Method of bonding a thermoplastic component to a carpeted component

A method of bonding thermoplastic components to a carpeted component to form a sandwich-type article, the method comprising:

• providing a set of article components, the set of article components including a thermoplastic component, a first thermoplastic carpet, a first reinforced thermoplastic skin, a cellulose-based core, a second reinforced thermoplastic skin, a second thermoplastic carpet, and a covering layer, the first thermoplastic carpet being adapted to bond to the thermoplastic component and the first reinforced thermoplastic skin upon becoming fluent under application of heat, the second thermoplastic carpet being adapted to bond to the covering layer and the second reinforced thermoplastic skin upon becoming fluent under application of the heat;
• heating the set of article components sufficiently to cause the first thermoplastic carpet to become fluent in the area where the first thermoplastic carpet is to be bonded to the thermoplastic component and the first reinforced thermoplastic skin and to cause the second thermoplastic carpet to become fluent in the area where the second thermoplastic carpet is to be bonded to the covering layer and the second reinforced thermoplastic skin;
• placing, in a compression mold, the covering layer, the second thermoplastic caret overlying and in contact with the covering layer, the second reinforced thermoplastic skin overlying and in contact with the second thermoplastic carpet, the cellulose-based core overlying and in contact with the second reinforced thermoplastic skin, the first reinforced thermoplastic skin overlying and in contact with the cellulose-based core, the first thermoplastic carpet overlying and in contact with the first reinforced thermoplastic skin, the thermoplastic component overlying and in contact with the first thermoplastic carpet;
• closing the compression mold and applying substantially uniform pressure over the surface area of the set of article components to cause the set of article components to bond into a sandwich-type article in a single pressing operation, the bonding including to cause the fluent thermoplastic of the first thermoplastic carpet to form a solid bonding layer at its interfaces with the thermoplastic component and the first reinforced thermoplastic skin, as well as to cause the fluent thermoplastic of the second thermoplastic carpet to form a solid bonding layer at its interfaces with the covering layer and the second reinforced thermoplastic skin;
• and
• removing the bonded components from the mold as a sandwich-type article.