Vehicle interior panel with sculpted surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016176364-A1
Application number	US-201414574552-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle interior panel includes a fabric layer with a sculpted feature in the visible decorative surface. The sculpted feature is formed in a cold-forming process, which can produce sharp features in the fabric layer similar to sharp features formed in polymer films by thermoforming. The cold-forming process includes pressing a flat sheet of decorative material that includes the fabric layer onto a curable adhesive before the adhesive cures. After curing, the adhesive holds the decorative sheet of material in a new three-dimensional shape, which can have features that are not attainable by traditional wrapping methods.

First claim

1 . A method of making a vehicle interior panel ( 10 , 10 ′), comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a rigid substrate ( 14 ) and a cold-forming tool surface ( 42 ) facing toward the substrate ( 14 );
(b) supporting a generally flat sheet of decorative material ( 16 ′) between the substrate ( 14 ) and the cold-forming tool surface ( 42 ), said sheet of decorative material ( 16 ′) having a decorative side ( 22 ) facing toward the cold-forming tool surface ( 42 );
(c) disposing a curable adhesive ( 46 ) between the substrate ( 14 ) and the sheet of decorative material ( 16 ′);
(d) cold-forming the sheet of decorative material ( 16 ′) into a three-dimensional sheet by pressing the sheet of decorative material onto the cold-forming tool surface ( 42 ) and pressing the curable adhesive ( 46 ) against the decorative material with the rigid substrate ( 14 ) before the adhesive ( 46 ) cures; and
(e) moving the cold-forming tool surface ( 42 ) and substrate ( 14 ) away from each other after the adhesive ( 46 ) is sufficiently cured, wherein the adhesive ( 46 ) holds the three-dimensional sheet in a shape that is complimentary to a contour of the cold-forming tool surface ( 42 ).

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet of decorative material ( 16 ′) comprises a fabric layer ( 26 ).

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the fabric layer ( 26 ) has a weft direction (Z) and a warp direction, the method further comprising the step of orienting the sheet of decorative material ( 16 ′) such that the weft direction and the direction of highest elongation from step (b) to step (e) are generally aligned.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate ( 14 ) comprises a surface ( 34 ) facing toward the cold-forming tool surface ( 42 ), said substrate surface ( 34 ) having a contour that is different from said contour of the cold-forming tool surface ( 42 ), whereby the cured adhesive ( 46 ) has a non-uniform thickness.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said curable adhesive ( 46 ) expands to form a foam material ( 18 ) after step (c) and before step (e).

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the sheet of decorative material ( 16 ′) is in tension in step (b) and in a greater amount of tension in at least one direction in step (d).

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet of decorative material is secured to elastic fixing elements ( 44 ) at locations outside the perimeter of the substrate ( 14 ) in step (b) such that the elastic fixing elements ( 44 ) extend during step (d) to increase the amount of decorative material surface area that is within the perimeter of the substrate ( 14 ) during and after step (d).

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a cold-forming tool ( 36 ) comprising upper and lower portions ( 38 , 40 ) that move toward each other in step (d) and away from each other in step (e), wherein the substrate ( 14 ) is secured to said upper portion ( 38 ) before step (d), and wherein the lower portion ( 40 ) includes the cold-forming tool surface ( 42 ) and supports the generally flat sheet of decorative material ( 16 ′) over the cold-forming tool surface ( 42 ) in step (b).

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein step (c) comprises pouring the curable adhesive ( 46 ) on the sheet of decorative material ( 16 ′).

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a cold-forming tool ( 36 ) comprising upper and lower portions ( 38 , 40 ) that move toward each other in step (d) and away from each other in step (e), wherein the substrate ( 14 ) is supported by the lower portion ( 40 ), and wherein the upper portion ( 38 ) includes the cold-forming tool surface ( 42 ) and supports the generally flat sheet of decorative material ( 16 ′) beneath the cold-forming tool surface ( 42 ) in step (b).

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein step (c) comprises spraying the curable adhesive ( 46 ) on the substrate ( 14 ).

12 . A vehicle interior panel ( 10 , 10 ′) for use in the passenger cabin of a vehicle, the vehicle interior panel ( 10 , 10 ′) comprising:
a rigid substrate ( 14 );
a decorative layer ( 16 ) disposed over a region of the rigid substrate ( 14 ), the decorative layer ( 16 ) comprising a fabric layer ( 26 ) and a decorative surface ( 22 ) that is visible from the passenger cabin;
a foam layer ( 18 ) interposed between the substrate ( 14 ) and the decorative layer ( 16 ), wherein the foam layer ( 18 ) is a continuous layer having a non-uniform thickness along said region; and
wherein the decorative surface ( 22 ) includes a sculpted feature ( 20 ) having a characteristic radius (R 1 , R 2 ) smaller than an underlying substrate radius (RS).

13 . A vehicle interior panel ( 10 , 10 ′) as defined in claim 12 , wherein the sculpted feature ( 20 ) includes a concave shape and the decorative layer ( 16 ) is in tension at the concave shape.

14 . A vehicle interior door panel ( 12 , 12 ′) comprising the vehicle interior panel ( 10 , 10 ′) of claim 12 , wherein the thickness of the foam layer ( 18 ) is greater along an armrest portion ( 28 ) of the door panel ( 12 , 12 ′) than along a generally vertical upper or lower portion ( 30 , 32 ) of the door panel ( 12 , 12 ′).

15 . A vehicle interior door panel ( 12 , 12 ′) comprising the vehicle interior panel ( 10 , 10 ′) of claim 12 , wherein the fabric layer ( 26 ) has a vertically oriented weft and a horizontally oriented warp.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional sheet includes a sculpted feature ( 20 ) after step (e).

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the sculpted feature ( 20 ) has a concave shape.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the panel ( 10 , 10 ′) is a vehicle interior door panel ( 12 , 12 ′) and a thickness of the cured adhesive ( 46 ) is greater along an armrest portion ( 28 ) of the door panel ( 12 , 12 ′) than along a generally vertical upper or lower portion ( 30 , 32 ) of the door panel ( 12 , 12 ′).

Assignees

• Faurecia Interior Systems Inc

Inventors

• Reighard Robert P

Classifications

• B29L2031/3005

  Body finishings · CPC title

• B29L2031/3014

  Door linings · CPC title

• B29K2075/00

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

• B29C44/1257

  Joining a preformed part and a lining, e.g. around the edges · CPC title

• B29C67/0029

  Cold deforming of thermoplastics material (B29C43/16, B29C59/00 take precedence) · CPC title