SEAT COVER

A seat cover is a skin material of a seat cushion or seatback. The seat cushion or seatback having a first seam allowance and a second seam allowance are sewn together with a first seam line. The first seam allowance is placed at a first end side of a first cover piece, and the second seam allowance is placed at a second end side of a second cover piece. At least one of a first design surface of the first cover piece or a second design surface of the second cover piece is provided with a plurality of stitches at positions crossing the first seam line.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on Japanese Patent Applications No. 2023-008589 filed on Jan. 24, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a seat cover. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a seat cover having an outstitch and being capable of improving the appearance of the corners thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

In the related art, a seat of a vehicle such as an automobile has an outstitch, which is a stitch for decoration, applied to a seat cover that covers the front surface thereof. The outstitch may be disposed at a corner, which is the frame and the boundary between the top cover of the seat cushion or the seatback. A seat cushion100illustrated inFIG.7has a cushion cover110which is a skin material covering the surface. The cushion cover110has a top cover111covering the seating surface and a frame112covering the side surface. In the first related art illustrated inFIG.8, between the top cover111and the frame112in the seat width direction, the seam allowance111aof the top cover111and the seam allowance112aof the frame112are sewn together by an institch113, which is a stitch that is not exposed in the appearance in a state where the surfaces are coupled. The seam allowance111aand the sewn seam allowance112awhich are sewn together are sewn to the top cover111with an outstitch114while being in contact with the rear side111bof the top cover111. The cushion cover110thus formed is covered on a cushion pad120made of a foamed resin elastic body.

In the second related technique illustrated inFIG.9, a seam allowance111aof the top cover111, a seam allowance112aof the frame112, and a fin115bof a rigid piping115are sewn together by an institch113between the top cover111and the frame112in the seat width direction. At this time, the end of the fin115bopposite to the head115aof the piping115coincides with and is overlapped with the outer ends of the seam allowance111aand the seam allowance112a. The seam allowance111a, the sewn seam allowance112aand the piping115which are sewn together are sewn to the top cover111with an outstitch114while being in contact with the rear side111bof the top cover111. The cushion cover110thus formed is covered on the cushion pad120made of a foamed resin elastic body. JP2000-287780A discloses a seat cover in which the seam allowance111aof the top cover111and the seam allowance112aof the frame112are sewn to each other by an institch, without being provided with an outstitch.

In the first related technique described above, since the rigidity of the corner121of the cushion pad120is not so high, the shape of the corner of the seat cushion100is likely to be deformed when a force pulling the frame112of the covered cushion cover110away from the top cover111is applied, which adversely affects the appearance. In the second related technique, the rigidity of the piping115can prevent the shape of the corner of the seat cushion100from being likely to be deformed when applied with a force pulling the frame112away from the top cover111, but increases the number of components. Furthermore, in all of the first prior art, the second prior art, and the prior art described in JP2000-287780A, the outstitch is either monotonous or is not provided, and the designability is insufficient.

In view of such a problem, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a seat cover in which the corner of the seat cushion or the seatback have excellent designability and is unlikely to be deformed.

SUMMARY

In a first aspect of the disclosure, a seat cover is a skin material of a seat cushion or seatback. The seat cushion or seatback having a first seam allowance and a second seam allowance are sewn together with a first seam line. The first seam allowance is placed at a first end side of a first cover piece, and the second seam allowance is placed at a second end side of a second cover piece. At least one of a first design surface of the first cover piece or a second design surface of the second cover piece is provided with a plurality of stitches at positions crossing the first seam line.

According to the first aspect of the disclosure, since the plurality of stitches crossing the first seam line of the first cover piece and the second cover piece are formed, the rigidity of the cover piece in the vicinity of the first seam line is enhanced. When the seat cover is covered on the cushion body with the vicinity of the first seam line being aligned with the corner of the cushion body, the corner of the seat cushion or the seatback can be prevented from deformation. In addition, since the plurality of stitches cross the first seam line, the plurality of stitches is applied with a repulsive force by the regulation of the seam allowances, and the corner can be prevented from deformation more effectively. Further, the plurality of stitches can be changed in various ways to enhance the designability. The term “cross” includes both across the first seam line and starting from the first seam line, and the term “design surface” refers to a surface exposed in the appearance.

In a second aspect of the disclosure, the first seam allowance and the second seam allowance are sewn together, and then brought into contact with a rear side of the second cover piece and sewn to the second cover piece with a second seam line, the rear side being not a design surface.

