Abstract:
Disclosed is an improvement in a bucket seat cover, which permits the functionality of seat-integrated seat belts and seat-attached armrests, which comprises: a vehicle seat cover of a type and size adequate to cover both the front of a vehicle seat and the back of a vehicle seat, characterized by elastic lined pass-through openings in the shoulder and hip area, connected by a zipper or other separation means to permit the transverse of seat-integrated seat belts, and, optionally incorporating additional openings on side panels, behind zipper, for transverse of seat-attached armrests.

Description:
[0001]     The present application claims the benefit of pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/704,842 filed Aug. 2, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention is related to easily installed seat covers which protect the original upholstery of automobile/truck seats in vehicles. More particularly this invention is related to an improved automobile/truck seat cover that is designed to allow the functionality of the front seat belts and armrests on those automobiles with seat-integrated seat belts and armrests.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Removable seat covers for vehicles are extensively used by consumers to protect permanent seat upholstery, provide a more decorative appearance, and/or to hide unattractive or damaged upholstery. They are also useful for reduction of sweating, which typically occurs with leather seats; insulation from certain seat materials, such as vinyl or leather, that are characterized by high heat absorption, making them uncomfortable to sit on when first entering a vehicle during hot weather; and for overall comfort for the user. They are also useful for reducing wear and tear on the interior, and for use in transporting small children and pets who tend to be hard on upholstery.  
         [0004]     Many different types of automotive seat covers are commercially available in the marketplace today. These include seat covers for highback seats, lowback seats, and seats with and without headrests. There are also covers for seats with seatbelts mounted on the car frame. Currently there exist seat covers that stretch to conform and those with various mechanisms such as straps with hooks, tails, tubes, and rods as means for attaching a cover to a seat. The materials used to construct seat covers include stretchable fabrics, vinyls and other synthetic materials, as well as sheepskin and wool.  
         [0005]     The seat covers of interest with respect to the present invention are those that are designed to be adaptable for most bucket seat designs, sometimes called universal seat covers. D276,288 and D387,604 disclose designs for seat covers for automobile bucket seats. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,669,779 and 4,676,549 describe one-piece seat covers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,886 discloses a so-called universal-fit cover, which is designed to fit both to low-back and high-back bucket seats. U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,901 describes a removable seat cover. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,403,066 and 5,618,082 describe stretchable terry cloth seat covers. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,345,866 and 6,447,059 disclose adjustable seat covers for high or low back seats.  
         [0006]     No slip-on, easy to install, seat covers have been found in the art of the type which are adaptable to various bucket seat configurations, or universal, which also permit the functionality of seat-integrated seat belts and armrests.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     In accordance with the foregoing, the present invention is an improvement in vehicle seat covers that permits the functionality of the seat belts and armrests on front seats with seat-integrated seat belts and armrests, which comprises:  
         [0008]     A vehicle seat cover of a type and size adequate to cover both the front of a vehicle seat and the back of a vehicle seat, characterized by elastic lined pass-through openings in the shoulder and hip regions, connected by a zipper or other means of closure in the fabric between the openings.  
         [0009]     The openings may have elastic around the circumference, or can be lined with elastic or stretchable material, or any combination thereof. To allow the auto seat belts to easily and effortlessly pass through the seat cover, the openings lined with elastic, or similar stretchy material, are strategically placed at the shoulder and hip ends with a zipper or zipper-like closure between, where the separator head of the zipper is connected to the opening in the shoulder area and the zipper pull and bottom is connected to the opening in the hip area. Also within the scope of this invention are elastic lined openings on each side panel situated behind the zipper, or alternative closure, which permit pass through of seat-attached armrests as well. Each such elastic opening contains at least one fastener means or fabric tie to close off the unused opening.  
