Abstract: A method for making contoured covers for vehicle seats is disclosed. A cover member is attached to a foam sheet which has an adhesive layer covering the face opposite from the cover member. The adhesive layer is in turn covered with a backing material. Portions of the cover member are pressed into the foam sheet, contacting the adhesive. The adhesive bonds the cover member to the backing material forming the contours in the cover. Alternatively the adhesive layer may be omitted if a thermally sensitive backing material is used. In this case the portion of backing material pressed into contact with the cover is partially melted to bond the backing material to the cover.

Abstract: A cover member for a vehicle seat and back having smooth curved and contoured rounded corners. In forming the curved corners, a first fabric cover member is sewn with shirr stitching along the edge of the member around the corner to form a shallow pocket in the member. When the first and a second cover member are then sewn together and turned inside out, a smooth, rounded corner is formed having no puckering or darting along the seam thus formed between the cover members. The cover thus formed is then placed over a preshaped molded foam pad adapted to be mounted on a conventional seat back frame. The shirr stitching along the edge of the corner uniformly gathers the material along the edge of the corner presenting a curved surface in an otherwise flat fabric material. Shirr stitching is also utilized in the seat to enable the use of non-stretch fabric in covering irregularly shaped seats.

Abstract: In a vehicle seat assembly which includes a support frame having a plurality of elongated apertures or slots of predetermined width provided therein and a seat cover, a trim attachment strip of extruded plastic is adapted to be sewn to the seat cover. The trim attachment strip has a base portion, a flange portion adapted to be sewn to the seat cover, and a plurality of pairs of barbed side-by-side projections extending in a spaced apart relation from the base portion. The barbed projections are inserted into slots in the support frame to secure the cover over the seat frame. The trim attachment strip is retained against removal from the support frame by the engagement of the barbs on the projections against the inner side of the support frame adjacent to the slots.

Abstract: A seat trim assembly particularly adapted for automotive seat backs having a center hole within the head restraint area. A halo ring member is provided having a radially projecting flange which is large enough to prevent the halo ring from being pulled completely through the seat back center hole. The inner edge of the halo ring forms a reversely bent edge channel. A break-over strip is stitched or bonded to the trim cover and is inserted within the halo ring edge channel. Once the break-over strip is placed into the edge channel, the halo ring is pulled such that the radially projecting flange supports a portion of the trim cover surrounding the seat back hole. In an alternate embodiment, the halo ring is integrated into a seat back rear panel.

Abstract: A vehicle seat having interconnected cushion and back members at least one of which consists of a foam body having an interior load supporting section and an outer peripheral section with a groove in the outer side of the body substantially at the juncture of the inner and peripheral sections. A first covering member is adhered to and lies flat against the outer side of the interior section and a second covering member is adhered to and lies flat against the outer side of the peripheral section. Both covering members extend into the groove and terminate in the groove. A flexible plastic trim strip is positioned in the groove at a position between the first and second members and is stitched to the members. In the process of this invention, the strip is supported in a groove in the tooling for making the seat and functions to hold the covering members in desired positions during the assembly of the foam body therewith.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for forming at least a portion of a seat wherein an envelope cover comprising a generally tubular shape fabric member having an open end and inner and outer sides is positioned on a cantilever supported forming tool so as to shape at least a portion of the outer side to a desired shape. A foam pad which has been molded to a shape conforming to the predetermined shape of the cover is then positioned in firm surface-to-surface engagement with the shaped cover portion and secured by glue thereto. The envelope can then be removed from the cantilever supported forming tool with the foamed pad adhered thereto and then turned inside out and assembled with a seat frame to provide a desired portion of a seat. This eliminates the need for fasteners or hard plastic back panels in the seat portion.

Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly which includes a frame having side rails with upright webs and upper flanges and a load carrying fabric web mounted on and extending between the side rails wherein mounting clips are clamped to the ends of the web by barb shape clamps and then hooked over the flanges so as to maintain the web in a load carrying condition.