Title of Invention

AN ATTACHMENT SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE SEAT

Abstract

The invention relates to a fastening system for a vehicle seat with at least one upholstery part made of a foam material, which is surrounded by at least one upholstery cover, which is attached to at least one profile strip acting as hooking means, which on the outside comprises hooking elements. Seeing that in the upholstery part a longitudinal channel is provided adapted to the shape of the profile strip, which in its longitudinal direction has recesses into which the hooking elements (14) engage, a fastening system is created with which the indicated fastening can be produced economically and which in addition is comfortable for the user of the seat and does not cause disturbing noises.

Full Text

-1A- The invention relates to a fastening system for a vehicle seat with at least one upholstery part made of a foam material, which is surrounded by at least one upholstery cover, which is attached to at least one profile strip acting as hooking means, which on the outside comprises hooking elements. A fastening system of this type is known from the DE 42 14 510 C2. To fasten the upholstery cover to the upholstery part of foamed material, hose-like fastening bands with lateral openings, also called streamers, are sewn at a distance from one another onto the underside of the upholstery cover. Pushed into every hose-like fastening band as hooking means is a profile strip with an arrow-shaped cross-section, which forms the hooking elements. The upholstery part is provided with recesses extending parallel to one another at the same distances as the fastening bands, every recess containing several double clamps which are joined to the upholstery part by screw connections or are foamed into same. To tighten the upholstery cover, the fastening bands with their profile strips are put into the recesses of the upholstery part, wherein the double clamps then pass through the lateral openings of the fastening band and thus, in the manner of hooks, engage behind the profile strip with their arrow-shaped cross-section. This known solution is complicated and expensive to manufacture, to which the many double clamps required in the upholstery part contribute. Furthermore, if the top of the vehicle seat is subjected to bump-like stresses, it is not excluded that the user of the seat may be seated on the solid double clamps, which adversely affects the seating comfort. In addition the known fastening systems may result in undesirable noises. Proceeding from this state of the art, it is the object of the invention to further improve a fastening system of this type in such a way that the abovementioned disadvantages no longer 2 occur. According to the invention this object is achieved by a fastening system with the characteristics of claim 1. Seeing that, according to the characterising part of claim 1, a longitudinal channel is provided adapted to the shape of the profile strip, which in its longitudinal direction has recesses into which the hooking elements will engage, the profile strip co-operates directly with the foam material of the upholstery part, so that the complicated solid double clamps can fall away. Notwithstanding this, a positive fixing of the upholstery cover on the upholstery part takes place by way of the hooking elements of the profile strip which engage directly into the recesses. Adhesion forces may occur here between the fine-pored foam material and the profile strip, which strengthen the secure bond. Because the profile strip is accommodated in the longitudinal channel of the upholstery part, the seating comfort of the user of the seat will not be adversely affected, even when the foam material is greatly compressed by bump-like stresses, as may occur during the driving of a motorcar. In addition unpleasant noises are avoided. Further advantageous embodiments form the subject of the sub-claims. In the following an embodiment of the fastening system according to the invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, which snows in a basic representation and not according to scale: Fig. 1 is a perspective view a partial cut-out of the foamed upholstery part with slot opening and longitudinal channel; Fig. 2 is a perspective representation of a partial cut-out of a profile strip which can be put into the longitudinal channel according to Fig. 1. The fastening system can be used for a vehicle seat (not illustrated in more detail), for example in the form of a motorcar or aircraft seat. Such seats basically consists of a seat part 3 and a backrest part, which are provided with upholstery, in particular in the form of individual upholstery parts 10. Such upholstery parts 10 consist of a plastic material foamed in the mould, which on the outside is surrounded by at least one upholstery cover (not illustrated), for example in the form of upholstery covering materials or the like. The attaching of the upholstery cover to the upholstery part 10 is ensured by the fastening system according to the invention, which attaches the upholstery cover to the upholstery part 10 along predetermined seams. To this end the fastening system comprises at least one profile strip 12 serving as hooking means, which is flexible and along which any predetermined seams of the upholstery cover can be arranged and attached to same. As can be noted in particular from Fig. 2, the profile strip 12 is provided on the outside with hooking elements 14. The upholstery