According to the second aspect of the disclosure, since the second seam line is formed in addition to the first seam line and the plurality of stitches, the rigidity in the vicinity of the first cover piece and the second cover piece is enhanced, and the corner of the seat cushion or the seatback can be further prevented from deformation. Further, the addition of the second seam line, which can be visually recognized from the outside, can further enhance the designability.

In a third aspect of the disclosure, each length of the plurality of stitches extending from the first seam line are the same.

According to the third aspect of the disclosure, uniform rigidity is obtained along the extending direction of the first seam line, and the shape of the corner of the seat cushion or seatback can be prevented from partial deformation.

In a fourth aspect of the disclosure, the plurality of stitches are constituted using threads of a plurality of colors.

According to the fourth aspect of the disclosure, the appearance of the plurality of stitches can be changed, and the designability is enhanced.

In a fifth aspect of the disclosure, the plurality of stitches are formed continuously.

According to the fifth aspect of the disclosure, the rigidity is further enhanced along the extending direction of the first seam line, and the corner of the seat cushion or the seatback can be further prevented deformation.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A cushion cover10according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIGS.1to6. In the following description, the description of the directions will be made based on the directions of upper, lower, front, rear, left, and right indicated by arrows in the drawings. The upper, lower, front, rear, right, and left directions are based on a seated person when the seat cushion1covered with the cushion cover10is attached to an automobile. The left-right direction corresponds to the seat width direction. The cushion cover10corresponds to the “seat cover” in Claims.

As illustrated inFIGS.1and2, a seat cushion1, which is the seating portion of an automobile seat, is configured by covering a cushion pad20, which is a cushion body placed on a cushion frame (not illustrated) forming a framework, with a cushion cover10, which is a skin material. The cushion pad20is a foam molded body of urethane resin, and the outer shape thereof forms the outer shape of the seat cushion1.

The cushion cover10includes a top cover11covering a seating surface and a frame12covering the front, rear, left, and right side surfaces. Both the top cover11and the frame12are formed by joining a plurality of pieces by sewing. Each piece is formed by joining a fabric on the front side and a thin rear base fabric made of tricot knit on the rear side into a planar body joined in layers with a urethane slab pad interposed therebetween, and cutting the planar body into a predetermined shape. As illustrated inFIG.2, a front layer11aof the top cover11and a front layer12aof the frame12are fabrics, a rear layer11bof the top cover11and a rear layer12bof the frame12are rear base fabrics, and an intermediate layer11cof the top cover11and an intermediate layer12cof the frame12are urethane slab pads. Here, the frame12and the top cover11correspond to the “first cover piece” and the “second cover piece” in Claims, respectively.

As illustrated inFIG.1, when the seat cushion1is viewed from the outside, a second seam line14extending in the front-rear direction in parallel with a boundary line16between the left side of the top cover11and the upper side of the left frame12is formed on the top cover11on the right side of the boundary line16. A plurality of linear decorative stitches15extending obliquely leftward and downward are formed at equal intervals in the front-rear direction on the lower left side of the boundary line16of the left frame12. For example, the dimension of the decorative stitches15extending leftward and downward from the boundary line16can be set to about 10 mm, and the dimension between the decorative stitches15in the front-rear direction can be set to about 5 mm, which are not limited thereto. The appearance of the upper left corner of the seat cushion1has high decoratability and high designability due to the presence of the second seam line14and the decorative stitches15. Here, the decorative stitches15correspond to the “stitches” in Claims.

The sewing procedure of the portion of the cushion cover10corresponding to the upper left corner of the seat cushion1will be described. First, as illustrated inFIG.3, the plurality of decorative stitches15are formed in the portion corresponding to the upper side of the left frame12. The decorative stitches15are formed such that one end thereof extends across a first planned seam line13a, which is a position to form the first seam line13to be sewn to the left side of the top cover11later. The decorative stitches15are coupled by a coupling stitch15aextending in parallel with the first planned seam line13aat the one end thereof. Accordingly, when the plurality of decorative stitches15are formed in the portion corresponding to the upper side of the left frame12, the decorative stitches15are formed in a comb shape integrally with the coupling stitch15a.

Next, as illustrated inFIG.4, the left seam allowance11dof the top cover11and the upper seam allowance12dof the left frame12applied with the decorative stitches15are sewn together by the first seam line13in a state where the front layer11aand the front layer12aare brought into contact. Here, the first seam line13is a seam line not exposed in the appearance when the cushion pad20is covered with the cushion cover10to form the seat cushion1, and is called an institch. Here, the seam allowance12dand the seam allowance11dcorrespond to the “first seam allowance” and the “second seam allowance” in Claims, respectively.

