Vehicle trim component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10507609-B2
Application number	US-201815995621-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2018
Priority date	Aug 30, 2011
Publication date	Dec 17, 2019
Grant date	Dec 17, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle trim component is disclosed. The vehicle trim component may be prepared by a process comprising heating and placing a fiber panel into a mold cavity, compressing the fiber panel in the mold cavity to form a compression formed component providing a structural substrate having a thickness along an edge and injecting resin into the mold cavity with the structural substrate. A border may be formed along the thickness of the structural substrate by the injected resin; the border may provide dimensional accuracy at the edge of the structural substrate notwithstanding variations in the fiber panel. A resin feature (such as a part, component, connector, reinforcing element, weakened zone, shape, etc.) may be formed in or on the structural substrate by the injected resin (e.g. in a gap or void). The resin feature may comprise a rib to extend across an interface between the structural substrate and the border.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle trim component comprising a fiber panel compression formed in a mold cavity prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
heating the fiber panel;
placing the fiber panel into the mold cavity;
compressing the fiber panel in the mold cavity to form a compression formed component comprising an edge along a periphery and providing a structural substrate having a shape and a thickness along the edge; and
injecting resin into the mold cavity with the structural substrate;
wherein the shape of the structural substrate is formed in the mold cavity;
wherein a border of the structural substrate is formed along the thickness of the structural substrate by the resin injected into the mold cavity; and
wherein a rib for the structural substrate is formed by the resin injected into the mold cavity.

2. The vehicle trim component of claim 1 wherein the rib is formed to extend across an interface between the structural substrate and the border.

3. The vehicle trim component of claim 1 wherein the compression formed component formed from the fiber panel comprises variations at the edge along the periphery; and wherein the border of the structural substrate formed by injected resin is configured to provide dimensional accuracy at the edge along the periphery.

4. The vehicle trim component of claim 1 wherein the step of injecting resin into the mold cavity with the structural substrate comprises forming the rib from injected resin and forming the border from injected resin; wherein the border formed from injected resin is configured to provide dimensional accuracy along the edge of the structural substrate.

5. The vehicle trim component of claim 1 wherein the step of injecting resin into the mold cavity with the structural substrate comprises forming a reinforcing element on the structural substrate.

6. The vehicle trim component of claim 1 further comprising a cover configured to cover the structural substrate; wherein the cover is comprised of at least one of (a) woven fabric, (b) non-woven fabric, (c) an applique, (d) vinyl, (e) foam, (f) foil, (g) leather; (h) coverstock.

7. A vehicle trim component comprising a fiber panel compression formed in a mold cavity prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
heating the fiber panel;
placing the fiber panel into the mold cavity;
compressing the fiber panel in the mold cavity to form a compression formed component comprising an edge along a periphery and providing a structural substrate having a shape and a thickness along the edge; and
injecting resin into the mold cavity with the structural substrate;
wherein the shape of the structural substrate is formed in the mold cavity;
wherein a border of the structural substrate is formed along the thickness of the structural substrate by the resin injected into the mold cavity; and
wherein the step of injecting resin into the mold cavity with the structural substrate comprises filling a void within the mold cavity with the structural substrate with injected resin.

8. The vehicle trim component of claim 7 prepared by a process further comprising the step of penetrating the fiber panel with at least one pin to secure the fiber panel in the mold cavity so that the void is created in the structural substrate formed from the fiber panel by the at least one pin.

9. The vehicle trim component of claim 8 wherein the step of penetrating the fiber panel with at least one pin further comprises withdrawing the at least one pin from the fiber panel before injecting resin into the mold cavity.

10. The vehicle trim component of claim 7 wherein the void comprises a gap within the mold cavity; and wherein the step of injecting resin into the mold cavity comprises forming the border by injecting resin in the gap within the mold cavity between the structural substrate and the mold cavity.

11. The vehicle trim component of claim 7 wherein the step of injecting resin into the mold cavity comprises forming at least one of (a) an ancillary component; (b) an ancillary component formed from resin; (c) a rib; (d) a rib formed from resin; (e) a resin feature; (f) a resin feature formed from resin filled in a void between the first surface and the second surface of the fiber panel of the structural substrate; (g) a resin component; (h) a resin component formed in a shape; (i) a connector configured to facilitate coupling with at least one of (1) a door frame, (2) an instrument panel, (3) a support structure within the vehicle interior.

12. The vehicle trim component of claim 7 wherein the step of placing the fiber panel into the mold cavity comprises placing a cover in the mold cavity and placing the fiber panel on the cover; wherein the cover is comprised of at least one of (a) woven fabric, (b) non-woven fabric, (c) an applique, (d) vinyl, (e) foam, (f) foil, (g) leather.

13. A vehicle trim component comprising a fiber panel compression formed in a mold cavity prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
heating the fiber panel;
placing the fiber panel into the mold cavity;
compressing the fiber panel in the mold cavity to form a compression formed component comprising an edge along a periphery and providing a structural substrate having a shape and a thickness along the edge; and
injecting resin into the mold cavity with the structural substrate;
wherein the shape of the structural substrate is formed in the mold cavity;
wherein a border of the structural substrate is formed along the thickness of the structural substrate by the resin injected into the mold cavity;
wherein the structural substrate provides at least one void; and
wherein the step of injecting resin into the mold cavity with the structural substrate comprises forming a resin feature in the at least one void of the structural substrate.

14. The vehicle trim component of claim 13 wherein the resin feature comprises a reinforcing element configured to reinforce the structural substrate in the at least one void.

15. The vehicle trim component of claim 14 wherein the resin feature is configured to provide a weakened zone in the structural substrate configured to facilitate separation of the reinforcing element from the structural substrate for deployment of an airbag.

16. The vehicle trim component of claim 13 wherein the resin feature is formed along at least a portion of a first surface of the structural substrate and along at least a portion of a second surface of the structural substrate to couple the resin feature to the structural substrate.

17. The vehicle trim component of claim 13 wherein the at least one void comprises an opening in the structural substrate and the resin feature is configured to fill the opening to form a substantially continuous surface.

18. The vehicle trim component of claim 13 wherein the structural substrate and the resin feature are configured to provide a substantially continuous structure.

19. The vehicle trim component of claim 13 wherein a shape of the structural substrate comprises a first curvature; and wherein the resin feature comprises a resin component comprising a second curvature different than the first curvature of the structural substrate.

20. The vehicle trim component of claim 13 wherein the step of injecting resin into the mold cavity with the structural substrate comprises at least one of: (a) the mold cavity providing dimensional accuracy for injected resin; (b) injecting resin into the at least one void; (c) injecting resin into a gap within the fiber panel; (d) injecting resin into a

Assignees

• Shanghai yanfeng jinqiao automotive trim systems co ltd
• Shanghai Yanfeng Jianqiao Automotive Trim Systems Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fox Bart W
• Deyoung Jeffrey A
• Pokorzynski Tony M

Classifications

• B29L2031/3014

  Door linings · CPC title

• B29C70/548

  using distribution constructions, e.g. channels incorporated in or associated with the mould · CPC title

• B29C43/40

  with means for cutting the article · CPC title

• B29C2043/325

  screws · CPC title

• B29C43/183

  the preformed layer being a lining, e.g. shaped in the mould before compression moulding, or a preformed shell adapted to the shape of the mould · CPC title