part 10, as can be noted from Fig. 1, has a longitudinal channel 16 adapted to the shape of the profile strip 12, which channel in its longitudinal direction has recesses 18 which are intended to engage with the hooking elements 14. The longitudinal channel 16 has an essentially circular cross-section, and a slot opening 20 opening out into the longitudinal channel 16 is open to the outside of the foamed upholstery part 10. As can be noted from Fig. 1, the slot opening 20 widens from the longitudinal channel 16 to the outside 22, forming a step 24 in the open cross-section. The recesses 18 of the longitudinal channel 16 lie diametrically opposite one another in the longitudinal extent and open out into the longitudinal channel 16 in the form of grooves. The individual recesses 18 thus form groove-shaped hollow profile web sections. As shown furthermore by Fig. 2, the hooking elements 14 form an integral part of the profile strip 12 and can engage as profiled extensions into the groove shaped recesses 18 along their entire longitudinal extent. The profile strip 12 to be put into the associated longitudinal channel 16 is provided on its side facing away from the slot opening 20 with a convex contact surface 26 and on its side 28 facing the slot opening is flat. The contact surface 26 is delimited at the edges, along the longitudinal extent of the profile strip 12, by the nearest hooking elements 14. The section 30 between two hooking elements 14, which laterally follow the contact surface 26, is also convex and accordingly is rounded, whereas the next sections 22 on each side wall of the profile strip 12 are flat. 4 40rdb/128436/ZA The flat side 28 of the profile strip is provided in the middle with a slot-like receiving channel 34, which in its extension (not illustrated), when the profile strip 12 has been put into the longitudinal channel 16, opens out into the slot opening 20. This slot-like receiving channel 34 of the profile strip 12 serves to accommodate a not illustrated connection tape, which in the industry is also called a streamer. By means of the connection tape the connection between the profile strip 12 and the upholstery cover can be produced, wherein the connection tape then extends under tension through the slot opening 20 in the upholstery part 10 and tries to pull the upholstery cover material in the direction of the longitudinal channel 16. Preferably, the connection tapes or streamers are placed in the receiving channel 34 of the profile strip 12 wherein, when the profile strip 12 is still soft, it is compressed in such a way that the receiving channel 34 becomes narrower and ensures a secure connection with the connection tape or streamer. Depending on the method used, the connection tape is chosen such that it can be sewn, welded by the ultrasonic method or by the high frequency method. The side of the profile strip 12 facing away from the slot opening 20, i.e. the convex contact surface 26 is made in such a way that it can slide and/or is provided with a suitable lubricant. Because of this greater sliding ability in the lower part, during the installation of the seat the profile strip 12 in question can be pushed more easily via the slot opening 20 into the receiving channel 34 for the further anchoring. The other sides 28, 30 and 32 are made slip-resistant or provided with an anti-slip agent to ensure a better anchoring of the profile strip 12 in the receiving channel 16. Because the recesses 18 have a depth of less than 1 mm, the anchoring of the anchoring elements 14 in the recesses 18 takes place aided by adhesion, which also assists the form- and force-locking anchoring in the foam material of the upholstery part 10. The anchoring is improved further when the cross-section of the profile strip 12 is chosen slightly larger than the cross-sectional profile of the longitudinal channel 16, so that the compressed fine-pored foam material exerts a holding force on the profile strip 12. The solid profile strip 12, which in the industry is also called a "piping profile", preferably is a mono-extrudate and consists of a soft plastic material, e.g. an elastomer material. Particularly 5 40rdb/128436/ZA preferred are olefins and, PVC. In addition the materials used are disposable and can be recycled. The mentioned attaching of the profile strip 12 to the upholstery part 10 by way of the longitudinal channel 16 is reversible and can also be produced during installation. Expensive auxiliary means fall away and the risk of injury is largely excluded due to the absence of sharp-edged parts. By using exclusively plastic materials which are from and force-locking, in addition a high degree of seating comfort is obtained and noises, such as a metallic creaking or the like, are securely excluded. The flexible profile strip can be made in any, also three-dimensional configurations, so that practically any design for a vehicle seat is possible. To produce the longitudinal channel 16 in the foam material 10, along a so-called pipe in the manufacturing mould, which after the removal from the mould forms the outline of the slot opening 20, at the free end a wire-like mould part is arranged, which has form elements that correspond to the hooking elements 14 of the profile strip 12. During the subsequent foaming out of the mould (not illustrated), the open parts illustrated in Fig. 1 occur in the moulded foam, i.e. in the upholstery part 10. Instead of the channel-shaped recesses 18, these may also extend spirally produced by a coil