Abstract: A seat assembly for a motor vehicle includes a seat frame having a front member, a rear member, and side members extending between the front and rear members. The seat assembly also includes a trim cover material extending in tension over the seat frame and including a perimeter edge disposed about the front, rear, and side members thereof. The trim cover material includes a pocket formed along its perimeter edge. A tensioning mechanism includes a cable having a middle portion and cable ends extending out of the pocket. The tensioning mechanism further includes a tension block having opposing adjustment arms each coupled to one of the cable ends. Movement of the opposing adjustment arms towards and away from each other selectively adjusts the tension in the trim cover material disposed about the seat frame.

Abstract: A seat frame assembly for supporting an occupant in an automotive vehicle includes a pair of spaced apart, longitudinally extending side members interconnected by at least one generally transverse cross member defining a horizontal plane therebetween. The seat frame assembly also includes a side bolster frame pivotally secured to at least one of the side members. The side bolster frame is movable between a support position extending laterally outwardly from the side member and angled upwardly from the horizontal plane, and a deflected position extending generally parallel to the horizontal plane. In addition, the seat frame assembly includes a resilient trim cover extending in tension between the side bolster frame and the opposing side member for automatically pivoting the side bolster frame from the support position to the deflected position in response to a load from the occupant on the side bolster frame, thereby facilitating ingress and egress to the occupant on the seat frame assembly.

Abstract: A tunnel cord assembly for removably attaching a trim cover to a contoured, cellular foam pad is comprised of a selvedge strip slidably encasing the cord and a bayonet-type fixture at the ends of the cord. The selvedge strip is sewn to the trim cover, which attaches to the foam pad. The foam pad includes a front surface, an opposite back surface, a plurality of trenches and a plurality of holes within the trenches. Each end of the tunnel cord is pulled through a hole that extends through the foam pad from the front surface, which is covered by the trim cover, to the back surface. A locking device is then removably coupled between the back surface of the foam and the bayonet-type fixture, preventing the cord from retracting through the hole back to the front surface of the pad, and thereby securing the trim cover to the foam pad.

Abstract: A seat frame assembly for supporting an occupant in an automotive vehicle includes a pair of spaced apart, longitudinally extending side members interconnected by at least one generally transverse cross member defining a horizontal plane therebetween. The seat frame assembly also includes a side bolster frame pivotally secured to at least one of the side members. The side bolster frame is movable between a support position extending laterally outwardly from the side member and angled upwardly from the horizontal plane, and a deflected position extending generally parallel to the horizontal plane. In addition, the seat frame assembly includes a resilient trim cover extending in tension between the side bolster frame and the opposing side member for automatically pivoting the side bolster frame from the support position to the deflected position in response to a load from the occupant on the side bolster frame, thereby facilitating ingress and egress to the occupant on the seat frame assembly.

Abstract: A tunnel cord assembly for removably attaching a trim cover to a contoured, cellular foam pad is comprised of a selvedge strip slidably encasing the cord and a bayonet-type fixture at the ends of the cord. The selvedge strip is sewn to the trim cover, which attaches to the foam pad. The foam pad includes a front surface, an opposite back surface, a plurality of trenches and a plurality of holes within the trenches. Each end of the tunnel cord is pulled through a hole that extends through the foam pad from the front surface, which is covered by the trim cover, to the back surface. A locking device is then removably coupled between the back surface of the foam and the bayonet-type fixture, preventing the cord from retracting through the hole back to the front surface of the pad, and thereby securing the trim cover to the foam pad.