Motor Vehicle Seat Protective Film, Film Web Comprising Motor Vehicle Seat Protective Films, Method for Producing a Film Web and Motor Vehicle Seat Assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle seat protective film designated for being imposed on a motor vehicle seat. The motor vehicle seat protective film is manufactured from a rectangular plastic film. The motor vehicle seat protective film comprises a folding in the upper end region separating a front sheet from a rear sheet. The front sheet and the rear sheet are welded to each other by weldings. The lateral distance of the weldings corresponds to the dimension of a headrest of the motor vehicle seat.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle seat protective film a) made of a plastic film comprising an upper film edge, a lower film edge, a left lateral film edge, a right lateral film edge, a film length L and a film width W and comprising a folding such that the plastic film forms a front sheet and a rear sheet, b) the front sheet having a front sheet length being larger than the film length L minus 40 cm, c) the rear sheet having a rear sheet length being smaller than 40 cm, d) the front sheet consisting of a front sheet covering region and a front sheet upper end region, the front sheet upper end region having a front sheet upper end region length being smaller than 40 cm, e) the rear sheet consisting of a rear sheet upper end region having a rear sheet upper end region length being smaller than 40 cm, f) the front sheet upper end region and the rear sheet upper end region being directly welded to each other by weldings, the weldings having a lateral welding distance being smaller than 90% of the film width W, g) the front sheet upper end region, the rear sheet upper end region, the weldings and the folding forming a pocket designed and configured for being imposed on a headrest of the motor vehicle seat.

2. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 1 wherein a) the left lateral film edge, the upper film edge or an upper edge of the front sheet covering region, a first one of the weldings and the folding form a first stairs contour and b) the right lateral film edge, the upper film edge or another upper edge of the front sheet covering region, a second one of the weldings and the folding form a second stairs contour.

3. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 2 wherein the first stairs contour and the second stairs contour being mirror images of each other.

4. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 1 wherein a) in the front sheet upper end region the weldings separate a front sheet pocket region from front sheet lateral regions, the front sheet lateral regions being arranged laterally from the front sheet pocket region and b) in the rear sheet upper end region the weldings separate a rear sheet pocket region from rear sheet lateral regions, the rear sheet lateral regions being arranged laterally from the rear sheet pocket region.

5. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 4 wherein the front sheet covering region comprises corner regions in the upper end region which are connected by the front sheet lateral regions to at least one of a) one of the weldings, b) the front sheet pocket region and c) the rear sheet pocket region or the rear sheet lateral region.

6. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 1, wherein the plastic film has a thickness being smaller than 100 m.

7. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 6, wherein the plastic film comprises at least two layers.

8. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 7, wherein a first outer layer of the plastic film has a smaller friction or adhering effect than a second outer layer of the plastic film.

9. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 8, wherein the first outer layer comprises HDPE and the second outer layer comprises LLDPE.

10. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 8, wherein the second outer layer comprises chalk with a percentage by weight of 3 to 20%.

11. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 1, wherein the plastic film is manufactured with a direction of extrusion having an orientation transverse to a longitudinal extension of the motor vehicle seat protective film.

12. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 1 wherein another folding is provided in the front sheet covering region.

13. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 12, wherein a) the motor vehicle seat protective film is made of a tube section, b) the tube section comprises flattenings forming the folding and the additional folding, c) the tube section comprises a slit separating the lower film edge of the plastic film from the upper film edge of the plastic film and d) tube section ends of the tube section form the lateral film edges of the plastic film.

14. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 1, wherein the depth of the pocket is smaller than 300 mm.

15. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 1, wherein a) the film length L is less than 25% larger than the length of the motor vehicle seat protective film with the folding and the weldings and b) the film width W equals the width of the motor vehicle seat protective film with the folding and the weldings.

16. The motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 1, wherein the film width W of the plastic film is smaller than 900 mm.

17. A film web comprising a plurality of motor vehicle seat protective films of claim 1.

18. A method for producing a film web of claim 17 comprising the following method steps: a) production of a tube section comprising flattenings that form the folding and an additional folding, b) production of a slit of the tube section, the slit separating the lower film edge from the upper film edge, c) production of the weldings and d) production of perforations or cuts forming the lateral film edges.

