Method for selectively producing a first or a second variant of a multi-layer plastic component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10960581-B2
Application number	US-201815995911-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2018
Priority date	Dec 2, 2015
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

A method for selectively producing a first or a second variant of a multi-layer plastic component, where both variants have a substrate part, a decorative layer, and a foam layer between the substrate part and the decorative layer, includes producing the foam layer in a foaming mold which has a first mold half, into which the substrate part is inserted before the foaming process. To produce the first variant, the decorative layer is inserted into a second mold half of the foaming mold before the foaming process. To produce the second variant, a spacer layer is inserted into the second mold half before the foaming process where, after the foaming process, the spacer layer is removed from the foam layer and the decorative layer is applied to the foam layer. The foam layer includes at least one first portion having a higher contour stability than a second portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for selectively producing a first or a second variant of a multi-layer plastic component, wherein:
both the first and second variants have a substrate part, a decorative layer, and a foam layer disposed between the substrate part and the decorative layer;
and comprising the acts of:
producing the foam layer in a foaming mold having a first mold half and introducing the substrate part into the first mold half before a start of a foaming process;
wherein:
to produce the first variant the decorative layer is introduced into a second mold half of the foaming mold prior to the foaming process; and
to produce the second variant a spacer layer is introduced into the second mold half of the foaming mold prior to the foaming process, wherein the spacer layer is removed from the foam layer after the foaming process and the decorative layer of the second variant is applied to the foam layer;
wherein the foam layer includes a first portion that has a higher contour stability than a second portion of the foam layer;
wherein the first portion that has the higher contour stability is disposed at edges of the foam layer and the second portion is disposed in a central region of the foam layer, wherein the edges of the foam layer with the first portion that has the higher contour stability form respective contours on a visible surface of the decorative layer, and wherein the respective contours are reproduced from contours created in a computer aided design (CAD) system.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the foam layer has a greater hardness than the second portion of the foam layer.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein differing materials are used to produce the first and second portions of the foam layer.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein differing materials are used to produce the first and second portions of the foam layer.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein polyurethane is used to produce the first portion and to produce the second portion and wherein material characteristics of the polyurethane differ in the first and second portions.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second variants have a same overall thickness.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the decorative layer of the first variant is less than a thickness of the decorative layer of the second variant and a thickness of the foam layer of the first variant is greater than a thickness of the foam layer of the second variant.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the spacer layer is used to produce a plurality of second variants of the multi-layer plastic component.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the decorative layer of the first variant is a plastic skin.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the decorative layer of the second variant has a lower, elastic layer facing the foam layer and an upper, synthetic or real leather layer bonded to the elastic layer.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the decorative layer of the second variant is a single-ply layer made of synthetic or natural leather.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the decorative layer of the second variant is adhesively bonded to the foam layer.

13. A method for selectively producing a first or a second variant of a multi-layer plastic component, wherein both the first and second variants have a substrate part, a decorative layer, and a foam layer disposed between the substrate part and the decorative layer, comprising the act of:
forming the foam layer with a first portion that has a higher contour stability than a second portion of the foam layer, wherein the first portion that has the higher contour stability is disposed at edges of the foam layer and the second portion is disposed in a central region of the foam layer, wherein the edges of the foam layer with the first portion that has the higher contour stability form respective contours on a visible surface of the decorative layer, and wherein the respective contours are reproduced from contours created in a computer aided design (CAD) system.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Dietl Florian
• Kurz Ralph

Classifications

• B29K2075/00

  Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title

• B29C44/5681

  Covering the foamed object with, e.g. a lining · CPC title

• B29C44/14

  the preformed part being a lining {(B29C44/1209 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C44/0461

  by having different chemical compositions in different places, e.g. having different concentrations of foaming agent, feeding one composition after the other · CPC title

• B29C37/0025 Primary

  Applying surface layers, e.g. coatings, decorative layers, printed layers, to articles during shaping, e.g. in-mould printing (moulding on preformed layers as inserts B29C70/68; applying fluent material to surfaces in general B05) · CPC title