Abstract:
A seat cover for use with vehicle seats with or without side deployed airbags. In an example, the seat cover is made of a uni-body construction with upper and lower sections for respectively covering a seat back and seat cushion. Openings are provided in the upper and lower sections for insertion of the seat back and seat cushion. A side panel is disposed on each lateral side of the upper section that aligns with an expected path of the airbag when deployed. A frangible seam couples the panel to the remaining portion of the seat cover. The frangible seam fails at a force sufficiently less than the force of a deploying airbag. Thus when the airbag is deployed the force consumed by cleaving the frangible seam panel does not impede airbag deployment. Also included is an alignment member to position the panel in the expected path of the deploying airbag.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates generally to the field of seat covers for vehicles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a seat cover for use with a seat having a side deployed airbag and adapted to allow deployment of the airbag as intended. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Original equipment manufacturers (OEM) of vehicular seats, such as bucket seats used in automobiles, may include airbags that deploy through a lateral side of the upper portion of the seat. It is important that the projected or expected path of a deploying airbag be substantially free to deploy and without barriers or other impediments in its path so that the airbag may become fully inflated. Often, the outer surface of a side airbag equipped vehicle seat includes a weakened section, such as a breakaway seam or scoring, to avoid hindering airbag deployment. Thus, seat covers added to vehicles having side or otherwise deployed airbags should allow airbag deployment as intended. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0005]    Disclosed herein is a seat cover for use with a vehicle seat, and can accommodate vehicle seats with or without a side deployed airbag. In an example embodiment the seat cover includes an upper section formed from a flexible material to form an enclosure with an opening. The seat cover of this embodiment also includes an elongate side panel on a lateral side of the upper section, the side panel couples to the upper section along an interface. A frangible seam is included with the seat cover of this example that is set along a portion of the interface. The frangible seam fails at a force below a force that impedes airbag deployment. By aligning the side panel with an expected path of a deploying airbag, and the airbag is deployed, the force of the deploying airbag separates the panel from the upper section along the seam to form a gap and fully deploys through the gap. In an alternative embodiment, a lower section can be joined to the upper section, where the lower section is made of a flexible material to form an enclosure with an opening. In an example embodiment, the seam can be an elongated element stitched through the panel and upper section. An optional alignment element can be included with the seat cover that is made of a planar flexible member attached on an end to the upper section adjacent the opening. The alignment element may further include a resilient member set in the flexible member. In an example embodiment, the flexible material is formed from a weave of weft yarn and warp yarn so that the flexible material may flex in any direction. Optionally, the panel can extend from adjacent a portion of the opening and along the lateral side of the upper section to substantially adjacent a distal portion of the opening. Yet further optionally, the seam can extend along the length of a forward looking edge of the panel. The airbag may be deployed through a seam provided in the vehicle seat; the upper section may represent a front side and the frangible seam in the upper section can be disposed in a region between the seam provided in the vehicle seat and the front side. 
         [0006]    Also disclosed herein is a seat cover for use with a vehicle seat that is equipped with a side deployed airbag. In this example the seat cover includes an upper section forming an enclosure, the enclosure having an opening for receiving therein a seat back with the side deployed airbag. In this example embodiment, the seat cover further includes a lower section connected to the upper section; that also is formed into an enclosure with an opening. The lower section opening is adapted to receive therein a seat cushion attached to the seat back. A space is defined between the seat back and seat cushion. A frangible seam is included with this seat cover embodiment that extends along a portion of a lateral side of the upper section and adapted to fail at a force below a force that impedes airbag deployment. Thus when the frangible seam is aligned with an expected path of a deploying airbag, and the airbag is deployed, the force of the deploying airbag severs the seam to form a gap in the upper section so that the airbag fully deploys through the gap. 
         [0007]    Yet further disclosed herein is an example of a vehicle seat. In this example the vehicle seat includes a seat back having a front, back, and lateral sides. Also provided with the vehicle seat is an airbag in the seat back that is oriented to have a projected airbag deployment path exiting the seat back through a lateral side. A seat cushion is also a part of this embodiment of a vehicle seat that is coupled with the seat back along a portion of the periphery of the seat cushion to define a space between the seat cushion and seat back. Included with the vehicle seat is a seat cover. In this example embodiment the seat cover is made of an upper section that encloses a substantial portion of the seat back and made from a flexible material that forms an enclosure and an opening provided in the flexible material for receiving the seat back. Further included with the embodiment of the vehicle seat is a lower section enclosing a substantial portion of the seat cushion, the upper section comprising a flexible material that forms an enclosure and an opening provided in the flexible material for receiving the seat cushion. A side panel is also provided with the seat cover disposed on a lateral side of the upper section and coupled to the upper section along an interface. The seat cover of this example embodiment includes a frangible seam along a portion of the interface that fails at a force below a force that impedes airbag deployment, so that when the side panel is aligned with the projected airbag deployment path, and the airbag is deployed, the force of the deploying airbag separates the panel from the upper section along the seam to form a gap and fully deploys through the gap. The seam of this example embodiment is made from an elongated element stitched through the panel and upper section. The seat cover of this example embodiment can further include eyelets in the alignment element selectively engageable with hooks attached to straps that depend from the lower section. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Some of the features and benefits of the present invention having been stated, others will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a seat having a side deployed airbag. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of the seat of  FIG. 1  having an embodiment of a seat cover in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side view of an embodiment of the seat cover of  FIG. 2 : 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a frontal view of an embodiment of the seat cover of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of an embodiment of the seat cover of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of an example embodiment of a fabric weave used for a portion of an embodiment of the seat cover of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is an upward looking view of an embodiment of the seat cover of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a side view of an embodiment of the seat cover of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a depiction of an airbag deploying through an embodiment of the seat cover of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
       [0018]    While the invention will be described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0019]    The subject(s) of the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which embodiments are shown. The subject(s) of the present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. For the convenience in referring to the accompanying figures, directional terms are used for reference and illustration only. For example, the directional terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “above”, “below”, and the like are being used to illustrate a relational location. 