19. Motor vehicle seat assembly comprising a motor vehicle seat protective film of claim 1 and a motor vehicle seat with a headrest, a seat cushion and a backrest, a) the pocket of the motor vehicle seat protective film being imposed on the headrest of the motor vehicle seat, b) the front sheet covering region of the motor vehicle seat protective film loosely lying on the motor vehicle seat and covering the seat cushion and the backrest of the motor vehicle seat and c) the motor vehicle seat protective film only being secured against slippage by the accommodation of the headrest of the motor vehicle seat in the pocket of the motor vehicle seat protective film and the friction of the front sheet covering region with the seat cushion and the backrest of the motor vehicle seat and an adhering effect of the front sheet covering region to the seat cushion and to the backrest of the motor vehicle seat.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0071] In the following, the invention is further explained and described with respect to preferred exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings.

[0072] FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle seat with a motor vehicle seat protective film according to the prior art (cp. U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,376 A) in a three-dimensional view.

[0073] FIG. 2 shows a motor vehicle seat protective film in a front view and in a flattened state.

[0074] FIG. 3 shows the motor vehicle seat protective film of FIG. 2 in a side view (where here the weldings are not shown).

[0075] FIG. 4 shows the motor vehicle seat protective foil of FIGS. 2 and 3 in a representation according to FIG. 2 with optional dimensions.

[0076] FIG. 5 shows a motor vehicle seat protective film corresponding to FIGS. 2 to 4 in a state without an additional folding in a rear view.

[0077] FIG. 6 shows the motor vehicle seat protective film of FIG. 5 in a folded state for a storage in a rear view.

[0078] FIG. 7 shows the motor vehicle seat protective film of FIG. 6 in a side view (where here the weldings are not shown).

[0079] FIG. 8 shows a film web with a plurality of motor vehicle seat protective films linked to each other by perforations.

[0080] FIG. 9 in a schematic three-dimensional view shows a motor vehicle seat protective film applied upon a motor vehicle seat.

[0081] FIG. 10 in a schematic side view shows the motor vehicle seat protective foil applied to the motor vehicle seat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0082] In the present description a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 denotes a main extensional direction of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 which for an orientation of the motor vehicle seat protective film according to FIG. 2 extends from a lower edge 17 of the front sheet covering region 15 to an upper edge 18 of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 (which is provided by the folding 6) and is oriented in vertical direction in FIG. 2. Instead, a lateral direction 19 or transverse direction denotes a direction having an orientation vertical to the longitudinal direction 16 and having an orientation in horizontal direction in FIG. 2. The lateral direction 19 is oriented in the direction of the shorter extension of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1. It is e.g. possible that the lower edge 17 and the upper edge 18 extend in lateral direction 19, whereas the lateral edges of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 extend in longitudinal direction 16. If the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 is applied to a motor vehicle seat 3, the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 is angled corresponding to the contour of the motor vehicle seat 3 so that then in the lower portion of the front sheet covering region 15 the longitudinal direction 16 of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 has an orientation approximately in longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle or of the seat cushion 4 whereas the longitudinal direction 16 of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 in the upper portion of the front sheet covering region 15 and in the region of the pocket 11 has an orientation approximately in the direction of the vehicle jaw axis or the vertical axis of the backrest 5.

[0083] The motor vehicle seat protective film 1 consists of a plastic film 2 with weldings 20, 21. Preferably, the weldings 20 are produced only by generation of heat and by a direct connection of the front sheet 7 to the rear sheet 8 without the application of additional material. The plastic film 2 comprises a rectangular geometry. The width B of the rectangular geometry is denoted with the reference numeral 21 in FIG. 4. The length L of the rectangular plastic film 2 results from the sum of the length 23 of the front sheet covering region 15 and the double of the depth T of the pocket 11 being denoted with reference numeral 24 in FIG. 4. In the unfolded state the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 comprises a length 25 resulting from the sum of the length 23 and the depth T 24. A lateral welding distance A of the weldings 20, 21 is denoted with reference numeral 26 in FIG. 4. For the shown embodiment the weldings 20, 21 have the same distance from the lateral edges 27, 28 of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 (without this necessarily being the case).