or the like, or also only at intervals in the form of receiving spots in dependence on the shape of the pipe used and the respective mould part for the longitudinal channel 16. -6-WE CLAIMS 1. An attachment system for a vehicle seat having at least one padded element (10) of a foamed material which is surrounded by at least one upholstered element which is connected to at least one structural strip (12), which acts as hooking means and which has hooking elements (14) on its outer peripheral face, a longitudinal channel (16) which is adapted to the shape of the respective structural strip (12) being provided, wherein the longitudinal channel (16) is provided in the padded element (10) and has, in the longitudinal direction thereof, recesses (18) which serve to engage the hooking elements and which open into the longitudinal channel (16) and are in the form of grooves. 2. The attachment system as claimed in claim 1,wherein the longitudinal channel (16) is circular in cross-section and in that a slot opening (20) opens into a longitudinal channel (16) and emerges at the outer face (22) of the foamed padded element (10). 3. The attachment system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the slot opening (20) extending from the longitudinal channel (16) to the outer face (22) widens in at least one shoulder-like step (24) in the free cross-section. -7- 4. The attachment system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the recesses (18) of the longitudinal channel (16) are diametrically opposite each other. 5. The attachment as claimed in claim 4. wherein the hooking elements (14) are integrally part of the structural strip (12) and engage as profile-like extensions in the groove-like recesses (18) along the entire longitudinal direction thereof. 6. The attachment system as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the structural strip (12) inserted in the associated longitudinal channel (16) is provided with a convex bearing face (26) at the side thereof that is remote from the slot opening (20) and is flat at the side (28) thereof that faces the slot opening. 7. The attachment as claimed in claim 6, wherein the flat side (28) of the structural strip (12) is provided with a slot-like receiving channel (34) which opens into the slot opening (20) as an extension. 8. The attachment as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the side of the structural strip (12) that is remote from the slot opening (20), in particular the convex bearing face (26), is 7. -8- arranged to be able to slide and the other faces (28, 30, 32), in particular the face having the profile-like hooking elements (14), are arranged to inhibit slippage. 9. The attachment as claimed in claim 7 or claim 3, wherein the slot-like receiving channel (34) of the structural strip (12) is used to receive a connection strip which produces the connection between the structural strip (12) and the upholstered element and which extends through the slot opening (20) in the padded element (10). 10. The attachment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the structural strip (12) is a mono-extrudate and, in particular, comprises a soft plastics material, such a elastene, in particular in the form of olefins and PVC. Dated this 17th day of July, 1998 The invention relates to a fastening system for a vehicle seat with at least one upholstery part made of a foam material, which is surrounded by at least one upholstery cover, which is attached to at least one profile strip acting as hooking means, which on the outside comprises hooking elements. Seeing that in the upholstery part a longitudinal channel is provided adapted to the shape of the profile strip, which in its longitudinal direction has recesses into which the hooking elements (14) engage, a fastening system is created with which the indicated fastening can be produced economically and which in addition is comfortable for the user of the seat and does not cause disturbing noises.

Documents:

01251-cal-1998 abstract.pdf

01251-cal-1998 claims.pdf

01251-cal-1998 correspondence.pdf

01251-cal-1998 description(complete).pdf

01251-cal-1998 drawings.pdf

01251-cal-1998 form-1.pdf

01251-cal-1998 form-2.pdf

01251-cal-1998 form-3.pdf

01251-cal-1998 form-5.pdf

01251-cal-1998 general power of attorney.pdf

01251-cal-1998 priority document.pdf

1251-CAL-1998-(05-12-2011)-FORM-27.pdf

1251-CAL-1998-(16-08-2012)-FORM-27.pdf

1251-CAL-1998-FORM 27.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-abstract_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-acceptance publication_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-claims_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-correspondence_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-description (complete)_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-drawings_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-form 1_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-form 2_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-form 3_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-form 5_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-letter patent_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-pa_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-priority document_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-reply to examination report_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-specification_.pdf

1251-cal-1998-granted-translated copy of priority document_.pdf