         [0020]    It is to be understood that the subject(s) of the present disclosure described herein are not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, exact materials, or embodiments shown and described, as modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art. In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed illustrative embodiments and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation. 
         [0021]    Shown in  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle seat  10  having a substantially vertical seat back  12 . Provided on an upper end of the seat back  12  is a headrest  14 ; a seat cushion  16  is shown attached along a lower end of the seat back  12 . Shown in phantom line is an airbag  18  set within the seat back  12  that extends along a portion of the lateral side  20  of the seat back  12 . The material on the outer surface of the vehicle seat  10  is scored or otherwise weakened along a line  24  to facilitate deployment of the airbag  18 . A substantially horizontally oriented space  22  is shown along the interface where the seat back  12  couples with the seat cushion  16 . For the purposes of discussion herein, the vehicle seat  10  can be used in conjunction with any type of vehicle, such as an automobile, truck, bus, train, aircraft, as well as watercraft, to name but a few. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the vehicle seat  10 A is shown having thereon a seat cover  30 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the seat cover  30  comprises an upper section  32  that encases the seat back  12 . Example materials of the seat cover  30  include stretchable fabric and can be made from natural as well as synthetic fibers. It is believed that it is within the scope of those skilled in the art to identify appropriate materials for use in the seat cover  30 . The seat cover  30  further includes a lower section  34  that joins with the upper section  32  proximate where an attached lockdown and orientation flap  36  is included with the seat cover  30 . The seat cover  30  further includes a panel  38  shown along a lateral side of the seat cover  30  and between front and back sides of the upper section  32 . The panel  38  attaches to the seat cover  30  along a front seam  40  and rear seam  42 . In the example of  FIG. 2  the front seam  40  runs along the region between the airbag  18  and the front side of the upper section  32 . Other embodiments exist where the front seam  40  runs substantially aligned with the line  22 . 
         [0023]    In an example embodiment, the front and/or rear seam  40 ,  42  fails under an applied stress of a deploying airbag  18 . Moreover, in an example embodiment, the resistance applied by the front and/or rear seam  40 ,  42  up to failure is less than a force that slows or otherwise hinders deployment of the airbag  18 . Example embodiments include, the front seam  40  failing thereby forming a gap along the lateral side of the upper section  32  and adjacent the panel  38  and both front and rear seams  40 ,  42  failing so that the panel  38  becomes detached from the upper section  32 . In one example embodiment, the front seam  40 , and/or rear seam  42  are formed with a single stitch of an elongated member, such as a filament fiber or thread, that couples the panel  38  to the upper surface  32  along the interface that defines the region where the panel  38  and upper section are joined. 
         [0024]    Shown in  FIG. 3  is a side view of an example of the upper section  32  of the seat cover  30 . In this example, the front seam  40  and rear seam  42  both extend to the lower most portion of the upper section  32  thereby allowing separation of the panel  38  from the remaining portion of the upper section upon cleaving or tearing of one or both of the front and rear seams  40 ,  42 . Optionally, one or both of the front and rear seams  40 ,  42  can extend fully from top to bottom of the lateral side of the upper section  32 . Referring now to  FIG. 4 , illustrated is a front view of an example of the seat cover  30  wherein the panel  38  extends along the entire lateral periphery of the upper section  32 . In this example, the panel  38  begins and terminates adjacent where the upper section  32  and lower, section  34  are adjoined and proximate the attachment of the lockdown flap  36 . The panel  38  has a front periphery defined by the front seam  40  that is proximate the front side of the upper section  32 . Accordingly, in the example of  FIG. 4 , by separating the upper section  32  along the entirety of one or both of the front or rear seams  40 ,  42 , a gap can be formed along the entire lateral periphery of the upper section  32 . 