[0084] A folding (which is here formed by a flattening 29) divides the plastic film 2 into a front sheet 7 and a rear sheet 8. The length 25 equals a front sheet length of the front sheet 7. The portions of the front sheet 7 and of the rear sheet 8 adjacent to the folding 6 form a front sheet upper end region 20 and a rear sheet upper end region 31. The depth 24 equals a rear sheet length of the rear sheet 8, a front sheet upper end region length of the front sheet upper end region 20 and a rear sheet upper end region length of the rear sheet upper end region 31. The front sheet upper end region 30 and the rear sheet upper end region 31 form a front sheet pocket region 9 respectively a rear sheet pocket region 10 and front sheet side regions 32, 33 or rear sheet side regions 34, 35 arranged remote therefrom and separated by the weldings 20, 21. The pocket 11 is limited in circumferential direction only by the front sheet pocket region 9 and the rear sheet pocket region 10 (and the weldings 20, 21). The pocket 11 is limited in the upper end region by the folding 6 so that the folding 6 forms a kind of bottom of the pocket 11. Tongues, as these are used in a motor vehicle seat protective film according to the prior art (cp. FIG. 1) are not present in the inventive motor vehicle seat protective film 1 (at least for forming the pocket 11). The edge 36 of the rear sheet and of the rear sheet upper end region 31 facing away from the folding 6 limits the entry opening of the pocket 11.

[0085] It is possible that by means of an additional folding process 37 an additional folding 38 is provided along a folding line 39 arranged in the middle of the front sheet covering region 15 (cp. the transition from FIG. 5 to FIG. 6/7).

[0086] FIG. 8 shows a film web 40 wherein a plurality of motor vehicle seat protective films 1a, 1b, 1c, . . . are linked to each other by perforations 41. By separating the perforations 41, 42 the user is able to separate single motor vehicle seat protective films 1a, 1b, 1c, . . . from the film web 40 for the upcoming use. In FIG. 8 a direction of extrusion 43 is indicated which corresponds to the lateral direction 19 of the single motor vehicle seat protective films 1a, 1b, 1c, . . . . The direction of extrusion 43 is a direction of extrusion in a continuous extrusion process, a feeding direction of the film web 40 during the manufacturing process and/or during the processing of the same and/or a direction in which the film web 40 is wound to a coil.

[0087] A possible manufacturing process of the film web 40 according to FIG. 8 is as follows: In a continuous extrusion process a (film-) tube 44 is manufactured in a direction of extrusion 43. By means of a blade or a different severing means a continuous slit 45 is produced in the tube 44. The slit 45 is limited by the edges 17, 36 of the motor vehicle seat protective films 1a, 1 b, 1c, . . . . Furthermore, transverse to the direction of extrusion 43 on the one hand weldings 20, 21 of the respective motor vehicle seat protective films 1a, 1 b, 1c, . . . as well as the perforations 41, 42 are produced. Subsequently, the film web 40 produced in this way is wound to a coil. The single motor vehicle seat protective films 1a, 1b, 1c, . . . each form tube sections 46a, 46b, 46c, . . . in the tube 40 comprising the slit 45.

[0088] In the following possible dimensions of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 (which are not intended for limiting the invention) are listed.

TABLE-US-00001 Length 23 Depth 24 Width 22 Distance 26 Embodiment 1 1350 mm 200 mm 850 mm 420 mm Embodiment 2 1500 mm 250 mm 900 mm 500 mm Embodiment 3 1600 mm 300 mm 950 mm 600 mm Embodiment 4 1550 mm 200 mm 850 mm 510 mm

[0089] In order to mention only one additional example, the depth 24, the width 22 and the lateral welding distance 26 might vary from the above dimensions by 20%, 15%, 10% or 5% whereas for these variations or also the dimensions given above for the embodiments 1 to 3 the length 23 might differ from the lengths given above.

