Vehicle seat and a method for producing the vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12344141-B2
Application number	US-202318835385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2023
Priority date	Feb 11, 2022
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

A method of forming a seat cover may include providing a high frequency welding device, locating a seat cover in the high frequency welding device, and energizing the high frequency welding device to either join two or more pieces of the seat cover together or to impart a shape to form a contoured seat cover.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a seat cover, comprising:
providing a high frequency welding device;
locating a seat cover in the high frequency welding device;
energizing the high frequency welding device to either join two or more pieces of the seat cover together or to impart a shape to the seat cover; and
attaching a trim tie down to the seat cover;
wherein at least one mold part of the high frequency welding device closes at least partially about the seat cover so that heat from the mold part and the shape of the mold part transfers to the seat cover;
wherein the at least one mold part imparts at least one concave shape to the seat cover.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mold part imparts at least one of a pattern, a contour, a projection, a texture, a groove, a trench, or a convex shape to the seat cover.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more pieces of the seat cover that are joined together are a trim layer, a foam layer or a carrier layer of the seat cover.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more pieces of the seat cover that are joined together are two pieces of a trim layer that are laterally adjacent one another at an intersection.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the seat cover is joined to a cushion and the seat cover and the cushion are located in the high frequency welding device and the seat cover and the cushion are simultaneously shaped and joined.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the high frequency welding device joins two or more pieces of the seat cover together the pieces have different melt rates.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the high frequency welding device joins two or more pieces of the seat cover together the pieces have different thicknesses.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a body portion of the trim tie down extends through a foam layer and/or a carrier layer of the seat cover.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trim tie down comprises at least one of (a) beaded duon; (b) a hook fastener; and/or (c) a loop fastener.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trim tie down comprises a surface contacting a lower surface of the seat cover.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the seat cover comprises a carrier layer; wherein the trim tie down comprises (a) a tab extending along at least a portion of the carrier layer and (b) a body portion extending from the tab.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trim tie down is attached to the seat cover with high frequency molding.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concave shape is formed in a bolster along a central area of a lower seat surface.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concave shape is formed in a central area of a lower seat surface; wherein upwardly extending bolsters are located along the central area.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more pieces of the seat cover comprise a trim layer and a foam layer extending substantially over a carrier layer.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the carrier layer comprises at least one of (a) a woven material; (b) a non-woven material; (c) a press felt; (d) a carpet; (e) a knitted fabric.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of (a) forming a recess in a trim layer, a foam layer and/or a carrier layer of the seat cover by high frequency forming and (b) securing a badge in the recess.

18. A seat cover prepared by the process of claim 1 .

19. A seat cover formed by a process, comprising:
providing a high frequency welding device;
locating a seat cover in the high frequency welding device;
energizing the high frequency welding device to either join two or more pieces of the seat cover together or to impart a shape to the seat cover;
wherein at least one mold part of the high frequency welding device closes at least partially about the seat cover so that heat from the mold part and the shape of the mold part transfers to the seat cover;
wherein the at least one mold part imparts at least one concave shape to the seat cover,
wherein the concave shape is formed in a bolster along a central area of a lower seat surface.

20. A seat cover formed by a process, comprising:
providing a high frequency welding device;
locating a seat cover in the high frequency welding device;
energizing the high frequency welding device to either join two or more pieces of the seat cover together or to impart a shape to the seat cover;
wherein at least one mold part of the high frequency welding device closes at least partially about the seat cover so that heat from the mold part and the shape of the mold part transfers to the seat cover;
wherein the at least one mold part imparts at least one concave shape to the seat cover,
wherein the concave shape is formed in a central area of a lower seat surface; wherein upwardly extending bolsters are located along the central area.

Assignees

• Adient Us Llc

Inventors

• Soliven Reinier
• Gomez John
• Gould Thomas
• Beranek John
• Acosta Macias Ruben Eugenio
• Holbrook Annette
• Mondelaers Niels
• Poulin Marc
• Bashir Raza

Classifications

• B60N2/5866

  by thermal welding · CPC title

• B60N2/5891 Primary

  characterised by the manufacturing process; manufacturing seat coverings not otherwise provided for · CPC title