GB2250432A

GB2250432A - Seat enhancer

Info

Publication number: GB2250432A
Application number: GB9023419A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Bond
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-10-27
Filing date: 1990-10-27
Publication date: 1992-06-10
Anticipated expiration: 2010-10-27
Also published as: GB9023419D0; GB2250432B

Abstract

A seat enhancer such as that shown in Figure 1 formed from a quilted material the quilting of which is such that the material exhibits a degree of stretch. The enhancer comprises a planar portion 15 for covering the upwardly presented surface of the seat squab and the forwardly presented surface of the seat back, and end portions 18 secured to opposite ends respectively of the planar portion 15 and defining therewith shallow pockets for receiving the upper and of the seat back and the front and of the seat squab, the periphery of the enhancer being elasticated and there being a retaining member 18 for interconnecting opposite regions of the planar portion 15, and adapted to pass beneath the seat. <IMAGE>

Description

SEAT ENHANCER This invention relates to seat enhancers for application principally, but not exclusively, to vehicle seats.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a seat enhancer which can be applied to a seat with great ease, and which will fit a range of seat sizes and shapes with a neat appearance.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a seat enhancer formed from a quilted material the quilting of which is such that the material exhibits a degree of stretch, the enhancer comprising a planar portion for covering the upwardly presented surface of the seat squab and the forwardly presented surface of the seat back, and end portions secured to opposite ends respectively of the planar portion and defining therewith shallow pockets for receiving the upper end of the seat back and the front end of the seat squab, the periphery of the enhancer being elasticated and there being a retaining member for interconnecting opposite regions of the planar portion and, adapted to pass beneath the seat.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating a seat fitted with an enhancer in accordance with one example of the present invention, Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the seat shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic illustration of the stitching on the seat enhancer which provides the quilting.

The seat enhancer is formed from a quilted material, conveniently a material which comprises an inner lining fabric, an outer, decorative and hard wearing fabric and a synthetic resin foam or similar padding layer between the inner and outer fabric layers, the three components of the quilted material being secured together by intersecting rows of stitching to define a quilted material. As is apparent from Figures 1 and 3 the stitching comprises pairs of zig-zag rows of stitching 11, 12 which are 1800 out of phase with one another and so intersect to define rectangular boundaries 13. Along the rows of stitching the rectangular boundaries are linked corner to corner, but adjacent sets of stitching are separated from one another by a small gap 14.The quilted material formed in this manner exhibits a limited degree of stretchability, and has a comfortable feel, and a good appearance although it should be understood that there may be other suitable quilted materials.

The enhancer differs from a conventional seat cover in that it is intended only to overlie the upwardly and forwardly presented surfaces of the seat whereas a seat cover usually covers substantially the whole exterior surface of the seat with the exception of the undersurface of the squab.

The enhancer consists of a planar sheet 15 of the quilted material which is generally rectangular, having a width equal to the seat back and squab width, and a length equal to the length of the seat back from its top to its bottom, added to the length of the seat squab from its front to rear edges. As is clear from Figure 1 the rows 11, 12 of stitching extend longitudinally of the planar portion 15. In use the planar portion 15 will cover the forwardly facing surface of the seat back and the upwardly facing surface of the seat squab and in order to retain the opposite longitudinal ends of the planar portion in position on the seat the enhancer is formed with respective shallow pocket regions to receive the upper end of the seat back and the front end of the seat squab respectively.Each of the pocket regions is formed by securing, by stitching, to the appropriate end region of the planar portion 15, a strip 16 of quilted material.

As is also apparent from Figure 1 the rows of stitching 11, 12 of the strips 16 extend at right angles to the rows of stitching on the planar portion 15.

It will be recognised therefore that there is a stitched seam extending across each end of the planar portion 15 and extending round partly onto the side edges of the planar portion 15 where each strip 16 is joined to the planar portion 15. These seams are shown at 17 in Figure 1.

The outmost edge of the seat enhancer, that is to say the edge of each of the strips 16 other than at the seam 17, and the side edges of the portion 15 between the ends of the seams 17, is elasticated, a strip of elastic material being incorporated into the edge by being stitched into the hem of the enhancer. The arrangement of the elastication of the edge of the seat enhancer is such that the edge must be stretched to fit the pockets at the ends of the enhancer over the upper end of the seat back and the forward end of the seat squab.

The final component of the seat enhancer is an elastic strap 18 which is intended to pass beneath the seat linking the side edges of the planar portion 15 adjacent their mid points. The strap 18 is intended to hold the mid-section of the seat enhancer in tension across the width of the seat, and can be provided at its ends with any convenient means for attachment to the seat enhancer.

Over centre locking clamps 19 are convenient for this purpose.

It will be recognised that the elastication of the outer edge of the seat enhancer, and the use of the elasticated strap 18 together with the idea of utilising simple pockets at opposite ends of the enhancer, permits the enhancer to be fitted very easily to a range of seat sizes and shapes. Moreover, the elastication tends to pull the planar portion 15 to a smooth configuration on the seat, and the stretchability of the fabric of the seat enhancer inherent in the quilted construction permits the material to assume the contours of the seat upon which the enhancer is applied. The quilting provides stretchability in the sense that the material can "give" to adapt itself to the contours of the seat, this process being accelerated by an occupant sitting on the seat equipped with the enhancer.

The shallow pockets at each end of the planar portion attach the planar portion to the upper edge of the seat back and the front edge of the seat squab and the strap 18 holds the intermediate regions of the planar portion

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A seat enhancer formed from a quilted material the quilting of which is such that the material exhibits a degree of stretch, the enhancer comprising a planar portion for covering the upwardly presented surface of the seat squab and the forwardly presented surface of the seat back, and end portions secured to opposite ends respectively of the planar portion and defining therewith shallow pockets for receiving the upper end of the seat back and the front end of the seat squab, the periphery of the enhancer being elasticated and there being a retaining member for interconnecting opposite regions of the planar portion and, adapted to pass beneath the seat.
2. A seat enhancer as claimed in Claim 1 in which each shallow pocket region comprises a strip of quilter material secured to the planar portion of the enhancer.
3. A seat enhancer as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the periphery of the enhancer is elasticated by means of a strip of elastic material incorporated into the edge of the enhancer.
4. A seat enhancer as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 in which the retaining member comprises an elasticated strap arranged to be attached to the planar portion of the enhancer.
5. A seat enhancer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the quilted material comprises an inner lining fabric, an outer fabric and a layer of padding material provided between the inner and outer fabrics, the inner and outer fabrics and the padding layer being secured together by stitching.
6. A seat enhancer as claimed in Claim 5 in which the stitching comprises.pairs of zig-zag rows of stitching which are 1800 out of phase with one another and intersect to define rectangular boundaries.
7. A seat enhancer as claimed in Claim 6 in which adjacent pairs of stitching rows are separated from one another.
8. A seat enhancer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.