         [0025]    Shown in  FIG. 5  is an example of the seat cover  30 A, while not covering a seat and laid flat, so that the upper and lower sections  32 A,  34 A are substantially within the same plane. In this example the rearward facing portion of the upper section  32 A is shown. Also in this example, the panel  38 A extends substantially along the lateral periphery of the upper section  32 A and has a rearward boundary defined by the rear seam  42 A, which extends substantially along the outer periphery of the upper section  32 A and proximate the rear side of the upper section  32 A. Optionally included are straps  44 , that may be made of an elastic elongated material, and shown attached on an end to an opening  46  formed in the lower section  34 A. The opening  46  is configured to receive therein a seat cushion of a vehicle seat. Similarly, an opening  48  is formed on an end of the upper section  32 A for receiving therein a seat back. 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example of a woven fabric made up of a series of warp yarn elements  50  aligned in a substantially parallel arrangement. Woven with the warp yarn elements  50  is a weft yarn element  52  having 180° bends at the terminal lateral sides of the fabric section. In one embodiment the seat cover  30  is formed from the example fabric of  FIG. 6 . Employing woven fabric example of  FIG. 6  forms a seat cover  30  that can flex in multiple directions facilitating a snug fit between the seat cover  30  and vehicle seats of different sizes or configurations. 
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a view of the lower rear side of the seat cushion  30  and illustrating the lockdown flap  36 . As shown in this example the lockdown flap  36  is a substantially planar element which can be made from a heavy duty fabric, such as canvas or a nylon. Included on the lockdown flap  36  of  FIG. 7  are a series of eyelets  54  formed on opposing lateral sides that extend along the length of the lockdown flap  36 . The eyelets  54  may couple with hooks  56  shown provided on a free end of the straps  44 . Embedded within the lockdown flap  36  is a resilient member  58 . Example embodiments of the resilient member  58  include solid or tubular elongated foam pieces. One of the advantages of employing a lockdown flap with a resilient member  58  is when a vehicle seat has no gap between the seat back and seat cushion, the resilient member may be inserted between the seat back and seat cushion to secure the seat cover  30  onto a vehicle seat. Additionally, the dimensions of the lockdown flap  36  ensure that when the seat cover  30  is placed over a vehicle seat, the seams  40 ,  42 , and/or panel  38  are aligned in a fashion to not hinder airbag deployment. 
         [0028]    In  FIG. 8 , an example of the seat cover  30  is shown enclosing a vehicle seat  10 A. In this example the seat cover  30  is in the process of being installed onto the vehicle seat  10 A; the alignment flap  36  has been inserted through the space  22 A between the seat back  12  and seat cushion  16 . Thus in this example, after pulling the alignment flap  36  through the space  22 A, the flap  36  can then be folded under the seat cushion  16 A and the straps  44  with hooks  56  be placed into engagement with the eyelets  54  ( FIG. 7 ) so that the seat cover  30  can be secured onto the seat  10 A. 
         [0029]    Shown in  FIG. 9  is an example of the airbag  18 A being deployed from within the vehicle seat  10 A. During deployment, the airbag  18 A breaches the seat cover  30 A as one or both of the seams  40 A,  42 A fails under the applied force of deployment of the airbag  18 A. As the airbag  18 A deploys and breaches the seam  40 A, a gap  60  is formed between the panel  38 A and front side of the upper section  32 A. It is through the gap  60  that the airbag  18 A may fully deploy in an unhindered operation. 
         [0030]    In an example embodiment, the seam  40 ,  42  includes threads combination of appointed coats polyester M160 and coats Nylon 66 M40 threads combination. The top stitching can be M40 (CF Nylon 66 235/3) with a strength of 4470 cN and elongation of 16-31%. In an example embodiment, the underside stitching can be M160 (textured polyester 167/1) having a strength of 590 cN and an elongation of 22-30%. In an example embodiment, a length of the seam  40  can range from about 1,600 mm to about 1,775 mm, wherein the upper and lower ranges can change up to about +/−5%. In an example embodiment, the seat cover  30  has a stitch count ranging from about 320 up to about 355, wherein the upper and lower ranges can change up to about +/−5%. In an example embodiment, the stitch length of the seat cover  30  is about 5 mm. 
         [0031]    It should be pointed out that the seat cover may accommodate OEM seats having fixed or adjustable headrests. An advantage of the dimensions of the alignment or lockdown flap  36  is that proper installation and thus orientation is ensured when placing the seat cover  30  over a vehicle seat  10  so that the front seam  40  can be at or forward of a corresponding weakened or scored line within the OEM vehicle seat provided for airbag deployment. 
         [0032]    The present invention described herein, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as others inherent therein. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been given for purposes of disclosure, numerous changes exist in the details of procedures for accomplishing the desired results. For example, in one optional embodiment, the area shown as comprising the panel  38  may be open or have a void so that no material of the seat cover  30  is moved during airbag deployment. These and other similar modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and are intended to be encompassed within the spirit of the present invention disclosed herein and the scope of the appended claims.