One-piece interior trim panel for a motor vehicle and method for manufacturing such an interior trim panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9868406-B2
Application number	US-201514974214-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 20, 2014
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

A one-piece interior trim panel for a motor vehicle and method of manufacture is disclosed which includes a trim section configured to face the vehicle interior and a handle section that is arranged on the trim section such that a handle cavity is formed in the interior trim panel. The handle section features a recess that points in the vertical direction and through which a person can reach behind the rear side of a segment of the trim section. The present disclosure furthermore concerns a method for manufacturing such an interior trim panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A one-piece interior trim panel for an interior of motor vehicle comprising:
a trim section configured to face the vehicle interior; and
a handle section arranged on the trim section and forming a handle cavity in the interior trim panel, wherein the handle section comprises a recess extending in a vertical direction to provide access to a back side of a segment of the trim section; and
at least two protruding projections in the form of a wall-shaped element provided on a rear side of the segment, wherein the at least two protruding projections extend in a lateral direction and are arranged successively in the vertical direction such that intermediate spaces are formed therebetween.

2. The interior trim panel according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two protruding projection are integrated with the segment as one piece.

3. The interior trim panel according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two protruding projection are connected to a support section arranged on the rear side of the segment in at least one lateral direction, wherein the support section extend in the vertical direction.

4. The interior trim panel according to claim 3 , wherein the support section are integrated with the at least two protruding sections and the segment as one piece.

5. The interior trim panel according to claim 1 , wherein a first protruding projection has a height that is less than a second protruding projection and is arranged closer to the recess than the second protruding projection.

6. The interior trim panel according to claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of intermediate protruding projection having free ends arranged along an arc or S-shape to define a curved profile.

7. The interior trim panel according to claim 6 , wherein each of the protruding projections have a free end with a rounded profile.

8. The interior trim panel according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two protruding projections inclined away from the recess at an angle of inclination of less than 90° with the rear side of the segment.

9. The interior trim panel according to claim 8 , wherein the recess is arranged in a plane that includes an angle of inclination of less than 90° with the rear side of the segment, wherein the angle of inclination of the recess is equal to or greater than the angle of inclination of the protruding projections.

10. The interior trim panel according to claim 1 , wherein the recess is arranged in a plane that includes an angle of inclination of less than 90° with the rear side of the segment.

11. A one-piece interior trim panel for an interior of motor vehicle comprising:
a trim section configured to face the vehicle interior; and
a handle section arranged on the trim section and forming a handle cavity in the interior trim panel, wherein the handle section comprises a recess extending in a vertical direction to provide access to a back side of a segment of the trim section,
wherein the handle section is arranged on the trim section such that an opening for the handle cavity opening is formed in the trim section such that the trim section completely surrounds the handle cavity opening.

12. The interior trim panel according to claim 1 , wherein the interior trim panel comprises an injection-molded plastic part.

13. A method for manufacturing an interior trim panel comprising:
providing a permanent mold having two separate mold parts, which when assembled form a mold cavity defining a trim section configured to face the vehicle interior and a handle section arranged on the trim section and forming a handle cavity in the interior trim panel, wherein the handle section comprises a recess extending in a vertical direction to provide access to a back side of a segment of the trim section and at least two protruding projections in the form of a wall-shaped element provided on a rear side of the segment, wherein the at least two protruding projections extend in a lateral direction and are arranged successively in the vertical direction such that intermediate spaces are formed therebetween;
injecting a molding material comprising a plastic into the mold cavity to form an interior trim panel; and
separating the two mold parts and removing the interior trim panel from the permanent mold.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises transferring the two separate permanent mold parts a molding position, in which the mold cavity for the handle section and the trim section is formed in its entirety, as well as respectively separated from one another in a predefined removal direction after the molding process.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the two permanent mold parts abut on one another in the molding position such that the recess is formed.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Horst Thomas
• Silz Michael

Classifications

• B60R2013/0287

  integrating other functions or accessories · CPC title

• B60R7/02 Primary

  in separate luggage compartment {(B60R7/005 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R13/02 Primary

  {Internal} Trim mouldings {; Internal} Ledges; Wall liners {for passenger compartments}; Roof liners (B60R13/01 takes precedence {; padded linings for the vehicle interior B60R21/04; arrangements or adaptations of floor mats or carpets in vehicles B60N3/04; internal lining for trains B61D17/18}) · CPC title