Vehicle pillar construction and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9365166-B2
Application number	US-201313795836-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2013
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

An automotive vehicle including a pillar assembly. The pillar assembly comprises a structural reinforcement member and an associated garnish. The garnish is constructed of an elongated polypropylene inner layer mated to a cooperatively shaped fiber filled outer layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pillar garnish for use with an associated vehicle, the garnish comprising:
an elongated rigid body having an inner stiffener first layer formed of a polyolefin and an outer second layer formed of a thermoplastic polymer, the outer second layer including at least one of synthetic or natural fibers, said inner stiffener first layer and said outer second layer being formed of different materials relative to one another.

2. The pillar garnish of claim 1 wherein said second layer has a thickness greater than said first layer.

3. The pillar garnish of claim 1 wherein said first layer has a vehicle facing side which includes a plurality of reinforcement ribs.

4. The pillar garnish of claim 1 wherein said first layer is discontinuous.

5. The pillar garnish of claim 1 wherein said polyolefin is polypropylene.

6. The pillar garnish of claim 1 wherein said second layer is formed of between 30:70 to 70:30 polymer to fiber.

7. The pillar garnish of claim 1 wherein an outer surface of said second layer includes one of a fabric, film and coating.

8. The pillar garnish of claim 1 further comprising a clip retention projection integrally formed on said first layer.

9. The pillar garnish of claim 1 wherein said fibers comprise a woven sheet.

10. The pillar garnish of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive layer intermediate said first and second layers.

11. The pillar garnish of claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic polymer comprises polypropylene.

12. A method of making a rigid pillar garnish, comprising:
forming an outer shell formed of a fiber filled thermoplastic,
forming an inner stiffener core formed of a polyolefin, said outer shell and said inner stiffener core being formed of different materials relative to one another, and
attaching said inner stiffener core to said shell by one of in-mold bonding or an interposed adhesion layer.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising securing said garnish to a pillar of a vehicle.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising securing said garnish to a pillar of a vehicle.

15. An automotive vehicle including a pillar assembly, said assembly comprising:
a structural reinforcement member and an associated garnish, the garnish formed of an elongated polypropylene fiber free inner stiffener layer mated to a cooperatively shaped fiber filled polypropylene outer layer, wherein a material forming the inner stiffener layer has a higher weight expressed in g/m2 than a material forming the outer layer.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein said inner stiffener layer is discontinuous.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein said inner stiffener layer includes integral clip retention projections.

18. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein said inner stiffener layer includes an integral structure suited to accommodate at least one mechanical component.

19. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein said outer layer is thicker than said inner stiffener layer.

20. The pillar garnish of claim 1 wherein the material of said inner stiffener first layer has a weight of about 2400 g/m2 or greater and the material of said outer second layer has a weight of about 600 g/m2 or less.

21. The pillar garnish of claim 1 wherein said inner stiffener first layer and said outer second layer are different materials as a result of a presence of fibers in the outer second layer.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd
• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Bartlett Mark David
• Taniguchi Hiroaki
• Sapak Ben Edward
• Vorac Shane M

Classifications

• Y10T156/10

  Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• B29C45/14811

  Multilayered articles (B29C45/14827 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D25/04

  Door pillars {; windshield pillars} · CPC title

• B60R13/025 Primary

  Pillars; Roof rails · CPC title