Fastener assembly for a seat

Abstract

A fastener assembly for securing a trim cover to a contoured foam pad of a seat. The fastener assembly comprises a restraint portion secured to the trim cover and a locking portion secured to the foam pad. The locking portion includes a plurality of clips for engaging the restraint portion to retain the restraint portion to the locking portion during a mounting of the trim cover over the foam pad. The locking portion also includes alternating bases, supporting the clips, and flexible sections such that the locking portion can be manipulated and conform to the contoured foam pad. The restraint portion further includes a plurality of apertures to provide a visual alignment feature between the restraint portion and the locking portion for properly aligning the trim cover with the foam pad during a mounting of the trim cover over the foam pad.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fastener assembly for securing a trim cover to a contoured foam pad of a seat, said fastener assembly comprising; 
 a restraint portion adapted to be secured to the trim cover; and    a locking portion adapted to be secured to the foam pad;    said locking portion including at least one clip for selectively engaging said restraint portion to retain said restraint portion to said locking portion during a mounting of the trim cover over the foam pad; and    said locking portion further including at least two adjacent bases with at least one flexible section joining said bases such that said locking portion can be manipulated and conform to the contoured foam pad.    
     
     
         2 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said locking portion further includes a plurality of bases and a plurality of flexible sections.  
     
     
         3 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said locking portion further includes a plurality of clips with at least one clip disposed on each of said bases.  
     
     
         4 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein each of said flexible sections are further defined as a connecting arm with said arm interlinking said bases to form a series of bases and arms.  
     
     
         5 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said series of bases and arms includes alternating bases and arms with one of said clips disposed on each of said bases.  
     
     
         6 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein each of said clips include opposing legs with said legs having a barb.  
     
     
         7 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said bases, flexible sections, and clips are integrally formed of a polymeric material.  
     
     
         8 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said restraint portion includes a plurality of apertures formed therein to provide a visual alignment when said restraint portion is engaged with said plurality of clips for properly aligning the trim cover with the foam pad during a mounting of the trim cover over the foam pad.  
     
     
         9 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said restraint portion includes a flexible fabric having a distal end with said apertures formed within said flexible fabric.  
     
     
         10 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said restraint portion further includes a bulbous member mounted to said distal end of said flexible fabric.  
     
     
         11 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said bulbous member is formed of a polymeric material.  
     
     
         12 . A seat comprising; 
 a foam pad having a contoured outer surface;    at least one elongated groove formed in said outer surface of said foam pad;    a locking portion secured to said foam pad within said groove;    a trim cover for covering said outer surface of said foam pad; and    a restraint portion secured to said trim cover and adapted to be positioned within said groove when said trim cover overlays said foam pad;    said locking portion including at least one clip for selectively engaging said restraint portion to retain said restraint portion to said locking portion during a mounting of said trim cover over said foam pad; and    said locking portion further including at least two adjacent bases with at least one flexible section joining said bases such that said locking portion can be manipulated and conform to a configuration of said groove within said foam pad.    
     
     
         13 . A seat as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said locking portion further includes a plurality of bases and a plurality of flexible sections.  
     
     
         14 . A seat as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said locking portion further includes a plurality of clips with at least one clip disposed on each of said bases.  
     
     
         15 . A seat as set forth in  claim 14  wherein each of said flexible sections are further defined as a connecting arm with said arm interlinking said bases to form a series of bases and arms.  
     
     
         16 . A seat as set forth in  claim 14  wherein said restraint portion includes a plurality of apertures formed therein to provide a visual alignment when said restraint portion is engaged with plurality of clips for properly aligning the trim cover with the foam pad during a mounting of the trim cover over the foam pad.  
     
     
         17 . A seat as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said groove includes a contoured section having a bottom.  
     
     
         18 . A seat as set forth in  claim 17  wherein said bottom of said contoured section of said groove is substantially parallel to said contoured outer surface of said foam pad.  
     
     
         19 . A seat as set forth in  claim 12  further comprising a mold having a contoured projection.  
     
     
         20 . A seat as set forth in  claim 19  further including a retaining flange mounted to said contoured projection and extending upwardly therefrom for engaging said clip of said locking portion to position said locking portion within said mold and to maintain said clip free of said foam pad.  
     
     
         21 . A method of mounting a trim cover to a foam pad of a seat utilizing a fastener assembly having a restraint portion and a locking portion with the locking portion having at least one base and at least one clip wherein the foam pad is formed within a mold having a contoured projection, said method comprising the steps of: 
 securing the restraint portion to the trim cover;    mounting the locking portion in the mold such that the locking portion conforms to the contoured projection;    forming the foam pad within the mold;    forming at least one groove within the foam pad at the contoured projection during the forming of the foam pad wherein the groove includes at least one contoured section;    securing the base of the locking portion to the foam pad within at least the contoured section of the groove during the forming of the foam pad;    overlaying the trim cover over the foam pad with the restraint portion being positioned at least partially within the groove; and    manipulating the trim cover to interlock the restraint portion with the clip of the locking portion to secure the trim cover to the foam pad.    
     
     
         22 . A method as set forth in  claim 21  further including the step of removing the foam pad with the locking portion from the mold before overlaying the trim cover over the foam pad.  
     
     
         23 . A method as set forth in  claim 21  further including a retaining flange mounted to said contoured projection and extending upwardly therefrom and wherein the step of mounting the locking portion is further defined as mounting the locking portion onto the retaining flange such that the locking portion conforms to the contoured projection.  
     
     
         24 . A method as set forth in  claim 21  wherein the steps of forming at least one groove within the foam pad and securing the base of the locking portion to the foam pad occur simultaneously during the step of forming the foam pad.  
     
     
         25 . A method as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said locking portion includes a plurality of bases each having a corresponding clip with the bases interconnected to each other to form a series of bases and clips having a length substantially equal to a length of the contoured projection and wherein the step of mounting the locking portion is further defined as mounting the series of bases and clips in the mold to conform to the contoured projection along a majority of the length of the contoured projection.  
     
     
         26 . A fastener assembly for securing a trim cover to a foam pad of a seat, said fastener assembly comprising; 
 a restraint portion adapted to be secured to the trim cover;    said restraint portion having a plurality of apertures formed therein; and    a locking portion adapted to be secured to the foam pad;    said locking portion including at plurality of spaced clips and at least one base, said spaced clips selectively engaging and retaining said restraint portion, and extending into said apertures to provide a visual alignment feature between said restraint portion and said locking portion for properly aligning the trim cover with the foam pad during a mounting of the trim cover over the foam pad.    
     
     
         27 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 26  wherein said restraint portion includes a flexible fabric having a distal end with said apertures formed within said flexible fabric.  
     
     
         28 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 27  wherein said restraint portion further includes a bulbous member mounted to said distal end of said flexible fabric.  
     
     
         29 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 28  wherein said bulbous member is formed of a polymeric material.  
     
     
         30 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 26  wherein said locking portion further includes a plurality of bases with at least one of said clips mounted to each of said bases.  
     
     
         31 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 30  further including a plurality of flexible sections separating said bases.  
     
     
         32 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 31  wherein each of said flexible sections are further defined as a connecting arm with said arm interlinking said bases to form a series of bases and arms.  
     
     
         33 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 32  wherein said series of bases and arms include alternating bases and arms.  
     
     
         34 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 26  wherein each of said clips include opposing legs with said legs having a barb, said barbs of said clips at least partially extending into said apertures of said restraint portion during the mounting of the trim cover over the foam pad.