GB2257356A

GB2257356A - Car seat cover

Info

Publication number: GB2257356A
Application number: GB9114936A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Neville Allman
Original assignee: ASG
Current assignee: ASG
Priority date: 1991-07-11
Filing date: 1991-07-11
Publication date: 1993-01-13
Anticipated expiration: 2011-07-11
Also published as: GB2257356B; GB9114936D0

Abstract

A car seat cover formed of a waterproof and fire-retardant material has parts 10, 12 for fitting over a seat back 52 and seat cushion 54 respectively. The pants 10, 12 are adapted to overlie the outer ends of the back 52 and cushion 54 respectively, and each has free edges of the material looped to form a passage for a continuous elastic strip. In use, the part 12 is firstly located to the front of the seat back 52 with the respective elastic strip passing to the rear of the latter, whereby the part 12 can be pulled downwardly and finally locates over the seat cushion 54 with the elastic strip retained in the stretched condition across the seat back 52. The other part 10 locates on the seat back 52 with the respective elastic strip passing to the rear thereof. The seat cover is easily located and easily removable, with no connections below the seat cushion which would otherwise interfere with a conventional seat runner mechanism 56. <IMAGE>

Description

Seat Cover This invention relates to covers for seats which have a seat cushion and a back, and is particularly, but not exclusively concerned with covers for car seats.

According to the present invention there is provided a cover for a seat which has a seat cushion and a back, the cover being formed of a flexible material and comprising a first material part having a main body section adapted to overlie the seat cushion, an end section adapted to locate around a free end of the cushion, and side sections adapted to locate at respective sides of the cushion, the end and side sect ions having continuous elasticated means connected thereto whereby the first material part is retainable on the seat, and a second material part having a main body section adapted to overlie the seat back, an end section adapted to locate around a free end of the seat back, and side sections adapted to locate at respective sides of the seat back, the end and side sections of the second material part having continuous elasticated means connected thereto whereby the second material part is retainable on the back, and the main body sections being interconnected at the ends thereof remote from the respective end secti.ons.

Preferably the elasticated means connected to each material part comprises a continuous strip of elastic located through communicating loops of material formed along the free edges.

Preferably also, at the location of the interconnection between the main body sections, means is provided to project from the rear of the cover for engagement between the seat cushion and the seat back and provide a releasable retention of the cover on the seat. The retention means may comprise a strip of thickened material extending along the free edge of the projection.

The material of the cover is preferably waterproof, and may also be fire-retardant. The material for example may be treated nylon.

Each of the main body sections may have a panel insert which can provide a decorative appearance to the front of the cover.

The invention also provides a method of releasably attaching a cover to a seat which has a seat cushion and a seat back, wherein the cover is formed of a flexible material and comprises first and second material parts each having a main body section, an end section and side sections, the end and side sections of each part being interconnected by continuous elasticated means, and the main body sections being interconnected at the ends thereof remote from the respective end sections, the method comprising locating the first material part to the front of the seat back, extending the elasticated means of the first material part and locating the latter over a free end of the seat back whereby to draw the first material part along the front of the seat back and the seat cushion until the end section locates over the free end of the seat cushion, extending the elasticated means of the second material part and locating the latter over the free end of the seat back whereby to draw the side sections down the sides of the seat back until the end section locates over the free end of the seat back, the elasticated means enabling the cover to fit various sizes of seats within a range.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a vehicle seat cover; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the cover of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side view of the cover, showing the cover in an in-use condition on a seat.

Referring to the drawings, a car seat cover, formed preferably of flexible material such as nylon which is treated to be waterproof and fire-retardant, comprises to parts 10, 12 for fitting over a seat backand seat cushion (not shown) respectively.

The first part 10 has a main body section 14, to one end edge 16 of which is stitched further material to form an end section 18 in an overlapping design to form, on the rear side of the body section 14, a downwardly opening pocket. Edge sections 20, 22 of the part 10 overlie the rear sides of the body section 14 and are stitched at their upper ends to the lower ends of respective sides of the pocket, a spacing 24 being provided between the inner edges of the side sections 20, 22.

Along the free lower edge of the pocket and along corresponding lengths of the inner edges of the side sections 20, 22 from the pocket, the material is looped whereby to form a passage for an elastic strip 26. The latter is provided as a continuous strip, extending between the side sections 20, 22 at the lowermost edges of the loops thereon to draw the sections 18, 20, 22 together in the normal unstretched condition.

The first part 10 is stitched to the second part 12 at a common edge 28 such that the part 10 has its widest area at the junction between the body section 14 and the end section 18, tapering to its narrowest section at the interconnecting edge 28. Along the edge 28, at the rear side of the cover, is provided an additional strip 30 of material which, on its free outermost edge, is formed with an enlargement, for example in the form of a strip of foam 32, for a purpose hereinafter described.

The cover part 12 has a main body section 34, and an end section 36 and side sections 38, 40 each overlying the rear of the body section 34 and defining a spacing 38. The end section 36 and the side sections 38, 40 are formed with the main body section 34 from a single piece of material, the material at the free edges of the end section 36 and the side sections 38, 40 being looped to form a passage for an elastic strip 42. The latter is a continuous strip and in its non-stretched condition draws the sections 36, 38 and 40 together to define a spacing 44. The part 12 has its largest width towards the end section 36 and tapers towards its narrowest width at the interconnecting edge 28.

