Method of making a laminated trim component at a pair of spaced first and second molding stations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10166704-B2
Application number	US-201514803442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2015
Priority date	Feb 8, 2013
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

A method of making a laminated trim component at a pair of spaced first and second molding stations is provided. A heated plastic composite sheet is pressed against a heated laminated sheet to bond a plastic cushioning layer of the laminated sheet to the composite sheet at the first molding station. The step of pressing compresses a portion of the laminated sheet spaced inwardly from an outer periphery of the laminated sheet to locally compact and thin the cushioning layer at the portion to form a compressed portion of the cushioning layer. The bonded sheets are transferred to the second molding station where a plastic compatible with the plastic of the composite sheet is molded around the composite sheet to form at least one component at the inner surface of the composite sheet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a laminated trim component at a pair of spaced first and second molding stations, the method comprising:
providing a natural fiber, plastic composite sheet having inner and outer surfaces;
heating the composite sheet to a first softening temperature, wherein the composite sheet is stretchable when heated to the first softening temperature;
providing a laminated sheet overlying the outer surface of the composite sheet, the laminated sheet having a support layer with inner and outer surfaces and a plastic cushioning layer laminated to the support layer at the inner surface of the support layer;
heating the laminated sheet to a second softening temperature, wherein the laminated sheet is stretchable when heated to the second softening temperature;
pressing the composite sheet against the laminated sheet after the steps of providing and the steps of heating to bond the plastic cushioning layer to the plastic composite sheet at the first molding station, wherein the step of pressing compresses a portion of the laminated sheet spaced inwardly from an outer periphery of the laminated sheet to locally compact and thin the cushioning layer at the portion to form a compressed portion of the cushioning layer, and wherein interior portions of the sheets stretch during the step of pressing while remaining intact;
transferring the bonded sheets to the second molding station; and
molding a plastic compatible with the plastic of the composite sheet around the composite sheet to form at least one component at the inner surface of the composite sheet at the second molding station wherein a plurality of plastic edge components are formed about a periphery of the composite sheet during the step of molding and wherein the method further comprises folding the laminated sheet at the compressed portion of the cushioning layer and bonding outer peripheral portions of the folded laminated sheet to the plastic edge components.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising applying a vacuum at the outer surface of the support layer to pull the outer surface of the support layer into contact with a forming surface while the support layer is still soft to improve appearance of the outer surface and improve component shape.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plastic cushioning layer is a thermoplastic foam layer compatible with the plastic of the composite sheet.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the laminated plastic sheet is a polymer bi-laminate sheet.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support layer is a thermoplastic outer skin layer.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the thermoplastic outer skin layer is a TPO outer skin layer.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the composite sheet includes a thermoplastic resin.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the thermoplastic resin of the composite sheet is polypropylene.

9. A method of making a laminated, vehicle trim component at a pair of spaced first and second molding stations, the method comprising:
providing a natural fiber, plastic composite sheet having inner and outer surfaces;
heating the composite sheet to a first softening temperature, wherein the composite sheet is stretchable when heated to the first softening temperature;
providing a laminated sheet overlying the outer surface of the composite sheet, the laminated sheet having a support layer with inner and outer surfaces and a plastic cushioning layer laminated to the support layer at the inner surface of the support layer;
heating the laminated sheet to a second softening temperature, wherein the laminated sheet is stretchable when heated to the second softening temperature;
pressing the composite sheet against the laminated sheet after the steps of providing and the steps of heating to bond the plastic cushioning layer to the plastic composite sheet, wherein the step of pressing compresses a portion of the laminated sheet spaced inwardly from an outer periphery of the laminated sheet to locally compact and thin the cushioning layer at the portion to form a compressed portion of the cushioning layer and wherein interior portions of the sheets stretch during the step of pressing while remaining intact;
transferring the bonded sheets to the second molding station; and
molding a plastic compatible with the plastic of the composite sheet around the composite sheet to form at least one component at the inner surface of the composite sheet at the second molding station wherein a plurality of plastic edge components are formed about a periphery of the composite sheet during the step of molding and wherein the method further comprises folding the laminated sheet at the compressed portion of the cushioning layer and bonding outer peripheral portions of the folded laminated sheet to the plastic edge components.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising applying a vacuum at the outer surface of the support layer to pull the outer surface of the support layer into contact with a forming surface while the support layer is still soft to improve appearance of the outer surface and improve component shape.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the plastic cushioning layer is a thermoplastic foam layer compatible with the plastic of the composite sheet.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the laminated plastic sheet is a polymer bi-laminate sheet.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the support layer is a thermoplastic outer skin layer.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic outer skin layer is a TPO outer skin layer.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the composite sheet includes a thermoplastic resin.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the thermoplastic resin of the composite sheet is polypropylene.

17. A method of making a laminated, vehicle interior trim component at a pair of spaced first and second molding stations, the method comprising:
providing a natural fiber, plastic composite sheet having inner and outer surfaces;
heating the composite sheet to a first softening temperature, wherein the composite sheet is stretchable when heated to the first softening temperature;
providing a laminated sheet overlying the outer surface of the composite sheet, the laminated sheet having a support layer with inner and outer surfaces and a plastic cushioning layer laminated to the support layer at the inner surface of the support layer;
heating the laminated sheet to a second softening temperature, wherein the laminated sheet is stretchable when heated to the second softening temperature;
pressing the composite sheet against the laminated sheet after the steps of providing and the steps of heating to bond the plastic cushioning layer to the plastic composite sheet, wherein the step of pressing compresses a portion of the laminated sheet spaced inwardly from an outer periphery of the laminated sheet to locally compact and thin the cushioning layer at the portion to form a compressed portion of the cushioning layer, and wherein interior portions of the sheets stretch during the step of pressing while remaining intact;
transferring the bonded sheets to the second molding station; and
molding a plastic compatible with the plastic of the composite sheet around the composite sheet to form at least one component at the inner surface of the composite sheet at the second molding station wherein a plurality of plastic edge components are formed about a periphery of the composite sheet during

Assignees

• Global Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Preisler Darius J
• Heikkila Christopher A
• Mitchell Steven A

Classifications

• B29L2031/3041

  Trim panels · CPC title

• B29C2043/182

  completely · CPC title

• B29C43/18 Primary

  incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles {(B29C43/206 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C43/10

  Isostatic pressing, i.e. using non-rigid pressure-exerting members against rigid parts or dies · CPC title

• B29C45/14 Primary

  incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles {(B29C45/1671 takes precedence)} · CPC title