Top cover member fixing arrangement in a vehicle seat

The present invention relates to a fixed structure of the cut edges of a top layer member of a seat for vehicles. At the edges therefrom a band piece with a latching portion is secured to the front end thereof and said band piece mounted on the top layer member is arranged not to come off by holding same between a flame member within a seat and a holding member.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a fixed structure of a top layer member of 
a seat for vehicles providing with a fitting portion such as a head rest. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE PRIOR ARTS 
In order to fix a head rest or a locking device etc. to a seat back, it is 
necessary to form a through hole or a concave portion at a prescribed 
position of a seat back. For this reason, it is required that the top 
layer member corresponding to the above portion or hole is cut and further 
the edges of the cut portion must be fixed to the seat back from turning 
over therefrom. 
As a conventional method thereof, as shown in FIG. 1, the edges of the top 
layer member thus cut are clamped by means of a screw (11) (11) by 
pressing down the edges thereof by a metallic pressing piece (10). 
According to the above conventional method, the edges of the top layer 
member (12) are apt to turn over enough to expose same outside owing to a 
wide clamping distance by means of the screw as shown in the Figure, which 
impairs the sense of beauty. On the other hand, it is possible to remove 
the above-mentioned defect by narrowing the clamping distance of the screw 
(11) (11); however, at that time, a number of screws are inevitably 
required, resulting in a poor operationability. It is also possible to 
employ a hook instead of the screw. When the hook is employed, an 
appearance becomes bad because it can be observed from the outside, the 
method of which has not seldom been employed. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to simplify and beautify the edges of 
a top layer member of a cut portion thereof and further to fix same to a 
seat back without fail. 
In order to fulfill the above-mentioned object, according to the present 
invention, it is such constituted that a band piece with a latching 
projection at the front edge thereof is fixed to the end of a top layer 
member and said band piece is held between a frame member within the seat 
and a holding member. Accordingly, the band piece is firmly latched by 
means of the latching projection and therefore the band piece mounted on 
the top layer member does not come off even if the holding member is 
secured to the frame member with a wide distace. 
Said band piece made of a soft synthetic resin is formed flexibly in its 
longitudinal direction. For this reason, the end of the top layer member 
may apply along the notch portion of the seat. 
The notch portion of the seat to which the edges of said top layer member 
is secured, is formed at a top of the seat back in order to insert the 
locking device for securing the seat back in a wall face of a car body or 
insert a stay of the head rest into the seat back. 
The holding member for holding the band piece therebetween is a wire, a 
metallic plate or a hard synthetic resin plate mounted along the edges of 
the notched portion. Said holding member is secured to the frame member by 
means of a screw. At the time of securing same, the band piece is held 
therebetween. Regarding with said holding member, a guide tube for 
inserting a stay may be employed when a metal or hard synthetic resin 
plate hemming the outer periphery of the notch portion or the notch 
portion itself is allowed to insert the stay of the head rest.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Hereinafter, embodiment according to the present invention will be 
described with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 7. In the Figures, (A) is a 
notch portion for fixing parts thereto notched one portion of a seat 
covered with a tap layer member. (4) is a frame member made of a hard 
material secured to the edges of the notch portion (A). (2) is a top layer 
member for securing the end thereof along the frame member (4). (5) is a 
holding member. 
The illustrated notch portion (A) is employed for fixing a locking device 
(not illustrated) and the locking device is mounted as shown in FIG. 1 on 
the wall face of a car body of the seat back (a) so as to adjust an 
inclination degree of the seat back (a) and further to prevent falling 
backward thereof. 
The frame member (4) made of a hard material such as a frame line is 
secured to the notch projection (A) and a screw fixing portion is also 
arranged at the end thereof. In the Figures, (6) is a cushioning member 
such as a foaming agent. 
As shown in FIG. 6, a band piece (3) is shewn into the end of the notch 
portion (A) of the top layer member (2) covering the cushioning member 
(6). The band piece (3) is made of a soft synthetic resin and a latching 
projection (3a) is uniformely formed along the front edge thereof. The 
base portion thereof is formed in the shape of wave to be easily bent in 
the longitudinal direction thereof. The illustrated latching projection 
(3a) provides with a round projection at the front end of the band piece 
(3). This is not limited to the illustrated one provided that it is 
thicker than that of the band piece (3). For example, it is possible to 
project same independently along the front edge of the band piece (3). 
The band piece (3) is sewn into the edges of the top layer member (2) in 
such that the latching projection (3a) is positioned within said frame 
member (4). (FIG. 5) 
The holding member (5) made of a metal or a hard synthetic resin hemming 
the edges of said notch portion (A) is secured to the fixing portion of 
said frame member (4) by means of a screw. At the time of securing same, 
the band piece (3) is secured by means of the holding member (5) in such 
that the latching projection (3a) thereof is positioned within the frame 
member (4). (FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) 
FIG. 7 shows the case where the structure according to the present 
invention is employed for the fitting portion of a head rest; and a 
holding member (5') at that time is a guide tube for inserting a stay of 
the head rest. At the end of the top layer member, the band piece (3) with 
a latching projection is mounted at the front end thereof as the same with 
the above-mentioned embodiment. 
According to the present invention, it is possible to secure the top layer 
member by sewing a band piece into the top layer member and further 
holding same between a frame member and a holding member; and, after 
securing same, the band piece is firmly latched by means of a latching 
projection thereof. Accordingly, the edges of the top layer member are 
easily secured to a seat back compared with that of a conventional method 
and further gives an excellent appearance because the secured portion 
cannot be observed from the outside. 
Furthermore, the secured portion is not exposed by turning over therefrom.