The cut of the material is such that substantially little material overlies the location of the edge 28, whereby the strip 30 and the foam 32 can project outwardly of the seat cover.

The body sections 14, 34 are each provided with an insert panel 46, 48 respectively, which can be of the same material as the rest of the cover but be differently patterned for aesthetic purposes.

To attach the cover to a car seat 50 (Fig. 3), the body part 12 is firstly located on a back 52 of the seat 50 by locating the part 12 to the front of the back 52 with the end section 36 lowermost, and stretching the elastic strip 42 to pass to the rear of the seat back 52. The body part 12 is then pulled downwardly over the front of the seat 50 until the part 12 locates over a cushion 54 of the seat 50. In this position, the end section 36 can locate over the free end of the cushion 54 and the side sections 38, 40 are drawn onto the sides of the cushion 54 by means of the elastic strip 42 which is retained in a stretched condition across the back of the seat 50 at the lower end thereof.

Before the body part 12 is fitted to the cushion 54, the body part 10 is located on the seat back 52 by stretching the elastic strip 26 to pass to the rear of the seat back 52, whereby the latter is positioned between the rear of the body section 14 and the end and side sections 18, 20, 22. Where the seat 50 is provided with a headrest, this can be accommodated within the pocket defined by the end section 18, but where no headrest is provided, the elastic strip 26 pulls the body part 10 tightly onto the seat back, so that the seat cover effectively fits different sizes of seats withir a predetermined range.

With both body parts 10, 12 in position, the foam strip 32 may then be pushed in the gap between the seat back and seat cushion and acts to effectively retain the seat cover in the same L-shaped profile of the seat, whether or not there is a through gap between the seat back and cushion.

The seat cover is therefore easily located on the seat and is easily removable when necessary. There are therefore no connections below the seat which would otherwise interfere with a conventional seat runner mechanism 56 and require tying of straps together, as is the case with many conventional car seat covers, due to the provision of continuous strips of elastic. The seat cover is effectively retained in position, and is particularly suitable for use in circumstances where occupants of the car are involved in an activity where water, dirt etc. may otherwise find its way on to the material of the seat and damage same. For example, a waterproof cover is particularly useful when the occupants have been swimming, surfing etc.

The insert panels 46, 48 may be designed to be appropriate to the use of the cover. For example, the panels may be formed of brightly coloured and patterned material where the occupants are involved in water sports, while the panels may be of different colours and patterns where the occupants are involved for example with game sports.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example, the cover may be provided without insert panels if necessary and may have a different profile from that described and shown and may be made of different materials.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing Specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claims:

1. A cover for a seat which has a seat cushion and a back, the cover being formed of a flexible material and comprising a first material part having a main body section adapted to overlie the seat cushion, an end section adapted to locate around a free end of the cushion, and side sections adapted to locate at respective sides of the cushion, the end and side sections having continuous elasticated means connected thereto whereby the first material part is retainable on the seat, and a second material part having a main body section adapted to overlie the seat back, an end section adapted to locate around a free end of the seat back, and side sections adapted to locate at respective sides of the seat back, the end and side sections of the second material part having continuous elasticated means connected thereto whereby the second material part is retainable on the back, and the main body sections being interconnected at the ends thereof remote from the respective end sections.

2. A cover according to Claim 1, wherein the elasticated means connected to each material part comprises a continuous strip of elastic located through communicating loops of material formed along the free edges.

3. A cover according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein, at the location of the interconnection between the main body sections, meats is provided to project from the rear of the cover for engagement between the seat cushion and the seat back and provide a releasable retention of the cover on the seat.

4. A cover according to Claim 3, wherein the retention means comprises a strip of thickened material extending along the free edge of the projection.

5. A cover according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the material of the cover is waterproof.

6. A cover according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the material of the cover is fire-retardant.

7. A cover according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the material of the cover is treated nylon.

8. A cover according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the main body sections has a panel insert.

9. A cover according to Claim 8, wherein the panel insert has a decorative appearance.

10. A method of releasably attaching a cover to a seat which has a seat cushion and a seat back, wherein the cover is formed of a flexible material and comprises first and second material parts each having a main body section, an end section and side sections, the end and side sections of each part being interconnected by continuous elasticated means, and the main body sections being interconnected at the ends thereof remote from the respective end sections, the method comprising locating the first material part to the front of the seat back, extending the elasticated means of the first material part and locating the latter over a free end of the seat back whereby to draw the first material part along the front of the seat back and the seat cushion until the end section locates over the free end of the seat cushion, extending the elasticated means of the second material part and locating the latter over the free end of the seat back whereby to draw the side sections down the sides of the seat back until the end section locates over the free end of the seat back, the elasticated means enabling the cover to fit various sizes of seats within a range.

11. A method according to Claim 10, wherein the elasticated means connected to each material part comprises a continuous strip of elastic located through communicating loops of material formed along the free edges, and each strip is retained in use in a position overlying the seat back.

12. A method according to Claim 10 or 11, wherein at the location of the interconnection between the main body sections, means is provided to project from the rear of the cover, the method including engaging the projecting means between the seat cushion and the seat back, when the first and second material parts are located respectively on the seat cushion and the seat back, to provide a releasable retention of the cover on the seat.

13. A cover for a seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of releasably attaching a cover to a seat, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed in the foregoing Specification or Claims and/or shown in the drawings, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding Claims.