Interior trim gap covering apparatuses for motor vehicles and methods for making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016355145-A1
Application number	US-201514729638-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 3, 2015
Priority date	Jun 3, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Interior trim gap covering apparatuses for motor vehicles and methods for making interior trim gap covering apparatuses are provided. In one example, an interior trim gap covering apparatus comprises a first gap hider member. The first gap hider member comprises a substrate having a forward edge and a rearward edge and a plurality of openings formed therethrough extending between the forward and rearward edges to facilitate the substrate deforming in response to an applied force. A flexible covering overlies the substrate.

First claim

1 . An interior trim gap covering apparatus for a motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a first gap hider member comprising:
a substrate deformable from a normal state to a deformed state along a deformation axis between a forward edge and a rearward edge of the substrate, the substrate having a plurality of elongated openings formed therethrough extending between the forward and rearward edges along the deformation axis to facilitate the substrate deforming from the normal state to the deformed state in response to an applied force along the deformation axis; and
a flexible covering overlying the substrate.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the openings are configured as diamond-shaped openings.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the openings are configured as slots.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the openings are configured as a plurality of juxtaposed elongated openings.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible covering comprises an outer skin.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the flexible covering further comprises a foam layer that is disposed between the outer skin and the substrate.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first gap hider member further comprises:
a steering wheel shroud that is coupled to the substrate and that is configured to operatively couple to a steering column.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second gap hider member that is configured for positioning adjacent to the first gap hider member and to move relative to the first gap hider member generally along an axis to cooperatively cover a gap.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second gap hider member is configured to operatively couple to an instrument panel and the first gap hider member is configured to operatively couple to a steering column, and wherein the first and second gap hider members are cooperatively configured to cover the gap that exposes a portion of the steering column and/or the instrument panel.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second gap hider member comprises;
a rigid substrate; and an outer covering overlying the rigid substrate.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the openings each have a length of from about 10 to about 50 mm.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the openings each have a width of from about 5 to about 12 mm.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the openings are spaced apart from each other a distance of from about 10 to about 30 mm.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a thickness of from about 0.75 to about 2.5 mm.

15 . A method of forming an interior trim gap covering apparatus for a motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
forming a plurality of elongated openings through a substrate extending between a forward edge and a rearward edge of the substrate along a deformation axis between the forward edge and the rearward edge of the substrate, wherein the openings are configured to facilitate the substrate deforming from a normal state to a deformed state along the deformation axis in response to an applied force along the deformation axis; and covering the substrate with a flexible covering to form a gap hider member.

Assignees

• Faurecia Interior Systems Inc

Inventors

• Forth Gary
• Gianferrara Frank
• Reuter Roger

Classifications

• B60R13/0256 Primary

  Dashboard liners · CPC title

• B60W10/06

  including control of combustion engines · CPC title

• B62D1/187

  with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment (B62D1/183, B62D1/19 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60W10/10

  including control of change-speed gearings · CPC title

• B62D1/18 Primary

  yieldable or adjustable, e.g. tiltable (padded linings associated with the steering column B60R21/05) · CPC title