         [0010]     The seat cover is adaptable to many variations of front seat designs, with one exception being that it is not designed to function on autos where the seats contain seat-mounted side airbags. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a seat cover for a universal bucket seat.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a close up view of pass-through openings connected by a zipper. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The product of the present invention is a seat cover for any vehicle, but is particularly useful for front seats having seat-integrated seat belts, and is designed to permit the functioning of the seat-integrated belts. The invention is particularly applicable to front, bucket-style, or captain&#39;s chair style seats. Traditional seat covers, which fit like a sock over the auto seat, hinder the operation of seat-integrated seat belts, because they cover the belt. Such traditional seat covers only fit safely in cars with seat belts that are attached directly to the car frame and not to the car seat. The present invention also provides functionality of armrests attached to the seat by a joint or similar means, where the armrest is likewise facilitated by a stretchable or elastic-lined opening.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, in order to allow the auto seat belts to easily and effortlessly pass through the seat cover, openings  1  in the fabric on the side panels  2  are lined with elastic, or similar stretchable material, and are strategically placed at the shoulder area  3  and hip area  4 . On the front seam of the side panel  2  between the shoulder opening  3  and the hip opening  4  are zippers  6 , or an alternative means of closure, where the separating part of the zipper  7  is connected to the shoulder opening and the zipper bottom  5  is located by the to hip opening  4 . On the side panel  2  behind the zipper  6  or zipper-like closure is an elastic lined opening  1  for armrest pass-through  8 . The entire seat cover including seat bottom and back  10  may be made of the same material/fabric or the side panel of the cover  9  may be constructed of another material. The positioning of the openings is placed as to allow for fairly universal fit, i.e. one size that fits most similarly designed automobile seats.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an enlargement of one embodiment of the construction of the pass-through areas.  FIG. 2  shows a preferred embodiment comprising a shoulder opening  3  and a hip opening  4 , situated on the front seam  12  of the side panel  9  of the top of the seat cover, which seam connects to the front of the seat cover, both comprising elastic-lined openings  1 , characterized by a hem around the circumference of the opening with elastic type material running through the hem causing the opening to be normally constricted, but able to expand when the seat belt is passed through. In the alternative elastic type material may also be sewn to the edge of the opening or line the opening. Number  11  shows gathering of fabric around the openings. In this embodiment the material utilized to cause stretch around the circumference of the pass-through openings in the fabric may include, but not be limited to elastic fabric banding or a drawstring arrangement. The drawing in  FIG. 2  also shows a zipper  6  wherein the opening of the zipper  7  is connected to the shoulder opening and the foot or closure of the zipper  5  is connected to the hip opening.  
         [0016]     Part of the design of the present invention includes separating zippers or other means of closure that can separate at the point where a seat belt attaches to the seat and, when the zipper or other means of closure is separated, allow for the seat belt to be easily pulled out from under the fabric. Closing the zippers while the seat belt is pulled away from the seat, or out from under the fabric, allows for functionality of the seat belt, as the seat cover fabric no longer covers the seat belt. In the embodiment utilizing a zipper or other means of closure, the closure may also be selected from, for example, but not limited to, zipper-like closures, Ziplock® type closures, Velcro® like closures, snaps, magnetic type closures, drawstring, or lacing.  
         [0017]     The use of the term “elastic” is intended to mean a property of a material or composite by virtue of which it tends to recover its original size and shape after removal of a force causing deformation. The use of the term “stretchable” is intended to mean a material can be stretched without breaking to about 150% of its initial unstretched length in at least one direction, suitably to about 200% of its initial length and desirably up to 250% of its initial length. The term includes elastic materials  2   o  as well as materials that stretch but do not significantly retract.  
         [0018]     To allow seat-attached arm rests to function, one or more pass-through openings in the fabric are lined with elastic or a similar stretchy material and are strategically placed between the shoulder and hip ends, behind the zipper or zipper-like means. While putting on the seat cover, the user can pass the armrest through this opening and leave the armrest free to function as intended. The positioning of the openings is placed so as to allow for fairly universal fit, i.e. one size fits most similarly designed automobile seats.  
         [0019]     Selected material or fabric for the seat cover may be used to construct the entire cover, or may be used for the front side of the cover,  10  in  FIG. 1 , and supplemental, possibly less expensive, materials may be used for the side panel  9  and/or rear of the cover. Suitable fabrics for use in the seat cover of the present invention include, but are not limited to, cotton and cotton blends, polyester, velour, leatherette, terrycloth, polycotton, knits, denim, cotton/spandex blends, neoprene, wool, orlons, olefins and any to blends thereof. Any print available in these fabrics could be utilized. Said seat cover(s) may or may not include graphical or embroidery style applications or other enhancements of the fabric, such as for example, trims and appliques.  
         [0020]     It is also within the scope of the invention to utilize supplemental materials for the side panels  9  and/or rear of the seat cover. Such materials may suitably be expandable or stretchable materials/fabrics. Suitable materials might include, but not be limited to, polyester, nylon, cotton, spandex, knits, Lycra®, mesh, or webbing.  
         [0021]     It is also within the scope of this invention for the seat cover to be-lined or backed with a layer that would provide some insulation or cushioning. Suitable materials would include, but not be limited to, foam or polypropylene.  
         [0022]     Also within the scope of the present invention are pocket(s) for the purpose of storage. Pockets may be situated in the front lower or seat bottom side of the seat covers, or in the rear backside of the seat cover. The rear back pockets would be easily accessible to auto passengers seated behind the covered seat. Said seat cover(s) or one or more of the pocket(s) may contain odorizing materials or odor-neutralizing materials.  
         [0023]     Though the foregoing detailed description of the present invention has been described by reference to several embodiments, and the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention has been shown and described herein, it will be understood that modifications and variations in the structure and arrangement of this invention other than those specifically set forth herein may be achieved by those skilled in the art and that such modifications are to be considered as well as being within the overall scope of the present invention.