Vehicle seating assembly with aesthetic trim cover assembly

Abstract

According to one or more embodiments, a vehicle seat assembly includes a cushion and a leather trim cover assembly disposed over the cushion. The leather trim cover assembly includes a leather upper layer and a foundation layer secured to the leather upper layer at radio-frequency weld points. The radio-frequency weld points define at least one design boundary adjacent a raised portion of a protruding design in the leather trim cover assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle seat assembly comprising:
 a seat pad; and   a trim cover assembly disposed over the seat pad, the trim cover assembly having an upper layer and a foundation layer secured to the upper layer at radio-frequency welds, the trim assembly having a plurality of spaced apart raised geometric shaped protrusions adjacent the upper layer, the radio-frequency welds defining at least one design boundary adjacent a raised portion of a protruding design in the trim cover assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the trim cover assembly has a first thickness at the radio-frequency welds and a second thickness at the raised portion, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an adhesive layer bonds the upper layer and the foundation layer at the radio-frequency welds. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the upper layer is not adhered to the foundation layer at the raised portion. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the upper layer is adhered to the foundation layer at the raised portion. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the foundation layer is a spacer layer or a foam layer. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, the upper layer is leather, synthetic leather, vinyl, fabric, synthetic suede, non-woven fabric, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency welds define a plurality of design boundaries, each design boundary adjacent a corresponding raised portion of the protruding design. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency welds have a width of 0.05 to 50 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency welds provide a bond strength of at least 2 N per 5 cm. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the upper layer is leather, and the radio-frequency welds comprise 1% to 80% of a surface of the trim cover assembly. 
     
     
         12 . A trim assembly for a vehicle seat assembly, the trim assembly disposable over a seat pad and comprising:
 a trim panel and a foundation layer secured to the trim panel at radio-frequency welds, the trim assembly having a plurality of spaced apart raised geometric shaped protrusions adjacent the trim panel, the radio-frequency welds defining at least one design boundary adjacent a raised portion of a protruding design in the trim cover assembly   
     
     
         13 . The trim assembly of  claim 12 , wherein radio-frequency welds are provided between the foundation layer and the trim panel to secure the trim panel to the foundation layer, and an adhesive layer bonds the trim panel and the foundation layer at the radio-frequency welds. 
     
     
         14 . The trim assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the trim assembly has a first thickness at the radio-frequency welds and a second thickness at the raised portion, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness. 
     
     
         15 . The trim assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the radio-frequency welds have a width of 0.05 to 50 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The trim assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the radio-frequency welds provide a bond strength of at least 2 N per 5 cm of the protruding design. 
     
     
         17 . The trim assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the radio-frequency welds comprise 1% to 80% of a surface of the trim assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The trim assembly of  claim 12  wherein, the trim panel includes leather, synthetic leather, vinyl, fabric, synthetic suede, non-woven fabric, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making a vehicle seat assembly, the method comprising:
 providing a cushion;   providing a trim cover assembly comprising a leather trim layer and a foundation layer disposed inward of the leather trim layer;   securing the leather trim layer and foundation layer at predefined radio-frequency weld points defining at least one design boundary adjacent to a raised portion of a protruding design in the trim cover assembly; and   disposing the trim cover assembly over the cushion.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the predefined radio-frequency weld points comprise 1% to 80% of a surface of the trim cover assembly.