of the seat cover of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged rear plan view of a corner of the seat cover of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an isometric view of a one piece version of a seat cover in accordance with the invention fitted to a seat; and Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 of the seat cover of Figure 4.

First Embodiment The seat cover 1 of Figure 1, has a cover portion 2 made up of covering material 3 with a latex foam backing 4. The covering material may be of leather, suede or other suitable material, preferably washable. The covering material 3 is stitched to the latex backing 4 along spaced lateral lines 5 and at an edge hem 6. Stiffening strip pockets 7', 7", see Figures 2 and 3, are provided at the straight end edges 8 and intermediately at the lateral lines 5. The pockets are comprised of ribbons 9 stitched to the back face of the cover portion along the edges of the ribbons, but not across their ends. This arrangement allows aluminium stiffening strips lotto be inserted into the pockets 7 and removed at will for washing.

At one straight end edge 8 of the cover portion two webbing straps 11 are stitched to the hem 6. At the other end edge 8 two doubled elasticated strips 12 each carrying a buckle 13 are stitched to the hem 6. In use on a seat cushion for instance, the seat cover is laid on the cushion with sufficient of the cover portion extending over the front of the cushion for the front stiffening strip to be well clear of the top face of the cushion. The straps 11 are passed under the cushion, engaged in their respective buckles 13, and tensioned against the elasticated strips 12 sufficiently that they remain in tension when the seat is in use.

For heating the seat cover 1 in cold conditions, electric heating elements 33, shown chain-dotted, may be provided between the covering material and the latex foam backing.

For covering the backrest another cover such as the cover 1 may be used. For this, the straps may be replaced by head rest straps at one end edge and short straps adapted to fix directly into the seat frame at the other end edge. This arrangement avoids the straps being visually intrusive and allows the backrest to be tilted.

Second Embodiment The seat cover 20 of Figures 4 and 5 is in effect two covers 1 of Figure 1 provided as two sections 21,22 and stitched together face to face at a joint 23.

It is unnecesssaryto provide separate stiffening strips for both sections at the joint 23, so that only the cushion section 21 is so provided. At the top end edge of the backrest section 22, a strap 24 and a buckle 25 are provided for strapping the seat cover to the backrest 26 shown in ghost-via the head rest 27. From the joint 23 main straps 29 extend under the seat cushion 30 to buckles 31 on elasticated strips 32. This seat cover is suitable for cars in which the backrest is not fully tilted forwards for access to the back seat.

The above described seat covers have straight side edges. Although curved side edges could be provided, to suit the shape of some car seats, where intermediate stiffening strips are used, straight side edges enable a standard width - 17" (425 mm) - of seat cover to cover most of the seat of the majority of cars. A standard length of 253 (645 mm) is suitable. More straps could be provided for enhanced tensioning of the seat covers, however the provision of two straps, and corresponding buckles, set in approximately 1" (25 mm) from the side edges of the seat cover has been found to be adequate.

Other modifications within the scope of the claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat cover comprising: a cover portion having straight end edges; pockets formed in the cover portion at the straight end edges; stiffening strips accommodated in the pockets; and strap means provided at the end edges for strapping the cover portion to a vehicle seat.

2. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein the side edges of the cover portion between the end edges are straight.

3. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 including further pockets accommodating further strips extending laterally across the cover portion intermediate the straight end edges;

4. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the stiffening strips are rigid in one direction fortensioning the cover portion and manually bendable in a transverse direction for adopting the contour of the vehicle.

5. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in claim 4 wherein the stiffening strips are of aluminium.

6. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the cover portion comprises a porous material.

7. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the cover portion comprises a washable material.

8. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the cover portion includes a latex foam backing.

9. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in any preceding claim including electric heating elements.

10. A vehicle seat as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pockets are provided in the form of ribbons stitched along their long edges to the back of the cover portion to provide open-ended pockets for removal and re-insertion of the stiffening strips.

11. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the strapping means comprises a pair of straps stitched to one end edge of the cover portion and a pair of buckles attached to the other end edge thereof.

12. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in claim 11 wherein each respective strap and its corresponding buckle is positioned close to one side edge of the cover portion.

13. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in claim 11 or 12 wherein each buckle is attached to the said cover portion by a respective elasticated strip.

14. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in any preceding claim including two sections, each comprising one said cover portion, the two sections being stitched together at a joint at a respective end edge of each.

15. A vehicle seat cover as claimed in claim 14 wherein one of the sections includes a stiffening strip at the joint and its strapping means is adapted to pass under the cushion of the vehicle seat and the other section has no stiffening strip at the joint and its strapping means is adapted for strapping of its other end to a head restraint on the vehicle backrest.

16. A vehicle seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.