[0090] It is also possible that the length 23, the depth 24, the width 22 and/or the lateral welding distance 26 differ from the above dimensions by a maximum of 20%, 15%, 10% or 5%.

[0091] Preferably, the pocket 11 is dimensioned such that the double of the lateral welding distance 26 [0092] is oversized when compared to the circumference of the headrest 49 or [0093] exactly equals the circumference of the headrest 49 or [0094] is undersized when compared to the circumference of the headrest 49 by an extend which can be compensated by the elasticity of the plastic film 2.

[0095] The depth 24 of the pocket 11 is then chosen corresponding to the extension H of the headrest 49 in heights direction or slightly larger than the same (e.g. by a maximum of 5%, by a maximum of 10% or by a maximum of 20% larger than the same). However, it is also possible that the depth 24 of the pocket 11 is less than 60%, less than 70%, less than 80% or less than 90% or more than 110%, more than 120%, more than 130% or more than 140% of the extension of the headrest in heights direction. It is e.g. possible that the depth 24 of the pocket 11 is in the range of 150 mm to 400 mm (preferably in the range of 200 mm to 300 mm).

[0096] It is possible that instructions for the operation are printed onto the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 (additional to any other prints as a customer address or a trademark of the manufacturer).

[0097] For applying a motor vehicle seat protective film 1 onto a motor vehicle seat 3 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 the pocket 11 is imposed on a headrest 49 of the motor vehicle seat 3 which might require an elastic widening of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1. The front sheet covering region 15 is applied to the front side of the backrest 5 and to the upper side of the seat cushion 4 so that the backrest 5 and the seat cushion 4 are completely covered.

[0098] In the upper end region the front sheet covering region 15 comprises corner regions 47, 48. If the front sheet side regions 32, 33 and the rear sheet side regions 34, 35 were not present, these corner regions 47, 48 would not have any support additional to the support by the corners of the backrest 5 so that it would be possible that the corner regions 47, 48 easily remove from the corners of the backrest 5 and fold inwards. For the shown embodiment the corner regions 47, 48 of the front sheet covering region 15 are connected via the front sheet side regions 32, 33 to the associated welding 20, 21, the front sheet pocket region 9 and via the folding 6 to the rear sheet pocket region 10 and the associated rear sheet side region 34, 35, so that the corner regions 47, 48 can additionally be held in their designated position and orientation.

[0099] In FIGS. 9 and 10 it can be seen that the position and orientation of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 on the motor vehicle seat 3 can be set independent on the extend the headrest 49 has been pulled out of the backrest. Dependent on the extent of the extraction of the headrest 49 out of the backrest the front sheet covering region 15 displaces only to a small extend in longitudinal direction relative to the seat cushion 4 and the backrest 5. Here, the longitudinal extension of the front sheet covering region 15 is chosen such that the seat cushion 4 is also covered in the region where it has to be protected if the headrest 49 extends maximally out of the seat cushion 4. Accordingly, for the non-maximally extended headrest 49 the front sheet covering region 15 extends beyond the portion of the seat cushion 4 which is to be protected and might hang down from the seat cushion 4. The excess portion 50 might e.g. at least have a longitudinal extension which equals the maximum distance the headrest 49 is extracted from the backrest 5.

[0100] It is possible that a film web 40 or also single motor vehicle seat protective films 1 is/are folded to a C-shape for a storage, the storage in a cardboard box or for the winding to a coil (additional to the aforementioned foldings). When wound to a coil, the C-shaped folding has the effect that overlaps formed by the ends of the C with the base leg of the C lead to a more dense in the lateral edge region of the coil and so to a more stable wound package than in the middle when seen in lateral direction. By means of a C-shaped folding it is also possible to adapt the dimension such that the dimension (or a multiple of the dimension of a plurality of motor vehicle seat protective films arranged one besides the other) corresponds to the dimension of a standardized euro-pallet.

