Granted Patent B1

US 7,922,956 · App. 11/550,850 · Granted Apr 12, 2011

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. A method for making a nonlaminated simulated leather cover for overlying an unfinished surface of a vehicle passenger compartment, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a mold for forming an exposed obverse side of said nonlaminated simulated leather cover including a raised aesthetic feature in said nonlaminated simulated leather cover;

introducing a fluid polymer material into said mold to form said nonlaminated simulated leather cover;

molding said raised aesthetic feature along said obverse side of said nonlaminated simulated leather cover from said fluid polymer material contemporaneously with said introduction of said fluid polymer material into said mold and said production of said nonlaminated simulated leather cover, said raised aesthetic feature simulating a sewn seam joining two separate pieces of an authentic leather cover;

removing said nonlaminated simulated leather cover from said mold; and

adding a thread-stitched seam to said nonlaminated simulated leather cover generally parallel to and adjacent said raised aesthetic feature.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said molding step further comprises molding said raised aesthetic feature as a pair of ridges extending in generally parallel fashion along said nonlaminated simulated leather cover to define an indentation between said ridges, whereby said pair of ridges in cooperation with said indentation therebetween simulates a butt seam.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each one of said pair of ridges further comprises a rounded exterior.

4. The method of claim 3 , and further comprising the step of adding a thread-stitched seam adjacent and generally parallel to said pair of ridges, whereby said thread-stitched seam in combination with said pair of ridges simulate a French seam.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said molding step further comprises molding said raised aesthetic feature in said nonlaminated simulated leather cover along an intersection between a first obverse surface of said nonlaminated simulated leather cover and a second obverse surface of said nonlaminated simulated leather cover, said first obverse surface and said second obverse surface disposed at an angle defined by said first obverse surface and said second obverse surface, and wherein said intersection defines an apex of said angle.

6. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising the step of forming a texture on said exposed obverse side of said nonlaminated simulated leather cover.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said texture simulates a leather grain.

8. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising the step of providing a first mold portion with a first face including a surface relief for molding said raised aesthetic feature in said nonlaminated simulated leather cover.

9. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising the step of providing a second mold portion with a second face for forming a hidden reverse side of said nonlaminated simulated leather cover.

10. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising the step of producing a nonlaminated flexible simulated leather cover.

11. A method for making a nonlaminated simulated leather cover for overlying an unfinished surface of a vehicle passenger compartment, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a mold including a first mold portion with a first face for molding an exposed obverse side of a nonlaminated intact piece, said first face including a surface relief for molding a simulated sewn seam in said nonlaminated intact piece, and a second mold portion with a second face for molding a hidden reverse side of said nonlaminated intact piece;

introducing a pre-heated flowable polymeric material into said mold;

contemporaneously with said introduction of said pre-heated flowable polymeric material into said mold, molding said nonlaminated intact piece, including molding said simulated sewn seam along a preselected line in said nonlaminated intact piece;

removing said nonlaminated intact piece from said mold; and

stitching at least one side seam in said nonlaminated intact piece generally parallel to and adjacent said simulated sewn seam to simulate a French seam joining two separate pieces of authentic leather.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said at least one side seam includes a stitched side seam on either side of, generally parallel to, and adjacent said simulated sewn seam.

13. The method of claim 11 , and further comprising the step of producing a nonlaminated flexible simulated leather cover.

14. A method for covering an unfinished surface of a trim component shell in a vehicle passenger compartment with a single-layer simulated leather cover, said single-layer simulated leather cover simulating an authentic leather cover for covering said unfinished surface, and formed from two separate pieces of authentic leather joined with a stitched seam, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a mold including a first mold portion with a first face for molding an exposed obverse side of said single-layer simulated leather cover, said first face including a surface relief for molding a simulated sewn seam in said single-layer simulated leather cover, and a second mold portion with a second face for molding a hidden reverse side of said single-layer simulated leather cover;

molding said single-layer simulated leather cover from a fluid polymer material, said single-layer simulated leather cover having a configuration complementary to a configuration of said unfinished surface of said trim component shell;

contemporaneously with molding said single-layer simulated leather cover molding from said single fluid polymer material said simulated sewn seam extending along said exposed obverse side of said single-layer simulated leather cover;

adding a thread-stitched seam to said single-layer simulated leather cover generally parallel to and adjacent said simulated sewn seam; and

installing said single-layer simulated leather cover over said unfinished surface of said trim component shell with said hidden reverse side facing said unfinished surface of said trim component shell so that a location of said simulated sewn seam relative to said unfinished surface of said trim component shell corresponds with a location of said stitched seam joining said two separate pieces of authentic leather relative to said unfinished surface of said trim component shell.

15. The method of claim 14 , and further comprising the step of producing a nonlaminated flexible simulated leather cover.

Assignments (8)