Process for securing a micro-truss structure to a panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9511540-B2
Application number	US-201414454598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2014
Priority date	Aug 7, 2014
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

A process for reinforcing a trim panel for a vehicle using one or more micro-truss reinforcement patches. Each micro-truss reinforcement patch is secured to an inner surface of a show surface panel of the trim panel while it is in a partially cured state and then fully cured. The micro-truss patch is fusion bonded to the panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for securing a reinforcement patch to a panel, said method comprising:
providing a partially cured micro-truss structure including an array of struts bonded to a flexible support layer;
providing a heatable material in association with the support layer;
shaping the partially cured micro-truss structure to the panel;
fully curing the micro-truss structure while it is shaped to the panel; and
fusion bonding the micro-truss structure to the panel using the heatable material.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein providing the heatable material includes providing the heatable material as a layer applied to a surface of the support layer opposite to the micro-truss structure.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein providing the heatable material includes embedding heatable material particles within the support layer.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein providing a heatable material includes providing a heatable material selected from the group consisting of an induction heatable material, an eddy current heatable material and an RF heatable material.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein providing a partially cured micro-truss structure includes providing access locations through and adjacent to the micro-truss structure that allow access to the support layer.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein shaping the micro-truss structure to the panel includes using a coupling device to grasp the micro-truss structure through the access locations.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein shaping the micro-truss structure to the panel includes bending, twisting or stretching the micro-truss structure to conform to the shape of the panel using the coupling device.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein fully curing the micro-truss structure includes using an ultraviolet light source.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein fusion bonding the micro-truss structure to the panel includes using an RF energy source.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein fully curing the micro-truss structure and fusion bonding the micro-truss structure are performed simultaneously.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the panel is a vehicle trim panel.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the micro-truss structure is a thermoset structure.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Mankame Nilesh D
• Hundley Jacob M
• Mourou Julien P
• Lang Steven C

Classifications

• B29C66/7394

  characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoset · CPC title

• B29C66/73753

  the to-be-joined area of at least one of the parts to be joined being partially cured, i.e. partially cross-linked, partially vulcanized · CPC title

• B29C53/02

  Bending or folding (B29C53/22, B29C53/34, B29C53/36, B29C53/56 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29C65/4875

  being spherical, e.g. particles or powders · CPC title

• B29C66/7252

  hollow-walled · CPC title