Soft upper trim for switch assembly of vehicle door and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020238900-A1
Application number	US-202016851670-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 17, 2020
Priority date	Mar 9, 2018
Publication date	Jul 30, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a soft upper trim of a vehicle door, in which an upper substrate, foam, and a transparent skin are laminated, and particularly, to a soft upper trim for switch assembly of a vehicle door, in which a switch, which is configured to preserve continuity of a transparent skin and display lock and unlock symbols on the transparent skin, is easily assembled to an upper substrate, and a method of manufacturing the same.

First claim

1 . A method of manufacturing a soft upper trim for switch assembly of a vehicle door in which a molding layer and a transparent layer are formed in a state in which a light guide plate is assembled to an upper substrate, the method comprising:
(a) injection-molding the upper substrate such that a lower recessed groove and an upper recessed groove communicate with each other, wherein a switch module is inserted into the lower recessed groove in a lower side of the upper substrate and a light guide plate engraved with a symbol is inserted into the upper recessed groove in an upper side of the upper substrate; (b) assembling the light guide plate in the upper recessed groove; (c) injection-molding a transparent resin on upper surfaces of the upper substrate and the light guide plate in a state in which the upper substrate assembled with the light guide plate is inserted; and (d) ejecting a transparent paint on an upper surface of the transparent paint.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein, in the assembling of the light guide plate, the light guide plate is assembled such that the upper surface of the light guide plate is placed at a higher level than the upper surface of the upper substrate.

3 . A soft upper trim for switch assembly of a vehicle door, the soft upper trim comprising an upper substrate, a molding layer, and a transparent layer, which are laminated, wherein:
an upper recessed groove and a lower recessed groove are formed in the upper substrate so as to communicate with each other, wherein a switch module is inserted into the lower recessed groove; a light guide plate is assembled in the upper recessed groove and has a symbol engraved in an upper side thereof; the molding layer includes a transparent resin which is injection-molded on upper surfaces of the upper substrate and the light guide plate; and the transparent layer includes a transparent paint which is applied on an upper surface of the transparent resin.

4 . The soft upper trim according to claim 3 , wherein:
the transparent resin includes a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material; the transparent resin includes a urethane material; the upper substrate includes polypropylene (PP); and the light guide plate includes polycarbonate (PC).

5 . The soft upper trim according to claim 3 , wherein:
the light guide plate includes side plates and an upper plate, which connects upper surfaces of the side plates and has the symbol engraved therein; an accommodation groove, in which a upper side of the switch module is inserted and accommodated, is further formed inside a lower side of the light guide plate; and an upper surface of the light guide plate is placed at a higher level as an upper surface of the upper substrate.

6 . The soft upper trim according to claim 4 , wherein:
the light guide plate includes side plates and an upper plate, which connects upper surfaces of the side plates and has the symbol engraved therein; an accommodation groove, in which a upper side of the switch module is inserted and accommodated, is further formed inside a lower side of the light guide plate; and an upper surface of the light guide plate is placed at a higher level as an upper surface of the upper substrate.

Assignees

• Seoyon E Hwa Co Ltd
• Seoyon America Corp

Inventors

• Cho Ji Hyun
• Kim Dong Suk
• Kim Jong Kyu
• Lee Sung Won

Classifications

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• B60Q3/54

  Lighting devices embedded in interior trim, e.g. in roof liners · CPC title

• B60R13/0243 Primary

  Doors · CPC title

• B60Q3/64

  for a single lighting device · CPC title

• G02B6/0065

  Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects · CPC title