Finally, as illustrated inFIG.5, the top cover11is folded back at the inner end of the seam allowance11dso that the rear layer11bof the seam allowance11dand the rear layer11bof the folded body are brought into contact. In this state, the seam allowance11dand the seam allowance12dsewn by the first seam line13are sewn to the body of the top cover11by the second seam line14. The second seam line14is parallel to the first seam line13and is positioned between the first seam line13and the outer ends of the seam allowance11dand the seam allowance12d. Here, the second seam line14is a seam line exposed in the appearance when the cushion pad20is covered with the cushion cover10to form the seat cushion1, and is called an outstitch.

When the cushion cover10thus formed is covered on the cushion pad20with the boundary line16aligned with the upper left corner21of the cushion pad20, a state illustrated inFIG.2is obtained. The upper left corner21of the cushion pad20is pressed by the seam allowance11dand the seam allowance12dto form a recessed portion22.

As illustrated inFIG.6, the plurality of decorative stitches15can take various forms to improve the designability. For example, in (a) to (d), the decorative stitches15are a group extending vertically with respect to the first planned seam line13aindicated by the two-dot chain line. In (a), the decorative stitches15have the same dimension extending vertically, and the intervals between the decorative stitches15are the same. In (b), the decorative stitches15have alternately long and short extending dimensions, and the intervals between the decorative stitches15are the same. In (c), the decorative stitches15are arranged in groups at long intervals, each group including three extending in the same dimension at short intervals. In (c), the decorative stitches15are arranged in groups at long intervals, each group including three extending in different dimensions at short intervals. In (e) to (h), the decorative stitches15are a group extending obliquely with respect to the first planned seam line13aindicated by the two-dot chain line. In (e), the decorative stitches15have the same dimension extending obliquely, and the dimensions between the decorative stitches15are the same. In (f), the decorative stitches15are arranged in a zigzag shape at a short pitch with respect to the first planned seam line13a. In (g), the decorative stitches15are arranged in a zigzag shape at a long pitch with respect to the first planned seam line13a. In (g), the decorative stitches15are a combination of two groups, each arranged in a zigzag shape at a long pitch with respect to the first planned seam line13a. In (i), the decorative stitches15of (a) or (b) each have a different color of the thread constituting the stitch.

The present embodiment configured as described above has the following effects. The rigidity in the vicinity of the first seam line13, which is the coupling portion between the top cover11and the frame12, is enhanced by forming the plurality of decorative stitches15crossing the first seam line13. Accordingly, when the cushion cover10is covered on the cushion pad20with the vicinity of the first seam line13being aligned with the upper left corner21of the cushion pad20, the corner21of the seat cushion1can be prevented from deformation even when applied with a force pulling the frame12downward. In addition, since the plurality of decorative stitches15cross the first seam line13, the plurality of decorative stitches15are applied with a repulsive force by the regulation of the seam allowance11dand the seam allowance12d, and the corner21can be prevented from deformation more effectively. Further, the plurality of decorative stitches15are capable of changing the appearance of the seat cushion1in various ways to enhance the designability.

Further, since the second seam line14is formed in addition to the first seam line13and the plurality of decorative stitches15, the rigidity in the vicinity of the first seam line13is further enhanced, and the corner of the seat cushion1can be further prevented from deformation even when applied with a force pulling the frame12downward. Further, the addition of the second seam line14, which can be visually recognized from the outside, can further enhance the designability.

Furthermore, since the lengths extending from the first seam line13of the decorative stitches15are the same, uniform rigidity is obtained along the extending direction of the first seam line13, and the shape of the corner21of the seat cushion1can be prevented from partial deformation. In addition, since the decorative stitches15are coupled by the coupling stitch15aat the one end thereof, the rigidity is further enhanced along the extending direction of the first seam line13, and the corner21of the seat cushion1can be further prevented from deformation. By changing the color of the threads constituting the decorative stitches15, the appearance of the decorative stitches15can be changed, which can further enhance the designability. By changing the thickness of the threads constituting the decorative stitches15, the rigidity feeling can be enhanced.

Although a specific embodiment has been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the appearance and configuration thereof, and various modifications, addition, and deletion can be made without changing the gist of the present disclosure. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the present disclosure is applied to the seat cushion1provided in a seat for automobile, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may be applied to a seatback, or may be applied to a seat for a vehicle other than automobile, such as an aircraft, a ship, or a railway vehicle.