Vehicle interior component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926732-B2
Application number	US-201816220863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2018
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle interior component is disclosed. The component may facilitate deployment of an airbag and may comprise a panel comprising fibers. The panel may comprise a notch formed as a depression in a first side of the panel and at least one feature adjacent the notch. A second side of the panel may comprise a substantially planar surface opposite the notch. The panel may comprise at least one of a resin, a thermoplastic resin, polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate. The notch may direct deployment of the airbag through the panel. The feature may comprise a protrusion to provide a relief for the notch. The component may comprise a rib formed on the panel adjacent the notch comprising resin. The rib may comprise a resin portion comprising resin and a fiber portion comprising fibers of the panel. The component may comprise a trim panel, an instrument panel, a door panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle interior component formed in a mold and configured to facilitate deployment of an airbag from an airbag module comprising:
a panel comprising fibers;
wherein the panel comprises a rear side for the airbag module and a front side providing a surface;
wherein the rear side of the panel is configured for contact from the airbag to establish an opening for deployment of the airbag;
wherein the panel comprises a notch formed as a depression in the rear side of the panel to establish the opening for deployment of the airbag;
wherein the rear side of the panel is configured to support the airbag module;
wherein the panel comprises at least one feature at the rear side of the panel adjacent the notch;
wherein the front side of the panel comprises a substantially planar surface opposite the notch;
wherein the panel comprising fibers comprises a fiber panel;
wherein the notch is formed by:
(a) compressing at least a first portion of the fiber panel between a first surface and a second surface of the mold;
(b) penetrating material of the fiber panel at the rear side with a protrusion of the mold to push material of the fiber panel aside to form the notch in the rear side and maintain a continuous surface at the front side; and
(c) filling a depression of the mold with material of the fiber panel to form a protrusion at the rear side.

2. The vehicle interior component of claim 1 wherein the panel further comprises at least one of (a) a resin; (b) a thermoplastic resin; (c) polypropylene; (d) acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; (e) polycarbonate.

3. The vehicle interior component of claim 1 wherein the notch is configured to direct deployment of the airbag through the panel.

4. The vehicle interior component of claim 1 wherein the feature comprises a protrusion configured to provide a relief for the notch.

5. The vehicle interior component of claim 4 further comprising a rib adjacent the notch.

6. The vehicle interior component of claim 5 wherein the rib is configured to direct deployment of the airbag through the panel.

7. The vehicle interior component of claim 1 wherein the front side of the panel further comprises a substantially non-planar surface.

8. The vehicle interior component of claim 1 wherein the feature comprises a rib configured to direct deployment of the airbag through the panel.

9. The vehicle interior component of claim 8 wherein the rib is formed on the panel.

10. The vehicle interior component of claim 8 wherein the rib comprises a resin portion comprising resin and a fiber portion comprising fibers of the panel.

11. A vehicle interior component formed in a mold and configured to facilitate deployment of an airbag from an airbag module comprising;
a panel comprising fibers;
wherein the panel comprises a front side and a rear side;
wherein the panel comprises a first portion comprising a first thickness, a second portion comprising a second thickness less than the first thickness and a third portion comprising a third thickness greater than the first thickness;
wherein the rear side of the panel is configured to support the airbag module;
wherein the front side of the panel is configured to provide a surface;
wherein the first portion of the panel is separated from the second portion of the panel by the third portion of the panel;
wherein the second portion of the panel comprises a notch formed as a depression in the rear side of the panel and configured to direct deployment of the airbag through the panel;
wherein the third portion of the panel comprises at least one feature at the rear side of the panel adjacent the notch:
wherein the panel comprising fibers comprises a fiber panel;
wherein the notch is formed by:
(a) compressing the fiber panel in the mold;
(b) penetrating material of the fiber panel at the rear side with a protrusion of the mold to push material of the fiber panel aside to form the notch in the rear side and maintain a continuous surface at the front side; and
(c) filling a depression of the mold with material of the fiber panel to form a protrusion at the rear side.

12. The vehicle interior component of claim 11 wherein the first portion, the second portion and the third portion comprise a substantially constant density.

13. The vehicle interior component of claim 11 wherein the first portion, the second portion and the third portion comprise a substantially continuous surface at the front side of the panel.

14. The vehicle interior component of claim 11 wherein the third portion at least one of (a) extends from the second portion; (b) is adjacent the second portion.

15. The vehicle interior component of claim 11 wherein at least one of (a) the second portion and the third portion are formed concurrently; (b) the third portion is formed in response to formation of the second portion.

16. The vehicle interior component of claim 11 further comprising a rib formed on the panel adjacent the notch.

17. A method of manufacturing a vehicle interior component comprising:
(a) providing a mold comprising a first surface and a second surface comprising a protrusion and a depression;
(b) disposing a fiber panel comprising a first side and a second side onto the first surface of a mold;
(c) compressing at least a first portion of the fiber panel between the first surface and the second surface of the mold;
(d) penetrating material of the fiber panel at the first side of the panel with the protrusion of the second surface of the mold to push material of the fiber panel aside to form a notch in the first side of the fiber panel and maintain a continuous surface at the second side of the fiber panel; and
(e) filling the depression of the second surface of the mold with material of the fiber panel to form a protrusion at the first side of the fiber panel.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising a step of injecting resin into the mold at the depression of the second surface of the mold to form a rib.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of injecting resin into the mold comprises moving material of the fiber panel toward the second surface of the fiber panel.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the notch is configured to establish an opening in the vehicle interior component for deployment of an airbag through the vehicle interior component.

Assignees

• Shanghai yanfeng jinqiao automotive trim systems co ltd

Inventors

• Sterne Stroebe Jennifer Anne
• Fox Bart William
• Zimmer Michael Gerard
• Phillips Michael Edward
• Glynn Dale Todd

Classifications

• B60R13/0256

  Dashboard liners · CPC title

• B29L2031/3038

  Air bag covers · CPC title

• B60R21/2165 Primary

  characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening · CPC title

• B60R21/205

  in dashboards · CPC title