Tooling for manufacturing a vehicle panel and method of manufacture
AssigneeFaurecia Interior Systems, Inc.
InventorScott Farmer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Tooling for manufacturing a vehicle panel having a substrate, a foam layer, and a decorative covering. The tooling includes a tool base having a tool aperture, and an insert having a sealing projection. The insert is located at least partially in the tool aperture. The sealing projection is configured to create a seal between the substrate and the decorative covering at least partially around a substrate aperture in the substrate. The substrate aperture is at least partially smaller than the tool aperture so as to form an overlapping seal area between the sealing projection of insert and the substrate. A manufacturing method can create a foam-less region between the decorative covering and the substrate.
Claims14
Tooling for manufacturing a vehicle panel having a substrate, a foam layer, and a decorative covering, comprising:
- a tool base having a tool aperture;
- and
- an insert having a sealing projection, the insert being located at least partially in the tool aperture, wherein the sealing projection is configured to create a seal between the substrate and the decorative covering at least partially around a substrate aperture in the substrate, wherein the substrate aperture is at least partially smaller than the tool aperture so as to form an overlapping seal area between the sealing projection of the insert and the substrate, wherein the substrate aperture is a locator hole for attaching a vehicle panel subcomponent, wherein the insert is a separate component from the decorative covering and the substrate.
A method of manufacturing a vehicle panel having a substrate, a foam layer, and a decorative covering, comprising the steps of:
- situating the decorative covering in tooling comprising:
- a tool base having a tool aperture;
- and
- an insert having a sealing projection, the insert being located at least partially in the tool aperture, wherein the sealing projection is configured to create a seal between the substrate and the decorative covering at least partially around a substrate aperture in the substrate, wherein the substrate aperture is at least partially smaller than the tool aperture so as to form an overlapping seal area between the sealing projection of the insert and the substrate, wherein the substrate aperture is
- a locator hole for attaching a vehicle panel subcomponent, wherein the insert is a
- separate component from the decorative covering and the substrate;
- situating the substrate over the decorative covering such that the substrate aperture of the substrate is positioned over the tool aperture in the tool base;
- forming the seal between the decorative covering and the substrate around the substrate aperture by applied pressure between the substrate and the insert;
- and
- foaming between the substrate and the decorative covering.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.