[0101] It is possible that the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 is designated for multiple use. It is possible that the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 can be used for one or a plurality of days or for weeks. It is possible that the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 is completely manufactured from a recycled plastic film, comprises a recycled film section or preferably an inner layer of the film is made of a recycled material or contains recycled material where preferably the mass percentage of the recycled material is in the range of 10% to 70% (in particular 30% to 60%) of the overall mass of the plastic film. If an inner layer or the middle layer of three layers is made of a recycled material, the recycled material might have a percentage up to 50% (percent by weight or volumetric percentage) of the whole material of the layered film. In this case, preferably on the outer side facing towards the user the outer layer has a smaller coefficient of friction than the other outer layer on the outer side facing towards the motor vehicle seat.

[0102] As long as the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 is not contaminated it is possible to reuse the motor vehicle seat protective film 1. After its usage it is possible to recycle the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 in its entirety.

[0103] Within the frame of the invention it is possible that (differing from the shown embodiments) the front sheet side regions 32, 33 are removed by cutting them away during the production of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 or it is possible that the front sheet side regions 32, 33 can be separated by perforations. The cut or separated front sheet side regions 32, 33 can then be used for other purposes and can be adapted by additional measures to the other purposes, in particular for the purpose to use them as protective film for another part of the motor vehicle. It is e.g. possible that the front sheet side regions 32, 33 form a pocket-like protective film for a shift lever. Also in a film web 40 as e.g. shown in FIG. 8 the front sheet side regions 32, 33 can be removed. Accordingly, in this case the film web 40 does not have a continuous straight upper edge. Instead, in the region of the upper edge and of the front sheet side regions 32, 33 there are e.g. rectangular cutouts. Here, the two front sheet side regions 32, 33 of adjacent motor vehicle seat protective films 1a, 1b can be removed by a common rectangular cutout or perforation arranged between the weldings 20, 21.

[0104] It is generally possible that in the case that a film comprising three layers is used for the motor vehicle seat protective film 1a middle layer is at least partially made of a recycled film. It is e.g. possible that the middle layer is made of the material from the cutout front sheet side regions 32, 33.

[0105] It is also possible that the length 25 of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 is dimensioned such that the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 does not only cover the motor vehicle seat 3 but extends beyond the front edge of the seat cushion 4 so that also the front side of the motor vehicle seat 3 is covered by the down-hanging section of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1. Alternatively or accumulatively it is even possible that the footwell floor in front of the motor vehicle seat 3 is covered so that the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 is arranged between the footwell floor and the shoes of the person sitting on the motor vehicle seat 3 and the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 fulfils an additional protective function.

[0106] The motor vehicle seat protective film 1 consists of a plastic film 2 with weldings 20, 21 and the folding 6. The plastic film 2 is rectangular and comprises an upper film edge 54 (forming the edge 36 of the pocket 11), a lower film edge 53 (forming the lower edge 17 of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1), a left lateral film edge 55 (forming the left lateral edge 27 of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1), a right lateral film edge 56 (forming the right lateral edge 28 of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1), a film length L (equaling the length 25 plus the length 24) and a film width W (corresponding to the width 22 of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1).

[0107] On both sides the motor vehicle seat protective film 1 forms stairs contours 51, 52 in the upper end region. The stairs contours 51, 52 might have at least two steps each. Preferably, the stairs contours 51, 52 are mirror images of each other when mirrored by a mirror extending along the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle seat protective film 1. The stair 51 (respectively 52) is formed by the lateral edge 27 (respectively the lateral edge 28), the edge 36 of the pocket 11, the welding 20 (respectively 21) and the upper edge 18.

[0108] In the patent claims the width 22 of the plastic film 2 is also denoted with the letter W whereas the length of the plastic film 2 in the unfolded state is denoted with the letter L.

[0109] The motor vehicle seat protective film 1 is in particular made of a rectangular plastic film 2 having a length L and a width W.

[0110] It is possible that the plastic film 2 is made of two or more film sections having the same or differing materials and/or the same or differing numbers of layers and/or the same or differing layer compositions. In this case the film sections are adhered to each other, welded to each other or connected in another way to each other by a material bond for establishing an integral plastic film 2. However, preferably the plastic film 2 (and so the motor vehicle seat protective film 1) is made and consist of one single one-pieced film.